₦airaland Forum

Shymm3x:
Huh?

When/how did that happen?

Are OBJ, IBB, Buhari, Atiku et al part of the old guards? And didn't the same people back Buhari?

I honestly don't see the logic in this submission.

Shymmex, Buhari is not and has never been part of the old guard in anything but age. He does not share their ideology and is more of the welfarist, 'power to the people' school of politics while OBJ, IBB, Abacha, Danjuma et al are autocratic for the sake keeping power within a small set of hands and with a leaning for copious self-aggrandizement. Atiku, IMO, is actually a different creature entirely and more a benevolent and relatively liberal AGIP (any government in power) who would probably move Nigeria forward if he were president but not as quickly as we should progress because he can and will be compromised. This is why our political elites have fought tooth and nail to demonise Buhari for decades to make him appear unelectable. It is the fact that GEJ is shockingly terrible that created a paradigm shift in the thinking of our leaders to the extent many thought "f**k it. Let us get behind Buhari before GEJ takes us all down". Buhari and OBJ, for example, have nothing in common. OBJ only swung behind Buhari because of the personal and intense hatred he had developed for "disrespectful" and "ungrateful" GEJ. Also, OBJ and others like Atiku who would have previously worked against Buhari realised that GEJ was a very dangerous individual on course to destroying Nigeria. They chose the lesser of the two devils, i.e Buhari, out of self-interest and not because he is like them or of similar mindset.

Akanbi Edu is right because Tinubu, by working selflessly to install Buhari, assisted the demolition of the structure holding Nigeria back. Tinubu shows he is not about money and pecuniary gains because he knows Buhari enough to understand that his Presidency will signal the end of 'business as usual' which is even capable of hurting Tinubu and his own interest. Yet the man went ahead, using his personal wealth and clout, to ensure Buhari won. Even the APC primaries that produced Buhari was the work of Tinubu because virtually all SW delegates voted for Buhari - more than was the case for even Buhari's own Northern base.

These are the sort of development that truly typify what Tinubu is about for those who wish to look at issues dispassionately and pragmatically. Tinubu has nothing to gain from a Buhari Presidency other than the desire to see the good governance. Jonathan could have made Tinubu filthy rich if Tinubu agreed to work for his win. The billions of dollars and inducement (like pipeline protection contracts for gani Adams and Faseun) he doled out across Yorubaland would have gone to tinubu who Jonathan coveted as a kingmaker and wanted to get on board more than all others put together. Yet Tinubu could not be bought and he chose the project, i.e Buhari and APC win, that represented less money, less influence and less chances to consolidate an 'empire' many tell us that Tinubu cares about more than anything else. It does not make sense and the more one looks the more it is obvious the Yorubas should feel very privileged and lucky to have tinubu.

Shymm3x:
Uncle Gbawe, where are these "talents" cos I can't see them?

All these states aren't thriving under these "talents" - so what's the use of "talents" when they can't perform?

Also, didn't Tinubu also cut a deal with GEJ, during his first election? So how's he different from the ones who cut a deal with the same GEJ during the second election? Yes, he played smart politics since GEJ had already reduced himself to SS/SE and went with where the number was up North for assured victory. That's not rocket science.

Folks can sugarcoat things all they want but discerning folks will always observe the dynamics of things. The truth is that a lot of Yoruba folks are not happy with Tinubu and APC, and that was evident during the last presidential elections. Didn't you see how close the election was in the whole region, despite the fact that a Yoruba son was on the ballot? Even in Remo/Ijebu axis where Osinbajo is from - APC lost in a lot of areas. Osun was close. Oyo was close. APC lost in Ekiti. Ondo was close. The signs are there.

These folks need to do the right thing.

Shymmex, believe me our current crop of leaders like Amosun, Ajimobi et al are talented. Like jstbeinhonest posited, there are things beyond their control, like power supply, that limits what they can achieve. I have met some of these guys and can tell you they know what we know and much more !!!!!

I will give you an example that illustrates the relationship that shows Governance at the centre can ruin the best efforts at State level. Amosun, recognising the importance of the SME (small to medium enterprise) and observed that this sector was poorly represented in Ogun State. Rightfully, he wanted to assist the growth of SME to boost employment, IGR and reduce the over-reliance on federal allocation.

Amosun initiated a raft of measures to assist this. He began the issuance of government-backed loans to enable potential entrepreneurs set up business. He even bought equipment and tools to help many take up a self-employed trade such as barbering, sewing et al.

Many took the loans and the equipment only to find that running their business was very difficult because of the prohibitive cost of supplying their own power and other issues. Soon they closed shop and eventually begin looking for the safest job in town viewed as a job for life i.e a civil servant job. Now, if the SME sector is underdeveloped in Ogun State is that an indictment of the lack of leadership talent of Amosun or is it that the indolence of the centre has rendered him unable to deliver even despite the sterling effort put in? Amosun even signed a MOU with a reputable Chinese construction group for the delivery of a rail system which would make Ogun one of the few States in Nigeria with an internal rail network. Is that not a demonstration of talent and vision? Yet despite he obvious developmental vision Amosun is showing, raising the billions of dollars required for the project will always be a huge talent. The then PDP government, same as it always took pleasure in frustrating Lagos, may simply refuse to guarantee the loan for Ogun State because of feudal politics. As you can see, many of these guys have ambitious and innovative plans but the reality on the ground ultimately overtakes and frustrates them.

This is why I can't join the effort to demonise Tinubu. Nigeria can only work optimally when the centre gets it right and is a genuine enabler. State governors can only do so much and the things they cannot supply (like power, rail transport et al) are the most important tools of delivering and sustaining development. The centre (PDP for the past 16 years) has been a rotten apple that has ensured Nigeria stagnates. Tinubu played a major role in toppling the PDP and giving us a centre that, more than any before it, actually has the political will to take the measures that will help develop Nigeria. For that alone, Tinubu is worth his weight in gold. Tinubu is a political leader one may not like but has to view with pragmatism.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-west/128930-amosun-signs-mou-with-chinese-company-on-ogun-rail-project.html

Amosun signs MOU with Chinese company on Ogun rail project

The governor says the rail project will boost the economy of the state.
The Ogun State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with the China Civil Engineering Construction Company on a light rail mass transit.
The project is expected to link the major cities across the state and boost the state’s economy.
The Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, while going into agreement with the company in his office in Abeokuta, said that the project will be done in order to boost the economy of the state and raise the standard of living of its people.
“We have been doing our best on roads but it is high time we paid attention to rail as well. We are starting the mass transit within Abeokuta metropolis. This will be extended to all our major towns including the Ado-Odo/Ota axis up to the areas bordering Lagos,” he said.
The governors said that it is imperative to boost transportation in the state in anticipation of a significant rise in population in the coming years.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of China Civil Engineering Construction Company, Cao Bao Gang, lauded the Ibikunle Amosun-led administration. Mr. Gnag said that “the project on completion will enhance the transportation system and contribute to the economic development of the Gateway State.’’
He assured the governor that quality would be the firm’s watchword in the implementation of the contract.
“The project will provide jobs for residents and help the unskilled ones to gain adequate knowledge through training and involvement in the whole process,” he said.

veraponpo:
Gbawe, I share your belief and conviction on the person of Tinubu.

Many of his enemies are just envious of him. As much as I don't see him as a saint, I still believe is far from being a devil too. My reasons are predicated on the following points:

1. He believes in the rule of law. Whether you believe it or not,before Tinubu will do anything, he tries to have a legal backing for it, hence his reason for winning many cases through the agency of the rule of law. He knows the importance of the legal framework that can make things to work out well in any society.

2[b]. He is a leader and not a ruler:[/b] Unlike the likes of Obasanjo, Falae, etc that believe in their own success only, Tinubu is a leader that seeks to raise followers who will be made masters of their own games with a pocket of loyalty to him which comes naturally.

3. He does not undermine the importance of Yoruba success because of his ambition: Because Agbaje wanted to win election, we know what Yoruba lost as a result. About 6 House of representatives were chosen who are of Igbo ethnicity at the expense of Yoruba people. This among many are the things you see when the enemies of Tinubu get one over one thousand of the opportunities that Tinubu has had. You will now see, how they would have sold our common wealth if they have a tip of Tinubu's iceberg. Before you mention, the case of Mulika in the house of rep, that was an election within the house not from the home front.

4. Tinubu is a strategist: Unlike many people who want to lead us in Yorubaland, many of them are archaic, some are not sound enough while some a conservative. Tinubu, due to his exposure both abroad and in the corporate world, can foresee a lot of things and know where it will end. I remember when he returned from the oversee trip and said the National Conference was just a distraction and designed for the election purpose, many naïve politicians called him names but it was obvious it was for the interest of the charlatans like Odumakin and Mimiko. If you remember how he rescued Mimiko when Agagu and, by extension, PDP robbed him of his mandate. Tinubu has all it takes to lead.

5. Tinubu believes in competence: He does not exchange quality for inferiority just because he is close to you. The likes of Fashola, Fayemi, Abikke Dabiri, Yemi Osinbajo, etc are people that we all know cann represent us well without fear of contradiction. No leader except Awolowo who produced the likes of Jakande, Bola Ige, Olabisi Onabanjo, etc can match this feat. Is it Odumakin who is looking for food to eat or Fayose that will operate in this class.

There are many other convictions that I have that made me to believe that this man is our leader except we just want to deny the truth on ground.

Well-said bro. Look at the PDP still forcing the fugitive Buruji Kashamu down our throat in this day and age for god sake. Does Tinubu do that? Minus Tinubu, would it not be Kashamus everywhere?

modath:
Elder Gbawe, as much as Pa Awolowo did for the yoruba tribe, He wasn't a saint, neither is Jagaban oooo

You only took the minus & totally ignored the positives i attributed to him, it isn't fair ooooo

We all know, minus God's intervention, as it stands today, in 75% of Yorubaland if Jagaban says jump, the only question is how high.. , he has done well but not at a 100% ....

I said "unfettered progress" & you didn't bother to check the connotation of the phrase but have taken objection to the whole thing... issokay ooo

You know, i won't drag nothing with you but Jagaban has feet of clay ooooo....



This life sha..

The irony of everything is that MO is subtly implied as being an APC political Jobber, this is comical..

Modath, I have no issues with you but what you wrote is clear and unambiguous enough i.e "His stranglehold on the affairs of the SW is inimical to unfettered progress BUT....."

Yes you quantified your statement with a but yet anyone who knows the real history of the SW , to include the days virtually all leaders bar Tinubu were cowards who wilted under the glare of the PDP, would agree Tinubu has contributed far more to the success of the SW today because of the simple notion of how we would be overrun by malevolent politics and leaders, always the most powerful at grassroot level, if Tinubu was not a counterbalance to their influence.

Tinubu stayed the course and defeat them, almost single-handedly, and it would not be wrong or inaccurate to say he sanitised SW politics and made it possible for a new and better generation of leaders to emerge. Things continue to get better. We remember the dark days when, as an example, Dr.Ayodeji Daramola returned from abroad to contest the Ekiti gubernatorial election only to be murdered brutally in 2006. Today, Dr.Daramola would have contested the election even if he will not win because Tinubu helped remove the many murderous elements and disciples of "do-or-die" politics OBJ wanted to continue controlling the SW with. It is not yet uhuru but we are heading in the right direction as long as talented folks, thanks to Tinubu, continue getting the chance to shape our nation with their leadership skills.

Osomalo:
Tinibu

I don't like to talk about that dude. There's no way I'll talk about him without bashing him.

And, that's a job I can't afford to buy for myself. Not anymore.


Tinubu.............I dey laugh.

Hate Tinubu all you want. When PDP, as one example, was busy, back in the gangster "do-or-die" days, kidnapping Ayoka Adebayo (Ekiti REC) and forcing her to declare their candidate the winner of the Ekiti gubernatorial election, all in the effort to make the SW their gangster paradise, was it you or the many fake and garrulous Yoruba 'patriots' of today (like Faseun and Adams who saw nothing wrong with taking Jonathan's billions to sell us out) who fought bravely and uncompromisingly, using personal funds and influence, to reverse that trend and set the SW on the path of the refined even if imperfect politics we enjoy today? Many of us were on Nairaland then and contributing live, in those dark days, to have a first hand appreciation of what Tinubu sacrificed to get us where we are today.

Nearly 100% of Yoruba leaders, when Tinubu never did, disappear when it is time to stand up, fight and be counted for the Yoruba cause (eg when PDP was bullying Yorubaland) only to then show up to play anti-Tinubu saviour of Yorubaland when GEJ is sharing dollars. With Tinubu gone it is those sort who will take his place since nature abhors a vacuum. It would be interesting to see how you and the Yorubas fare with those sort.

If you only wish to believe the negatives about Tinubu, such as stories of how he is worth 3 trillion dollars and own everything that moves in Lagos and the SW, then good luck to you. Many are never appreciated until they are gone.

MayorofLagos:
Shymmex,
Each of our Yoruba frontline politicians in the contemporary has an archetype we can match them to in the pre and post independence era.

Fashola is a reincarnate of Herbert Macauley
Tinubu is a reincarnate of Awo.

A reincarnate relives opportunities and aims to polish and do right what he got wrong on first coming. The two lives will never be lived exactly the same and cannot therefore be a compare one to the other.

Precisely. Tinubu is succeeding where Awolowo failed because he is an astute student of the dark side of politics as well as a proponent of it progressive and positive side. It is only those who do not know or fully understand the real 'underbelly' of Nigerian politics who would clamour for Awolowo's complete twin to lead us today. If Awolowo lived alongside Tinubu and they were the same age then I think Awolowo would simply be another Soyinka and Fawehinmi that OBJ, IBB, Abacha et al found irritating but did not fear or took serious. Tinubu mastered the 'crossover' skills that made him more effective than Awolowo for the age he is living in and the peculiar politics playing out on the ground today. Mayor, you are knowledgeable. Please enlighten the forum about the "do-or-die" days between 1999 and 2010 and the personal sacrifice of Tinubu to ensure Yoruba land was not consumed by it.

modath:
Tinubu is like rain, you don't want it during an outdoor party, you surely do want it during in severe drought..

His stranglehold on the affairs of the SW is inimical to unfettered progress BUT.....

He has been the rallying force for the tribe,

The champion & anchor of the political fortunes of the yoruba people so it's dicey trying to have a stand..

Unlike Obasanjo, who can never be trusted , You are 150% sure the Yoruba portion he will always fight for...


Have a lot , but can't find appropriate words to express.

What "stranglehold" ? With Tinubu everyone practices 'scapegoatism' because it is populist to do so yet the reality is that the SW , minus Tinubu, would have been overrun by the most evil, most corrupt, most virulent and most anti-people form of politics possible while you and anybody else would not be able to do squat about it.

In the UK this phenomenon is recognised. I.e the "build them up to knock them down" mentality most human being host as a subconscious element of their being. Become too successful or too popular and people will start turning against you. If Tinubu does not have a "stranglehold" of SW politics then every State in the region will be led by an OGD, Alao-Akala or a Fayose. There would never, and I mean never, be a chance for individuals like you, who may be erudite and successful, to lead because the grass root champions, with the likes of Adedibu behind them, would always thrash you silly. Tinubu does not have a stranglehold on SW politics. He demystified and dragged it away from malevolent 'strongmen' and made it accessible to technocrats and 'aje butters' at a time when SW politics, to the extent the region got the nickname of the "wild west", used to be about wholesale murder, kidnapping, mayhem and "do or die" politics of who could kill and intimidate the most. The refinement in SW politics today is down to Tinubu and those who know the detailed history of politics in the region will agree with me.

This is why I sometimes smile when I read the wanton attack against Tinubu borne of nothing more than mischievous character assassination many have swallowed wholesale and unquestioningly. Can you, as one example, give a fact-based argument to validate your claim that Tinubu has a stranglehold on SW politics that is "inimical" to the regions "unfettered progress" ? Is it really "strangehold" or is it the ugly yet required action of a man who understands that he must act to ensure his region is not a slave of "those who carry guns" (Rev.Ugolor) as was the case in the past? Tinubu's opinion is that as long as SW politics is still about "might is right" imposition then he might as well use his clout to ensure we gain the right sort of leaders and not be slaves to the likes of OBJ, George, Adedibu, Faseun et al !!!!

Nature abhors a vacuum. If Tinubu is absent, thus creating a vacuum, history has show the pragmatic and practical Yoruba that it is not Solarin, Soyinka, Fawehinmi et al who can plug that vacuum. It is the likes of OBJ, Adedibu, Fayose, OGD et al who emerge to control SW politics and direction. Tinubu has the right balance of good and bad to help the SW on its march towards progress. He has the goodness to empower the Fashola, Fayemis, Ajimobi et al and the readiness to do the bad/dirty work, that Soyinka et al are incapable of, in the effort to defeat the OBJs, Faseuns, Adams, Adedibus et al a their own game. Minus Tinubu then Soyinka and Fawehinmi, as we have seen first hand, will not/cannot stop OBJ et al getting away with enslaving the SW and miring us in gangster politics.

I can tell you all that if Tinubu left today then kiss goodbye to seeing accomplished men and women of ideas in leadership and welcome back the PDP and seeing Fayoses, Obanikoro, Teslim Folarin and Alao-Akalas everywhere because those are the only sort local 'strong man' politics will churn out for you in the SW. Too much sentiments is hosted when Tinubu is mentioned. Let me ask you and others to mention Awolowo-type names that can anchor the Yoruba political direction today if Tinubu is absent. Is it Bode George? Falae? Obanikoro? Or Gani Adams and Faseun, So-called Yoruba leader, who all it took to compromise was pipeline protection contract from GEJ? Who exactly? Adams and Faseun took money to sell Yorubas and Nigeria into GEJ slavery for 4 more years while Tinubu, fom 2011 to 2015, gave his all uncompromisingly, once he set his mind on it, to remove the menace of GEJ that would have destroyed Nigeria. [size=14pt]Could Tinubu not have accepted more billions of dollars than he is worth today to assist GEJ gain four more years and thus sell Yorubas into greater slavery?[/size] Did many yoruba Obas not accept the billions of GEJ and do many ever think of this fact when they portray Tinubu as being all about money and the 'cornering' of State wealth? those who show a propensity for selling us out are ignored while Tinubu, because of his profile, is always the convenient scapegoat when we all need a name to blame as human nature directs us to do.

Literally thousands of the same Yoruba leaders who enviously attack Tinubu daily gluttonously accepted GEJ's money to sell us out and this thread exist today because we are in a position of not being too despondent or too depressed to discuss our affairs which would be the case if GEJ had won and is busy 'dealing' with us as he did in 2011 to 2015. Do many Yorubas ever mention Adams, Faseun, Obanikoro, George and others malevolently, while they focus on Tinubu, even when those peoples's action showed they would prefer to destroy the destiny of the Yoruba nation, for personal gain, than do the right thing by us? If many of our Obas, George, Obanikoro, Adesiyan, Folarin, Faseun, Adams et al had their ways then GEJ would be president today, Sambo would be your VP and some idiot who blames "evil demons" for our lack of adequate power would be minister of power today while Fashola would probably be working outside Nigeria and using his talent to help other nations develop. If you cannot mention Yoruba names to replace Tinubu, do we then embrace the model where local politics play out freely only to 100% favour those most violent and most dreaded in the land as is always the case when the SW lacks a benevolent strongman like Awolowo, Ige, Tinubu et al?

Yorubas should be careful what they wish for is all I can say. Human beings have an irrational tendency of wanting folks cut down to size, when they feel those folks have become too big for their boots, without looking at the implications of what would happen if those folks are no longer where they are. Take Tinubu out and watch the influence of Koro, Fayose, George et al grow to then throw us back another 20 years. At least with Tinubu's 'gatekeeping' talents we are moving in the right direction via getting better calibre of leaders till the truly beautiful ones are born.

If not because I know too well what would happen, I would even prefer Tinubu to go and rest, enjoy his life and family, to leave the SW to the jungle law of "survival of the fittest". I would love to see the 'fittest' who will emerge to lead us. If history is any indicator then I can only say the joke will be on the Yorubas and not on Tinubu.

docadams:
I am surprised this has not hit front page while 'Davido sits in first class' remains there forever.
Seun, Mods you're acting too slow for the change phenomenon.
Do the needful, pls!

Really annoying. Next minute these same youths who are only interested in frivolous and petty news and gossip will say they are marginalised and excluded from leadership. Nigerian youths need to step up their game. If you want to have the money to attend Davido concerts then equally pay attention to the politics that determine your access to jobs, adequate transport, healthcare et al that will ensure there is a healthy balance between work and play.

Nigerian youths need to understand that it is still their civic duty to hold leaders accountable and play a self-determining part in the shaping of their own destiny. I would hope this sort of topic is put on the front page because I know political leaders view and even use Nairaland. We then move on the the next problem which is the reality of how Nairalanders, majority who are Nigerian youths by age, may simply not be interested in this topic as they are about who Tonto Dike's new boyfriend is.

chaseTE:
This can only be achieved on federal project and Fed. roads are highways which rarely need such. I don't think he has the power to tell the states/LG how to construct their roads. To make it a standard/must in road construction I think it needs an act

Good idea anyway.

This can be binding on States too if Fashola will be clever to work with existing or new regulatory bodies. Part of the problem of Nigeria is that cabals that do not mean the nation well tuse the law to frustrate the progress of the general public. I am sure Fashola can achieve great success, as seen worldwide, with the usage and strengthening of regulatory bodies that, as Rossikke stated in his first post, would severely sanction contractors who carry out shoddy work falling below the set standards of quality and usability.

Regulatory bodies are very powerful , independent and effective worldwide and this is an area Nigeria must strengthen so that even States cannot hide behind the "legitimate tier of government " excuse to get away with sub-standard grade of road construction that cost Nigeria more in the long run.

You will be surprised to know that we indeed do have regulatory bodies. The problem is that they are always compromised by corruption and thus never do their job properly.

States are not independent Nations. They should be made to comply with national directives which are good for the development of Nigeria.

Rossikk:
Gbawe, do states actually have the authority to develop/exploit these deposits independently, or must they obtain federal approval/consent? How exactly does it work?

Not at the moment. The FG controls the right currently to grant mining concessions. States want the same power and I think they should gain it because they can then partner with the private sector, which will have the cash States do not have, to overcome the bane of commercial mining i.e the cash-intensive initial stage of research (eg EIA environmental impact assessment) and development plus the very expensive actual mining/refining process before commercial sales/export and profit is achieved. States can approach the FG to gain some level of freedom over commercial mining but the process is currently too bureaucratic and arranged in a way to continue frustrating anything that will benefit Nigerians to the detriment of what benefits the illegal mining sector making a fortune currently for crooked politicians. This is primarily one of the problems Fayemi has been brought in to tackle.

A clear path forward is for the substantive Minister to harmonise extant laws controlling mining , in partnership with the legislative arm, and improve upon them so that grey areas are abolished and States can leverage on private sector cash to make the commercial mining of solid minerals an employment and income asset for Nigeria. things must change because we are currently frustrating ourselves and our potentials. As you said earlier, if progress is not made under Buhari then one will indeed despair that progress can be made under any other government. I am actually optimistic because I know Fayemi was brought in to liberalise, to the benefit of Nigeria, the solid minerals sector. We need less central bureaucracy and more autonomy for States so that processes become more compartmentalised, more local and thus more effective.


http://www.nigeria-law.org/MineralsAndMiningDecree1999Chapter1.htm#Ownership of Minerals

(1) The entire property in and control of all minerals, in, under or upon any land in Nigeria, its contiguous continental shelf and of all rivers, streams and watercourses throughout Nigeria, any area covered by territorial waters or constituency, the Exclusively Economic Zone is and shall be vested in the Government of the Federation for and on behalf of the people of Nigeria.

(2) All lands in which minerals have been found in commercial quantities shall, from the commencement of this Decree be acquired by the Government of the Federation in accordance with the provisions of the land Use Act and the Minister may, from time to time, with the approval of the Federal Executive Council, designate such lands as security lands.

Bro, it may hurt now but consider yourself lucky. She does not sound like a sincere person and it seems to me your relationship with her was always one-sided with you valuing the relationship far more than she does. Try and move on with your life because it clearly appears as if she has done precisely that.

A way to look at this is that you dodged a major bullet because she does not sound like a good person and it is obvious she would have hurt you sooner or later. Clear your thoughts, try to gather yourself together and move on by cutting all contacts with her and focusing on things that make you happy and fulfilled. In time, when you are ready for it, a far better woman will come along who will be interested in you and you alone.

Rossikk:
I concur. If this can't be done under a Buhari administration, then it can't be done. Btw, I had no idea Nigeria had the world's second largest bitumen deposits after Canada. We have no excuse to continue living like this.

A lot of things are shocking about Nigeria and the extent to which we under-utilise our natural endowment which are some of the richest deposits in the world. My brother it is very frustrating and we should not continue like this as you conclude. I think I even read somewhere where an economist argued that Nigeria is the richest nation in the world in terms of its natural endowment. Arable soil, virtually 24/7 sunshine, crude oil, solid minerals et al. Fayemi must not fail. This is simply too frustrating and we have no business living like this at all.

Neglect of solid minerals: Why Nigeria remains poor

on June 29, 2015 / in Finance, News 8:38 am / Comments

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By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

Economists, geologists and surveyors have long agreed that under the Nigerian soil are wealth and riches untold. But majority of Nigerians are wallowing in poverty. The Nigerian Extractive Industries and Transparency Initiative, NEITI report suggests that there are about 40 different kinds of solid minerals and precious metals buried in Nigerian soil waiting to be exploited. [size=14pt]The commercial value of Nigeria’s solid minerals has been estimated to run into hundreds of trillions of dollars, with 70 per cent of these buried in the bowels of Northern Nigeria.[/size]

[img]http://cdn2.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/300x228xsolid-minerals-300x228.jpg.pagespeed.ic.xiGaAQIKL8.webp[/img]
Solid minerals

President of Miners’ Empowerment Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sunny Ekosin, reveals that Nigeria loses a whopping N8trillion annually in unexploited gold alone. He also says that Ajaokuta remains the key to Nigeria’s industrialisation and that getting it back to work is a matter of patriotism for President Buhari and his team.

Ekosin in an interview with Vanguard said: “If Nigerians were taking data seriously, we would have built a database, where we have authentic information. In 2012, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Steel, came before the nation and said, that from our precious metals alone, specifically from gold exploitation alone, Nigeria is losing N8 trillion ($50 billion) annually.”

The failure of Nigeria, since independence in 1960, to put in place a structure that will make the benefits of the exploitation of solid minerals available to all Nigerians has been the bane of the nation. At the moment mining of minerals in Nigeria accounts for only 0.3 per cent of its GDP, due to the influence of oil resources. The domestic mining industry is underdeveloped, leading to Nigeria having to import commodities it could produce domestically, such as salt or iron sheets and billets.

According to NEITI’s audit findings, solid mineral deposits are scattered all over Nigeria, with more deposits in certain areas than others. Over 40 million tonnes of talc deposits have been identified in Niger, Osun, Kogi, Ogun and Kaduna states. There are huge deposits of coal ranging from bituminous to lignite in the Anambra Basin of South-Eastern Nigeria.

There are lead-zinc ores within the Asaba Area of Niger Delta, while tin, niobium, and lead, are to be found around Oyo and Igbeti, with as much as over a billion tonnes of gypsum spread around Sokoto, Niger, Ondo and Ekiti states. Nigeria’s potentially most beneficial solid minerals are spread around the nation but most of them are in the North.

Limestone deposits occur in Cross River, Ogun, Benue, Gombe, Ebonyi, Sokoto, Edo and Kogi states; magnesite in Adamawa and Kebbi states; coal in Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Delta, Plateau, Anambra, Abia, Benue, Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Adamawa and Kwara states; wolframite in Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Niger states; silver is found only in Kano, with kyanite in Kaduna and Niger states; manganese only in the Northern states of Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara with diatomite found only in Yobe State, while ilmenite-rutile is only in Bauchi, Plateau and Kaduna states;

fluorite only in Taraba State with gold in Niger, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara and Zamfara and a little in Osun. Nasarawa State in the North has been appropriately tagged as Nigeria’s home of Solid Minerals. The state is one of the most naturally endowed states in Nigeria in terms of the availability of economically and commercially viable natural resources.

These include clay, columbite, ilmenite, mica, barytes, pyrite, galena, limestone, sodium chloride, ephalerite, silica sand, granites, tantalite, mica, sphalerite, talc, gemstone (tourmaline, aquamarine and sapphire), halcopyrite, topaz, cassiterite, columbite, tantalite, emerald, heliodor, amethyst, quartz, coking coal, marble, and iron ore. Bauchi is another richly endowed state in the North with metal ores, non-metallic ores and gemstones.

Continue reading here : http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/neglect-of-solid-minerals-why-nigeria-remains-poor/

IbokUtoroh:
op u are good, nice ideas and i believe the youths should be given a time in this present political atmosphere to also exercise their God given talents and ideas.
God bless nigeria.
Lalasticlala pls promote this sound idea to our new change agents.

It really is a good thread because many relevant issues can 'mushroom' from the major topic of discussion. For example, bitumen is one of the main components used for road construction. Nigeria is estimated to have the second largest deposit of bitumen in the world next to Canada. We would expect Fayemi to look into how we harness the full potentials of our Bitumen deposits for our own use and even to sell to provide jobs and another national income earner that will help to lessen our dependence on crude oil as the main source of national income.
the article below is from 2013 which shows that we know the problems and even the solutions yet nothing ie ever done year in and year out because of lacking political will. Let us hope that will change now.

http://thecitizenng.com/public-affairs/nigerias-wasting-bitumen-wealth-national-mirror/

Nigeria’s wasting bitumen wealth – National Mirror
Posted by: The Citizen in Public Affairs November 12, 2013 0 inShare 2

Even at this time, when the imperative of aggressively diversifying the nation’s economy away from slavery to oil wealth (petro-dollars); and expanding her revenue base through other viable sources, such effort seems more prominent on the airwaves than in reality. [size=14pt]A case in point is bitumen, which Nigeria, with an estimated deposit of 42.74 billion metric tonnes, is documented to rank second to Canada as the world’s largest deposit of this essential natural resource. Interestingly, too, this solid mineral is said to be about twice the existing oil reserve in the country. It can be found in Ondo, Edo, Lagos and Ogun states. But the largest chunk of it is reportedly located in Agbabu in Ondo State. [/size]

Former Governor of Ondo State, the late Dr. Olusegun Agagu, a geologist, in an interview last year, said the figure bandied on the bitumen reserve in the country could even be an under-estimation. “What we can see is mere surface of shallow wells, and I can tell you, it is a fairly rich deposit – that is the sand there has a great quantity that has the deposit in them [b]and the potential of commercially exploiting the deposit is fairly high, every other thing being equal”, Agagu was quoted as saying. Discovered in 1900 by some German scientists, only the General Ibrahim Babangida military regime (in power between the mid 1980s and early 1990s) showed the first serious commitment to its exploration when, after an on-thespot assessment visit to Agbabu, Babangida established the Bitumen Project Implementation Committee (BPIC) in 1989. The agency was mandated, among other functions, to put in place an enabling structure for the full exploitation of solid mineral in the country. Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration attempted to take the initiative to another level in 2002, when two companies – Nissands Nigeria Limited and Beecon Nigeria Limited, out of 32 other firms, in a competitive bidding process, won the bid to start the exploitation of bitumen in a 120-square kilometre belt covering Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Edo states. However, two factors often described as disincentives to bitumen exploration/exploitation are the lack of technical expertise and the high cost of tapping the resource, in general terms. These, coupled with government’s obvious non-seriousness because of oil money, have stalled even the feeble effort to exploit the country’s bitumen resource. [/b]

Incidentally, not only bitumen is so neglected. Nigeria is endowed with numerous mineral resources, such as cassiterite, columbite, lead, gold, barite, gypsum and coal, most of which are hardly given their due consideration, except in terms of official rhetoric. It is also apparent that because of the lack of adequate official attention to such resources, room is provided for small scale profiteers to exploit the minerals for selfish interest, and illegally most of the time, if not all of the time. Illegal miners and their official collaborators rake in huge revenue which never smells government’s coffers. We hasten to note that the picture painted of the neglected mineral extractive industry in Nigeria is that of non-appreciation of its huge prospects in boosting economic activities and improving living standards.

Most areas harbouring such deposits are languishing in horrible poverty and deprivation, even when illegal miners are at work on daily basis. Government’s regulatory laws covering such sights are larger than life, but in practice, they are lifeless and halfhearted. We insist that a government is rudderless, which cannot use its initiative to create wealth, or tap God-given resources to improve the lot of the people. If oil is neglected the same way other resources are being treated with ignominy, the federal and state governments that rely on monthly oil revenue allocation to survive would have since closed shop. How fair is it that the government, from federal to state level, seems not sincerely interested in economic diversification? How can there be sustainable development under this non-committal circumstance? The relevant federal ministries in charge, National Assembly and authorities of all the bitumen states should collectively drive the process that would make the exploration and exploitation of the solid mineral a reality, in the interest of the nation and the deprived, non-privileged majority that have no access to oil wealth. Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians in the states having the resource need employment and the good life. The government should create the enabling environment to make this and the positive multiplier effects possible.

Culled from: The Citizen Ng

iwantto:
This is a world class idea

It can be implemented too because Fashola will have the support of a President who likes discipline, order, neatness and an organised approach to everything.

Psalm18:
Brilliant write up.
This should be on front page.
I believe Fashola is media savvy and lots of apc folks are here on nairaland.
Apc supporters; this is the change you should be promoting now while also collecting looted funds. This two are not mutually exclusive- both can go hand in hand.

The fact is good road networks spurns other areas of development. The time to act is now.

This is true. Mods oblige us.

@OP.

Also, your comment about the need for roads to have pedestrian sidewalks cannot be overstated enough. Why, for god sake, are new roads still being constructed without them? Is it rocket science to deduce that roads must meet the needs of all users to include those who are walking or those riding a bicycle?

The problem is pervasive corruption that means politicians will attempt to cut corners, never mind the danger their action puts ordinary Nigerians in, so far as they keep more government money in their own pocket. For optimal safety, pedestrian sidewalks should be raised with toughened concrete edges i.e a kerb (see image below). This adds to cost significantly and Nigerians leaders, because many never see a need to walk amongst 'commoners' or go anywhere without a car, simply order their omission (sidewalk) so they can make extra millions. Fashola will need to be uncompromisingly tough sha.


[img]http://www.leics.gov.uk/figure-mc2-450px[/img]

Rossikk:
Mr Fashola must set new standards for our urban roads. He should initiate a nationwide standard for such roads which all states must meet henceforth, ie EVERY road built in an urban area must have:

1) Covered drainage
2) Pedestrian sidewalks
3) Road markings and signs
4) Street lights
5) Bicycle lanes where appropriate (eg on major roads)





Any new road construction which does not comply with the new national standard will be rejected and its builders investigated.

The law, backed by the National Assembly, will operate retroactively, ie all states will be obliged to commence compliance with the new standard on already existing roads, in addition to new constructions.

Mr Fashola will write his name in gold in terms of infrastructure if he can enthrone this new national urban road standard.

I agree with this post. Long overdue in my opinion. Roads should meet a minimum standard of layout, quality of materials used and construction. Key to the success of this idea will be the ability to ensure standardized levels of quality are introduced, going forward, road builders and contractors must not breach. For example, drainage covers in one State cannot be robust and high quality galvanised steel while another State gets away with using cheap steel highly susceptible to rust which would mean it needs changing in a relatively short period of time. Fashola will have to take a ground-up approach but the results after a few years will be rewarding for Nigeria. Nice and needed post OP.

superstar1:
I quite agree that we cannot continue with this warped constitution and still expects things to turn around.

FG have to relinquish some of the sectors under its purview to the state, as a matter of urgency. Most especially power, rail and solid minerals. If care is not taken, we will find ourselves in a situation where FG will be the one paying the salaries of virtually all the civil servants in the country.

The liberalisation of those identified key sectors is important more than ever before, if we really want to jump start the economy of the various states and of the region.

With the oil wealth dwindling and the urgent need for Northern states to get out of their comfort zones, they will be more than willing to support the liberalisation of those aforementioned sectors and also incentives for SMEs and Agriculture, which they have always naturally opposed because they see the country as their grandfather's estate.

I hope Fashola, Fayemi and Amaechi know the good they can do for the country. May God give them the wisdom to deliver what will benefit the masses.

Indeed. How long, for example, before the FG delivers adequate power supply? Even the current power "privatisation" was a scam. I remember Fashola making a comment that the FG will not do what it should do yet it is us (govenors) the people blame for everything. It is tiring sha. There are some non-negotiable essentials (power supply for example) that are the crucial system between a thriving SME sector and a moribund one yet the FG has failed to deliver these non-negotiable essentials to the detriment of Nigeria. I have seen many curse Governors on this site for lack of power and I had to shame my head. Governors must do more but at this point in time the FG will have to ensure, once and for all, it teaches them to fish.

I have travelled vastly across Africa and have not seen the energy of Nigerians elsewhere else !!! The FG, once and for all, should simply go all out to destroy the cabal keeping us down and put in place the most important 'enablers' (power, rail, SME development, optimal and commercial mining of solid minerals et al) that will assist a people who are naturally energetic and hard-working to do the rest for themselves. Anywhere you go, Nigerians are always likely to be the African most keen to be their own boss and set up businesses .

At home we are frustrated immensely by problems other nation overcame a 100 years ago. Pathetic really. In the grand scheme of things, governors can do a lot, and i am not making excuses for them, but the onus of developing Nigeria or even their own States as optimally as possible, and not development that can be reversed tomorrow because of falling oil prices, falls more on the FG because the 'essentials' that develop nations, plus keep them thriving and successful, are the preserve of the Nigerian FG and it is time we insist they deliver them so we can then see which leaders, at State level, are delivering and note those who are worthless. For example, if our SME sector was thriving and catering for 60% of the employment needs of Nigeria then why would some governors be in a position of spending so much, to the detriment of the state, on the wages of civil servant who would naturally be employed by the SME sector?

superstar1:
Katz,

It's really very refreshing to see you back here.

I miss your posts.

Please we need cerebral veterans on this thread. The likes of you, Dayokanu, Gbawe, Mayoroflagos etc.

@ Your Post,

Our economy might not be able to run entirely on tourism, but it can form an integral part of our economy, alongside agriculture, solid minerals and service/entertainment industry.

One of my fears about secession, as against regionalism, is the opportunity it will create for uncontrollable monstrous lords to rise within us and if care is not taken, there might not be a counter force to checkmate such.

I also strongly believe fixing power, solid minerals and rail system holds the key to the prosperity of SW and the unofficial regionalisation of our economy.

This is my very strong belief too and this is why I had and retain a big interest in who controls the centre to the extent I campaigned exhaustively for Buhari on and offline. This is why I cannot agree simplistically that SW Governors are failure who only deserve to be pilloried and lynched. in fact SW governors, and ahead of almost all others, drove the celebrated infrastructural boom during 2010 and early 2014 yet they can only do so much over the processes they control but what we must all understand as an indisputable fact, that should form the basis of some of our discussion, is that it is the crucial sector Nigerian governors do not control that will keep even the most developed States, by Nigerian standards, generally underdeveloped in comparison to their peers worldwide. Fashola can do all he wants, and we saw the man tried, and Ambode can perform out of his skin but Lagos will not look or function anything like London, New York or even cape Town in the next 20 years if the functioning of the state is not underpinned by adequate power supply, modern and efficient transport mix , adequate security et al.

Below is a thread that typify my thinking. After unbelievable stagnation under the PDP the likes of Amosun came in and achieved so much in a short time to critical world acclaim.

https://www.nairaland.com/1399019/ogun-poised-overtake-lagos-development

I can therefore not join those calling him a failure and asking for his head because some events beyond his control overtook his good intentions. Human beings have that tendency of seeking a scapegoat and an arrowhead for our blame when things go wrong even when it is obvious our anger is misplaced.

Now is the time, due to falling oil price, to simply begin an FG-led effort to help every State of Nigeria diversify its economy away from reliance on FG allocation derived mainly from oil, which is 80% of all earnings of Nigeria, and , most crucially, develop a robust SME sector that can be the biggest employer of labour thereby solving a myriad of problems. People here should tell us what the Governors can do to influence sectors that remains under the control of the FG till today such as power, solid minerals, rail network et al. Very few States in Nigeria,as one poignant example, can build an interstate rail network without FG help and without taking large loans. Why then blame the fact interstate rail network is non-existent in Nigeria on governors?

This is the time to insist the FG deliver so that States with good leaders can stop swimming against the tide instead of us simplistically blaming Yoruba leaders at State level for everything when it is obvious they simply cannot perform miracles with hands tied behind their back. Nigerians are innovative and hardworking. Why not solve the issue of power and see the SME sector boom in every State to be the lifeblood of the Nigerian economy as is the case worldwide?

We must ask the FG to teach States to fish (give them what they need to thrive) rather than feed them for the day with allocation which are pittance in elation to what is needed for the infrastructural and socio-economic development of Nigeria. If the FG does not become an enabler ASAP then States will continue to borrow or watch their citizen starve and become unruly. That is the reality some do not wish to accept. Where Nigeria is now, with allocation to states diminished by 50-60%, nothing but an FG-led recovery can bail us out and position us on course for greatness. People should accept this fact and stop expecting governors to give what they do not have. Even the most modest interstate rail system will cost and how gargantuan the cost is in comparison to what State get as IGR and allocation from the FG. How will we see interstate rail networks throughout Nigeria if we carry on as things are whereby even the best efforts of good governors is defeated by developmental issues such as lack of adequate power supply and high recurrent expenditure accruing from the days when an indolent and unqualified Military ruling class just assumed that "we have oil money and we should proceed to employ most Nigerians as civil servants" instead of the approach worldwide whereby Government act as an enabler to allow the sector that will always be the biggest employer of labour, i.e the SME, thrive and deliver?

Katsumoto:
But how much debt has Aregbe borrowed? Surely, the huge debt profile of Osun can't be as a result of just N18.3 Billion.

Oga katsumoto good to see you. Hope you will stick around. Some of my point is that Aregbesola got ahead of himself not planning properly in regards to some of his lofty projects but serious shortfalls in allocation compounded issues. Th FG knows the salary obligation of States and the FG has the duty of putting rainy day savings in place to help States stay afloat yet because of the corruption and wantonly gross looting of the PDP and GEJ many States got into trouble virtually the minute oil prices plummeted. There was no buffers in place at all and between 24-28 States could not pay wages. A responsible government will have no option but to take loans to pay salaries however he may wish to hold out if allocation has fallen by 50-70% and is taking at that level. All in all many governors did not plan well but there is proof they were blindsided by development such as falling oil price.

Many State were already in trouble from when GEJ unilaterally announced a minimum wage, binding on all, that many states could not pay. If we look at all issues as they are interlinked then it becomes obvious that SW governors did compound some problem but we're powerless to prevent others, which they did not cause, from becoming an Albatross around the neck of SW States. This is why I happy GEJ is gone as there is now a chance to repair the damage from the centre while the electorate at State level can do the needful to rove underperforming governors.

attacker231:
Good point, but I do see your post praising Fayose and even calling him the new Awolowo. The Fayose guy is even worst, he has done nothing other than drinking Moet with Amala. Pathetic.

You see you have caught out the pretender? Now he tells us it is just a 'tactic" and he was "catching fun" . At least some of us are principled and know the meaning of loyalty to the extent you will never see us hunting with the hounds today and running with the Hare tomorrow as some are fond of doing.

Shymm3x:
I'm multi-tasking now. But I'll just post what I've got for now to Uncle Gbawe's post and let folks take it from there cos I'm going out. But I'll reply whatever post directed at my mentions when I come back.

Shymmex, I don't support the high debt stock of the SW. Merely saying we look at the whole picture. Oyinlola, for example, took a loan of N18.3 billion before leaving office that Osun became saddled with. Most Nigerian States, detrimentally, are civil servant State devoting a large proportion of earnings to wages. These are vestiges of the indolent policies of the military boys at the centre. For many years.
When PDP then came in, the Party failed to change the status quo that will turn things round. If there is stable electricity then I expect the SME sector to grow in States and remove the burden of biggest employer of labour that is choking States.

We all know States cannot do much in terms of power supply other than build IPP which are still at the mercy of the FG because of gas, transmission and distribution issues. Power priatisation should mean that exactly instead the FG frustrated the effort of Lagos to bid for a DISCO that would move the state closer to meeting ita power needs. Jonathan opted to concede these DISCOs to cronies and political affiliates. Rail transport across Nigeria is still in the stone ages and the FG has done virtually nada in the past 16 years to move things along. There so many things that compounded the problem and to that end there are no singular scapegoats. This is my point.

IyaIode:
Waiting for you to come all out against yorubas. When you are done here, take your romanis friend along

Iyalode please ignore that Anonimi. He is far worse than Firefire as far as deceit goes . He is the same poster, while pretending to be Yoruba, who said and I quote "why are we Yoruba such parasites over ND oil". What real Yoruba would make such an offensively false comment against his 'own' ethnic group? I had to call him out for the liar he is and educated him that Ondo has oil and gas which contributes 12% towards national output!! I just pity the Yorubas taking him and Firefire seriously. For many varied reasons, both who are very staunch supporters of GEJ, have shown they are not genuinely interested in the progress of the Yorubas.

Firefire:
Gbawe should learn to speak the truth, even if once.

Tinubu's role in denying Hon. Mulikat Akande the exalted role of speaker in favour of a Fulani man, the evidence is available of the cyberspace.

What manner of leader for selfish interest align with others to deprived his region their due benefits, because they are in opposition party ?

Ki Oluwa gba wa lowo awon barawo ti won pe ra won ni asiwaju.

Let us not derail the thread. i will just urge you to stop talking because your dishonesty and revisionism is sickening . Assuming what you accuse Tinubu of is correct, are you making sense to yourself or anyone here? The same Tinubu has now helped us gain Buhari as President to replace the destructive GEJ you supported who happened to hate the SW in particular and called the leaders of the region "rascals". Do I need to chronicle the real damage GEJ has done to Nigeria your ilk were begging him to continue doing for another 4 years? Dude, just discuss positives and cut out the hypocrisy and pretensions of piousness. Tinubu is a very big hero to the Yorubas when placed alongside your GEJ.

People like you are better off begging the Yorubas for forgiveness instead of coming here and trying your 'holier than thou' nonsense. Tinubu has done a lot of positives for his people and even Nigeria with how he, more than almost all others, contributed the most to make Buhari President from birthing the idea of the APC merger and actually putting in his personal effort and finance to make it happen on the long and tortuous road to depose the PDP and the very destructive GEJ. It is therefore very disgusting that it is you who supported a man on a personal mission to disgrace and mess up the Yorubas, i.e GEJ, who is now here playing uber Yoruba patriot. Just face the topic and shut up. You are beginning to really piss me off. You should come on this thread and behave with humility because you were a supporter of the PDP and GEJ when both harmed your own ethnic group and Nigeria seriously. Very likely Nigerians would be Syrian-style refugees had GEJ even carried on for another year. Yet, distastefully, you show no contrition at all and are busy attacking those who liberated our entire nation from sure doom. Even when when incontrovertible evidence showed you the destruction GEJ was supervising you still wanted him to carry on leading Nigeria and you now have the nerve to round on Tinubu? Like I said before, some of you are something else.

Firefire:
No response to Gbawe's theoretic rant above. ^^

I don't want or need a response from you. I would have carried on ignoring you , for the sake of allowing this nice thread flow and remain a nirvana of ideas devoid of pettiness. Yet you and others are going too far with your 'more Yoruba than others' antics. Especially you who passionately campaigned for GEJ , the nemesis of the SW, to remain in power when he singularly harmed the Yoruba nation the most of all presidents we have had since 1999. Some Yoruba 'patriot' you are. If you stay in your lane then I have no issues with you but you and others should cut out the pretence and holier than thou pontifications - especially done at the expense of other Yorubas who backed the right horse. What "otito oro" is a GEJ loyalist and apologist interested in?

The "otito oro" that your messiah directly marginalised and personally frustrated the SW while supervising the theft of up to $60 billions that harmed the SW and Nigeria at large? Did the highly dishonest GEJ you support 200% not come to the SW to apologise to our Obas for "marginalizing" the region for 5 long years while deceitfully begging to be given the chance to make amends? yet look at where the Yorubas are in 5 months under Buhari!! Is this how you show love for your own? I.e back what harms them to then be pretending next minute to want the best for them?

Was it not GEJ who rammed the N18,000 minimum wage down the throath of Nigerian governors whether they could afford to pay it or not? GEJ treacherously announced he had approved the increase and left the governors to face the wrath of their people at home. Today the Buhari you and others hounded has empowered the SW immensely to the extent we now have the unique chance to improve our region through the performance of some of our sons and daughters in key positions in the GMB governent. These are position they would never be in had GEJ won a second term yet you have the nerve to claim the man who, more than anyone else, made all this happen, i.e Tinubu, is the problem of the SW when you supported GEJ who is the biggest problem, by far, of the SW and even Nigeria !!! Some of you guys are simply something else.

IyaIode:
@Bolded, the chart that started this debt debate clearly shows that. Nobody is saying we should not criticize our governors, we must be very constructive.
I will not be part of anything that goes about arguing without facts, Someone is blaming Aregbe solely for Osun's debt when the guy met 9billion debt, they even took the debate up to Tinubu. They have stylishly classifying some of us as political stooges just because we have chosen to do the Yoruba thing which is being OBJECTIVE IN CRITICISM

God bless you. Same with with me. That is what I stated in my response to you above. How will the Yoruba nation on NL be about solution-provision when many are about merely just heaping the blame on Yoruba leaders and they totally refuse to see the truth, backed by statistics and facts, some of us are working with which shows why we urge caution while also insisting we must not throw the baby out with the bath water and that we must appreciate what we have and where we are today.

Imagine Firefire stating Tinubu must be removed for the SW to thrive yet he is a staunch supporter of the President, GEJ, that has harmed the SW the most by far since 1999? Is that not ridiculous? To top it off, many of us that fought and campaigned for the Yorubas to be in the powerful position we are in today are "political stooges" and political jobbers" because, as you put it, some of us have indeed chosen to do the Yoruba thing which is being OBJECTIVE IN CRITICISM. Help me ask the lynch mob whether they were even on NL then or are aware of the issue of the unfeasible N18,000 minimum wage GEJ unilaterally foisted on Nigerian States, whether they could afford it or not, that has snowballed to cause some of the issues we see today. Try and show them this and they will say insultingly and unimaginatively we are "paid goons" making excuses for our political "paymasters". It must be one way alone and that is their way.

IyaIode:
You people want to bring anti Tinubu whatever here, you want us to go the Apc vs pdp thing on this thread, i posted pictures earlier that showed most of the debt owed by Osun, Oyo and Ogun were actually acquired by previous Pdp governors, Oyo under Ajumobi has managed to reduce its debts by a billion.
Don't make me loose my cool here. I know how much Gbenga Daniel almost crippled Ogun state, i know how he left the state 12 billion naira external debt few years after Obj cleared everything.
If you people want to campaign, let us know o

Thank you dear lady for showing you appreciate what some of us are saying. I just previously did not want to say anything personalised against anyone to ruin this fine thread but it is nauseating how Firefire and others are now going around pretending to be some uber Yoruba patriots and insinuating other are not with talk of "otito oro". and thigns like that What "otito oro" was he about when he was one of those feverishly backing GEJ to continue in power especially to the detriment of the SW? GEJ directly marginalised and 'neutered' the SW plus ruined the economy of Nigeria to actually put many SW States in serious difficulty. The same GEJ and his Party did all in their power to frustrate everything Lagos proposed and especially took the job of ruining any effort of Lagos to provide adequate power for itself.

To top it all off, conservative estimate reckons that GEJ supervised the looting of circa $60 billion in the years he was president. Does the domestic debt of all Nigerian States, talk less of SW State, not appear insignificant next to that figure? State started struggling when the weak GEJ mandated they must pay an N18,000 minimum wage many could simply not afford.

If we are to then chronicle events honestly and pragmatically to date it would be obvious it is entirely wrong to be convening a lynch mob here for yoruba leaders, as if they caused all the problem, and for a staunch backer of GEJ, in firefire, to be prancing around as if he is now the most patriotic Yoruba alive when the truth is that the Yoruba nation would most certainly be finished had GEJ continued in power. the problem is that many love speaking based on sentiments, emotions and without a full understanding of the facts. When the likes of myself then speak to tell them to calm do some research and gain an informed perspective that will help them see the solutions required we are called "politcal jobbers, paid goons" and other such nonsense. Is it right for us Yorubas, because of the half-truth and misinformation put out there by political mischief;makers like Omisore et al, to become an ALUU-like lynchmob that refuses to brook opposition or heed the call of others for them to do a little research and get informed? Who is saying Yoruba leaders are innocent? That is not and has never been my stance. What I do not like is a personalised refusal of many to look at everything that got us where we are today.

Shymm3x:
Loool. Sad.

The funniest thing is that none of them even bothered explaining to sway us, by highlighting (a, b, c, and d) why the recurrent expenditure in each state is that huge and the reasons for the huge debts profile. They just ran over the thread with well-coordinated attacks, saying a lot without saying anything. While heaping all the blame on the civil service.

Every sane person knows that the civil service is just a fraction of the recurrent expenditure. What about the rest? Shouldn't these folks who are card carrying members of these backward political parties with no ideology whatsoever be privy to the information?

Anyway, they won. We all logged out and gave them a free ride on the thread. It's over now - we want our thread back.

Not true at all. You cannot ignore facts to make a debate suit your personal argument. In Osun for example, salaries is actually even more than total income which includes allocation from the FG. This is why some of us harp on about the salary trap and why, as a matter of urgency, we must must focus on certain things (power supply, transport, agriculture, commercial mining of solid minerals et al) that will help diversify the economies of many States to then create jobs and employment that will make the government stop being the biggest employer of labour. Aregbe made mistakes but him and others met the salary trap issue on ground and were simply not prepared for the severity of the problem.

We can, once and for all, discuss the issue openly so that Nairalanders understand what is really going on or continue to convene a lynch mob for Yoruba leaders here based on only seeing a quarter of the big picture and the misinformation we are operating with. This is why we need tolerance and civility always . You state "every sane person" knows that the civil service is just a fraction of the recurrent expenditure yet you are wrong and merely misleading others here. these issues cannot be approached with sentiments because misinformation then begin flying around since we are only interested in defending the position we have taken rather than earnestly listening to others to understand what is going on in its entirety. We are therefore better prepared to be part of the solution. T

he likes of Aregbesola, Amosun et al met huge debts on the ground when they took over. These guys also appreciated the salary trap issue and understood that providing jobs and diversifying the economies of their State was key to defeating the burden of government being the biggest employer of labour thereby constraining many States to use a vast portion, or even all , of FG allocation today for wage payment. these guys initiated many ambitious plans to tackle this. Aregbe sought to develop Agriculture, transport and tourism. Amosun was even innovatively given small government-backed loans to help many set up small businesses. These guys are not innocent of the situation they find themselves in but they are not to blame 100% either.[size=14pt] Do you for example know that GEJ dictatorially increased minimum wage to N18,000 years back when many States could not pay this and where not given the chance to opt out? You earn N1,000 a month and I insist you must pay your four domestic staff N300 monthly each. How is that fair when I refused to take your earning power into consideration?[/size] If people want to convene lynch mobs for yoruba leaders based on an incomplete take of what is actually going on and what has gone on in the past, to get us where we are today, then fine. That does not solve our problem or move us closer to being a useful think-tank that is ready to be part of the solution.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/osun-state-metaphor-for-unpaid-salaries/

Osun State, metaphor for unpaid salaries
By Bolanle Oke on June 26, 2015 4:30 am


ABOUT two months ago, a female retiree of the Osun State public service called to complain about unpaid workers’ salaries, and wanted this writer to wade in, as an advocate of the masses.
After another caller came up with the same issue, it became imperative to find out what was going on in Osun State. The state truly owes about six months’ salary backlog, and the workers have become restive as a result.

The Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, attributes the unpaid salaries to the state’s dwindling revenue. For instance,[size=14pt] he revealed, revenue from all sources in 2012, including the Federation Account; internally generated revenue; and other accruals, like value added tax, from the Federal Government, yielded N28.4 billion, whereas total wage bill only was N31.6 billion, leaving a deficit of N3.2 billion. The same scenario was repeated in 2013, with a deficit of N10.4 billion.

It turned out also that dwindling oil revenue has made it difficult for the Federal Government, and 24 (some say 28) of Nigeria’s 36 states, to pay staff salaries. The initial cause of the palaver was the increase of minimum wage to N18,000, unilaterally entered into by the President Goodluck Jonathan Government with the labour unions. It became a kerfuffle when the price of crude oil plummeted, and reduced the revenue that accrued to the nation.[/size]

IyaIode:
I have always suspected those Chinese, especially those that are rehabilitating our railway lines, they hide under this to milk us. I pray Fayemi is up to the task

Well, he will get 100% support and assistance from the presidency for starters so I don't think Fayemi can have any excuses for not delivering.

http://punchng.com/exposed-power-play-behind-buharis-super-ministers-appointments/

Apart from favouring his long time allies,
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the President had more or less adopted former governors Babatunde Fashola and Dr. Kayode Fayemi as his godsons. It will be recalled that Buhari, who was not regarded as an experienced politician, relied on the support of chieftains, including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; to emerge as the APC presidential candidate at the December 10 presidential primary of the party in Lagos.

IyaIode:
We have a few quarries mining mostly limestone, a few are doing precious metals illegally. Thank God we have fayemi in that ministry, though it will take constitutional amendment to get it off the exclusive list for states to manage their minerals

Yes but there are several brilliant articles, and I will try to find one, suggesting how Nigeria and her States can use the PPP model (public private sector partnership) to develop its solid mineral sector. Private and specialist operators provide the finance, specialist knowledge and counterpart funding to begin the commercial and profitable mining of solid minerals. You are of course right that extant laws must first be amended to permit this to happen but we are hopeful this will be the case and feel this is why Buhari brought Fayemi, one of his most trusted associate, on board.

http://dailytimes.com.ng/regulating-nigerias-mining-sector/

Regulating Nigeria’S Mining Sector

By: Dailytimes Tuesday, 28 Apr 2015 03:30AM Editorial



Recently, the Nigerian Miners Association (NMA) raised alarm at the influx of unregistered Chinese companies into the mining sector. According to its President, Alhaji Sani Shehu these companies’ recruited Chinese labourers to do the jobs usually reserved for Nigeria’s lower and middle class workers. We call on the authorities to investigate this claim with a view of putting a check it before it gets out of hand. There is no self-respecting country that gives foreigners unfettered access to its mines, neither would it encourage competition at expense of the locals.

It is very shameful that the Inspectorate Department of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development charged with monitoring operations in the sector has become incapable of enforcing the rules. That unregistered Chinese companies are displacing Nigerians in the local mines speaks volume on the state of rot and decay in the sector. Question is who gave the foreign nationals the permission to go into mining for precious stones and other metals in Nigeria.

Definitely, these foreigners are engaging in illegal mining, which to all intents and purpose should not be tolerated in the country. There is no gainsaying that the Chinese labourers in Zamfara and Nasarawa mines are also engaged in smuggling of gemstones across the borders. Moreover, such illegal mining activities have constituted a cog in the activities of corporate investors. Statistics show that some of those licensed to engage in legal mining have either abandoned exploration/exploitation or are contemplating such a line of action, in the absence of security guarantees.

We also should be bothered by the severe degradation that such illegal and unregulated mining does to the environment. It is known that some of the disused pits in many states are oozing highly hazardous waste and polluting rivers in areas contiguous with mining fields. It is therefore time the government brought sanity to the mining of solid minerals. We advocate for properly organised production activities and development of local expertise in processing minerals.



[size=14pt][b]Nigeria can learn from examples of Thailand, Israel and India that have grown their gemstones and jewellery industry from cottage level to vibrant multi-billion export oriented sector. Besides, the industry offers vast opportunities to teeming unemployed youths. There is the need for Nigeria to take up the development of her non-oil sector, including the solid minerals industry which has the potentials to give her some level of sound reprieve in times of such unhealthy gale in commodity prices.


Reports from the Mining Cadastral Office and Nigerian Geological Survey Agency have it that Nigeria could deliberately plan an economic life outside of crude oil with more than 33 commercially viable mix of solid minerals deposit across the length and breath of the country. An active solid minerals sector in Nigeria will guarantee internal and external revenue from exports and use in domestic industries. If well managed, Nigeria with her solid mineral abundance might as well be on the path to building a brighter economic future with minimal reliance on crude oil.[/b][/size]

superstar1:
Guys,

As much as we do not want this thread to be about politicians and parties, we need to see some sense in what Gbawe is saying.

He is making sense. We have the opportunity to harness the fruit of our labour from the centre through those guys at the centre. Through them, we can set up a system that works for us in SW while helping GMB to fulfil his campaign promises.

Thank you Superstar1 . I never said anyone should not criticise leaders or talk of past mistake. What I resent is making that the main subject of discussion without recognising that the chance is here to make real progress. I also feel the vitriol on this thread towards Yoruba leaders is unnecessary, lacking in pragmatism and unfair. Someone will say "useless Tinubu" while another will say Tinubu has enslaved the SW.

Pray tell me, all productive members of this forum, would Buhari be President today without Tinubu? Would we not still be totally despondent now, to the extent this thread will not even exist, if Tinubu had not acted and made personal sacrifice to oust GEJ? Would Fashola, one of the most brilliant administrator Nigeria has ever known, be Minister of power, works and housing today if GEJ had gained a second term? Would the solid minerals sector, under GEJ, not continue to be business-as-usual under PDP that made it moribund for the past 16 years? I could go on but my point is that we should endeavour to see the big picture always. Yorubas say "ti aba n sun ekun ki a ma riran". Which means even with tears cloud your vision you must still make the effort to try and see ahead or note what matters most.

I would be very disappointment if Fashola has not gone far towards securing stable power for Nigeria in the next three years and would deem it unacceptable if Fayemi has failed to supervise the liberalisation of the solid minerals sector. Those type of 'looking forward' considerations are what matters to me above everything else but it does not mean I wish to disregard the past either. My view in relation to the past is that we must note the unique challenges we faced and the struggle that got us to this advantaged position today and acknowledge the good and bad of those who helped make it happen to the extent there is now serious optimism that political talent and goodwill is now in place, since 1999, to supervise Nigeria's march towards greatness and development. I can bet any money this thread would not exist today if GEJ had won because the pervasive doom and gloom of the day would mean most of us would have deactivated our account or slipped into political depression at the hopelessness of our situation. Fashola, Fayemi et al will be nowhere to be seen, Sambo rather than Osinbajo will be VP and GEJ will continue bleeding us through Allison-Madueke and his many crooks. Most likely Nigerians in the next year or so, in large numbers, will be Syrian-like refugees trying to escape the total chaos GEJ has created. It could be worse but luckily we dodged the bullet and I would like us to appreciate where we are and how we can take advantage of this unique position to get what we have always wanted

@OP.


We all know why she got angry. The slush funds are gone and the 'loopholes' to make billions overnight are being blocked so there is indeed "no money in the system" aside their salary whereas they had been used to scams and looting avenues under GEJ that yielded millions and billions daily.