₦airaland Forum

olowoboi:
Call

Oh, is your network provider or the GSM company going to dash you free credit for every call that you receive?

genearts:
1. you do not have a realistic road map to achieve bia
2. you are boasting of destroying the zoo when u have no heat map to see how disadvantaged you are if a war breaks
3. that your leader ate in the house of a man that belittled ojukwu by boasting that he slept with his (ojukwu) wife and the number 1 igbo hater in nigeria

Eeewo!! See finishing of the highest order..... chai!

TheCabal:
Another IPOB fool. So she could not have gotten the scapula after they left their captors, met thier parents, went to the doctors, pass through several activities.

You mean Ibo land is this full of idiots. My God

Thank you for educating the clueless ones, o!

Nwakaumu:
Awolowo is best remembered as the most callous genocidist in the history of mankind for plotting the death of over 2 million innocent children.The hottest part of hell has been burning his Soul for the past thirty years after his miserable and shameful death through Aba-made rat poison.

Ok, so what do we call that bearded general who declared war on a whole country, despite lacking adequate arms and ammunition to defend his people, yet still sent under-aged defenceless civilians to their death at the war front, only to turn round and abandon them to flee to Ivory Coast?

melodyogonna:
i remember him as a triibalist who stabbed the igbos on the back

How!!

sarrki:

Professor Banji Akintoye was close to the sage, Pa Obafemi Awolowo, when he was alive. The senator speaks on what papa’s view would have been like if he were to be around now that the country is beset with serious challenges in many fronts, in this interview with BOLA BADMUS. Excerpts:

What do you think has been responsible for that? Or was the fault with Awolowo himself? Could it be that he failed to raise a possible successor?

No. I have heard people say that Papa did not lay out his successor. He did. This is Awolowo’s style of leadership. He is not saying be loyal to me as a person; that is not what he is saying. He is saying you create a body of ideals and principles that become the mark of us all, my master, your master; we are all servants of these ideals and principles. And it is that servant-hood of those ideals and principles that martyrs us as a group. So, whoever does that has already provided for leadership forever.

....It is not that Chief Awolowo did not provide for succession to himself; he did. He created a team that was very solidly dedicated to ideals very high ideals and principles; and that team could have led Nigeria or any country in the world to greatness....

To rule this country.

Maybe not rule this country, at least, he would give mankind the type of decent leadership that Awolowo represented.

http://tribuneonlineng.com/awo-gave-western-region-7-years-british-not-give-nigeria-50-years-akintoye/[/quote]These were the best parts of the entire interview! Well said, Prof. Akintoye! May you live long....

ariesbull:
Capital repatriation...Igbo keep their economies to themselves and take the chunk out of others....I think then

Oh, you are saying that you cannot make the same capital within your region, in order to 'repatriate' it to your towns? Just asking.

ODVanguard:
Who are the 'we'? Guy, fvck off my mention. You igbo people are the ones moving en masse to our 'brown roof' cities for survival, coz obviously your supposed eldorados are nothing but hype, lack a big enough market, and are generally not economically viable. #Fact. Who wouldn't? Afterall, you lots only visit home during festivities, while spending the remainder of your time in our brown-roof region, which is home to the highest concentration of industries in the entire country (Lagos and Ogun especially: http://businessdayonline.com/2015/02/ogun-ikeja-top-manufacturers-investment-destinations-in-2014/ ).

We still attract the bulk of the FDI that comes into the country: http://punchng.com/ogun-attracts-75-fdi-into-nigeria-uk-envoy/

Euromonitor rated Ibadan to be amongst the top 10 fastest growing cities in Africa: http://blog.euromonitor.com/2016/08/top-10-sub-saharan-cities-consumer-spending-growth-2030.html -- no single SE city featured on the list.

The same Ibadan is a more developed, versatile and complete city than any city in the entire SE. It has 3 Cinemaplexes at three separate locations, countless shopping malls and hotels (was adjuded by hotels coy Jovago as having the 3rd highest number of hotels in Nigeria, behind Lagos and Abuja, and fourth highest number of 5-star hotels in Nigeria, behind Lagos, Abuja, and PH), and a host of other renowned international brands like Dominos, ColdStone, KFC, (these can only be found in Lagos and ABJ), e.t.c. Till today, no single SE and SS hosts a skyscraper the height of Cocoa house. Up till today!

We are home to the highest number of and the most vibrant Higher institutions (both private and public) in the entire country. #Fact

Ogun is home to more ultra-modern architectures than anywhere in the entire SE, and is home to Africa's largest housing estate of 15,000 housing units at Canaan-city. #Fact

We still retain the highest enrollment figures AND acceptance rates for JAMB in the country (https://www.nairaland.com/3709501/see-jamb-applications-geopolitical-regions ). #Fact.

It's not our fault that your collective bitterness and inferiority complex as a people drives you to highlight the old settlement parts of some of our cities as a way of deluding yourselves into some false sense of superiority . But alas, it's not up to you to decide who's the more developed between our peoples, and you certainly won't achieve that by continually displaying pictures of brown-roofs every chance you get on these pages. The indices and factors (some of which I mentioned above) will be the judge of that, thank you. In a nutshell, we'll always be your bosses . The difference between us is just that it's not in our nature to toot our own horns. Besides, like they say, 'empty vessels make the loudest noise'.

Below are sample aerial shots YOU REFUSE TO SEE, of our own cities. This is not in anyway meant to counter your jaundiced and hateful propaganda about us and our cities (you're free to see and believe what you want), no, rather it's meant to buttress my earlier point that you are a dishonest and evil lot whose false propaganda to disparage us will always be dead on arrival in the face of facts. Now choke on that.

1. Aerial shots of Park Inn by Radisson Hotels Abeokuta and environs
2. An Abeokuta surburb
3. Aerial shot of another part of Ibadan
4. Another aerial shots of other parts of Ibadan

Chukwu biko!! See finishing! What is dis?? Haba, Oga you no even pity am small....

veraponpo:
The man that did, in 8 years, what the colonialists could not do in more than 40 years.

He brought civilization to Nigeria through television station, first in Africa.

Free and compulsory elementary education to the old Western and Mid-west Regions

He opened housing and industrial Estates from Ikeja to Ibadan

He ended the civil war through wisdom.

I concur!! 100%

sniperr007:
How long as shell being exploring those onshore fields? Like u said, d risk was more than the financial benefit so they sold but remind you that these IOCs explore in war torn countries when the financial gain is high eg Libya and Iraq. And imagine exploring in Chad basin with the menace of boko haram. Shows u how they operate.

Every community has a quota given to them They give them both skilled and unskilled jobs. D ones qualified for skilled position r given and d ones for unskilled r given.
Eg escravos. Iteskiris r given slots for both skilled and unskilled. Even Halliburton warri. With a letter from olu of warri, u r 85% sure u will b given a job.
Its der cooperate responsibility to d host community.

Yes d community leaders cheat d community but d companies have to do more. Like do surveys on the needs of d community rather than give a few hungry men to take do that in d community.

U wont bliv dat otu-jeremi in delta had shell fields but d community Neva had nepa pole until 1999 when ibori did it & shell had over 3 fields there & had being der for over 15yrs prior to 1999. R u sayin shell cudnot buy transformer & bring power der without giving community leaders money?

Dis IOCs want d easy Way is d reason dey give d community leaders moni instead of doin d projects dem selves.

My point still remains dat cos a community is restive is no reason u ignore them.
Best way to reduce crime is to create jobs.

You are talking about the IOCs giving 'slots' to the Niger-Delta indigenes for both skilled and unskilled workers. So merit does not count? Competence, skills, ability, expertise and knowledge of the workers no longer matters in your view, because of your ideology that such jobs should only be filled based on so-called 'slots' dictated by the host community, right?

You said :"Dis IOCs want d easy Way is d reason dey give d community leaders moni instead of doin d projects dem selves." I had to laugh. Obviously, you do not know much about the internal and external politics of your so-called community leaders. Whenever the IOCs do their surveys and try to implement community programmes, it is your community leaders that go to them and threaten them with militants and insist that they would shut down their operations, if money for such projects are not paid directly to them. Haven't you heard of the fees they collect in the name of helping the community (i.e. "deve"), which are neither accounted for, nor deployed to good use?

You also claimed that "Yes d community leaders cheat d community but d companies have to do more." My question is more of... what? More of provision of amenities which your state & federal govt should have provided in the first place, (and should be providing) but which they have not (or could not), because they had looted such funds?

Oh, so you think it is the business of Shell to provide power in such Niger-Delta communities, instead of the govt that has collected the money and chopped it? Guy, learn to hold your leaders accountable for once instead of giving excuses. Ibori provided power in the communities you mentioned, because it fell under the state/fed govt/NEPA responsibility to do so. In Nigeria, we have turned everything upside down. Instead of holding our leaders accountable, we hold the IOCs accountable for providing basic amenities and utilities that any sane govt should provide.

Power provision is a government responsibility, which is done via the collaboration of the GENCOs, DISCOs and transmission companies. It is NOT supposed to be the IOC's job. It is because govt has abdicated its' responsibilities that the IOCs now fill in the gap. And that is why a number of these Niger-Delta communities now have a sense of entitlement, towards the IOCs. Already, the IOCs provide schools, clinics, scholarships etc in the Niger-Delta, despite paying heavy taxes and levies to state & federal govt. Communities are expected to hold IOC's responsible for carrying out their operational activities in a sustainable manner, by ensuring that such companies do not pollute the environment, degrade or cause harmful emissions that would be toxic to the communities in which they operate.

I am glad you mentioned Libya and Iraq. Let me ask you a question. How many pipelines are broken every year by residents within the communities where the oil firms operate, in those countries? Oh last time I checked, there was no IOC within Nigeria, conducting exploration activities in Lake Chad Basin.

orisa37:
When a qualified one is found!!!

When Peter Obi decides to contest for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria! I will vote for him...

Finally!! Kalpana gave Raghav the answer he had been waiting for, in tonight's episode of Reach for the Stars. She said "Yes," to his declaration of love and agreed to have a relationship with him. Their embrace near the swimming pool was so touching & romantic, until Pakhi came upstairs to the pool area to interrupt them, with the excuse that she was looking for Raghav. Meanwhile, there was a party in full swing downstairs, why didn't she stay there? Thankfully, Sammy came up at the right time to diffuse the situation.

Raghav also told Kalpana all about his dad's death and the loss of his family. She ended up trying to comfort him. Unfortunately, she got home late as Sammy dropped her off. Her mum sees her getting out of Sammy's car and recalls that he had called her the previous day. So she jumps to the wrong conclusion and assumes that Sammy & Kalpana are having an affair!

In the last episode, Raghav also shared his feelings with Kalpana, and both of them ended up having a romantic moment in the rain. Pakhi on the other hand is suffering from an over-excited imagination, and feels that Raghav is actually in love with her. The girl no get sense! The man has not expressed anything that sounds remotely like love or affection to her, yet she is getting all worked up believing that he is crazy about her. _mtcheew! Can you see how some girls set themselves up for heartbreak?

greatKCforever:
price ; 35 million naira

For a shell/carcass duplex without internal finishing? Bros, check the current market rate again, o!

smartty68:
No steady power supply and yet they offer estimated bills and faulty meters that almost burnt down my house.

Even the once who paid for the meters never got it.

Yet, estimated or not, the light bills Nigerians pay is outrageous

Guy, what you have just described here is the modus operandi of Eko Disco. Till today, no Disco has provided a clear cut method for fixing or repairing faulty pre-paid meters. They just ignore you when you lodge such complaints, and whip out estimated bills that do not correlate to the amount of electricity you have received. God pass dem!

greatKCforever:
Image

Price?

7lives:
Thank you for this post, some thieves sold Nepa to themselves, their agents are going up and down enforcing their greedy agendas on Nigerians.
The 15,000 Naira that I loaded into my prepaid meter before Christmas, is still remaining some credits as am typing this because they give light at night only.
This only goes to show that Nigerians are being fleeced with the so called coded meter systems.
How can people be made to pay for the light they have not used?
EFCC needs to beam their search lights on the activities if Nepa, probe the sale of Nepa to these dubious distribution companies, what makes them qualified to buy these government properties.
Beam their search lights also on their dubious accounts, Nigerians need to know the volume of energy they sold to Nigerians compare to how much they are extorting from Nigerians.
As for the fx policy, the meter crisis was there before Buhari, then they have meter which they refused to share.
Nepa officials collected money for 8 meters in our compound and ate the money, they kept on telling us stories of how expensive it is to be on card meter.
And they gave us heavy bills without giving us lights, I personally went to make enquiries from those Nepa contractors, I got some contacts and that was how we got prepaid meters for our flats.
They came with atrocious demands, asking us to continue to pay for our dead analogue meters, we fought back and today we are free from their repressions.
Those power distribution companies are criminal organizations, simple.

How I wish I could dash you 1,000 likes for this post! You forgot to add that these same DISCOs refused to buy meters from local engineering companies, but preferred to import pre-paid meters at a ridiculous sum from abroad. Are Eko Disco staff and their supporters club reading these comments? I sincerely hope so, because they are the worst culprits who share out humongous bills that are totally inversely proportional to the amount of electricity they have supplied.

In Lagos Island, Lekki, Agungi & Ajah their staff are so rude, uncouth and fond of threatening customers with disconnection at every little turn. I have asked the DISCOs so many times, "when these pre-paid meters go bad, where do we take them to for repairs?" Before our pre-paid meter went bad, our bill was still reasonable. We would recharge a specific amount that could last us through the month. After it went bad, and we reported the issue, we started receiving astronomical estimated bills that bore no correlation to the amount of power supplied. That was when I knew that Eko Disco had incorporated 419/OBT into their manual of operations. Yeye people!

sniperr007:
Few companies but she it involves oil, IOC's will take d risk.

Before d companies come,they engage d community & d community leaders engage d youth to pave way.
This is when host community employment quota is negotiated,community development quota is also negotiated.
U cant conclude dat d pple r all robbers. Der r millions of youths der so cos a few thousands who bliv in crime, u tag d community as unsafe for business.

When a good deal is agreed on. D community leaders pose as security operatives for d company by fishing out d bad eggs anytime there is problem.

Mind you,bayelsa is not d only state in Niger delta.

Don't be deceived. IOCs take security issues very seriously, and they would weigh the financial implications as well as cost of doing business in a particular region, before deciding to embark on any exploration, there. If the risks outweigh their projections, they will pull the plug on such projects. Why do you think Shell along with other multinational exploration companies, decided to sell off their onshore fields and concentrate on deep-water offshore fields?

Guy, what on earth do you mean by "host community employment quota & community development quota?" You mean the companies should employ people into their firm, just because such people come from a particular locality or just due to the fact that the community says so?

Are you saying relevant skills, adequate experience, competence, character & ability should not matter anymore, when a firm carries out its' recruitment exercises? So they should only hire staff based on some nebulous criteria given by the community? I always ask, the community development fees paid by all the companies operating in the Niger-Delta, what have the community leaders used them for? What kind of development projects have they implemented, using these funds?

Bros, you can argue from here till kingdom come, but nothing will convince those who know the truth - most of the Niger-Delta is unsafe for serious business!

frankdoz25:
afonja and hating! Biafra is my country and Nigerian is zoo. I know you afonja will not like this but you can eat rat poison, it's allowed shaa.....kikikikikiki laughing in Swahili!

Ok, ok, ok, you have told us several times that you are an Afonja. Now that you have decided to eat rat poison, why should anyone try to stop you? Feel free...

frankdoz25:
Biafra is there even before the lugardian contraption called zoo. on Biafra we stand!

Keep deceiving yourself!

frankdoz25:
oh afonja shut ap! am in Biafra and not zoo contraption!

Continue deceiving yourself. Let me offer you one word of advice. Stop creating confusion. In one breath, you keep referring to yourself as an Afonja and wailing that you are in a zoo. In the next breath, you claim that you are in Biafra. What year did your country get its' independence, and where is its' capital? You obviously need to see a doctor to help you make sense of whatever is troubling you. I pray you find the peace that has eluded you for so long.....

frankdoz25:
its Biafra or we decimate the zoo monkeys and baboons.

_(yawn) Yeah....as long as the decimation starts with you and your kinsmen. Don't forget, you are still one of the monkeys & baboons living in that place you called a 'zoo.'

frankdoz25:
afonja Muslim just Bleep off Biafra thread or go and drown in Lagos lagoon because Biafra is here to stay! all hail Biafra!

_(yawn) Thank you for letting the whole world know that you are an afonja muslim. Now, if you wish to dive headlong into the Lagos lagoon to prove your devotion to Biafra, please feel free to do so. And kindly do so very quickly. You will not be missed.

frankdoz25:
says ewedu/amala eater!

Oh, you are obviously referring to yourself....

dainformant:
"When the ring comes with four wheels"... A Nigerian lady identified as Momodu Aisha received double blessings from her sweetheart as he proposed to her in style with a Toyota jeep. And of course, she said YES . Congrats to the soon-to-be couple...

Source; http://www.nationalhelm.net/2017/05/when-your-ring-comes-with-four-wheels.html

Nonsense and ingredients!! What is this world coming to? Are you sure this girl did not use 'jazz on the guy? I mean, he is not married to her yet...but he is buying her a jeep, in order to ask for her hand in marriage? Isn't that too materialistic? Is it that he is so unsure of how she feels about him, that he thinks buying her a jeep will sway the decision in his favour? I don't get it o!

frankdoz25:
the whole of Benue is biafraland! afonjas take note.

Tufiakwa! God forbid!

myright:
By Prince Ugochukwu Olisakwe and Moses Agbo Obinna
For Family Writers
The Indigenous People of Biafra under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has honoured the invitation by the people of Agatu in Benue State. The Agatus had cried to the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra and raised their voices in support of the restoration of Biafra. They yearned for recognition as Biafrans as well. The excitement written all over their faces upon the arrival of some IPOB principal officers, journalist during the inauguration was beyond comparison. They thanked the Almighty Chukwu Abiama{GOD} who made it possible for them to be part of the burning flame to restore their father land, Biafra.
It could be recalled that the Agatu indigenes were one of the highest recorded casualties of Hausa/Fulani herdsmen's inhumane brutality, which is an unforgettable trauma. The killings and injuries will never be washed away in generations to come and it will continue to linger as long as they exist on the surface of this earth. The principal officers that storm Agatu land for the inauguration were Mazi Ferdinand Edeh, the Nasarawa State co-ordinator , Mazi Ogani Kenneth, the Abuja co-ordinator , Mazi Onyido Victor, BTV Abuja and Mazi Agbo Moses Obinna, Prince Ugochukwu Olisakwe for Family Writers Press.
In an opening prayer, Mr.Agah who was appointed as the co-ordinator thanked God Almighty for making his dream a reality. Mazi Kenneth Ogani delivered a speech, interpreted into the indigenous language, which is Idoma language. His speech was specifically based on whom they are and the importance of restoring Biafra for the sake of their children and future generations. Moses Agbo also elaborated on the evil divide and rule tactics and Jihadist of the Hausa Fulanis which is ongoing. He also urged them to stand united just like other Biafrans of other tribes.
In response, the Agatus bravely told the IPOB officials how they tried to defend themselves against Fulani herdsmen but the Nigerian security personnel arrested them instead of the herdsmen who perverted their land, destroyed farm lands and killed them. Tearfully, he praised Chukwuokike who made it possible for the officials to have honoured the invitation and promised that they would spread the gospel of Biafra to other places too.
Also speaking was Mr David Ocheh who stated: "we are all Biafrans and we will evangelise, this is our land, we will fly Biafra flag in our land, nothing will stop us and we will defend our land. Therefore, I and my brothers have joined our voices to those of other Biafrans for the restoration of Biafra". He also prayed to Chukwuokike for guidance and protection for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
Finally , Prince Ugochukwu reminded them that Biafra is a spirit. They should be their brother's keeper and be obedient to their co-ordinator and other officials.

What a big, fat, fallacious lie!! You mean you were so jobless that you had to fabricate this story...?

NoBasisForUnity:
yoruba are TRUELY SCARED of forming their own country. The emirates their cowardice help to institute on their lands reminds them that a step to oduduwa is a step towards the total annihillation of the descendants of fallen oduduwa.

Hmmn... if the Yorubas are truly scared of forming their own country, how is that your own headache? Why are you taking panadol for their issues? Will they make you their president, when their country materialises? Anyway, e no concern me. Make I waka comot ....let me leave the Yoruba folks on this thread to give you an answer...

wirinet:
The bolded is a lie.Nigerians owns 52% of allocated oil blocks in Nigeria while foreigners owns the remaining 48. Over 55% of oil blocks in Nigeria are yet to be allocated.However this statistics can be very misleading, Nigerian companies contribute about 6% to Nigeria's oil production, International Oil Companies contribute 95% of Nigeria's total crude production. If Northerners owns 95% of oil blocks in Nigeria why are you people so fixated on International oil companies relocating their headquarters to the Nigerdelta, your anger should be directed at oil companies owned by northerners.

Is it the oil companies that suck Nigerdelta oil and use it to love-vendor other states? It is your governments - Federal, State and local, that is responsible for the development of their people. The oil companies came to do business and their main motivation is profit. It is the governments that allows the oil companies to get away with all the rubbish they do in Nigeria. Learn to hold your government responsible instead of exonerating them of any responsibility. I have not been told that the oil companies are not paying their dues.

I am not defending the oil companies because i believe they are complicit in the problems of the oil producing area, what i am saying is that our people, including the kings, community leaders and the youths have more responsibility in the underdevelopment of the oil producing areas.

Your post make sense, die!! May God increase the wisdom He has deposited in your life! Despite all the money collected at community level, by the traditional chiefs, community groups etc, what do they have to show for it? Was any of it used to develop those communities? All the ransom fees paid to kidnappers in the ND, what happened to them? Did it improve the lives of the recipients?

Illegal refineries sprang up in every corner of the creeks in the Niger-Delta, refining stolen crude from pipelines broken by the militants. So now, where has the money made from the sale of the so-called refined products gone to? Was it used to develop their communities? Abeg, don't let me start talking about the ND. It is too late in the day, to develop a headache!

wirinet:
And you are thinking without writing.
Compare how many foreigners that have ever been kidnapped in the west (Lagos especially) and those that ever been kidnapped in the Nigerdelta.

Look at the two pictures below of Mark Zukerberg and Richard Quest jogging on the streets of Lagos, can they try such any where in the Nigerdelta? Do you know the publicity value of such pictures?

Try what in the Niger-Delta? Jogging on the streets? Do they want to be kidnapped, or do they want to die?

sniperr007:
Pele to ur team.
Lemme tell u another true story. Btw 1996-2001,aladja steel plant was near comatose. Crime rate was high in d area.
Government started paying salary and crime rate reduced to a reasonable level
2005-2011 Indians took over d plan and employed unskilled & skilled in mass & paid peanut. Crime rate in udu(LGA were aladja is),effurun,okpe and uhgelli reduced cos youth were struggling to get job in d plant.
D plant is closed now & crime rate has increased and its worse.

My point is dat idle mind makes youth restive. These youth want to earn a living & if given d opportunity will embrace it & drop crime.
When companies come into this environment & employ Dem, dey r d ones Wu protects d companies because of der daily bread.

For ur case, u guys r jus der to install & I can relate with ur situation but ask ursef, how many companies r in bayelsa? Lots of idea youth Wu want to make a leaving and cos no opportunity, embrace crime.

Let me ask you - how many companies will have the guts to risk the lives of their staff, their hard-earned money, resources and equipment in order to set up jobs where there is a high crime rate? Even your militants are NOT doing anything concrete to facilitate the establishment of jobs and/or companies, in that area.

You think the looting, brigandage and incessant attacks will attract investors? You think that by stealing the equipment of contractors, killing and kidnapping their staff, is the way to make more companies create jobs in that region? Security is a priority for any genuine businessman. Tell me, who wants to make a loss? And who will compensate those companies for such losses? YOU??

olowoboi:
Every features working as manufactured
Direct seller
Bought brand new
2 keys
Good mileage
09084891104
Call

What is the price & where is it located?

sniperr007:
Sharap there! U jus tlk based on what u read online. R there not oil workers in ND?

If these companies r based there, d crime rate in those towns will reduce as there will b more opportunities for both skilled & unskilled

What crime rate would reduce?? Are you for real? Ok, let me share a true life experience with you. Years ago, a telecoms infrastructure company I used to work for, was contracted to install Base Transceiver Sites (BTS) for a multinational GSM operator. The sites were located in Lagos, Ondo, Rivers and Bayelsa states. The logistics company was duly notified to deliver the telecoms equipment to each of the sites in these respective states, and hand them over to our security guys over there. Our engineers & project teams would then go from one location to the next, to install & commission these sites. Oya, let me share the progress report with you:

In Lagos, a stipend of =N=9,000 to =N=15,000 per site was paid to a few omo oniles and we were granted right of way to commence & conclude our projects at each site. In fact, some of them volunteered to provide extra security for us and escort our teams daily, as long as the project lasted. We were able to finish up in record time, without loss of man hours or equipment.

In Ondo state, the communities where the project sites were located, were welcoming, hospitable and approachable. The best pounded yam and bush meat I ever ate that year, was provided free of charge by the indigenes of that community. At the end of the project, the traditional ruler was given a mobile phone courtesy of our office and one month of free calls, limited to a specific amount. He offered to give our Team Lead (an Engineer), a traditional title, which the guy respectfully declined. Again, all our sites in that state were installed without any hitches.

Rivers/Bayelsa was where our staff had their baptism of fire. The telecoms equipment delivered to site was not just stolen, the site was vandalized, and one of the security guards was killed by the local militants. As our engineers arrived on site, they were beaten, overpowered and 2 of them were kidnapped. Those who were lucky to escape, went to report the incident at the nearest police station. Guess what the policemen on duty said? "Na who send una go dat side? We sef, no dey go near dat place!" They refused to follow us to site and arrest the perpetrators.

Needless to say, we abandoned our luggage, vehicle and few remaining tools at the site, then took the next commercial bus back to Lagos. The loss incurred on that project was huge, and we declined any further offers to go back to the region to install any new BTS sites, for the rest of the year.

When we mobilised back to that site, we went along with a heavy detachment of SARS and mobile police snipers. Na who wan die?

Out of 11 sites planned for that Niger-Delta area during that period, we were only able to complete 2 sites. The rest has not been completed as we speak, due to the unrest in that locality.