I stumbled upon a shocking statistic (a figure put forward by a Prof Lewis, an emeritus professor at Stanford University), and I decided to research it a little.
He alleged that the total combined non-oil exports of all Arab countries amounted to less than that of Finland.
In other words, if the Arab countries ran out of oil, then all of them would have exported less than Finland.

The first article I came upon is the one below. Read, reflect and then apply it to Nigeria (from 1970 till date) and come to an understanding why Nigeria has not met with expectations, and why Nigeria should really never be one. Enjoy!



George Walden says that Kenneth Pollack asserts this: "Lack of prosperity, not Islam, tends to explain the lower rates of democracy among predominantly Muslim countries.”

How true.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, et al.), Qatar, Libya, and the other six Muslim states, or states where Muslims run things, that are members of OPEC, and thus the beneficiaries, since 1973 alone, of more than ten trillion dollars in oil revenues, are none of them democracies -- and now we all know why. It's their "lack of prosperity."

So how shall we make Saudi Arabia prosperous, given its "lack of prosperity"? And Kuwait? And the U.A.E.? And Qatar? And all the other Muslim states in OPEC? Was Iran more dangerous when it had no oil wealth, or when it acquired great oil wealth and became unhinged by that oil wealth, and at the same time, with that oil wealth became able to acquire the kind of weapons and power it is now acquiring?

Do we want "prosperity" for the Muslim world? Is that the key? What, besides the more than ten trillion dollars that constitute the largest transfer of wealth in human history, do they need? What, aside from the billions we Infidels give to all the Muslim states that don't have oil wealth, could we be doing? What is it the Pollacks of this world want Infidels to do? Continually to keep Muslims prosperous, despite their own, Islam-inculcated inshallah-fatalism, with our money, lest they become....well, you know....extremists?

What utter nonsense. Top to bottom. What a dope.

The lack of prosperity in the Muslim lands that do not have oil is explained by Islam itself. It is Islam that encourages the habit of mental submission, and by extension, the habit of submission to The Ruler, [size=14pt]as long as the ruler is a Muslim[/size]. It is Islam that encourages inshallah-fatalism. And both of these have economic consequences. The first, the habit of mental submission, the discouraging or punishing of free and skeptical inquiry (beginning with any "free and skeptical inquiry" about Islam), leads to an absence of entrepreneurial flair and a deep reliance on manna or handouts from the state. The recent reports about the failure of a "free market" to develop in Iraq, and the enlargement of the state-owned parts of the economy, despite the huge and expensive efforts of the Americans, should not come as a surprise. It was inevitable. In the oil-rich states, the money comes from the government. The whole effort is to make sure that your sect or tribe or family manages either to seize control, for that sect, that tribe, or that family, or failing that, manages to ingratiate itself with that sect, that tribe, or that family. The royal road to riches in the Muslim Middle East? Ask the Al-Saud, the As-Sabah, the Al-Thani, the Al-Maktoum, and all the others, with their courtiers ("You Know Me, Al" is their favorite story) and hangers-on and candying spaniels at court.

As for inshallah-fatalism, why try very very hard when, in the end, every fiber in your individual or collective being tells you that, in the end, it's all up to Allah, and he will intervene, quite inexplicably and suddenly, whenever he wants. Why try to create or accumulate wealth in societies suffused with Islam which, in any case, are subject to constant upheaval? There is constant jockeying for position in order to obtain more wealth -- such as the oil wealth available, so much more abundant than anything the Arabs themselves could possibly make. And in any case they don't try. They rely on millions of foreign, mostly Infidel, workers.

And in those Muslim-dominated lands that forgot to be born with oil and gas reserves, the Infidels -- not fellow members of the Umma -- have somehow gotten into the bad habit of shelling out tens and by now hundreds of billions for those Muslims, in Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, the so-called "Palestinian" territories (Arab-occupied Gaza and the "West Bank". ), and anywhere else that such Muslims can be found. Infidel donors pledged two billion dollars a few weeks ago for Kosovo.

Villiers de l'Isle-Adam's famous phrase has been transformed for a new application: "As for work, our Infidels will do that for us."

Pollack claims that "lack of prosperity" explains the violence and aggression and threats emanating from the Muslim lands. No. "Lack of prosperity" comes from the same source that, entirely independently, explains the violence and aggression and threats against Infidels, and emanating from Muslim lands (and from Muslims living, often quite comfortably, and certainly far more comfortably than they did in the Muslim lands from which they came, deep within the Infidel lands of Western Europe).

That source is Islam. And that is what the bland unimaginative thoroughly-bureaucratic in thought, word, and deed, kenneth-pollacks of this world cannot possibly begin, or allow themselves to attempt to begin, to understand.


http://www.jihadwatch.org/2008/08/fitzgerald-lack-of-prosperity-in-the-islamic-world.html

Then, coming to Nigeria, take a careful look at how some (Muslims ) feel that they own the presidency of Nigeria and take up arms anytime they feel that it has been taken from them.
But the most powerful information come from the over dependence on government by these oil rich Arab countries (copied by Nigerian Muslims of course) where the Federal government used to even fund Islamic pilgrimages. Today, within Nigeria, the most backward states in terms of human development are in the "core North" (core Muslim states).

That is why the following comment quote is also powerful:

Saracens at the Gates wrote:

The industrial exports of all the 22 Arab League countries combined is less than Finland.
............................

Not only are the combined exports of these Muslim nations less than that of sparsely-populated Finland, they are less than that of a single Finnish company--Nokia.

more:

The aggregate total of translated books from the Al- Ma’moon era to the present day amounts to 10,000 books - equivalent to what Spain translates in a single year (Shawki Galal, in Arabic, 1999, 87)
.................................

Yes--there are more books tranlated into Spanish in a single year than have been translated into Arabic in *a thousand years*. This is a stunning statistic.

In the past few decades we have seen quite a number of the world's nations pull themselves out of third-world misery. Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand (well, the northern, non-Muslim part of the country, in any case), numerous former Communist states such as the Czech Republic, Poland, and the Baltic states.

Even though the history and culture of these states is quite different, all have followed fairly similar paths. Allowing entrepreurship, barring arbitrary seizures, instituting the rule of law. Full democracy and a decent educational system help.

These are all things that Islam discourages. [size=14pt]Generally, the most nearly successful Muslim states (none are truly successful) are those with the least Islam. This includes states with a large non-Islamic population--like Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Lebanon--or states with either a weak Islamic imperitive--such as Indonesia--or that have actively supressed Islam, such as Turkey.[/size]

Not surprisingly, every single one of these states are under increasing pressure from hard-line Islam. Most Muslim countries have long since expelled their Jewish populations, and are now terrorizing and pushing out Christians and other non-Muslims.

Palestine, the birthplace of Christianity, now has only a tiny Christian population. Christians were a majority in Lebanon as recently at the 1930s, now they may be as small as 25% of the population. Egypt is terrorizing and marginalizing the Copts. Indonesia is pushing out the Chinese, some of whom have lived there for centuries, and parts of northern and western India have become increasingly hostile to Hindus.

Along with a widening embrace of fundamentalist Islam and the institution of Shari'ah law that goes with it, I think it is likely that, apart from oil revenue, that Muslim countries are less likely than ever to pull themselves out of poverty and ignorance.

The much I have gleaned show me that without the large Christian population in Nigeria, and if Nigeria does not suppress fundamentalist Islam (the type that organize mass murder for simple irritations as burning of a quoran which largely would be ignored in a Turkey or a Malaysia), then Nigeria will depend on government handout more, innovate less, can never export much, hence remain poor.

The article also states that fundamentalist Muslims (the type we have in Nigeria) stuggle to accept the leadership by non-Muslims. That is what we have seen in the North since Obasanjo and now Jonathan.

The question then is this:

Which rational Nigerian non-Muslim would share this worldview with Nigerian Muslims, and accept that it is normal that tiny Finland should export more than all Arab countries combined?

I know a whole lot of Nigerians can NEVER understand or accept such.

The next question is, for how long can Nigerian groups continue to stay in such a state of arrested development?

This mad man has started spreading his hate again. This time the enemy are not Yorubas, but Muslims.

Dude, you're just as intolerant as (maybe even mores so than) those you've chosen to criticize.

Its Sunday, don't you have family to spend time with? A wife? Kids? Grandkids?

Girlfriend? Boyfriend (if thats your preference)? Sidechic?

Dude, get your life together. You sound crazier with every post.

Religious intolerance again.

What won't Kogi's oil cause this month?

Ileke-IdI:
Religious intolerance again.

What won't Kogi's oil cause this month?

ROFLMAO

Wow. He just does his best to fit the stereotype people already have. SMH

I have often wondered why the core North is almost obsessed with Nigerian presidency (especially as it is not the most developed in terms of education and human development index in Nigeria), often practically fighting non-Muslim presidents and cornering concessions, some of which would cost Nigeria dearly eventually. It happened severally during Obasanjo presidency, and now Boko Haram in Jonathan's.
I never was able to understand (I'm still not able to understand) WHY the obsession with Nigerian presidency by the core North. It is now beginning to make sense.
Every sane human would of course agree that such mindset is only going to lead to a major conflict eventually because humans are rational beings and they tend to protect their future by any means. A lot of Nigerians are without jobs, and the Nigerian economy exports almost nothing apart from oil.
It is a ticking timebomb (just like the 22 Arab countries). The West is beginning to lose interest in the middle east. Nigeria is almost next.
Do we wait until oil finishes before we solve this problem (one way or another)?
I told my Igbo brothers on this forum, that leaving Nigeria after the oil wells dried up would be tougher than doing so now.

I still stand on that.

Onlytruth: These are all things that Islam discourages. Generally, the most nearly successful Muslim states (none are truly successful) are those with the least Islam. This includes states with a large non-Islamic population--like Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Lebanon--or states with either a weak Islamic imperitive--such as Indonesia--or that have actively supressed Islam, such as Turkey.

What about Iran? I would say Iran is more successful than Lebanon, Malaysia and Indonesia despite all the sanctions. And had the sanctions not been imposed, I would say Iran would be ahead of Turkey comfortably

The only way that Nigeria can actually stay together is that the core North -being the least developed in terms of human development in Nigeria (education for example) - stays away from Nigerian presidency for at least 20 -40 years, during which period an aggressive education program must be orchestrated in that part of Nigeria.
After this period, the region should change fundamentally. Only after then should that region vie for the presidency.
This might seem harsh, but I know that other Nigerians never enjoyed any handouts from the Nigerian government (in education development) disproportionately. It never happened in Nigeria. My parents hustled to put me through school by sacrificing that second or third wife option, etc, in order that I may get educated. It is deeply offensive and provocating to other Nigerians that far less educated and trained people would be running the country into less exports and more dependence on oil and government.
The whole thing is a recipe for a future conflict.

K'naan:


What about Iran? I would say Iran is more successful than Lebanon, Malaysia and Indonesia despite all the sanctions. And had the sanctions not been imposed, I would say Iran would be ahead of Turkey comfortably

What does Iran export apart from oil? If the western countries impose a truly effective sanctions regime on Iranian oil (which I doubt would ever happen though), what would Iran export?

Onlytruth:

What does Iran export apart from oil? If the western countries impose a truly effective sanction on Iranian oil (which I doubt would ever happen though), what would Iran export?

Last year alone, Iran exported 45 billion dollars worth of non-Oil exports. Non-Oil exports makes 36% of Iran's total exports. And the expect the figure to reach 50 billion for non Oil exports this year. There has been intense push by Tehran to increase non-Oil exports and they have even included subsidies for it, in the next coming up budget, Iran recently has been decentralizing its economy along with diversifying it as well. They are on the right track,

BTW, this isn't just an Arab problem. The whole African GDP is smaller than California's

[size=13pt]you obviously did not do economics in school, I have forgotten what it is called, it is when a country exports what it is most known for and let other countries who have more of what it is less known for to export.
For exam
If nigeria, ghana, benin, cameroon, togo etc all export coco, who's going to buy from who? You get the point?[/size]

You guys are wasting time thinking you're explaining to a man with a "clean heart". Go through Onlytruth's old posts, it reeks of division and hate. He's irredeemable. He's lost hope in life. All the mistakes he has made in the world.... all his failures... are all to be blamed on the Biafran War. Its a waste of time trying to see reason with him because thats not what he seeks. All he seeks is hate and trouble.

Please no tribalism attacks on the OP, just state the facts and move on. One things is sure, religious intolerance among others is the gospel of the OP who sits somewhere in the developed world and plots ruin for Nigeria. One thing is sure: Nigeria's only way is to work hard to perfect its nationhood. This will take sometime but steady and above-average progress is what is required. The people who are ONLY ALWAYS plotting break-up (not unity, not progress) based on religious intolerance will of course will never live to see it.

Menn this make sense a lot....now i see the reason why hausa fulani muslims in the north want to bomb the wholle northern states just because of power....

Da infamous: Menn this make sense a lot....now i see the reason why hausa fulani muslims in the north want to bomb the wholle northern states just because of power....

It is obvious to all sane folks.

Eze Onlytruthdenial is desperately looking for reasons to keep his hope for a separate country alive. He remains in complete denial that, its not gonna happen. the pic below depicts Eze's denial.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/648223_rak_jpg3be10a689dcae3eda0158a90666e866e

So Obasanjo that failed as president was a muslim?. Hiss.

op you are making a lot of sense
hmm

juman: So Obasanjo that failed as president was a muslim?. Hiss.

can you compare obasanjo with yaradull?

Onlytruth: The only way that Nigeria can actually stay together is that the core North -being the least developed in terms of human development in Nigeria (education for example) - stays away from Nigerian presidency for at least 20 -40 years, during which period an aggressive education program must be orchestrated in that part of Nigeria.
After this period, the region should change fundamentally. Only after then should that region vie for the presidency.
This might seem harsh, but I know that other Nigerians never enjoyed any handouts from the Nigerian government (in education development) disproportionately. It never happened in Nigeria. [b]My parents hustled to put me through school by sacrificing that second or third wife option, [/b]etc, in order that I may get educated. It is deeply offensive and provocating to other Nigerians that far less educated and trained people would be running the country into less exports and more dependence on oil and government.
The whole thing is a recipe for a future conflict.

aboki and Yoruba will never drop second wife for child education.

from posts here i think that the north and yoruba should form one country
they understand each other very well

we in the south east and south south can never understand them

22 arab league countries export less than finland? wao! never knew this

as usual Yoruba maggots like[b] kingofpigs[/b] will troll on this thread too!

is this dude born re.tarded or just a natural lout?

re@lchange:


can you compare obasanjo with yaradull?

Pres. Yar'Adua was sick man. OBJ imposed a sick Yar'adua on the nation.

So all the non performing nations in the world have muslims as president? The author of the article is an OLODO.

juman:

Pres. Yar'Adua was sick man.

So all the non performing nations in the world have muslims as president. The author of the article is an OLODO.

forget yaradull
compare obasanjo with shagari
the difference is clear

re@lchange:


aboki and Yoruba will never drop second wife for child education.

And that's why professors in 2-3 of the Yoruba states are more than that of the whole of your region

Yeye boy

re@lchange:


forget yaradull
compare obasanjo with shagari
the difference is clear

Shagari was far better than OBJ.

Man, OBJ failed woefully as president despite the price of oil during his time. He was an embodiment of corruption. OBJ is enemy of the nation.

re@lchange:
op you are making a lot of sense
hmm

You're not known for making sense, so this one no dey surprise anyone

Ileke-IdI:


You're not known for making sense, so this one no dey surprise anyone

And YOU ever make sense? lol

juman:

Shagari was far better than OBJ.

Man, OBJ failed woefully as president despite the price of oil during his time. He was an embodiment of corruption. OBJ is enemy of the nation.

I don't like OBJ but I can at least count ONE tranformative item achieved by him: cellphone.
Name one by shagari.

Onlytruth:

And YOU ever make sense? lol

Oh you must have forgotten the multiple times you kissed my azz on posts that agreed with your ideology.