₦airaland Forum

We can no longer live in denial. We are already descending a slippery slope. Northerners have embarked on mass exodus from the SS and SE. Southerners have embarked on their own exodus from the North. Bad blood brews in the NC. Tempers flare day in day out. Threats are issued by various groups by the minute. Worst of all, bombings and killings have already begun in several places the north (Niger State, Abuja, Maiduguri, Yola) and hitherto quiet places eg Benin, Warri & Sapele in the SS.

It's a chain reaction and it's already set in motion. We are either in for another minimum of 100 yrs of violence living together or a few years of struggle to go our separate ways.

If it were poverty or illiteracy, why did that slowpoke Abdulmutallab do what he did?

@ hercules, a simple answer to your question is this: There is a difference between export and smuggling. The prescription I have here makes the market price of the product to be un-subsidized. Anyone who moves products thro d borders would only succeed in helping us "export" since he / she is not taking our subsidy with the product. That is the key difference. The subsidized part of it CANNOT be transferred.

As I said, it's a difficult task to accomplish and I would prefer a complete removal of subsidy. It is better in the long run.

@Papabrowne, thanks for d complements.

@2mch, even when private investors are in control, national figures representing our power generation will still be mentioned. It's an important statistic and Nigerians deserve to know.

The improvement is very evident in the Niger Delta states. This is just d beginning especially as the new regional generation and distribution companies are taking over. I've been waiting 4 d announcement of the new MW figures though FG has decided not to focus on figures anymore but on evident results in our homes. More power to the people.

Let the process for peaceful separation begin. We need to stop deceiving ourselves because 1 Nigeria is no longer possible. Let's prevent unnecessary bloodshed. Two or more happy nations are better than 1 big sad nation. Divided we stand, united we fall!

Protesters in Lagos have now decided to occupy Otedola's AP. While Bakare is busy wishing death upon his president! Protesters, kindly take your process back from these wolves.

Welcome the era of regional economics. Same will be seen in the power sector in the coming days.

This man will kill the president with his bare hands if given the opportunity.

@ Sniperwolf, they just don't want to listen. When they are tired, they'll all go home and the reasonable ones will think. Anybody that watched the broadcast would see the issues laid out clearly. All the questions people have been asking on this subject were properly answered apart from 1 or 2.

This might turn ugly. I'll advice everyone not to start getting silly ideas because jungle justice in a democratic system is not justifiable. This is not Libya.

The thirst for power can be so intoxicating as to convert a sheep into a wolf. God save him.

100% correct jmaine. That's the reality. The man on the street has one thing in mind: N65 per litre. They don't care about the other details.

I guess one key conclusion we can draw from this thread is that there is an urgent need for us to develop our national population database. If you know the level of detail the govt of US & UK etc have of their citizens, you will shiver. I don't even want to go there.

Everything ties into it: Tax, allocation of resources, Security, Social services, you name it.

Excellent news. Time to move forward. . . I hope we're not returning back to boko haramic headlines.

Lol. There are so many holes with the system. I've resolved that it's better we do away with this structure entirely. Let's focus on production, export, job creation etc. That's where our future can be guaranteed, not cheap oil.

GEJ is about to make history. Nigeria has finally reached the turning point where decades of rot will be undone and a new course charted. Anti subsidy removal protests were ridden with so much insincerity

1. A lot of those who led the protests were people who have lost out one way or the other in the power struggle and are seeking ways in which to take advantage of the situation. If they were in power, would they still lead the protest? Why have ACN governors not come out to publicly stand against the policy? I'll just list some names and you know the history:
Dino Melaye.
Patrick Obahiagbon.
Tunde Bakare.
El Rufai.

2. The protesters themselves included hoodlums who were more interested in arson and robbery than making any point to FG. In Benin, protesters preferred to burn down a mosque. In Kano, it was burning of vans and attempted burning of Sanusi's house. God bless Sanusi, God bless Iweala. Ride on GEJ!

I love it whenever u guys roll over yourselves in "denial". You people have turned beaf into a superhero. I guess Sanusi = Beaf, Iweala = Beaf also. Nice try

If this discussion did not convince you, then I doubt if anything else can. The only proof that they are right is what happens a few years down the road. Well done Sanusi, Well done Iweala. I rest my case.

@Seun, Honestly speaking, I've thought about it and come to the conclusion that the entire subsidy idea for fuel should go completely. It's far better for the investment to go into rapidly transforming the power and transport sector. With efficient rail services running plus a 24hr power supply, the poor can survive better. The FG should just pull out of this completely. We as a nation should start looking beyond oil into d future. Ie What other energy sources are there? What can we do with Agriculture, etc.

How do you expect someone who has been frustrated and humiliated out of the power play to respond? Pls let him be!

Surprisingly, NLC & TUC who called the strike did not show any visible leadership. Where lies their interests?

I am a fan of Patrick Obahiagbon and I like the man El Rufai. That doesn't stop me from stating the obvious.

The whole thing is a sham. NLC / TUC were not fighting for the masses right from the onset. I pity those who lost their loved ones / got injured in this needless struggle.

So far, anti subsidy removal protests have been ridden with so much insincerity.

A lot of those who are at the fore front of the protests are people who have lost out one way or the other in the power struggle and are seeking ways in which to take advantage of the situation. If they were in power, would they still lead the protest? I'll just list some names and you know the history:
Dino Melaye.
Patrick Obahiagbon.
Tunde Bakare.
El Rufai.

2. The protesters themselves included hoodlums who were more interested in arson and robbery than making any point to FG. In Benin, protesters preferred to burn down a mosque. In Kano, it was burning of vans and attempted burning of Sanusi's house.

The protests have offered an opportunity to those who hold grudges against the government to showcase their grievances alongside the few honest ones like Achebe who are not doing it for any political reasons.

Excellent!

Lagos protesters: What is your feedback to Fashola for his covert support of subsidy removal?

Since the strike, I've been enjoying a lot of power. It seems PHCN (or whichever company has taken over now) is not on strike in my area. I hope I don't get fat from this strike. Lol

Any reports from Lagos, Abuja, Kano? Etc

Some Updates:

From PH: Quiet and calm prevails. Well organized and peaceful protest ongoing with about 50 people in procession.

Warri: Quiet and peaceful, no visible protests reported yet.

Hi everyone, day 1 of the "We Want Subsidy" protest has come and gone. Economic activities were grounded in many parts of the country. Some lives were lost, some were injured, some arsonists did what they know to do best and some of us were home chilling and watching the news!

Today it's day 2. How will it end? Will the protesters give up the fight? Will GEJ cower? Will NLC / TUC finally negotiate with FG? We'll see about that at the end of d day.

B4 then, what's d situation report in your area? Calm? peaceful protests? Violent protests. Come on, let's hear u.

It's a known fact that Ghadaffi has allies in northern Nigeria. I strongly believe he is part of the problem as a sponsor or facilitator of boko rams.