₦airaland Forum

Senior Lawyer, Ozekhome Disagrees With Ex-President Obasanjo Over ‘Oil Belongs To Nigeria, Not Niger Delta’ Statement

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, has disagreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his statement that Niger Delta cannot lay claim to the crude oil found in the region.

Obasanjo had in a six-page letter to Niger Delta elder, Chief Edwin Clark noted that the constitution did not confer ownership of oil and other mineral resources on any of the then regions.

He insisted that just as the Niger Delta’s oil belongs to the Nigerian federation, the minerals in other parts of the country also belonged to the country.

Reacting in a statement sent to SaharaReporters, Ozekhome said a law that “literally steals the resources of a people, punishing them with destruction of their only available aquatic and agrarian life, even though in the statute books, is a bad, aberrant and obnoxious law.”

The lawyer said the Niger Delta region has been repressed, suppressed, marginalized and neglected.

The statement read, “Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has theorized that the oil and gas found in the Niger Delta region belong to the federal government, and not to the oil-bearing communities. Legally speaking, Obasanjo can be said to be correct, because he was part and parcel of successive military juntas that cleverly and systematically inserted expropriatory and inhuman laws concerning ownership of oil and gas into our statute books. But, does that make such laws right or justifiable? No. I think not.

“Ex-president Obasanjo should be told in very clear terms that there is such an overriding principle of law which goes with the maxim of 'quic quid plantatatur solo solo cedit'. This literally means that whoever owns the land owns everything on top of it. Any extant constitutional or statutory provisions ( such as those apparently referred to by Obasanjo) that run contrary to this commonsensical common law principle are therefore nothing but bad, immoral, exproriatory and exploitative laws.

“Help me inform Obasanjo that Nigeria operates a federal system of government, and that federalism is fiscal and plural. One of the major attributes of federalism is that it ensures that regions, sub-national or federating units develop according to their pace and needs, using the God-given resources that are available to such units. They pay tax to the central government.

“Help me inform President Obasanjo that a law that literally steals the resources of a people, punishing them with destruction of their only available aquatic and agrarian life, even though in the statute books, is a bad, aberrant and obnoxious law.

“Help me tell Obasanjo that in the USA, since oil was discovered in 1859, (a country whose Presidentialism and federalism we ape after), oil and gas are not owned by the American Federal government, but by the surface owners; while oil and gas offshore are owned either by states or federal government. Help me remind Obasanjo that before the January 15, 1967 first military putsch led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu Chukwuma, neither the cotton, groundnut and hides and skin obtainable in the North, the cocoa grown in the West, Palm produce produced in the East; nor the rubber and timber that existed in the then Midwest, were said to belong to the federal government. They belonged to the regions that took a lion 50% share, while paying tax to the Federal government at the centre. What has changed? Nothing, I believe.

“Help me remind Obasanjo to remember history, and that the major reason his 2005 Political Reform Conference failed was because of the rancor and rockus generated by the thorny and still unsolved controversy of resource control. He should remember that this led the South South delegates to stage a walkout from the conference. I was not only a Civil Society delegate, I was actually the head of the Civil Society unit that drafted our final committee report and recommendations.

“Obasanjo should therefore not have dismissed such a festering thorny issue as oil and gas and bleeding oil-bearing communities with a wave of the hand in a most provocative and cavalier manner. The 1960 independence Constitution and the 1963 Republican Constitution had actually activated true fiscal federalism, after the 1957-1958 Willinks Commission Report which had identified and validated the fears of minorities within the Nigerian space.

“Help me inform Obasanjo that the failure of the 1922 Hugh Clifford Constitution, 1946 Arthur Richards Constitution, 1951 Macpherson Constitution and 1954 Littleton Constitution, was partly ascribed to the overbearing influence of majority tribes over the minority ones (374 ethnic groups in Nigeria, according to Prof Onigu Otite).

“Kindly emphasize to Obasanjo that as an Elder statesman, former military Head of State and former democratic President, his well respected public statements and opinions (which he is constitutionally entitled to, should be generously garnished with unifying, healing, therapeutic and inclusive flavor ; and not with the vinegar of divisive and provocative statements.

“The Niger Delta region has been repressed, suppressed, marginalized and neglected. Respected Obasanjo, more than any other person, knows this very well, having had the rare privilege of governing Nigeria both in khaki and agbada. The poor people have had to pay with their sweat, sorrow, tears, blood, pains and pangs, over their God-given wealth. The wealth has become a curse rather than a blessing. I wholly disagree with Obasanjo's thesis. I rather embrace wholly embrace Pa E. K. Clark's anthesis, which wears a human face.”

http://saharareporters.com/2021/12/29/senior-lawyer-ozekhome-disagrees-ex-president-obasanjo-over-%E2%80%98oil-belongs-nigeria-not

A commentator said Islam is the solution to all problems but deleted it after he realized his fooly.

Yet, Islam hasn't cured the backwardness, poverty, wars, terrorism and hatred prevalent in Muslim countries.

Before they claim the West is fighting them, remind them that their holy nation Saudi Arabia is biggest customer of US war industry, buying weapons to kill Muslim goat herders in Yemen and physically dig a trench to divide the Arab continent so as to isolate Qatar Muslims.

This Islam did not prevent the first offspring of Islam from killing each shortly after Muhammad died, as they battled for supremacy leading to the Shia - Sunni split.

Intelligent Arabian minds were rising up in Science and Technology, it was this same perfect Islam that silenced them in favor of fanaticism. It killed Science and Philosophy thus weakening the Ottoman Empire when the European Christian super powers came knocking.

Today they still play second fiddlew. Any stretch of power left or acquired was initially achieved by coercion / jihad or birth rate explosion right from the days on the originator never by conversion.

Such a perfect Religion, It never cease to amaze me.

Trustworthiness:
The fact still remains that this idealogy is from Islam. Then... It is worth mentioning.
There is nothing wrong all religious groups bring out a game changing ideas that can bring reformation in the country.
So, if your religion has something for the country, then let us know and don't keep it to yourself

Guyy Non-Interest lending existed before Muhammad birth please.

Get informed dude. Check my post up there and read up credible sources on the internet
Madrassa no be school, dem no wan hear smh

dawnomike:
This is a very good part of islamic banking...

Biodun556:
Beauty of Islamic finance

Religion is not our problem but rather a solution to our problem
First and second WW were not caused by religion

Tranquility4u:
Islamic banking is the best. Many have committed suicide because of indebtedness caused by interest rate, brought about by Western banking system. Islam is the only system that can solve the world's problems.

drlateef:
I am very sure majority of subscribers will be Christians.

AbuMaryam1:
Children of hatred would soon call you names. Forgotten the so called world powers have long ago went into Islamic finance. Cause of it stability and fairness

These fanatics again.... Hold your high horses.

Why are you guys trying to imply silly religious narratives into these report.

For your information, Islam didn't Invent or even Introduce non-Interest finance to the world.
Even Muhammad came to meet non-Interest finance practiced in his time.
In Medieval Europe Usury was a Sin/Crime for Christians. It was only allowed for Jews who could only practice such to only non-Jews.
Later, The Medici's adopted the trade and rose to power in Europe.

So it's nothing new or original to Islam that you should brag or blab about. It shouldn't even be addressed as Islamic finance rather Non-Interest/Ethical Finance
No system is perfect as some naive people claim.

Islamic finance differs on 2 major concepts:
1. Shariah Permissible/Ethical Investing
2. Profit/Loss Sharing

This does not magically delete the inherent risk in the business invested on. The business can fail woefully causing deeper losses for the lender than on the other hand, the flip side is that both parties share losses.
Hence
Ethical Finance is more sustainable and ensures the lender is a partaker of the risk so lending is more vetted rather than careless lending.
On the other hand, Interest charging finance offers more time value for the lended money and protects you better from inflation while sacrificing sustainability.

The Oversubscribing of Sukuk Bonds is also simply a feature of expanding Capital that is seeking returns. Capital is flowing about and needs returns so any available sustainable opportunity is a good bet.

It doesn't mean anyone wants to shout Allahu Akbar, pray 5 times or blow up stuff with you

Trustworthiness:
The fact still remains that this idealogy is from Islam. Then... It is worth mentioning.
There is nothing wrong all religious groups bring out a game changing ideas that can bring reformation in the country.
So, if your religion has something for the country, then let us know and don't keep it to yourself

Bruhh get educated and stop blabbing.

Muhammad came 600 years after Jesus Christ.
Read Church History, it was forbidden for Christians to loan a fellow Christian money and expect anything in return not even profit sharing was permitted.I guess inflation wasn't a worry thing then.
They practiced this for good 500 years + before Muhammad came around with his revelations
In Medieval Europe, Usury was also a crime.

Muhammad came to meet Ethical Investing and as usual everything was plagiarized into Islamic Banking.
So because the word "interest" was replaced with "Riba", it is now of Islamic origin. SMH.
Truly truly Madrassa no be school

I laugh in Swahili. Fake news
Which oil ? Groundnut or PalmOil

Geological survey has already revealed that this region has no iota of substantial crude deposits.
They will have to wait for another formation cycle to reach such levels, upwards of a 1000 years.
North should stop fooling itself and embrace secession as the solution to their parasitism.

Unlike the lieing North, huge Natural Gas deposits have actually been discovered in South East around the Imo - Anambra corner.

Do you see the news anywhere ? None at all.
The Nigerian Government and her agencies are announcing redacted reports that leave out the locations of these transformative resources.
Nevertheless we Indigenes know the truth.

Infact Foreign Oil Companies are sparing no expense in partaking in this new discovery.
Billionaire Arthur Eze recently sold lands worth billions of dollars to Total Energy.

Here

Asiri1991:
Certainly, they can afford a human skull in Yoruba land.

You lie not (check pic)

Sunday Shodipe is his name. Cursed People

Ok

Afonja: No Way Home.

Fear Afonja o, if you loose guard, no way home for you.

Life snuffed out of a poor innocent girl just because some dude wants to raise the IGR of Ondo

Don't quickly forget that the price of commodities has alot to do with demand which is the willingness and ABILITY to buy.

Cheaper labor and arable land is factored into the low prices in the North nevertheless demand isn't forsaken.
Over there most can't even afford substantial quantity of what grows in their backyard, thus market forces push the prices lower.
And supply is directed at wealthier Southerners.

In the scenario, that Northern Nigeria were to be an oil producing region tilted towards services industry, the price disparity won't have been these wide.

Exploitative Hoarding and Inflation Profiteering is another factor Southerners should look into.
Food producers and Traders up north create artificial scarcities inorder to hike prices and get as much as possible from their cash-cow South.
Inflation is also unduely exaggerated since it's easy to blame your greed on " bad economy"


Solution:
1. Intensify Agricultural Production in the South

2. Form a Buyside Cartel that contributes in price fixing for food commodities.

Else we will continue to be robbed by these same people that benefit from our resources without surcharge.

The Molesters.

Touching women and men alike inappropriately. I've been a victim