₦airaland Forum

To me the most classic are Saworoide, O le Ku, and Igodo. Classic and can be said to portray the brilliance of African arts and creativity.

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send picture to topenrewaju@yahoo.com. I've referred you. Quick

I still cannot seethe possibility of Nigeria disintegration except it has been in God's calender and of course no one can change that.
Considering the objective fears of Godman and I think it was intelligently structured.You do not fight a war before planning,you plan first before you fight. Many of the cries for new countries from the present Nigeria being championed by some sections are mere emotional expressions of optimism that presume the possibility of myriads of problems suffocating Nigeria as of today to be better handled with promises of better living. I quite agree and sympathise but that wont be all. The objective reservations held by Godman is a requisite to critical assessment of any false hopes of eldorado that any group may think will suddenly fall upon them. challenges must be examined with the view of assessing whether the new country will be a guarantee of wealth as being championed by e-warlords and political visioners.
The Igbo will have lots of challenges just like every other emerging new nations and the hope of assessing the sea southward through Porthacourt is a false hope that will represent a bloody oppression of their neighbours down south.
However, the enterprising spirit of the Igbo will spur their creativity but I consider the country will surely have some serious problems a few I will mention:
1. Land : The land area will be small for the huge population of the nation but there are many small countries with huge population so they can move skyward like Japan.
2. Political : The region obviously lack cohesiveness especially when it comes to leadership and this will come to play a lot in the political terrain of the country. Expects a whole lots of greedy politicians to arise. This is however a global problem
3.Economic: For those who believe manufacturing will grow, I say yes but there wont be such huge market for Igbo traders( a sector where the race dominates) as obtained in Nigeria today.Expect a massive job loses and increment in criminal activities.But this is also a serious problem in today's Nigeria
4. Loss of Delta & Ikwerre: These people may not necessarily share the new identity and so cleave to another countries which may deprive the united Igbo republic the sense of spread and broadness
I however share the opinion that the Igbo country will make it and emerge as a power in Africa but will still need its neighbours to overcome a whole lots of its own challenges. It will be a catholic/atheist dominated country and may be it wont be a Biafra but an Ndigbo Republic.
My submission is however that an autonomous Ndigbo within a confederation true federal Nigeria will be better giving Igbos advantage on both fronts.
Kwenu!

What Lagos will be missing? a whole lot:
1. A huge population blow will bring down economic activities especially where the Igbo is paramount - trading
2. The consumer population will reduce and think of house rents and may be foods prices coming down
3. Transports revenues will drop so also is local govt. revenues that take a whole lot of their revenues from the open market traders
4.General reduction in economic activities due to mass emigration may be up to 15% of the total GDP

POSSIBILITIES
1. Opening opportunities in the imports/exports sector will be taken up by remaining population
2. Trading gaps that will open opportunities for remaining population
3. Net migration for the reverse migration will provide a huge population
4. Fundamentals of Lagos economy will remain i.e.. industries etc
Lagos will emerge as less populated and may be more organized and relaxed and if the target is to service the north will become better if corruption is checked.

I like the enterprising dogged spitit of the Igbo, am not far from one, I like the intelligence and the organizational skills of the Yoruba, am close to one and I love the simple and contented lifestyle of the Hausa, its a virtue for which I long.
Without the Yoruba and Hausa etc the Igbo will have no place to make so much money whether real or imagined. In my opinion, the IGBO NEED NIGERIA MORE THAN ALL OTHER TRIBES. An Onitsha man became a millionaire because he traded and live in Kano, if there is no Kano where would he make the money?
Considering the collateral lost, advocates of of separation will be surprised about opportunities that part of the country will lose and the compressed opportunities that will follow in the east.....am far from that am a realist!
Into which country will the importers import? where will all these shops be moved? Igbo have more to lose in an abruptly severed Nigeria.
The East....my admiration, has a lot of opportunities but its a land of the powerful and individualism. Embrace possibility and enjoy the fruits of your labour but how disperse are your dreams.
I wonder how some youths, yes, i guess they are youths, are engaged in vain self beliefs. Dangote is the largest industrialist in Nigeria and some of the largest and best are owned by the Yoruba. The sectors that drive the economy and sustain it are driven by all people of different backgrounds and largest start ups are their regions. I hope Nigeria will one day be able to educate its children beyond parochial sentiments!

We were engaged in describing the best insurance brands in Nigeria and came up with various popular brands like Mansrad, Regency Alliance, Leadway etc and the question is do Nigerians actually believe in Insurance and think Nigerian Insurance companies are honest to keep their promises.
I opened this thread for all to share their experiences especially those with bad ones.I also need your inputs regarding your best Insurance brands in Nigeria .

Gbawe: Indeed and you raise a very important point. I was privileged to have directly witnessed the beginning of the 'renaissance years' for Ghana starting largely under President Kufour after Rawling had initiated the 'cull' of mediocrity similar to what Tinubu achieved ousting the PDP. The SW is going through precisely same. Like Ghana, and after a long period of stagnation under undeserving and 'accidental' leaders, the SW has gotten rid of mediocrity to embrace a modus operandi that only allows proven achievers, with a record of leadership efficacy, to lead. This, simplistically, will deliver progress and guarantee continued consolidation upon any progress made.

We tend to be a people consumed with negativity and pessimism but I can say that I have not noted , over a ten year period for Ghana, i.e 2000 to 2010, the sort of infrastructural aggression and urgency seen in the SW today in a few years under Amosun, Aregbesola et al.

My point? Ghana gained a lot of international goodwill 'mileage', FDI (foreign direct investment) and direct global technocratic/financial support working at a pace not at all close to what we are seeing now throughout the SW. For me, it is de ja vu because what Ghana had in common with the SW was a palpable dedication of leadership to do what is best for the people - even with socio-economic limitations - that the world keyed into. Anyone would want to help out such leaders/nations/States/regions et al. The World appreciated and was keen to support driven and dedicated 'stars' in a continent where leadership is still mainly corrupt, indolent and almost entirely self-serving.

For analytical observers, what we are seeing now is the precursor to the socio-economic "empowerment" and development you are talking of. Such is 100% guaranteed to happen given these efforts. Beyond all the petty arguments here daily, exposed folks know that, in real terms and compared to real examples, what is happening throughout the SW is laudable as an assured, deliberate and well-planned template of development.

Am seriously impressed by your write up and wish to express my fears of having to neglect the education sector and the growth of SME. Let me take sometimes to applaud all these good projects all the same, I strongly admire them.
Since the dissolution of the old regional government, the south west has systematically lost out of the equation and if not for the good foundation already laid by the sage Obafemi Awolowo and his group.The North became 3regions and got plenty of states, the east became 2 regions and got more states, schools and developments,the same cannot be said of the west which part of it called mid -west is now called south south.
All these were calculated political alienation and wheel of backwardness. Take for instance how many Fed Universities has been established in the region since old western region was dissolved and how many has been created in other regions? While I am not a mouth piece for any people or region in Nigeria it is however important for emerging leaders to develop this region by rigorously pursuing socio- economic activities that will profit the poor and lift millions out of poverty.
Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun all have very poor populace, they may not be food poor but if $100 a month is made a benchmark on income for a family of 5 then a huge percentage of the populace will fall under poor populace maybe over 50% and I do not think that is acceptable by any standard.
Government need to pursue infrastructural developments but economic empowerment is not been pursued as it ought to be. The Yoruba people are more unemployed than other youths in Nigeria and coming up with a blue print on jobs creation a year in each of the states will help. To be honest we do not task our leaders and that is why they have a lot of money flying around and easily converted. It a state government has the priority of creating or supporting the creation of say 250,000 jobs a year the governor will have to innovate.THIS WILL SPUR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEGLECTED AREAS LIKE AGRICULTURE and will help in wealth creation. At this age we should be looking at describing an average family income by $1000 monthly income!
I hope development will continue to work and do much more to bring developments. Thanks Gbawe and I hope you will insure your business with us. Add us @insuranceng on twitter.

Economic empowerment is essential for this region now and there is the need to pursue it rigorously

[quote author=Big_Lebowski]You lie.

You are thinking out of your arse. Do you think the SS will prefer the Yorubas of late? They can't stand the SW as much as they do the northerners. The SE and SS have more culturally and socially than what you may want to spew. The Ekewere people in Rivers state are the link bewteen the SS and SE.In Delta state were I am from, there are Delta-Igbos in Asaba and which is our state capital and we have lived peacefully with them ever since. The northerners screwed them out politically and economically and the Yorubas have dominated the oil industry (not necessarily by merit but by tribalistic and nepotistic appointments to cushy oil jobs. The Igbos have not done a thing against the Niger-Delta.

What I am really sure of is that this country will disintegrate come 2015 and the SS will not be part of any union with the Yorubas. If a union between the Igbos is not successful in the form of a singular Nation state one thing is sure that there will be more diplomatic and economic ties than with either the north or southwest.
[/quote]I like your assertions but if I may chip one or two things into your argument:
If I can have an intellectual discuss here with you, I can point out that it looks more probable that the region more derided on forums like this has higher success probability; the South-west and am just saying this not that am from there but looking at the pros and cons of nationhood.
I will justify my assertions based on the strengths of the other regions that may emerge as countries assuming the present structure is to be pursued albeit minor adjustments here and there.
South -South : Rich in oil and gas and aquatic splendour, oil palm and some arable land for agriculture. With massive oil presence and gas it can immediately export at least 800,000 barrels a day to make a wholesome money to develop massive infrastructures, ports and good roads and can surely achieve this within a decade under good governance.However, its problems are multifaceted and much more than its oil and gas
Compare this with the South-west : Rich in oil and gas not as the Niger Delta(until proven otherwise) but has just enough oil to kick start its economy may be meeting its domestic needs.By 2014 the region will be capable of producing at least 200,000 barrels of crude oil a day.That is beside what will likely happen in making some rich offshore claims as many as are being attached to the Niger Delta states will be lost to that region under international law, lts just keep it as that for now.
The south west region together with Yoruba in Kwara and Kogi( even if isekiri& Edo are not added) will have massive and rich arable land which currently is the second largest in Nigeria after the Middle Belt and it can grow almost every kind of crop seen anywhere in Nigeria.
The region will be starting on the good note of having working sea ports and international airport and an economy with GDP in excess of $70 billion.
The region's huge population plus many that will return from abroad and its huge swarms of educated and uneducated workforce can support its economy to grow at over 10% a year.
Aside Dangote group the Yoruba group have historically supported or administer the largest companies in Nigeria and its a show of their astute capacity to lead.
How will the country start and work?
It will have enough to support its domestic energy demand but will need to import gas
I predict its ports in Lagos will service the massive northern economy so are its industries
Its agriculture can be developed within a 3 years period to cater for all staple foods
With stable democratic mentality and rule of law, its political evolution will stun many
its multi religious culture will make religion a non issue

I think what many people on this forum think about the region becoming a big loser is a ruse as a strong possibility of the country becoming the third largest economy in Africa is there and will in less than two decades become the continent's largest economy
Immediate challenges
How to generate power to support its economy, Lagos is exempted because Egbin plant can support its economy in the interim
How to create jobs for its teeming youths that will certainly lose jobs but opportunities will open around the ports, SME trading sectors and agriculture

I think we must appreciate the fact that like the scriptures says....our body part for which we have low regard are often more important to our well being!

Well every President had their own good and bad side. To be honest and check out the good and bad i will say about stuffs that looked like achievements:

WHAT HE DID RIGHT IN 3 YEARS
1. The SURE-P created a number of jobs and looks promising but its not a government whole program
2.Efforts at unbundling PHCN but yet to be seen
3.Dressing up some airports
4. Trying to wake the railways up, they are still sleeping though
5. Minimum wage reached 18,000 in his tenure
6. Improved electricity? can't say for sure

WHAT WENT WRONG IN HIS 3 YEARS
1. Banks sacked thousands of workers leaving more thousands families with no bread winners and impoverishing Nigerians. He applied cutting of the head as the antidote to headache. By the local market lost patronage and the resulting effects was more poverty
2. He increased fuel price from 65 naira to 97 naira causing Nigerians to spend more in business cost and households upkeep without a corresponding cushion effects or programs.Nigerians became poorer as a result.
3. He has failed to fight corruption. In fact it got worse(the major disease of Nigeria)
4. He did not handle security issues well. More people has lost their lives and properties than ever in Nigeria
5. Infrastructural developments are at snail speed

HIS PREDECESSOR -OBJ 8 YEARS

WHAT WENT WRONG
1.His 3rd term agenda produced the present crop of leaders
2.He unjustified investments in power, we did not see the direct impact though he built some IPP stations and did some expansions
3.He withheld Lagos state fund disobeying court order
4. He increased fuel price thereby increasing the cost of living

WHAT HE DID RIGHT

1. He got $32 billion written off as debt owe by Nigeria, that translated to 4.960 trillion Naira budgetary allocation meant for developments and money that was to go for debt servicing, its a whole chain of effects on the positive side
2.He got GSM to work. That created several thousands jobs and lifted the GDP creating more bread winners and creating wealth.
3. He established EFCC&ICPC. If the intention is to be measured, he gave us something for which to be hopeful.His own kinsmen were prosecuted and dealt with.
4 . He started privatization and improved infrastructures(not convincing).
5. Banks grew under him but were poorly supervised. Thousands of new bread winners were created and general growth.
6. He exposed Nigerians in diaspora to politics and that helped Nigeria's image and women involvements in politics(empowerments)
7.He increased minimum wage for workers

The question is 3 years to 8 years what were the challenges facing Nigeria at different times:
During Obj Nigeria was barely breeding and just came out of military rule that has milked the country sine 80's and every sector of Nigeria was in serious sickness while Jonathan has a better democratic advantage that could make him focus on challenges which gives him comparative advantage.
President GEJ has not concluded a holistic project i can point out but framework presentations. Nigerians can judge without sentiments. Believe me I believe both men are under achievers!

Jesus! the awesome name

I read this with dismay and this feelings of ignorance of the Ijaw kinsmen actually came to bare on Nigeria. What a pity!
Unfortunately the most anticipated change is gone and a seriously compromised President with uncivilized foot soldiers. The same Yoruba press supported him, the same Yoruba people voted for him to win, the same Yoruba people he so much disdain now and had tongue lashed actually used their press to expose environmental problems in the Niger Delta! its amazing how terrible the Ijaw people has painted themselves to become.
Mr. President has lost the confidence of Nigerians and I will advise him to focus on performance and forget 2015 to allow for peace. Obviously Tinubu &Co supported him in the last minute of last election, may be he had reneged on the negotiation he had with them.All these chest thumbing and bragging are just mere bravado!
I wish more sensible people will talk to Mr. President on these issues and let him take a bold step. Corruption is rife, just too much, everyone is talking about it. I had a strong believe in GEJ more so for his words and campaigns. I think some influences may have crept in and to be honest I see him as a good man who probably had to bite more than he could chew.
I do not believe in tribal sentiments and would believe some people are fighting for a cause in which they seem to reap more than they sowed. May God help Nigeria.Political restructuring and economic emancipation that will liberate minorities and the economy are fundamental issues we admire and hoped would be pursued rigorously.....all that gone down the drain. Nigeria we hail thee.

Well i do not understand your intention and the intention of your quoted middle belt but as a Nigerian with no regional affilliation I wish to state that all these talk of 2015 should be left to the electorates of Nigeria. Majority of Nigerian that will vote are in the North, the core North and only the repetition of 2011 can bring GEJ back which is and cannot be that way come ,2015 except you are bend on self illusion.
To be honest with you and all Nigerian, President Jonathan has lost the confidence of the two largest voting blocs in Nigeria: the core North and the South west and that amount to over 50% of Nigerian voters. That the President should mend fences is now belated and it has gone beyond the politicians, voters have seen it all and made up their minds if general opinions is anything to go by.
I must commend President Jonathan for one thing, elections conducted in his tenure are much better that his predecessors
and if he should tow that path I will hail him as the first President to hand over as a loser in an election. As an analyst these are my reasons:
1. The south south and south east alone cannot make GEJ win election even if he gets 100% votes from there its not just enough
2. Northerners are bend on a nothern President and believe me you need to live there to understand their mentality.
3. If the south west decides to vote for the opposition there is no way GEJ can win enough majority to avoid a run off
4. If the core north and the south west vote en masse for a candidate winning at least 75% of votes from the three regions the candidate will emerge the winner.
5. President GEJ ha no experienced politicians around him to mend fences and quicklyfix some nagging problems around the country and his questionable kinsmen are busy shouting around Nigeria.Its not good for his ambition.
6. If the President should bend on becoming the president at all cost, he may set the country on the path of irrecoverable disunity ,even serious civil strife but I pray Nigeria will be a great country.
May God help Nigeria,it is well

Adejoro74: Politics and leadership (for good or bad): Obasanjo
Wealth and business acumen (whether real or fronting for others): Dangoge
Literature: Achebe: most roundly accomplished and most read literary giant
Sports: Kanu Nwanko
Highest degree: Ndubuisi Ekekwe: holds two PhD degrees and contributing to Africa's IT development in ways no other Nigerian has
Selflessness (as far as the eye can see): Dora Akunyili
Service to their people: Awo and Ojukwu
Religion?
Culture?

The word 'most' cannot be affixed to a single individual but some of the most accomplished.
That said we have a couple of people with two Ph.D from Ekiti, but contribution to scientific or breakthroughs, you do not have to have a doctoral degree to do that.I will nominate among others Philip Emegwali, Adebisi Adedeji, Femi Aluko,
Religion : I will nominate Joseph Ayo Babalola, Benson Idahosa, Adejare Adeboye in that category
career: Wole Soyinka ,Chinua Achebe, Afe Babalola, Emeka Anyanoku, King sunny Ade,et al
Business: Elizade etc
Politics: Awo, Obasanjo,Sola Saraki,Bola Tinubu,Ezeife,Aminu Kano,
The list is endless

Interesting piece and what areas of safe business do u think one can take a peep in this safe house method?

BlackBaron: This pales in comparison to another ex MEND leader's multi-mansions on extensive hectares of land shown on CNN.

Same ol' chit. All the Rulers and Self appointed leaders ala Dokubu & co are just glorified bunch of opportunistic money grabbers.
Uncle Joe is of Niger Delta stock but has done nada. Dokubo's cashed out and relocated to Benin Republic with choice 'vacation homes' all over Nigeria. Meanwhile, the children of the Niger Delta are still waking up to destroyed farmlands, enduring pollution, extreme poverty and feck all.

Your problems aint your ethnicities, it is rather your lack of common sense or foresight to elect leaders that know their onions.
Elections in 2 years time and everyone's been psychologically bludgeoned into a state of comatose arguing over a man from Otueke and a divisive controversial ex Statesman.

Looked so honest to me, i like this

Etnic rantings and chest thumbing amazes me a lot in this country. How soon people forget yesterday in Nigeria. In a few years back as a detribalised Nigerian, the Yoruba were the people campaigning for the Niger Delta resource control, championing SNC, and telling the world about their desire for true federalism which would benefit Niger Deltan more due to oil& gas proceeds. Now it was this Yoruba people that in the last minute of last election turned to support GEJ and they are now being treated with ethnic ranting from one Mr. Asari whose activities would have been criminalised in a modern democracy.
We must understand that Nigeria owe the Niger Delta a whole lot and am totally in support of lots of development in the region judging by what resource contribution Nigeria gets from there. In fact, I support absolute resource control and I believe this feeling is shared by majority Yoruba people who have supported the development of the Niger Delta more than any other region in Nigeria!
The truth is noise making by Asari, Clarks et al are limited in political exposure and are clearly working against the interest of the President. It must be understood that they are huge beneficiary of massive corruption going on in government in the name of Niger Delta development and our son mentality.
I can clearly state that the Yoruba people has never ruled Nigeria out of their own nominated candidate and the only time they had ever voted to support a central government was Obasanjo's second term as President which was 'our person' mentality!
Even on all the ills worth mentioning of Obasanjo, he did have some outstanding landmarks individual of which can swallow all that GEJ has done like liberalizing the telecomms sector which created more jobs and impacted on the economy than any thing GEJ has done.He also started though rather with some controversial occurrences, the liberalization of the power sector with contracts for IPP stations, the MM2 and securing over $billion debt cancellation which in itself is bigger than any GEJ touted achievements!
Mr Asari and co should be honest and not play to corner themselves into ethnic drumming.The military destroyed Nigeria and beneficiaries cut across all the zones though favouring some above others. The present build up to a grip of the economic as its been designed presently wont help Nigeria either.

http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/the-dash-for-shale-oil-will-shake-the-world.aspx

I read this piece and do believe that the rise of China and India may not really make this analysis a wholesome reality but with new discoveries globally, Nigeria may lose its importance if economic planners fails to justify how the oil money is spent over the next five years.
Let's have your take on this please...

[b]Exciting as Britain’s latest shale gas estimate is — 47 years’ supply or more — it pales beside what is happening in the United States. There shale gas is old hat; the shale oil revolution is proving a world changer, promising not just lower oil prices worldwide, but geopolitical ripples as America weans itself off oil imports and perhaps loses interest in the Middle East.
One of the pioneers of the shale gas revolution, Chris Wright, of Liberty Resources, was in Britain last month. It was he and his colleagues at Pinnacle Technologies who reinvented hydraulic fracturing in the late 1990s in a way that unlocked the vast petroleum resources in shale. Within seven years the Barnett shale, in and around Forth Worth, Texas, was producing half as much gas as the whole of Britain consumes. And the Barnett proved to be a baby compared with other shales.
Like many shale entrepreneurs, Mr Wright is now spending a lot of time in North Dakota drilling for oil. The success of America’s shale gas revolution drove the gas price so low that in 2010 most drilling rigs switched to looking for oil. With spectacular results.
A new report (The Shale Oil Boom: a US Phenomenon) by Leonardo Maugeri, of Harvard University, sets out just how astonishing this second shale revolution already is. After falling for 30 years, US oil production rocketed upwards in the past three years. In 1995 the Bakken field was reckoned by the US Geological Survey to hold a trivial 151 million barrels of recoverable oil. In 2008 this was revised upwards to nearly 4 billion barrels; two months ago that number was doubled. It is a safe bet that it will be revised upwards again.
The big reason for the upwards revisions is technology rather than discovery. Thanks to faster and cheaper drilling (which means less-rich rocks can be profitable) and things such as “zipper fracturing”, where two parallel wells are drilled and alternately fractured to help to release oil for each other, the oil recovery rate is rising from 2 per cent towards 10 per cent in places. Gas is now nearer 30 per cent. Well productivity has doubled in five years.
Now the Bakken is being eclipsed by an even more productive shale formation in southern Texas called the Eagle Ford. Texas, which already produces conventional oil, has doubled its oil production in just over two years and by the end of this year will exceed Venezuela, Kuwait, Mexico and Iraq as an oil “nation”.
Then there’s the Permian Basin in west Texas, which looks as big as the other fields, and the Monterey shale in California — the source rock for all California’s ordinary oilfields — which, at 15 billion recoverable barrels, could be bigger than the Bakken and Eagle Ford combined, according to a new report prepared for the Energy Information Administration. The numbers are so large they are almost ludicrous. Predictions that the oil supply in the US would peak, loud a few years ago, are a distant memory.
On the ground shale oil wells look much the same as shale gas ones. Both use pressurised water and sand with a smidgin of kitchen-sink additives to crack the rock a mile underground. Even in Texas, only 1 per cent of water consumption is used for hydraulic fracturing. Aquifer pollution, radon pollution, earthquakes you can sense and water disposal are all so far non-problems. Of course, oil means carbon dioxide emissions, but at least it might put the brake on biofuels, the most water-intensive, energy- inefficient, land-grabbing, hunger- causing way of driving cars yet devised.
Refineries in Texas are retooling to cope with this glut of lighter crude oil; chemical plants are being built to use the flood of cheap ethane (the raw material for many synthetic substances) that comes with shale oil and gas.
Some still think this is a temporary bubble, and that the rapid “decline rates” of shale oil wells — the production rate usually halves after the first year — will cause production to tail off. They said the same about shale gas too. But fast-falling costs meant that shale gas drillers just kept on drilling new wells to maintain production even as gas prices fell. Companies went bust by the dozen, but consumers got the benefit.
Mr Maugeri calculates that at $85 a barrel most shale oil wells repay their capital costs in a year. He estimates that even if oil prices fall steadily to $65 in five years, shale oil production will treble in the US because of increasing productivity per well and the easing of transport bottlenecks. By 2017, he thinks, America will be producing nearly 11 billion barrels a day [correction 11 million], equal to its previous peak in 1970. It would need much less in the way of imports. US oil imports peaked at 60 per cent in 2005 and will be below 40 per cent this year.
Internationally the effect is very different for oil compared with gas. Gas is costly to export by sea, requiring liquefaction. This roughly doubles the cost of it, meaning that America’s cheap shale gas boosts its economy at home, and gives it a competitive advantage in attracting energy-intensive industries. (US gas prices are a third or a quarter of what they are here.) Mexico, too, is benefiting because of having a land border with America and pipelines.
Oil is different. Although the two world oil benchmarks, West Texas Intermediate and Brent Crude, are diverging in price at the moment, this is unlikely to last. Oil is cheap to transport and has a world price. So whereas America’s shale gas revolution hurts the British economy, its shale oil revolution helps us.
There would be losers. America’s falling appetite for imports may hit Nigeria and Angola harder than the Middle East because of the types of oil they produce, while Canada and Venezuela, whose tarry oil sands are high-cost, would also suffer if oil prices fell. But every oil producer would eventually feel the effect of this falling US demand, so there is no doubting the downward pressure on world oil prices that this revolution is likely to cause.
This week John Llewellyn, a former head of forecasting for the OECD, wrote a report for Puma Energy predicting that oil prices could halve to $50 a barrel by 2020. Of course, all sorts of things could blow that prediction off course — political upheavals in producer nations such as Iran, Brazil or Venezuela, faster growth in China and India, an environmentalist backlash in America — but there is little doubt that the inevitably ever-rising price of fossil fuels as they run out is, for the third time in my life, proving a myth.

[/b]

ifihearam: MAJOR ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE JONATHAN ADMINISTRATION

The Economy

Improvement in Economic Indices - In October 2011 International Ratings agency, Fitch Ratings revised the country’s Outlook upwards from Negative to Stable.

Standard and Poor’s another internationally respected and independent ratings agency, revised Nigeria's ratings from stable to Positive.

Signing into law the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Bill 2010 (Local Content Bill) which has increased Local Content in the Oil and Gas sector.

Ø As a direct result of that law Royal Dutch Shell awarded a N7.8 billion ($49.9 million) contract to a Nigerian firm, S.C.C Limited, for the manufacture of high pressure line pipes that would otherwise have been awarded to a foreign firm.

Ø As a result of this law, Exxon Mobil awarded an off shore platform contract to a local firm, NigerDockNig. PLC that would otherwise have been awarded to a foreign firm.

Initiating the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). A seed capital of $1 billion was provided to kick start the fund as well as establish three sub funds- the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund; the Future Generations Fund and the Stabilization Fund which will be the pillars of the SWF.

Launched the Youth Enterprise with innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) initiative on the 11th October 2011 which is the administration's job creation centre piece.

Ø On Thursday April 12, 2012, 1,200 Nigerian youths emerged winners of the competition following a transparent process. Each winner receives a business start up grant of between 1 to 10 million Naira.

Foreign exchange reserves rose to $37.02bn by May 14, 2012, the highest level in 21 months.

On March 29th, 2011, The UK Government in London described Nigeria as the fourth fastest growing economy in the world.

On February 13 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan launched the Public Works Women and Youth Empowerment Programme, an intervention programme designed to employ 370,000 youths in the year 2012 with 30% of those jobs being reserved for women.

The Federal Government under President Jonathan has secured investment commitments worth 4.89 Trillion Naira.

Launched the NigComSat-1Rsatellite which will help expand Internet Bandwidth, monitor the weather and provide early warning to prevent natural disasters like floods, crop monitoring and urban planning. It has the attendant benefit of reducing the over $1 billion spent in purchasing Internet Bandwidth from abroad.

Nigeria’s banking industry rescued and stabilized by the establishment of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) in the year 2010.

MasterCard made Nigeria its regional headquarters for its West/East and Indian Ocean islands zone raising the profile of Nigeria’s e-commerce industry.

Nigeria’s GDP grew by a record 8.29% during the last quarter of 2010 and by over 7% in 2011. In the first quarter of 2012 Nigeria had verifiably become the fourth fastest growing economy in the world as recently attested to by several multilateral bodies and trading partners.

Revival of the Textile industry via the 150 billion Naira Textile Industry Bailout. As a result the United Nigerian Textile Limited was reactivated amongst others and 2000 employees re-engaged.

Non oil exports from 2010 (standing at $2.3 Billion) and subsequent years are ten times what they were in 2000 (which were $200 Million) as a direct result of this administration’s intervention in the Textile Industry and Real Sector.

I do not know what is going on in the mind of the poster but if I can say, even Obj we criticized achieved $32 billion debt cancellation which is worth in value than all you have listed!
The GSM contribution to the economy is much more than all you have listed considering its impact on GDP growth and job creation.
I believe President Jonathan can write his name in gold if and only if he can fix one all important sector....power!
All your listed achievements are supposed to create opportunities for Nigerians but how can you boast of creating 1200 jobs in a country of 130 plus millions people!
Please lets be intellectual enough and be honest in our dealings.

spassion: Though the political system seems rough, though the roads still looks bad, electricity in a poor state, and Boko haram added to it, i think we should start thinking positive as Nigerians. If you look at many top countries today, they have gone through tough and rough times like Nigeria. Even the world's second largest economy, China still have many major problems. There are places you will look at in China and you won't even believe it is the second largest economy in the world, i mean the underdeveloped villages. Though, they have money to develop those villages.
Now back to Nigeria, if you look at the telecommunication sector, the movie industry, the banking sector and many more, you will find out the truth. Also, the commercialization of Nigeria is going beyond Lagos, which is the commercial capital of Nigeria. If you look at Ogun state and so many other states in Nigeria, they are gradually becoming industrialized. These are signs that there is improvement. Another thing, thanks to the Lagos state govt., many streets in Lagos can now boast of street lights, traffic light and many more infrastructures. Also, the Eko atlantic project will be a big boost for Nigeria economy. The Metrorail being built in Lagos and the improved transportation system such as the introduction of the modern BRT buses in Lagos.
I totally understand that high unemployment still lingers and it hurts a lot of people but I can tell you that things have improved compared to 5 to 10 years back. Since after the banking sector reforms, introduction of GSM, the standard of living has improved.
With the banking reforms, I think in the next 5 to 10 years, Nigerian banks will be controlling the banking sector in most African and European countries.
If you are comparing Nigeria to other countries, try to compare from a broader perspective. I think you should be happy that you didn't find yourself in the position of people in Greece, Cyprus and those that got caught up in the global financial crisis.
I hope there would be improvement in the provision of capital for SMEs, stable electricity, good roads and reduction in poverty level.

@spassion,I do not believe the banking sector reform was a success.Nigeria and Nigerians lost more than profited from that activity and showed we never mastered to manage a major disaster!
The CBN managed the situation very badly and we are yet to recover from it.There are three major areas that government must show strong actions which are fighting corruption through combat and political restructuring, stable electricity, and fast train system aside all other struggling sectors. I think political reform alone is capable of tackling lots of Nigeria's problems.

klemony: you are right juan.infact,this is what the international institutions like world bank and imf together with the private institutions have been saying that Nigeria economy will supass the South african economy before 2020. I think u're wrong concerning the percentage of SA projected economic growth. it is said to be around 3.6%. Nigeria's economic growth figure had been measure using 1990 has the base year.there will be a shoot-up when its been calculated using 2008 as the base which will matches up with the SA GDP growth.
However,Nigeria still lags behind in terms of development.We are a monoproduct economy with our oil export contributing to 90% of our foreign earnings. SA has other natural resources in which they've nutured that is reviving her economy like shipping,servicing,diamond,tourism,metal works,hides and skins etc.
SA owns companies national and international that its contributing to her economy such like MTN,STANDARD BANK,STANBIC IBTC,STANDARD CHARTERED etc. In Nigeria we only have few like Dangote group and Globalcom that are doing well outside Nigeria. Insecurity is another big problem in Nigeria.Bokoharam in the north and the mend threatning in the south has really cost us alot of FDI.

Also,countries that surrounded south africa were having a relatively peace in thier region while countries that surrounds us like Chad,Mali,Niger,Ivory coast are having a links of terrorist group operating in thier country. moreover,SA has her currency been used by countries like Lesotho,Namibia,Zimbabwe etc that has strengthing their her rand while Nigeria still thinking of how to use a common currency with Ecowas sub-region.

Another issue is the brain drain problem.Nigeria had lost most of her human capital to most of these developed economy like the uk and united states.Most of our doctors,engineers,economist,lawyers,artisans have moved to these countries including south africa for teaching due to unstable economy.

I believed Nigeria will reach her full potential if it can provide a secured enviroment for business to trive and diversify her economy to an export base type. God bless Nigeria !! ! !

Nice stuff you have got there. I have a strong belief that to grow the economy and like President Obama said is to equip the common man at the bottom of the ladder. I think one of the ways is to grow the SME in a geometric proportion by enabling people to bring to bare their innovative thinking by accessing soft loans through community banking system that will be communally managed through cooperative organized community fund system!
Many Nigerians can lift themselves out of poverty in two to three years while also adding value to the economy not the type of Dubai or China importations as obtained presently. Nothing stops Nigerians from having small and cute soap making shops(not giant factories),produce body creams, more cottage or back yard foods processing etc. This will create millions of jobs every single year. Why are these not happening? Because no access to fund.Our country is not focusing on financing small businesses, even a University graduate cannot access loan from Bank of Industry! The thinking of our British/American trained economists/administrator is holistic and do not focus on micro economic sectors thereby alienating over 70% of Nigerians that can contribute to the GDP growth.
The current Minister of Agriculture seems to be up to something but it has to cut across and each region must have something it must be known to produce.
Let me cite myself as an example, I can start and run like 3-5 businesses with my current job many of which will depend on agricultural raw materials if I can access loan even if its joining farmers' cooperatives but such initiative is not being embraced by government.
Agriculture alone can engage over 20 million Nigerians and take many out of below $1 a day! Our population may not be professionals as western countries but there are ways we can use what we know and keep developing it based on our environment. Take for instance rice which Nigeria can plant and save billions of dollars annually thereby transferring such billions into the pocket of Nigerians.
South Africa is smaller in population compared to Nigeria and that country should not be ahead of Nigeria if not for Nigerian political class that are not working right enough.

Political restructuring that return power to the regions which will make current states and others that may deem fit forming the integral parts of the regions. We can have more than the current 6 which boundaries are adjusted to bring people of the same ethnic history or similarity or as they may agree into distinct regions.
Allow regions to control their resources while Fed tax are levied to cater for a central govt whose duties will be limited to foreign relations, defense,and the central unicameral parliament.
We can have only 30% of monies from oil and gas into a wealth which are shared to stimulate developments in only non producing regions for just 15-20 years maximum.
Regions should be responsible for all socio-economic activities and security.Just A TIP TO STIMULATE YOUR IMAGINATIONS!

I do not subscribe to the etnocentric dimension of this talk.Ibadan is a lovely city and by Nigeria's standard a really large city which can accommodate some five to ten other cities considering how its houses are packed. I do not think its wise comparing Ibadan with any other city in southern Nigeria because beside metropolitan Lagos its size can swallow many other cities combined. WHAT SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON is its changing faces and its possibilities

[quote author=ShyM-X]Interesting thread and pics. However, a lot still needs to be done.

Also, since I've promised to keep it real at all times - I'll go no holds barred and I don't care whose ox is going to be gored. We've got a massive population of Ibadan people in the UK and most of them are doing alright. So why can't they get Ibadan the help the city needs? The government can't fix private buildings. All those old buildings need a new look - especially the roofing and the exterior. The ancient city needs to be great again. These guys need to stop wasting money on champs in clubs and get back to building their city. Only an Ibadan guy will buy a big car, yet can't afford petrol.

I've got nothing but the utmost respect for Ibadan and Ibadan people - and my mum is from there(Molete to be exact). However Ibadan represents the cradle of Yoruba civilisation and we all need to keep the city alive. Shyte, I love Ibadan girls - they've got body for days.



I quite disagree with your statement about old structures. Ibadan is an ancient city unlike many young towns and cities. in the year 1850's it was already a large city. Cities like Rome, London etc do have old structures combined with new ones and that's what make historical cities unlike very much new 21st century settlements. I do not think government need to encourage old structures be reconstructed or roofs removed but the city must reflect the existing different stages of its developments.
What government need to do is to build or encourage new settlements, new business districts, new markets, SME spirits to give a good image to the city and you must realize that compared to other states in Nigeria like Kaduna and Kano, Ibadan is not a city state as oyo state still have many other large towns as Ogbomoso, Oyo, Shaki, Ighoho, Iseyin, and many large towns and Kano and Kaduna allocations are far more than what the state get.So coupled with corruption and indifferent approach of some past governments, the city has been dilapidated until recent times.
Permit me to say that Ibadan has the potential to compete with Lagos if a serious government is sustained over 8 years. The size of the city exceeds that of any city in Nigeria may be except metropolitan Lagos!
Its market size and landmass make labor cost to be effectively low and cost of living is at rock bottom. Its a leading city in Poultry farming and can lead in industrial capacity if harnessed. The government of the state needs to harness its opportunities in raising the IGR to propel fast developments of the city. Ibadan alone needs at least $3 billion budget over a decade to glow it into an international city of repute while it has to develop major Central Business Districts to make it a better alternative to Lagos.
I know the city so well and I will advise the city infrastructures be developed especially more in areas of hygiene, sanitations, education, agriculture, finance and trade, within a decade it will be a power house and can reach a $30 billion GDP.
New areas of the city will need accelerated developments in the areas of new roads like Oluyole, Akobo, old Ife road etc to give them deserved aesthetic looks. I do not know in how many cities in Nigeria would you travel or drive at high speed consistently on a Sunday morning for 40 minutes like Ibadan, may be even over an hour in an unbroken settlements, the city is a gold Nigerians must mine and up till now its still the second highest energy consuming city in Nigeria, its a huge and promising market people.

solomon111: what the fucck are you talking about?
Nigeria alone accounts for 13% of the FDI in africa,the highest in africa and is estimated to even get bigger.
Nigeria growing at the rate of 7.2%,which is probably the highest in africa.
Nigeria is already positioned to be the largest economy in africa in the nearest future.
Nigeria is far more pivotal in africa than those countries you listed and it will be a collosal mistake for american interests in africa, if they let Nigeria go east-ward.
The advisors in obama's cabinet must be cretinns.
Anyway,i am happy that Nigeria is finally moving east thanks to america shooting themselves in the foot.
We should be looking to join the BRICS.

Nigeria government has not made itself responsible enough and so all these complaints should be directed at the leaders. As far as am concerned international diplomacy and trade are influenced by critical factors and U.S is not different. I do not know why everyone is crying over what the U.S government chose to do or refuse to do. If leaders make Nigeria a powerful going concern in Africa no one will beg American government to come; FDI and diplomats will come naturally.
Nigeria to many Nigerians is important in Africa but on what basis? technology, education, and human developments are not just working. We have not forced U.S to be our friend or foe and we can only do this when they see us as threats and necessary evil or good. All these chest thumbing and bragging wont do anything and looking at the East can help Nigeria get a useful alternative but not an outright dependable friend. Some of these super powers do trade off and believe you me any of them can trade Nigeria off in diplomatic discuss for their own gains!
America influence global economy than any other country and its new face is a conglomerate of U.S, Canada and Mexico axis which will give it a huge market base at home.
Technologically, the U.S is super advanced and some of these countries are cracking up cyber spying et al to get a sneak in some critical areas.Nigeria need to balance her interests with the West and East so as to play safe.

Happy birthday to BRF. I admire your ideology and vision and I pray God will help you live a life of total self fulfillment in Jesus name