₦airaland Forum

Our brothers and sisters in Ogoniland, can you confirm this?

Short version:

I believe some people are born without a conscience, while others lose it gradually through their experiences and choices.


Long version:

I tend to view conscience as a trait that exists on a spectrum, much like intelligence (IQ). Just as some individuals are genius level smart while others are plain stewp!d (through no fault of their own), the capacity for conscience varies among people. Some people have a super sensitive conscience and can't get away with anything bad without guilt (we call these people "god-fearing" in Nigeria regardless of actual faith in God) while at the other end you have boko boys that can slit another human's throat like a chicken and sleep like a baby hours later.

I believe conscience arises from a combination of a mental capacity for empathy, compassion, and early socialization—sort of an "indoctrination", for want of a better word, of the code of ethics of a society into the pysche of a person from early childhood.

The socialization aspect of conscience can be eroded over time. The guilt someone feels after committing an act they initially perceive as wrong can diminish with repetition, eventually disappearing altogether. In contemporary lingo we say something has been normalized. For example, it seems OS and Yahoo have been normalized in Nigeria. When something is normalized it becomes part of culture of a people and culture is a key component of socialization; the development of sensitivity/conscience. When a vice is normalized people in that society no longer feel guilty for committing it. It is why a father and mother can be the managers of their own daughter's OF career.

Westman001:
Like you response.

You got my points. It's human ingrained and a reasonably working country can curtail that with good policy intervention and implementation.

None of us can spell it out except you work at the finance Department of Dangote Petrochemicals.

Intention of my comment is not to villify Dangote. It's a general understanding of our society. And only transparency can give peace on that side which many companies is very scared to give, transparency.

That makes sense.

I get your point and absolutely agree with you about the state of our society, particularly the entrenched greed and the dog-eat-dog dynamics it creates.

That said, based on our interaction in this thread, I believe I’m not wrong to conclude that neither of us knows for certain that the ex-refinery price of PMS can be N500 or below. I know many may not agree and might call it praising mediocrity, but while we are rightfully bitter over the terrible state of things, we should at least not be outrightly critical of matters we don’t have the facts about, when we can commend the little progress the country makes.

Westman001:
You understand.

And @ LegendHero, Metrofox, DemonSlayer. That responded to my comment. My question for is, "Do you have all the data"

I gave my response on what we all experience in our various communities, how folks make above profit margin. Something that would be 70 they will close it to 100 because they don't want to be stressing theirself for change. If these people do beyond margin like that what gave you the assurance that top people don't do that.

Don't do calculations for Dangote. I can beat my chest that he can still sell below that and still make profit. Only if he can be transparent show us the accounting details (which he will never do) then we would know he doesn't push the profit.

Hypo sachet and some other items used to put price tag on their products. They know what the profit margin is, if one sell it at the tagged price profit would still be achieved . But no...

Nigeria and Nigerians have never looked within. The comparison DemonSlayer gave is totally irrelevant. That is India. This is Nigeria.

We have to look within and use our strength from there. The Nigerian government and most citizens love to do comparison on a negative aspect.

My brother, I'd be the happiest person if PMS sells for under N500. I agree with you about the human tendency to maximize profits and to take it too far. It's not just a Nigerian thing; it's ingrained in the human spirit, only curtailed by market forces or policy interventions.

However, in pointing this out, let's not make hasty conclusions that could be misleading. There's no benefit in vilifying a business or individual unjustly—especially one that has achieved what none other has achieved in the country and infuses the sector with much needed competition.

That said, I'm not absolving Dangote of anything. I'm simply asking, in the interest of knowledge and to set the facts straight, that you explain how it's possible for Dangote, all factors considered, to sell at the price you mentioned. A man who makes a claim should substantiate it, I'm sure you're aware that the burden of proof is on the one who makes a claim. It would be very enlightening if you could spell out how this stunt can be pulled off in concrete terms. I'm open-minded and keen to learn from you.

Regarding the Indian market situation, I brought it up as a backdrop to better understand what's achievable in a similar market, not to serve as a definitive model for us.

A question that'll quickly help us address this is: What does it cost Dangote to refine 1 liter of PMS? Do you have a definite answer or not?

aimoks:
When I consider the universe, even the Milky Way Galaxy that contains planet earth is more like a spec of dust In the universe which has billions of other galaxies. From the stand point of the universe man really doesn't exist... That's taking it too far! From the earths orbit, man really doesn't exist, even sky scrapers become like a grain of sand.

The level of pride!!!! More Like amoebas at the cellular level having conversations about the creator of the vast universe saying he is particularly interested in each of them, made them in his image, came to die for them.

To each man his illusions... Whatever you chose to believe is inconsequential within the confine of space and time. Enjoy your miserable ride while it last. 200 years from now nobody will remember any one of you...

Brother, this exact stream of thought has flowed through my mind more times than I can count. I like how you articulated it. I believe that anything responsible for the universe is insulted by the attributes ascribed to it by most religions. The notion of man being created in the image of God is arrogant, because what it really shows in their holy texts is a god created in the image of man. Whatever is responsible for creation is beyond human description and comprehension, and is very unlikely to share the human qualities that it has been boxed into.

[quote author=naptu2 post=133361824][/quote]Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

LegendHero:
I am not sure N500 will be profitable for Dangote. Even if he buy the crude in naira for FX stability, I don’t think he can sell for that very low amount.

I am not sure if the data of what it cost Dangote to refine 1 liter of PMS will be available to the public.

I'm similarly inclined, but I haven't seen any conclusive data to confirm this so when people like Westman001 claim pump price should be N500 or less, I wonder how reasonable their claims are.

LegendHero:
What you are seeing in India is more about taxes and other duties.

Below is the breakdown.

Breakdown of Petrol Price in Gujarat (Converted to Naira, ₦)

Taxes (₦705.21 total)
—Excise Duty: ₦363.78 (₹19.90 × 18.27)
—VAT: ₦288.56 (₹15.79 × 18.27)
—Cess: ₦52.87 (₹2.93 × 18.27)

Other Components
—Dealer Price: (₹57.35 × 18.27)
—Dealer Commission: ₦71.06 (₹3.89 × 18.27)

Total Price of Petrol (Retail Selling Price)
₦1,771.25 per liter (₹96.93 × 18.27)

OK, ignoring all levies and taxes, a base price of ₦1,047.41 is still more than 100% higher than ₦500. I understand that the dealer needs to make a profit by adding their own margin, as well as the retailer, so the actual Refinery Gate Price will give us a clearer picture. Unfortunately, I can't find this data for any specific refinery. Do you have access to any data that could help?

The question we're trying to answer is: What does it cost Dangote to refine 1 liter of PMS? This should determine whether ₦500 can be profitable.

Westman001:
I'm telling you.

You see that price can go below that. Far below but the greedy folks won't flinch.

To me this reduction is just a reaction to guilty conscience.

These folks are making x3 of their supposed profit margin. We see it among small traders in our community they sell what they bought at 200 for 500, 600 even more.

Dangote can still sell it at #500 per litre and he will still profit.

And Nigerians would just be praising them. If NEPA give them light 1 or 2 days. You'll start hearing this NEPA people try o. When it's a steady normal thing in other country or area.

I'm already seeing them saying this is commendable. Great news. Dangote did great

For context, the largest refinery in the world is the Jamnagar Refinery in Gujarat, India, with a capacity of 1.24 million BPD. As of today (19 December 2024), the current pump price of PMS in Gujarat State is ₹94.29, which is equivalent to NGN 1,739.57 (using an exchange rate of 1/18.4492).

I'm genuinely curious about your explanation of how Dangote Refinery can sell PMS at NGN 500/L while remaining profitable, especially given the $5.5 billion loan required to establish the refinery. How would they achieve this and still break even within a reasonable timeframe?

ProfesawFred:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/12/iya-abubakar90-how-he-procured-first-largest-computer-in-africa-former-nimc-dg-aziz-recounts-2/

Also didn't mention which year the computer was bought.

OP misled with the title and y'all didn't listen to the conversation in the clip.

According to the Hookee, he said he met her at an ATM near his house. They started chatting on Facebook as friends and she asked to visit him. That was when it happened. He said he tracked her using her friend. Her friend probably snitched her out.

Semaj77:
The father and mum are her managers dude

Wahala Pro Max

Just the other day it was some 23 yo girl who was ran through by 100 guys in one day. She's already training to do 1000 next year and she says she's proud her father's friends watch her videos. Imagine being this girl's father, how crushed can a man be?


These people have lost it wallahi! Technology has enabled the unprecedented explosion of the sex market. And I'm no saint, but this mass commercialization of indecency is not going to end well.

Raising a daughter in this generation is no joke wallahi.

kayperry:
describing wont do justice to it like you picking one by one and imagine the opposite

imagine talking to her, and her mode of interjection are exclamation "ehn ehn" "really" "are you serious"

OK, I’m not sure I completely understand your point, but here’s what I think you mean:

Each trait, perceived as unpleasant for being on one extreme, can have an equally unpleasant opposite extreme. For example, the opposite of being over-talkative could be someone who is completely unresponsive and contributes nothing substantial to a conversation, only interjections ehn, are you serious, ah ahn 😂 I know this type too.

If that’s the case, I tend to agree with you. Let’s revisit your original question, then go through the list, and imagine their polar opposites. I’ll also consider how I’d likely react to or what outcomes might result from each. (Caveat: These opposites might not be their “natural” counterparts—I’m intentionally taking them to extremes)



1. Turnoff: Interrupting habit

Opposite: Always lets you finish speaking before responding.
Outcome: Better communication, but conversations might feel mechanical.
Reaction: Admiration and respect for her communication skills, I sha value a natural flow.


2. Turnoff: Over-talkative

Opposite: Barely speaks or engages.
Outcome: Conversations lack depth, preventing a meaningful connection.
Reaction: Still a turnoff, as balanced communication is not too much to ask for.



3. Turnoff: Excessive family gossip

Opposite: Keeps personal interactions with family private and avoids gossip.
Outcome: Limited family bonding or bonds formed around different topics.
Reaction: Likely admiration for her discretion, turn-on.


4. Turnoff: Sharing secrets

Opposite: Keeps others' business completely confidential.
Outcome: Builds trust and encourages me to be more open in my interactions with her.
Reaction: Strong admiration for her trustworthiness. Hot AF. 🔥



5. Turnoff: Self-obsessed

Opposite: Poor self-image,
Outcome: frequently seeking validation.
Reaction: Mixed—enjoyment from supporting her growth in building self confidence but frustration if it becomes too draining.



6. Turnoff: Virtue signaling

Opposite: Vice signaling (bragging about bad behavior).
Outcome: I for don already log out tey-tey.
Reaction: repulsion due to misaligned values. Turnoff!



7. Turnoff: Clingy behavior/obsessive tendencies

Opposite: I don't care attitude.
Outcome: no spark, no connection.
Reaction: turnoff!


As already mentioned, I don't consider these above to be natural opposites, just a test for extremes for the sake of building an argument. Below is what I consider as the opposites of the originally listed turnoffs.


1. Respectful Listener: Engages in conversations without interrupting, understands that other people also have something to say.


2. Good Conversationalist: Maintains balance, not chochocho all the damn time. You need to listen to what others have to say too.


3. Healthy Family Dynamics: No excessive gossip. They should all mind their business.


4. Discreet: Protects others’ privacy.

5. Modest Confidence: Comfortable in her own skin without constant boasting or reminding you want a catch she is.


6. Genuinely Kind: She's generous and kind without parroting what she has done to whoever cares to listen.


7. Emotionally Balanced: Respects personal space. 3 missed max then send text expressing your concern and wait.

kayperry:
I dont know why these question popped, Do you think you can stand the opposite of all the things you listed

Could you describe what the opposite of these would be?

6ixT8:
I'm curious to know. Is it ok when a girl you're in somewhat talking stage with hardly asked questions in return, but generous to answering every question thrown her way.

Asking questions about someone indicates curiosity which implies interest. Depending on how early on in the "somewhat talking stage" the two are and the personality (age, experience, exposure) of the person in question, she might not what to come off as being equally interested off the bat, considering the relationship dynamic that places the man as the initiator. Or she could be rather timid.

Responding to questions, depending on the depth of the answers, shows a level of being invested and being comfortable enough with the other party to have things progress.

That said, connection is built through mutual sharing. In reacting to her answers, the guy could share his own experience and perspective, add a little drama and funny hyperbole to what he shares to pull a reaction from her or suspense to pique curiosity.

A good conversation should feel like a playing tennis, freely bouncing from one side of the court to the other with both parties being sufficiently engaged.

seanery:
YOU SURE 10YRS REMAIN INSIDE UR LIFE SO

Hmmm, that's a lot. Three years, maybe.

[quote author= post=133339247]Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.tori.ng/amp/290545/nursing-mother-arrested-for-throwing-her-10month-o.html[/quote]This is so heartbreaking. Almighty God, please don't take offense, but I genuinely think there's something broken with your baby distribution system. I’m not trying to be insolent—you know my heart—but how can couples who are desperately trying for a baby remain childless, spending millions on medical interventions, while others who neither understand nor appreciate the miracle of creating another human soul are given children they neglect or harm? How can someone be stup!d enough to throw a baby into a river because of a m0r0n!c mudafvck!n comment made by other equally demented, !d!otic, disgusting worms. Anyone with half a mind can see this thing no balance. Is it too much to ask you to fix this injustice?

What? Life's not fair? OK, if you say so. But that doesn't stop me from praying that you divert all innocent babies from the wombs of ido!ts to those of responsible "baren" women desperately looking for fruit of the womb. How much will it take? You can remove 10 years from my life for whatever number of children that can be saved through this prayer. Over to You.

ANSMEDIA:
View of Onitsha at day and night.

She's gorgeous! Beautifully symmetric.

God bless Onitsha!
God bless Anambra and its beautiful people, our brothers and sisters!
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

May the Almighty bring us ease and the end to the reign of greedy, selfish men and grant us a united nation where justice, fairness and brotherly love reigns. Amin.

VeeVeeMyLuv:
A serious same country will declare penalty for kidnapping crime

But here they encourage it, just as they empower looting of public funds

There is impunity in Nigeria my friend

There is still a semblance of restrain, that's why there's a relative sense of stability

Otherwise all man would have raised their bare hands against each other and drag for the pie

My brother, I've always wondered what the breaking point would be. My people have a saying that if you pushed the goat to the wall it'll turn back and bite but I'm shocked by how far the wall is with the goats in our fatherland. With the rapid decline, I'd expect that we already must have reached the point where these "barehands" should've started trading blows and the scuffle for the pie escalated.

Islie:
https://leadership.ng/nigerians-paid-n2-23trn-ransom-to-kidnappers-in-12-months-nbs/

I love statistics and I appreciate the work done at NBS, but always wonder about the validity of datasets reported by this mudafuckaz. With a firsthand understanding of how public institutions are run in Nigeria, and the level of lies necessarily involved in their operations, I'd love to learn about the particular methodologies used and the validity of their data source and efficacy of their methods.

We’re all familiar with Nigeria’s problems.

Inflation and other economic woes
Insecurity
Corruption
Poverty
Unemployment
Nepotism
Poor infrastructure
Poor healthcare
Poor public education
Religious exploitation
Bigotry
And more


Do you believe Nigeria can get it right within your lifetime?

If not, knowing that japa isn’t an option for everyone, what’s the best life strategy for those of us who may live out our lives here?

I haven’t been to church in ages—probably fewer than five times since 2015, so nearly a decade now. But I’m planning to start going again next year. I may never believe their stories, and I’m certainly immune to their antics and shenanigans, but my perspective on religion and its role in a person’s life has evolved over the years.

Even if its spiritual value doesn’t resonate with me, I think exploring its cultural value with my current mindset could yield something worthwhile. I’m now more open to making space for it in my life, not becoming a tool for pastors or the church, but for my own benefit.

I’ve done extensive research on a particular church, sampled their sermons online, and even attended a service about a year ago.

I hope it works out, but if it doesn’t—ajuwaya, no harm done.

ChiefDelegate:
[color=#550000][/color] keeping silent for too long can be misinterpreted, a very huge barrier to effective communication 😍

Touché

theenchanter:
don't. Wait, don't dump her yet.

Girls/ladies/women are all the same, they communicate through body language, expecting u to decipher them.

If u dump her cos of this reason, the next female will do worse. Just chill and understand this female psychology.

I get where you're coming from, brother, and I agree to an extent about the universality of this behaviour in the female psyche and the importance of patiently learning to understand them.

That said, enabling this can be dangerous for their relationship, and others like it, in the long run. The inability or unwillingness to communicate openly and truthfully often breeds resentment, which jeopardizes the relationship’s well-being, and signals emotional immaturity.

Let me share a recent experience from my own life that gave me a glimpse into this behaviour pattern:

I had a visitor recently who stayed over. I had to go to work, so I woke up early, she was still sleeping when I went to fixed myself breakfast, and, since I was already in the kitchen, decided to prepare something for the both of us. That took longer than usual. Breakfast served. It was already 7:30, and she asked me if I was running late. I said yes.

Here’s the key part: at some point, I realized there was something wrong with the shirt I'd picked, which required ironing another one to switch. While I was ironing, she was scrolling through her phone in the same room. The thought that crossed my mind was this: She just asked me if I was running late, which I said yes, saw me swap the shirt I picked initially, and now sees me ironing the new pick—how does it not occur to her to help me iron while I jump in the shower to save time? After all, I made her breakfast and it contributed to why I'm running late.

This is exactly the kind of thinking that assumes the other person should telepathically decipher your needs—and it seldom ends well.

It was a bit annoying but also amusing because I realized I could’ve simply communicated: Hey babe, could you please help me press this shirt while I hop in the shower? Thanks. How hard is that really?

Back to our brother and his woman, I think a better approach would be for him to explain that he’s not a mind-reader and that she needs to express her needs clearly. That's the mature thing to do. At the same time, he should create a safe space for open, honest dialogue. Relationships deepen when both partners learn to communicate effectively.

Dogalmighty17:
32 missed calls? That's some serious serial killer vibes.

Absolutely! Huge red flag 🚩

For more context, I think she overestimated how much she meant to me. Something happened, and she demanded an apology. I didn't believe I was in the wrong, so I told her she'd wait an eternity for that apology. Unfortunately for her, she decided to use the silent treatment manipulation tactic. I ignored her, and that was when the 32 missed calls happened.

When I called back the next day, she sounded all meek, and when I noted the number of missed calls, she said she thought something bad had happened to me and that she was worried. It was still crazy, though.

Madly in love with? Naah, too old for that sh!t.

However, if the question were what turned you off from someone you fancied, I could pull out a fairly recent instance. I could list a bunch of things that turned me off, but here are the top seven.

1. She has a habit of interrupting. I'd be right in the middle of a sentence expressing my thoughts, and she'd just interrupt and hijack the conversation. I find that rude and off-putting because this attitude has to sit on the assumption that what she has to say is more important than what I'm already saying. I'm not used to struggling to put a word in, or having to raise my voice in a perfectly civil conversation just to be heard. Along the same lines is:


2. She talks too much. We could be on the phone for an hour, and she'd have talked for 55 minutes. I understand the stereotype of the talkative female and their need to air out the entire content of their mind, but a conversation is supposed to be a dialogue, not a monologue, for a reason. I tend to think this behavior signals a self-centered person.

About 3 weeks in, I knew virtually everything about her—down to the marital issues of her parents' neighbours back home. She doesn't even know how many siblings I have or what their names are, I asked her which State I'm from and I swear she guessed the wrong one. Leading us to:


3. She's always on the phone with her mom or sister, sharing the latest gossip—be it about an extended family member, a church member, a neighbour, etc. Every 10 or 15 minutes, the phone rings—mommy is calling. Even informing her mom of my presence when I visit. Not far from this is:


4. She shares secrets of mutual friends/acquaintances without being asked. I literally have a big sack of people's secrets that I'm taking to my grave and I don't understand why people just volunteer other people's private business when there isn't a pew-pew 🔫 pressed to their temple.


5. She talks about her own beauty too much. If it's not her luxuriant, long black hair, it's her spotless fair skin, and the list of people who fell for her because of these features.

🎼So if you like
The way 🎶
🎵 you look that much
Oh baby you should go and fvçk yourself 🎶


6. She fakes virtue. Always talking about acts of kindness and generosity that she and her family have done.


7. And finally, the most scary thing—the straw that broke the camel's back—is: she once gave me 32 missed calls in a single day. Maybe it's a joke or something, but to me, it was absolute psycho!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyEuk8j8imI?si=_vnk-But-QOXCCbB

You people should free this woman abeg. Is it by force to associate with Nigeria? What have the country contributed to her success? Now she's party leader in UK, everyday famzing, everyday dragging. Despicable! Tueh!

SamuraiXXX:
It's a female not a male!

In the military it is normal for every officer, regardless of gender, to be called Sir.