₦airaland Forum

nolongTing:
I was having a debate with some freinds about the people who really yeild all the power in Nigeria.  I was suprised with the number of answers I received. Some said religious leaders and others said businessmen and Traditional rulers.  Some even said academics!  So can you give your opinion on who the most powerful group in Nigeria is by putting the list below in order and give reasons why:

1.  Journalists
2.  Soldiers
3.  Religious leaders
4.  Academmics (i.e teachers, professors etc)
5.  Policemen
6.  Politicians
7.  Traditional rulers (e.g Obas, Sultans, Ezes etc)
8.  Businessmen
9.  Millitants
10. Customs officers

biina:
The comparism is valid cos if the  northern states are also in a bad state, you cannot make the argument that the oil money is being spent by them. The money from oil has been ending up in the pocket of a few corrupt leaders.
Do you think the leaders care where the oil is from? Have they not tried, but failed, to find oil in substantial quantities in the chad basin region?
Nigerian leaders, if left unchecked, would loot the nation to bare bones, and they are not guided by regional boundaries as you seem to be.
Accountability and transparency should be the first step towards improving the lot of the people, and not wasted efforts on regional definitions.

biina:
The Kebbi rep can utter such as a consequence of democracy, and he is required to withdraw same and apologize as a consequence of same democracy.

People that do not contribute directly to the common purse, should get something as they are part of the nation. What fraction they get is a different debate.

At a point, Kainji and Shiroro accounted for a large fraction of electrical power in Nigeria, and the power was distributed across the nation with Lagos getting the lion share. I cant remember anyone arguing that the power should have been localized in Niger State.

In the days of the western region, despite all the cocoa farms in Ondo, the bulk of development ended up in Ibadan. So I don't see the solution in the proposed regional government.

Resources should be used to improve the standard of living of all Nigerians, irrespective of where said resources were from. Each area should be applied to their best use. Even if kebbi is not suitable for agriculture, it might turn out a viable region for military exercises, which would contribute to the strength of the nation.

I am well aware of the entrenched nature of tribal sentiments, but that does not mean we should encourage it. Tribal lines has gotten us nowhere, in the past, and I am sure it will get us nowhere in the future. After all was it not the same tribal eyes, that saw the tribes of ifeajuna, nzeogwu and co first, and never gave consideration that they could have possibly acted independent of their tribe? Yet those events led us into a civil war that was again delineated along tribal lines.

I have spent considerable time in the Niger delta and in the oil and gas industry. I have also lived in the North and visited most states in Nigeria. The ND is in a bad state, and so are the northern states. The problem we need to tackle is our corrupt leaders, and not waste our efforts on tribal sentiments and superiority complexes.

The sad truth is that there is no tribalism among the corrupt elites. They all live and embezzle like sibling of the same womb. It is only the masses (misguided by same corrupt leaders and their foreign cohorts) that waste their energy bickering over irrelevant tribal differences. To put it in context, one should interact with a Caucasian who sees all of African as black people. Be a Nigerian first and a member of your tribe second. Even the the black people in the US can argue about if they are black Americans or African Americans, they never question being Americans.

We can only become a true federation when we see our selves as different parts of one body, with each serving its purpose.

biina:
Typical of the average NL tribalist. You gunned for the tribal angle and assumed I was a northerner. Simply pathetic. You speak of the northern mindset without being a northerner yourself. Makes one wonder where you got your ideas from. The average northerner could care less about the oil from the ND area (that even if he knows what you are talking about)

The ND seceding would not solve the problem as long as they fail to hold their leaders accountable and the greedy developed countries are still around to exploit them. MEND has achieved nothing in terms of improving the standard of living of the ND people, worse they have put innocent lives at risk. Its is futile to pursue a just argument by unjust means against a stronger opponent.

@JJYOU
The majority of leaders are corrupt leading to poor development of most part of Nigeria, but only MEND is seeking redress by criminal means. Do you feel MEND should be left alone or the FG should succumb to the demand of any and all militant groups?

@ono
Nigeria is heavily dependent on oil revenue with it accounting  for 75% of the countries export value. Nobody can deny that. I am sure that some states don't even contribute to the federal revenue.
Do I feel the ND area deserves a larger share: yes. Should they be given a larger share: Not until there is less likelihood it will not just end up in the pockets of a few corrupt office holders. I see no point in making changes, if it wont improve the lot of the ND people.

All this issues should be addressed via proper channels, and not some militant groups holding the rest of the nation to ransom.

One of our failing is not being able to see beyond the tribal lines. It was same short coming that was exploited by the british in their divide and rule campaign.

samparian:
"OL'boy, are you watching CNN now?"

"No. I dey Tarmac dey chop life"

"What are you chopping?"

"Peppersoup. Correct isi ewu and nkwobi"

"Be careful. You may be taking a typhoid concoction."

"No. Oh. This one cures malaria. It is specially prepared. And the thing sweet no be small. Leave me make I chop the life of my head."

"Look, that's not why I called. I think you should go and watch CNN right now. It is a sad day for Nigeria. In fact every Nigerian must hide his or her head in shame."

"What is it again this time? Dis kin country wey no go let person rest. Problem today. Wahala tomorrow. To be a Nigerian na crime?"

"Obama is visiting Africa in July and he is not coming to Nigeria"

"And so? Is he a Nigerian? Let him go to his Kenya. Obama is coming to the land of his fathers. Is that why I should stop enjoying my nkwobi?"

"Did you hear what I said? How many bottles have you taken? Obama is coming to Africa on a presidential visit in July and he is visiting Egypt and Ghana. He and Michelle, his wife, will spend two days in Ghana. I think that is an insult to Nigeria. I mean the Americans are deliberately rubbishing us."

"But you should know why? That is America's own way of sending a strong message that they are unhappy with the situation in Nigeria."

"That is why I am sad."

"That is how the American foreign policy process works. It is based on a reward and sanctions principle, if you like - carrot and stick. America goes out of its way to reward countries that are doing well. It sanctions those that appear to be doing badly and a sanction can be in any form. Obama flying over Nigeria to go to Ghana is an act of snobbery. It is the most painful form of sanction"

"But what is it that Egypt is doing well?"

"It is a strategic choice. Egypt is a strategic U.S. ally in the Middle East and America's major bilateral partner."

"Nigeria is also strategic. We sell crude oil to the United States. American oil companies are Nigeria's Joint Venture partners. We supported the U.S. African High Command in the Gulf of Guinea. We have a long history of relationship with the United States. We are the most powerful, the most populous, "

"I beg. Leave that matter oh. Nigerians can't fool anybody with that slogan anymore. Don't you get it? You want Obama to come to Nigeria shortly after the shameful electoral process in Ekiti? You want him to visit Abuja and address your National Assembly? The same National Assembly where the lawmakers are being accused of corruption? You want Obama to attend a dinner in Nigeria where nearly all the people he would come across will be persons who organise the snatching of ballot boxes, the distribution of bribe, oil thieves, tax evaders, treasury looters, and aggressive Nigerian women who will be waiting for Michelle to go to the ladies for a second so they can swoop on the U.S. President, and squeeze their numbers into his palm? You think the Americans don't know?"

"You are not serious. You should stand up for your country. We are not worse than Pakistan or Egypt, and even Obama's Kenya."

"Obama is a brand apart from being the U.S. President. His handlers must have advised him that this is not a good time to visit Nigeria. And all those your countrymen and women in the United States are not helping matters. They are always telling the Americans that their country is a useless place."

"You don't even need to blame those ones. The U.S. has an embassy here. They know what is going on. But it is just that I would have loved Obama to visit Nigeria, Nigerians worked very hard for that man's election."

"Una vote for am?"

"But he has more supporters in Nigeria than in Kenya. People bought Obama stickers and pasted on their cars. There is still an Obama billboard in Abuja. Obama photo portraits are being sold on the streets of Lagos. Musicians sang about him. Even market women campaigned for him. Not to talk of the Obama for Africa associations that tried to raise funds for his campaign. I also know many Nigerians in the U.S. who contributed to the Obama fund. I am even sure that if anybody had said Obama lost that election, bare-chested Nigerian women were ready to go onto the streets in protest. Someone said that was part of the calculations."

"You know you are actually talking about Nigerians who were using the Obama name to do business and make quick profit. By the way what happened to your sister's Obama fund campaign? You mean she and other members of the Obama for Africa movement cannot persuade the U.S. President to come to Nigeria first?"

"Not fair. Obama should have visited Nigeria first. If only to come and say thank you to the Nigerian people. The U.S. Embassy will need to explain why we are being snubbed. We may not know how to organize free and fair elections, but we are a great nation."

"Good people too, Tell them make dem hear."

"I feel sad when I see how Ghana is now upstaging Nigeria in every respect."

"Ghana organizes good elections. And its leaders are better organised and more disciplined. Obama's visit to Ghana is to encourage both the people and government of Ghana to remain the shining Black Star of the West African coast. And a way of telling Nigeria to get its acts together"

"I know".

"Besides, Ghana has discovered oil in commercial quantities. Soon, the United States will buy oil from Ghana and ignore Nigeria and its Niger Delta problems. Also, the U.S. has adopted a new four cardinal-point strategy in Africa. It includes South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Egypt. Nigeria is not quite part of it."

"I hope our leaders are getting the message"

"They won't. Look, let's take a bet. I won't be surprised if in July, Nigerian leaders travel to Ghana to join the Ghanaians in receiving Obama. Can't you see that many Nigerians are now going to Ghana? Nigerian companies are setting up branches in Ghana, there are Nigerian-owned restaurants and shops in Accra, the population of Nigerian students in Ghanaian universities is very high and it keeps increasing. I know Nigerians who have bought homes in Ghana. Every weekend, they just hop across the border. It is 45 minutes by air. Accra is closer to Lagos than Abuja. So really, should we blame the Americans? Even Nigerians prefer to go to Ghana. In fact, I hear that Nigerians in Ghana are lobbying to be part of the Obama reception activities!"

"There will always be shameless Nigerians. But we need to rebuild this country. There were more foreign dignitaries at Jacob Zuma's inauguration than there were at Yar'Adua's inauguration. Countries like Tanzania and Rwanda have better international recognition than Nigeria."

"Don't worry yourself. In fact, if you ask me, I will recommend that President Yar'Adua should ask the Americans and the Ghanaians to invite him to the dinner for President Obama."

"God forbid. We are a sovereign nation."

"I know, I am sure somebody must have told Obama that they kidnap people in Nigeria. And he must have been advised not to put anything past those Niger Delta militants. They could organize and kidnap Obama and his wife. Or throw a shoe at him."

"Kidnap who? Throw a shoe at who?"

"Obama. Didn't somebody throw a shoe at George Bush in Baghdad?"

"Now, I am convinced that you are drunk".

"So why are you disturbing my drink with your sadness about Obama not coming to Nigeria? Okay, let me now play the Devil's advocate. Someone should go and tell that Obama that he does not know what he is missing. He should go and ask President Bill Clinton and President Jimmy Carter. Those are friends of Nigeria. When Clinton visited Nigeria, he enjoyed himself so much. Let Obama go to Ghana. He is free to prefer kenke to nkwobi. We are still the happiest people in the world and we thank God for that."

"Who is talking about happiness?"

"And tell President Yar'Adua not to worry. In fact, who are the Americans to tell us how to organize elections? We are a free country. We have the right to go to heaven the way we choose. President Yar'Adua should also organise a foreign trip. Let him fly over the United States and go to Canada, and from there let him go to Venezuela and Cuba on state visit. America too dey make yanga. Faure Gyassingbe Eyadema of Togo was here on a presidential visit, the same week they announced Obama's African trip. That was Nigeria's response to America's snobbery. Is Eyadema also not a President?"

"The United States is the most powerful country in the world. Who is Faure Eyadema?"

"Who talk so? Where were you when Maurice Iwu said we are in a position to teach America certain things about elections? Every country has its own strengths. Obama can go anywhere. Na him leg he dey take travel. That will not stop me from eating isi ewu, Baby, do you want another drink. Eh, another bottle for my darling here, "

"What's that?"

"I wasn't talking to you."

"Looks like whatever you are doing there is beginning to get to you. May be we should continue this conversation later."

"No. Don't worry. You think I am drunk? Na only bottle fit get drunk. Me, I am a human being. Anything else?"

"I am just sad. We are failing at home. We are losing international goodwill."

"You have said that before. Stop moaning. It's no big deal."

"Our President even wanted to visit the United States, they said no."

"Look, if it is about this Obama visit, forget it. On second thoughts, may be it is even a blessing in disguise. If the man had chosen to visit Nigeria, that would have been an opportunity for Nigerians to loot the treasury. By the time the man leaves, every state treasury will be near-empty. And we could have an Obama visit scandal on our hands. And come to think of it, you know Obama likes to play basketball. Suppose he invites President Yar'Adua while visiting to a game of basketball, one on one, and the man out of politeness agrees. And you know President Yar'Adua doesn't play basketball, he only plays squash. Me, I thank God o."

"Good for the Ghanaians".

"Don't worry, you can watch the visit on AIT, Channels TV etc live."

JJYOU:
federalism as instituted by who?

asha 80:
Where have you been?We have been practising federalism, Nigerian style.

Sky Blue:
I have always been against MEND in any thread where the subject is brought up because the main issue being spoken off earlier on was development, an issue I think should be blamed largely at the past govenor of Rivers State. I always asked why MEND wasn't going after the ex govenors to ensure the new guy gets that its all about development and also lead the way in getting some form of justice which seems to be lacking in Nigeria.

Now with regard to the land use decree, why does it have to be the case that Nigeria seems to borrow idealogies from everywhere and then only implements the worst part of such systems or idealogies in some cases even turning them on their head? The country is supposed to be practising capitalism and free market yet the Federal government wants to control everything; the county is supposed to be practising Democracy, it takes the idea of a huge government which means more people being overpayed, yet fails to implement the fundamental issue of a fair selection process; the country is meant to be practising federalism yet the it is pretty much the opposite. Why can't true federalism be practised and why can't it just then be a simpleissue of the federal government collecting taxes as a means of raising revenue? What is this fear of practising true federalism? Isn;t the fear as a result of uncertainties and doubts with regards to were funding for other ares of the country is going to come from?









Now if this fear was admitted en masse then that is a start, but asking a people to be reduced to begging for a bigger share of resources obtained from their land is nothing short of pathetic. The Nigerian government is indeed arrogant and this whole idea of speaking from high horses and a position of strenght obtained from nothing more than military might is quite irritating.

tpiah:
speak for yourself plz!

The country is overpopulated anyway- the more of you who jump on the slave ships the better it'll be for those of us who dont!

lepashandi:
banky for president.

smallboy2:
Thank you all for your opinions. So How can we make the Federal Government Know about this OR better say "Report them to the 7 POINT AGENDA MAN" telling him that Abia is Lagging behind in the 7 point agenda so that he will take actions himself. Please if you know how and where to table this crime being done by abia leaders pls kindly tell the house. Thanks

Eziachi:
What a stupid man! Killing yourself because you are accused of corruption? When you should have moved to Nigeria, because in Nigeria you would have been given as many chieftaincy title you are willling to take and corrupt university chancellors will be sleeping on your doorway begging you to come and take as many doctorate as you wish. You will be one of the big board of trustee member of the PDP or open your own political party.
In your next life,ask God to to drop you in Nigeria. What a waste!!!!

Dis Guy:
are they not the same thing? ok before anyone of you bust a vein i know they are not!

There is strength in numbers! if people from the south dont condemn reps like these
or support each other in passing/thwarting bills then the others will continue doing you
from the rear as they seem to be doing as the moment!

Dis Guy:
and what did the niger-deltan/igbo reps say? they just made some bellyful noise and got on with it as usual?

everyone blames the government as if there are no reps from other tribes there
from 1999-today these regions are being represented by niger-deltans, what exactly do they do
seeing as there is no improvement, i bet some of them dont even live in tehse regions they claim to represent!

babasoty:
Visit any riverine community and notice the contrast.they have few extremely rich and mostly severely impoverished people.the major problem is orientation and politics,not marginalisation.the younger generation were wrongfully made to believe that only oil can make one successful or that because oil is in their land,they dont need education or any form of stress.they beat up their teachers,harass non-indigenous investors,demand heavy ransome from contractors engaged in development projects leading some to abandonement.

@abagworo

if the riverine communities are no good i dont think your igbo brothers would be flooding port harcourt in their millions to milk us dry

babasoty:
is that your own version of events or the lies your father thought you to justify why he reaped where he did not sow?

well he mortgaged your future cos of someone elses properties . . . . .you are paying the premium right now

I hope the war continues till u learn a lesson

fool

bro your ibo wars have been fought you are still suffering from the effects of defeat don't expect the ijaws to join you in your own cause we have our own problems which definetely is not cessation from naija as your biafran agenda which is definitely doomed, carry your own cross the war would still rage till we are given are due which rightly belong to us if you feel thats one hell of a story, go to any ijaw land and mutter the word biafra if u don't loose your head.

Phony200:
The issue with the latest oldster touted as the next best thing is that the news stops as suddenly as it started. Speaking of sudden news, anyone knows what happened or is happening to Macauley Chrisantus?

TRACK:
Don't they share the same cultural traits as "the Igbo". please expantiate ur view.

we are here to learn.Put light to these points- do the ukwuani marry like the igbo,dance like them,eat same type of food,or can someone that hail from say enugu who has not had contact the the ukwuani pple nor lived in their land understand ukwuani at first instance,pari pasu?

Eziachi:
I can too understand where you are coming from and it's called blind patrotism. If you can't see that Ghana in term of economy growth both in macro and micro economy term is now far ahead of Nigeria, what else is there to debate with you in that regards? If not tell us why corporate companies like Dunlop, Mechiline,PZ that had been in Nigeria for donkey years has closed shop and relocated to Ghana?
Why Nigerian own indiginoeus companies like OVATION magazine has left Nigeria to relocate to Ghana?
Why so Many Igbo businessmen are secretly and gradually reducing their investment in the northern Nigeria and moving them to Ghana?
Soon it will be Sierra Leon and Liberia too. mark my word! And Nigeria govt are busy shelling their own citizens in the Delta.