The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé - Politics (3)

The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé - Politics (3) - Nairaland

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Shym3xx: 2:27pm On May 31, 2016

LRNZH:
You read the OP with a biased mind. I clearly showed that the Niger Delta is justified with its cry of environmental degradation and poverty while oil production went on unabated. The whole Introduction section was dedicated to make this case.

The part you quoted, common, if there is spillage due to oil production, does that justify more spillage through sabotage because you want to make a case? That's partly what that point was referring to. I'm glad you didn't argue the tourism piece of it.

Anyway, let us keep rubbing minds and sharing opinions. That is the best way to understand and proffer meaningful solutions. Violence is not the answer.

I didn't read with a biased mind...I just think there's something fundamentally wrong with the way a lot of folks like peddling the "environmental degradation" argument, whenever pipelines are blown up. However, it seems the same people are oblivious to the fact that there has been perpetual environmental degradation in that region for decades, which the Nigerian government doesn't care about. And the only time they remember it is when the revenue/income cash cow is affected. That's basically selfish, inhumane, and insensitive.

No matter how you look at it: as messed up as the whole region is, more oil spillage via militancy won't affect them more than the destructive oil spillage and gas flaring that they have been plagued with for decades. And if they can all ditch selfish interests and come together to speak with one voice that enough is enough and, justice must be served by any means necessary - whatever method they use is inconsequential in the scheme of things. They can always fix that once justice is served. When people have been neglected and cheated for so long - all is fair in whatever method they decide to use in fighting back.

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Mrjo(m): 2:27pm On May 31, 2016

As if govt knows that, by the way what happend to that confab last addminstration spent ₦9b for? I dont support violent.

LRNZH:
Mon Ami, it was a constant battle in my head between providing details and keeping it to a short summary.
It should be worth the read though. We, Africans short change ourselves when we destroy ourselves and properties because of issues that we can smartly resolve with little or no violence. We should talk more and fight less.

BTW, I love your blog. Keep it up mon belle!

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by senbonzakurakageyoshi(m): 2:29pm On May 31, 2016

WeNigerDelta:
If you've read all my post, you won't find a line where I absolve my leaders of any blame....They are all part of the corrupt evil Nigerian system....
What is it with you guys and calling us lazy? Is that what they beat into your head to believe? Most youths in the region are ready to work, damn they even take extra welding and whatever courses just to be able to get any job.....Stop it already, we are that farthest thing from lazy....
Most of the job slots you're raving about are contract jobs for few months....Come to Warri and understand the meaning of the work don finish....These jobs has zero benefits and their safety are not the priorities of the IOC, because they defer those responsibilities to the contractors.....Because you are not from our region you have no idea how Yorubas steal the permanent jobs in these companies with tribalism, people that attend the same school as our brothers....Believe it or not it's our reality, if your company is in Texas you employ Texans first, same in Cali or London it's when you cant find competent hands that you outsource from all over....Employ Niger Deltans in permanent positions first is all we are asking for, we don't need any hand outs.:.

Bro, the joblessness is a national problem, not something peculiar to Warri or the ND alone. Even the little other states have isn't enough to employ their own citizens. A lot of agitators keep painting this picture that people elsewhere in the country are enjoying and they are the only ones suffering. This is a straight up lie. There are no jobs across the entire country, not just in the ND. Power supply is epileptic across the country. Health care same. As is availability of necessary infrastructure. My brother, all of us are suffering in this country. It's not a ND thing.

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by macaranta(m): 2:35pm On May 31, 2016

WeNigerDelta:
If you've read all my post, you won't find a line where I absolve my leaders of any blame....They are all part of the corrupt evil Nigerian system....
What is it with you guys and calling us lazy? Is that what they beat into your head to believe? Most youths in the region are ready to work, damn they even take extra welding and whatever courses just to be able to get any job.....Stop it already, we are that farthest thing from lazy....
Most of the job slots you're raving about are contract jobs for few months....Come to Warri and understand the meaning of the work don finish....These jobs has zero benefits and their safety are not the priorities of the IOC, because they defer those responsibilities to the contractors.....Because you are not from our region you have no idea how Yorubas steal the permanent jobs in these companies with tribalism, people that attend the same school as our brothers....Believe it or not it's our reality, if your company is in Texas you employ Texans first, same in Cali or London it's when you cant find competent hands that you outsource from all over....Employ Niger Deltans in permanent positions first is all we are asking for, we don't need any hand outs.:.

Dude,I'm more Niger Delta than you,take it or leave it.It is almost close to impossible for IOC's to employ just Niger Deltans both qualified and unqualified.Shell holds srd every year,encourage your educated wards to apply and go through the process as every other person.I'm using shell as a yardstick because their recruitment process is fair.
During my internship days in a gas company probably the largest in Nigeria,one o our scaffolders was drunk on site,in our gas train,setting up scaffold for the maintenance team...he is Niger Delta FYI from the host community. He was almost fired,except for my intervention(not saying this to boast or showoff) ,but imagine the disaster that could have occured because he was probably given this job due to favoritism /ethnicity .If Niger deltans are qualified,they should apply for jobs like every other Nigerian.Essential roles can't just be "dashed" to the host community..not possible bro.
Yes a lot more could be done for the Delta,but standards shouldn't be brought laughably low because we want to please the Niger Delta people.

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Shym3xx: 2:37pm On May 31, 2016

senbonzakurakageyoshi:
Some people on this thread have hit the nail on the head. It would be difficult, if not completely illogical, to give the ND region full control of their resources if with the little they get, they have done practically nothing. Remember Jesus' parable of the talents? (for the Christians). The master said "because you have been Faithful (prudent, judicious, useful, wise) with little, I will set you over more". Unfortunately, most of the ND leaders have been profligate and have mismanaged both allocations and goodwill. Why then are they asking for more, if they have not provided anything useful with what they already get? Majority of the leaders of the resource control clamour have terribly selfish interests - they just want direct access to all of the money. If you give them control today, I can almost bet in ten years they wouldn't have made any meaningful impact. The people of the region should first hold their current leaders at all levels accountable for the mismanagement of their current allocations before asking for more. I'm all for a proper federal structure, bit not when it will only benefit some that want to become Nigeria's oil sheikhs overnight on the back of their people's struggle and suffering.

@ bold - illogical argument. The same argument can be made for the whole country, including the FG. Whatever they do with their resources is no one's business.

The whole scrounging business the insufficient oil is breeding is counter-productive. Ibadan is a classic example of everything wrong with oil. That was a city built during the latter days of colonial rule and in the first republic with money from cocoa. However, the city has stagnated since oil was dicovered with amala politics/mentality cos oil breeds lazy people/thinkers and everyone is out for stipends from oil for owanbe parties.

Another oil curse is how lazy most Yoruba people have become. I remember vividly that last year during the Oba-of-Lagos-gate, some idi.iotic and ignorant Yoruba chic posited an utterly disrespectful post that Yorubas lack the mental business acumen to make any Yoruba city thrive and Yoruba only produce the lands and conducive environment for business to thrive, while the Igbos are the brain. And you've to wonder how come the same Yorubas who own at least 80% of Nigerian businesses in diaspora (over 90% in the UK) lack the fundamental skills to thrive in business in Nigeria. The answer to that is the oil and the generation of lazy Yoruba folks it continues to breed in Nigeria, thus disgracing the industrious/creative Yoruba folks doing well outside the shores of the country.

Give these people their oil and get back to what we do well as a people. You lot are disgracing us.

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by WeNigerDelta2: 2:47pm On May 31, 2016

macaranta:
Dude,I'm more Niger Delta than you,take it or leave it.It is almost close to impossible for IOC's to employ just Niger Deltans both qualified and unqualified.Shell holds srd every year,encourage your educated wards to apply and go through the process as every other person.I'm using shell as a yardstick because their recruitment process is fair.
During my internship days in a gas company probably the largest in Nigeria,one o our scaffolders was drunk on site,in our gas train,setting up scaffold for the maintenance team...he is Niger Delta FYI from the host community. He was almost fired,except for my intervention(not saying this to boast or showoff) ,but imagine the disaster that could have occured because he was probably given this job due to favoritism /ethnicity .If Niger deltans are qualified,they should apply for jobs like every other Nigerian.Essential roles can't just be "dashed" to the host community..not possible bro.
Yes a lot more could be done for the Delta,but standards shouldn't be brought laughably low because we want to please the Niger Delta people.

Just stop it already....First it was no investors will invest when bullets are flying, I pointed and Calabar out you moved goal post...Then to we are lazy or not qualified enough...Isn't it always nuts how you guys always know an incompetent naija deltan from host communities....There are incompetent people everywhere, there are also a lot of very educated smart competent Niger deltans that are roaming the street....I know you'll never agree tribalism and favoritism is involved since your people are mention, and please hang that Ondo is ND crap y'all like to say...Who is in charge of the recruitment processes? What about administrative jobs in Lagos? We are incompetent there too right or na your people full there....What about people that worked at IOCs for more years and get past up for promotions but their Yoruba brothers will get promoted over them? All the top posts at IOCs, so no competent Niger Deltan that has worked in the IOCs for over 15years deserve them or they all fail their courses and training terribly..,

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LRNZH(op): 2:52pm On May 31, 2016

Shym3xx:
@ bold - illogical argument. The same argument can be made for the whole country, including the FG. Whatever they do with their resources is no one's business.

The whole scrounging business the insufficient oil is breeding is counter-productive. Ibadan is a classic example of everything wrong with oil. That was a city built during the latter days of colonial rule and in the first republic with money from cocoa. However, the city has stagnated since oil was dicovered with amala politics/mentality cos oil breeds lazy people/thinkers and everyone is out for stipends from oil for owanbe parties.

Another oil curse is how lazy most Yoruba people have become. I remember vividly that last year during the Oba-of-Lagos-gate, some idi.iotic and ignorant Yoruba chic posited an utterly disrespectful post that Yorubas lack the mental business acumen to make any Yoruba city thrive and Yoruba only produce the lands and conducive environment for business to thrive, while the Igbos are the brain. And you've to wonder how come the same Yorubas who own at least 80% of Nigerian businesses in diaspora (over 90% in the UK) lack the fundamental skills to thrive in business in Nigeria. The answer to that is the oil and the generation of lazy Yoruba folks it continues to breed in Nigeria, thus disgracing the industrious/creative Yoruba folks doing well outside the shores of the country.

Give these people their oil and get back to what we do well as a people. You lot are disgracing us.

If what you have stated are indeed true then it means more resource control is not the solution to the Niger Delta problems because you have just alluded to the widely known "resource curse".

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by ekolina(m): 3:00pm On May 31, 2016

ndcide:
Can you also tell us how Nigeria survived before 1958 and the impact of government on the people of the region then.

In spite of all these big grammar. If there's no oil today, the region would have lost its competitive advantage and NO BODY WILL CARE. the resources from that region must be seen to impact the region the most before even the FCT.

This is my point and ditto to LRZNH

. Before 1958 every region was financing herself...ground nut from d north, cocoa in from the west and palm fruit from d east. No region was dependent on d other

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LordAdam: 3:00pm On May 31, 2016

@LRNZH, if you are not from the Niger Delta, you are telling our story exactly how the whites would tell the story about Africa.

Like Adichie right said on TED Talk, Africans have to tell the African story. In similar vein, Niger Deltans have to tell the Niger Deltan story.

Don't feign knowledge of all issues when you have not held crude oil on your bare hands when you try to fetch water. Simply because you can read papers.

The Nigerian state historically is a repressive brute. FACT.

Adara fought an armed struggle, he got amnesty at the end.

Ken Saro Wiwa did a peaceful struggle, he paid with his life.

The 13% derivation was agreed in 1995.

It was implemented in 2000.

This was after the 1998/1999 peaceful later turned armed struggle led by the Ijaw Youth Council in Bayelsa and Delta.

When it started peacefully, the tanks were called in. Tens of thousands of troops were deployed. Hundreds were killed during peaceful protests.

It was after violence erupted that culminating with the Odi Massacre in 1999, that we started getting something back in 2000.

13% derivation was initiated in 2000. NDDC was created in 2000.

It was only after the armed struggle that started in 2004, that training of youths and Niger Delta Ministry was created in 2008.

In fact, the courts have said the Nigerian Army/FG should pay circa N20b as compensation to the Odi community for the massacre. That money has not been paid till date.

The moral of these historic facts is that Nigeria has historically suppressed peaceful agitations in Niger Delta but react to armed struggle in the Niger Delta.

Take last year for example.

When Buhari came in, he immediately cancelled pipeline surveillance contracts against background uproar from the region. Then he said he would begin to wind down the Amnesty program in 2018.

All peaceful routes to get him to change his mind achieved nothing.

All of a sudden, NDA starts bombing, and his mind changed.

In a recent meeting between the FG represented by Minister of Niger Delta and ex-militants, pipeline surveillance contracts will resume. Buhari now has repeatedly said he would not cancel Amnesty.

Can you see the trend?

As I said, good as your intentions are, if you are not a Niger Deltan you can never see things as we see them. Your opinion can never replace ours.

In 55 years, hundreds of trillion of Naira have been gotten from the sales of oil in the Niger Delta and politicians and elites gained with little to how for it. But Niger Deltan leaders use N8.1t with nothing gained in less than a decade and all of a sudden, you guys are now champions of accountability.

I am not saying it is right.

However, when the government only allow armed struggles lead to resolutions, those at the forefront are bound to take the largesse of what comes out. It is natural.

Niger Deltans cannot start bickering over wastage when we are being raped by the entity called Nigeria. A time will come when we would hold our leaders responsible for the wastage. However, for now, we cannot afford to fight internal squabbles when we need all hands on deck to conquer our far more aggressive neo-colonialists with more resources at their disposal.

The enemy of your enemy is your friend!

That is why the issues of accountability are currently downplayed in the Niger Delta. We are far more structured in our handling of issues.

You would know that if you have studied our struggle for years rather than do a two day research and come up with a biased piece of less than 5000 words.

The Niger Delta has a diverse ethnicity. Yet we put our differences aside and fight for our right. 80% of Niger Delta resources is in 20% of Niger Delta Lands, yet we do not do major inter-squabbling about who gets what.

When the Nigerian state begins to be civil, we in the Niger Delta will adopt peaceful resolutions. Until then, we have identified the nerve of Nigeria. Bomb oil pipelines and you would draw the attention of the Nigerian state and get juicy contracts and funds. Do peaceful protests like IPOB and you will be killed ruthlessly.

I hope you know that Buhari is visiting the Niger Delta this week, as a sign of good faith. To commission the start of Ogoni land cleanup.

Those who oppose war must be reasonable enough to value peace.

The Nigerian state does not value peace.

-Lord

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by senbonzakurakageyoshi(m): 3:16pm On May 31, 2016

LordAdam:
@LRNZH, if you are not from the Niger Delta, you are telling our story exactly how the whites would tell the story about Africa.

Like Adichie right said on TED Talk, Africans have to tell the African story. In similar vein, Niger Deltans have to tell the Niger Deltan story.

Don't feign knowledge of all issues when you have not held crude oil on your bare hands when you try to fetch water. Simply because you can read papers.

The Nigerian state historically is a repressive brute. FACT.

Adara fought an armed struggle, he got amnesty at the end.

Ken Saro Wiwa did a peaceful struggle, he paid with his life.

The 13% derivation was agreed in 1995.

It was implemented in 2000.

This was after the 1998/1999 peaceful later turned armed struggle led by the Ijaw Youth Council in Bayelsa and Delta.

When it started peacefully, the tanks were called in. Tens of thousands of troops were deployed. Hundreds were killed during peaceful protests.

It was after violence erupted that culminating with the Odi Massacre in 1999, that we started getting something back in 2000.

13% derivation was initiated in 2000. NDDC was created in 2000.

It was only after the armed struggle that started in 2004, that training of youths and Niger Delta Ministry was created in 2008.

In fact, the courts have said the Nigerian Army/FG should pay circa N20b as compensation to the Odi community for the massacre. That money has not been paid till date.

The moral of these historic facts is that Nigeria has historically suppressed peaceful agitations in Niger Delta but react to armed struggle in the Niger Delta.

Take last year for example.

When Buhari came in, he immediately cancelled pipeline surveillance contracts against background uproar from the region. Then he said he would begin to wind down the Amnesty program in 2018.

All peaceful routes to get him to change his mind achieved nothing.

All of a sudden, NDA starts bombing, and his mind changed.

In a recent meeting between the FG represented by Minister of Niger Delta and ex-militants, pipeline surveillance contracts will resume. Buhari now has repeatedly said he would not cancel Amnesty.

Can you see the trend?

As I said, good as your intentions are, if you are not a Niger Deltan you can never see things as we see them. Your opinion can never replace ours.

In 55 years, hundreds of trillion of Naira have been gotten from the sales of oil in the Niger Delta and politicians and elites gained with little to how for it. But Niger Deltan leaders use N8.1t with nothing gained in less than a decade and all of a sudden, you guys are now champions of accountability.

I am not saying it is right.

However, when the government only allow armed struggles lead to resolutions, those at the forefront are bound to take the largesse of what comes out. It is natural.

Niger Deltans cannot start bickering over wastage when we are being raped by the entity called Nigeria. A time will come when we would hold our leaders responsible for the wastage. However, for now, we cannot afford to fight internal squabbles when we need all hands on deck to conquer our far more aggressive neo-colonialists with more resources at their disposal.

The enemy of your enemy is your friend!

That is why the issues of accountability are currently downplayed in the Niger Delta. We are far more structured in our handling of issues.

You would know that if you have studied our struggle for years rather than do a two day research and come up with a biased piece of less than 5000 words.

The Niger Delta has a diverse ethnicity. Yet we put our differences aside and fight for our right. 80% of Niger Delta resources is in 20% of Niger Delta Lands, yet we do not do major inter-squabbling about who gets what.

When the Nigerian state begins to be civil, we in the Niger Delta will adopt peaceful resolutions. Until then, we have identified the nerve of Nigeria. Bomb oil pipelines and you would draw the attention of the Nigerian state and get juicy contracts and funds. Do peaceful protests like IPOB and you will be killed ruthlessly.

I hope you know that Buhari is visiting the Niger Delta this week, as a sign of good faith. To commission the start of Ogoni land cleanup.

Those who oppose war must be reasonable enough to value peace.

The Nigerian state does not value peace.

-Lord

Unfortunately, you're failing to take the South Sudan example. They were probably telling themselves "the time will come when we will hold our leaders accountable". Now, they have not just complete resource control, but their own country to themselves. And the squabbling and fighting and dissent has continued with almost the same vigor as the one that got them their secession. You would have thought that one week after getting their demands, the country would become a land flowing with milk and honey with the way they agitated for a secession. It shouldn't be the other way round. It shouldn't be "wait till we get the resources first, then we will demand accountability", because when that resource control is granted, those selfish leaders that funded the agitation would become the new oppressors in control of the resources and then a new struggle would start afresh. Don't set the cart before the horse.

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Shym3xx: 3:21pm On May 31, 2016

LRNZH:
If what you have stated are indeed true then it means more resource control is not the solution to the Niger Delta problems because you have just alluded to the widely known "resource curse".

No. It's a curse when over 180 million people are overly dependent meagre resources that can't cater to their needs. However, if you can allow those who it control what God blessed them with, while others look inwards to exploit/explore their own potentials - it will be a blessing no matter how wasteful they're. Gulf states are classic examples of how abundant resources will always be a blessing, regardless of mismanagement. At the end of the day, once you give them what's rightful theirs - the oil problem would solely be their problem.

For the other points I raised: I'm sure you're not oblivious to the fact that Ibadan has stagnated in growth since the few years it was the capital of the western region and a city designated to be the pride of Yorubas, is more of a disgrace than anything.

The chic who posited the other point I raised is a regular in the family section and she isn't an impostor - she's Yoruba. Heck, I was banned for a month for calling out her ignorance and how utterly disrespectful the idi.otic comment is to Yorubas from Lagos. So, you have to ask why Yorubas in Nigeria are like that and a lot of them subconsciously believe they lack the brain power to thrive in business cos of the oil curse and lack of awareness about wealth generation. All the cities/towns that I've been to with over 50 black people always have an African business/shop and Church owned by Yorubas. And once you leave Nigeria, from Benin and Togo, all the way to Sierra Leone - Yorubas thrive in all kinds of businesses in these countries (I'm relating what people from these countries told me cos they can differentiate Nigerian tribes). How come the same zeal/industrious-nature isn't replicated in Nigeria by Yorubas in Nigeria and they believe that they're only good at creating lands and conducive environment for other people to dominate wealth creation in their cities? That should show you the oil curse and how lazy these people have become.

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by WeNigerDelta2: 3:24pm On May 31, 2016

LordAdam:
@LRNZH, if you are not from the Niger Delta, you are telling our story exactly how the whites would tell the story about Africa.

Like Adichie right said on TED Talk, Africans have to tell the African story. In similar vein, Niger Deltans have to tell the Niger Deltan story.

Don't feign knowledge of all issues when you have not held crude oil on your bare hands when you try to fetch water. Simply because you can read papers.

The Nigerian state historically is a repressive brute. FACT.

Adara fought an armed struggle, he got amnesty at the end.

Ken Saro Wiwa did a peaceful struggle, he paid with his life.

The 13% derivation was agreed in 1995.

It was implemented in 2000.

This was after the 1998/1999 peaceful later turned armed struggle led by the Ijaw Youth Council in Bayelsa and Delta.

When it started peacefully, the tanks were called in. Tens of thousands of troops were deployed. Hundreds were killed during peaceful protests.

It was after violence erupted that culminating with the Odi Massacre in 1999, that we started getting something back in 2000.

13% derivation was initiated in 2000. NDDC was created in 2000.

It was only after the armed struggle that started in 2004, that training of youths and Niger Delta Ministry was created in 2008.

In fact, the courts have said the Nigerian Army/FG should pay circa N20b as compensation to the Odi community for the massacre. That money has not been paid till date.

The moral of these historic facts is that Nigeria has historically suppressed peaceful agitations in Niger Delta but react to armed struggle in the Niger Delta.

Take last year for example.

When Buhari came in, he immediately cancelled pipeline surveillance contracts against background uproar from the region. Then he said he would begin to wind down the Amnesty program in 2018.

All peaceful routes to get him to change his mind achieved nothing.

All of a sudden, NDA starts bombing, and his mind changed.

In a recent meeting between the FG represented by Minister of Niger Delta and ex-militants, pipeline surveillance contracts will resume. Buhari now has repeatedly said he would not cancel Amnesty.

Can you see the trend?

As I said, good as your intentions are, if you are not a Niger Deltan you can never see things as we see them. Your opinion can never replace ours.

In 55 years, hundreds of trillion of Naira have been gotten from the sales of oil in the Niger Delta and politicians and elites gained with little to how for it. But Niger Deltan leaders use N8.1t with nothing gained in less than a decade and all of a sudden, you guys are now champions of accountability.

I am not saying it is right.

However, when the government only allow armed struggles lead to resolutions, those at the forefront are bound to take the largesse of what comes out. It is natural.

Niger Deltans cannot start bickering over wastage when we are being raped by the entity called Nigeria. A time will come when we would hold our leaders responsible for the wastage. However, for now, we cannot afford to fight internal squabbles when we need all hands on deck to conquer our far more aggressive neo-colonialists with more resources at their disposal.

The enemy of your enemy is your friend!

That is why the issues of accountability are currently downplayed in the Niger Delta. We are far more structured in our handling of issues.

You would know that if you have studied our struggle for years rather than do a two day research and come up with a biased piece of less than 5000 words.

The Niger Delta has a diverse ethnicity. Yet we put our differences aside and fight for our right. 80% of Niger Delta resources is in 20% of Niger Delta Lands, yet we do not do major inter-squabbling about who gets what.

When the Nigerian state begins to be civil, we in the Niger Delta will adopt peaceful resolutions. Until then, we have identified the nerve of Nigeria. Bomb oil pipelines and you would draw the attention of the Nigerian state and get juicy contracts and funds. Do peaceful protests like IPOB and you will be killed ruthlessly.

I hope you know that Buhari is visiting the Niger Delta this week, as a sign of good faith. To commission the start of Ogoni land cleanup.

Those who oppose war must be reasonable enough to value peace.

The Nigerian state does not value peace.

-Lord

My Lord....That lordship nor be luggage, if Na so your own be over bamness wanna kill you...

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by senbonzakurakageyoshi(m): 3:24pm On May 31, 2016

Shym3xx:
@ bold - illogical argument. The same argument can be made for the whole country, including the FG. Whatever they do with their resources is no one's business.

The whole scrounging business the insufficient oil is breeding is counter-productive. Ibadan is a classic example of everything wrong with oil. That was a city built during the latter days of colonial rule and in the first republic with money from cocoa. However, the city has stagnated since oil was dicovered with amala politics/mentality cos oil breeds lazy people/thinkers and everyone is out for stipends from oil for owanbe parties.

Another oil curse is how lazy most Yoruba people have become. I remember vividly that last year during the Oba-of-Lagos-gate, some idi.iotic and ignorant Yoruba chic posited an utterly disrespectful post that Yorubas lack the mental business acumen to make any Yoruba city thrive and Yoruba only produce the lands and conducive environment for business to thrive, while the Igbos are the brain. And you've to wonder how come the same Yorubas who own at least 80% of Nigerian businesses in diaspora (over 90% in the UK) lack the fundamental skills to thrive in business in Nigeria. The answer to that is the oil and the generation of lazy Yoruba folks it continues to breed in Nigeria, thus disgracing the industrious/creative Yoruba folks doing well outside the shores of the country.

Give these people their oil and get back to what we do well as a people. You lot are disgracing us.

I'm not an advocate of government keeping control of the resources, if you think that's what I'm insinuating. I'm just an advocate of things being done the right way. I get that you want the Niger Deltans to have their resource control so that the oil curse would be restricted to their region instead of the entire country. I wouldn't mind that either. But I'm just being logical here, and the ND is just a case study. Accountability is paramount for any democratic system to be efficient at least to an extent. Even if the ND gets resource control and all the individual regions start sourcing for their own revenue, the question is, would the leaders in these regions use such revenues judiciously? Would the people hold them accountable? Because it doesn't matter what the source of the money is and how hardworking the people are, if at the end of the day it gets spirited into pockets of the few in power. Each region needs to ask it's leaders:what are you people doing with the money meant for all of us?

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LordAdam: 3:30pm On May 31, 2016

senbonzakurakageyoshi:
Unfortunately, you're failing to take the South Sudan example. They were probably telling themselves "the time will come when we will hold our leaders accountable". Now, they have not just complete resource control, but their own country to themselves. And the squabbling and fighting and dissent has continued with almost the same vigor as the one that got them their secession. You would have thought that one week after getting their demands, the country would become a land flowing with milk and honey with the way they agitated for a secession. It shouldn't be the other way round. It shouldn't be "wait till we get the resources first, then we will demand accountability", because when that resource control is granted, those selfish leaders that funded the agitation would become the new oppressors in control of the resources and then a new struggle would start afresh. Don't set the cart before the horse.

Give us our republic and when we fail, remind us of South Sudan.

After the US gained independence from Britain, the also had their civil war.

Centuries later, they became a world power.

Most countries of the world had their birth pains.

South Sudan will get better with time. They would rise like a phoenix from their ashes. Simply because they now have 100% control over their destiny.

You do not keep prisoners in prison after they have completed their sentences because you think they would commit crimes afterward. If they have finished their sentences, you release them. Fair and simple.

You talk about South Sudan, but you fail to talk about Yugoslavia splitting into Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovenia.

Let us control our future like Britain allowed Nigeria to control its future.

Stop cherry-picking facts, it make you sound unintelligent.

Even the Niger Delta of present is not overwhelmingly secessionist. Enforce National Confab and watch these agitations fizzle out.

We cannot say a Niger Delta Republic would be devoid of problems entirely. However, we are willing to take our chances like Nigeria is currently doing well.

-Lord

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LRNZH(op): 3:30pm On May 31, 2016

LordAdam:
Those who oppose war must be reasonable enough to value peace.

The Nigerian state does not value peace.

-Lord

So without long grammar, I want to get you clearly please.
Are you in support of militancy in Niger Delta as we know it today?

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Shittaakeem(m): 3:31pm On May 31, 2016

Firefire:
Thank you for your objective submission.

If we all understand the fundamentals and the importance of Nigeria having true federalism with full/agreed resource control, we can then go ahead to address the residual challenges.

Discussions and calls for accountability from the past and present leaders from that region is long overdue, they should tell us how they managed the derivatives which top the normal allocation from the federation account. (13% derivative)
All Governors from the oil producing states in Nigeria since 1999 should be probed.

How N’Delta Governors Mismanage 13% Derivation Fund …Allegedly Embezzle N8.1tr within 13yrs

ALL the governors of the nine Niger Delta state’s mismanaged the 13 percent fund, that 13% have become the highest fraud for the nine benefiting states of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa/Ibom, Cross-Rivers, Imo and Abia.

“There is no evidence on ground to show for the huge allocations over the years”,

http://urhobotoday.com/?p=10013

ondo is southwest not Niger delta point of correction

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Izonpikin: 3:32pm On May 31, 2016

macaranta:
Dude,I'm more Niger Delta than you,take it or leave it.It is almost close to impossible for IOC's to employ just Niger Deltans both qualified and unqualified.Shell holds srd every year,encourage your educated wards to apply and go through the process as every other person.I'm using shell as a yardstick because their recruitment process is fair.
During my internship days in a gas company probably the largest in Nigeria,one o our scaffolders was drunk on site,in our gas train,setting up scaffold for the maintenance team...he is Niger Delta FYI from the host community. He was almost fired,except for my intervention(not saying this to boast or showoff) ,but imagine the disaster that could have occured because he was probably given this job due to favoritism /ethnicity .If Niger deltans are qualified,they should apply for jobs like every other Nigerian.Essential roles can't just be "dashed" to the host community..not possible bro.
Yes a lot more could be done for the Delta,but standards shouldn't be brought laughably low because we want to please the Niger Delta people.

ijaws and niger deltans can fill in those essential roles my brother..i have witnessed a friend ditched in the srd finals whilst other persons in the group were taken who were non niger deltans..and guess what..this friend of mine was sent a reject mail after she tried getting to shell asking what happened..the bias is real...no respect for indigenes..its annoying...there are a enough niger deltans and host community individuals to fill in important positions,..i want us to even take DPR as a case study...

i am not in support of the destructive approach of the militants but i still dont know how the fight for resource control can be achieved..

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LRNZH(op): 3:33pm On May 31, 2016

LordAdam:
You talk about South Sudan, but you fail to talk about Yugoslavia splitting into Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovenia.

-Lord

Kindly point us to an African state that seceded and is doing well. Comparing us to non African countries is apples to oranges comparison.

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by ken4jj(m): 3:33pm On May 31, 2016

Shym3xx:
@ bold - illogical argument. The same argument can be made for the whole country, including the FG. Whatever they do with their resources is no one's business.

The whole scrounging business the insufficient oil is breeding is counter-productive. Ibadan is a classic example of everything wrong with oil. That was a city built during the latter days of colonial rule and in the first republic with money from cocoa. However, the city has stagnated since oil was dicovered with amala politics/mentality cos oil breeds lazy people/thinkers and everyone is out for stipends from oil for owanbe parties.

Another oil curse is how lazy most Yoruba people have become. I remember vividly that last year during the Oba-of-Lagos-gate, some idi.iotic and ignorant Yoruba chic posited an utterly disrespectful post that Yorubas lack the mental business acumen to make any Yoruba city thrive and Yoruba only produce the lands and conducive environment for business to thrive, while the Igbos are the brain. And you've to wonder how come the same Yorubas who own at least 80% of Nigerian businesses in diaspora (over 90% in the UK) lack the fundamental skills to thrive in business in Nigeria. The answer to that is the oil and the generation of lazy Yoruba folks it continues to breed in Nigeria, thus disgracing the industrious/creative Yoruba folks doing well outside the shores of the country.

Give these people their oil and get back to what we do well as a people. You lot are disgracing us.

Thank you jare. For the fact that we as a nation are ready to spill blood because of oil makes me ashamed. I will be proud of a country where people use their own resources,talents and skills to make a living than one that depends on another man's resources and even willing to spill blood because of it. nobody is just thinking in this country, just oil money.

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Shym3xx: 3:35pm On May 31, 2016

senbonzakurakageyoshi:
I'm not an advocate of government keeping control of the resources, if you think that's what I'm insinuating. I'm just an advocate of things being done the right way. I get that you want the Niger Deltans to have their resource control so that the oil curse would be restricted to their region instead of the entire country. I wouldn't mind that either. But I'm just being logical here, and the ND is just a case study. Accountability is paramount for any democratic system to be efficient at least to an extent. Even if the ND gets resource control and all the individual regions start sourcing for their own revenue, the question is, would the leaders in these regions use such revenues judiciously? Would the people hold them accountable? Because it doesn't matter what the source of the money is and how hardworking the people are, if at the end of the day it gets spirited into pockets of the few in power. Each region needs to ask it's leaders:what are you people doing with the money meant for all of us?

I believe you're look at accountability from a large government perspective i.e. Nigeria. You also can't rule out the Nigerian factor and the fact that almost everything is controlled from centre. However, with small government, governance would easier and people won't have to go through different layers of bureaucracy to demand accountability.

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LRNZH(op): 3:37pm On May 31, 2016

Shym3xx:
I believe you're look at accountability from a large government perspective i.e. Nigeria. You also can't rule out the Nigerian factor and the fact that almost everything is controlled from centre. However, with small government, governance would easier and people won't have to go through different layers of bureaucracy to demand accountability.

That one, I can assure you is a pipe dream. How much accountability have you got from your local government and legislators? It is not the size but the attitude.

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Izonpikin: 3:39pm On May 31, 2016

WeNigerDelta2:
My Lord....That lordship nor be luggage, if Na so your own be over bamness wanna kill you...

...the write up make sense walahi..

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Izonpikin: 3:41pm On May 31, 2016

LRNZH:
That one, I can assure you is a pipe dream. How much accountability have you got from your local government and legislators? It is not the size bit the attitude.

once niger deltans are assured that they suffer solely because that local government chairman he would be lynched...niger deltans are fighting external first before internal...meanwhile resource control would benefit the whole nigeria...

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LordAdam: 3:42pm On May 31, 2016*

LRNZH:
So without long grammar, I want to get you clearly please.
Are you in support of militancy in Niger Delta as we know it today?

For lack of better alternatives: Yes, I am in support.

While in school, I received scholarship funds from one of the Niger Delta States Development Commission. It certainly helped in my studies. I received bursary from my state for 4 of the 5 years of my schooling. I received full scholarship for my fees for 4 years of the 5 years I schooled from an oil coy operating in my state. All of these without being related to a politician or militant.

Men, women, and children gave up their lives so I could enjoy those benefits. The armed struggle in part or in whole made it possible for me to enjoy those benefits.

Thousands enjoyed these benefits as I did.

If all of a sudden I support our aggressors, then I am a bast'ard. An ungrateful bast'ard from Niger Delta.

As I said, you are not a Niger Deltan, so you can never see things like we do.

-Lord

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by ekolina(m): 3:42pm On May 31, 2016

senbonzakurakageyoshi:
I'm not an advocate of government keeping control of the resources, if you think that's what I'm insinuating. I'm just an advocate of things being done the right way. I get that you want the Niger Deltans to have their resource control so that the oil curse would be restricted to their region instead of the entire country. I wouldn't mind that either. But I'm just being logical here, and the ND is just a case study. Accountability is paramount for any democratic system to be efficient at least to an extent. Even if the ND gets resource control and all the individual regions start sourcing for their own revenue, the question is, would the leaders in these regions use such revenues judiciously? Would the people hold them accountable? Because it doesn't matter what the source of the money is and how hardworking the people are, if at the end of the day it gets spirited into pockets of the few in power. Each region needs to ask it's leaders:what are you people doing with the money meant for all of us?

. All regions and states in Nigeria have show a terribly poor level of accountability, it is not limited to the ND. things were better in the 60's cux there was competition for development among the regions so I believe regional government will still pay us better than what we have now

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Shym3xx: 3:44pm On May 31, 2016

ken4jj:
Thank you jare. For the fact that we as a nation are ready to spill blood because of oil makes me ashamed. I will be proud of a country where people use their own resources,talents and skills to make a living than one that depends on another man's resources and even willing to spill blood because of it. nobody is just thinking in this country, just oil money.

https://vh1.mtvnimages.com/uri/mgid:file:http:shared:vh1.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/genius-1449163008.gif

It's problematic that people are so carried away by the meagre oil that's more of a tag only a few are benefiting from that they're always quick to antagonise one another. The oil money isn't trickling down to the average person on the street but the tag has made everyone unnecessarily/subconsciously lazy. That's the story of Nigeria.

Giving them absolute control over their oil won't affect the average man/woman in Nigeria negatively cos most of them aren't benefiting anything from it anyway. It'll only stifle the governments in non-oil producing states and make them roll their sleeves up and look for ways to generate wealth. At the end of the day, the government in Nigeria doesn't do anything for the people - most of them are just out there to loot.

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Shym3xx: 3:48pm On May 31, 2016

LRNZH:
That one, I can assure you is a pipe dream. How much accountability have you got from your local government and legislators? It is not the size but the attitude.

Then you must be Nostradamus cos the structure right now isn't enough to gauge anything. Most people believe the FG is responsible for everything (rightful so, based on how the country is structured). Once you negate the big government and give powers to the regions - the consciousness of the people will change. Also, you won't have to deal with much ethnic favouritism.

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by Firefire(m): 3:49pm On May 31, 2016

Shittaakeem:
ondo is southwest not Niger delta point of correction

We are talking of mismanagement of 13% derivatives here, your classification can come later, maybe after probing the looters.

Thank you.

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by ndcide(m): 3:50pm On May 31, 2016*

ekolina:
. Before 1958 every region was financing herself...ground nut from d north, cocoa in from the west and palm fruit from d east. No region was dependent on d other

Exactly.. So the emotional questions of pre 1958 should not arise.

The reason people are talking about the region is because of oil. The reason why some people established business in Nigeria is because of the oil money factor. So that region should be the most beneficiary of this.

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by WeNigerDelta2: 3:51pm On May 31, 2016

LRNZH:
Kindly point us to an African state that seceded and is doing well. Comparing us to non African countries is apples to oranges comparison.

How many countries have seceded in Africa within the law 15 or so years...So there is not enough data in Africa to use as case studies...Thats why it's easy for you guys fear mong and point us to South Sudan....Who else have gained independence in Africa since?

Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LRNZH(op): 3:52pm On May 31, 2016

LordAdam:
For lack of better alternatives: Yes, I am in support.

While in school, I received scholarship funds from one of the Niger Delta States Development Commission. It certainly helped in my studies. I received bursary from my state for 4 of the 5 years of my schooling. I received full scholarship for my fees for 4 years of the 5 years I schooled from an oil coy operating in my state. All of these without being related to a politician or militant.

Men, women, and children gave up their lives so I could enjoy those benefits. The armed struggle in part or in whole made it possible for me to enjoy those benefits.

Thousands enjoyed these benefits as I did.

If all of a sudden I support our aggressors, then I am a bastard. An ungrateful bastard from Niger Delta.

As I said, you are not a Niger Deltan, so you can never see things like we do.

-Lord

Armed struggle for more resources that is being stolen and will be stolen by those same people that have access? I doubt that you or any other common man in the ND benefited from the GEJ largesse that spanned a period of 5 years . But the struggle was suspended then.

For this armed struggle, the opportunity cost is all that I listed in the article. You'd rather forego another LNG project etc.... because of this?

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Re: The Opportunity Costs Of Militancy In The Niger Delta, An Exposé by LRNZH(op): 3:53pm On May 31, 2016

WeNigerDelta2:
How many countries have seceded in Africa within the law 15 or so years...So there is not enough data in Africa to use as case studies...Thats why it's easy for you guys fear mong and point us to South Sudan....Who else have gained independence in Africa since?

Eritrea, Somaliland are a couple of examples besides South Sudan.

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