₦airaland Forum

Kobojunkie:
They are jealous of us, They envy us!!!

Of course they are jealous of us, all those smooth roads must make driving in Dubai very boring and monotonous one could easily fall asleep due to comfort and boredom. In Nigeria our roads provide more of a challenge and hence more exciting to drive on, dodging those pot holes is like playing video game. So you get entertainment and trasnport to you destination all in one. You are even given a forced rest a la go slow to recuperate and sometimes if you are lucky the contents of your car get unloaded for free coutesy of our "men of the highway". Now entertainment and transport or just boring old transport, which one would you choose? Do you know how much government invests in Nigerian roads? Those pot holes are not due to neglect oh, just go and check out how many billions were assigned to roads during last tenure. Jealousy

WOW talk about embarassing, even two disposable cups connected by a piece of string have more credibility and reliability than NITEL, so is that what is going to be used as back up in Aso Rock now? LOL

@abdurrazaq, then let us start such a petition on this section of Nairaland. We can organise the whole thing.

"caterpillar-died-on-my-upper-lip"  abeg you guys should leave Mugabs alone, it is not his fault that he has 'lip baldness' on all areas of his lip except the middle 'landing strip'. We should even be opening charity sef, let us fight to cure lip baldness in our generation, Mugabs can be the poster boy but not before face transplant

LOL,  @Sagamite i bet if you also happened to have a disposable camera in your pocket you would use that instead, no focus or red eye removal or flash or any of that fancy rubbish, just a one click half a second (but still time wasting) picture before you can get back to focusing more on the hurricane. LOL.

RSA:
This test has only one question, but it's a very important one.
Please don't answer it without giving it some serious thought.
By giving an honest answer you will be able to test where you stand
morally.

The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation, where you
will have to make a decision one way or the other.

Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous.

You're in Zimbabwe, near Kariba, to be exact. There is great chaos
going on around you, caused by an unpredicted hurricane and severe floods.

There are huge masses of water all about you. You are a Daily News
photographer and you are in the middle of this great disaster. The
situation is nearly hopeless. You're trying to shoot very impressive
photos.

There are houses and people floating around you, disappearing into the
Zambezi River as it roars through the gorge.

Nature is showing all its destructive power and is ripping everything away
with it.

Suddenly you see a man in the water - he is fighting for his life, trying
not to be taken away by the masses of water and mud.

You move closer. Somehow the man looks familiar.

Suddenly you know who it is, it's Robert Mugabe!

At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take him
away, forever.

You have two options and no time to lose. You can save him or you can take
the best photo of your life. You can't do both.

So you can save the life of Robert Mugabe, or you can shoot a prize
winning photo, a unique photo displaying the death of one of the world's
most notorious leaders. And here's the question (please give an honest
answer):


Would you select colour film, or rather go with the simplicity of classic
black and white?

LOL
@RSA i think i will go black and white, has a more classic feel to it.

RSA:
1. Open a new file in your computer.

2. Name it 'Robert Mugabe'.

3. Send it to the Recycle Bin.

4. Empty the Recycle Bin.

5. Your PC will ask you. 'Do you really want to get rid of
'Robert Mugabe ?'

6. Firmly Click 'Yes.'

7. Feel better?

Yes, that changes everything in zimbabwe , funny

Ok guys, if a petition for immediate passing of the FOI bill is produced will people be willing to attach their name to such and not only that, but pass it to every Nigerian or Nigerian family they know to consider such? Just a question and is just one idea out to many. Also how many of you know the house of rep members from your state or LGA chairmen etc? I feel that the FOI bill is one of the most important bills that the house for years now has still not passed and have continued to ignore with the most trivial and lame excuses. This bill will basically make it illegal for government and its agencies to withhold information from the public (you and me) when they demand it). With such a powerful bill being passes, it will not only empower law enforcement and make court cases more viable with facts and evidence that are continuosly hidden from the public, but it would also help in the journalism sector. More information will be exposed and basically i see it as a very potent tool against corruption if used well. Familiarise yourself with the details of the Freedom of Information bill. So back to the petition, what would it be?

@abdurazaqq i get the whole laughing even when it is bad and i get all the frustration, i understand. All of these supposed resignation on Nigeria is born out of frustration. All i am saying is that we begin to as a group put our money where our mouth is. We want to see something done, why don't we do something. Why don't we on Nairaland plan to do something as a group whereby we have some goals to actually work towards and ACT to achieve them? We can discuss this later if anyone is bold enough.

[quote author=Nigeria1,, link=topic=143653.msg2415443#msg2415443 date=1214342074]senator, but he had really put northerner in all key position, and nothing have work. Power generation have gone down. MEND have because more powerful. food prices have gone. Why you may ask. The answer is the quality of the people he pick. You see I have nothing against President yar Adua. I really feel he is ok. I look beyoud tribal sentiment. I have review his govt and  I can see that what is lack is the fact his minister, lack leadership passion, drive and lack ideas.

You see in the history of Nigeria, No man have been well place in a time to build nigeria to a develop country live president Yar Adua. Financially we are strong. Oil is on the roof. Level of educated people high,  I can continue over and over. If I have been president for the last one years, my brother, Nigeria would be heaven.  It take vision to make a nation great. You may have all the money but without vision the money is useless. The minister lack the vision to take nigeria to the next level , and because they lack vision , President Yar Adua govt rating is down. I believe with good minister who have idea ,change and renovation president Yar adua govt can do better.

You see you can not have the minister of defence, finance, internal affair, And the president coming from the same part of Nigeria. It has never happen in our history. Tribal unbalance and fight was what lead to the civil war in nigeria. over 1 million people were killed. If all your adviser are from your group , how can you understand the need of other group. Life is give and take. No man eat his cake and have it at the same time.

There is a law in science, ACTION AND REACTION, are equal and opposite.  You see the fact that he has all this position to his people and they have refuse to share them, would backfire, and any honest Nigerian who understand nigeria very well would agree with me. Nigeria ia not the USA. and all thing are not equal in real life. What I saying are honest godly advice that I would offer to my own blood brother. I hope he take it. I am done with this issue. I would continue to pray for him and pray God would help him. But go and write down down today date , it shall be testimony to the future.[/quote]@Nigeria1 i think i am just about done with this thread so if you want to keep making everything tribal then that is up to you. Forgive me for stating this and take it or leave it, but your opinions betray your supposed "concern" for the country. You don't care about the development of the country as much as you do seeing things being done by one tribe or the other, it is disheartening to say the least and with all my heart i genuinely hope that not everyone in the country called Nigeria holds these views because that would really be discouraging. You go on about how you will make Nigeria heaven in one year without realising that to implement visions people are needed. But i am guessing in your case you will ignore the best man for the job and focus more on where such a man comes from. That just shows a disconnect from the suffering masses who will take genuine development wherever it comes from, at this stage of Nigerian history such cannot be afforded. That is just how important Nigeria is to you.

Yaradua is enjoying strong oil prices meaning there is a lot of money, OBJ also had A LOT of money in his time and what became of the money? You say the minister of defence, finance and internal affairs are all from thesame place, so are there only 3 ministers in the country? Instead of stating where they are from why not actually state what actually matters in concern with the ministers and appointees, which is their performance?

And then to continue the arguement with the Nigerian way which has continuosly gotten the country nowhere which is to say that Nigeria is not USA is just dumbfounding. Of course Nigeria is not USA, USA is USA and Nigeria is a country in Africa that continues to suffer because people place egos and trivialities over the genuine concern of the people. Such a stance seems to me to be completely void of any human compassion because you seem to care less about people suffering lack of development as long as tribal egos are satisfied.

And then finally you say that your post will be a testimony? If such a statement will become a testimony it won't go to show your deep insight or any form of righteousness on your path, it will just go to show that there will be trouble in the country because people who share such uncompassionate and tribally egocentric views exist in the country which will not come as a shock. I think i am about done with this thread and will try and avoid having arguements with you if all you continue to due is to put "where he or she is from" above the genuine well being of the people, sorry but i just find it so uncompassionate and almost inhumane. God Bless and have a nice day.

This thread is interestingly amusing because we have people who have supposedly given up on Nigeria wasting there time to come on a Nigerian site to come and inform everyone else they have given up on Nigeria. Frustration at how just some effort on the path of the citizenry can transform Nigeria can be quite frustrating that is for sure. However why do we come on to nairaland political section, why do we read news about Nigeria, why do we get passionate in our discourse? Why do we get so passionate to the point of insulting others, etc? The thing is that it can be quite difficult caring for a country that does not seem to care for you, however when people think of going to Nigeria are you trying to say they forget things like family and friends, the culture and lifestyle (the good parts), the traditions taught and handed down to us, the richness in culture and tradition stemming from all these mixture of ethnic groups that has given us so rich a food culture? The friends that one can make in Nigeria that can't compare with any other friends in the world? The honesty and passion in our discourse that has led people to observe that when Nigerians speak it is as if they are quarelling? Thesame people can be arguing and debating so passionately and yet be laughing the next minute.

There are things to cherish about Nigeria no matter how messed up and screwed up things get and hence i do believe that it is from this genuine concern and love for the country that people get frustrated that it is the way it is and even more frustrated when we actually understand that things could be so easily improved and we have allowed the country to get this way. It is very easy to get frustrated over things you care about however as i have stated on a lot of occassions we need to do more in the way of actions, if speaking solved everything Nigeria will be next to none but the case isn't so. Has anyone on this section of Nairaland actually using Nairaland as a platform ever championed anything? I mean that in the sense of getting people in this section of Nairaland involved whereby we act together to do something worthwile together. I won't be surprised that only from this section alone we would have a very wide skill and experience base, however is anyone actually bold enough? Instead of us doing something and using this as a forum for instigating change in some form we are ok with just commentating on the issues? Why don't we be so bold as to assume change is going to come from us? Hence we need to get involved in some way.

Why don't we discuss on what we can do no matter how little because i am open to this and willing to do what i can in my own capacity do. However given that we are talking about Nigeria anyway i am nt expecting a flood gate of responses to that call, i am waiting to be pleasanty surprised .

So what significant development and progress has all these oil and gas reserves brought us so far?

https://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/in_pictures_dubai0_then_and_now/img/1.jpg
golden mile Dubai 1991

https://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/in_pictures_dubai0_then_and_now/img/2.jpg
golden mile Dubai 2006

And the above pic is just showing one road/place. I better not embarrass Nigeria by doing a "then and now" sequence for it too,  the case is actually the reverse  . So what trumpet are we exactly blowing? It is not necessarily what you have, it is what you do with what you have. LOL, Nigeria

@landis, why not go through the list of countries in the middle east and asia and see for yourself. Not all are dependent the way mugabe gives excuse for. The point is that he understandably kicked a certain group of people out and now he is crying that such people don't want to play with him anymore? Please let us stop making excuses for evil and stupidity. Do all these people defending Mugabe actually genuinely believe he has the interest of the people as opposed to his ego at heart?

Guys Kobojunkie has asked some questions, why not just repond in line with resourceful debate or something of the sort?

I have to go so i will give a more elaborate answer later, however i just need to ask, so all this "fairness" that was part of the OBJ government brought the much needed peace and prosperity and development to the country right? Why not take a leaf from your book, you said judge a man according to his actions. Why not wait for the people who have been appointed to even state what they intend to do before you castigate them? I am sure if the appointees were from somewhere else you won't even care what plans they would have or anything of the sort, you would be content with just knowing that they are from your side of the country? If this is the stand then are you realy in any place to be crying about the division or lack of development in any part of Nigeria?

@Nigeria1 the fact that you could not see that the aboki reference was simply a statement to reiterate that we cannot afford to be so selective and tribalistic that it becomes a selective factor in picking were develpment comes from even if it comes at the price of ignoring the best man for the job seems to show much more that you might think. None of these people have laid out their plans or policies or propositions or said what they will do yet you have already condemned them based on tribe. So what about Peter Odili that ruled Rivers State, he was an aboki abi? What about Lucky Igbenidion, he was not from Edo state right? Ibori the ex convict was not from Delta state in fact who has the audacity to claim such rubbish when Ibori was from mars? Nnamani was not from Enugu, he was from Switzerland. All these corrupt governors where not from their own states, yes so the solution is picking people based on similar tribes and the devlopment will come right? Nigeria1 please try not to take this personally and please permit me to speak freely as to state an observation and i hope i don't offend you but, i find it ironic that you call yourself Nigeria1, people say Nigeria is divided Nigeria is divided and of course it is. When someone chooses to read tribalism into everything then what else can you expect?

[quote author=Nigeria1,, link=topic=143653.msg2407330#msg2407330 date=1214221666]Please I need to ask you, how did Yar Adua come to power, was it not because obasanjo agree to hand over to the north. Nigeria is a nation were we have agree to divide the position , so that we do not end up with huntu and tusi war. But President Yar Adua govt is pushing Nigeria to that stage. I am sorry, the truth have to be spoken. The president need to change his cabinet. He has given all the important position to only people from the North Niger benue which are just 15 state in Nigeria.

Only in Nigeria would you have a bus conductor become the minister of energy. If a non medical person is never appointed into the health ministry,  Why would they do that for power ministry. I forget it is not nigeria. Nothing is based on merit but man know man. That most stop.

Look,  I still believe president yar adua need to go back to the 7 power station they want to build in the south south. If he fail to do I know that  MEND would blow all the pipeline. they feel cheated. The word of GOD SAYS DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO UNTO YOU. They can not continue to tell us how they put billion of naira on building road in the north and expect people in the south not to close down the pipe. How can they take all the ministry Finance North, energy  North, NNPC north,  defence North, FCT North, Health North . You now give all the yeye or mumu ministries , you now hand it over to southerner.

Look we have to face the truth, if this does not change, President Yar Adua would be in serious trouble. Is govt look too  northern Niger benue. Nigeria constitute other people, and you can not keep everything to yourself and expect other to let you be. I live in the south and as a child in the south, we all wait for that day some young bold young army office would break up Nigeria. And I would tell you. even till today. 90% of people for the south niger benue want Nigeria to be divided into two. What I am trying to pass on is for our people who have this mentality, you now come with a govt who appoint only northerner into good position. You know it is just a matter of time. That they would break Nigeria into 2 , expect this change is made,  and I believe it is time to have the national conference now.   It is time to discuss were our future would be. The idea, to send the military to the south south is a stupid idea and all it would bring is more militia group. This is why I have always said president Yar Adua should get rid of his advisers.   We all know not only the ijaw people have guns , Mosop and Opc , have one too.

So will we continue to live in fear. The word of God says their is no fear in love. We can not continue because of fear of break up to run away from discussing the future because we have fear. We can become a great country if we have a plan . and the national conference would give us this.


Here are all the position made so far


Some Of Yar’ Adua’s Non-Ministerial Appointments Since May 2007



1. Substantive EFCC Chairman – Mrs. Farida Waziri (Benue).2. Chairman, Electoral Reform Committee- Justice The Great Prophet Uwais (Kaduna).

3. Chairman, Police Reform Committee- Alhaji M.D Yusufu.

4. Chairman, Transitional Board of Director for PHCN- Mrs. Fatima Ibrahim (Gombe).

5. MD/CEO, NNPC- Alhaji Lawal Yar’ Adua. (Kaduna)

6. Presidential Liaison Officer- Senator Abba Aji (Yobe)

7. Comptroller-General of Customs- Alhaji Hamman Hamed (Adamawa)

8. Director-General, NTA- Usman Megawata (Sokoto)

9. Director-General of SSS- Afas Gadzana (Yobe)

10. National Economic Adviser- Tanimu Kurfi (Katsina)

11. Chairman, Energy Council- Rilwan Lukman

12. State House Chief of Protocol- Ambassador Ghali Umar (Kano)

13, Senior Special Assistant (Protocol)- Alhaji Inuwa Baba (Plateau)

14  Ama Peppel SCG (south)


Look at a more detail list and you know that if he does not change his appointment, Nigeria would be going to a civil war that would be greater than the June 12 election. The word of God says a foolish man see trouble and continue to head toward it, but a  wiseman runs away from trouble. 

I am sorry, I just have to speak the truth. The word of God says, that God only discipline the child he loves. And it is out of love for president Yar Adua that I am saying this.  "You do not kill the hen that lay the golden egg." if you kill it, you would have nothing to eat.[/quote]In reference to your post, i am an "other" (i.e not a northerner) and i rather have a competent aboki than another Peter Odili in a national position. I just don't know anymore, . . . . i just don't know. The country is in such a shape but yet one can afford to ignore all of that and focus on who comes from where to get the job done? At this stage i don't care who does the job AS LONG AS IT GETS DONE. I just don't know why people continue to dish out this tribalistic rhetoric, where on earth does such blind ego come from. GOD HELP US. Sorry but i really genuinely don't mean to offend and it really is not my intention but i am just lost as to how someone can look beyond all the mess and what is happening and debate things like how many appointments are given to whom. So let us assume that you are from the east and someone from the west comes and develops your state, i am guessing you will go on a rampage and destroy all that was built because of the audacity that a non easterner could do such a thing, right? the thing i don't get is how ratios like 140 to 100 or trvial stuff like that becomes marginalisation. So next time Yaradua is making appointment he should split it down the middle right? Instead of getting what seems the best person from the job based on people he knows, he should ignore that just to make sure even if there is a remainder like one position unfilled after the sharing, it is shared equally among all 200 and something tribes, right? With this way of thinking i am even sure if the ratio was 120 to 121 there will still be problem, it will still be marginalistion while the country continues to rot.

WOW, this thread is just a huge irony. People are dying in a country because of a stubborn dictator who continues to dish out violence on his own people and then claims to enjoy the support of his people and yet people will miss all that road and say it is the west, does that make sense? Who is really then focused on the west? You see a car about to hit you and you are complaining of the man sneezing by the roadside? What i find unbelievable is the unwillingness for people to see evil and wrong doing and just call it that. If people want to open another thread about the 'evil west' and argue about that then please do so. But here we have a dictator that does not enjoy popular support from his own people or people outside his party and corruptly enriched circle, in fact he has to use food as a means to "earn" support by dangling it as a weapon on his own people, he has had to continue a brutal and violent campaign to hold this so called "support" of his people and people cannot see that and condemn it?

Why this continued focus on the west when our house is burning, why not mind our own business and deal with our stuff? So these sanctions stopped trade with other non western countries? For someone with such a stand against the west, his continued stance that the country is failing because the west refuse to trade with him is just pathetic, cue the violins. How many countries have made it without depending on the west and he thinks that is an acceptable excuse for state Zimbabwe is in?? I guess this is what is also making him torture his own people, the west abi? Please let us be able to see wrong doing and call it so. This is just shocking and i am still in disbelief. No surprise then that the continent is the way it is if people cannot even recognise evil and condemn it.

LOOOOL. Abeg it is enough, Nigeria you will not kill me with laughter today , just imagine if the motion went through the state house and they now had to select the different "services" etc as if they were choosing from catalogue "hmm this babalawo uses 50% extra goat head i think we should hire this one, does he have any references?" LOL

Nigeria: 'No Sacred Cow in Transport Probe'

This Day (Lagos)

21 June 2008
Posted to the web 23 June 2008

Sufuyan Ojeifo
Abuja

Ahead of commencement, Monday, of the Senate probe into the transportation sector, chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri declared yesterday the committee would not treat any of the former ministers or top officials of government under investigation as a sacred cow.

He said, at a press briefing at the National Assembly in Abuja, the committee would vigorously pursue the investigation in a concerted bid to revamp the transportation sector.


According to Lokpobiri, "This is a task that is very important to the Senate and to Nigerians. No modern economy can succeed without effective transportation.

"This is because whatever you do will have to be transported. So, the public hearing is one we are going to take with absolute vigour. I want to say that there will be no sacred cows at all."

The investigation is to determine the management of funds and implementation of policies in the transportation sector from 1999 to date.

The Ad-Hoc Committee will specifically, among other things, probe the collapse of road infrastructure in the country despite the several billions of naira reportedly spent on road rehabilitations and constructions.

Those who have already been invited to appear before the Committee to defend their stewardships include former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was Works Minister from 1999 to 2002, Chief Tony Anenih; former Transport Minister, who is currently Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe; former Aviation Minister, Dr. Kema Chikwe and former Works Minister, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe .

Others include former Aviation Ministers, Malam Isa Yuguda , Dr. Olusegun Agagu, Professor Babalola Borisade, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and former Chairman of the Board of Nigeria Ports Authority, Chief Olabode George.

Lokpobiri threatened that the Committee would sanction anybody who refused to cooperate with it.

He expressed disappointment at the attitude of some agencies and departments in the Transport Ministry that were yet to furnish the Committee with relevant information required from them.

According to him: "This committee will, therefore, not hesitate to invoke all its powers as enshrined in the constitution and other statutes to obtain every information required, issue warrant of arrest of any person (body or body Corporate) that treat the committee with contempt and even impose such fines as deemed appropriate."

He directed that those who have not submitted their presentations/memoranda to the Committee to ensure that they do so before Monday or risk sanction.

Lokpobiri said: "This Committee, therefore, appeals to all establishments and persons who have served in the Transportation Sector from 1999 to date as a Minister, Minister of State, Chairman of Board, Permanent Secretary, Director-General/Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Director and Secretary of Tenders Board, or who have refused to be served letters from the Committee, or who have not received any letter from the Committee, to please make such submissions to the Committee as have been advertised in the media within three days from today (yesterday)."

He listed others who were yet to make submissions to include FERMA, Department of Finance and Account, Department of Admin and Supply, Planning Research and Statistic and other Departments in the Transport Ministry.

According to him, "I don't know what they are hiding; whatever they are hiding, the constitution of Nigeria, particularly Sections 88 and 89 have given us an unqualified power to compel anybody to produce anything we require.

"We have also asked all the relevant agencies to bring their bank statements. I think only Nigeria Shippers Council has brought its statements. I am sounding a note of warning to them (those who have not responded) that this Senate will not condone any non-compliance."

The Senate had, through a resolution on Tuesday 29th April, 2008, mandated the Ad-hoc to conduct a wholesale investigation into the activities of the Transport sector which now incorporates the activities of the former Ministry of Works, Ministry of Aviation and Ministry of Transportation .

http://allafrica.com/stories/200806230027.html





In the course of reading this news report i was literally on the floor from laughing too hard and i had to call someone to tell them the news. Yes people it is another probe with the usual rhetoric of "there will be no sacred cows" (honestly these sacred cows must be going extinct) although i was a bit disappointed that the award winning "toes will be stepped on" was not thrown in too for good measure. However what got me in stitches was the responses and media release statements in the articles given by the house members in charge of the committee, such award winning lines like transportation is important to the country because "whatever you do will have to be transported" (clap for yourself), just convinced me that what we have in the house is a bunch of illiterates and if there are any educated ones they are definately not making themselves known. If this probe seemed like it would achieve anything i would have been rejoicing, but the language and impression i got after reading the article is that this is just another committee chopping session part 2. I desperately hope to be proved wrong.  "whatever you do will need to be transported", LOOOL,  God help us all.

So how does it become a matter of ignoring all the intigators at the state level and then going to blame federal government and Yaradua? What about lagos that was not won by PDP? They did not have touts or what? It is like ignoring the man who is burning your house and then going to fight with the one peeing on your lawn.

@iseobo sorry but it seems you might be desperately trying to shift blame here. What election came first, state or federal?

I suggest if Zimbabweans aren't going to do anything they had better start recruiting Indian "ladies of the evening". It worked for us with abacha when in our usual cowardly way we did not have the liver, they should get the number for the people we used. Give them two weeks tops and let them do their thing, Mugabe will be gone, those ladies get the job done.

Yaradua armed militants? LOL, that is an interesting take on the issue. Why not listen to all the accusations and counter accusations coming out of the truth and reconcilitation committee? Considering that this issue is not new and that it predates Yaradua i wonder how all of a sudden Yaradua is the fundamental problem. I am sure JTF is also wreaking havock in the state but instead of making it a JTF versus militants issue why not just look at it from the side of the people? These militants are a nuissance. If the issue is resolved once and for all won't that mean that the JTF can finally vacate the area? My whole problem with this thing is how such criminals have been allowed to roam for all this time. This thing has dragged on for too long, abeg enough is enough and all this while people have been uffering, kidnappings have been rampant, there has been serious insecurity in the are, it is just enough. And hopefull the people behind the scenes would also be brought to book. This is just one big mess that has gone on for too long.

@iseobo i think you are beginning to confuse issues here and genuinely no offence intended. Ken Saro Wiwa was from Ogoni. The people of Ogoni drove away shell from their land. This was done without militancy and kidnapping etc. These so called "freedom fighters" now in existence have been used by last governments to hold the state hostage. Simply put, touts were armed by a corrupt government and the guns could not be retrieved, there was actually a time when cults and militants and the likes where offered money to return their guns and they were promised that if they denounced such behaviour they won't be severely punished. Does that mean that there are no issues in the Niger Delta to deal with like gas flaring and environmental degradation? Absolutely not so don't read what i am not saying. Billions in state derivation and the likes was issued to Rivers state every month for how many years and what was done with the money by the state government? And now all of a sudden it is the fundamental fault of the federal government? there are problems sure,  however these people have used that issue to play cowboys and indians with there toys and all to the detriment of peace for their own people they claim to be fighting for. So since when did kidnapping babies and asking for ransom forward the movement?

This is not going to be childs play anymore, my only prayer is that all of the war or whatever is going to be will occur in the creeks and away from places with huge civilian population.

@skfa 1, do you think there has been peace in the Niger Delta all this time?

@iseobio are you sure you have followed the whoe issue? Shell was banished from Ogoni land in the Niger Delta and the Ogoni people never took up arms or do any kidnapping etc. Those were people fighting out of real grievances, these so called "freedom fighters" please explain to me how they are fighting for "the people" because i am really curious? Yaradua needs to understand the psyche of the people from the Niger Delta? The people who have had to endure kidnapping and huge insecurity? The people who have had to endure limitless curfews as a result of the actions of these militants? The people who have been killed by the so called "freedom fighters"? "Freedom fighters" who had actually been working with the government in the past to dish out electoral and political violence in the state in order to keep control and keep the people and opposition in fear? Are those the freedom fighters you speak of? What exactly do you think they are fighting for? No vague press release, just put it down for us.

So is the "truth and reconciliation commission" in abuja going to continue while this is going on?

@Sagamite when last where you in lagos? I asked you not to take my word for it but to ask anyone living in lagos as i don't live in Lagos but due to interest follow the developments there very carefully. I said ask others, research and see what is changing. It really is not that difficult i can actually refer you to some places where you can see for yourself and when next you are in lagos you will be able to witness the changes. Lagos roads are not thesame as they were this time last year @texazzpete true or false? The camera idea is an obvious choice but is it that practical? I definately agree that an avenue should be made available whereby people should be able to object, however i hope you are aware that it is again stating problems with how the fines are going to work or be implemented.

Does that even make sense? He wants the state controlled by him to handle food distribution to victims of political violence instigated by him? Am i getting this right?

@Sagamite so does that mean that you agree it is the implementation and the system not the fines that is the problem? This is something that seriously needs addressing and can be addressed, the deterrent is still inspite of this, there. At least there will be no abandoned tankers on express roads anymore which are seriously dangerous. The next thing should be certifying vehicles for road use worthiness.