₦airaland Forum

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-18300358

NIGERIA CELEBRATES FIRST HOME- BUILT WARSHIP.
7-JUNE-2012

"Proudly Nigerian" does not just apply to
the people of this vast land - the West
African giant is now building its own
warships.

After nearly five years in the making, the
Nigerian navy ship or NNS Andoni was
launched with a colourful event.

At 31m (100ft) long, this is no giant of the
seas, but the fact that it was designed and
built in Nigeria, by Nigerian engineers, is a
great source of pride.

"We are all happy and elated," said
Commodore SI Alade, one of Nigeria's senior
naval officers.

"This is the first time this kind of thing is
happening in Nigeria and even in the sub
region."

Moments after stepping on board NNS Andoni,
sailor FL Badmus said: "I feel on top of the
world.

"I'm proud to have been picked by the naval
authorities to serve on this ship.

"We hope this is the beginning of very good
things to come and we thank God for it."

The warship was named after the Andoni
people of south-eastern Nigeria - and several
chiefs travelled to Lagos to witness the launch
- including his Royal Highness NL Ayuwu
Iraron Ede-Obolo II, wearing a top hat, a
sequin-adorned velvet gown and a brightly
coloured necklace.

The ceremony also featured multi-faith
prayers, with an imam asking God to "protect
and preserve this ship from the dangers of the
day and the violence of the enemy", and a
Christian praying: "May she sail with success
like the Ark of Noah."

The event had an interesting twist of
symbolism for the guest of honour, Nigeria's
leader, Goodluck Jonathan.

Anti-pirate ship
He is from a family of canoe makers - and that
he is now the president launching a warship is
a sign of how far he has risen.

"This is the beginning of the transformation...
and I believe in another 10 to 15 years, we can
be thinking about starting a project to take
Nigerians into the air," President Jonathan
said.

The NNS Andoni could be key in the fight
against militants operating near Nigeria's oil
fields as well as the growing threat of piracy in
the Gulf of Guinea.

Piracy in Nigerian waters is on the increase
and incidents are happening over a wider area,
according to the International Maritime
Bureau.

There were 10 piracy attacks off the 780km
(485 miles) of Nigeria's coastline during the
first quarter this year - the same number
reported for the whole of 2011.

"While the number of reported incidents in
Nigeria is still less than Somalia… the level of
violence against crew is dangerously high,"
according to a recent IMB report.

The NNS Andoni is equipped with an advanced
radar system and firepower.

"With a speed of up to 25 knots (46km/h), this
can quickly go to intercept the pirates," said
Commanding Officer Adepegba standing on the
bridge pointing out the ship's three machine
guns and the automatic grenade launcher.

Foreign orders
The Nigerian navy reportedly wants to acquire
49 more vessels over the next 10 years. But
how many will be home built?
Orders are already in - for three from a
French shipbuilder, and six from Singapore.
President Jonathan recently approved the
acquisition of two large patrol vessels from
China Shipbuilding and Offshore International,
a mainly state-owned company.

In an effort to boost local industry, one of the
Chinese vessels is meant to be 70% built in
Nigeria.

NNS Andoni was dwarfed when a 105m-long
frigate steamed past during the ceremony -
with all the officers cheering on deck.
NNS Thunder, a veteran of the Vietnam War,
arrived at the beginning of the year, a gift
from the US.

Eyebrows were raised when it was announced
that the monthly fuel bill of the 45-year-old
ship would be $1m (£650,000).

When this year's navy's $450m budget was
discussed at the House of Assembly in January,
one senator described the donated ships as
hand-outs that could become liabilities rather
than assets.

There were also calls for corruption to be
plugged.

"Corruption has sucked the blood out of our
system. So we have to depend on hand-outs,"
one senator lamented.

NSS Andoni's fuel bill will certainly be lower
than NNS Thunder.

'No indigenous touch'
After parading on the deck, the naval officers
took photos of each other with mobile phones
- clearly delighted with the new ship.
"It's a great day. It's taken over five years but
it's worth it," said a smiling Kelechi, one of the
engineers.

"We came up with the design, the expertise
and about 60% of the materials were locally
sourced. The engines, generators and
navigation equipment came from outside."
Nigeria is one of Africa's biggest oil producers,
but this has not so much helped as hampered
the development of local industries because
the country has relied so heavily on imported
goods.

As he launched NNS Andoni, President
Jonathan lamented the decline of industries
that had been strong not long after
independence in 1960.

"We had Nigerian Airways, the Nigerian
shipping line and a number of investments that
were doing well. But because there was no
indigenous touch, all these died," the president
said.

"We are told that some countries that were on
par with us are now building aircraft,
choppers and other things," he said, adding
that Nigeria had for a long time not embraced
technology.

The president suggested sending the brightest
students of engineering to the best universities
in the world.

"Then let them come back and work in Nigeria
because we cannot continue to be importing.
We have a very large market and even what we
consume alone is enough to support an
industry."

"We have this market, we must use it,"
President Jonathan said - before laying the keel
to mark the start of work on the second
"Made in Nigeria" warship.

I have hope we will pull through and bounce back better..... Not with this administration though, subsequent ones. We're presently in deeper sh*t than this government can handle.

Jayess:
I have hope we will pull through and bounce back better..... Not with this administration though, subsequent ones. We're presently in deeper sh*t than this government can handle.

This administration is actually the deeper shit we are in

Jayess:
I have hope we will pull through and bounce back better..... Not with this administration though, subsequent ones. We're presently in deeper sh*t than this government can handle.

I don't believe

This was around the time Boko Haram was bombing on a weekly basis

Right direction indeed

raumdeuter:
This was around the time Boko Haram was bombing on a weekly basis

Right direction indeed

Now Fulani herdmen are kidnapping in every direction, what is positive about this administration?

Thread of wailers.

raumdeuter:
This was around the time Boko Haram was bombing on a weekly basis

Right direction indeed

I wonder if Nigeria is better now than then. If you ask me, the old days are better than now. We have lifeless president and we are insulted left right and center because we have someone that doesn't know anything.

Nigeria is a laughing stock in the committee of nations. No one really value Nigeria because of the blatant ineptitude president we have. No law no nothing. BUHARI is a DISGRACE to this country. He is someone you won't wish your enemy as president.

If Buhari is made the president of America, Fuji will insult Americans.

NIGERIA is like a SECONDARY school where the DUMB ones are made SCHOOL PREFECTS, CLASS PREFECTS, While the clever ones are silenced.

How do you expect such school to compete with others.

The system is highly messed up.

Sachidi:
Now Fulani herdmen are kidnapping in every direction, what is positive about this administration?

The positive is that Bokoharam has reduced. Gone are the days people were scared to go to church that even crossover services was abandoned because our president was clueless. That was the time a part of Nigeria was taken completely by terror
at that time, herdsmen were also killing in huge numbers while our president was getting drunk

xelly:
I wonder if Nigeria is better now than then. If you ask me, the old days are better than now. We have lifeless president and we are insulted left right and center because we have someone that doesn't know anything.

Nigeria is a laughing stock in the committee of nations. No one really value Nigeria because of the blatant ineptitude president we have. No law no nothing. BUHARI is a DISGRACE to this country. He is someone you won't wish your enemy as president.

If Buhari is made the president of America, Fuji will insult Americans.

Nigeria was insulted back then too when our president was very clueless. As bad as Buhari might be he is way better than the clueless drunkard under which Bokoharam reached its peak

A president that told us how much did Nwobodo stole
that stealing isn't corruption

Who turned the steering left?

raumdeuter:
Nigeria was insulted back then too when our president was very clueless. As bad as Buhari might be he is way better than the clueless drunkard under which Bokoharam reached its peak

A president that told us how much did Nwobodo stole
that stealing isn't corruption

Now you have stealing without control and no one is talking about it. Is it not clear for you to see yet? Don't fain ignorant to the looting going on. Expect much more insults. I only wish I am not a country man with such people.

xelly:
Now you have stealing without control and no one is talking about it. Is it not clear for you to see yet? Don't fain ignorant to the looting going on. Expect much more insults. I only wish I am not a country man with such people.

Provide evidence of the stealing without control and you too can talk about it like some people talked about it under Jonathan

raumdeuter:
Provide evidence of the stealing without control and you too can talk about it like some people talked about it under Jonathan

We have grass cutters, we have Ikoyigate, we have CDS, we have Akpabio, we have Chief whip, we have Rochas, we have Buhari's son etc. The list is endless. Just look beside you to name one. They are everywhere.

raumdeuter:
This was around the time Boko Haram was bombing on a weekly basis

Right direction indeed

in your mind, they have stopped

OruExpress:
in your mind, they have stopped

When was the last time a Boko Haram bomb went off in Abuja like was a weekly thing before they even bombed the UN building. Now Boko Haram is restricted to the bush and guerilla attacks around Adamawa and Borno

xelly:
We have grass cutters, we have Ikoyigate, we have CDS, we have Akpabio, we have Chief whip, we have Rochas, we have Buhari's son etc. The list is endless. Just look beside you to name one. They are everywhere.

What are all these you named? For example what corruption case was/is tied to Buharis son

What can compare to the regular corruption of Stella Oduah- BMW gate, Diezani - Oil blocks deal, Kola Aluko deals, Dasuki security votes stealing, Farrok vs Otedollar bribery scandal

Even Abba Moro killed many with employment scam

raumdeuter:
When was the last time a Boko Haram bomb went off in Abuja like was a weekly thing before they even bombed the UN building. Now Boko Haram is restricted to the bush and guerilla attacks around Adamawa and Borno

which of course matters less because the people there are poor

raumdeuter:
What are all these you named? For example what corruption case was/is tied to Buharis son

What can compare to the regular corruption of Stella Oduah- BMW gate, Diezani - Oil blocks deal, Kola Aluko deals, Dasuki security votes stealing, Farrok vs Otedollar bribery scandal

Even Abba Moro killed many with employment scam

You for no dey reason dia matter you know hate has blocked most people eyes dey won't see or hear anything good but wait for d bad things to happen so dat dey can compare...forget dat dude biko

raumdeuter:
What are all these you named? For example what corruption case was/is tied to Buharis son

What can compare to the regular corruption of Stella Oduah- BMW gate, Diezani - Oil blocks deal, Kola Aluko deals, Dasuki security votes stealing, Farrok vs Otedollar bribery scandal

Even Abba Moro killed many with employment scam

He own fiveststar hotel in Dubai. What does he do for a living?