₦airaland Forum

Well, I saw this lady on a drilling rig at one oilfield called Kanbo. Her name's Ono, and she's a geosteering engineer with Baker. She taught me some stuff on geosteering a well and we got stucked.

Besides, we happen to have thesame name, Ono, but I hardly use it. So, I put up the name in here to remind me of her and that I have another name called Ono.

My shout?

I can't shout. Drank one large mug of hot tea too quickly this morning and got my throat burnt! Since then, I can't even talk, talkless of shout.

I shout in silence - if there's anything like that.

Jakumo:
After another huge car bomb that killed a young girl and two innocent civilians in Warri, the MEND boys have issued defiant notice that more random bombings are scheduled to be targeted at civilians in coming weeks. 

One wonders how MEND hopes to garner international and local sympathy for their just cause when they are now deliberately focusing bomb attacks on the civilian populace who have absolutely NOTHING to do with the historical injustice suffered by inhabitants of the Niger Delta.

No doubt, they are taking this thing too far. My residence happens to be within the blast radius of that bomb. Our house was ''visibly shaken'' by the blast.

I urge all well meaning Delta People to prevail on the MEND boys to take it easy. Those bombs should at best be planted in Aso Rock or Maitama districts in Abuja, or better still at Ikoyi and Broad Street in Lagos. Not Portharcourt and Warri, please.

Bros Jakumo, no casualty was reported for the Warri blast.

omoifa:
That was a brilliant dig-up Owo. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. That is the price you pay for being a public figure. That is why it is dangerous to say things categorically especially when you are not privy to some information. I guess that should teach everyone including OBJ some lesson. But that doesn't mean we still wouldn't need him to put together our insurance policy for us.

The issue isn't OBJ's character. That shouldn't becloud our sense of judgement. The issue is about responsibly chasing him out. Do we want to chase him out without securing ourselves or do we want to chase him out without caring who comes in next. Whether its another Shagari or an IBB or an unknown who could be worse than everyone put together.

So obviously we want someone who will be better than everyone put together. What are the probability of getting that?. judging from our history less than 20%. should we still try that out. Ofcourse NO NO NO.

I say again. We should have a pact to have him put together institutuons that will protect us from a bad government. Then we should chase him fast to OTA.

Ofcourse if I don't get that I will only pray that we get a better person knowing fully well that the odds are against us.

Omoifa,
Why worry so much about the future? my friend, do one thing at a time. OBJ will soon give up the ghost, will you wake him up when he's dead to continue his rulership of the country?

kajad:
Her name Ocho could mean searching in igbo so i was asking if she's found what she is searching and advising her to search harder while praying for God's blessings upon her.

Hey Perhaps she searching for me you i m unpredictable

C'mon man, she's hooked, I'm hooked and nothing will ever make me/her search for someone else.

IAH:
It will happen again. 1am in the night and 1pm in the day.

Yeah!

It will happen twice in a day. Just 1 day and that's all.

Someone's opinion.

What then is corruption?
By Uzo Nwankwo
It is with stunning incredulity that one has observed the shenanigans of this Federal Government on the proposed constitutional amendment, with the unmistakable third term bogey as its main driving force. This incredulity owes much to the fact that this writer was one of the most effusive admirers of this president when he took office in 1999. I even did an article at that time in which I changed his name from Obasanjo to Obasanma. How times can change.

Here was a man universally deemed to have been roped into a phantom coup by the Abacha ogre for speaking out against dictatorship. By a twist of fate he emerged from Abacha's gulag alive, with his already towering credentials further enhanced. Before his near-death experience with Abacha and his goons, he was already a member of the eminent persons group, a well regarded world statesman. He had been widely acclaimed as the first African military officer to hand over government voluntarily to civilians; a one-time aspirant to the office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the originator of the African Leadership Forum etc. Now in addition to all these, he had added the toga of "Prisoner of Conscience" and emerged from gaol to lead his long-oppressed people to freedom. In summary, our own very Mandela.

Like the legendary Nelson Mandela, he went from prisoner to president in one fell swoop. But alas, there the similarity ends. Whereas Mandela deepened his mystique by ruling for one only term and turning over the reins of power to his lieutenants, our own Nigerian equivalent seems bent on destroying his legacy by instituting for us a corrupt dictatorship. Corrupt! Yes you heard right. One of the cardinal pillars on which this administration has tried to build its reputation is the fight against corruption. However, in this fight, only the narrowest definition of corruption has been adopted and that is the issue of stealing of the national patrimony by those in positions of trust. How very convenient? My Chambers dictionary defines "to corrupt" thus: "to make putrid; to taint; to debase; to pervert; to destroy the purity of; dishonest , etc"

It is therefore corrupt practice when the democratic process is perverted by changing the rules of the game midway for the sole benefit of those already in the field of play. It is corrupt practice for a president who swore an oath to defend a constitution which prescribes a maximum of two terms of office to seek to change the condition and benefit from it. Is it not corrupt practice for a government to pervert the democratic process by flouting the order of the highest court in the land in regard to the release of local government funds to Lagos State? This singular act of the Federal Government has no doubt done more harm to the democratic process and our body politic than all the billions allegedly purloined by Tafa Balogun! What is a society without the rule of law? A veritable jungle! Is it any surprise that following this act by the Central Government, there has been a spate of copy-cat disobedience of court orders in Oyo State and other parts of the country? The utter impunity and contemptuous disregard for the laws of the land which pervade this society gained a tremendous boost from this frightening example by the Obasanjo Government.

Is it any wonder then that a group of hoodlums with well-advertised sponsors can set fire to a government house and radio stations among other properties in a state and yet go absolutely scot free? Not only did they not pay for their crimes, their sponsors were subsequently promoted to higher positions in the political pecking order!

The debasement of our democratic process by the charade that passed for "public hearings" by the Mantu Committee on constitutional amendment was unmitigated corruption. The committee already had an answer and it appears that their only task was to work out the question to fit. It is not so hard to recall that Mantu, as one of the stalwarts of one of the erstwhile five leprous fingers of one hand (apologies to the late Bola Ige), was active in the raucous crowd that was screaming "Abacha Forever!"

Not so long ago in this regime, one Prof. Babalola Borishade had a disastrous tour of duty as Minister of Education. During his tenure, our universities were paralysed for up to six months due to his inept handling of ASUU/Government disagreements. Soon after, Mr. President reshuffled his cabinet and re-presented the same professor for re-confirmation by the senate. Naturally, the senate demurred. But what did our all-knowing president do? He kept bringing forth the Prof's name for confirmation until, thoroughly brow-beaten and intimidated, the senate finally gave in and confirmed the apparently indispensable professor. By insisting on destroying the purity of the normal democratic process where the legislature is permitted to have its say, my dictionary declares this government corrupt. And when the indispensable professor was assigned to the Aviation Ministry what happened? Aeroplanes started tumbling out of the sky. Coincidence? That's your opinion.

Why are we so blessed and yet so cursed simultaneously? What makes it so easy for charlatans and selfish politicians to seize this country by the jugular time and time again? Yesterday it was "Abacha For Ever !", "Who the Cap Fits!" and other similar inanities. What happened to decency and integrity on these shores? What is it at Aso Rock that makes whoever enters there to want to stay glued to the seat, whereas in South Africa, Thambo Mbeki (not even Mandela) would brook no suggestion of an elongated tenure for him?

Obasanjo can still redeem himself today by cutting loose all those leeches who are trying to convince him that if he leaves in 2007 Nigeria will collapse. He should learn from the experience of Babangida. Nigerians generally have a large heart and will forgive most of his shortcomings provided he does not succumb to this third term bait. Nigerians would have forgiven Babangida his multitude of sins against this land if only he had not annulled the June 12, 1993 election and thereafter being forced to leave office in utter ignominy. This third term trap is going to be Obasanjo's "June 12" if he is not careful.

If Obasanjo really wants to be remembered as the man who fought corruption in Nigeria then he must today broaden his definition of corruption and stop perverting the democratic process. He should begin to fight moral corruption, democratic corruption and ethical corruption. All doublespeak and "the more you look abracadabara" should be dropped. Then and only then shall the average Nigerian sit up and applaud his war on corruption. It should be obvious to him that the perversion of our democratic process to satiate a selfish desire to remain in power will cause more long-term damage to the polity than if all the cases in EFCC files remain unsolved.



Soure:www.ngrguardiannews.com

C'mon girl, did you read that thread very well?

It never implied what you wrote up there. I mean it's just for you to say it's cool that's all. And that timing and date will take a long while before it will ever happen again - if it will ever happen again.

It's the way the numbers were arranged that fascinates me.

You know, 01,02,03,04,05,06. Isn't that interesting?

Someone sent this in to me just now, and I felt like sharing it.

On Thursday 4th of May 2006, at two minutes and three seconds after One o clock, the calendar and time will look like this -

[size=13pt]01:02:03 04/05/06 [/size]

Believe me; this will never happen again in your life time*. So, stop, take a break and, cherish the moment.

@Kajad,
What are you talking about? What are you doing with Chukwu and ike in there? and the biko, I'm not very good with Igbo language, but please let me in on what you're talking about. Maybe you're not referring to me.

@babymine,
I've just looked her up. It's OK, all well and good.

Ocho? Who in da world is she? How long ha she been here?

Anyways, since everyone's wishing her HBD, I'll just join. So, HBD to you Ocho.

Vongauche:
Everyone is at fault. Simply getting more money or autonomy is not going to make a difference and is not the answer!

Hey! man, let's try that option first. I mean getting autonomy and more money, lets try it first and see if it will solve our problems or not.

My brother Owo,
I thought I was the only one who read that article. Everyday, some folks just dig up some of OBJ's past to let him in on how to swallow his own spit.

Great highlights.

I never knew Chinani could be that pretty. This life. So many pretty girls.

Let me spoil the ''beautiful show''

nferyn,

Those kiddies are NOT beautiful.

You got the gist, don't ya?

WesleyanA:
But I'll try getting/downloading? a new YIM account.

No probs. I like YIM - More than the others.They(I mean the others) are good too, no doubt.

delarontus:
Regardless of what Obasanjo is and the more important things we need in Nigeria, that bill has been long overdue.

Its such a disgrace the things we subject the official currency to. Its part of our identity as a nation state yet we take no pride in it. In as much as we blame government for everything, we as individuals need to contribute our quota to make a change. The advert on the naira typifies what we do to the currency which is not palatable at all.

Hmnn,
I agree with you, BUT, you must know that it will take AGES for this message to sink in into the average Nigerian. I don't want to elaborate, no time.

Preach on Sis, I hope they'll listen.

chrischidi:
OBJ is more of a movie actor than a president.
our problems are far from what we do with the naira when we get it. we should be talking about how to get the naira.
if OBJ and his numerious adviser lack what to put into laws, let them think about the electricity and water of the country which is the pillar of production and development.
let them think about the security lapses in high and low places.
if amendements in the constitution is compulsory let them think about phasing out old and over aged players from the pitch of presidency.
i suggest our able home movies producers and writters come up with a movie with Pete Edochia or Justice Essiri as a president so that every Nigerian will be convienced that OBJ is less than a screen actor in other words the afore mentioned actors can do better than Mr. confussed.
the secret of paying up our debts lays in his interest to gain the minds of international communities in supporting his third term agenda.
we are not riped as not to owe.

Well said, Chrischidi. Very well said.

Dela,
This write up is from my mentor. Mr Reuben Abati, prolific writer, erudite scholar and public researcher. I hope you and every other person on this forum will find it a refreshing and revealing read.

A nation in doubt
By Reuben Abati

THERE is so much skepticism in the land, so strong, so present, so forceful you can feel it with a feather. Nigerians have learnt to doubt everything. They have no faith in the idea of government. They do not trust politicians. They are convinced that civil servants are thieves. They are cynical about public service. Over time, they have resolved themselves to the fact that anyone who claims to be acting on their behalf is actually interested in himself or herself. This attitude is not restricted to the public sector; even in private situations, the average Nigerian does not believe that there can be standards or norms of human conduct. He lives, he imagines, in the midst of enemies masquerading as doves, who may suddenly transform into wolves.

And so, every day, the Nigerian prepares his mind to doubt everything, to live in a constant state of denial and suspicion, and it is this that governs human relationships within the country, and more importantly the relationship between the people and the government. This is at the root of the country's failure to develop and make progress; it accounts for the distrust among ethnic groups and communities; it explains why it is so difficult to put a light finger on the value of Nigerian citizenship. Countries grow and stand out because the people have a sense of ownership of the development process.

In countries where the people have a sense of ownership, where a person sees himself or herself as a part of the whole, where citizens willingly submit themselves to the idea of the nation, such countries record phenomenal success because they operate at near optimal capacity reflecting the fullness of the human potential at their disposal. Singapore. China. Japan. America. Canada. And so on. But in those countries where the people see themselves primarily as victims, as outsiders, as helpless things of fate, as prisoners in a chamber of death, those countries are bound to be recursive: they take two steps forward and four steps backward. Nigeria is such a country.

Nigerians have learnt to disbelieve everything including their own existence and future. Everything that happens around them: the open gutters, the unkempt environment, the continuing failure of government, the malicious conduct of public officials, the inefficiency of public institutions, the inhumanity of man to man in private situations, the general lack of civility, the cut-throat competitiveness of individuals, the increasing population of evil persons, the uncertainty that pervades everything else, all these push them into private zones of selfish desire, with the only certainty being the ambition of the self.

The root of this is historical. The grounds for it were prepared by specific experiences which early in the country's life damaged its potential for collective, participatory growth. The intervention of the military in Nigerian politics: This is an experience that will forever define the Nigerian nation or non-nation as it were. The military threw up all the divisive elements of the Nigerian federation and turned them into eternal issues of contention. Ironically, the same soldiers who sowed the seeds of anomie are the beneficiaries of the historical process. The civil war: after 1970, Nigeria was already a damaged country. One fellow was explaining to me the other day why the South East cannot or rather, should not, produce a Nigerian President in the nearest future. According to him, "it took the American South more than 100 years before producing an American President, after fighting a civil war". He thinks Igbos should wait for at least 100 years too, and that they should count themselves lucky for having produced a Vice President so soon after the civil war. That fellow may not be alone. He was in fact reporting the resolution at the meeting of a privileged political group. He didn't even need to offer a report. The truth is that the civil war in Nigeria never ended. After 1970, it merely assumed different shapes in form of ethnic and religious conflicts in various communities. Each time there is religious or ethnic violence in any part of the country, what is being tested is the idea of Nigeria. Each time, one ethnic group excludes the other on the grounds of religion or indigeneity, what is being said is that Nigeria is not yet a nation. Each a time a group, ethic militants or armed area boys or religious fanatics or political thugs throw stones or shoot guns or explode bombs against symbols of the Nigerian state, they remind us all over of the doubt that pervades our existence as a nation.

International reports on Nigeria continue to affirm this on an annual basis: the latest of such reports is the current 64-page Human Rights Watch Report on Nigeria which draws attention to the crisis of disunity and the dilemma of citizenship. Although we claim to be a nation, certain Nigerians are denied citizenship because they live or seek opportunities in other parts of the country, even if the Constitution forbids any form of discrimination. The Human Rights Watch Report tells us what we already know: that we need to rebuild our nation around a set of commonly shared core values, and reconstruct the Nigerian identity. Other reports have pointed to widespread corruption, failure of institutions and mass poverty amidst galloping oil wealth.

But it is all so sad that this is the case in 2006. When Nigerians fought for and achieved democracy in 1999, they had great hopes that the exit of the military and the advent of civilian rule, against the backdrop of history, would provide them an opportunity to reform their lives, reinvent the collective spirit and build a new nation afresh. They thought that with democracy, they would gain the opportunity to define a new social contract that will be binding on all the federating units. In seven years of democracy, this has not happened. It is like old times all over again. In the past few months, the events of our daily lives have only shown us that it is not civilian rule that moves a nation forward but the spirit of the people and their level of faith, the quality of humanity that they bring to the public and the private space. The common good continues to suffer in our land and we all seem so helpless. We are a nation without citizens. We are a nation of cynics. And so history continues to repeat itself, it continues to beat the same ugly rhythms, without respite.

Last week, bombs exploded in the streets of Port Harcourt claiming lives and property. The same thing happened under similar circumstances in the days of General Sani Abacha. Another fellow told me that it not impossible that those bombs are being exploded by the agents of government to create an atmosphere of instability and a corresponding notion that a Third term is inevitable so that such problems may be addressed by one man who seems to have a bigger stake in Nigeria than the rest of us. In Kano, the President's convoy was reportedly stoned. In the days of Abacha, Presidential visits had to be cancelled because there were fears that Abacha could be attacked. It is sheer madness to attack the convoy of a Presidential convoy. It does not matter what the convictions of the President or his Deputy may be; the Presidency is the primal symbol of democracy; when it is exposed to ridicule, it is the nation itself that is threatened.

But this Presidency must also accept the blame for the spread of cynicism in the land. It has placed politics above service. It has turned individual ambitions into issues of urgent national importance. In its last moments, it has reduced the Nigerian interest and the substance of democracy to a single issue, popularly known as "third term", a euphemism really for the personal ambitions of a few. The effect is that a government that could have enjoyed much goodwill and expression of gratitude in its twilight season is now the target of organised protest and simulated anger. Third term politics reaffirms the people's doubts about their own future and place in the Nigerian arrangement. It throws up fresh fears about the workability of the workability of the Nigerian contract. It ignites primordial passion and anxieties. Sadly, it provides for all kinds of aggrieved person an umbrella under which they can register their dissatisfaction with Nigeria.

It makes its promoters vulnerable in the same manner in which it made the King of Nepal so vulnerable, he had to succumb to the people's will. In Nepal, the impeding chaos was prevented only because the King succumbed to the popular will. He may end up losing his throne. Those who want the third term desperately are victims of doubt. They are not sure of tomorrow. They do not trust other Nigerians who may succeed them. They have created a rich foreign reserve running into $30 billion, up from a miserable $2 billion: what if a renegade government takes over and blows all that money in three months? They have set in place a reform programme which is yet to bear all its fruits: what if a government of adventurists and speculators turns up and reverses all the initial gains? And if they leave power, these "Third termers", what will happen to them, having offended so many people with their general conduct? An extension of tenure will allow them to buy time to make amends?

The opposition is also pushed by its own doubts. Governors who have stolen public funds and who are being told that there would be no immunity clause in the Constitution to protect them any longer are afraid of going to jail. The lawmakers are equally interested in the arguments for the sake of personal profit. And so in the end, this is all about Nigeria: its character and future. We have remained in the same spot because we are yet to find the will to work together as a people. The politics of Third term is a symptom invariably of Nigeria's original sin.


Source: www.ngrguardiannews.com

[quote author=la_vivi link=topic=11398.msg319593#msg319593 date=1146151316]am sorry it just that am bold to speak out![/quote]It's OK. But you don't have to type em all out in bold, you know. Anyway, it's all well and good, though.

@La_vivi,
Yep no doubt that will be the next thread on the Gunners.

You always post in bold. Why? Bold posts makes my eyes pop out, dripping tears.

clemsonfan:
What is a naira in U.S Dollars

Something like $1 = N125 or so.

Gas prices are no doubt less in Nigeria than in the US. But I guess as things go in here in Nigeria, I think we are warming up for another fuel price hike. I see long queue of vehicles at filling stations here in Warri. This has been attributed to the Niger Delta crises, but I know we are warming up, big time.

Geeez, niterider, that's great!! I'm happy we made it to the final.

And la_vivi yo! you're cute.

Danmasani:
@ Ono

Ibrahim Mantu is not a newcomer in the turbulent Nigerian politics. He has seen it all and has always been on the bad side actually. Mantu has been in governemnt since the Second republic ( Buhari even locked him up for some time), was a major player in NRC, an Abacha boy and now a man attracted to manipulation of the constituition to suit his master. Well society can't be without devils, so its good that we have a Mantu, at least he can be the mantle to carry out acts hell prescribes!

Really? I think he's doing a good job as a mantle for carrying out hellish acts!