₦airaland Forum

The Obasanjo defenders are out here doing what they have been paid to do.


Nothing new there. What should concern us all is that a two-time head of state of the Republic has publicly described himself as a 'subject' of the current president. The man's language indeed betrays his mindset. Subject!!!


This country is a republic. Not a constitutional monarchy. Nor a hereditary monarchy. We are not subjects with allegiance to some crown or potentate, near or far. No sir.


We are free citizens of this Republic. And we will remain so despite Mr. Obasanjo's best efforts to ensure otherwise.

If you have your owners manual, check it for the recommended oil - the key thing to look out for is the API rating. (or its ILSAC? equivalent)

If you do not have your owners manual, a google search would probably get you the manual in pdf from a users website/forum. Download it. It will be useful in the future.

I'm not sure that it will be a wise choice to go for Mobil 1 for your Matrix (unless you have very deep pockets). A lower rated, non-synthetic oil should do just fine at a fraction of the cost. But then again, I don't know what the owner's manual recommends.

Let us know how you fare.

ocelot2006: Those cops are truly stupid. Haven't they heard of the term espirit de corps? They should've released those ratings and their bike with a warning.

As for the navy, I'm totally dissapointed with them. It's so obvious that the naval spokesman's statement is a total lie cos no cop will be so stupid to open fire on militarymen. And I know they were itching for payback, but attacking another police checkpoint is just wrong.

^^^^Esprit de corps or not, the law is the law (assuming the newsreport is indeed true). There is nothing special about Nigerian naval ratings. Or airmen. Or soldiers. Nothing whatsoever.

This sense of entitlement your "brothers in arms" all seem to have WILL be rooted out. It will take time but it WILL happen.

Nigeria (as broken and troubled as she is) owes the military nothing.

Brasshats will have to queue up and obey the rules like everyone else. Newsreports like these (and there are many) prove that far too many Nigerian soldiers/ratings/airmen are a disgrace to the uniform.

The hallmark of the military in other climes is discipline. Cast-iron discipline, in and out of the uniform. Somehow, Nigeria's brasshats forgot to include this in the curriculum.

Men without honour.

Mojir: This story of arm robbery attack by the writer sounds fictional! His words contadicts. And I guess he is trying to practice story-writing.

Its been long I heard of arm robbery attack along that route as I fequent that road. I don't know why some people just delight on putting unnecessary fears on travellers.

May God help us and May year 2013 be glorious for us all.

`


^^^^Do not play down the danger on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. I do not know the OP and I cannot confirm whether or not his story is true but I do not agree that this is about "putting unnecessary fears on travellers".

I have travelled frequently on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway since the mid-1980s. Make no mistake: It is a dangerous road to travel on and armed robbery IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. Do not mislead people here with your dismissive comments about 'unnecessary fears'. I do not approve of scaremongering but it would be irresponsible to gloss over the very real threat to life on that highway.

There are many examples - too many to fully list here. Remember the sad case of the bus with secondary school students which was waylaid at about 11pm around Sagamu last year? Several young females on that bus were molested. There was a time you could have argued that night travel on that expressway carried a higher risk but that argument isn't as strong anymore. In the last 18 months the official convoys of at least 2 state governors were forced into a gun battle with armed robbers on that highway! All in broad daylight!

While I have never been attacked on that road, I know people who have been. A cousin was robbed a few years ago on that highway at 1.30pm on a weekday!

We shouldn't deceive ourselves. There are many angry young men in Nigeria today and the entire West African sub-region (Nigeria inclusive) is crawling with automatic weapons pilfered from one 'bush/desert war' or another, be it from the Ecowas region or from North Africa/The Maghreb. Throw in other relevant factors like Nigeria's police force (with its many, many problems) and the end result is the violence on our highways.

Summary for us all: Restrict your trips to the ones you absolutely must undertake. And be especially alert on the stretch before getting to Ibadan's outskirts (i forget the name of the area), the old Ogere toll point (now a trailer park), the Sagamu interchange, the RCCG camp and the long bridge (on the outskirts of Lagos).

Fantastic thread.


Ther are some posters here whom I would definitely want on my side if I had a debate or a lawsuit I needed to win.


And there are others who greatly strengthen the case for compulsory education in critical reasoning/analysis, logic and philosophy in our schools.

thelastPope: So how do you know Buhari is speaking the truth. You lot are all funny. Quoting his words and saying it clears things up. So funny. I was in school in 1983 when he took over. The guy is a big fool and the reason we are going through what we are going through today. If he had not truncated our democracy, we would have gone through all the teething stages during the 80s and 90s. Now we are trying to go through it in 2012. Buhari should be lined on the street and flogged. He is a big fool who wanted to rule for life in a Sharia based Nigeria just like Murtala Mohamed. He was a thief and among the first corrupt set of military officers along with Gowon, OBJ and IBB. He is a coward that hid behind Idiagbon for 20 months and had no true followers in the military. A dolt who tried to use the WAI cliche to decieve gullible Nigerians but everyone later saw through him.

The simple way to no a good leader is:
How many true prodigies has he mentored?
How many persons and communities has he influenced positively aparts from using the islamic carrot to garner almajiris?
What did he do with 100s of millions of PTF monies. Where are the projects he built accross the country?

This man is a fraudster and deceiver that will only get support from people who know nothing of our history and do not ask simple questions.

^^^^Hold it right there.


You do have a solid point about how overthrowing Shagari's government set us back a number of years. You also have a point about not necessarily believing all that GMB has said to be true.


But remember: in this interview Buhari issued a direct challenge. A challenge (to any interested party) to verify several key assertions he made about his tenure as a public official. Some of the information required for verification is (or should be) in the public domain. When a former military dictator can state unequivocally that he declared his assets as a public officer X or Y number of times (dating back to the 1970s), that can only mean one thing:



The man actually "gives a damn".


Unlike some people we know.





You also called Buhari a fool, a fraudster, a coward, a dolt and a deceiver who had no true followers in the military and who wanted to rule for life.


^^^^Interesting. You will have to provide some evidence to support the 'fraudster', 'deceiver' and 'ruler for life' allegations. The other allegations - cowardice, doltishness, folly, etc (though they may be serious character flaws) are not crimes under Nigerian law. These flaws are shared by millions of Nigerians - the evidence is there in our decision to vote in several PDP-led governments (at all levels) over the last 13 years.


The allegation which I will not allow to slide is the "sharia based Nigeria"/"islamic carrot to garner almajiris" quest as you put it. It is interesting that you mention that you were in school in 1983 when Buhari took over, although you didn't mention what school - primary, secondary, tertiary? Some of us were in school in 1983 as well. And we know what happened. Remember the Muhammed Marwa-inspired "maitatsine" insurgency of the early 1980s? I will ask you two questions: did Buhari have anything to do with quelling those riots or not? Did he provide any support (overt or covert) to Marwa and his band of murderers?


You spoke about the qualities of a good leader being evident in mentoring (proteges) and social advocacy. This is indeed true. But can you say without the shadow of a doubt that Buhari does not have proteges? Can you honestly say this? Do you know whether Buhari has been promoting some social cause without any media attention? He may have. Or he may not have. I personally feel he should do more in this area. But he should NOT follow the example of a former head of state whose so-called presidential library in Ogun State is nothing but a monument to fraud, coercion and ill-gotten gain.


Buhari is NOT faultless. He has made a few gaffes (some of them serious) in his comments to the press over the years. He will forever have to fight to shake off the toga of a usurper of Shagari's (democratically) elected government. His regime gained a reputation (deserved or not) for cruelty and autocracy. He had some difficulty in articulating his mission and agenda for the presidency during last year's presidential campaign.


But he has a reputation as a man who can be trusted. This trust may well turn out to have been misplaced. Only time will tell. But for now it stands. Which is more than we can say for all the PDP presidents we have had so far.

OP,


Link please?


If this is true. . . hmm.


Patrick Utomi has always struggled with building a base. It has dogged all his campaigns and effectively scuttled his presidential ambitions.


I voted for him in '07, thinking that Utomi's natural constituency would strengthen his campaign efforts but it soon became clear that mr. utomi needed to do a lot more work to get anywhere near the presidency. In retrospect, perhaps he should have started lower and built up a political base before taking a shot at the presidency.


I think his latest move (if indeed it is true) is definitely not in his best interests, politically speaking. The overbearing influence of mr tinubu ( a highly questionable character with no redeeming features) over the ACN will not augur well for any politician who truly wants to tear down the evil tower that is Nigerian politics (as it is currently practised).


I hope it works out well for mr utomi. Time will tell.

PointB: If he cannot get the AC.N Presidential Candidate, then it's a bloody waste of time. I rather vote GEJ as president than Pat Utomi as VP.

^^Of course you would.

When it rains, it pours.


Just when you think Nigeria's ruling power elite cannot outdo itself, it pulls a new trick out of the box, more evil and sinister than the last.


But the pain that Nigerians are going through IS NECESSARY. It is a necessary form of political, or dare I say, human education. It is necessary because Nigerians need to understand (in a painfully personal way) that choices (be they political, moral, economic, etc) have CONSEQUENCES. This is a law of nature that no mortal (not even Nigerians) can override.


It is unfortunate that our prayer houses/shrines and their resident shamans have successfully sold the idea to millions of Nigerians that somehow, it is possible to escape the consequences of one's actions. It is now obvious to all that this escapist philosophy is doomed and dead on arrival.


The pain will continue. It MUST continue. It is the natural course of events, given the political choices we made a while back. But it is necessary and MUST run its course.


LET US QUIT GRIPING AND TAKE OUR HEMLOCK LIKE MEN. NO TEARS PLEASE.

dvee2: Compare all these response to the thread on the PILOT himself who was called different names including boko haram,terrorist,northern conspirator. He is also a young promising Nigerian,with wife and parents. How will his family feel for a son that died serving his fatherland to be called all these names unjustifyable and withoutn any proof? Tolerance and fair play my fellow country men.

^^^You will live long and never walk alone.

^^^^OP,

It has taken you far too long to respond to my post asking for your showroom address and you still have not provided the details!

I also sent you a text asking for the showroom address on saturday 15/12/2012 (since your post said 'text only') and I still have not received any response.

Mr. Buhari more or less threw a challenge to Nigerians during the presidential debate earlier this year. He said he could not understand how a Nigerian lawmaker earns more than the US president.


Nigerians who voted Jonathan (and not the PDP) or the PDP (and not Jonathan) or Jonathan (and the PDP) or whatever:


What is your response?

Where is your showroom? Full address please?

Where's your showroom? Full address?

Rossikk: The GDP figure tells you how high.

No Sir. That’s not good enough. I asked you a direct question about the degree of local investment in the Nigerian economy and you referred me to GDP figures you quoted earlier. That is simply not good enough. Are you saying GDP and local investment are one and the same thing?

On the key indices Nigeria is improving year on year. Go and inspect UNICEF basic stats on Nigeria. In fact here they are: Check the rate of progress between 1990 and 2010 on key basic indicators:

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/nigeria_statistics.html

Sir, I checked the link you provided. First of all, I am a bit wary about referencing 2010 data from a webpage purportedly last updated on 24 FEBRUARY 2003. But let’s assume for argument’s sake that your data source is genuine. Despite pockets of progress, the news is still grim:

1. Mortality rate of children under-five stood at 143 per 1000 in 2010 (despite a 2% average annual reduction between 1990 and 2010)

2. 41% of children under-five suffer from moderate and severe stunting (2006 to 2010)

3. 32% of the population had access to improved sanitation facilities (2008)

4. Maternal mortality ratio (maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) stood at 840 in 2008

5. 64% of the population fall below the international poverty line of US$1.25 per day (2000 to 2009)

6. The average annual rate of inflation (1990 to 2010) was 20%

7. Average annual growth rate of GDP per capita (1990 to 2010) stood at 1.9%


You provided the link that threw up the above statistics sir. Not me. Or will you now claim the data is false?

According to Actis, an international investment company, 10 million more Nigerians have been added to the middle class in the last five years.

^^^^ It is interesting that Actis has become your reference point for valid statistics on social and economic mobility in Nigeria. I take it that UNICEF and the CBN are talking nonsense by claiming over half of Nigeria still lives below the poverty line? Are they? I referred you to the CBN’s statistics on relative and absolute poverty in Nigeria in my last post - those statistics quoted by the CBN were derived from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) ‘Nigeria Poverty Profile 2010 Report’. Read up on those stats and tell me if you believe Nigeria’s middle class has indeed become 10 million stronger over the past 5 years. The question I have for you is this: what was the size of Nigeria’s middle class before this great 5 year leap? What are the defining parameters?

If 62.8% of Nigerians lived on less than a dollar a day, we would have rows of aid trucks on every street catering to the kwashiorkor-ridden starving children, men and women, and an international emergency would have been declared.

You need to understand that majority of Nigerians work in the informal sector, grow their own food, make their own drinks, brew their own alchohol, all activities which are not subject to dollar calculations. What is a farmer's breakfast of roast yam, smoked fish and beans worth? CERTAINLY MORE THAN A DOLLAR. That's just his breakfast. His evening palm-wine?

And that's a farmer in the village. Supposedly the 'poorest of the poor', correct?

So WHO ARE those people you say live on less than a dollar a day? Where are they? In Lagos? Not possible. It takes nothing less than $20 a day to survive in Lagos, and that's if you're doing really bad. So WHERE are those people?

^^^^You are acting out your predilection for hyperbole. As usual. Your ‘points’ above would have struck a chord except that the very link you provided in your post explicitly states that 64% of Nigerians fall below the international poverty line of US$1.25 per day. Yes sir – the link YOU provided. So what’s the verdict sir? The stats about income inequality and poverty in Nigeria are meaningless? Or could it be sir, that in your usual cynical manner you pick, choose and mix statistics when you consider it expedient to justify your nihilism?

P.S. Kindly find out more about the history of the US$1.25 poverty statistic before you make any further comments on it. While as a measure of poverty it is far from perfect, that is no excuse for the falsehood you have typed up here.

Yeah.. we're a developing nation. This sort of thing is not unique to Nigeria. In India that number is probably 340 million. With greater economic growth, such aspects of life will be eliminated. Like all developing states, we need time.

^^^^ Interesting that you decide to bring the Indians into the mix now. Keep making excuses. I have no time for that.

You preach about how greater economic growth will eliminate poor sanitary habits as if there is some kind of axiomatic relationship between the two. Of course there isn’t and you know it. Nigeria‘s economy has been growing nominally for decades now (growth spurred by an enclave oil and gas industry). If growth alone were the issue, surely by now no Nigerian would be defecating in the open. But we are. In our millions.

There is a huge difference between growth and development. Do not confuse the two, sir.

How are mechanics and market women now the 'minority'??

These are people who form the very classes you say live in ''absolute poverty'' - mechanics, market women, farmers. It is a FACT that in today's economy, characterised by greater demand for goods and services by a growing middle class, if you do your job well in virtually ANY field today in Nigeria, you should make some progress. THAT is what the example of the mechanic, the market woman, and the shop owner I gave should show you.

^^^^The above sir, is why I maintain that you are a fraud. If you re-read my post you will see that I said that WEALTHY mechanics and RICH market women are members of a minority. Note my use of the words ‘wealthy’ and ‘rich’ which you fraudulently omitted in your header up there. Is it clear to you now, sir? Wealthy mechanics and rich market women ARE a minority in the sea of millions of poor mechanics and market women whom you will find in every part of Nigeria. My point still stands.

You have no sense of social justice. You are a pompous, intolerant poster who thinks everyone should be sitting around angry, depressed, and anti-Nigerian merely because we are a developing nation. You spitefully ignore all progress made in the country. What encouragement is that for anyone to do better? We will never identify with your hopelessness. We shall look forward to the present and future of this country with confidence, dynamism and hope. Chew on that.

^^^^Vintage Rossikke. Typical.

It has taken me a while to figure you out sir, but I finally have.

You and I both know sir, that you constantly try to browbeat anyone who disagrees with you on these boards. A cursory glance at your posting history will confirm this. Now even if your views on issues were largely noble or altruistic, your bullying would still be inexcusable. The unfortunate reality though is that your position on so many social issues is typically self-serving and hypocritical, which makes your aggression all the more contemptible.

You describe me as a spiteful, intolerant, 'anti-Nigerian' who hates his country and wishes to spread a culture of hopelessness. This is false, sir. I am angry with Nigeria because this country could do better - so much better. I and those who think like me will not relent until we ALL confront the truth that we are underperforming and do what needs to be done to put things right. I hate what Nigeria has become but I do not necessarily hate her.

Unlike you, sir.

You actually hate this country, sir. You might deceive the unwary with your claims of loving Nigeria more than anyone else but you lie. You actually hate this country and that’s why you do not want to tell her and her people the truth. You want your country to remain this so-called giant with outsized clay feet, forever full of great potential but never fulfilling it, the great black hope who always fails to live up to expectation. There is a bigotry in your mindset, a bigotry which subtly imposes an evil culture of mediocrity and low expectations.

Do yourself a favour, stop the empty platitudes about dynamism and confidence and hope, start telling yourself a few hard truths and then ACT on them. That might resolve your cognitive dissonance which all too often finds expression in your angry outbursts on these boards.

All of a sudden, several hitherto unknown (and unheard of) posters are popping out all over the place to sing Mr. Obasanjo's praises.


But as I always say: Some of us are not children.


The truth cannot be hidden forever. No sir.


A few posters on this thread have done an excellent job of digging up hard facts about the misdirection and the corruption of the Obasanjo years, not the whitewashed version some other posters would have us believe.


You can't argue with the truth. And indeed, it is out there.


For those of OBJ's kinsmen playing the ethnic superiority card on this thread - isn't it a bit sad to carry the baggage of coming from the same ethnic stock as a so-called titled chief who could be accused (by his own son, no less) of having relations with his daughter-in-law? Is it not odd that the Owu council of chiefs had nothing to say on this matter?


What does that tell you?

Volvo. . . building on its heritage.


Long may such ideas continue to bloom. And roll/turn. . .

anonimi: Okupe's response reflects the reality of Nigerian politics, i.e. you need local godfathers to secure the votes for you in the absence of mass participation (not just to queue & vote) by those who claim to want something better than what we have presently.

Where do you think Tinubu's ACN gets all the money doled out for elections
Who are they giving the money to and for what purpose
We are mostly a bunch of idealist dreamers.

How many people here have [size=13pt]contributed anything meaningful- time, money, efforts,- to a political campaign[/size] at the LG, state or federal level for executive or legislative positions, for altruistic purpose

^^^^Sir, you have a good head on your shoulders.


The things coming out of Nigeria now are clear even to the blind and the deaf (And let us not deceive ourselves, things have been this way for a long time. Its just that past governments were better at covering their filthy tracks and preventing the details of the rot within from filtering out).


Nigeria's governments have always had (and perhaps always will have ) nothing but deep contempt for, and an abiding hatred of the people they claim to govern. This is so because Nigerians are talkers and not doers - we talk and talk about change but we do nothing to make it happen.


This government (and the others before it) despises Nigerians because it thinks (nay, it knows ) it owes Nigerians nothing. It is not accountable to ordinary Nigerians. It knows Nigerians have lost their sense of self and it despises them for this weakness.


For us to even have this debate (on the propriety of public officers fraternizing with ex-cons) speaks volumes about how far we have fallen.


Nigerians should make no mistake about it: things WILL get even worse until they take their country back from the bandits they willingly handed it over to.

ehie: @volvos650,love you

^^

3direct: I prefer the wicked rather than the foolish. The wicked sometimes rest.

ROSSIKE: Nigeria's GDP is $300 billion per year with only 14% of it accruing from oil. Local investment in the Nigerian economy is VERY HIGH. Ponder on that.

You know what? Spare me this ''90% can't afford'' BULLCRAP. What can't they afford? What did we show in the pics? People on the beach? People drinking beer? People entering KFC? Do you really think that ''90%'' of Lagosians cannot afford to enter KFC? Or hang out in some joint on the island?

You see, people like you need to spare us this cry me a river, exaggerated 'everybody is suffering and dying' brouhaha.

Sir,


Lets get down to business.


You said gross domestic product is $300 billion per year and only 14% of it is from oil. You then said local investment in the Nigerian economy is “very high”. How convenient of you to omit the statistics and your source. How high is “very high”, sir?


In your usual belligerent manner, you then said sir, that I should “spare you this bullcrap” and stop crying you a river with this “exaggerated everybody is suffering and dying brouhaha”. But that’s the whole point sir. People ARE suffering and dying. On the key indices, Nigeria is doing POORLY. VERY POORLY. This is the truth you would rather not confront or do anything about. . .


What is the life expectancy in Nigeria?

Answer: 52 years (grudgingly accepted by you on another thread opened 4 days ago on NL)


What is the poverty level in Nigeria?

Answer: 71.5% of Nigerians were living in relative poverty as at 2011. Over the same period, 61.9% of Nigerians were living in absolute poverty and
62.8% of Nigerians were living on less than 1 dollar per day.


Do Nigerians defecate in the open?

Answer: Yes. 34 million Nigerians habitually defecate in the open. (What should be one of the most private physiological activities you can think of is done out in the open because Nigerians for the most part, do not have access to modern, safe toilet facilities. . .)


How many Nigerians have jobs?

Answer: 23.9% of (economically active) Nigerians were unemployed in 2011. . .


And so on. . .


I haven’t gone into the really grim data on infant and maternal mortality rates, access to safe drinking water, mortality rates from preventable diseases etc. We will talk about that some other time. (Kindly note that with the exception of the toilet and life expectancy figures, my data was sourced from the CBN 2011 Annual Report). Will you dismiss these statistics as rubbish as you are wont to do?


Sir, in your post you also spoke at length about your mechanic - how he’s ‘loaded’, how he can ‘flex’ in any bar on the island if he wants to, how his lunch is a feast fit for kings and princes, etc. You also spoke about rich market women whose busy schedules don’t permit them to visit the beach or expensive restaurants. Sir, your wealthy mechanic and the rich market women you refer to are members of a MINORITY. This minority does exist but it IS STILL a minority. The economic status or wellbeing of these individuals is not even remotely representative of the population at large. THIS IS A TRUTH WHICH WILL NOT GO AWAY. However inconvenient it may be and whether you like it or not.


In another post you referred to a fellow from your village who took over his father’s business and expanded it significantly. While I applaud that gentleman's business acumen, you have not made any earth shattering observation by reporting his story as the rule. No sir. You cannot simply extrapolate your isolated observation of a single event and then confer upon it the status of universal truth. Provide hard facts on the degree of social and economic mobility in Nigeria today (and the opportunities which allow such mobility) and then your observations will have some relevance. What is the size of the middle class in Nigeria today? Is it growing or shrinking? These sir, are the issues.


Your attempts to intimidate some of the other posters (who have a bigger sense of social justice than you will ever have) on this thread with rough, aggressive language will not work. Remember the thread on GEJ's promises on stable power supply? I called you out then. And I'm calling you out now.

In the late 1980s or the 1990s, HSBC ran a series of advertisements with a peculiar tagline. I cannot recall the exact words but they were something along the lines of: "Before we (i.e. HSBC) invest in a country, we ask if the citizens of that country have invested in their homeland".


Since we are talking about "tourism" and "business destinations", the OP and others should ponder on that question posed by HSBC so many years ago. The glossy pictures posted are nice - if you like that sort of thing. And who doesn't? . They speak of a life of leisure, fun, open seas, electric nightlife and they hint at unspeakable pleasures promised by those scantily clad young women.


But some of us here know that these pictures do not represent the reality for over 90% of those who live in this city. And someone has to speak for that 90%.


The OP has the right to post these pictures. No one can deny him that. But those who consider these pictures to be very misleading have every right to air their views too. There are underlying social questions which concern us all and they cannot be wished away or ignored.

lastpage:
We still remember how some officers were dismissed and even locked-up (about three or four years now), just for asking their Superiors release the U.N Mission allowance? Yes, we still remember the effrontery and brazen attitude of those thieves who steal from their junior "rank and file".

Lastpage!

^^^^
Well said sir. Some of us have been around for a while and we have the full records of the lawlessness of these brasshats. At the appropriate time these things will be brought back into the public domain to remind the military high command (as well as the rank & file) that some of us are NOT children and we have long memories. It is a pity that too many Nigerians have been dehumanised by these soldiers to the point where they cannot even recognise unacceptable behaviour anymore.

kolexy: Winning an Oil block does not guarantee success. You can ask Kola Abiola and coy that have explored the so called 'oil rich' Nigerian - Sao Tome owned JDZ. The area where Agbami block lies, was largely unexplored in the early '90s. Most powerful people got block in ND swamps and shallow waters. This is why the woman claimed nobody wanted 'to go there'. She most likely got the block due to her association with the Babangidas, but it takes sheer courage to invest in that area in the early '90s.

^^^^
Sir,

FAMFA's vice-chairman may indeed have the boldness and heart of a lion but that is not what's on trial here. What is on trial here is an OPL allocation process (of which FAMFA is a direct beneficiary) that is opaque and guaranteed to raise suspicion of unethical behviour. Why is this so hard for everyone to understand? It is in everyone's interest (including future OPL winners) that the allocation process be transparent, fair and seen to be fair. This means future winners will never have to worry about being tar brushed as beneficiaries of the worst kind of crony capitalism.

Very sad. RIP to the dead.


But the truth must be told. Nigeria's military (officer corps and rank & file) has a lot to answer for.


These attacks are exposing the soft underbelly of men who would have us believe that they are made differently from the rest of us.


There is more to being a soldier than looping barbed wire over a fence, writing "military zone" all over the wall and then brutalizing anyone who so much as passes within a few yards of that so-called 'military zone'. Properly trained military personnel do not go round beating young women and stripping them naked in the street because they didn't get out of the way of the admiral's motorcade quickly enough. Real seamen do not allow a ship filled with thousands of litres of PMS to vanish from their custody and then try to pin the blame on the police.


The Nigerian armed forces should put its house in order or as one poster said, its personnel should throw in the towel. The case for maintaining such an expensive, burdensome standing army in peacetime is getting weaker by the minute.

shymexx: You drew the comparisons - not me... Technical Advisor in all fields means absolutely the same thing!

^^^^Your sophistry is unparalleled. If you truly believe what you have written up there (given the context of the argument so far) then there's not much i can do to help you.


The 'proof' you request from me to back up my claims is on this very thread. I referred to this proof in one of my previous posts. Read it again sir.


While you are at it, you can also check ChevronTexaco's Nigeria website. After that, do a google search with the relevant search terms. The truth is out there and it will set you free.


You ask how FAMFA's vice-chairman "makes that much money from a single oil block if ChevronTexaco controls the whole thing". I will oblige your request for education with just one instruction: Read gideonyte's post. It has the answers you seek.

shymexx: Why do you keep shoving your useless links down my throat??

The guy I responded to had to scamper for cover because he knows he has nothing else to say...

^^^^Sir, are you by any chance referring to me as 'the guy who scampered for cover'?

shymexx: Your rebuttal and the comparative analysis that you did don't really make sense, to be honest(no pun intended)... Ok, let me explain the job of a technical advisor to you using the example you cited and compare it to the relationship between Famfa oil and Chevron Texaco inc..

Manfred Hoener, Clemens Westerhof, Bonfrere Jo et al were hired as Technical Advisors to the Nigerian football team - but were they also the players?? Nigeria supplied the football players and the "equipment" needed for the Technical Advisors to thrive - all they did was just coach the players and give them "guidelines"/"formations" in a technical capacity during games... The major work and other things were done by the players(provided by Nigeria) and the Nigerian FA.... Now, interchange those Technical Advisors to the Nigerian football team and FA with ChevronTexaco Inc. - Nigerian Players and FA with Famfa oil - and you'll get a better picture of the agreement between the two parties... Do you get my drift?? Perhaps, the agreement was because of the expertise/know-how and experience ChevronTexaco has in the oil sector - nothing more...

I bet if ChevronTexaco were actually involved in the bulk of the work and in charge of the oil block - it would have been highlighted just as the relationship between Famfa oil and Petrobras was highlighted on www.famfa.com...

I don't know this woman from Adam and I did my background checks on her to see if she was involved in any form of malpractices in the acquisition of the oil block - and I didn't find any... Personally, I'm all for black people and indigenous companies exploring our resources - and that's why I've been supporting the woman.... And I'll continue to support her till someone can prove that the acquisition was fraudulent and corrupt - till then, don't hate the player, hate the game... She's innocent in my books for now!

Sir, I would like you to explain what I allegedly rebutted.


While I wait for your response, I must state that I am very surprised at your attempt to draw an exact parallel in the use of so-called technical advisors in the very different worlds of association football and oil & gas. This is some kind of sophistry on your part – my use of the analogy (in both intent and execution) was in the broadest possible sense. The emoticons I used should have made this abundantly clear.


You then extended this rather dubious premise (of an exact parallel in the use of technical partners in football and oil & gas) and concluded that “Perhaps, the agreement was because of the expertise/know-how and experience ChevronTexaco has in the oil sector - nothing more... “.


There is nothing wrong with making conjectural statements (like yours above) when we have incomplete information. The problem is when conjecture and speculation try to do battle with empirical evidence – they will surely fail and fail a thousand times over. I can tell you sir, that the ‘agreement’ between FAMFA and ChevronTexaco is because of the experience, expertise (captured in the skillsets of its staff) AND the funding, hardware and platforms deployed by that oil major in OPL 216.


Sir, you then said “if ChevronTexaco were actually involved in the bulk of the work and in charge of the oil block - it would have been highlighted just as the relationship between Famfa oil and Petrobras was highlighted on www.famfa.com...”


Sir, this kind of speculation (your statement above) is dangerous. You do not know the above for a fact. You do not work for FAMFA’s PR or corporate affairs department. You do not craft that company’s policy or media statements. It is highly presumptuous of you to then wager that the company would, in compliance with some unwritten rule, highlight ALL the details of its professional alliances on the company website. So because the company highlights the relationship between Petrobras and FAMFA on its website, it is duty bound to highlight all the details of its relationship with ChevronTexaco? Is there a causal relationship between these two phenomena? Of course there isn’t. So how can you go out on a limb with a statement like the one you made?


For the avoidance of doubt, let me reiterate: Chevrontexaco IS actually involved in the work and IS effectively in charge of the oil block (FAMFA’s ‘control’ status, when stripped of all pretence, is nominal.) To use that tortured football analogy we alluded to earlier, Chevron Texaco is not just coaching FAMFA, it IS playing on the field too. Do you think it was FAMFA who provided the drill ship Glomar Explorer used in well testing? You do not have to take my word for it – you can verify from industry sources (kindly step away from FAMFA’s website for once) what the nature of the FAMFA/Chevrontexaco relationship is. Unlike yours, my points are not in the realm of conjecture. I await your response.

shymexx: But according to the information of the company's website - StarDeep Water Petroleum Limited(a subsidiary of Chevron Texaco Inc) works with Famfa oil as technical advisor..

To facilitate the exploration and production activities, the company entered into a Farm-in agreement with StarDeep Water Petroleum Limited a subsidiary of Chevron Texaco Inc in 1996 as technical advisor.
http://famfa.com/

So, who's lying?? What's the job of a technical advisor?

As far as I'm aware, nobody's lying. At least I'm not.


"Technical advisors provide resources (human and material) to help a client get a job done."


^^The above is what clients are told in order to massage their egos and make them feel good about themselves. It reminds me of how Nigeria got Manfred Hoener, Clemens Westerhof, Bonfrere Jo, Bert Vogts, etc to work with the Eagles in the 80s and 90s and called them "technical advisers". We all know these gentlemen were the ones really in charge and their Nigerian 'understudies' could not sneeze or blink without their written permission. As it is in football, so it is in oil and gas.



Having gone through your earlier posts, it appears you are confused as to who the technical advisor actually is. It is ChevronTexaco (working through its subsidiary or agents) and NOT Famfa. And what ChevronTexaco says, goes. It provides the bulk of the funding, skilled labour and hardware for drilling etc. Chevron IS in charge, full stop.

shymexx: However, how come Famfa oil manages the exploration and production activities at the oil block by itself??

I'm waiting...

^^^^

Sir, I refer you to Gideonyte's post. As I said before, the answers are there.

I will quote just three sentences from the document posted by Gideonyte to make it even clearer to you:


“Chevron is the technical adviser to Famfa and performs day to day operations”.

“Famfa Oil signed the indigenous sole risk contract for the block in 1993. HOWEVER, CHEVRON IS THE TECHNICAL ADVISOR TO FAMFA AND EFFECTIVELY OPERATES THE BLOCK.”


Sir, we can take this a step further and get independent confirmation of these claims above. This information is in the public domain.

demmy: Yes transparency is lacking in our government generally but I think you're confuse about what Oil Prospecting License mean. It mean you're taking risk that you will find oil in a particular area in the ocean. Many have returned empty handed if you don't know. The open secret is that the Nigerian territorial water is still a virgin area as far as oil exploration is concern so as I said before any Nigerian can tender application for an unoccupied OPL if they can afford the license and the heavy cost of oil exploration. Its business.

Now I am not denying cronyism and nepotism as far as our elites are concern but I believe if the average Nigerian is educated enough our elites can easily be use as force for good instead of the current trend of looking at them as common thieves.

^^^^Sir, my instincts tell me this debate is a lost cause. But I'm holding on because I haven't placed you in one of the categories of posters I referred to earlier. (your main supporter on this thread though, is prime-grade category 2 material.)

Sir, I am not confused about what an OPL means. Not at all. Your technical explanation above about the process of prospecting is not necessary. The issues at stake are the transparency (or more appropriately, the lack thereof) and ethics of the PROCESS OF ALLOCATING the OPL by the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agents.

Is it clear now?

It is dishonest of you to airily claim that you "are not denying cronyism and nepotism as far as our elites are concern" when nearly everything you have said so far points in that direction. We are not children.

demmy: And all these have what to do with Mrs. Alakija who employ Nigerians and thereby help put food on the table through her business?

If you can't see the point I'm trying to make then there isn't anything else I can say.

In your view after all, more transparency wouldn't really make a difference.

How you can say this with a straight face beats me.