₦airaland Forum

nice one afro blue - that cartoon correctly depicts the current situation in nigeria

Olodostein:
@cap28

Tunde Bakare is an opportunist who wanted to be famous overnight by taking advantage of the vulnerable. Believe me, he is a typical politician that is basically after his own selfish interest and those of his masters that he is doing their dirty bidding for.

I have a lot of respect for your views especially on foreign affairs. But you need to understand broadly how the Nigerian political system and social fabric work. It is very complex and only selflessness on behalf of everybody will rescue us. But unfortunately, selflessness has become a torture and a taboo in our society. We need a man who has his people at heart and not a deadbeat politician looking for revenge at all cost.

why is it that we always attack people who tell us the truth?

Bros i hear what you are saying but lets not pretend as if what he is saying in this video is not true.

The fact that he is a politician does not mean that everything he says and does has an ulterior motive.

Wouldnt it be easier for him to accept bribes liike the NLC/TUC did and keep his mouth shut?

tell me what he is gaining from openly criticising goodluck jonathan - if anything he is exposing himself to state sanctioned repression and harrassment - we've got to stop playing into the hands of these criminals who always want to play the tribalism card whenever they realise that they are about to be exposed.

I also respect your views on issues and always read your posts but i m afraid im going to have to disagree with you on this.

[flash=300,300]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05dDORhrIio&feature/channel_video_title[/flash]

debosky:
@ Cap28

FYI - the current subsidy regime is the most efficient siphoning mechanism available. Any Western 'enemies' worth their salt will encourage the subsidy to continue in its current form where there is zero accountability and unbridled stealing by Western oil traders feeding on Nigerians alongside the complicitly corrupt oil industry.

http://cables.mrkva.eu/cable.php?id=15817

Subsidy removal will only increase scrutiny in the oil industry - something that doesn't benefit the Western 'enemies'.

You got your conspiracy theories wrong on this one.

first of all there is no subsidy -listen to Professor Tam David West here:

[flash=200,200]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVWxjPVlncc[/flash]



and it has recently come to light that another govt official contradicted Deizani Alison-Madueke's testimony before a house of representatives committee proving that the subsidy issue was a complete lie.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-848856.0.html

The west is already milking nigeria dry - in 2006 Obasanjo negotiated a debt cancellation package which saw nigeria part with $12 billion despite the fact that we had already paid this debt off tenfold!!!!

In addition the IMF now dictate nigeria's economic policy they have stipulated as one of their conditions that nigeria sell off all state owned assets to western foreign investors , foreigners are  also setting up their corporations in nigeria where they will abuse and exploit nigeria's cheap labour creating more misery and suffering . They're also asking the nigerian govt to invest in what is known as sovereign wealth funds in order to help bail out THEIR OWN ECONOMIES - all of these are designed to transfer the wealth of nigeria into the WESTERN OWNED CORPORATIONS AND BANKS with the collaboration of the nigerian elite.

As i said earlier THEY ORDERED JONATHAN TO HIKE THE PRICE OF PETROL IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH PRE AGREED IMF CONDITIONS - the subsidy issue is nothing but a lie being used to try and fool nigerians.

Although, the Nigerian ruling class is one of the most inept and most inefficient ruling classes in the world, it has a very close and cordial relationship with its western masters; and its master in the western countries definitely must have informed them that with recession in Europe and significant slowdown in America, which will inevitably negatively affect the Chinese economy, it is just a matter of time before the price of oil plummets. The crashing of oil prices internationally is currently on the agenda and this clearly explains why the Nigeria ruling class is seriously panicking. It understands quite correctly that unlike in the 80’s and 90’s, there is no easy cash to be doled out by the IMF and World Bank if Nigeria is financially stranded. Western banks are still battling with their losses in Greece and Italy and are not in a very nice position to carelessly hand-out money to an economy with a bleak future.

All this limits the available room for manoeuvring unlike in the past and this clearly explains why the economic policy of Goodluck, as dictated by the IMF through Okonjo Iweala, is taking on this aggressive form. The desperation to completely deregulate oil and gas, the aggressive sales of public property through privatization, cuts in education and public health, and the recent campaign for a Sovereign Wealth Fund, are policies aimed at saving the decaying capitalist system at the expense of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians.

Sovereign Wealth Fund and the IMF agenda
A sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is a state-owned investment fund composed of financial assets such as stocks, bonds, property, precious metals or other financial instruments. Sovereign wealth funds invest globally. Some of them have grabbed attention making bad investments in several Wall Street financial firms including Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Merrill Lynch. These firms needed a cash infusion due to losses resulting from mismanagement and the subprime mortgage crisis. Most SWFs are funded by foreign exchange assets. How does this fit into the Nigerian ruling class’s popular slogan of “Government has no business doing business”? If it is in the interest of the ordinary Nigerians, Government will have no business doing business; if it is in the interest of the rich and their Western backers, Government will have a very strong reason to do business.

The global economic crisis has dictated this dramatically laughable change of policy of the IMF/World bank towards the “third world” countries. The IMF is no longer satisfied with massive sales of public properties at take away prices in the name of privatizations; it is no longer satisfied with huge cuts in public spending that further impoverishes the majority of Nigerians; the IMF has conveniently added to these policies the Sovereign Wealth Fund; that is, it is asking Nigeria to ensure huge savings from the proceeds from oil and other social cuts, savings not for the purpose of investing in Nigeria because “Government has no business doing business”, not for the purpose of improving the life of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians because “Capitalism is a system for the minority against the interest of the majority (1% against the 99%)”, but savings for the purpose of investing in the western market. How laughable does this sound? The poorer countries should not invest in their own countries where there is urgent and desperate need to do so, but should turn around and invest in the rich western countries because they are going through a financial crisis; that is, the rich will be fed from the belly of the poor!

http://www.marxist.com/nigerian-economy-the-impending-catastrophe.htm

dasparrow:
I have long given up on Nigerians because most do not seem to get it that there is more to all this fuel subsidy than meets the eye. In addition, alot of Nigerians worship westerners and that is a big turn off for me. Nigerians and Africans in general fail to realize that once western nations succeed in occupying our lands, we will have nothing left. Running to go and sit in the western world will not solve any problems because the western economies are sinking and will continue to sink. One can never trully feel at home in the western world and so it pains me that our leaders have chosen to sell us short for a plate of porraidge. We Africans are the only people who have suffered so much in past in the hands of europeans/americans in the form of slavery and colonialism and yet, blatantly refuse to learn our lessons. We keep deceiving ourselves that oyibo means well for us when even oyibos like Nile Bowie has clearly stated that oyibo nations have never had the interest of Africans at heart. We just never learn as a people and every day, I curse the day God decided to give me parents from Nigeria and Africa as a whole because our people are such gullible retards who will never change.

Take heart - the revolutionary spirit is beginning to awaken in some of our people - what i saw happening in lagos last week gave me hope.

us4naija:
@CAP28, What does US have to with your oil subsidy, stop making excuses for past inequities of Nigerian governtment and putting the blame on the IMF and US,

they have everything to do with it.

the US have the highest voting rights in the IMF (18%) and therefore dictate and control its policies.

Christine Lagard - the head of IMF ORDERED GEJ to hike up the price of petrol knowing the misery and suffering it woudl bring to the nigerian masses.

Nnenna1:
@Cap28 - what is your take on the South East not aggressively joining the fuel subsidy campaign (you are igbo yourself, right?). Their reasoning is that the protests are being sponsored by Cabals who have a stake in the subsidies, that Boko Haram should be held in higher status than this fuel subsidy, that there is "Igbo Marginalization," and that there have been many times that Nigerians should have protested when they (igbos) were in trouble (civil war, killings in the North and so on) but did not.

I'm disappointed with the ethnic politics and how Igbos have played a hands-off approach to this but I want to hear your POV.

I think they allowed themselves to be used by GEJ and his corrupt theiving cronies. Many nigerians have still not understood that tribalism is a tool used by unscrupulous polilticians like GEJ to divide and rule. GEJ has no loyalty to SS or SE people he merely uses them when it suits his purposes - what has he done for the people in those regions since he assumed office? I was following the protests and one thing that struck me was that every nigerian ethnic group was involved in them particularly the lagos protest.

GEJ is merely tryign to deflect attention away from himself and his criminal govt. Not all igbos sold out - i spoke to my sister back home and she confirmed that many igbos were not in support of the subsidy removal but the few who tried to organise were met with state sanctioned repression .

A distinction needs to be made between the corrupt igbo leadership we have in the east and the genuine views of the indigenous igbo people - any igbo person with a fully functioning brain should know that GEJ does not and will never serve their interests. This is a class struggle - between the elite which is made up of mainly northerners and some southerners and easterners versus the masses - this is a class war not an inter ethnic war.

Therefore those igbos who keep alligning themselves to GEJ are going to end up being betrayed when they are no longer of any use to him.

It makes me laugh when i hear GEJ talking about this mysterious cabal - is he not one of them?

I will not even attempt to discuss this rubbish about the so called fuel subsidy benefitting the so called cabal because it is a diversion away from the real issues. No 1 GEJ and his cronies are members of the cabal, no 2 the fuel subsidy story is nothing more than a pack of lies - a story concocted by GEJ and his fellow thiefs to justify the price hike. There was never any subsidy.

with regard to boko haram - there is more to that than meets the eye - dont you find it strange that there have been no attacks over the last couple of days of this strike? i think the govt know a lot more about this sect than they are letting on.

^^^^^^



i can see you can't handle the truth - you prefer living in denial like a lot of nigerians

I havent got time to massage your ego and tell you what you want to hear or tell you that you are right when i know very well that you are not.

I write the truth - if you can't handle the heat stay out of the kitchen.

its a noble cause - but im afraid those ba.stards will not budge until they are forced out with violence - what nigerians need to do is to start organising in order to form an armed revolutionary group - just like what happened in cuba - without force these scum bags will remain where they are forever - there is absolutely no incentive for them to relinquish their strangle hold on nigeria.

the other thing that will bring these sycopaths to their knees is a total shut down of the oil wells - had the PENGASSAN union gone on strike they would have crippled these bastards. Also if the west were genuinely on the side of the nigerian people they would have frozen their bank accounts - remember how easily they froze $160 billion of the libyan people's money which was actually being used to run the libyan govt.

reading these comments from people convinces me that nigerians are mentally slow.

do you think any european or american leader would  have the balls to openly flaunt their ill gotten wealth in the midst of so much poverty, suffering and misery ?

I can tell you that if any western leader were to condemn their citizens to the life of poverty that this woman and her fellow criminals  have done to nigerians that country would be made ungovernable by the masses.

look at how young people came out and burnt down and smashed up govt buildings here in the UK when the govt began cutting their allowances and increasing university fees - compare that to nigeria where there is no welfare system and 80% of the population live on less than a $1 a day !!!! this woman is a modern day marie antoinette - she flaunts her stolen wealth in the faces of nigerians and instead of being outraged some fools make excuses for her.

the funny thing is those fools defending her are gaining nothing from doing so - why are some nigerians so devoid of self respect?

mba emeka:
I dont defend Goodluck Jonathans government when i feel it is wrong but in a few instances when some people take it too far i feel i'm also obliged to respond alike.

I know that family as well as someone who can walk in there without being interrogated by the security officials so you can bet your bottom dollar that whatever i would say can be held as hard truth.

Firstly, some of those pictures are old like the one with Chris Aire. It was taken while she was the minister for Mines and steel.
Secondly, the family was already very affluent before the Admiral wedded Diezani. He was once a millitary attache to the united states, immediately after he was appointed Millitary administrator for Old Anambra and Imo meaning virtually all the south east states. Then he was appointed  fleet commander of NNS ARADU in the Nigerian Navy, Flag officer NAVTRAC , Flag Officer Western Naval command and eventually Chief of the Naval Staff. if you know much about the millitary you would know that these are all lucrative postings. He has about 2 or 3 ships to his name. (no mean feat at all) I think what i'm trying to say is that her husband too is a wealthy man.

Some of those pictures were on the childrens facebook page(s) so i believe whoever posted it here got access to them somehow. you cannot blame them for enjoying the money their parents (looted) for them.

Diezani didnt purchase any house in austria, it doesnt make any sense. Her husband has a house in the US, Abuja, Lekki etc. one would believe that if she was to purchase any house of such magnitude it wouldnt be in austria for $23million (an amount Jay Z wouldnt use to purchase a house for himself)

Lastly, the statement that the children are really intelligent is spot on. The first Daughter graduated summa cumlaude in the US, the third girl in the US had the best WAEC result in Queens college in her set and i think she was the valedictorian. The fair complexioned fat boy works with Sahara oil or so and that private JET was probably paid for by NNPC when they were attending a wedding in abuja. every darn thing there has an explanation.

Geeeeezz. This isnt how to combat corruption people. We should address the issues disspassionately and apolitically without venturing into unnessary slandering and privacy invasion. thank you.

sycophancy and ars.e licking are very unattractive traits in a human being - people like you are the reason this country  will never move forward.

that's nigeria for you - a country where bandits, murderers, drug barons and ritualists are at the top while hardworking people remain on the bottom of society.

this woman and her overweight and undeserving children are feeding fat off the collective wealth of nigeria and yet some fools who are wallowing away in abject poverty continue to support her - shame on you.

koruji:
I thought the definition of Nigeria was already chaos. If you can't manage your own continent with good governance those who do not joke with their security will take action. If al qaeda is trying to get a foothold in Libya then they should not be surprised the US if following them swiftly.

Just a matter of time before the F-15 begin to roar over the skies of Nigeria if GEJ and his military doesn't root out BH instead of pursuing innocent citizens.

nigeria is in chaos because outside forces are instigating the chaos.

Al Qaeda are the current govt of Libya - they were helped into power by NATO. 

Abdulhakim Bel Haj an al qaeda terrorist was appointed military commander of tripoli after Tripoli was overrun last August.


The US govt use and dump terrorists for their own purposes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdelhakim_Belhadj

[quote author=Tayo-D link=topic=847751.msg9984825#msg9984825 date=1326808714]@topic,

I didn't even bother to watch the clip.  If the content of the video is truly the above caption, then why would I bother listening to a self-admitted i.diot?  Afterall as a Nigerian, he is also being ruled by fools (his words)!!![/quote]He describes nigerians as idi.ots for tolerating years of abuse from the most ignorant and morally bankrupt govt on the planet. Is he wrong for telling the nigerian masses the truth?

The problem with people like you is you are extremely arrogant and judgemental and hate hearing the truth.

birdman:
"Living on ogogoro 24/7" . Prescient words. So many things in this speech sounded crazy when it first came out. All coming true

i can think of a few posters on here who actually sound as if they live on ogogoro 24/7

igbo2011:
@cap28
What do you think about this?
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-847847.0.html

WOW!!!

I feel vindicated because these are the things you and i have been talking about on this forum for so long.

NSSM 200 - THE GENOCIDE PAPERS - this is the document in which Kissinger formally set out the US's policy on the depopulation of africa.

Its really great to see open confessions being made by members of the US state dept because  you feel vindicated when you actually hear what they think of us.

This video is ESSENTIAL VIEWING FOR ALL AFRICANS.

am i suprised about Nixon and Kissinger's view on africans? No -but this is a video that needs to be watched by people like Morpheus, Beaf, Tayo D, Debosky, Justwise and  all these other self haters who have no idea how absolutely evil and diabolical the US govt is.

I'm going to order the full length version now.

Bro thanks so much for posting.

I'll embed the trailer here for anyone else who seeks the truth and wisdom:


[flash=300,300]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O19p7oc7Y6U&feature/related[/flash]

opribo:
This man should shut his big mouth up. At his level and age he is still engaging in unionism, brigandage and hooliganism. Is the way he was going about advocating for destabilization of the government in the name of protest the best for the country.

At his age and time he ought to be a statesman advancing the cause of peace and finding peaceful ways of resolving any national discourse. His family members better warn him before he dies of heart attack and therefore throwing them all into unnecessary expenses.

This country is on a transformation and only those who are strong and willing will be able to withstand the turmoils that will come with it. It can never be business as usual and only those who are ready for the change will survive it.

What we have just witnessed is a tip of the iceberg, we are going to transform Nigeria into the super powers of this world and anybody I repeat anybody who fails to shape in will be shoved aside.

This is the era of the youths the jet speed age.

You are so ignorant and clueless - do you even understand the meaning of some of the words you used?

what is wrong with being involved with unions?  do you not know that unions (if run properly) protect the rights of workers ? in properly functioning societies they have secured things like equal pay for women, health and safety legislation, minimum wages, compensation for unfair or discriminatory practices in the work place etc - what is wrong with being a champion of such issues?

in a so called democracy people like Falana are invaluable because they  hold the govt accountable - or would you prefer that we just meekly accept the abuse and exploitation that we have been subjected to for the past 50 years without any objection ?

if you dont understand what destabilisation means then consult a dictionary - are  you guilty of destabilising a country when you refuse to allow a corrupt govt to carry on stealing from its own people?

are you guilty of destabilising a country when you say it is wrong for a govt to spend billions of govt revenue on overbloated and parasitic govt officials and their retinues of equally useless hangers on?

one thing you got right though is the fact that the country is on a transformation - yes its on a mission to transform 99% of its population to beggars and destitutes courtesy of its inhumane and anti people economic policies.

I wish these dumb SS and SE fools could get it through their thick skulls that Goodluck Jonathan doesnt give a damn about them - he has now been granted entry into the elite class therefore his interests lie with that group not with the poor masses.

He is more likely to allign himself with a rich northerner than a poor igbo or ijaw person because those are the people whose interests he represents and defends not the poor masses, look at everything he has done since assuming office - which group of people have benefitted? the poor or the elite?

Tribalism is a card played by failed and corrupt polliticians like Goodluck Jonathan in order to deflect attention away from their unpopular policies - like this one.

He plays the card only when it suits him and if you are stu.pid enough to buy into the lies you end up being taken for a ride - which is what is going to happen to all those SS and SE people who decided to think with their anuses rather than their brains.

This woman is awful - her manner is contemptuous and condescending towards the nigerian people.
Her body language says " you should be grateful that i am even lowering myself to speak to you - i dont give a damn about your opinion because your opinion counts for nothing"

And yet some dumb sycophants are sheepishly holding her in high esteem.

She has nothing to offer except lies, lies and more lies. For those fools praising her, soon you will be screaming because there is more pain to come.

i love these guys - they are fearless and courageous

[flash=300,300]http://www.youtube.com/feature/endscreen/v/pkRQjlSj2tE&NR/1[/flash]

Brilliant, erudite and fiery - this man runs rings around the nigerian govt , no wonder Goodluck wants to see him in jail:


[flash=300,300]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7mFz6dlqug&feature/related[/flash]

My advice would be - resign - you are corrupt and incompetent.

You are not servign the interests of the nigerian people, you are a western puppet and an agent of harmful neo liberal inhumane economic policiees you have sentenced 99% of the population of nigeria to a miserable existence with this petrol hike.

You are not a leader - if you had any shred of decency you would step down immediately.

the nigerian people should not rest until this man along with his corrupt cronies, hangers on, parasitic govt officials  are disgraced out of office.

NLC/TUC = PAID GOVT AGENTS

We the people need to come together to form our own grassroots movement that will fight on behalf of the ordinary man on the street -  as it is now crystal clear that we are on our own.

It is extremely clear to even the dullest mind that this is a battle between the corrupt nigerian elite and the masses.

This is not the end of their diabolical plan to reduce the nigerian masses to a life of unending poverty and misery - this is just the beginning.

LeoMax:
China just signed a bilateral trade Agreement with Saudi Arabia
China is a strong ally of Russia, Iran, North Korea
China invest billions of dollars in Africa and builds railway free of charge for Zambia, gives interest free loans
China is the world factory and America is heavily indebted to China in trade deficits

America should shut the bleep up and re-arrange their priorities. A country where Unclad models earn millions and medical doctors are bankrupt should not be giving useless and senseless warnings against Nigeria. How many of their Citizens are here and wtf are they doing here. Tell them to move their Mobil Unltd and pack out of my country. We need the emerging world power China and not America. I dey vex

very well said.

they are stoking up the fire - hoping and prayign that nigeria descends into chaos so that they can have an excuse to deploy their troops here.

their economy is finished and they are now playing the only card they've got left in the pack - their gigantic military, they will use their military to invade and take over resource rich countries in africa - they  are already on the continent - with troops stationed in djibouti and uganda.  only last week Obama authorised the deployment of 12,000 troops to Libya -

the unions have betrayed the nigerian masses.

I am so proud of those courageous nigerians in Ojota who have refused to be cowed by IMF agent Goodluck Jonathan and his criminal contingent of thiefs.  

I hope that the army does what the army in Venuzuela did when they were called out to shoot the people and simply refuse to shoot.

GOODLUCK YOU ARE GOING DOWN!!!

This two faced bastard has turned hypocrisy into a fine art.

I know many nigerians are dumb but i dont think we would be so st.upid as to take advice from the very person who set in motion what we are now facing today.

Who accepted the original IMF loan and agreed to implement the SAP conditions which led to mass poverty, devaluation of the naira, cuts in education and healthcare, the wiping out of the middle class and brain drain?

IBB dont worry its not over yet - you will get your comeuppance soon.

its just that nigerians are dumb - this fool knows very well that GEJ can not implement anything remotely resembling an anti corruption campaign because GEJ himself will be one of the first on the list for corruption and subsequent imprisonment

Strikes resume in Nigeria after collapse of talks between union and government

By Robert Stevens
16 January 2012

Strike action against the Nigerian government of President Goodluck Jonathan is set to resume after the collapse of talks between the two main trade union federations, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress, and the regime.

The general strike began on January 9 in response to the government’s January 1 lifting of fuel subsidies, on behalf of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Petrol costs more than doubled overnight, from 65 naira a litre ($0.40), to more than 140 naira, or almost $1.

The unions suspended the general strike on Friday, after talks with the government in the capital Abuja on Saturday. The unions had described talks on Thursday, attended by President Jonathan, as “fruitful,” claiming the government had shifted its position and offered concessions.

In reality, the government has offered nothing and is determined to impose its measures. A joint statement by the union federations Sunday stated that talks the previous day had “stalled due to differences on the methodology in finding a solution to the crisis.”

The unions are seeking to limit the impact of the strikes, refusing to call out the oil workers, and trying to obtain concessions from the government as an excuse to end mass protests against measures dictated by the IMF on behalf of finance capital.

In a clear indication that the unions are prepared to abandon the basic demand of workers and youth that the fuel subsidy is restored, the statement concluded, “The Labour Movement pledges that whenever and wherever government invites us for talks, we shall be there without any conditionality.”

Al Jazeera’s Haru Mutasa said of the trade union leaders: “They seem keen to end the strike. They don't want to go back on the streets on Monday, say some union leaders.”

Though forced to allow the strike to resume in the absence of any government concession, the unions called off threatened action by the country’s oil and gas industry workers. NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar stated that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the main oil workers union with 20,000 members, “will not shut down oil production, as earlier planned for Sunday”.

When asked if there were in fact any plans for an oil strike, he replied: “No, we are taking this thing gradually. We are still giving peace a chance.”

Despite the depth of opposition to the Jonathan regime, a strike that does not target the oil industry is deprived of its central weapon.

Nigeria depends on oil for the vast profits reaped by transnational companies and the ruling elite. It is the largest producer of crude in Africa, with oil accounting for about 80 percent of the country’s state revenue, about 65 percent of government budgetary revenues, and over 95 percent of export income.

Producing more than two million barrels of oil per day, it is a key supplier of crude to the United States (eight percent of US oil imports are from Nigeria) and the European Union, as well as Asian nations. Nigerian oil is classified as light sweet crude, which requires less refining, increasing its importance as a commodity on the world markets. It was estimated last week by an oil industry analyst that if striking oil workers halted new oil production, the country would only have enough supplies for six weeks of exports.

This is why the trade unions, headed by privileged defenders of the status quo, have refused to bring out the key section of Nigeria’s working class.

The attempt to secure a rotten agreement comes after a week in which the government has bloodily suppressed demonstrations, leading to at least three deaths. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported on Friday that it had treated more than 600 people for injuries in the previous four days. In the states of Niger and Kaduna, the regime imposed curfews in response to widespread anti-government disturbances.

[b]The struggle is an expression of broad social opposition to the entire free market agenda of the government, and the grinding poverty facing tens of millions of people. In a population of 160 million people, most are forced to live on less than $2 each day. A 2007 survey by Amnesty International found that in the oil-rich Niger River Delta, 70 percent of the six million inhabitants survive on less than $1 a day.

The fuel subsidy is the main social benefit for the majority of people. As a result of its abolition, millions face even greater impoverishment. Basic food staples have shot up in price, with a basket of tomatoes rising seven fold to 7,000 naira in a week.

While seeking an accommodation with the Jonathan government, the central role of the union bureaucracy is to cultivate a layer of “left” talking bourgeois “opposition” figures as an alternative leadership, should Jonathan be driven from office. As was shown by the events following the “Arab Spring”, notably in Egypt, such layers play the central role in the ruling class’s attempts to ensure that mass protests do not escalate out of the control of the unions and develop in a revolutionary direction.

Tanko Yakasai was previously a Special Adviser to former President Shehu Shagari, who ruled as the leader of Nigeria’s Second Republic from 1979–1983. In a media interview, he contemplated the threat of revolution facing Nigeria and the need for a leadership to direct protests in a manner that does not threaten the strategic interests of the bourgeoisie.

“I studied revolution,” he said. “I was once a revolutionary. You cannot have a revolution without a revolutionary movement, a revolutionary ideology, a revolutionary leadership and a revolutionary party. If they want a revolution, let them organize a revolutionary movement, give it leadership ,  the greatest danger is a revolution without an objective. A spontaneous revolution is very dangerous. It can go either way. It can be positive, it can be negative. Do not pray for it. It is not something that one should pray for.”

The issue of leadership and perspective is indeed decisive. Yakasai speaks as one who wants to preserve the leadership of the trade union bureaucracy over the mass movement and to strengthen its ties to the bourgeois opposition parties.

The stranglehold of the unions over the working class must be broken. The mass movement must reject all attempts to reconcile with Jonathan’s regime and any of his capitalist opponents. A socialist and internationalist political strategy must be adopted, based on the fight for a workers’ government that is led by rank-and-file organisations and a new party representing the independent interests of workers and youth.[/b]

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jan2012/nige-j16.shtml

the military are not on the side of the masses as they are part of the problem - those with amnesia need to revisit IBB and OBJ's regimes to understand what i am talking about.

america and europe are not on the side of the nigerian masses as their capitalist system is what has caused over 70% of the nigerian populace to live on the equivalent of a dollar a day.

It is in their interest to KEEP goodluck jonathan in power so that he can continue to privatise the nigerian economy and sell off all state owned assets to them for pennies, continue with the deregulation of all govt owned utilties, cut spending on education and health care - all of these things will increase poverty and suffering for the average nigerian - in a nutshell europe and america are the root cause of your problems.

the only way out is for the people to revolt - overthrow the existing system and create a system which will allow for the redistribution of wealth and re nationalisation of all assets formerly owned by the state.

well done boys, keep making life miserable for the useless nigerian ruling classes - their theiving days are numbered.

beaf - to describe you as human garbage would be doing you a great favour, you are the lowest form of pond life - nigerians for the first time in 51 years have now been given the opportunity to stand up in unison - not as igbos, not as hausas, not as yorubas but AS ONE PEOPLE TO HOLD THE NIGERIAN ELITE TO ACCOUNT FOR 51 YEARS OF ABUSE AND GRAND THEFT ON AN UNIMAGINABLE SCALE AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO DIVERT THIS INTO A TRIBALISTIC ISSUE - MAY GOD PUNISH YOU - YOU ARE A SHAMELESS BEAST -

Goodluck Jonathan is a stooge of the western powers and he is part of the ruling elite who have damaged this country for 51 years.  Do you think he cares whether you live or die ? YOu are nothing but a speck of dirt on his shoe, The only time he remembers the ijaw people is when he is in trouble - like now, he uses fools like you when it suits him, but when his done using you he closes ranks with his fellow looters.

GET THIS THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULL - GEJ IS ONLY INTERESTED IN LINING HIS POCKETS HE DOESNT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU IJAW PEOPLE, IF HE CARED SO MUCH FOR YOU PEOPLE WHY DID HE ALONG WITH HIS WIFE LOOT THE STATE TREASURY OF MILLIONS OF NAIRA WITHIN DAYS OF ENTERING GOVT HOUSE?

Jonathan  is a powerless stooge who acts according to the instructions of
no 1 - the IMF,
no 2 THE WORLD BANK
no 3 THE NIGERIAN ELITE

THIS FOOL CAN NOT MOVE AN INCH BEFORE GETTING CLEARANCE FROM THOSE ORGANISATIONS.
DON'T YOU SEE HOW CHRISTINE LAGARDE OF THE IMF CAME AND ORDERED HIM TO HIKE UP THE PRICE OF PETROL - WHAT SORT OF LEADER TAKES ORDERS ON ECONOMIC POLICY FROM WESTERN INTERNATIONAL BANKING CARTELS??

ANSWER: AN ENSLAVED ONE - GOODLUCK JONATHAN  IS A SLAVE OF THE IMF - GET THAT INTO YOUR THICK SKULL!!!!!!

THIS IS WHY HE IS STICKIGN TO HIS GUNS BECAUSE HE IS BEHOLDEN TO A MUCH MORE POWERFUL MASTER.

HE IS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE PROVERBIAL ROCK AND A HARD PLACE - IF HE TURNS BACK - THE WESTERN NATIONS WILL COME AFTER HIM - IF HE GOES FORWARD THE OPPRESSED NIGERIAN MASSES WILL BE WAITING FOR HIM - NOW LIKE A DROWNING RAT HE IS THREATENTING TO USE HIS PAID THUGS TO PUT DOWN ANY OPPOSITION TO HIS DIRECTIONLESS RULE well i can assure him that nigerians are not push overs and whatever he is looking for he will definitely get, so if i were you i would pray that you are not caught in the blowback.

Look at what is happening in Lagos:

ALL ETHNIC GROUPS ARE AGAINST THIS FOOL'S DECISION TO HIKE THE PRICE OF PETROL , BEAF YOUR PATHETIC LIES ARE FOOLING NO-ONE BUT YOURSELF:

[flash=300,300]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRc7hHpdL2s[/flash]

Beaf - the handwriting is on the wall for you and this ba.stard - nigerians have had enough of your master and his criminal gang - you will rue the day that you agreed to be his professional praise singer - i.diot.

i hope not, i would like him to be publicly lynched by a baying mob.