₦airaland Forum

cold:
@Mr Physics, while there is no doubt that the Federal Government and MNCs have contributed in no small measure to the degradation of the ND are you trying to say the local & state government haven't been complicit in this criminal and wicked act?If only the governors of the region showed a little transparency-just a little transparency,i strongly believe the MNCs will fall in line.What's that cliche again;'charity begins at home'.

In all of these, rarely have pundits and political referees examined the blame-worthy role of the elites and state governments in the oil-producing region. Somehow, we seem to forget that governments and powerful individuals in and outside of the region are also responsible for the ill, the indifference and the calamities that have come to characterize the region. In other words, for all the blames at the door step of the oil companies and the federal government, the elites and the state governments are also culpable.

They have, in no small measure, contributed to the abysmal state the people are in. There is ample evidence to show that those at the upper echelon of the political and economic ladder have, for the most part, engaged in predatory practices – practices that have for so long been inimical to the progress and wellbeing of the common man.

Although the aforesaid is not unique to the region; if the elites and the state governments were humane and sensible, they would have approached the congealing problems in a more honest and concerted fashion. But instead, they allowed, and in some cases left their own people to suffer, while they bask in opulence and institutionalized waste.

Considering the state of the nine oil-producing states, one must ask: where have all the monthly allocations gone? Where are the roads and the schools and the clinics and hospitals? Where are the libraries, the science laboratories and the parks? Where are the waterworks, the bridges and the industries? Where are the social services these governments are supposed to provide their citizens? Stolen? Mismanaged? Where, where has all the money the various states in the Niger Delta received since 1999 gone?

Although some have argued that the current revenue allocation formula is unfair, not proportionate to the contribution of the region to the national purse, still, the region continues to receive hefty and stupendous amounts when compared to previous eras.

Frankly, whether fair or unfair, these governments have not judiciously spent the amount they have been receiving since the beginning of this republic.

Considering their monthly allocations, and considering also what‘s available on the ground, it seems that some 70 per cent of monthly receipts have either gone into the pockets of the ruling class and their cronies, or have been scandalously misappropriated.

The nine federating states of the Niger Delta may have received more money than the next twenty states combined.

Together, their yearly allocation is more than that of Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Chad and Togo combined.

What have the governments in the Niger Delta done with these robust allocations? What happened to the people‘s money?

The ongoing struggle for justice and accountability must not end with the federal government and the oil companies. Activists, the police and law enforcement agencies, commentators, and freedom fighters in the Niger Delta must also investigate the activities of the so-called elites and oligarchy within the region. We must not allow them to shift all the blames to ”outsiders.” Governors from the region (1999-2010), were and continue to be part of the problem. In some cases, they are bigger problems than the federal government and the oil companies combined.[/b]

cold:
Three-and-half- decades after Brigadier Samuel Ogbemudia left office, his legacy lives on. The same is true of Brigadiers Mobolaji Johnson, David Bamigboye, Jacob Esuene, and Commander Alfred Diete-Spiff. These were men who had to govern much larger territories with a tenth or less of the current monthly allocations; yet, their achievements have, in some cases, outweighed the achievements of all their successors combined. After all these years, Nigerians still thank their Lord for these and a few other leaders.

More than a few consider Governor Donald Duke (Cross River, 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007) an exception. It‘s been said that he, in some ways, justified his stay in office. This exception aside,

dplordx:
@PhysicsMHD


I am business man. I have 2 registered companies I built from scratch.

I have lived in Bayelsa for 6 good years and I know the big difference between the ND people and other people of Nigeria.

Even my own people the ibo suffered heavily in the civil war long left this mental lassitude and we've successfully conquered the commercial soul of the country while the yoruba maintain education.

Abeg take your argument to your students. Your logic is totally limited to classrooms and your students who would soon see how limited your postulations are.

@cold

why on earth would you argue with PhysicsMHD?
The guy lives in the textbooks he's always wallowed in while hunting for his Phd.
Go through his posts and you will see that this is a guy who likes to argue just for the sake of arguing, all his opinions are based on blatant non-contextual theories that doesnt even point to any concrete solutions.

dplordx:
[b]@PhysicsMHD


I am business man. I have 2 registered companies I built from scratch. I have lived in Bayelsa for 6 good years and I know the big difference between the ND people and other people of Nigeria. ND people play the victim cards every single minute, and even if GEJ spends the next 50 years in power, they would keep blaming the North and Obasanjo for their problems and militancy. These are people who dont even know they represent a great portion of their own problems.
Even my own people the ibo suffered heavily in the civil war long left this mental lassitude and we've successfully conquered the commercial soul of the country while the yoruba maintain education.
Abeg take your argument to your students. Your logic is totally limited to classrooms and your students who would soon see how limited your postulations are.

@cold

why on earth would you argue with PhysicsMHD?
The guy lives in the textbooks he's always wallowed in while hunting for his Phd.
Go through his posts and you will see that this is a guy who likes to argue just for the sake of arguing, all his opinions are based on blatant non-contextual theories that doesnt even point to any concrete solutions.
[/b]

Beaf:
You come across as someone with a very deep inferiority complex.
By the way, what is "ibo?"

WeNigerDelta:
This truly freaking hurts.....It burns everything in me, for over 50years, half a century....This is our only home, the home of our ancestors, our land, our pride...The only crime we ever committed, was God blessed us more than everybody else.....
We will never stop fighting EVER...

ba7man:
Don't forget to bomb more oil and gas pipelines.

It's very good for your image and environment.

ba7man:
Don't forget to bomb more oil and gas pipelines.

It's very good for your image and environment.

WeNigerDelta:
I have known my lands like this forever....You have never cared so quit acting or sarcastic like you do.....He who is down fears no fall...We've seen it all, we have nothing after feeding your lazy asses for 50years...
So yes we will keep blowing installations up....Because we want a country where we will control our own resources, and we can educated all the children of the ND in world class school....We will even have more than enough to clean up the destruction you haven't cared about for 50years...
Let us go and you go figure out how to blow up cocoa plantations for your survival

ba7man:
Nah.... you guys can go ahead with the blowing up of your region in the name of development and to get your country.

We'll rather initiate projects that will enhance our society and nurture our cocoa farms so we'll have other sources of income to rely on.

An Ijaw man is the President now, I am sure he still remembers what he went throu when he was young and he knows what his people are going throu now,
So when he leaves power probably in the Next 8 years, he should take MEND with him or else, their violence wont make sense to me.