₦airaland Forum

WOW WOW!. What company is it!
Anybody that even tries to sweep this under the carpet should be thrown under the bus!
Perhaps there was some benefit to having the oil subsidy scam scandal, IF it enables us unearth who is who in this country. Another chance yet again, to not shy away from dealing with corruption. The house has a strong part to play in dealing with this and if the presidency even tries to cover up this matter Jonathan is finished. This is what people should be protesting for. Let us know who is who. Shocking.

Kudos to the whistle blower (even if that part of the story look like e get k leg small).
Looking on to further details.

Unless the opposition in whatever form they emerge are planning on fielding a well known candidate (a la Buhari), they need to settle on a candidate soon. It would also be worthy to note that Nigerian voters extend beyond cities, with a majority of them in rural areas, meaning, Fashola for example might not be as popular or well known as some might think. Hence the ground work needs to start being laid now, with a fixed candidate and a long term strategy of selling this candidate to Nigeria.

I really do believe that most well meaning Nigerians should be finding a way to join hands to democratically unseat PDP from the presidency, because it would only make PDP work harder for votes even if they retain the presidency - and at the end of the day democracy wins. Heck the opposition can pick another Ijaw man as candidate for all I care - as long as he is a performer. A certain degree of complacency is what we need to be fighting against and I think the political machinery around the executive and most arms of government have come to take it as a given that joining PDP means you will probably win elections.

Whatever opposition arises would be working not necessarily against a PDP candidate, but against a PDP grassroots infrastructure. I personally believe that this far reach of PDP as a party was simply an accident of happenstance, kind of like how America emerged the world's industrial powerhouse after world war two, because the rest of the world was ravaged and bombed, so they had no opposition. PDP obtained this almost sacrosanct position in Nigeria's democracy due to the lack of any solid opposition against the IBB machinery when the country emerged from military rule.

Not at all saying it is only a democracy if PDP loses, but part of the reason we are in a mess as a country is due to lack of those viable alternatives. We need to keep democratic principles of begging for the votes of the people alive and reject the complacency that comes with a lack of any viable challenger. I blame the opposition just as much as the ruling party for the mess we find ourselves in. The opposition needs to stop being so short sighted, and rural Nigeria needs to be brought into the political discussion as well, because I am sure they also have aspirations of their own.

At the end of the day most people want a performer even if they won't tell you so. The problems Nigeria faces are so rudimentary, that I believe a villager would choose someone alien to them if he believes that person will give them light, clean water, roads, and other things which developed countries have come to consider bare essentials for running an economy.

edicolove: Education is supposed to be an advantage but I have realised that it is many peoples disadvantage and undoing.

1. Thousands are receiving SME loans for business everyday of between 50k to 800k(sometimes more) at different levels. If you are not aware and are not benefiting, it is your problem, not Aganga's.

2. If you think that the owner of a keke napep is not making money, again you are the one f00ling yourself. Your education has simply blinded you to opportunities. Fact: a keke napep driver makes more money than a regular bank worker. If you doubt it, go to Ikeja and do a research.

3. SMEs are the building blocks of any nation, not white collar government jobs. So if your idea of Job creation is to see advert from government ministries, I pity you.

4. Anyone who says he has been pushing CVs around for months is either a. Too proud to do available jobs, b. Too greedy to start from somewhere, c. A liar or d. An id1ot! There are job adverts everywhere. So you cannot come here and say there are no jobs. What you could say is those jobs don't fit your desired job expectation or pay and that is a problem everywhere in the world.

5. Like someone pointed above, the government sure is creating jobs but these jobs are far from adequate considering the population explosion Nigeria is experiencing and many other factors.

6. I think what is required right now is the completion of the power privatization because this is the biggest thing plaguing SMEs. If they can fast track the power process, we can have a major lift in terms of job creation.

True.

After years of misgovernance I understand the natural scepticism of the Nigerian citizenry. But what are we saying here, that if you don't have a job no jobs were created? I expected people to ask for more information with regards to the jobs created, not just brush it off as nonsense simply because it came from a minister's mouth.

ijigbamigb: [size=13pt]Vice President Namadi Sambo said the reports by the presidential committee would help in sanitising the industry.[/size] He prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed and fortitude for their love ones to bear the losses.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/49385-a-sober-fec-meeting.html

What happened to previous reports from the years 2003 - 2007 when planes were dropping out of the sky like dead flies? We need more continuity in government and consolidation on past works. Following through on work done before you does not mean you are not contributing. Nigeria's problem has hardly been a dearth of ideas but more a lack of resolve to diligently follow through on implementation of adopted ideas.

nakedall: who wan dey for hot sun for min wage to maintain road?

Then get used to bad roads, continuous road constructions, and campaign promises that still dwell on such rudimentary promises as "I will give you road". And most important of all, stop complaining about it but suffer in silence. The most irritating noise is from people who do A but expect B, get B results, then complain about not getting A. Confused or what?

[quote author=PROUD-IGBO]Sky Blue bruh, you do make some good points but forgive me for being emotional and allowing my heart to rule my head on this one. I'm with Jakumo, and if anyone wants to enter a 30 year old Chanchangi Boeing 737 aircraft (the mind boggles : 30 YEARS FOR CRISSAKES!!!) on the premise that there's an 'adequate system of maintainance' [/b]in place, they're more than welcome.

I don't as a rule of thumb, take local flights and don't care if i'm called a frightened biatch for not doing so (i've always looked on peeps that take local flights with some admiration- they sure have balls of steel), but if i ever take leave of my senses and decide to patronize a local flight in Nigeria, then this list will be a determining factor in arriving at my decision.[/quote]Don't get it twisted, Nigeria [b]does not seem to enforce adequate maintenance systems so I will also be using that list if I ever fly local. Just because in my thinking the newer planes might not require as much maintenance as the much older ones, but I am fully aware it isn't quite as clear cut as that.

But moving forward, that is not the approach to take to gaurantee airworthiness, maintenance is key, and if we need to enforce this through the constitution then so be it. I mean, all these new train and monorail lines we keep hearing about, the thought of those things not been maintained after launch is scary. Its the same reason why some states will continue building new roads instead of just building good roads and maintaining them.

Nigeria has an age registration limit of 22 years at time of registration of planes, Russia with a not so stellar record as well, has an age registration limit at time of registration of 10 years. USA has no blanket age registration limit at time of registration, but incorporates a regime of rigorous checks. Planes are never designed to fall out of the sky wether designed yesterday or 50 years ago. The issue as always, is enforcing an adequate system of maintenance.

ayobase: Whats ''SO lacking common sense'' in what the OP initiated?
What if thats d way to start d reformation.......IYOP, what do u think we can start with?
I wanna believe u aint working with these set of people.

Please don't get me started, Are you for real??!!
Ok, lets say we drive out all the Indians, then what? Do you know how many planes crashed in 2005 alone? Were they all Indian run airlines? You really think driving away the Indians is how you start a "reformation" of airline safety and secutiy in the country? Again please, are you for real? ? !

ronkebp: There is always an abuse of power in that country............So the first lady is in the airport? now that has caused the lives of over 150 people......[if it is true, she killed them]

Very silly. This unconfirmed news has been floating around the place all day and what I find shocking is the readiness with which Nigerians would be willing to make this the issue if true. Even if this is true (which we are not even close to knowing yet because there is no verified source), it does not take away from the fact that the plane needed to make an emergency landing after just some weeks of a plane from the same airline needing to do such in Uyo. How on earth can we be so willing to shift the issue from possible neglect and lack of maintenance and regulation, to closing of airspace?

See how willing we are to let the people that should be taken to task off the hook.Has emergency landing now become the modus operandi for concluding flights in Nigeria?? Think please! Emergency landings are not standard operating procedure for flights!!

[quote author=since_1914]As much as we sympathize with the families of all those involved in the crash, we must also be careful not to let our emotions cloud our sense of decency. RACISM & XENOPHOBIA, are two evils that should have no place in our society.

This same DANA Group has investments in Pharmaceuticals, Petrochemicals and Steel industry in this country. Employing thousands of Nigerians and putting food on countless tables everyday. And you want them to pack their briefcases and leave, just like that? Well, lets be rest assured that when they leave,those small briefcases of theirs will also have in it the livelihood of thousands of families.


DANA AIR didn't crash because it is being run by Indians, it crashed because our regulators have failed to do their jobs. Before the global economic crisis, big banks did whatever they wanted because industry regulators were not doing their jobs properly. That is why irrespective of the level of sophistication of Western financial institutions, most of them almost went bankrupt and had to be bailed-out. So that is exactly what happens when regulators don't do their jobs properly.


The Nigerian constitution has given them all the powers they need deal with any Airline that breaks the law. So what else do they need? Our tears? I think it is time we direct our anger our regulators and not use the Indians as scape goats. I also hear that Indian and Chinese companies don't treat their staff well. We have labour laws, and if NLC, TUC and their likes can't protect nigerian workers then shame on them.[/quote]That is one dimension I am yet to see the public focus on. The output of this should be better adherence to regulations which can be reviewed if required, and part of that process has to be prosecution of responsible individuals in these regulatory bodies who were not doing the job they were being paid to do. That to me is actually more important than punishing DANA airlines. Some people might not only have to lose their jobs, but also go to jail, Period! No two ways about it.

We just focus on punishing DANA airlines and a bunch of other DANA like companies will only take their place. We punish the regulatory bodies and ministry of aviation, and we send out a message that we are actually interested in air safety - not just punishing the Indians.

pplsroundtable: Saying Indians must go will not solve anything.who approve the airline , who is in charge of monitoring the airlines,what is our aviation officials doing. What Jonathan should do is to use independent bodies to investigate all airlines in Nigeria and make sure that the are airworthy and also within the stipulated age that is approved by the government.But i doubt if this will be done.

http://peoplesroundtable..co.uk/

Knee jerk reaction that would probably not solve the issue in the long term. Things need to be maintained and that culture needs to be enforced by law if it can't take root organically. It needs to get to the point whereby if an aircraft or piece of equipment has not met its maintenance schedule then it is not airworthy, Period!

Beyond the novelty of getting new things we all like to hear like new rail services, etc, is a culture of maintenance that remains lacking to sustain the new things we get.

kennidiamo: YOU ARE NUTS..WHAT THEY DONE IN THIS COUNTRY

? ? ?

Ask yourself this. Why can't "they" go and do the same in other countries like SA, Canada, Singapore, the States, et al? Keep blaming the wrong people. This country really needs to introspect more often.

Very silly thread. What about all the deaths the Nigerian government has over the years caused due to the negligence of its responsibilities and duty? Do we then expel all Nigerians from the country? If the citizens can't hold their government to account so they begin to take the welfare of the citizenry seriously and act in that regard how is that the fault of the Indians. It is the same cowardly Nigerian mentality. Holding government to account is like kryptonite to this citizenry.

If a French or American or Isreali citizen is captured abroad you know their government is going to do something about it. If a naija dude is in the mix he had better settle down there because he knows he is going nowhere. His captors might get bored, flog him and let him go when they realise how little value his government places on his welfare.

intelligen: Can u imagine d heartlesness n insensitivity of our so call leaders?wile d nation is mourning,they re busy impeachng..very selfish idiots..i wishd they were in dat plane

? ? ? What you are saying or trying to insinuate makes no sense. The world does not stop because plane crashed in Lagos. The real question should be wether the impeachment further enshrines deocracy and good governance in Bayelsa.

aasog1: This really troubled me. Watching him weep like this.
GEJ, you need to be a man. Crying publicly doesnt mean you are less of a man. But you could still salvage things. You need courage, lots of it at this point.
You need to stop feeling like you dont deserve to be the president! You need to start acting like YOU CAN Be the Best President this country ever had.
Stop pointing fingers. Use the stones the oppositions are throwing you to build a monument....JESUS!!!! I feel like I should shake the president a bit
Fire all those political jobbers who are presently appointed on the basis of favoritism. Theyve stolen enough. And yes, we all know you employed those people because they campaigned and politiked for you during the past election.
Corruption is killing Nigerians, not witches and wizards! For crying outloud, who the hell is Bokoharam in any nation with a good security agency.
Everything is falling apart sir. You need to for crissakes: Man UP!!!!!!! Stop acting WEAK!!!!!

This is what people around Jonathan should be telling him. I understand the masses feeling helpless, but for someone in such a position of power, these incidences should only solidify your will to change things for the better and change things with a vengeance, especially when you have the power to do so. Nothing wrong with crying, but just don't get the whole woe is me thing with him, really don't. Should we be feeling sorry for him or should he be feeling sorry for us? ? ?

Sky Blue: I understand where you are coming from and to be honest I do not mind the pension that much (even if 100 percent is quite high). There should be a safety net for life outside office so that governors can focus on the task of governance. But come on, two houses, one in Abuja one in Rivers? 300% furniture allowance? Its just a tad opulent. Are govenors going to start selling furniture is what I really want to know. The thing seems a little fishy to me.

texazzpete: That 'safety net' is called a pension you imbecilic oaf! And that is the same 'safety net' promised every government worker. The position of 'Governor' is an elective position people aspire to. if anyone feels the 'safety net' is not juicy enough why aspire to that office? Why should hundreds of millions of naira be expended on a governor be an insurance against corruption? Why should that be a prerequisite for 'focusing on the task of governance'?

Nigerians like yourself are the reason why we can't have nice things. See what you're calling a 'tad opulent'.

How difficult is it for you to READ? ? ? Yes that safety net is called a pension and I support a reasonable one being in place as stated earlier. I further went on to state that I found the other things on the list to be over the top and said they needed to be removed. I am only replying your little childish tirade because I actually for whatever reason, believe you have the ability to be objective. READ before you reply and stop acting like a three year old. It is not difficult.

LOOOOOOOOOL. Silly little thread. This Nigerian obsession with an individual in substitution for collective participation as the panacea for the plethora of problems the nation faces would continue to hinder this nation's growth. The same thread will be opened with the next guy to take charge, and the next . . . . . and the next.

The shamlessness and laziness of this citizenry knows no bounds. Let us put aside the IBB, Abacha and the endless other dispensations we have had aside for a sec. If this is the worst dispensation to rule the country what are you people doing about it? Isn't the greater fool the one who allows himself to be led by a fool?

The biggest talkers and smallest walkers in the nation far from popular perception are not Nigeria's failed leaders, but in fact it's failed citizenry. All talk and no action. Silly little thread. See you in a few years time with the next guy and the same title since it is what we enjoy doing. A darn shame that the only time this citizenry had the guts to stand for something was when government decided to stop subsidising their petrol. . . . . think about that for a sec please. . . .

Don't really envy God right now. Having to listen to a bunch of people whine about the same chit for decades without lifting a finger to do anything to fix what they are whining about. You make your bed, sleep in it, preferably silently please. The world is bored of listening.

I hope these 3 days are not actual public holidays because it does nothing! Time spent bringing subsidy scam perpetrators to book would be more worthwhile. As far as I am concerned if the man could not speak in the first hour or two after this thing happened then there really isn't any point speaking. What would be more irritating than ignoring a chance to put solid steps and systems in place to improve air security would be hearing some worthless pontifications and lament.

Just for the record Dana airline is an Indian run airline

Abagworo: This move is 100% supported by Abagworo. With these juicy packages, any future Governor that loots in Rivers State should be sent to the hangmans garden.

I understand where you are coming from and to be honest I do not mind the pension that much (even if 100 percent is quite high). There should be a safety net for life outside office so that governors can focus on the task of governance. But come on, two houses, one in Abuja one in Rivers? 300% furniture allowance? Its just a tad opulent. Are govenors going to start selling furniture is what I really want to know. The thing seems a little fishy to me.

Bright2: When OBJ said this man has K leg people thought it was mare hatred,now we can see what OBJ saw cause what an elder see while sitting a youth can't see it standing. I know it will be reverse by the next lawmakers because the amount of dept Amaechi has aquired for the state will affect the next Government which will make this passed bill invalid in time to come.

Don't embarass yourself by bringing OBJ into this matter please. Since when did OBJ become a saint?

DaLover: Ok, maybe you misread my own post too...because I brought third parties into this... let me try again...
I already acknowledged that PDP has not delivered on its promises...and I am not saying that they are good or defending them...what I am saying is there is a need to correct the system that encourages laziness and corruption....and I went ahead to list some fundamentals that need to be corrected..


no third party mentioned...



Just to be clear, the bolded was not directed at you but other proponent of that.

Ok, we are getting somewhere. Now. Do you think the current dispensation (a PDP run federal government) is the one to deliver this system change you speak of when you have just acknowledged that they don't have a good track record of delivering on promises? ? ?

DaLover: What savings, you seam to have the mindset that Nigeria is awash with so much excess cash..., instead of hitting the streets for free fuel, and pointing fingers at individuals, we need to ask ourselves questions which we always run away from, probably because they seam difficult to answer...for instance..does it even make sense for government to be managing pension funds?
If we decide to pressurize the government of the day on some of these fundamental concepts, then a whole lot would change...for someone to come to a public forum to preach that we replace one corrupt government with another one..with tribal affiliations is just plain crazy.

Please READ before you post. I will not address certain undertones in your post because I believe you have simply failed to read my posts.

No need to bring "another" government/person/party/individual into this. Let us take baby steps here. How many promises has PDP as a party delivered to the Nigerian people? Remember, do not bring anybody else into this, I know it is hard for you and you would like to bring another entity into this to justify gross misrule. Now, we were told by this administration that we should tighten our belts because they were going to be removing fuel subsidy which created avenues for corruption, so they could use the money to drive development in other areas, right? What was done with the money being saved as a result of not funding subsidies for fuel? You see how these questions don't have to that difficult? Now, in light of what happened amongst other things, do you believe that PDP as a party which has given us presidents for over a decade, has justified the time and resources spent with deliverables obtained?

And yes you are right. Nigeria is not awash with excess cash, it is a poor country. Which is the reason why meagre resources like those 'saved' from removal of subsidy should be spent diligently.

UGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! GenBuhari PLEASE. YOU HAVE YOUR OWN THREADS DON'T YOU? CAN YOU PLEASE CARRY THIS CRAP TO THE MANY THREADS YOU HAVE CREATED ON THIS TOPIC AND STOP SPAMMING EVERYWHERE WITH THIS JUNK!!!!!

DaLover: At least he started by removing the fuel subsidy which was a source of corruption, laziness and UN-productivity,,

getting people to stop depending on oil revenues is going to be tough because people like Buhari and most nigerians have now classified it as "our free oil".
This change has to go through the paliament and who know who forms the majority there...anyhow lets see how the current constitutional amendment goes.

And then what happened to the 'savings' accrued from the removal of the subsidy . . . . .? Come on . . . Tell the whole story . . . .
How can yhou even mention corruption when this dispensation seems to show itself everyday to be pro corruption? Fuel subsidy scam and pension scam allude to what exactly? Who has been prosecuted for any of these?

DaLover: You totally get me wrong....
First I took a swipe at those proposing ethnic parties as alternatives to the PDP, because
a- they are ethnic in configuration
b- They have not performed at state or local level, or even simple organization of their parties.


second, my alternative is to re-organize the entire political set up...
This is because as presently constituted non of the actors on the political scene can take us out of this quagmire, you firhtly mentioned that the FG is too powerful....should that be the case? On this site Mr. Beaf has asked many times if we are aware that we voted in LGA chairmen and Governors?
All we seem to want to do is to criticize PDP and GEJ without realizing that we hold the key by thinking differently..
Changing the system, implies the following
1-Stop sharing funds to the states and LGAs, as wicked as this may sound...it has to happen...
2-re-organise your political landscape to deal with current realities...unicameral legislative assembly, self driven states, senators salaries paid by their constituents etc
3-No more blanket free stuff, All have to go, as these are the major avenues to perpetuate corruption..fuel subsidy, education subsidy, transport subsidy, agric subsidy etc...we have to task ourselves to come up with innovative ways of practicing welfare that dont expose the government, and these should even be at the local government level...most times
4-No more govt run businesses, another major source of corruption and in efficiency...membership driven parties, not government parties

Y[b]ou can never hear Buhari talking about these fundamental concepts[/b]...instead he is crying that he lost the opportunity to manage oil funds the second time...

Has Jonathan talked about them?

DaLover: Comon man, you claim that Nlers have no brains and that was why you you stopped posting on NL for 4 months, I went tru your post and its exactly the same thing that 90% of Nlers say...you haven't said anything differently, you are exactly in line with what majority of Nlers say, so why are they considered brainless and you are not? People like me and Beaf are amongst the few saying that the structure of the country is what is leading to corruption, corruption is the symptom and not the problem.

One thing that amazes me is that GEJ and DAM benefited so much from the subsidy that they decided to remove it..I really dont understand why they decided to steer up the hornets nest...they could simply have allowed the common man to enjoy his =N=65 per liter while they quietly syphon billions of dollars into their private accounts...

Please tell us the exact different between PDP, ACN or CPC? ok, PDP has not performed on the national level for the past 12 years, but why trying to sell ACN or CPC to us as better substitutes? How has AD/ACN performed in the SW states and LGAs they control for the past 9 years? 90% of the CPC member are former PDP members who were sidelined in PDP and this is what you show us as an alternative? common guy...better come up with something better or go back into retirement...
How has buhari managed the affairs of the CPC? how have CPC controlled local governments performed? have you heard of him pushing for sanctions on corrupt and erring CPC officials, have CPC or ACN controlled lgas started being creative in wealth generation? the big answer...is no...instead the focus is how to get to the center for control of oil funds...

Fighting corruption is a lot more than pursuing corrupt people all over the place..believe it or not, for me what is more fundamental is removal of the systems that encourage corruption...if you are not bright enuf to see that then how can you even criticize the government constructively

. . . . . . . .? ? ? Because PDP has not performed, that is your answer. I am all for finding a viable alternative, and I would find it ridiculous to ask people in states where PDP governors have performed to switch party just because. But analyse the essence of what you are saying in that paragraph that contains the part in bold. We are to relax and give PDP another four years for what exactly? A job well done? What on earth are you talking about what other parties have done with what local governments they control? In a country like Nigeria with an overbearing and all powerful federal government, you think that is not a disingenious argument to make? Leave other parties out of this for a sec. The question is has PDP failed Nigeria or not. If yes, what do we do about it. That is the issue. The fact that we unfortunately have few alternatives to pick from does not warrant trying to sell manure as perfume.

Its like someone asking you: Did person A crash the car, and you now saying "Well person F can also crash the car". What has person A got to do with person F?

As far as the federal government is concerned PDP is a failed party. Period!! We need viable alternatives so those guys can be thrown under the bus in the next presidential elections and learn from some time in the opposition. This is about the fact that every election we keep hearing the same tired old - I will give you light, I will give you water, I will give you road. Are you not ashamed? In a country as desperate as Nigeria I just don't get the attraction with partisan outlooks. Everyone in the country is in the same pile of crap, what good does being partisan get us? That is one thing I still find irritating about American politics. If PDP has failed say it has failed. What are you exactly trying to defend?

merengue: http://ynaija.com/hurray-gov-amaechi-secures-juicy-pension-for-himself-and-deputy/

Yesterday, May 31, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi signed a bill which would basically ensure that he continues to enjoy the perks of the governor’s office after leaving the office. The bill, which is titled The Rivers State Governor and Deputy Governor Pensions and Fringe Benefits Bill 2012, is the brainchild of the executive and was forwarded from the Governor’s Office to the House of Representative for a speedy passage.

Despite protestations from pressure groups in the state, the Rivers State House of Assembly went ahead to pass the bill on the 22nd of May by an overwhelming majority. And the sweetened deal was finalised yesterday with Governor Amaechi’s assent.

Consequently, Amaechi and his deputy, Tele Ikuru are entitled upon exit from office to benefits worthy of Wall Street executives, including:

100 per cent of their basic salaries
Two choice houses in any area of their choice in Rivers State and Abuja.
Three cars, replaceable every three years.
300 per cent funding for any furniture of their choice.
20 per cent funding for utility, 10 per cent funding for entertainment and 10 per cent of same for houses of their choice.
Free medical expenses for him and his immediate family.
Security details that will include two officials of the State Security Service (SSS), one female officer of the same department and eight police officers for personal and domestic security.
Domestic staff including a cook, steward, gardener, and others. All the domestic staff, including drivers shall be pensionable.

In addition to the executive perquisites bill, other bills signed into law by the governor on Wednesday include the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Amendment Bill 2012, the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools’ Board Bill 2012, the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission Amendment Bill 2012 and the Rivers State Water Sector Development Law 2012.

That part in bold does not even make sense. Its like saying he gets paid to buy furniture.

Ikengawo: We have a very hard time imagining someone being a hero, or respecting somebody outside of those in the political arena.
our understanding of our selves and nation(s) seldom escape a political dimension. Nigerians will rarely speak of Nigeria as a place with a beautiful landscape, happy people, good music, good food excellent cultures. Everything we use to define Nigeria and africa is political. We only speak of political figures, our history is told in accordance to political events, our aspirations are almost always political. In most functioning democracies the average person doesn't pay attention to politics. Only those that are interested, which is a niche group of intellectuals. But in Nigeria the politicians are the celebrities, religious figures, kings, and government.
American history is filled with people like Davie Crocket, Daniel Boone, Paul Revere, Harriet Tubman, Louis and Clark. All people with 0 political ambition.

If you listen to all american pride songs, from the anthem to America the Beautiful there's no mention of the government. It's all about their values and their landscape.

This is a healthy relationship to self definition. Ours is about politics too often. Even look at the renaming of MKO university. I'm sorry but MKO doesn't make the top 10 list of best nigerians to ever live. He was a politician, nothing more nothing less and was doing what he needed to do to move through his field successfully. A child that names MKO as his hero because he won a fair and free election is an odd one, when his mates are naming Muhammed Ali and Albert Einstein across the ocean. im sorry.




I think we should stop looking beyond politics in defining what Nigeria is. because yes, Obasanjo is Nigerian and a famous one but when I'm in Nigeria i don't see Obasanjo. Huddling around with my grandmother, brothers and sisters and sharing one giant pot of fufu and draw soup than joking and telling stories afterwards, that's 100x more relevant a display of Nigeria than Obasanjo, David Mark or Ekweremadu, whom has no direct affect on most nigerians.


there's more to a nation that politics. politics is the most ugly detail.

I understand what your trying to say but I think we differ on views here. Due to the level of development attainable in Nigeria, politics still has a huge impact on daily life (moreso than is the case in those other countries you refer to). For better or worse it is the reason why we have no light, no water, no good roads, polio outbreaks in the north, poor educational system, few career prospects and opportunities for graduates, etc. Dare I say, Politics in the Nigerian context has more of a direct impact on our daily lives. So I guess I would be going against your postulation by stating that I believe Nigerians being more interested in politics than say your average American or Brit is something I see as a good thing.

The second layer you delve into is this deification of politicians in which people come to define their lives and the Nigerian experience through the boundaries of politics. Nigerians do discuss plitics (which again I see as a good thing) but I would not go as far as saying they define their experiences through politics. I can only speak for myself, family and friends so in my case I would reject that notion and if you really believe that I would advice you to get off nairaland more often because it is not a true representation of the wholistic Nigerian experience. I am not one for "heroes", I just have a lot of people I admire and respect. And when I think of the Nigerian experience I think food, music (sweet highlife), diversity in culture, family and friends and hanging out with them, upbringing, a people with passion and enthusiasm I am yet to see anywhere else in the world, and yes arguing politics, among a host of other things.

Having all of these and still being political conscious is not a bad thing. If anything, people need to be more involved in the political process and the task of governance for things to improve so things get better and we can find some other crap to argue about. Heck that is why I like the French. A political astute citizenry with political sophistication. That does not mean that is all there is to them either. This is one of those issues in which I am glad we are not like the Americans or the Brits.

P.S. I honestly do not know any family or friend that has ever said they respect Obasanjo et al, and would want to be like them. So I genuinely could not relate to what you were talking about there. I guess I have strange family and friends?

[quote author=lanre_front]@ Skyblue

Thanks for your comments. The figure being talked about is 3 trillion naira, not 1 trillion; and yes 3000 billion naira is enough enough make a significant tranformation (that is an impact evryone can see) in all those sectors. It's more than half the entire budget of 2011, both capital and recurrent expenditure inclusive.

If spent without corruption, it's at least enough to say bye to power outages, provide good raods and make impacts in the sectord that matters. I'm not saying it will transform the country to Germany or France.[/quote]Don't want to dwell too much on this. Let us not even downplay it, 3 trillion naira is a lot of money which if used diligently can do A LOT. No doubting that. But let us not stretch things. Railway, fixing power, health, good road networks around the country, etc, CANNOT be fixed with what is the equivalent of about $20billion. Power alone is quite capital intensive. Which is fine, because I don't necessarily expect government to be doing all the fixing, but the private sector to get involved as well. Nigeria has a huge market. We are a long way away from having efficiently run governments like that of Singapore or Hong Kong that can run such businesses with limited waste.

[quote author=lanre_front]I swear to God, Nairaland maybe the biggest Nigerian forum, but it is also now the worst: full of i.dio.ts and people who obviously lack any intellect. That is why I've stopped posting on Nairaland since like 4 months ago. But I just have to say something now.

I'm sorry to say this, but NIGERIANS ARE STILL GOING TO SUFFER A LOT. It seems as if all the youths have been brainwashed and cannot use their brains anymore.

Imagine, every evidence concerning Boko haram so-much-so points towards PDP. Even Jonathan said his goverment has been infiltrated by Bokoharam. Are CPC members part of Jonatha's goverment; Jonthan's goverment is 99% composed of PDP. All the politicians that have been arrested or questioned by SS are PDP party members. The National Security Adviser said in an important televised South-South conference that PDP is Bokoharam, and even went to give a detailed meaningful insightful explanation. Yet f.o.o.l.s of Nairaland conveneintly ignores all this and keep on shouting Buhari is chief sponsorer of Boko-harm.

What is wrong with the youth of today that they can so easily be brainswashed even when conspicious evidence points in the opposite direction.

In criminalites that borders mainly on finacials gains, the standard practise all over the world is to "follow the money" and it leads to the perpetrators of the crimes. Therefore in criminalities like Boko-haram which everyone on this forum has declared is seeking finacial gain, all you have to do is "follow the power" (power is the currency of politics) and it will lead to the perpetrators of the crimes.

If Jonathan is successfully prevented from running in 2015 presidential elections, where does the power go to? Does it go to Buhari of CPC? Or does it goes to the Northern elements of ACN or APGA?

I beleive everyone knows the anwer. The only place where the "power" goes is to the Northern Elements of PDP. Then why are Nairalanders brainswahing themseles with the propangada of the elites, who even have some of their agents working on forums like Nairaland.

I sense that Nigerinsa will still suffer a lot because they have not learnt any lesson. Otherwise, I do you explain a nation whose populace complain of so much suffering, yet keep on voting the same PDP party every four years; a party who has done nothing but worsened their lives in the last 12 years. The problem of Nigerian is Nigerians. And O boy, unless there is a change in this dogmatic attitude, more suffering, debasement, dehumisation etc. are still coming their way.

I was at a gathering recently and guys were talking about the 3 trillion naira fuel subsidy scam of Jonathan's Presidency (don't even get me started; it's impossible to spend 3 triiion naira for something 247 billion was budgeted for without the knowledge of the President) and an educated south-south guy just shouted, "Abeg make una shut up there, didn't Obasanjo chop 16 billions dollars on the power-sector". At that point I just had to join the discussion and I asked him: if Obasanjo chopped 16 billions dollars, is anyone commending him for it? Do you know the greatest condemnation of Obasanjo during & after his Administraion came from the Southwest. Then are you saying if Obasanjo chopped 16 billion dollars, the Jonathan should be allowed to squander 32 billion dollars?

Nigeria youths, wise up; among the elites, there is no ethnicity. They are one. Ethnicity is something they only use to manipulates brain.less Nigerians to achieve or protect their selfish goals

People need to shun sentiments and ethnicity; search for the truth and speak the truth in all matters, otherwise u go suffer tire.

The truth is, whether you admit it or not, Jonathan is not on the side of the people; he is on the side of the corrupted, selfish and greedy elite. The truth is Jonathan is totally corrupt. He is not a victim of some cabal; he is part and parcel of the cabal.

The truth is Nigeria's problem is not power, education, poverty, bad roads; Nigeria's problem wicch is the origin & source of our every other problem is CORRUPTION.

The truth is Jonathan's Administraton cannot do anything about corruption because Jonathan's Aministration is one of the most corrupt in Nigeria's history. In just one year, it had perpetrated a fraud of almost 3000 billion (3 trillion) in just one sector of the economy.

Do Nigerians youth actally know what 3 trillon is? That money is enough to tranform every sector of Nigerian life: from heath sector to education, to roads, to railways, power etc, just mention it. Yet Jonathan who promised in his inaugural speech "to always put the common man first" in everything he does perpetrated this wickedness on the common people.

Do you know that right, Jonathan's Aministration is still looking for a way to further increase fuel price. Therefore before it can do this, Jonathan's Administration is looking for a way to infiltrate and destroy the unity of the NLC. But God won't allow them to succeed.

Hvae u forgooten so soon how so many people defended the subsidey removal saying it was for the good of Nigerians. Even Jonathan himself said if the subsdiy was not removed that Nigerian Economy will collaspe in 3 months. Now with the fuel subsidy report, we know better.

Then concerning Buhari, please people, why not make your reseach about this man, and not just swallow the propangada that goverment agents are spreding all over about him.

The truth is that the Nigerian elites, irrespective of tribe are afraid of this man coming to power. But now they don't even have to lift their hands gainst him because Nierian youths are already doing their job for them.

Please, Nairalanders, Nigerian youth, go and develop yourself a brain. If you don't have a brian, borrow one. If you can't borrow one, buy one. If you can't buy one, go and steal one. Whatever you do, by all means get yourself a brain AND USE IT FOR GOD'S SAKE.[/quote]I understand what you are saying and to some extent I do agree (except little things like the notion that 1 trillion naira can tranform all aspects of the economy which is seriously stretching things a bit).

However I think you should try and understand something. PDP wins elections because it is better organised. Simple. There is no point shouting in support of an alternative if the oposition is not going to start building the ground works for long term goals as opposed to just winning elections. And you have to also understand that not everybody sees what you see when they look at Buhari. You might see liberator but many people see a dictator and by extension a return to a past best forgotten, and technically speaking, there is a history to support that narrative no matter how myopic you think it is.

What always boggles the mind is how difficult it is to thrust to the fore a candidate without such a history, or are we really doomed to repeat the past forever? I am all for getting PDP out of power because I really do think some time in the opposition will do them good, but I guess right now, I am more with making a break from the past. PDP belongs to that past but so does Buhari (in my opinion). Democracy as always is about choice. So if you keep giving me Buhari or a PDP candidate, I will keep choosing the lesser of those two evils according to my perception, and being asked to make a choice based on that template hardly ever inspires the zealous and enthusiastic patriotism that might do the nation some good.

In my opinion for whatever little it is worth in a sea of voices, Nigeria simply needs a clean break. Period. That person does not necessarily have to be a saint but someone that can get things done, and when that person declares, Nigerians would have to be willing to do the hard groundwork required to get that person in. But unfortunately, from experience, it seems no one takes anything seriously till the year of elections, then express shock and horror when they don't win against a PDP machinery that spreads out into the rural areas. I mean, COME ON! The work should have started a few years ago. Question though, has it even started now as we speak? To put it in plain terms, Nigerians need to get more involved in the task of governance. Because a lot of this requires a campaign of enlightenment, work should have already begun.

motoman: Guys, Have you heard about the new bill passed by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State? This bill will ensure all past Governors of Rivers State are provided the following:
- Pension Payments
- Medical Coverage
- 2 houses (One in Rivers State, and another in Abuja)
- 3 Vehicles
- 8 Policemen
- Furniture Allowance, amongst other things.
What do you think of such laws? Does this not show that the entire Government and House of Assembly of Rivers State has lost it?
Just makes me continue to wonder....where are we headed in this country

Would like to get my hands on that bill. I am not against points 1 (depending on how much we are talking of), nothing wrong with pensions if it would encourage govenors to focus solely on the task of governance, instead of trying to then "get ready" for when they are out of office towards the end of their term which seems to be the case a lot of the time. Number of vehicles and policemen need to be reduced. What is definitely overkill is the 2 houses and furniture allowance. It shows disconnect and insensitivity towards the populace. Again, need to see that bill. Those 2 houses and furniture allowance definitely must be removed from that bill, quite audacious to have had them here to begin with.