₦airaland Forum

Work at the new modern jetty in Badore, would be capable of b[b]erthing ferries of 500-passenger capacity, is nearing completion [/b](see pictures from earlier in the year below).

The Badore Jetty is one of the three new jetties being built by the Lagos State government at a cost of N8.5 billion (the other two are located at Ipakodo and Osborne in Ikoyi), in addition to some old jetties that would be renovated and rehabilitated, under the first phase of the LASG's ferry transportation program.

The ferry transportation program would include the building of modern terminals, as well as the dredging and channellisation of some ferry routes. These include Ikorodu - Badore, via Oreta, Baiyeku and Ijede; Ikorodu - Osborne; Badore - Lekki/VI; Oke Afa - Mile 2; Tolu/Ajegunle - Port Novo creek - Liverpool; and the planned repairs of Epeme and Iya Afin jetties.

https://www.lagosindicatoronline.com/images/ajah_badore2.gif

https://www.lagosindicatoronline.com/images/ajah_badore2.gif

https://www.lagosindicatoronline.com/images/ajah_badore2.gif

https://www.lagosindicatoronline.com/images/ajah_badore2.gif

[img]http://4.bp..com/_bDcpR_wJ7hk/Sf5E6YoCN7I/AAAAAAAAAUw/spdbbp0wOLI/s1600/project_lagos1.gif[/img]

Lagos metropolitan area is by far the largest and most complex urban area in Nigeria and, in economic terms, it is pre-eminent. With about 17.8 million inhabitants, Lagos is also one of the largest cities of the world, and its population is growing rapidly at a rate of nearly 6% per annum. It contains the largest manufacturing sector and provides employment for over 45% of the skilled manpower of the country.

The poor condition of the road network and of the public transport system affects severely the development of the city and the working and living conditions of the population, particularly the poorer part of it. A lack of adequate infrastructural expansion over the years to cope with the increasing population has resulted in heavy traffic congestion within the city. Traveling within Lagos takes double and sometime triple the normal time, adversely affecting economic development and quality of life.

To address this problem, there is need to diversify Lagos transport modes and encourage modal choice for passengers. Water transportation is a realistic and potentially effective option given that Lagos is blessed with abundant water bodies that could be harnessed to offer fast, safe, comfortable and cheaper water transportation services.

In comparison with other major urban developments near or situated close to the sea and/or riverine and lagoon systems, the percentage of water transportation in the overall matrix of transports modes for Lagos State is well below 1%. Other cities like London, Rotterdam, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Melbourne, Sydney, New York, etc. have a well established water transportation system, which roughly amounts to 5-10% of the overall commuter traffic flows.

The state government has therefore made it its policy to develop, very rapidly, commuter water transportation routes in the state to arrest the decline in the quality of life in Lagos and sustain economic development in the state and ultimately the country.

The routes are to be developed using a Public Private Partnership (PPP) delivery strategy, whereby the public sector (LAMATA on behalf of the state) finances infrastructure provision (jetties and landings, car-parks, access roads etc) whilst the private sector provides and operates ferry services to specifications to be provided by LAMATA.

The Proposed Water Transportation Routes

A detailed feasibility study of the development of ferry services is underway (by Royal Haskoning Ltd) in order to achieve the development and implementation of a detailed strategic plan for improving the use of waterways of Metropolitan Lagos for transport services, including establishing, formulating and implementing an appropriate regulatory framework, promotion of scheme for the encouragement of private sector participation in the provision of commuter water transport services.

Seven main routes have been identified for development (see figure 1(Please create a hyperlink with the map)) of which 3 routes and the Marina terminal are earmarked as priority (create hyperlink to figure 2). The priority routes are;

* Ikorodu to Marina (North Direct Line)
* Ebutte Ojo (LASU) to Marina via Satellite Town (Ijegun Egba) (West Line) and
* Ijede-Badore to Marina via Lekki and Falomo (East Line)

There is also a plan to develop Osborne and turn it into a major terminal Interchange. (create hyperlink to the Osborne Interchange plan)


Proposed Water Commuter Routes


The 3 routes earmarked as Priority


Repairs and Spot Improvements to Terminals and Waterways

One of the major constraints on existing and potential water transport services is the inadequacy in the provision of safe and attractive terminal facilities. LAMATA is therefore embarking on spot improvements along some routes to help shorten and /or make water commuting safer. The objectives of the Repairs and Spot Improvements to Terminals and Waterways are as follows;

* Repairs or provision of water transport terminal/Interchange infrastructure that is safe for communities heavily dependent on water transport
* Spot improvements along some routes.
* To improve water safety and make it more attractive to users.

Presently, LAMATA has almost completed the rehabilitation of two jetties; Agboyi-Ketu jetty in Oriade Local Council Development Area of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area and Ijegun-Egba jetty in Agboyi Ketu Local Council Development Area in Kofose Local Government Area of Lagos State. The rehabilitation works includes installation of sheet piles, construction of waiting shelters, electrification of the jetty area, resurfacing of access roads and provision of required traffic system measures amongst other things.

[img]http://static.wix.com/media/770418_b16f54608e825d704f4639c2ab436eb4.jpg_128[/img]

Lagos to get 60 ferries as Fashola inspects prototype in Australia

History was made in Brisbane, Queensland in Australia on Thursday as Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) pushed ahead with another electoral promise of accelerating inter-modal transportation through the extensive use of the State’s waterways when he witnessed the signing of the Ferry Manufacturing Agreement for the State between Aluminium Boats Company of Brisbane, Australia and a consortium of water transportation practitioners, Eko Water Buses Limited.

The Agreement signing event which was preceded by an inspection and a ride on one of the prototype ferries, being manufactured for the State, by Governor Fashola and his entourage is for the initial batch of 60 ferries each with a 200 passenger capacity to be deployed on various routes.

These ferries are like the water buses because of their passenger carrying capacity.

The inspection and Agreement signing followed a recent Memorandum of Understanding between the Lagos State Government represented by the Private Public Partnerships Office and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the consortium, Eko Water Buses Limited which aims to deploy one ferry for a pilot scheme by July this year. According to the Agreement and production schedule, five more of the purpose built and fully fitted high capacity ferries will be deployed by December this year making a total of six.

However in the near term and as part of the positive spin offs from the Agreement, about 50 Nigerians will benefit from a comprehensive training programme in Marine Operations, Boat Services and Repairs in the expansive boat building facility of Aluminium Boats Company in Brisbane, Queensland ,Australia as a prelude to the full commencement of the ferry services operations in December.

Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and his entourage were received in Brisbane, Queensland by a representative of the Premier of Queensland, the Treasurer and Minister for Trade, Mr Tim Nicholls, the top management of Aluminium Boats Company of Australia including its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Stuart Pascoe and General Manager, Mr Tommy Ericson as well as representatives of the consortium, Eko Water Buses Limited led by its Chief Operating Officer,Mr Muyiwa Omololu and their technical partners including Mr John Waterhouse and Captain Elgin Mckilop.

Also on hand to meet with the Governor and his entourage which included the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Private Partnerships, Mr Ayo Gbeleyi and Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority ( LASWA),Mr Yinka Marinho were representatives of international financial institutions backing the landmark project including Westpac lnstitutional Bank of Brisbane, Commercial Banking of Australia and the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation ( EFIC).

Apart from a test ride on the prototype of the ferry demonstrating its versatility, durability and safety features, the Governor and his entourage also undertook an extensive tour of the company’s boat yard during which he inspected one of the boats being built for the Lagos operations.

The major private sector partners of this project which will provide a great boost to safe and secure water transportation in Lagos State as an integral part of the inter-modal transportation which also includes the Bus Rapid Transit system and the light rail project ,Eko Water Buses Limited is a consortium of world class ferry operators. It includes Western Pacific Maritime based in Vancouver, Canada, the Eliot Bay Design Group and other technical partners like Transit Systems of Australia and Whitewater Marine Corporation of Canada.

https://www.worldstagegroup.com/worldstagenew/media/19259323324384.jpg

http://www.worldstagegroup.com/worldstagenew/index.php?active=news&newscid=4565&catid=41

Johndoe100: @jason123
The more of your posts that I read, the more I give credence to the claim that you are not form the ND but are infact someone else- alh haram as beaf & co claim.

How does quoting a newspaper equate to this? Guy sorry, I don't do this blind followership people do on NL.

Thanks guys!

DON’T PLACE TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE IN THE (PRESIDENT) WHO BOASTS OF BEING AS HONEST AS THE DAY IS LONG. WAIT UNTIL YOU MEET HIM AT NIGHT
– Robert C. Edwards

But we do not need to wait until we meet at night to ask a very nagging question: What was President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan thinking of when he removed subsidy?

What was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala thinking of? What was Madam Diezani Allison-Madueke thinking of? What was Labaran Maku thinking of? Two men, two women!

A President, a finance minister, the petroleum resources minister and the information minister in that order. Still bewildered, the question must be asked: What were they thinking of?

Had there been no street protests and total paralysis of the Nigerian state in the wake of the January 1, 2012, removal of subsidy on petrol by Nigerians, President Jonathan and his economic advisers would have stuck to their policy of subsidy removal. Indeed, as Nigerians would have been paying for petrol at the intended price of N141 per litre, so would the federal government of Nigeria have been awash with petro naira to play with in the name of delivering on the SURE promises – mind you, SURE was the acronym for Subsidy Reinvestment And Empowerment Programme.

Because there is a world of difference between the desire to accomplish and the capacity to deliver, some economists had seen through the SURE programme tones of both intended and unintended consequences. But that was merely on the surface.

Today, with the public hearing put together by the House of Representatives’ committee which looked into the management of fuel subsidy and the startling revelations it has come out with, it now appears that President Jonathan and his economic management team were merely out to swindle Nigerians.

The committee is demanding that a total of N1,067,040,456,171.31 be refunded back to the coffers of the federal government. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which had become a government unto itself, is asked to refund “N310,414,963,613.00 for subsidy it collected on Kerosene after the subsidy on the product had been outlawed in the country; another N285,098,000,000 for subsidy it collected above the PPPRA recommended amount and N108, 648,000,000 for self discount it granted itself”. (See Report on Probe).

Now, had all these shady dealings not been exposed via the instrumentality of the probe, Nigerians would still have had to pay the difference in subsidy from where government had hoped to rake in over a trillion to fund its SURE programme.

Therefore, if this quantum of graft had already been committed by institutions of government, what guarantees were there that the SURE funds would have been judiciously expended after Nigerians would have been squeezed to pay with their sweat.

Many had objected to and suspected that the removal of subsidy on the one hand, and the funds to be realized would not be judiciously spent.

But why did the Jonathan administration attempt to enthrone a magnifying spectre of double jeopardy on Nigerians: Tax payers money mis-managed through a dubious management of subsidy funds; and causing Nigerians to pay the differential in the subsidy at the same time.

In conclusion, the question still begs for an answer: What were President Jonathan and his advisers thinking of?



The Subsidy probe report

Three months after it began the public hearing on the utilization of the Subsidy regime on petroleum products, the Ad Hoc committee of the House of Representatives headed by Hon. Faruk Lawan on Wednesday submitted its report to the House for consideration and adoption.

The submission of the report was the culmination of several months’ investigations to unravel the mystery surrounding the continued bludgeoning of the money spent by the Federal Government in subsidizing the price of Fuel in order to make it affordable to the generality of the people, who believe that the cheap price of fuel was the only benefit accruable to them in a country that is stupendously rich in resources but where mismanagement has kept the people down and poor.

It would be recalled that following the rather abrupt removal of subsidy on petroleum products at the beginning of the year and the threat by organized labour to shut down the country to protest the unpopular decision of government, the House of Representatives in an usual resolution reconvened from its Christmas and new year recess to address the then impending disaster with a view to possibly averting the strike by persuading the executive arm of government to rescind its decision while it put in place necessary measures to cushion the possible effects of the subsidy removal.

As a fall out of that session, the House empanelled the Hon. Faruk Lawan led committee to verify and determine the actual subsidy requirements and monitor the implementation of the subsidy regime in the country.

Expectedly, the committee came under intense pressure from both those who had benefitted unduly from the regime and their friends in government who facilitated such benefits to tone down the rhetoric that had characterized the modus operandi of the probe.

But for the chairman of the Committee, Hon. Faruk Lawan, the issue of sacrificing his hard earned reputation as a meticulous legislator who has strived to remain above board in a national assembly where scandals have continued to dog its every step as a second skin for cheap popularity among a few Nigerian was not an option.

Therefore, when the hearing commenced, it was not only done within the comfort zone of the National assembly. the proceedings were beamed live on national television to millions of Nigerians who were awe struck by the magnitude of brazen thievery that had characterised the oil sector in the name of subsidy.

So when the Committee submitted its report on Wednesday and reported that the sum of N1,067,040,456,171.31 be refunded to the federation account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Marketers, companies that refused to appear before the committee as well as the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency, not many Nigerians were surprised by its recommendations but many were flustered by the quantum of money involved in the fuel subsidy charade.

Giving a break down of the money to be refunded by the various agencies, the committee noted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation which had over the years gained notoriety for its penchant for graft and opaque dealings should refund a N310,414,963,613.00 for subsidy it collected on Kerosene after the subsidy on the product had been outlawed in the country; another N285,098,000,000 for subsidy it collected above the PPPRA recommended amount and N108, 648,000,000 for self discount it granted itself while marketing companies are to refund a N8,664,352,554.00. Companies that failed to appear before the committee are to refund the sum of N41,936,140,005 while the PPPRA is to refund the sum of N312,279,000,000 being excess payment it made to itself. The refunds are to be made within three months.

Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, Hon. Faruk Lawan who laid the report on Wednesday also recommended that relevant anti corruption agencies should investigate/prosecute all persons and companies that have been found to have committed any crime while those companies that obtained FOREX but failed to import Petroleum products should also be referred to the Anti Corruption agencies with a view to verifying what they used the forex for.

For a country that is struggling to fund its capital projects since the return to democratic rule in 1999, the realization that contrary to the official figure of subsidy payment of N1.3Trillion being bandied for the 2011 fiscal year, the discovery that what was paid out from the nation’s treasury as subsidy for the year under review was actually N2,587.087 trillion was simply benumbing.

This is more so when it is realized that the figure represents more than900% over the appropriated sum of N245Billion for the fiscal year.

Expectedly, the committee came hard on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation for its penchant for sleaze and minced no words in describing it as being a lord onto itself as it has demonstrated that it is not ‘ accountable to any body or authority’.

As a way out of this seeming impudence, the committee recommended the unbundling of the corporation to make its operations more efficient and transparent adding that ‘the Management and Board of the NNPC should be completely overhauled and all those involved in the following should be further investigated and prosecuted by the relevant anti corruption agencies’.

The infractions for which the committee recommended further investigation/prosecution are: payment of N285.098Billion in excess of the PPPRA recommended figure for 2011; subsidy deductions of N310,414,963,613 for kerosene against a president federation account in contravention of section 162 of the Nigerian constitution and the Illegal granting of price differential (discounts) of crude oil price per barrel to the NNPC to the tune of N108.648Billion from 2009-2011.

It further recommended that ‘the House do direct for the auditing of the NNPC to determine its solvency. This is as a result of plethora of claims of indebtedness and demands for payments by NNPC’s debtors which, if not well handled, will not only affect the entire economy of Nigeria but also the supply and distribution of petroleum products
The NNPC was not the only government agency that was found to be on the debit side of the law in its transaction. According to the report, the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, which is supposed to ensure that the subsidy is diligently implemented to ensure that the intended beneficiaries of the regime are not short changed, was found to be deeply mired in activities to undermine the very essence it was set up for.

According to the committee’s findings, the PPPRA paid N258billion to itself in 2009 and N157Billion in 2010 and even the office of the Accountant general of the Federation, OAGF, was unable to submit details of the bulk payments arrogated to PPPR A and the account from which the bulk sums were disbursed, to the supposed beneficiaries.

In order to ensure that those who abused their offices were not left to act with impunity, the committee recommended that ‘the Executive Secretaries of the PPPRA who were the Accounting Officers, and under whose watch abuses were perpetrated that led to the government losing billions of Naira should be held liable.

We strongly recommend that those who served as Executive Secretaries of PPPRA from January 2009 to October 2010 should be further investigated/prosecuted by relevant Anti-corruption agencies.

This should also include the GM Field Services, ACDO/Supervisor Ullage Team 1 and ACDO/Supervisor Ullage Team 2 within the same period for their roles in the management of the ullaging under the subsidy scheme.

The organized pilferring of the nation according to the committee’s findings was rather ubiquitous. According to the report, it was discovered that an “ Accountant General that served during the period 2009 was found to have made a payment of equal installments of N999 Million for a record 128 times within 24 hours on the 12th and 13th of January 2009, totaling N127.872Billion.

The confirmed payments from the CBN records were made to beneficiaries yet to be disclosed by the OAGF or identified by the committee. We however discovered that only 36 marketers were participants under the PSF scheme during this period. Even if there were 128 marketers, it was inconceivable that all would have imported the same quantity of products to warrant equal payment” the report noted.

If the officials of government who were supposed to safeguard the nation’s treasury acted in the most brazen manner to deplete it, the marketers who were beneficiaries of the subsidy regime simply went for the kill. The committee in its report noted that it found out that “certain marketers collected subsidy of over N230.184 Billion on PMS volume of N3,262,960,225 litres that from the records made available to us were not supplied.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE COMMITTEE

*Mr. president should reorganize the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to make it more effective in carrying out the much needed reforms in the oil and gas sector.

*Given the large and complex nature of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the committee recommends that two ministers should be appointed to take charge of the Upstream and Downstream.

*The PPPRA should provide the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA advance copies of allocation and vessel arrival notification documents to enable the navy monitor, track and interdict vessels seeking to avoid Naval certification.

*The committee recommends that the regulatory capacity of PPPRA be strengthened and the National Assembly should commence the process of amending the Act to make the Agency autonomous

*The committee recommends that FIRS should follow up on the companies listed earlier to pay their taxes with due penalties in line with the provisions of the Companies Income Tax Act.

*The PSF guidleines should be revised to make Tax compliance a mandatory pre-qualification requirement for all participants under the scheme.

*The CBN and the Federal Ministry of Finance should critically examine and review policy guiding payment for importation of petroleum products to avoid the current fraudulent system that allows importers to bring in products from off-shore ‘lome’ or cotonou to qualify for forex payments

*The committee recommends that the PPMC management be overhauled.

https://vml1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Subsidycartoon.jpg?9d7bd4

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/04/n1trillion-subsidy-fraud-and-duplicity-how-fg-almost-swindled-nigerians/

Guk: 52. SEA PETROLEUM & GAS CO. LTD N1,019,571,609.00

SEA PETROLEUM & GAS CO. LTD is owned by the present Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah. Since her company has been indicted, does she still have moral justification to remain in govt

You can't be serious?!

Nchara, what is all this?

bittyend: That's the problem with you - you always jump from pillar to post.. I don't care whom they supported - these bigots only care about Igbo interests, and who they can align with, to claim as part of their landlocked alaigbo...

Since, they are unrepentant YORUBA HATERS - I don't care about them.

And why bring you guys tribal hate here?! Our leaders have caused enough division in the South instead of the next generation to mend it, you all (including your fellow Igbo bigots) are still carrying it on!

bittyend: And who cares about Eziachi's words?? I'm YORUBA, and I don't give a phuck about what the bigots on the other side do... Eziachi, Dede1, Ejine, and their co-travelers are YORUBA HATERS - and I don't give a phuck about them... Ignore my posts next time, little sissy..

You are Yoruba . . .and so f.u.cking what?! I should hail you?! Hell no! You spoke like a senseless boy and you needed to be corrected! Instead of taking the correction, you went on a rampage! GROW UP BOY!

bittyend: You're dumb, any ways - there is no point arguing with a wimp.. You're more of NL's LovePeddler, than a real man.. Get a life!!

To think you actually have the fingers to type "LovePeddler" when you are a gay LovePeddler is very suprising!
See this ode that has been chasing Afam all over NL calling another a LovePeddler? Wonders shall NEVER end! Rubbish!

bittyend: Why do you jump into argument, that has nothing to do with you?? I don't care about what the 'Bible says' in Nigerian context.. The fact remains that Great Oboru, and Mukoro don't see Igbos as exclusively part of their struggle.. In fact, they aligned with Yorubas. Great Ogboru used to be a member of AD - a Yoruba political party..

Read more, before exposing your ignorance - and alliance prostitution on NL.. Today, it's Ijaws don't like Itsekiris - tomorrow, it's united SS - where do you stand?? I doubt you're an Itsekiri - because Itsekiris, who're of the Ijebu stock are not as dimwitted as you are.. They're proud Yorubas!!

Now, address the remaining rubbish you put down. Most of you mistake objectivity for political prostitution. During the last election, Eziachi did not support GEJ, Blink182 (Uhrobo)did not support GEJ and infact, insulted Itsekiris; does that make them less Igbo or Uhrobo? NO! You need to get you acts right because I don't do blind followership. I have a mind of my own.

bittyend: Why do you jump into argument, that has nothing to do with you?? I don't care about what the 'Bible says' in Nigerian context.. The fact remains that Great Oboru, and Mukoro don't see Igbos as exclusively part of their struggle.. In fact, they aligned with Yorubas. Great Ogboru used to be a member of AD - a Yoruba political party..

Read more, before exposing your ignorance - and alliance prostitution on NL.. Today, it's Ijaws don't like Itsekiris - tomorrow, it's united SS - where do you stand?? I doubt you're an Itsekiri - because Itsekiris, who're of the Ijebu stock are not as dimwitted as you are.. They're proud Yorubas!!

So, it means Im Igbo right? You are daft! Again, I have closer Igbo people as brothers than my own brothers, Itsekiris or Yorubas, yet that does not make me less of an Itsekiri. If you could not understand the context in Pa Eziachi's words it shows you are VERY IMMATURE and probably still a teenager or max early 20's. Again STOP TROLLING!

bittyend: Only Nzeogwu is your brother - the rest are not your brothers...

Upgrade your IQ!!

Bittyend of Narnia!!

NB: Stop calling me Shymmex, I'm not him.

**All I do is win win win, no matter what***

Trolling is the best thing since slice bread.

The Bible says, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24!

Stop trolling and grow up!

Dede1: I consider you a literate and hope you can embark on exploratory research about Nigerian history without bias. The people of the protectorates (in assumption the people were being protected by Imperial British Empire against pillage from other European powers) had no say about manner, shape or way the protectorate will form.

The intact or no intact of south/north protectorates had a long way muddled in fear, jealousy and envy. The northern region was once in command of cash and revenue resources from groundnuts and tin. Suddenly cocoa and timber arrived onto the scene with western region in control at the same time displaying sense of self-centeredness. Eastern region was not much behind either with coal, iron ore and palm produce generating revenue.

The western region’s self-centeredness came when Shell D’arcy and eastern region ran into financial problem as Shell threatened to abandon further exploration since two wells in eastern region were hindered due to state of art of equipment to drill. Shell and eastern region sought financial help from western and northern region. Northern region responded favorably while western region announced it was broke.

Problem which engulfed the protectorates, region and Nigeria started the moment crude oil was struck in commercial quantity in Oloibiri in 1956. Due to the promises and signs from the exploration, eastern region wrote elaborate economic development plan for the region. In a bid to destabilize eastern region, Adako Boro nonsensical shenanigan was born. Adaka Boro was nobody until Gowon made him one. After Boro’s stupidity in the region, NDC lost every seat contested in both regional and federal elections except one.

Thanks for the reply. As I said earlier, I'm not vast in history so I am not sure of how correct your account is but I'll research on it.

careytommy: What happened was the refusal of awolowo and azikiwe to bulge.
I'd say the blame falls mainly on Awolowo for scheming Azikiwe out of a Lagos leadership position he actually won. I guess that's why Azikiwe refused to ever work with him again.

I believe it all started way before your said event. According to some accounts, it was said that Awolowo and Azikwe agreed on Southern Nigeria but when the time to vote arrived, Azikwe and Ahmadu voted for Nigeria while Awolowo was left alone to vote against Nigeria. That set-up the West for marginalization because the East and North became best pals (Prime-minister Balewa while President Azikwe) which was further compounded by the arrest of Awolowo, Enahoro and the split of the Mid-west from the West.

I am not trying to remove the blame from Awolowo. He also had his faults after all, he is human but my point here is that move set the West and the East on a collision course and of course, the election, coup and civil war almost completely buried any form of unity.

Beaf, [/b]I partially support your comment on the split and alliance issue but where we disagree is joining the "East" and "middle belt". My predictions are, if a split occurs and there is no [b]UNIFIED SOUTHERN NIGERIA, then the new nations will be like a broken mug! It is not as clear cut as you put it. Edo and Delta will form theirs, Calabar etc will form theirs, Ijaws of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers will form theirs, the Igbos will form theirs, the Yorubas will form theirs etc!

^^^^

Dede1: @OP



It is an essay brilliantly written with displays reserved for artful dodgers. From the tenant of the first paragraph, author discussed everything humanly possible with his friend but Nigeria/Biafra war. Also, he failed to state facts correctly. For example, Oloibiri is not first place crude oil was struck in Nigeria.

In the middle of the essay, the author realized there are no bases for Nigeria to stand as nation. I am happy the author understood the seed of discord had been sown under the manipulation of Balewa and Gowon that it is an arrant nonsense for lappers to keep dreaming about coalition of southern Nigeria.

I am not vast in history but Dede1, I humbly ask you, was there not a Southern and a Northern protectorate? How come the Northern protectorate is intact while the Southern protectorate is not?

Why in this world did the Southern protectorate join the Northern protectorate? Were they not asked to vote? What happened during the vote? What happened after the vote? What happened to the smaller (number-wise) ethnic groups in the East and West, infact, mainly the East because the West allowed theirs to separate?! Why did the Whole East not support Boro when he wanted to secede but expect his support when they wanted to secede? Let us be honest for once!

Answer this SINCERELY and we might right some of the wrongs done to eachother in the South!

quote from Beaf: The seed of discord had been sown long ago by events of the first republic, the pogrom of 1966 and the civil war under the manipulation of Balewa and Gowon, respectively, that the Yoruba, the Igbo and the minorities of the south do not even attempt to think about a south-south coalition. Our southern politicians were always looking for northern sponsors, always trying to outdo themselves in the search for second-fiddle alignments and coalitions with northerners, maintaining and deepening the political hatred between themselves and, therefore, always owing allegiance instead and being subservient to northern interests. Such politicians could not be expected to come to an agreement over such a motion, much more to table it and pursue it in the national assembly.

Thank God for this quote. I have said this countless times, Nigeria did not start in 1967 or Aburi cord. It started waaaayyyyy before that. Now, forget about the Northern politicians, the question is what really happened between Southerners?? Until we are all honest with this answer, without partially, there will be no peace or FULL southern unity.

Lagos homes!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzlGNfaVA18