₦airaland Forum

Nigerians have spoken.

The earlier we understand who truly wield influence in Nigeria, the better.

What?

Could this have some truth? I got this news (or rumour) today, and i don't know how authentic it is.

The source explained that it is the reason for the ongoing Genocide/Retaliatory attacks by the military against MEND and the Ijaws.

And i've been wondering too, because MEND also claimed that some retired Generals actually own the ukrainian and russian companies whose ships and foreign staff were kidnapped 2 weeks ago. And that the real reason for the fight is over who controls the water ways and the bunkering activities therein. 

Anyone got some info on this? At least the names of the missing/killed soldiers, prefarably the officers.

Ijawman:
Is Adeboye looking for free spare parts for his aircraft? Someboby please tell him that air planes are made off of aluminum and not steel. His prayer will be a workless one because it is misdirected. He should instead be praying for spiritual intervention in Nigeria's overwhelming corruption (one of the reasons for Ajaokuta's moribund state), rather than this cheap publicity stunt. This one na ''ogbonge'' bishop.

What cheap publicity does Pastor Adeboye hope to derive from visiting poor kogi state? For a man with international acclaim, this is a ridiculous comment on your part.

With or without, he is currently Nigeria's greatest legend.

OYB_MEND:
please what Funds the US Government? if not control of resources within its shores?

Scotland is certainly not in charge of the oil in Aberdeen

The revenue is controlled by the crown

My sense is also that the US Government has some major control over Exxon Mobil and they are a major playor in US oil

You asked a very good question. What funds the american government?

This is the question that if nigerian leaders got the answers for, then we would have been on our way to national achievement, pride and greatness.

The american govt. doesnt control ANY of the american resources, these are left entirely for states and private hands to exploit. However, taxes MUST be paid, and that is why the fear of the IRS in US is the beginning of financial wisdom.

In the UK, the CROWN doesnt control the oil resources. That is why, during the oil price boom(from (2007-2008), Aberdeen and other oil cities in scotland were experiencing tremendous wealth and prosperity, while the rest of the UK wer beginning to see recession signs.

OYB_MEND:
. . . . nobody has any right to full resource countrol and yet at the same time pledging allegiance to ONE NIGERIA. We are either ONE NATION or we are not.

Sir, go get your facts right about the real meaning of true (fiscal)federalism. Also compare what obtains in the world's apostle of democracy - America.

There is too much double standards operating in this country.

For instance, when agriculture was the mainstay of Nigeria, there was complete resource control, with the federating units paying back 50% as taxes to the central government.
When oil became relevant, the Gowon regime decreed complete federal government control, under the guise of post civil war reconstruction. And that's how we are here today, playing politics, to protect the Northern interest, under the guise of One Nigeria.

jimmysho:
IT IS A DIFFICULT PRICE TO BE PAID BY THE CABAL IN THE NORTH. MIND U AM NOT BEING TRIBALISTIC AT LEAST MY PROFILE SHOWS KADUNA WHICH IS THE HEART OF THE NORTH.

IF THE AFOREMENTIONED ARE DONE THEN NOTHING TO EAT AGAIN BY THIS HAWKS WHICH HAVE SPENT ALL ENERGY TO MAKE SURE NAIJA REMAUN ONE IN THEIR SELFISH INTEREST.

IF OIL HAS BEEN DISCOVER IN THE NORTH OR THE RESERVE IN THE DELTA DRIES UP THEN THE STORYT WILL CERTAIN CHANGE WITHOUT ANY MUCH ADO

THE NORTHERN CONTRIBUTION TO NIGERIA GDP IS SO MINUTE IF NOT CLASSIFIED AS NOT NOTHING

JimmySho has gotten the facts right. I have always wondered why these simple truths are so dificult to accept by the generality of nigerians.

I think the only reason is that TRUTH IS BITTER.

Meanwhile, kudos to MEND.

The reason why the military MUST fail in its adventure is that the nothern hegemonistic attitude of being the overlords in Nigeria MUST come to an end. If they are allowed to crush MEND, then what happened to the Ibos(gross marginalisation) after biafra will happen again to the niger delta.
There will be no voice to cry for the benighted tribes of the oil producing areas.

Can the military CRUSH MEND?

The answer is NO. If it is a combat in the creeks, minus the air force, the military will suffer colateral damage, and MEND will come out victorious.
If it is a normal combat on land, which the military is used to, then they will crush MEND.

However, mend is using a guerilla approach, and it only means the destruction of lives and oil assets will only escalate. Mend understands that they may not gain much in facing the military in real combat, so, they will focus only on their areas of competence - easy destruction of oil infrastructure, to the point of crippling our export capacity.
My advice is Yar Adua should be sincere in his dealings on the Niger Delta question. Or else, he may have to start begging sooner or later.

From the previous newspaper publications on this same subject, the most Indicted was Abacha. The project started under abacha. The other culprit will therefore be Abdusalami or Obasanjo.

moneygurl:
Vanguard gathered that investigators were able to get onto the trail of one former Head of State as his account was credited severally with various sums of money. He was also said to have withdrawn $2.9 million in one fell swoop, a transaction that was easily traced to him.[/b]

The ONLY president that did this easily traceable kind of looting was ABACHA. Not OBJ's style at all, neither Abdusalami's.


The question then is, who is the second former president? Answer: Either ObJ or ABDUSALAMI. Strongly, i feel the latter.


The former Vice President in question is clear: ATIKU.

In reality, the issue is a highly political tool, probably to keep some potential opposition elements (from within and outside PDP) in check towards the 2011 elections.

WebForte Nigeria!! Your services are unique!

lynxnoon:
i hed dere's downlad limit on dis multilinks EVDO??

There's no limit.No limits! I clocked 14GB in March. I am pretty sure I'll beat it this month, cos I'm already on 10GB!

Multilinks Evdo!!

@ All,

The vote is unanimous: The majority have spoken.

The NEWSWEEK (Jan. '09 Edition) of America has confirmed it too.

The Greatest of them all is E.A. Adeboye.

Nice article. Very informative. Too academic though.

I've always known that slavery played a huge role in dismantling the structures required for indigenous African development. I always thought the other major factor was inability to evolve our own writing systems which we could have used in passing on information from generations to generations. But your write up is re=informing and I'm relearning.

However, if we must move forward, we would have to ignore the past and focus on the future, as our past has little to teach asides the the reminder of atrocities meted on those past generations.

PAPABOMBOY:
This cain thin dey taya me. See as we dey discredit awa self sha, becos nah whitey nahim be say e betta.

Open your eyes people ^{All these oyinbo ass-lickers} !!!!

Scenario:

White man speak Pidgin English (Gets a whole thread on nairaland)

Response: The boy try sha!



Awa own naija man ^{with thick African accent} speak American English.

Response: The bobo nah American-wanna-be, fool, olodo buruku,etc

^{*shakes head and walks out*}

While I don't agree totally with all you've said, I get ur logic.

An American speaking with a Nigerian accent- Everybody loves it. Its so cool!
A Nigerian speaking with an American Accent- Everybody hates it. Says he is a sell out!

Everybody gets influenced by the environment he resides. Since the white boy got influenced by the Nigeria accent, whats wrong if the black guy gets influenced by the American accent soince he resides there.

Fhemmmy:
Good one.
The guy is not only politically corrupt, he is morally retard too.

I wonder for u sef.

That means Clinton Bill is as bad too. Since he slept with his intern.

Why you dey vex?

Is it bad to show you your errors?

I thought you want to show our bad leaders their own errors.

Very bad english! Terrific! No, Terrible!

Can't even pass the primary six exams, much less kick out the bad leaders!

Since when did sleeping with another woman, whoever she is, become the yardstick of measuring a president's performance?

It is only when you dont have any fault to hold on, that's when you can begin to talk about crap like that.

Let's give OBJ his credit! And truly, none of us can take his legacy from him.
Can't we see, the more we insult him, the more appointments he gets, the more speeches he gives in the best institutions, the more powerful he becomes globally.

Haba people, why destroy (actually we cant) the few good things to come out of nigeria?

In reality, OBJ is as the case of the woman stripped naked in katsina (or wherever). Those cursing her openly, actually desire her secretly in their hearts.

@ Wirinet,

Why do we blame OBJ for every wrong thing about nigeria, and for the good things, we ascribe to luck or coincidence? WHY?

Isnt that bias? Someone once mentioned that soludo alone was responsible for the banking boom, Okonjo Iweala for the debt cancellation, Dora Akunyili for Nafdac's progress, Ribadu for anti-corruption drive, etc, and not OBJ. Funny. Rather he said, OBJ is responsible for practilly all the bad things in Nigeria, assasinations, fuel queues, teachers strike, and maybe even students failure in exams.

The earlier we give this man OBJ the credit he deserves, the sooner our country will begin to develop.

I think OBJ held his own in that interview.

His body language conveys confidence, and an air of personal dignity. You cant take that away from him, as Whitney Houston sang.

OBJ getting angry isn't new on hardtalk. Bill Clinton was once grilled on same HardTalk and he got dirty mad at the interviewer. He told her then pointedly,"with all I did as president, u cant make lewinsky look like my legacy. And I wont let you get away with that." He could have slapped her.

So what's the big deal about OBJ getting angry.

How many Nigerians will ever be opportune to get on such a show. No nigerian has ever been given such honour, and we talk of comparing them with OBJ
with any former leader. No one comes half as close.

@ crazykid,

you sound as your name.

Do you know the meaning of ignorance?

It is a bad cage to be in. Go find the facts.

I believe OBJ is the only nigerian leader who fought corruption in any way at all. And of course, his former boss- Murtala Mohammed.

At least, that's why as at 1999, nigeria was most corrupt country in the world, but as at last year, it is number 52.

Who beats that?

@ all,

Why is OBJs gist always the sweetest and hottest on any thread?

Truth is: Love him, hate him, we all just cant let him go. 

He is like the woman stripped naked on the streets of katsina, (check that thread), whom everyone around openly curses for adultery, YET all secretly longing to have fun with her.

@ Ziddy,

Even though you have mixed a lot of emotional outburst with some measure of logic, i will respond to some issues you raised. In a measured fashion!

1)FDI inflow - You said this is due largely to change from military to democratic dispensation. And that the current capital flight is due to global recession.   And that this is all coincidence.
First, you should know(i hope), that scientifically or rationally, NOTHING is left to coincidence. Every phenomena should be thoroughly examined; trends should be studied; seeming coincidences MUST be scrutinized, while correlations or otherwise should be established.
It should interest you to note that the FDI inflow started to dip before the global economic crises. It started when the present govt. began sending conflicting signals in its policy thrust as regards issues like privatisation, reforms continuity, etc. Naturally, investors will start taking a second look.

2)OBJ squandered our surplus - We must remember that OBJ met $3 billion in our foreign reserves, and left $55billion. Sounds like squandering?
                                                       Met debts of $36billion and  left $5billion debts. Squandering too?
                                                       Stock market cap.: 1999: $3billion.  2007:$100billion. Today: $25billion. Coincidence or squandering or both?


3) Bank loan/TOD rates - What were the rates before OBJ came in? Let me remind you: 1999 rates were 40 - 45%. Today you have rates as low/high as 23%. If you have a sense of objectivity, you know that's an improvement. Loans were previously unaccessible. Under OBJ, access was increased.

4)Still on banking - In a society were  successful professionals & bankers can be insulted with the ease you have done, it explains our continued romance with personal failure and poverty. Remember, you can never be like what you revile.

How do you explain that OBJ met failed banks trapped with peoples deposits and life savings, and by policy, depositors got back their monies years later. I lost large sums in City Express, and got the cash back through UBA under the P&A model. Same with many I know. I don't understand if this is squandering or a coincidence.

5)Mind-boggling salaries for bank employees - I am ashamed that you probably dont have a single relative working in the banking sector. Else you wouldnt have such. Are the employees not Nigerians? Aren't you happy they are able to meet their family needs? Isn't that what we all are hoping for?Since when did fat salaries for employees (except politicians) become anathema? In that case, the rag-dressed people on the streets are your vision for Nigeria.

6)What do the shareholders get? - Where have you been? The shares you bought that crashed, when did they crash? Under OBJ or Yar adua? Do you know over millionaires were made in OBJs time through the stock exchange?  Double that number has been lost just 2 years after he left?      
Do you know that share prices are a measure of the value people place on the given share or its company, or larger still, the economy? And that's why when sept 11 happened, the ripples went out? In a word, the high prices in OBJs time were indicative of a higher confidence in Nigeria, and not a fraud as u feel.

7)Satanic pre-occupation with balance sheets - It is like asking, "why are teachers and parents always concerned with my scores at school?", or let me ask you-"why were you concerned about your grades in school?".  Your answer is mine.

@ Trunature,

you are one of Nigeria's problems. And i mean it.

Where did you hear of $16 Billion? Did they not recently confirm that it was actually $3 billion?

Emotional outbursts again! Unfortunately, i expect more.