₦airaland Forum

Announcer: , and now, here is your Tonight’s Show host, Dr. D.J. Damages

(Applause)

Dr. Damages: Thank you. When we were in school, when you failed a class, you were asked to repeat it. By all indications, I failed in the last interview I had with Dr. Reuben Abati. According to our internal polling, I failed to ask hard questions. Dr. Abati’s people told me their polling showed that he failed to give straight answers. I was accused of conducting a padi-padi interview with my friend while Dr. Abati was accused of giving wishy-washy answers. As a result, Dr. Abati and I have decided to redo the interview.

(Applause)

This time, it will be a no holds barred. We have arranged for extra security in case we need it. And I understand that Dr. Abati is wearing a bullet-proof vest. So be ready for fireworks.

(Applause)

Dr Damages: George Bernard Shaw said that anyone who wrote a weekly column for ten years in any newspaper would become so famous that readers would never know if he or she had a talent for writing. Our guest is a man who has written two columns a week for over fifteen years for the most respected newspaper in Africa. Nobody in Africa doubts if he has a talent for writing. All the way from Rutam House in Oshodi, Lagos, please give a thunderous welcome to Dr. Reuben Abati.

(Applause)

Dr. Reuben Abati walks into the stage, shakes Dr. Damages’ hand and takes his seat.

Dr Damages: Welcome to the show.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Nice to be back.

Dr Damages: Let me start by asking if you were at a party at Aliko Dangote’s house on Victoria Island, Lagos?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Excuse me?

Dr Damages: Did you attend a party thrown for Andy Uba by Aliko Dangote?

Dr. Reuben Abati: See me, see trouble. I thought I was here to talk about the land?

Dr Damages: That is secondary now. We will get to that later.

Dr. Reuben Abati: I attend many parties. It is part of my job.

Dr. Damages: But it is not everyday that you attend a party at Dangote’s house?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Well, for people in my position you should not be surprised at how frequently it happens.

Dr. Damages: Really?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Oh, yeah. Some workers get bush meat as perks, I get to party with VIPs.

Dr Damages: Do you remember going to this particular party which was meant to drum up media support for then “Gov.-elect” Andy Uba?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I can’t recall.

Dr Damages: James Ibori was there.

Dr. Reuben Abati: I have been in the same room with him several times.

Dr Damages: There were also Bukola Saraki and Wale Babalakin.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Where are you going with this? If you do not know, big boys hang out with other big boys. Bo, let us talk about the land.

Dr. Damages: We’ll get to land in a moment, but we’re interested for now in the Dangote party. Since our last interview, a source contacted us and said it was important to ask about this grand party. I understand that Andy Uba and his brother, Dr. Ugochukwu Uba, were also at the affair.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Is it now a crime to attend a party in Nigeria? Or is it because it was Dangote’s party? My friend, you have to relax. You are on this earth once. When you get the chance to enjoy, use it. How does your people say it, he whose pear is ripe, let him devour it. So my man, let me devour my ripe pear.

Dr. Damages: You haven’t even told me whether you were at this party?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I attend many parties. It’s part of the job. If you want to hang with the big boys come home and join us.

Dr Damages: Do I take it then you attended this particular one Dangote threw for Andy Uba?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I wasn’t alone. Other media big shots were there as well. Why didn’t you ask them?

Dr Damages: Well, they’re not the ones on the hot seat. Their turn will come to be interviewed.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Why am I on the hot seat?

Dr. Damages: Because you are hot.

Dr. Reuben Abati: I don’t want to be hot anymore! (laughter)

Dr. Damages: By popular demand, villagers want you here.

Dr. Reuben Abati: (Mutters under his breath) Those savages and Neanderthals! Economic parasites in America, Europe, even Turkey!

Dr. Damages: Eh? Did you say something?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Oh, nothing. (Wipes his brow with a handkerchief).

Dr. Damages: So, back to the Dangote party…

Dr. Reuben Abati: I attend all kinds of parties. Like my other colleagues.

Dr Damages: You were there then?

Dr. Reuben Abati: It is possible.

Dr Damages: Do you recall that anything unusual happened there?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Like what? What again? If you were thinking about loose women, there was no such thing. It was a clean gathering.

Dr. Damages: Were editors asked to ensure that negative reports about Andy Uba did not make it into their newspapers?

Dr. Reuben Abati: What do you mean by negative reports?

Dr. Damages: Reports that put him in a bad light.

Dr. Reuben Abati: If you mean the kind of garbage these online radicals dish out in the name of citizen journalism, I say yes. I do not condone it. And I think any self respecting politician should not.

Dr. Damages: Where you charged to make sure that such reports did not make it into your newspaper editorial pages?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I cannot recall.

Dr. Damages: Are such requests usual or unusual?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Those are not unusual. Politicians want favorable coverage.

Dr. Damages: Do you guarantee that kind of coverage?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I am not a reporter. I have never been a reporter. I am a pundit. An influential one, if I may add. So it depends… To answer your question, no, we report the facts and only the facts.

Dr. Damages: How do you approach your commentary?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I try to be insightful and topical and fair and balanced. I lace my piece with lots of humor… And a little racy language, every now and then. I found out that women liked such. The text messages I receive every week are testaments to that.

Dr Damages: Do you recall getting an envelope as you left Dangote’s party?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Envelope?

Dr Damages: Yes. Envelope. That rectangular thing.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Well, I cannot recall. Remember that by the time you leave such party, you are almost wasted.

Dr Damages: You do not remember receiving an envelope?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Listen, you’re talking to a very busy man. It’s not every little detail of parties that I’ll remember. I have better things to do with my memory.

Dr. Damages: But if you received an envelope, it’s not a minor, forgettable detail. And not a minor envelope, for that matter. Did you or did you not?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I cannot recall. You know, like all Nigerian parties, alcohol flowed like water. And remember it’s Nigeria’s richest man we’re talking about. Alcohol and food were in abundance. So, it is possible that under the influence of alcohol, an envelope could have found its way to my pocket.
Dr Damages: Like in magic?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Something like that.

Dr Damages: I understand.

Dr. Reuben Abati: That does not mean I did anything with it when I got home. In fact, it must be my housemaid that opened the envelope and used whatever was in it. All I know is that I continued to practice at the highest professional standards.

Dr. Damages: But you didn’t write about the controversial Andy Uba?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I must have. How could I miss commenting on that wonder kid? I don’t think so. He was such a phenomenon that he could not have escaped my piercing gaze. I have to check my archives…I write on so many people and issues that I can’t keep count. But come to think of it, do I owe it to anybody to write about Dr. Andy Uba?

Dr. Damages: You just called him Doctor. He has no degree at all.

Dr. Reuben Abati: That’s what some disgruntled online rumor-mongers say. Why must I believe them when they’re also attacking me, a PhD for a common plot of land I got—I mean bought—in Abuja?

Dr. Damages: Do you mind if we talk about somebody else?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Who?

Dr. Damages: Tafa Balogun. Do you know the man who goes by that name?

Dr. Reuben Abati: What are you talking about? He’s virtually an uncle to me.

Dr. Damages: This is the first time I’ve heard of virtual uncle.

Dr. Reuben Abati: I’m a poet at heart. My job is to command language.

Dr. Damages: I can see.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Thank you.

Dr. Damages: Did you receive things from Tafa “the virtual uncle” Balogun?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Like what?

Dr. Damages: Regular envelopes.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Envelopes?
Dr. Damages: Yes, envelopes. Those rectangular things, again.

Dr. Reuben Abati: What for?

Dr. Damages: As a retainership?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Retain me for what?

Dr. Damages: Why, to ensure favorable coverage on the editorial page.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Where are you getting these outrageous allegations?

Dr Damages: Is it true or not? Remember the viewers are watching. You have the chance to clear thing up once and for all.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Let them watch.

Dr Damages: You don’t want to redo this interview, do you?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I don’t care. That man, Tafa Balogun, is my uncle.

Dr. Damages: And as your uncle…?

Dr. Reuben Abati: He does what uncles do.

Dr. Damages: What do uncles do?

Dr. Reuben Abati: They support struggling family members.

Dr. Damages: Like wire some money every month?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Uncles do things uncles do. What if monthly support is the only way to sustain a struggling family member? What if he knew I was being paid peanuts by the paper? What if he did not want me to live like a poor man after getting my PhD some twelve years ago?

Dr. Damages: And since he’s quote and unquote an uncle, did you ensure that the editorial page did not put him in bad light? Even when he was accused of stealing billions of naira?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I don’t know what you are talking about. And by the way, I am not the editorial page. I don’t speak for the editorial page. The editorial page speaks for itself.

Dr. Damages: Certainly.

Dr. Reuben Abati: I mean it.

Dr Damages: Let’s talk about Bola Tinubu? Would you describe him as an uncle, too?

Dr. Reuben Abati: This is becoming ridiculous.

Dr Damages: What is ridiculous?

Dr. Reuben Abati: So it is now a crime to know people – even my family relations and people from my part of the country? I have to explain all my relationship to you? Otherwise what? Why? By the way, who are you? Who made you an inquisitor? When did I become your Gov. Rod Blagojevich? Why me? Why don’t you put other media heavyweights on your damned hot seat?

Dr. Damages: Maybe we should just talk about the land?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I am not talking about anything anymore. Do your worst.

Dr Damages: Remember that it is not between me and you?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Whatever!

Dr Damages: It is between you and your readers, too.

Dr. Reuben Abati: To hell with the readers.

Dr Damages: No, you did not disrespect your readers?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I am referring to those internet holier-than-thou readers who do not know the reality of life in Nigeria. They do not understand the peanuts papers pay big guys like me for the work we do. They do not understand the pressure we face from our family and friends – pressures to live large and meet up. They are just stupid idiots who want to use me as a scapegoat for corruption in the media.

Dr Damages: How did you know that?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Know what?

Dr. Damages: I was about to ask you if you were aware that a descriptive account of events at Dangote’s party is the first chapter of an upcoming book called Corruption in the Nigerian Media: From Dr. Chidi Amuta to Dr. Reuben Abati.

Dr. Reuben Abati: What is it about?

Dr. Damages: It is about how the media collude with politicians to ruin Nigeria.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Who is writing the book?

Dr. Damages: Were you planning to write such a book?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I do not think I know enough to write such a book. Who is writing the book?

Dr. Damages: I am not telling.

Dr. Reuben Abati: This is pure blackmail.

Dr Damages: Who’s the blackmailer and who’s the blackmailed?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I don’t know. I just have one thing to say. You and your viewers must remember that I am married with children. I help a lot of people from my home town. I’m a well-known – actually, anonymous – philanthropist all over Nigeria, east, west, north and south. I had a humble beginning. I worked hard to get to where I am. I think everyone should know that. I am not as arrogant as people make me. If you really know me, you know that I am a jolly good fellow. I have friends from all parts of Nigeria. I believe we can fix Nigeria if we all put away ethnic divide and work for the betterment of all. That is what I have been trying to do since I came to the Guardian. I have hired a lot of people from every part of the country. If you ask those who work with me at the paper, they will tell you there is no bone of discrimination in my body. I am everyone’s buddy. Tell them, Dr. Damages. You’ve known me for a long time now. Tell them.

Dr Damages: Why did you find it so difficult to say “I bought the land for so so so amount and I paid for it with my own money and it was not connected to a favor I did to anyone?”

Dr. Reuben Abati: Because I do not know what you know, who you’ve been talking to, and what next will be put out there.

Dr. Damages: Me? Know what?

Dr. Reuben Abati: I don’t mean you, I mean those who torment me. The enemies who seem determined to turn my brand, Reuben A-lord of the Guardian to Reuben A-fraud of the Guardian.

Dr. Damages: Does it matter what they know if you are telling the truth?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Once I said how much I paid for the land, they will come and ask me how did I get the money? How much am I making at the paper? How much do I charge to be MC at events? How much do I get paid to write biographies of great people? No man wants to be interrogated that way. I am not a public servant. I work for a private company. I just do not want to open a Pandora’s Box.

Dr Damages: But you can see that these questions are not going away. People are already asking these questions you asked. They are adding up the figures. They are insinuating that the paper doesn’t pay you well. Yet, you had no guts to challenge your employers or to support the recent strike by disgruntled employees of the Guardian. You kept quiet when those who protested were fired. How do you view the consequences of your silence?

Dr. Reuben Abati: It is by far better than the alternative.

Dr Damages: Which is what?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Volunteering answers to common villagers. They are beneath me.

Dr Damages: But your silence has made villagers to independently come up with their own answers.

Dr. Reuben Abati: At least the answers are not coming from me. And until I admit, you cannot convict.

Dr. Damages: The court of public opinion does not work that way.

Dr. Reuben Abati: I am the face of public opinion in Nigeria. When all the noise makers on the web finish working themselves up for nothing and get tired, they will all line up again, behind me, their leader.

Dr. Damages: Public opinion works like this: If it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, the public opinion is that it is a duck.

Dr. Reuben Abati: As far as I am concerned, if you do not have the envelope, you do not have the evidence.

Dr Damages: Do you regret anything?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Yes. Not joining a bank a long time ago.

Dr Damages: Why?

Dr. Reuben Abati: Because if I were at a bank now, nobody would be asking how I got a piece of land in Abuja.

Dr Damages: Thank you for your time, Dr. Abati.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Can I ask you one question?

Dr. Damages: Of course.

Dr. Reuben Abati: Why me? Of all the rogue editors in Nigeria, why a decent guy like me? Why do they want to turn Reuben A-lord into Reuben A-fraud?

Dr. Damages: Gov. Rob Blagojevich asked the same question. I often wonder the same, too. And it is not like you have the same hair as Blagojevich.

Dr. Reuben Abati: I have no hair at all.

Dr. Damages: I can see that. But the question is if you had hair would it look like Blagojevich’s hair?

Dr. Reuben Abati: (A long sigh).

Dr Damages: Thanks for clearing the air so well that viewers across Nigeria can see Florida from Lekki beach. Viewers, that’s the one and the only Dr. Reuben Abati. Until next time, thank you all for watching and good night

www.saharareporters.com

Freedom of speech/expression in Africa. We all know that only exist in western worlds

I believe we need more than rebate checks and tax cuts.

[quote author=IGWE_USA link=topic=226578.msg3409576#msg3409576 date=1233438207]@ dis guy
Eliminate all those porks starting from the money they planned to give to the so called "community organizers" like ACORN.
Moreover, it is better to send those cheques directly to the tax payers and also cut tax rates for all, but rich and poor.[/quote]Igwe my man,

So you really think sending the funds directly to tax payers, and reducing tax rates will cure the financial crisis and restore confidence in the market. Please, explain how this is going to work.

How will the rebate cheques and tax cut improve employment / economy going forward? What’s to stop the receiver of rebates cheques from hoarding their money when they're suppose to spend it? My take on stimulus / rebate check is that it is supposed to improve consumer spending. If consumer spending does not improve; that means liquidity remain unchanged, demand for consumer product remain unchanged or continue to nosedive while labor market continue to suffer. It means we’re right back where we started from.

Common people. Is this not the same team that beat Cote D'ivore 3:0
Lets praise those guys, at least they made it to the semi final.

@Creativity & Muza,

How much did you guys loose because of Ribadu? From the look of your posting, It look like Ribadu personally victimized ya'll. I don't understand why you guys can't acknowledge the fact that Ribadu elevate the fight against corruption to a new height.

I believe the financial crisis rocking the US economy will be short-lived. By the end of 2nd quarter, normalcy and stability within US going forward should be returning to the market. I agree with you “Omi Tutu” Keynesian theory will definitely bring the economy back to its normal state of mind. US debt is at all time high…but Obama insist on more spending (Direct spending and indirect spending) to prop up employment. Tax season is just around the corner, many people are going to get several refund checks from the government. Also, we have the 2nd economic stimulus package roaring in the house of Representative and Senate. I believe all these spending couple together and some other factors will reduce money hoarding and shore up investors/ consumers confidence, therefore returning the stability back to the system.

Now with huge capital leaving our economy; do we keep quiet because our economy is resilient with huge reserve, cash base society therefore can withstand the financial turmoil or should we use this as an opportunity and avenue to prop up our infrastructure to survive the crisis?. With the price of crude oil at less than $50 per barrel; oil revenue and capital expenditure have been impacted tremendously. Are our policy makers divesting and investing in other cash generating asset that we can count on in good terms and bad terms? Are they by any means necessary boosting our infrastructure, to create an environment for efficient market? Not until we cater for all these scenario will we be free, but if we choose to ignore those warnings …vision 2020 will remain a dream.
God help Nigeria

Some of your points are valid. I understand that Nigeria’s market is not exposed to subprime lending activities, Asset Backed Commercial paper (ABCP), Asset Backed Securities (ABS), Credit Default Swaps (CDS), CDOs, e.t.c Ask yourself this question,
If the recapitalization that took place under the leadership of Soludo did not, would we have achieved our increase GDP within the past 3 - 4 years? Present GDP in midst of the financial crisis? Would our economy still be rising with the price of crude oil at approximately $56? Would the price of Naira have remained stable / appreciated compare to other currency?

you know what, i cannot agree more.
Yaradull definitely deserves 2nd and third term in office
The man has perform better than expectation.

Education - F9
Energy - F9
Commerce & Infrastructure - F9
Tourism - F9
Management of Mineral Resources - F9
Financial - C- (Based on leadership of soludo)
Planning - F9

Vote for Yaradua come 2011

While I agree that Ribadu’s movement might have been thwarted towards victimization of political enemies of the PDP. Come to think of it; those political enemy that were victimized, are they not corrupt? 100% of those politicians who had case / cases with EFCC during Ribadu’s tenure were all guilty as charged. Do we punish a man for merely doing his job? Do we criminalize the man for performing better than expectation? Do we demote the man for setting a new standards that says corrupt politicians are not to be celebrated but to be made a scape goat …letting them reap what they sow?
Which way Nigeria, Which way we go

In the past 15 – 20 years, how many Nigerian governors have actually put their respective states tax money to good use like Fashola has done (Within 2 years into his terms)? How many of them have delivered reasonable contribution that common man can attest to compared to what Fashola has done today?

We all understand that Fashola has fiduciary responsibility to the people of Lagos state; duty of care of making informed and reasonable decisions, rely on competent consultants and experts, and also exercising reasonable supervision. He has shown to us that he’s capable of this, within his 1st two years in office. He has demonstrated that he’s a man with vision, discipline and integrity.

If the man is bringing the change we’re yearning for, why should we not praise such a man? Why can’t we tell / show him that we recognize all his effort, we appreciate all the monumental changes that he has brought unto Lagos state while also relaying to him that we want more. I believe his effort, strategy, leadership style should be recognized and motivated; for other governors to see reason why it pays to put their people first, and why they need to be better than what they are today.

@ Poster,

Did Fashola give any tax notice to computer village management?
How many notices?
What were the deciding clauses included in the tax notice?

I need to understand what is going on before I can comment.

Kobojunkie:
You and I do not know anything. I am sorry, I do not agree. I will not settle for politicians who loot 50% or even 1%. I do not want that and will not settle for such. I will not be an enabler to corruption, no matter how prevalent.

@ Kobojunkie
My brother, what are you doing to change the situation?

We are living in a society where corruption takes front seat. EFCC, ICPC are not doing enough to curtail / reduce the prevalence of corruption. We are all clamoring for change, in terms of security, infrastructure, education, power …and Fashola has proven to be progressing in all these section. According to Herzberg motivation – hygiene theory, he concluded that “factors involved in producing job satisfaction (and motivation) are different from the factors that lead to job dissatisfaction (hygiene)”. He mentioned achievement, recognition, growth, advancement, growth as some of the motivating factors. I believe Fashola has exceeds our expectation, therefore we need to recognize his achievement for this to motivate him, and other governors to push for success as well.

Orikinla,

My brother, I appreciate the article indeed. Very well organized, direct and thought provoking.
I certainly agree with all your argument.

Until we place high priority in recognizing and motivating hard workers, reward good success accordingly to encourage more minds to be better, and discourage the short cut totally; things will never improve. We (me and you) as a nation have a job to do. The hardest part is the awareness, which will eventually lead to success.

They’ve constructed a risk ranking based on seven indicators: current account financing gap, FX reserves/short-term external debt ratio, exports to-GDP ratio, private credit-to-GDP ratio, private credit growth, loans-to deposits ratio and banks capital-to-assets ratio.

I hope this is not a ploy to whip up sentiments to drive stocks that they’ve already have stake in, to later again dump those stocks at the detriment of our economy and crash our market again. Investors beware!!!!!

@ Tpia,

Launching rocket is not a big deal, but how many rockets have we as a country launched in past ~ 50 years of our independence? The earlier the better we recognize and motivate this team to improve on their research the better.

I understand from the angle of “from strong criticism, we can bring the best out of our failure”. But why is it that we (Nigerians) never believe in our abilities and capabilities. We tend to shoot ourselves in the foot by believing that we can never achieve greatness, therefore not pushing harder.

Where is the support on this forum? I believe our job as Nigerians are to; offer support, embrace good ideas, and motivate individuals, groups, organization with good ideas and intention to perform better. I think we can motivate them by recognizing their work, critiquing their work and effort to create room for improvement for the betterment of the economy.

At least they’ve open wide range of awareness for other schools to cultivate, and I strongly believe that the awareness will translate into knowledge building and modification, from knowledge building you get practice which will lead to success. I say kudos to all those people behind the Rocket Launching.

Election has been annulled, general petraeus to takeover with immediate effect, The Guardian

obbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa  , you did it.

I think on the short and long run, he’s coming to power will affect Africans positively. Depend on our views towards change; some might view it as necessary and some might view it as being too strict or not needed at all. I believe with him coming to power;

•Let me start with his background (Being an African decent and understanding what its like to be poor) – I believe this will instill moral discipline and vote of self confidence into common minds of many African decent like me and African Americans that anything and everything is possible… through hard work, sacrifice, establishment, good planning, dedication we can achieve it. And there is no short corner.

•I believe the perception of people on how we relate to one another based on the color of our skin, geographical location, social class, income, education, psychographic, will change in general. I am not saying discrimination based on the color of our skin or geographical location (black vs. white, African decent vs. Black American) will be eliminated completely, but certain improvement and progress will occur and this will elevate the trend to a new direction.

•I believe there are certain measures that have been put in place among G-8, G-20 which might not be visible to Africans. I believe some of these measures continue to limit our abilities as a continent or as individual countries. With him in power, some of these measures stand higher chance of being overturned for the equality of all man.

•I believe Africans need to work to attain self sufficient capabilities rather than waiting for other countries to come to their rescue through financial aids and other packages. This on the long run hinders our ability to grow. I believe blindly that with him in power these attitude and culture will change. I believe he will push (either directly or indirectly) for technology enhancement in Africa, human resources development (through knowledge acquisitions).

More to come.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article01//indexn3_html?pdate=021108&ptitle=U.S%20Ignores%20Nigeria,%20AU&cpdate=021108


I hope this will be a wake up call for our leaders to get on their feet, act right and put their house in order. Make sure the culture of transparency, accountability and the rule of law justify our actions as a nation. They (Our leaders) need to understand that leadership has to be shown at home 1st before other countries can recognize us as Giant of Africa.

U.S Ignores Nigeria, AU


Shuns UN Offer To Play Host

General Assembly Plans Own Conference
From Laolu Akande (New York)
PLAN by US President, George W. Bush to host an international Economic Summit on global financial crisis later this month does not take Nigeria and even the African Union and the NEPAD into the picture.

However, a list of the invitees from the White House shows that South Africa is the only country invited from Africa while top European countries and the EU are also getting seats at the summit.

The plan is also brewing controversy at the United Nations because of what diplomats and experts see as the selective nature of the invitation to participate in the summit.

Consequently, the current president of the UN General Assembly, Nicaragua's Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, a Reverend Father, is leading a fierce opposition against the attempt by the US and other developed countries to monopolise the international response to the global crisis.

At the UN talks on Thursday, American Economics Nobel Prize winner, Prof. Joseph E Stiglitz, who has agreed to work with the UN General Assembly, also spoke of the need to hold a more representative international summit at the UN in reaction to the global financial crisis.

The international summit, which the Bush administration is now effectively controlling, is coming on the heels of the global financial crisis, which sharpened with the crash of the Wall Street in the US.

But the summit was initially expected to hold at the United Nations headquarters, which was seen as the credible organisation to host such a meeting since the subject is one of international importance affecting not only developed countries but also developing countries.

However an offer of some world leaders including the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy and the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon that the UN should host the meeting was turned down by the Bush White House, which has gone ahead to fix the meeting for Washington, DC on November 15 at the White House.

According to UN sources, the Bush administration even initially left out inviting the UN Secretary-General, who had publicly asked, in line with few other world leaders, to have the summit held at the UN offices in New York.

After the White House released a list of its invitees on October 22, the name of the Secretary-General was initially missing before it was added hurriedly apparently after some behind the closed door protests from the UN.

The invitees essentially included leaders of 20 countries, in line with previous G-8 plans to expand the group to G-20.

The G-20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

Nigeria, with the largest population in Africa and one of the leading economies in the region and an emerging economy in the world is also left out of the invitation.

In a chat, Nigeria's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Joy Ogwu, waived off the White House summit, saying the US reserves the right to organise whatever summits it chooses.

But she added that "Nigeria is playing a prominent role" in international response to the crisis, pointing specifically to the Doha Trade talks in which she said Nigeria remains very active. She said in Doha talks, "everybody is involved."

On the plans of the UN General Assembly president to organise a UN summit, Ogwu said Nigeria would support any steps taken by the UN to restore global financial crisis.

"We share the aspiration to get the crisis resolved, and Nigeria's position is not different from other UN member states."

In order to assert a more international response to the global crisis in direct antagonism to President Bush's plan to host a more limited international summit in White House, UN diplomats, with the leadership of the UN General Assembly, is also planning a summit on the global crisis.

As part of the plans at the UN, a group of experts met at the UN headquarters in New York to review the technical issues involved.

At that meeting on Thursday, the General Assembly president, D'Escoto Brockmann said bluntly that, "it is time to stop viewing the global economy as the private dominion of some exclusive clubs."

"The G-8, G-15, G-20 are no longer sufficient in their scope to solve these problems. I believe that long term solutions must include the G-192," in obvious reference to the 192 members of the United Nations.

Brockmann added that, "only full participation within a truly representative framework will restore the confidence of citizens in our governments and financial institutions."

In an apparent reference to the G-8, G-20 summit being planned by President Bush, Prof. Stiglitz said: "While discussions among informal groupings of countries will necessarily play an important role in developing a global consensus on key and complex issues, decision making must reside within international institutions with broad political legitimacy, and with adequate representation of both middle income countries and the least developed countries."

The Nobel winning economist declared that "the only institution that currently has that broad legitimacy today is the UN."

But a White House statement last month said "the leaders of 20 nations have been invited to attend an economic summit in Washington to discuss the current financial crisis, its causes and efforts to resolve it through more effective regulation and reform."

Curiously, the White House statement expected its selected 20 countries to also "discuss the effects of the crisis on emerging economies and developing nations," who have not been invited by the White House.

The implication is that the US government wants to discuss the fate of the emerging economies and developing countries like Nigeria in their absence, reminding many of the 1885 Berlin Conference of European nations on Africa.

Dana Perino, the White House Press Secretary, added that President Bush was inviting the members of the Group of 20 to a "Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy," which is expected to be the first of a series of summits to bring together world leaders who participate in the G-20 finance process to discuss current economic issues.

shinystar:
What has Nigeria done for me?

Niger area sheltered you. Don't you live in Lagos.

Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

Lets start with you, What are you doing to elevate the current state of the economy?

I totally agree with the Yaradua’s move, we have other more important pressing issues that we need to attend to as a country. I’m on the other hand eagerly waiting to see those other pressing issues that we are going to spend the $30 million on.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article03//indexn2_html?pdate=241008&ptitle=Why%20Nigeria%20can't%20host%20U-17%20World%20Cup,%20by%20minister

IT is official. Nigeria has given up its hosting rights for next year's FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Abdulrahman Gimba, who confirmed the development yesterday during a visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said it was unfortunate, even as he voiced concern over the impact of the action on the country's integrity in the comity of nations.

The lukewarm response of the private sector to the youth soccer fiesta's sponsorship may have partly informed government's decision to back out of hosting the tournament.

Gimba said: "The cancellation is correct, unfortunately. It is not a question of how much now, but a question of integrity and timing. Unfortunately, the private sector hadn't made itself available. We tried to reach them but we did not succeed. Their response was not being quite great. If we have to host it, we have to host well because the integrity of the country will be at stake. We wouldn't have accepted late funding. But we were not able to make the appropriate impact on the private sector."

Nigeria got the hosting rights for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2006 as compensation after it lost its bid to host the 2010 Africa Nations Cup to Angola.

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the cancelled soccer tournament had proposed a N37 billion budget to host it. The Presidency shot it down, arguing that there were more pressing issues for the nation to address than expending such a huge amount on football.

But in a reaction, former Super Eagles Coach, Adeboye Onigbinde, yesterday cautioned against giving up the hosting rights of the football tournament, as it would be a great embarrassment to the country.

Onigbinde, a long-standing member of the FIFA technical committee, said: "Well, I can tell you authoritatively that FIFA was not surprised by the development, though the football body was jolted. But I can assure you that FIFA has always had plans 'B' and even 'C' for all its competitions, especially those ceded to developing countries like Nigeria.

"I still believe that it is a speculation, but if the country had actually withdrawn, then it is very shameful and embarrassing. This would only present Nigeria to the rest of the world as an unserious nation and it would be very difficult for the international community to trust and take Nigeria seriously in the future."

He added that the immediate implication of the action would be the absence of the defending champion, Nigeria, at the tournament, as the Golden Eaglets failed to qualify for the African finals coming up in Algeria early next year.

Hosting the tournament would have given the Nigerian team automatic qualification.

But to another former Super Eagles Coach, Fanny Amun, the decision to withdraw from hosting the tournament is the best thing Nigeria has done in recent years.

Amun, who assisted Onigbinde at the Japan/Korea 2002 World Cup, believes that hosting the competition would have amounted to wasting scarce public fund.

"Congratulations Nigeria, congratulations President Yar'Adua. This is great news for all lovers of Nigeria. Only the blind and selfish individuals who inhabit the sports sector would criticise this patriotic decision taken by the Presidency.

"In recent years, all we have achieved in sports is our readiness to host every competition no matter the cost to our economy. We all know that the idea to host every competition is the brainchild of one man.

"We rush to host any event, CAF, FIFA, WAFU and we don't pause to ask the benefits of such investments. The truth is that somebody is using it to further his ambition in international sports circle. But we must ask ourselves what we have gained from such ventures.

"Have we looked at the expenditure of the COJA we hosted in 2003? We should think of developing our athletes instead of spending the money unwisely," the former Golden Eaglets Coach, who won the FIFA U-17 World in Japan in 1993, said.

Also, ex-international, Adokiye Amiesiamaka, has commended the Federal Government's decision to back out of hosting the championship.

According to him, contrary to the Gimba's fear that the nation's image would suffer with the action, it would boost Nigeria's clout before the international community.

Amiesiamaka said: "People are going to look at us with a lot of respect because this action means the era of waking up and taking decisions without a verifiable cost-benefit analysis in Nigeria is gone.

"I am really happy that President Yar'Adua has put his foot down and refused to release taxpayers' money to be sunk into that project because there is the tendency that the amount, as staggering as it is, would not have been spent entirely on the itemised purposes.

"As has been the case in the past, blackmailing the executive at the 11th hour to release money for the tournament, which is just less than one year to go, is not the best. This is because the money may not be judiciously utilised for the purpose it was meant. This would mean we have resorted to the same fire-brigade approach to doing things.

The former Green Eagles star added: "I have always been of the opinion that the way the National Sports Commission was set up does not give enough room for the private sector to take active participation in sports development. So, there is bound to be some form of apathy on their part when it comes to them bringing forward so much money to sponsor a tournament of that magnitude.

"The President should urgently implement the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Sports. If the recommendations were implemented, there would be no last-minute search for sponsors.

Meanwhile, Confederation of African Football (CAF) President, Issa Hayatou, yesterday pleaded with Nigeria to reconsider its decision not to host the competition.

In a letter to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which copy was made available to The Guardian, Hayatou narrated the circumstances that led to the rights being awarded to Nigeria, adding that the continent would be the laughing stock of the world football fraternity if the decision was not reversed.

The letter reads: "Upon arrival in Zurich yesterday, I was extremely disappointed and shocked when I was informed that your national association decided to inform FIFA that your country is withdrawing from hosting the U-17 FIFA World Cup, which was assigned to your association in 2009.

"I would like to remind you that the FIFA Executive Committee decided to award the U-20 and the U-17 World Cups to Africa in 2009 since our continent is hosting for the first time in 2010 the senior FIFA World Cup. Only African candidatures were accepted for these two events.

"The decision of Nigeria to withdraw from hosting this event next year is really embarrassing not only to CAF but to the whole African continent.

"We count on your wisdom to review this decision since Nigeria in its capacity as one of the football powerhouses of the African continent is one of the African countries which can make Africa proud whenever hosting world events."

Yes, there are abundance mathematics master’s courses you can embark on, but you have to factor in your aspiration (what you want to get out of it – money), demand for the sector (how easy is it to get job) and how widely available is/are the programs. With a mathematics background, I will definitely expose my self to management like 377 have said (Finance, economics, accounting, marketing) because of the nature of our economy while also looking into energy, IT (quoting my brother og2711) (petroleum engineering, software engineering,) have stated. The sky is the limit… just make sure you understand what you want.

My motivation revolves around my company’s business segment and the future expectation / opportunities.

What about you, what motivates you to keep performing over expectation?

Who are we fighting fraud for?

The war against fraud is to combat crime that we believe is detrimental to our society and environs. The idea is to make sure justice prevails and make sure expectations of thing are in line with reality. Change the norms of all you need is a laptop within your bedroom and you’ll become millionaire overnight. All these big time corruptions in corporations, government scandals start from these stages…I guess the question is how do we stop fraud from manifesting into corruption where we feel the impact the most.

Yes our international reputation is important, but not as important compared to fending for our future. The future of our country lies on our upcoming youth. Fraud and corruption needs to be combated effectively so that we can change the mentality/culture that has stagnate our economy for a long time, and lay good foundation for our upcoming generation to pounce on.

Kobojunkie:
The main reason for the inflation in price of oil over the past couple of years has been the falling dollar and the increased demand for the product, not necessarily depletion. OPEC decreasing supplies due to some sudden need to conserve is not going to work.

Reasons for inflation have to do with;
1. Spike in demand of for crude oil and its derivatives
2. speculation / sentiments for depletion on global crude oil
3. Instability all around the world


But have you ever ask yourself why it is getting riskier everyday to get crude oil? It is because most of the oil within our surrounding are already tapped out or getting to that extent. To get oil, most people have to result in offshore drilling where it is getting more and more expensive to drill everyday.

My believe is that crude oil is not regenerating itself; meaning that all those crude oil we’ve used in the past are not coming back. We all know that it is even more challenging gathering and recouping oil resources that lies underneath water compare to drilling on land. It requires innovative technology which translates into a lot of capital. Let us not forget about the risk involve in drilling offshores (environmental risks that companies/violators have to face due to chemical or oil spillage, risk of no hydrocarbons in the particular drilling area).

My point is, if there is no crude oil within anymore, people / companies have to go offshore to drill. To do that, the costs have to justify it means.