"The fact that you made a blunder in the past does not mean that you should repeat it again."

Lee Iaccoca.

"He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason."

Cicero.

"When Anglo-Saxons are enemies - it's very bad. But when Anglo-Saxons are partners - it's deadly dangerous!"

Unanimous.

"I am pretty sure that we will see the price of oil at $35 per barrel."

Oleg Derispaski. Russian billionaire. November, 2008.

"Other people dream of travelling to outer space. I have always dreamed of crossing the *Prut."

Grigore Vieru, **Moldovian poet.

* Prut is the name of the river that divides Moldova and Romania into two parts.

** Moldova was one of the former 15 republics that made up the former Soviet Union. Moldova was part of Romania till 1940 when it was annexed by the Soviet Union under a Nazi-Soviet pact, becoming the Socialist Republic of Moldova.

"In a bout, compromises and concessions are permissible, but only in one case: if it is for victory,"

Vladmir Putin. Russia's former president. Presently, the Prime Minister.

"The plans of a military campaign could undergo changes indefinitely depending on circumstancves, the talent of the war-lord, character of the troops and peculiaruty of the country."

_ Napoleon.

"Yar'Adua lacks basic ideas about where the country is heading, measured by his vacation at a time world leaders scramble to tackle the global economic recession. He either feels all is well with the economy - despite the daily fall in the value of the Naira and the plunge in oil price - or has no clue on what to do. People who were Governors and Ministers over 20 years ago, such as Rilwan Lukman and Ufot Ekaette, are now appointed new ministers. This shows the government is living in the past. We expected fresh hands, brilliant minds that are available in Nigeria, outside of the circle of many of those picked again to be Ministers. How can you appoint Ekaette as Niger Delta Minister? The government lacks the competence, the commitment, and the integrity needed."

Festus Iyayi. Excerpt from interview. January, 2009.

 "On the run to where? The number of gunboats and helicopters they claim to have acquired cannot match what the Americans used in attacking Vietnam and Somalia, yet they lost. Our intelligence within the military say this is a lie. So, we see this propaganda as a sign of desperation and frustration on the part of a humiliated military. MEND is not sentimental about the Independence Day because the nation is not yet free. Nigeria at 48 is stagnant because root issues have been swept under the carpet. We must address the issue of true federalism which is the only cure that will bring about a healthy nation where every region contributes its own natural and human resource to making a better nation."

Excerpt of interview given by MEND'S spokesman. October 2008.

"We have it on good authority that the atrocious and inhuman detention conditions of Henry Okah have affected his hitherto good health adversely. Heavily and regularly blind-folded from unknown detention location to court in shaded vehicles at every court hearing day or when family, lawyers plead to see him, his sight has been badly impaired and damaged by the huge and high voltage halogen lamps rays, inimical to human sight set on him for 24hours in the solitary dungeon where he is kept. As a result of this partial blindness, he was unable to read the charges when asked by the Judge to plea, for the trial to commence, The Judge who was desperate to commence trial had to on his own enter a plead of not guilty for Henry, for which the lawyer had to demand evidence.  It has been confirmed that it will be difficult for Henry Okah to survive except he is relieved of the atrocious, inhospitable, cruel and dangerous present detention conditions to which he is subjected He is also suffering from serious mental torture, loss of composure and memory..."

Excerpt of press release by  the Human Rights Defenders Network (HURIDEN), led by Comrade Ayodele Akele. September 2008.

"Who should be begging the other for support? At whose instance was the meeting summoned? There is a suspicious power game here that can be immediately exposed. Whenever the political North gets into trouble, or needs to do a dirty job, or needs help, its strategy has always been to look for allies in the South, and contrive a situation in which its myth of superior importance is upheld. On the Niger Delta Question, it makes sense to create the impression that it is the Niger Delta that is crying out for help, and asking the North to support it. That January 8 meeting in Yenagoa between the conqueror and the conquered does not quite reflect the present balance of power politics between the South/South and the North or even, the Nigerian State ."

 Reuben Abati. Excerpt of article titled  "Nigeria's Future and the Niger Delta" published in the Sunday Guardian, January 18, 2009.

"Insecurity in the Niger Delta threatens the confidence of investors and impacts heavily on the competitiveness of development projects in Nigeria. Against the backdrop of uncertain crude prices, it is essential that such sustainable solutions are progressed expeditiously, so as to preserve the viability of the sector in low price regime. The drop in crude prices and the long run prognosis posed some challenges to the economic viability of oil projects. Furthermore, the global credit crunch complicates funding of ongoing expansion projects with a potential impact on foreign direct investment in Nigeria."

-Alhaji Mohammed Barkindo.  Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. Excerpt of speech at the opening of the 2009 Offshore West Africa Conference and Exhibition in Abuja. January 2009.

"The Russian State passed in a third reading and final reading a bill that spells out citizens' rights to gain access to government document. The bill, comparable freedom of information laws in other countries obliges federal, regional and municipal officials to answer citizens' requests for any information controlled by the government - such as court rulings, budget expenditures, construction projects, result of government permits and inspections, e.t.c. - that is not state secret within 30 days. The authors of the bill and transparency campaigners said the law could be a powerful tool for citizens in dealing with the country's notoriously reticent bureaucracy and its firm grip on information that, by law, should be in the public domain. While various laws oblige officials to disclose information about the government's activities to their employers - taxpayers - the bill attempts to spell out in a single law citizens' right to know, as well as punishments for bureaucrats who refuse to co-operate. It will now be sent to the Federal Council for consideration.If approved, it will go to president Dmitry Medvedeev to be signed into law. The Law would come into effect in January 2010."

News report in a Russian newspaper. January 22, 2009.

"1793 - 1893 were the darkest years in the history of Yorubaland. Two things, acc-ording to Professor Akin-jogbin, happened bet-ween 1816 and 1824, which irrevocably changed the history and fortunes of the Yorubaland. First, in 1816, the jihad, which had been raging in the Hausa Kingdoms since 1804 was extended to NUPE (Tapa) next door to Yorubaland and the newly converted Nupe lost no time in declaring war against the Akoko and Akoko-Edo in eastern Yorubaland. Second, Afonja in 1817 invited Alimi, the Muslim itinerant preacher to Ilorin. The Professor put the sequence of events as follows: 'Afonja in 1817 invited Alimi, the Fulani itinerant Muslim preacher to Ilorin. Alimi was not new in Yorubaland, for from about 1813, he had been going round such northern Yoruba large towns as far as Ikoyi and Ogbomoso. He had lived for three years in Kuwo, Solagheru's town, and was intending to settle there when Afonja heard of him and decided to invite him to Ilorin. He must therefore be presumed to have known Yorubaland fairly well and also to have been conversant with the on-going Fulani jihad. Afonja was not a Muslim and the invitation could have been conceived solely as a means of strengthening his military might with the charms that the Muslim preacher was expected to prepare. However, for Solagheru, who had earlier been invited by Afonja also from Kuwo and who might have known Alimi there, Alimi's arrival could be seen as an important addition to his jama'a at Oke-Suna. There is indeed a distinct probability that Solagheru might have influenced Afonja's invitation of Alimi to Ilorin, although the aim is not clear.A number of discerning citizens clearly saw the danger in the new scenario, but so afraid of Afonja were most of them that they did not dare to tell him. Two persons however took courage. The first was Fagbohun, the Commander of the left flank of Afonja's army, who thereby incurred his wrath and had to flee to avoid being executed. The second person was Agborin, Afonja's younger brother, but so confident was Afonja of his own ability that he again brushed the warning aside. Frustrated, Agborin committed suicide.After dan Fodio was proclaimed Commander of the Faithful he swore to the disinterestedness of his intentions, saying: 'If I fight this battle that I may become greater than my fellow or that my son may become greater than his son, or that my slave may lord it over his slave, may the Kabbir (infidel) wipe us from the land.'There was no imperial army and no central bureaucracy. Islam was the cement.Alimi died about 1823. Afonja was Alimi's benefactor but that did not stop Abdulsalam, Alimi's successor, from overthrowing and usurping Afonja's rights. According to Johnson's History of the Yoruba, Abdulsalam became the ruler of Ilorin and heir of the whole of the Igbomina and what is now known as Oshun (Epo) area which Afonja had kept under his authority since 1797. Thus those who had led the rebellion, according to Professor Akinjoghin, finally lost the revolution. Abdulsalam sent for a jihadist's flag from Sokoto which he served as Emir of Yoruba, under the Emirate of Gwandu and according to Johnson's History, he then declared a Jihad against the whole of Yorubaland. Internal divisions have often opened the door to external manipulation. Such divisiveness dates at least to the demise of the old Oyo empire at the beginning of the nineteenth century. By the early nineteenth century, Oyo was facing pressure from the Fulanis in the north and from the Dahomey kingdom to the west (in modern-day Benin). Dahomey's powerful slave-trading king, Gezo, fielded imposing armies led by thousands of female warriors. The power of the king of Oyo, the Alafin, collapsed when his army commander, Afonja, rebelled and captured the town of Ilorin with the support of the Fulanis pushing south on their Islamic jihad. Afonja's revolt convinced Yoruba provincial kings to the south that they too could rebel. For the rest of the century Yoruba land was beset by nearly continuous civil conflict that degenerated into slave- raiding wars. For a good part of the nineteenth century Yorubas sold Yorubas into bondage. If they had united, they probably could have defeated the Fulanis and retaken Ilorin, but they opted to fight each other instead. The wars only came to an end when the British governor of the Lagos Protectorate, Sir Gilbert Carter, used a combination of diplomacy and military muscle to force a pan-Yoruba peace treaty. The legacy of those wars has continued until today..."'

Chief Richard Akinjide,former Attorney-General of the Federation. Excerpts from a lecture delivered at the University of Ibadan's Sultan Bello Hall Distinguished Lecture 2001.

THE DESCENDANTS OF USMAN DAN FODIO  STILL HAVEN'T  GOT IT!

As Has already been pointed out on many occassions, the obvious and acceptable solution to the Niger Delta crisis is a CONVOCATION OF A SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE where all ethnic groups in the South will decide if they still want to remain in INTERNAL COLONIALISM set up by the north with the help of the British. Apart from MEND, led BY Jomo Gbomo, NDDVF led by Asari Dokubo, many prominent organisations like Afenifere, Ohaneze and highly respected Nigerians like the legal giant, Chief Gani Fawehinmi have all recommended to Yaradua a SNC as the only feasible solution to the crisis in the Niger Delta and political impasse in the country. Unfortunately, instead of yielding to this wise advise, Yaradua and the north have turned deaf ears to them and embarked on a unilateral journey that is only in favour of the north. As Far as Yaradua and his fellow descendants of Usman Dan Fodio are concerned, these people and organizations mean nothing to them.

 Consequently, their opinions and recommendations are supposed to be taken with a pinch of salt too. What a brilliant way by Yaradua to prove that he is indeed a ruler that not only listens, but is equally a 'servant-leader' who listens and goes ahead to carry out the fair and rational request of his electorates.

 The Niger delta crisis is another litmus test to prove beyond any doubts that Yaradua is not only a passive leader but is far from being the servant - leader he claims to be on attaining power. Passive listening is about just hearing what people want to tell you, but consequently going ahead to carry out your own personal and selfish decisions - in your own favour but to the detriment of the aggrieved.  A real sevant-leader does not  limit himself to just listening physically to the wishes or/and grievances of his countrymen - whose votes brought him to power, but  do whatever it takes in order to carry out their fair proposals. Perhaps, one can attribute Yaradua's atttude to the fact that it was not the votes of Nigerians that brought him to Aso rock, but was imposed on us by criminals like Obasanjo, Babangida, Danjuma and others who have been terrorising Nigerians and held the country to ransome since 1960, when we naively thought that we have got our independence. Subsequently, Yaradua, does not in any way feel obliged to carry out our recommendations.

MINISTRY OF NIGER DELTA: INCOMPETENCE, MANIPULATION, CONTRADICTION AND FRAUD OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.

 The proposal of a N.D. ministry, instead of a Confederation, for example, goes beyond any reasonable doubts to prove the hypocrisy and incompetence of Yaradua and his advisers who include multinational oil companies, Britain and the United States.

 Apart from the serious shortcomings of the ministry which have been highlighted earlier, the proposal is equally full of contradictions and is  nothing but  fraud  and manipulation.  It's a million of miles far away from the major demand of the militants and the indigenes of the N.D. which is 'full' resource control.

 Technically speaking, the N.D. ministry is nothing but a continuation of the status quo, but in a stylish form. It's like putting an old wine in a new bottle and giving it a new name.

 For example, how does one explain the fact that the northern led federal government have levied about 104 criminal charges; which include terrorism, murder, gun-running, kidnapping, e.t.c. against Henry Okah, one of the leaders of the militant groups, MEND; have kept him in detention for almost 2 years without access neither to his lawyers nor adequate medical treatment, but at the same time, Ekaette, the minister of the N.D. ministry, a government official and Yaradua's puppet has met with other militants in the creeks, who are Henry Okah's subordinates or/and colleagues in arms, to seek for their inputs,advise, co-operation and support? Are we now to understand or infer then that only Henry Okah is a criminal/terrorist, and that those militants that Ekaette, a senior government official, has held meetings with are not terrorists, but angels?

 As far as Yaradua and his Usman Dan Fodio brothers are  concerned, there is nothing wrong or/and  contradictory in Henry Okah cooling his ass in detention and being tortured by his Secret Service operatives, and  Ekaette, his minister dining and wining with his [Okah's] colleagues in arms in the creeks. I am doubly sure that even a dumb and deaf southern Nigerian will notice this glaring contradiction.

MINISTRY OF N.D.: PUTTING THE CARTE BEFORE THE HORSE

 Apart from the above analysis, the hypocrisy, incompetence and fraud behind the ministry of N.D. can easyly, quickly and further be exposed by asking ourselves a couple of questions. If the Hausa/Fulani led government are sincere in finding a lasting and acceptable solution to the crisis in the region, why didn't they first seek inputs from all stakeholders before forming a ministry? Why didn't Yaradua first ask the militants, the elders, politicians and the indigenes in the region if the creation of a special  ministry  will suffice to meet their demand for total resource control, lay down their arms and embrace peace?

 Why didn't Yaradua  send his representative first to the creeks to speak with the militants and enquire from them the conditions that the federal government must meet before they could end the arm-struggle?  Why did Yaradua first create a ministry before seeking inputs from the militants and other stakeholders in the region? Why did Yaradua allow his minister to meet with people that he and his government have reffered to as terrorists on many occasions?

 And last but not the least, does the creation of a special ministry of N.D. automatically translate/transform into development in the region? Definitely NO!

 The obvious answers to all the above questions, without any exaggeration,  is another  water-proof evidence to prove that the N.D. ministry is not just a fraud and manipulation on the part of Yaradua and his government, but right from the on set was not devised to free the indigenes of the region from political and economic slavery. The bitter truth is that Yaradua and the criminals surrounding him have already decided for the Niger Deltans what they want to do with with their mineral resources and the revenues that accrue from them.

 These criminals who impose themselves on us have  already made up their minds to resolve the N.D. crises in such a way that will favour them alone, but not the bonafide owners of the resources, and maintain the status-quo. And the status-quo is the unlimited and free access of the descendants of Usman Dan Fodio to the resources in the N.D.; loopsided and unprofitable oil exploration agreements between Nigeria (negotiated on its behalf by the north) and the multinational oil companies; pollution of the region by oil companies without any penalty or reparcautions; total control and dependence of Nigeria's economy; most especially, the oil and gas sector, by multinationals, abject poverty of the indigenes but with some so called N.D. elders, politicians who are doing the bidding of the nort;, multinational oil companies and western countries getting some crumbles from from their tables, e.t.c.

TOURING OF CREEKS BY EKAETTE: FORMALITY AND HYPOCRISY.

 The touring of the creeks by Ekaette is nothing but a mere formality. Ekaette's meetings with the militants and other stakeholders in the region is a well rehearsed public relations manipulation meant to deceive the Niger Deltans, southern Nigerians and the world by creating a false impression that Yaradua and his northern caliphate government really cares about the opinions and welfare of the Niger Deltans.

 In actual fact, neither Yaradua, the multinational oil companies and western countries give a damn about the welfare of these people. They are out to protect their own selfish interests and continue exploiting these people.

 If the Hausas/Fulanis, oil companies and western countries really care, why did they have to wait for almost 50 years before coming up with a ministry? If they really care, why did they have to wait for the militants to take up arms before they figured out that it's inhuman to spend billions of dollars building a new capital from scratch in Abuja - in the north, and abandon the bonafide owners of the oil that was used to buld Abuja to wallow in abject poverty for half a century? If they really care, why did they have to wait until the militants took up arms and started blowing up their oil wells - their source of income?

 NIGER DELTA MINISTRY IS AS GOOD AS THE PAPER USED TO WRITE IT.

 The Niger Deltans should not be naive nor have any illusion as regards to a new ministry set up by Yaradua and the criminals surrounding him. Suffice to say that the ministry is as good as the official paper that was used to type its creation because there won't be any substantial changes in the region. The concept of a new ministry is not only seriously flawed, but is full of many loop holes which will be pointed out in this series.

NEW NIGER DELTA MINISTRY: A CAT IN A SACK!

 The new N.D. ministry reminds me of a Russian idiomatic expression: 'A cat in a sack.' Literally, this expression can be translated as 'the unknown,' 'uncertainty,' 'ambiguousness,' 'lack of concreteness.'

 It needs some explanation for a better understanding. Imagine somebody trying to sell a cat to you. However, it's not a typical sale transaction in the sense that you don't have the opportunity to see the cat that is about to be sold to you. The seller is keeping the cat in a sack! In addition, the cat costs a million times more than a typical cat!

 Although, the seller assures you that it's a cat that is in the sack, however, your polite and reasonable request to open the sack and show you the content - afterall, as a buyer, you have the full right to see and inspect what you are buying - is turned down flatly.

 The seller, instead of just showing you the cat in the sack and put to rest your doubts, continues assuring you that it's a cat that is actually in the cat. He asks you to just trust him and not worry. He even tells you that he has sold many cats in sacks to many people and they are all happy, satisfied and even prosperous.  

 He justifies his refusal to show you the cat with the fact that the cat is a 'special and magical' cat which will definitely  bring you prosperity, peace and happiness - like his previous customers. He tells you that the oracle says that since the cat is a special breed, and in order for it to bring you peace, prosperity and happiness, it must always be kept in a sack and can only be brought out of the sack only by the buyer, the new owner, in his bedroom at 12 midnight.

 Now, before continuing reading, if you don't mind my asking, 'Would you want to take the risk and take part in  a transaction where the seller refuses to show you what he wants to sell to you despite your request?' Let me put the question differently, 'Would you want to take the risk and take part in a transaction  that involves you paying a large amount of money or a very serious and big committment without knowing its details?' I don't know your answer, but personally, I won't.

 Experience has shown that there is a serious danger and risk in such a doubtful transaction - where the seller refuses to show you what you are buying. How can you be sure that it's indeed a cat that is in the sack? You can never know the contents of the cat until you get home. Imagine  on getting home and opening the sack at 12 midnight as directed, to your horror and disappointing, you discover that it's not a cat afterall that is in the sack but a dog, squirrel, rabbit - or even a snake! Supposing it's a snake that is inside the sack, where will you run to with a cobra infront of you, in your bedroom, at 12 midnight?

 Or, imagine on getting home and opening the sack, to your horror and disappointment, you discover that the cat is one-eyed, deaf, dumb or an invalid - with amputated toes, fingers, legs. By then, it will be too late for comfort. No amount of tears will help  recover your money because the seller must have disappeared, and be no where to be found.

 But, assuming that you are lucky to find the seller that sold a snake to you instead of a cat, and accuses him of dooping you (does 419 ring a bell in your mind?). He shamelessly tells you off and even swears with the Quran that in actual fact he sold a healthy, beautiful, special and magic cat to you. But you are not ready to give up easyly on the seller without putting up some fight. You keep on pestering him to refund your money. You remind him that you took him for his words, gave him the benefits of the doubts and took the risk of buying the cat, but to your greatest disappointment, the transaction  turns out to be a big fraud - which was well planned right from the onset.  Instead of apologising to you, he tells you that you are an ingrate, rains insults on you, then takes out a gun and shoots you. The transaction has cost you  both your money and life! What a pity. But, this tragedy could have been avoided if you had refused to  buy whatever is inside the sack when your request to see and inspect  the contents of the sack was turned down by the seller. You are solely responsible for your calamity because you were naive and allowed the dubious seller to sell to you something that you never had the opportunity to see and inspect. You took part in a very doubtful transaction without  insuring yourself!

 The above, without any exaggeration, depicts exactly the new/special N.D. ministry. Try to imagine Yaradua, Ufo Ekaette and other criminals surrounding him (Yaradua)including multinational oil companies, Britain, the United States, e.t.c. as the seller, the new/special ministry of the N.D. as the cat in the sack that the seller(s) is/are trying to sell and the indigenes of the Niger Delta as the naive buyer. Our comparison needs additional illustration and analysis in order to remove any iota of doubt that may be in your mind that the N.D. is a cat in a sack.

THE FATE OF THE MINISTRY OF N.D. DEPENDS COMPLETELY ON THE PRESIDENT: IT IS NOT PROTECTED BY ANY LAW.

 Let us take a deeper look at all the factors surrounding this mysterious ministry of N.D. the brain child of Yaradua and his gang of thieves that have been stealing the resources of the indigenes of the N.D. since time immemorial in the name of building a fake One Nigeria that they never subscribed to.

 1. APPOINTMENT OF MINISTER.

The minister of the new ministry, just like other ministries, will always be appointed by the president. Today, it is Ufo Ekaette - in order to cool down tension. Tomorrow, after tension has cooled down in the region, he might decide to replace him with a northerner - just as  has always been the case with Abuja, the Federal/Northern  Capital Territory and NNPC, both of which the north regard as their bonafide properties. There is no law that says that the ministry of the Niger Delta must always be headed by a southerner or an indigene of the region. And there is no law that says that says that the president must first seek the opinion or/and endorsement of the militants, elders, politicians, senators, representatives before making or announcing his appointment. The indigenes have no veto power whatsoever over the appointment of a minister of the new ministry.

 2. STAFFING.

 The people that will work in the new ministry will either be decided by the president solely or the minister - but with the approval of the president. If he likes, he can fill the ministry up with northerners who will fustrate Ekaette and destabilise/paralyse the activities/work of the ministry. There is no law that says that only the indigenes of the N.D. should work in the new ministry. It's not written anywhere the minimum percentage of the indigenes of the N.D. that must work in the new ministry. It's not stipulated anywhere the minimum amount of senior posts that must be held by the indigenes in order to avoid bureaucratizm, sabotage, destabilisation and facilitate the implimentation of development projects.

 3. BUDGET.

 The budget of the new ministry, like other ministries, will always be decided by the president, and not the indigenes of the region. Since there is no concrete formula to determine how much should be allocated to the new ministry by the president, he can allocate any amount that he feels. The president is not binded by any law or decree to explain or justify the amount allocated or the formula used in determining it. Therefore, if he likes, he can even stop transfering funds to the new ministry. It's within his power to starve the ministry of funds. He can easyly cite the global economic crisis as a good excuse to justify his decision. There is no law that compells the president to fund all projects listed or announced by the ministry or transfer funds to the ministry forever.

 4. AWARD OF CONTRACTS.

 The contracts that will be awarded - if at all they will be awarded - will be determined by the president based on the budget or allocated funds. The president can decide to build just one 10 km. road, 10 bungallows (for his cronies) and a small hospital in the region for 25 years. There is no concrete time-table, plan or program as regards to what projects need to be carried out, their cost estimations and completion time. He is not binded by any law to complete certain amount of projects, which must meet specified standard, within a specified period. There is no any provisions for the indigenes to monitor the projects that the government promises them to carry out.

 If the president likes, he can award most or all of the major contracts to companies owned by northerners or/and foreigners, that  in turn employ mainly foreigners - and not the indigenes of N.D. - to carry out the projects. There is no law that binds companies that win contracts to employ a minimum or  certain percentage of the indigenes.There is no law that binds the president or/and ministry from awarding all contracts to companies owned by northerners or foreigners. There is no law that binds the president or/and ministry to award a minimum or certain amount of contracts to companies owned by the indigenes of the N.D.  There is no law that  prohibits the president or/and ministry from awarding contracts  that could be carried out by Nigerian companies, and even cheaper, to foreign companies. There is no law that prohibits both Nigerian and foreign companies that win contracts from giving out jobs that could be done by Nigerians or/and the indigenes to foreigners. There is no law that limits the maximum amount of contracts and/or jobs that could be awarded or given to foreigners.

 5. TRANSPARENCY.

 There will be no transparency whatsoever. The indigenes will be in complete darkness as regards to much was actually allocated by the federal government and how much was really spent on promised/implimented  projects. Since there is no any transparency,it will be practically impossible for the indigenes to  verify exactly how much Nigeria makes from the oil and gas revenues on their land and what amount or percentage was allocated for their development. Since the indigenes will be denied access to audited records or financial statements of oil companies, it will also be a herculian task for them to determine how many billions of dollars the oil companies avoid paying  in taxes to Nigeria - and to the Niger Delta - through the use of different sophisticated tax optimisation schemes including offshore taxation.

 The indigenes will never know about the loopsided oil agreements  between Nigeria and the oil companies, which robs them and Nigeria billions of dollars every year. Yaradua - if at all he himself knows - will never tell them  all the companies, individuals (Nigerians and foreigners),  and the terms that they are exploring the oil and other resources on their territories. Such information is regarded as classified information.

They will never have access to information about northern retired - but not tired - criminal officers and politicians that own oil blocks in the Niger Delta. Such information is 'state secret.' Yaradua thinks  that the Niger Deltans  don't need to bother themselves with about all these details. He has decided to take care of the details for them.

 All the Niger Deltans were told by Yaradua is that a new and special ministry that will take care of all their needs and development has been created for them. Therefore, they should not only be grateful to him, the benefactor, but should as well be happy, roll out the drums and not bother themselves with some unnecessary details. He believes that a ministry is more than enough for them.  Afterall, come to think of it, is there any law that binds the president to reveal this information either to the Niger Deltans or/and Nigerians as a whole? The Freedom Of Information Bill was murdered by the criminals, who call themselves law makers, from the P.D.P., Yaradua's party, before it was even conceived.

 6. CONTINUOUS EXISTENCE.

 Last but not the least, it's worth reminding us that the future and/or existence of the new ministry will be determined solely by the president. After some time, a new president - or even Yaradua himself (why not?) - could decide that there is no need for a special ministry for the N.D. and scrap it. He can always and easyly find any flimsy excuse to do that. He might admit the creation of a ministry of the N.D. is afterall a mistake - and not a well thought out solution - on the part of his government. If the president decides to scrape the new ministry, there is nothing the Niger Deltans can do about it. They have no veto power. Moreover, it's not written in Nigeria's 419 Constitution  that the new ministry must exist forever or a specified period of time. There is no law that says that the president does not have the right/power to scrape it.  Now, please try to imagine that after a year, Yaradua scrapes the new ministry because he thinks that it is contoversial, what are the Niger Deltans going to do then? Will the militants - who have risked their lives by taking up arms against the federal government -  go back again to the creeks or what? What additional evidence do you need in order to be convinced that the proposed special ministry of the N.D. is nothing but a cat in a sack? Are you convinced now beyond any reasonable doubts?

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE SPECIAL MINISTRY OF THE N.D.?

 The question before us now to ask is: 'what is special about this new ministry of the Niger Delta?'  From this analysis, it's obvious that there is nothing special about the new ministry of N.D. although, officially it is called 'special ministry' of the N.D. It does not have any special status whatsoever. It's just like any other ministry in Nigeria run by incompetent, corrupt, visionless and morally bankrupt politicians. It's worth noting that the present minister of the ministry served as a cabinet minister in Obasanjo's government. Did he achieve anything substantial then? Definitely no. On what basis  should the Niger Deltans now believe him or naively think that he is going to perform miracles?

 Similarly, it will be naive on the part of the indigenes of the Niger Delta to expect that Yaradua will provide the long awaited development that has eluded them for almost 50 years when even Yaradua himself was not capable of building a common state of the arts medical center/hospital that will cater for his chronic ailment for 8 good years, as the governor of Katsina STATE, and almost 20 months in the capacity of imposed president of Nigeria. Up till the time of writing, he still shuttles to Germany and other countries in a big Boeing, bought from the oil revenues in the N.D. So far, all he has given Nigerians and Nigeria are expensive medical bills for his treatment.

SPECIAL MINISTRY OF THE N.D.: A TIME BOMB IN WAITING!

 Apart from all the numerous serious defects of the so called special ministry of the N.D. which have already been highlighted, suffice to say that the most worrying aspect of this ministry is not even its ineffectiveness  in resolving the crisis in the region.  In my opinion, based on my analysis, what is most frightening about the N.D. ministry is that it is a time bomb in waiting that is bound to create even more problems in Nigeria. The creation of a N.D. ministry will destabilise Nigeria further. This serious assertion, undoubtedly, needs further explanation.

 WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE NIGER DELTA?

 First, for the sake of our analysis, it's important that we start by making some clearification. When we say 'The Niger Delta,' what exactly do we mean by this by the way? If you don't mind my asking you for a little favour, please answer this question before reading on. To the best of my understanding, by definition, and strictly speaking, the Niger Delta includes all the tribes whose territories are either located by/along the N.D. or very close to it. Please compare your definition with mine before reading on. Do you agree with my own defintion or not? If not, why?

 If we accept -  and go - by this definition, undoubtedly, technically, the N.D. includes Ondo, rich in oil,  and even Lagos states respectively which belong to the Yorubas, one of the 3 major tribes in Nigeria. Based on this fact, it will be appropriate to ask the following questions:

(1) Does the new ministry of the N.D. include both Ondo and Lagos states respectively?

(2) If not, why?

(3) What criteria or formula did the northern led federal government use to determine which states, territories and tribe are included in the N.D. ministry?

 The second destabilising factor in the creation of a special ministry of N.D. is that some states right now believe that they are also entitled to a special ministry and are already demanding for one. For example, Lagos state believes that its ports and the financial transactions that take place on its territory are strategic and bring substantial amount of revenues to the coffers of the federal government and some prominent politicians and business men are already openly demanding for a special ministry for Lagos. Is the federal government ready to look seriously into Lagos state's case and create a special ministry for it too? If not, why?

 In January 2009, Ogun state announced that a commercial quantity of oil reserves has been discovered on its territory. When exploration starts, if Ogun state demands for a special ministry, is the federal government going to create one for it too or include it in the one that has already  been formed?

 Before the creation of Lagos, Ondo and Ogun states,  now  with proven oil reserves in commercial quantity, the Yorubas had just one state - the western region - headed by Pa Obafemi Awolowo, all the revenues generated in the region, mostly from agriculture (cocoa) were used to provide free education and develop the region which included the present Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara and part of Kogi states. It's worth noting that after the defunct of the western region, the new states that emerged in its place  were created by northern military head of states without any concrete formula, criteria nor consulation with the leaders of the Yorubas.

 The main purpose of state creation by the northern military dictators was to divide and weaken the Yorubas, and not facilitate their development as an ethnic group. Pa Awo, then, in the capacity of the Premier of the western region, was able accomplish much more the region and the people without the oil in Ondo state now than all the present Yoruba states fragmented from the western region.

There is more than enough basis to assert that  state creation by the military headed from time immemorial by the northern criminal officers, who always shot their way to power, was meant to divide and weaken the 2 other major tribes, the Yorubas and Ndigbos. For example, how does one explain the fact that the former Kwara state, which is a Yoruba territory, was later divided into 2 - the new and smaller Kwara state and Kogi states respectively, with the latter out in such a way that it now consists of the former Kwara state and  other states, created earlier. The Yorubas (which are one of the 3 major tribes in Nigeria) in Kogi state, who were part of the former Kwara state, to their nightmare discover that they constitute the minority in Kogi state. They are subjected to unprecedented oppression, suppression by the non-Yoruba ruling elites. Their lands are been confiscicateed by force by the state government without any compensation. Personally, I can't understand the logic or rational for braking Kwara state up.

 Compared to their brethrens in Kogi State, the Yorubas in Kwara state don't fair better in any way. Although dejure, Kwara state is 100% Yoruba state, but defacto, it's status is doubtful. The north has almost succeeded in northernalizing it, and turning it into a pseudo Yoruba-Fulani state. On one hand, the so called father of the state, Olusola Saraki, bears a Yoruba name, on the other hand, he has always positioned himself as a northerner: he refers to himself as a Fulani man, distances himself from Yorubas in other states and attended only the meetings of northern state governors when he was the governor - to the best of my knowledge, he has never attended any meeting of South west governors. This tradition is continued by his successors - including his son, Bukola Saraki, the present governor of the state. But most of Saraki's children are claiming to be full-blooded Yorubas. Who are we to believe now? Olusola Saraki or his children?

 Did Saraki claim to be a Fulani, and not a Yoruba man, and allignes himself with the north in order to realise his selfish political ambition and economic interests, or he sincerely believe that he has nothing in common with the Yorubas? The king is now Zulugambari, a Fulani man. Does the fact that Alimi,a barbaric and ungrateful Fulani warderer - who was invited to Ilorin by Afonja, the Alaafin of Oyo's war general in Ilorin -  but later betrayed him by revolting against him: raided and succeeded in capturing Ilorin, a Yoruba city, with the help of the Sokoto Caliphate, automatically means that Ilorin and/or Kwara state are no more Yoruba territories and now belong to the Fulanis? What if tomorrow an Oodua republic emerges, are the Fulanis going to lay claim to Kwara state and the other Yoruba territories in Kogi state? How I wished that our historians like Prof. Bolanle Awe,  will clearify this issue.  Ever since Ilorin fell to the descendants of Usman Dan Fodio, the Yorubas in Kwara state are being suppressed and oppressed by the Fulani aliens. Their lands have been confiscated without any compensation and handed over to light complextioned Zimbabwean farmers, who  fleed Zimbabwe after the lands of Zimbabwean blacks that they illegally occupied for centuries, was at last taken away from them by Mugabe.

 Personally, I find it ludicrous that a Fulani by name Gambari, the former Nigerian representative to the U.N. is claiming Kwara state as his state! How does one explain that? When did Kwara state become Fulani's laqnd?  

 Similar examples abound in the S.E. and S.S. respectively where northern military officers purposely included oil producing Ndigbo terroitories into S.S. states, and the Ndigbos, in those states, discovered, to their surprise, that they now constitute a minority group.

 My question goes thus 'Since Ondo state is 100% a Yoruba  territory - i.e. belongs to all Yorubas including the Ijebus, Egbas, Oyos, Ibadans, Iseyins, Ijeshas, Ifes, Ekos, e.t.c. are they entitled to lay claim to the mineral resources in that state for the development of the Yorubas and Yoruba territory as a whole?

 Before the creation of states, the Yorubas saw themselves as one indivisible people/tribe - the sons and daughters of Oodua - where all resources; both mineral and human, should be mobilised towards their collective development.

 Unfortunately, the creation of states engineered by Nigerian northern leaders has divided and is still dividing the Yorubas. Oodua must be rolling in his grave by now. The creation of staes has led to a situation whereby Ondo state - an extension of Yoruba territory - its indigenes, now believe that the oil on their territory is exclusively for the development of the state and its indigenes - and not the entire Yorubaland and Yorubas.

 Based on my objective analysis, the most serious threat to the ministry of N.D. and the political stability of the country will come from the Yorubas. But this is  not because they are against the indigenes of the N.D. - infact, suffice to say that that the Yorubas have always sympathised with the plight of these people and on many occasions call on the northern led federal government to do justice in the region - but because they will also want to be treated equally.  

 It is a well known fact that a large amount of bitumen has been discovered in the South West. Infact, it has been revealed that practically the whiole of Yoruba territory is sitting on bitumen and the reserve is second largest in the world! Bitumen, as is well known, is not only in high demand all over the world, but has almost equal value with oil. Now, the question I have for Yaradua and/or his new minister of information is this: 'Will he or any future president create a special ministry for the Yorubas when exploration commences if the Yorubas demand for it?

 The above comprehensive analysis has not only once again revealed the ineffectiveness of the creation of a special ministry of the N.D. as an antidote to the crisis in the region, but has as well proved the following:

(1) The creation of a special ministry of the N.D. will escalate problems in the country in the nearest future;

(2) Yaradua is a dumb and incompetent president'

(3) Yaradua is surrounded by incompetent advisers;

(4) The N.D. ministry is a fraud, hypocrisy and manipulation on the part of Yaradua, his government and the criminals surrounding him;

(5) State creation in its present form in Nigeria - with diversified ethnic grouos - unlike in the U.S., is ineffective for administration purpose;

(6) states were created in Nigeria by northern military leaders -  who came to power through coup detats, which is not only unconstitutional, but as welll constitutes a serious crime punishable by firing squad - with the sole aim of divining and weakening mainly the Yorubas and Ndigbos respectively.

 DON'T BUY A CAT IN A SACK FROM YARADUA!

First, before we further, let me quickly ask you a simple question: 'What other evidence do you need in order to be convinced that Yaradua's ministry of N.D. is nothing but a cat in sack?' Are you convinced now beyond any reasonable doubts that the N.D. ministry is a cat in a sack?

 Even to an optimist - but an open-minded one  - the above comprehensive and objective analysis is more than enough to prove that Yaradua's special N.D. ministry is a cat in sack. Subsequently, my advise to the militants and indigenes is to turn it down. It's not even worth considering. Tell Yaradua to his face that you don't need it and that he should go to hell with his special ministry! . Personally, I have earlier stated, I will NEVER be a party to a doubtful and costly deal - which was worked out without my knowledge nor participation, and the details of which are practically unknown or elusive to me. It's just too risk.

 If the militants and the indigenes allow Yaradua to sell a fake ministry of the N.D. I am convinced that they will live to regret it. By the timethey realise it, it will be too late for comfort. It will be too late to complaint talkless of crying. Most importantly, all the sacrifice, endurance, suffering, armed struggle, deaths, e.t.c. of the militants all these years will amount to nothing!

 But if at all I were to take the risk - though, as I have earlier stated, it doesn't really worth it - of buying a cat in a sack which I am promised will bring me peace, happiness and prosperity within a certain period, then, I will definitely try as much as possible to get some clearifications by asking the seller the following questions:

(1) How long will the cat live if taken care of by me properly?

(2) How much prosperity will the cat really bring me?

(3) How much happiness and peace will the cat really bring me and how long will they last?

(4) When exactly will I start feeling the impact - peace, happiness and prosperity - in my life?

(5) What will happen if on getting home I discover, to my greatest surprise and disappointment,  that it's not a cat that is in the sack afterall - but, for example,  a cobra with 2 heads?

(6) What if the cat turns out to be a blind, deaf, dumb, sick or an invalid?

(7) Is it possible that the cat can run away?

 The purpose of the questions above is to simplify decision on whether to even consider taking the risk of buying the costly cat in a sack. However, Irrespective of how assuring the answers of the seller to my questions may sound, since I am engaged in a very risky venture of buying a very costly cat in a sack, I still have to insure myself against all risks involved in buying the costly cat by entering into a legal agreement with the seller where the following provisions will be made:

I will be compensated a certain amount of money if on getting home I discover that:

(1) It's not a cat that is in the sack. A third party approved by the seller will escort me home or be around at 12 midnight to verify the contents of the sack;

(2) The cat is not hail and healthy - very sich, deaf, dumb, blind, invalid, e.t.c.

(3) If after a stated period of time, promised by the seller, the cat does not bring me the expected peace, happinesss and prosperity into my life.

(4) If the cat does not live up to the age or time promised me by the seller despite the fact that he is well taken care of by me;

(5) If the total amount of happiness, peace and/or prosperity is lesser than the amount the seller promised me;

(6) If the cat runs away - but not stolen;

(7) If a third turns up and lays claim to the cat.

 Thus, before even considering entering into any deal at all with Yaradua and/or the federal government, what the ingigenes of the region need to do first is to get comprehensive information about the mineral resources on their terrirtories. This should be the point of departure. This information will not only empower them to take better decisions and access the quality of any proposals  from Yaradu or any other president.

 In addition, with such information at their disposal, it will be very easy for them to calculate the percentage of the revenues that actually go into the development of the N.D. compared to the total revenues that the federal government makes from their mineral resources. This information will as well give the indigenes the necessary tools needed to ensure that they get the maximum benefits from their mineral resources. Without this information, the northern led federal government, foreign oil companies, Britain, the United States and other western countries will continue exploiting them and taking them for a ride till the Kingdom of God comes.

 Therefore, my advise to the indigenes of the N.D. is to first press Yaradua directly, if he actually knows, or/and his new information minister, Prof. Akunyili - she is obliged, to provide them with the following information:

OPEN QUESTIONS TO YARADUA AND THE INFORMATION MINISTER, PROF. AKUNYILI ON NIGERIA'S OIL AND GAS. (RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION IN ALL NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS)

(1) The complete list of all companies - including Nigerian companies and their owners, year of commencement of operations, amount of oil blocks owned, e.t.c. - directly involved in oil, gas and other mineral resources businesses in the Niger Delta.

(2) Terms of agreements of these companies with the federal government of Nigeria - including value of contracts and the percentage owned by these companies and the federal government.

(3) How and when did these companies win their contracts? What criteria were used? Were the necessary/stipulated procedures strictly observed in awarding contracts?

(4) What is the justification of the federal government in awarding contracts to foreign companies? Where is its sense of patriotism?

(5) The list of all companies: insurance, accounting, auditing, transportation, supply, exporting, technical maintenance, e.t.c. - including Nigerian companies and their owners, year of commencement of operation, value of contracts, e.t.c. - that are indirectly involved in the oil, gas and other mineral resources businesses  in the region.

(6) Which companies do they render their services to?

(7)  How did these companies win their contracts? What criteria were used?

(8) How much oil - in terms of quantity and revenues - have been lifted in the N.D. since the discovery of oil?

(9) How much oil - quantity and revenues - has been lifted since 1999, when Obasanjo came to power, till date?

(10) Detailed financial report, including the taxation system used,  of all oil transactions conducted by foreign oil companies - preferrably since oil was discovered - or at least since 1999, when Obasanjo came to power, till date.

(11) Detailed financial report of N.N.P.C. - preferrably since oil was discovered - or at least since 1999 till date.

(12) Which companies audit the accounts of foreign oil companies and N.N.P.C.?

(13) What percentage of Nigerian/ N.D. companies compared to foreign companies are involved in Nigeria's oil and gas business in the N.D.?

(14) What percentage of Nigerian/N.D. insurance companies compared to foreign  insurance companies are involved in oil and gas business in the N.D.?

(15) What percentage of Nigerian/N.D. accounting/auditing firms compared to the total number are involved in the oil and gas business in the N.D.?

(16) What is the percentage of the revenues of all Nigerian/N.D. companies compared to foreign companies in the overall oil and gas transactions in the N.D.?

(17) What is the percentage of N.D. companies - i.e. owned by indigenes of the N.D. -  including revenues, compared to Nigerian companies involved in the oil and gas business in the region?

(18) What is the percentage of N.D. insurance companies - i.e. owned by indigenes of the N.D. - including revenues, compared to all Nigerian companies in the region?

(19) What is the percentage of N.D. accounting/auditing firms including revenues,  to all Nigerian accounting/auditing firms in the region?

(20) What is the percentage of northerners: retired and serving military/police/SSS officers, politicians, emirs, e.t.c. compared to the total number of other Nigerians have oil blocks in the region?

(21) How were the allocations made? What criteria were used? How did they win these oil blocks?

(22) What percentage of the indigenes of the N.D. compared to the total number of Nigerians have oil blocks in the region?

(23) What percentage of Nigerians, compared to the total or foreigners, are employed by foreign  companies involved in oil and gas business in the region?

(24) What percentage of Nigerians, compared to the total or foreigners, are employed in senior management, middle mamangement, engineering, maintenance and other positions,?

(25) What percentage of the indigenes of the N.D. compared to the total or number of foreigners are employed by foreign oil companies involved in oil and gas business in the region?

(26) What percentage of the indigenes of the N.D. compared to the total number of Nigerians,  are employed by foreign companies in senior management, middle mamangement, engineering, maintenance and other positions?

(27) What percentage of Nigerians are employed by the N.N.P.C.?

(28) What percentage of Nigerians are employed by the NNPC in senior, middle management positions, engineering, maintenance and other positions?

(29) What percentage of southern Nigerians, compared to northerners are employed by N.N.P.C? What criteria were used?

(30) What percentage of the indigenes of the N.D. compared to other Nigerians are employed by the N.N.P.C.?

(31) What percentage of the indigenes of the N.D. compared to the total number of Nigerians, are employed in senior, middle management positions, engineering, maintenance, and other positions?

(32) Can it be proved that there are no Nigerians - inside or outside the country - who are capable of doing the jobs that foreigners are employed to do at the time of their employment till date?

(33) If there are, then why does the federal government tolerate a situation whereby companies - both foreign and Nigerian - recruit foreigners for jobs that Nigerians are more than capable of doing - and even cheaper, despite the very high unemployment rate in the country?

(34)Does the federal government or/and NNPC have any law - like many developed countries - that prohibits foreign and Nigerian companies, including NNPC - from recruiting foreigners for jobs that Nigerians, inside or outside the country, are more than capable of doing - and even cheaper?

(35) If no, why doesn't such a law exist?

(36) If yes, when was it introduced?

(37) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to enforce this rule exist?

(38) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(39) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this law is observed to the last letter by all companies without any exception? For example, in a situation whereby foreigners are recruited by any company, does the giovernment compell such a company to provide evidence that proves beyond any reasonable doubts that it indeed did everyrthing possible and impossible within its capability (placement of numerous advertisements of vacancies in Nigerian and foreign media for a long period of time, outsourcing of vacancies to Nigerian based recruiting agencies e.t.c.) to find a worthy or qualified Nigerian who could handle the post, but unfortunately could not find any?

(40) Does any penalty exist for companies that violate this law?

(41) If no, why doesn't it exist? If yes, what kind of penalty?

(42) If yes, how many and which companies have been penalised for violating this law? How and when were they penalised?

(43) Does the federal government and/or NNPC have any law that prohibits foreign and Nigerian companies, including NNPC itself, from awarding contracts, consulting services, e.t.c. thatcould be performed by Nigerian companies, and even cheaper, to foreign companies?

(44) If no, why doesn't such a law exist?

(45) If yes, when was it introduced?

(46) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to enforce this law exist?

(47) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(48) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this law is observed to the last letter by all companies without any exception? For example, in a situation whereby contracts are awarded to foreign companies by any company,  does the government compell such a company, including NNPC itself,  to provide evidence that proves beyond any reasonable doubts that it indeed did everyrthing possible and impossible within its capability (placement of numerous advertisements  in Nigerian and foreign media for a long period of time calling for bids) to find a worthy or qualified Nigerian company who could handle the contract, but unfortunately could not find any?

(49) Does the committee or body consist of highly qualified Nigerian technical experts to verify such evidence?

(50) Why doesn't it exist?

(51) Does any penalty exist for companies that violate this law?

(52) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(53) If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(54)  which companies have been penalised so far for violating this law? When and how were they penalised?

(54) Does the federal government or/and NNPC have any policy and program - like many developed countries - of replacing foreign workers workers at all levels, consultants - who were employed after it has successfully been proved beyond any reasonable doubts that there are no Nigerians on earth capable of doing these jobs - with Nigerians within a specified or shortest period possible?

(55) If no, why doesn't such a law exist?

(56) If yes, when was this policy and program first  introduced?

(57) What criteria were used to determine the specified or shortest period possible for every job?

(58) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to impliment this policy and programme exist?

(59) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(60) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this policy and program are implimented?

(61) What percentage of foreign workers, at all levels, consultants, have already been replaced by Nigerian workers, consultants since the introduction of this policy and program?

(62) Can NNPC be penalised for failure to observe this policy and program?

(63) If no, why doesn't a penalty exist? If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(64) How many times has NNPC been penalised for failure to observe this policy and program?

(65) Does the federal government or/and NNPC have any policy and program - like many developed countries - of replacing foreign companies - who were awarded contracts employed after they have successfully  proved beyond any reasonable doubts that there is no company in Nigeria with the expertise to do them - with Nigerian companies  within a specified or shortest period possible?

(66) If no, why doesn't such a policy and program exist?

(67) If yes, when was this policy and program first  introduced?

(68) What criteria were used to determine the specified or shortest period possible for every service or/and contract?

(69) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to impliment this policy and programme exist?

(70) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(71) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this policy and program are implimented?

(72) What percentage of foreign companies,  have already been replaced by Nigerian companies since the introduction of this policy and program?

(73) Can NNPC be penalised for failure to observe this policy and program?

(74) If no, why doesn't a penalty exist? If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(75) How many times has NNPC been penalised for failure to observe this policy and program?

(76) Does the federal government have any law  - like many developed countries - that compells foreign and Nigerian companies that recruited foreigners - after they have successfully  proved beyond any reasonable doubts to the federal government that indeed there are no living Nigerians, inside or outside the country, who are capable of carrying out their (the foreigners') jobs  -  to replace them with Nigerians at all levels within a specified or shortest period possible?

(77) If no, why doesn't such a law exist?

(78) If yes, when was this law first  introduced?

(79) What criteria were used to determine the specified or shortest period possible for all jobs at all levels?

(80) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to enforce this law exist?

(81) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(82) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this law is implimented?

(83) What percentage of foreign workers,  have already been replaced with Nigerians since the introduction of this law?

(84) Does any penalty exist for companies that violate this law?

(85) If no, why doesn't a penalty it exist?

(86) If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(87) which companies, and their percentage, have been penalised so far for violating this law? When and how were they penalised?

(88) Does the federal government have any law - like many developed countries - that compells  foreign and Nigerian companies that awarded contracts to foreign companies - after they have successfully  proved beyond any reasonable doubts to the government that there is no company in Nigeria with the expertise to impliment the contracts/projects - to replace them with Nigerian companies  within a specified or shortest period possible?

(89) If no, why doesn't such a law exist?

(90) If yes, when was this law first introduced?

(91) What criteria were used to determine the specified or shortest period possible for every service or/and contract?

(92) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to enforce this law exist?

(93) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(94) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this law is enforced?

(95) What percentage of foreign companies,  have already been replaced by Nigerian companies since the introduction of this law?

(96) Does any penalty exist for companies that violate this law?

(97) If no, why doesn't a penalty  exist?

(98) If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(99)Which companies, and their percentage,  have been penalised so far for violating this law? When and how were they penalised?

(100) Does the federal government have any law - like many developed countries - that compells all companies, including the NNPC, to use not less than a minimum percentage of Nigerian products: raw materials, equipments, vehicles, machineries, chenicals, optical fibres, e.t.c. produced by companies based and/or belonging to Nigerians, in their operations? (101) If no, why doesn't such a law exist?

(102) If yes, when was this law first introduced?

(103) What criteria were used to determine the minimum percentage that must be used?

(104) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to enforce this law exist?

(105) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(106) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this law is enforced?

(107)  Does any penalty exist for companies that violate this law?

(108) If no, why doesn't a penalty  exist?

(109) If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(110) Which companies, and their overall percentage,  have been penalised so far for violating this law? When and how were they penalised?

(111) Does the federal government have any law - like many developed countries - that compells  foreign and Nigerian companies, including the NNPC,  that use imported products  - after they have successfully  proved beyond any reasonable doubts to the government that there is no company in Nigeria that produces or capable of producing those products  - to replace them with made in Nigeria products  within a specified or shortest period possible?

(112) If no, why doesn't such a law exist?

(113) If yes, when was this law first introduced?

(114) What criteria were used to determine the specified or shortest period possible for every imported product?

(115) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to enforce this law exist?

(116) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(117) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this law is enforced?

(118) What percentage of imported products have already been replaced with made in Nigeria products since the introduction of this law?

(119) Does any penalty exist for companies that violate this law?

(120) If no, why doesn't a penalty  exist?

(121) If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(122) Which companies, and their total percentage,  have been penalised so far for violating this law? When and how were they penalised?

123) Does the federal government have any law - like many developed countries - that compells  foreign and Nigerian companies, including the NNPC,  to provide comprehensive medical and health insurance policies to all their Nigerian workers without any exception immediately on being recruited?

(124) If no, why doesn't such a law exist?

(125) If yes, when was this law first introduced?

(126) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to enforce this law exist?

(127) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(128) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this law is enforced?

(129) Does any penalty exist for companies that violate this law?

(130) If no, why doesn't a penalty  exist?

(131) If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(132) Which companies, and their percentage,  have been penalised so far for violating this law? When and how were they penalised?

(133) What is the position of the federal government on the use of off-shore taxation by foreign companies?

(a) Total indifference? (b) Neutral? (c) No position at all?  (d) In favour?  (e) Officially against but not doing anything to put a stop to it? (f) Totally against and doing everything possible to put an end to it?

(134) If no, why doesn't a position or law exist?

(135) If yes, when was this law first introduced?

(136) Does a body or committeee, specially set up by the government, to enforce this law exist?

(137) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(138) If yes, how effective is this body in ensuring that this law is enforced?

(139) Does any penalty exist for companies that violate this law?

(140) If no, why doesn't a penalty  exist?

(141) If yes, what kind of penalty exist?

(142) Which companies, and their overall percentage,  have been penalised so far for violating this law? When and how were they penalised?

(143) How many billions of dollars has the federal government lost due to the use of offshore taxation by foreign companies?

(144) What is the general position of the federal government on enviromental pollution: a) Completely indifferent? b) Pretends to care; talks about it from time to time but does very little or absolutely nothing to enforce it and punish offenders? c) No position at all? d) Very strict, uncompromising, has declared war against violators?

(145) Does the federal government have any concrete enviromental law that prohibits, or makes it a criminal offence for oil companies to pollute the enviroment?

(146) If no, why doesn't one exist?

(147) If yes, when was it first introduced?

(148) Does any governmental body specially set up to enforce this rule and punish offenders exist?

(149) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(150) If yes, how effective is it?

(151) What kind of penalty or punishment exist for violators? a) Huge Monetary Fine? b) Withdrawal of license?

c) Cancelling of contract? d) Imprisonment? e) All of the above? f) Other forms not stated here?

(152) If no, why doesn't one exist?

(153) If yes, which companies, and their overall percentage, have been punished so far? How and when were they punished? When and how were they penalised?

(154) Does the federal government have any policy that compells all comoanies, including the NNPC, to pay their staff adequate pension regularly on reaching pension age?

(155) If no, why doesn't such a policy exist?

(156) If yes, when was it first introduced?

(157) Does any governmental body specially set up to enforce this rule and punish offenders exist?

(158) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(159) If yes, how effective is it?

(160) What kind of penalty or punishment exist for violators?

(161) If no, why doesn't one exist?

(162) If yes, which companies, and their total percentage, have been punished so far? How and when were they punished?

(163) Does the federal government have any policy/program that ensures that Nigerians who are sent abroad on scholarshios to study oil, gas and related specialities return back to Nigeria to work with their specialities?

(164) If no, why doesn't one exist?

(165) If yes, when was it first introduced?

(166) Does any governmental body specially set up to enforce this policy exist?

(167) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(168) If yes, how effective is it?

(169) What is the percentage of Nigerians sent abroad on scholarship to study have returned back home, through the assistance of the federal government or this program, and are gainfully emplotyed in their respective fields?

(170) What kind of taxing systems are used mainly by foreign oil companies?

(171) Is this taxing systems favourable mainly to foreign companies and also make Nigerian companies in the oil and gas business to be uncompetitive vis-a-vis their foreign counterparts?

(172) Does the federal government have a body specially set up to ensure that all oil companies, without any exception,  pay all their taxes on time?

(173) If yes, how effective is it?

(174) What kind of penalty or punishment exist for violators?  a) Huge Monetary Fine? b) Withdrawal of license? c) Cancelling of contract? d) Imprisonment? e) All of the above? f) Other forms of punishment not stated here?

(175) Which companies, and their total percentage, have been punished so far? How and when were they punished? When and how were they penalised?

(176) Does the federal government have a rule/policy, like many developed countries, that makes it mandatory for all foreigners, without any exception, to obtain work permits before coming to Nigeria to work?

(177) If no, why doesn't one exist?

(178) If yes, when was it first introduced?

(179) Does any governmental body specially set up to enforce this policy exist?

(180) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(181) If yes, how effective is it?

(182) What penalty exist for violators?

(183) How many foreigners - and their overall percentage compared to all foreigners - presently have work permits to work in the N.D.?

(184) How many foreigners - and their overall percentage compared to all foreigners presently working in the N.D. or/and oil and gas business - have been prosecuted for not having work permits? How were they penalised?

(185) How many  foreign companies - and their overall percentage compared to all foreign companies - have been penalised for recruiting foreign nationals without work permits? When and how were they penalised?

(186) Does the federal government have a policy that makes it mandatory for all foreigners to undergo medical test that testify that they are free of HIV or any other contagious and life-threatening diseases before being issued Nigerian visas or work permits?

(187) If no, why doesn't it exist?

(188) When was it first introduced?

(189) Does the federal government have a body that ensures that foreigners with HIV or any other contagious and  life threatening diseases are isolated from the locals?

(190) If no, why doesn't such a body exist?

(191) If yes, when was it first introduced?

(192) How effective is this body?

(193) How many foreigners - and their percentage compared to the overall number of foreigners - have been physically isolated and ordered to leave Nigeria because they have contacted HIV or any other contagious and life-threatening diseases?

(194) Does the federal government have a special body or organ  that reprimand and prosecute foreigners that commit crimes -  rape, murder, prostitution, human trafficking,financial fraud e.t.c. -  in the region?

(195) If no, why doesn't one exist? Are we to understand that foreigners are free to commit crimes without any repercussion?

(196) How many foreigners - and their percentage compared to total number of foreigners - have been reprimanded and prosecuted?

(197) Can the federal government allow 3 independent bodies: the United Nations, association of Nigerian auditors and auditors from Scandinavian countries to verify all the information or answers provided to the above questions?

(198) If no, why? Does the government has any skeleton in its cupboard?

(199) Why did Yaradua appoint Rilwan Lukman, a northerner, to head the Energy and Petroleum  ministry again? Are there no qualified candidates from the South or/and N.D.?

(200) Why did Yaradua appoint another descendant of Usman Dan Fodio, Alhaji Mohammed Barkindo the  Group Managing Director of NNPC? Are there no qualified candidates from the South or/and N.D.? Does Yaradua think that it is fair to appoint only northerners to the two most senior position in Nigeria's oil and gas sector despite the fact that these resources are located only in the south?

(201) On what basis should the revenues generated from oil, gas and other mineral resources in the N.D. and south as a whole go into the development of the north, including Abuja taking into consideration the undisputable fact that the indigenes of this region need this money badly themselves and officially never voted to be part of Nigeria - a country that was formed by the British - without their consent?

Here comes the second part of the questions.

OPEN QUESTIONS FOR YARADUA, AKUNYILI AND EKAETTE ON THE MINISTRY OF NIGER DELTA. (RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION IN ALL NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS)

(1) Does Yaradua, Ekaette or the federal government have a list of all the projects that are going to be implimented in the N.D. at least in thenext 15 years - including their cost estimates, timetable,?

(2)If such a list exist, can it be published in the newspapers for all, most especially the indigenes of the N.D. to verify and access?

(3) When was the list compiled - before or after the announcement of the ministry?

(4)  Which people - concrete names - were involved in compiling and approving the list of projects that will be implimented?

(5) What criteria were used in selecting the projects?

(6) Have the companies that will carry out the projects been selected or not?

(7) If yes, can their names be published?

(8) When were they selected and what criteria were used?

(9) Which people - concrete names - took part in selecting the companies that will impliment the projects?

(10) What is the percentage of Nigerian companies compared to foreign companies that will be involved in carrying out the projects?

(11) What percentage of N.D. companies compared to the total number of Nigerian companies will be involved in implimenting projects in the region?

(12) If not, when will the companies  be selected?

(13) Who will be responsible for awarding the contracts?

(14) Will the indigenes through a special company, formed and controlled by them,  be involved in awarding contracts and/or monitoring projects?

(15) If yes, does such a company exist now? If no, why?

(16) Will the indigenes through a special company, formed and controlled by them, have the right or opportunity to audit implimented projects - real amount spent, quality, quantity, transparency in awarding contracts indigenes, percentage of indigenes and companies involved, e.t.c.?

(17)If yes, does such a company exist now? If no, why?

(18)Can the indigenes of the company for any reason whatsoever veto the ministry from awarding contracts to a particular company?

(19) Do the law makers or/and governors from the N.D. have veto over the appointment of a minister by the president to the ministry? Can they for any reason whatsoever veto a minister appointed to the ministry by the president? Does the prersident need to seek their approval before announcing his appointment?

(20) Will the ministry be forever?

(21) If not, for how long?

(22) Is the ministry protected by any law. For example, does the president, Senate or House of representatives or any other government body have the right to scrape it in the future for any reason whatsoever?

(23)What is the minimum percentage of the indigenes of the N.D. that must be appointed by the ministry?

(24) Are companies - foreign and indigenous -  carrying out projects in the region obliged to employ a minimum percentage of the indigenes to different positions? If yes, what is the minimum percentage?

(25) What is the minimum percentage of all contracts that will be carried out in the region must be reserved for Nigerian companies?

(26) What is the minimum percentage of all contracts  that will be carried out in the region must be reserved for companies owned by indigenes of the Niger Delta?

(27) Is Yaradua or his successor obliged to allocate funds to carry out all projects on time under any circumstances?

(28) What is the maximum gap allowed between the announced timetable of projects and real/actual time that they are carried out before they can be regarded as lacking behind schedule?

(29) What happens if for whatever reason the projects on the list or announced are not carried out at all or fall behind schedule from the day the creation of a new ministry was announced?

(30) Who will be held accountable - the president or/and the minister of the N.D. - if for whatever reason projects in the list (or that are announced) are not carried out at all or lack behind schedule from the day the creation of a new ministry was announced?

(31) Can the president and/or minister be penalised for failing to carry out or  meet up to the timetable/schedules of announced projects (or projects on the list)?

(32) Can the president and/or minister be asked to resign if for any reason whatsoever projects are either not carried out at all or fall behind schedule?

(33) If not, why?

(34) If after 6, 9, 12, 15 months, the indigenes realise that projects announced or on the list are not carried out at all are lacking behind schedule, can they demand that the fulll control and running of the ministry, including appointment of a new minister, be handed over to them?

(35) If not, why?

(36) Which states are included in the ministry of N.D.?  Are Ondo, Lagos and Ogun states included in the list? If not, why?

(37) What criteria did the northern led federal government and/or Yaradua use in determining these states?

(38) Will the federal government and/or Yaradua look seriously into the request of Lagos state to create a special ministry for it too because of its port and the fact that it's the financial center of the country? If no, why? If yes, when?

(39) It's a known fact that the South West has the second  largest deposit of bitumen in the world, will Yaradua create a special ministry for all Yoruba states with bitumen if they demand for it? If yes, when? If no, why?

(40) Why did Yaradua allocate funds that is much larger to defense compared to the funds for the development of the N.D.  where Nigeria earns practically all its revenues?

 If Yaradua and the northern led federal government are sincere as regards to their intention in the N.D. crisis, then, there should be no problem whatsoever in providing answers to all the above questions. Moreover, we will like to remind Yaradua and his new information minister, incase they have forgotten, that the citizens have the full right to get comprehensive information and clearification as regards to the new ministry that he [Yaradua] is proposing.

 Furthermore, if we assume that Nigerians, including the indigenes of the Niger Delta, are all stakedolders in their country - and not spectators or slaves, then it our 'Constitutional right' to have detailed information about the country's natural resources and how the revenues are spent. Yaradua and his new information minister also need to be reminded that one of the fundamental pillars of democracy and a civil society is the ability of the citizens to have free access to information about the activities of the government and the resources of their country. It will be hypocrisy on the part of Yaradua to talk about the rule of law on one hand, and deny the citizens access to information about the activities of the government and the resources of the country. Most inportantly, we believe that comprehensive answers to all the questions posed above will undoubtedly go a long way in giving his new ministry of N.D. the credibility that it is presently lacking.

 Prof. Akunyili needs to be reminded as well that the main prerequisite for the entrechment of democracy - which I have no slightest doubt in my mind that she strongly  believes in - and elimination of corruption, or at least reducing it to the minimum, is free access of the citizens to information, transparency of the government and accountability. It will be a mockery of democracy and abeiting of corruption if on one hand Yaradua talks about the rule of law - a very important component of democracy -but at the same time purposely keeps the citizens in the dark as regards to the mineral resources of the country, sources of wealth of his ministers, s top government officials, senators, representatives and how is government is being run in general. I also want to draw the attention of prof. Akunyili - who is also a scientist/scholar - to the fact there is a  strong correlation between free and fair elections, transparency of the government, free access of citizens to information, full accountability of government officials on one side, and corruption and quality of government on the other side. The mopre accountable and transparent a government is, the lesser the level of corruption and the better the quality of governance. Accountability, transparency and free access of the citizens to information allow them not only to access how effective bureaucrats, including the president himself, are serving them, but also empower them to detect and prosecute any abuse of power/authority by the latter in any form - for example, self-enrichment.

 This fact or correlation has been proved over and over by economic scientists. In their article titled "Are You Being Served? Political Accountability and Quality of Government" published in the journal of Law, Economics and Organiuzation in 2003, Carlos Bosch of Princeton University, Alice Adzer of University of Illinois and Mark Payne of Interamerican Development Bank, through statistical analysis of large volume of data confirmed this correlation. Similar results were recorded in another article titled "Accountability and Corruption: Political Institutions Matter" published in 2009 in the journal of Economics and Politics, by Daniel Lederman and Normann Loyaza, both of The World Bank, and Rodrigo Soares of Maryland University.

 It's an open secret that Nigerian corrupt politicians, in conjuction with unscruplous foreigners and foreign companies have taken advantage of the absence free access of the citizens to information, accountability and transparency about government activities to enrich themselves at the detriment of Nigerians. The country has been robbed of billions of dollars by heartless Nigerian leaders - all of whom are practically from the north. Retired northern criminal lofficers and opportunists like IBB, Danjuma, Gowon, Abacha, Buhari, Yaradua, Obasanjo, who at best should be hawking suya, carrot, kola-nuts, tea, or be working as megidas, cobblers, labourers, brick-layers became millionaires and our leaders. What a pity!

 Furthermore, prof. Akunyili needs to understand that one of the most effective ways to battle corruption in any country, including Nigeria, is accountability, transparency and free access of citizens to information. Therefore, if Yaradua and Akunyili are really serious in their resolve to wage war on corruption, which, unfortunately, has been the bane to our development, and sincere about developing the Niger Delta, then I challenge them to provide comprehensive answers to all the above questions in a public forum. Providing answers to all the above questions, definitely, will be a major first step in  the right direction.

 Finally, I want to use this opportunity to bring it to the attention of Nigeria's quota system president, Alhaji Shehu Tuwo Yaradua and prof. akunyili that even Russia - which is regarded as one of the most corrupt countries in the world and has always occupied one of the last positions in the list of Transparency International of most corrupt countries, published annualy, has just passed a Freedom Of Information Bill. If Yaradua and the bandits surrounding him, who are eating Nigeria dry,  have no skeletons in their cupboards, what is stopping Nigeria from passing such a bill too?  This is a challenge for prof. Akunyili. With her appointment of prof. Akunyili as  the minister of information, we sincerely hope that this issue, which is of strategic importance to our development and bringing about everlasting peace in the N.D. will finally get the deserved attention.  We are eagerly waiting for the answers to the above questions as soon as possible.The ball is in the court of the minister.

 I recommend that the indigenes of the N.D. should ask Yaradua, Akunyili and Ekaette the above questions through the media. Those questions should be published in Nigerian newspapers. Meanwhile, while Yaradua, Akunyili and Ekaette crack their brains on how to answer the  questions, my advise to the indigenes of the N.D. for now is to tell Yaradua to go to hell with his ministry of N.D.

TO BE CONTINUED ....

Robot  # 1 | 11.05.2009 08:35

"The fact that you made a blunder in the past does not mean that you should repeat it again." Lee Iaccoca. "He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason." Cicero. "When Anglo-Saxons are enemies - it's very bad. But when Anglo-Saxons are partners - it's deadly dangerous!" Unanimous. "I am pretty sure that we will see the price of oil at $35 per barrel." Oleg Derispaski. Russian billionaire. November, 2008. "Other people dream of travelling to outer space. I have always dreamed of crossing the *Prut." Grigore Vieru, **Moldovian poet. * Prut is the name of the river that divides Moldova and Romania into two parts. ** Moldova was one of the former 15 republics that made up the former Soviet Union. ...Read the full article.

Kabikala  # 2 | 12.05.2009 09:51

Mr Bode Eluyera, First I have to say that your article is very long. In fact too long. Actually, the longest I have ever seen on NVS. I don't know if there is anyone who could actually take the pains to read it all. I gave up around one-fifth of the way. maybe you can consider serializing it in future. My comment however is about some fallacies which I noted in the write-up and which I believe you need to take note of. Before the creation of Lagos, Ondo and Ogun states, now with proven oil reserves in commercial quantity, the Yorubas had just one state - the western region - headed by Pa Obafemi Awolowo, all the revenues generated in the region, mostly from agriculture (cocoa) were used to provide free education and develop the region which included the present Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara and part of Kogi states. It's worth noting that after the defunct of the western region, the new states that emerged in its place were created by northern military head of states without any concrete formula, criteria nor consulation with the leaders of the Yorubas. Before the creation of Ondo, Oyo and Ogun States, Lagos and the midwestern region were first carved out of the old western region. Kwara State was also created in 1967. Ondo, Oyo and Ogun States were created in 1976. There is more than enough basis to assert that state creation by the military headed from time immemorial by the northern criminal officers, who always shot their way to power, was meant to divide and weaken the 2 other major tribes, the Yorubas and Ndigbos. For example, how does one explain the fact that the former Kwara state, which is a Yoruba territory, was later divided into 2 - the new and smaller Kwara state and Kogi states respectively, with the latter out in such a way that it now consists of the former Kwara state and other states, created earlier. The Yorubas (which are one of the 3 major tribes in Nigeria) in Kogi state, who were part of the former Kwara state, to their nightmare discover that they constitute the minority in Kogi state. They are subjected to unprecedented oppression, suppression by the non-Yoruba ruling elites. Their lands are been confiscicateed by force by the state government without any compensation. Personally, I can't understand the logic or rational for braking Kwara state up. Kogi State emerged from what was carved out from Kwara (the Yorubas) and old Benue State (the Ebiras and Igallas). So Kwara was not broken into two. Compared to their brethrens in Kogi State, the Yorubas in Kwara state don't fair better in any way. Although dejure, Kwara state is 100% Yoruba state, but defacto, it's status is doubtful. The north has almost succeeded in northernalizing it, and turning it into a pseudo Yoruba-Fulani state. On one hand, the so called father of the state, Olusola Saraki, bears a Yoruba name, on the other hand, he has always positioned himself as a northerner: he refers to himself as a Fulani man, distances himself from Yorubas in other states and attended only the meetings of northern state governors when he was the governor - to the best of my knowledge, he has never attended any meeting of South west governors. This tradition is continued by his successors - including his son, Bukola Saraki, the present governor of the state. But most of Saraki's children are claiming to be full-blooded Yorubas. Who are we to believe now? Olusola Saraki or his children? Kwara is not and has never been 100% Yoruba. There are other ethnic groups in Kwara State such as Nupes and Barubas. Olusola Saraki was never Kwara State Governor at any time. He was the senate leader during the second republic. I am not aware that Saraki's children are claiming to be full-blooded Yorubas. If you have a contrary view, let me know your source. As far as I know, they had always claimed their Fulani heritage Did Saraki claim to be a Fulani, and not a Yoruba man, and allignes himself with the north in order to realise his selfish political ambition and economic interests, or he sincerely believe that he has nothing in common with the Yorubas? The king is now Zulugambari, a Fulani man. Does the fact that Alimi,a barbaric and ungrateful Fulani warderer - who was invited to Ilorin by Afonja, the Alaafin of Oyo's war general in Ilorin - but later betrayed him by revolting against him: raided and succeeded in capturing Ilorin, a Yoruba city, with the help of the Sokoto Caliphate, automatically means that Ilorin and/or Kwara state are no more Yoruba territories and now belong to the Fulanis? What if tomorrow an Oodua republic emerges, are the Fulanis going to lay claim to Kwara state and the other Yoruba territories in Kogi state? How I wished that our historians like Prof. Bolanle Awe, will clearify this issue. Ever since Ilorin fell to the descendants of Usman Dan Fodio, the Yorubas in Kwara state are being suppressed and oppressed by the Fulani aliens. Their lands have been confiscated without any compensation and handed over to light complextioned Zimbabwean farmers, who fleed Zimbabwe after the lands of Zimbabwean blacks that they illegally occupied for centuries, was at last taken away from them by Mugabe. Zimbabwean farmers are located in the Nupe axis of Kwara State (Lafiagi, Tsonga etc) and whether or not the host communities are satisfied with the action of government depends on who is talking. I know the traditional rulers in the areas are all in support of government action. Zimbabwean famers are not occupying any part of Yoruba land in Kwara State Personally, I find it ludicrous that a Fulani by name Gambari, the former Nigerian representative to the U.N. is claiming Kwara state as his state! How does one explain that? When did Kwara state become Fulani's laqnd? Ibrahim Gambari is an Ilorin man and the Gambari family is well known in Ilorin. He is not just claiming Kwara as his State of Origin. My question goes thus 'Since Ondo state is 100% a Yoruba territory - i.e. belongs to all Yorubas including the Ijebus, Egbas, Oyos, Ibadans, Iseyins, Ijeshas, Ifes, Ekos, e.t.c. are they entitled to lay claim to the mineral resources in that state for the development of the Yorubas and Yoruba territory as a whole? The Ijaw Arogbos in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State are not Yoruba speaking and they constitute the majority of one of the two oil producing LGAs in Ondo State. So Ondo State is not 100% Yoruba.

PAPIG  # 3 | 16.05.2009 14:32

THE NIGER DELTA AND NIGERIA IS DOOMED The Niger Deltans are their own worst enemies. They appear to glorify the rabidly corrupt and the collaborators with their oppresors. See how Ibori is gallivanting around the place inspite of being a confirmed kleptomaniac. How can a people vote a thief as a two -time governor? To subsequently install his own relative as a governor is the stuff of fiction and hilarity were it not tragic. Take the other clown and thief, Alamieyeseigha. He is surely bouncing back. He knows everything about that weakling called Goodluck Jonathan also known as the vice president of a country. It is in the interest of Jonathan for Alami to be resuscitated. Does he not know where his bread is buttered? If he does not know, his wife does. How can these thieves be the leaders of the Niger Deltans. I will ignore the other thieves namely Lucky Igbinedion and the deluded medical doctor, called Peter Odili. With shameful and imbecilitic leaders like the above, the Niger Delta stands no chance in whatever endeavours it sets for itself. Even the militant wing need urgent cleansing. The Ministry does not need a mention. It is as irrelevant as General Abacha. One thing that we cannot ignore. The longer it takes to fix the ND, the more catastrophic it would be for it and the whole of Nigeria to be fixed. The determination of the PDP to keep the status quo as seen in Ekiti is taste of what to come. It is only in Nigeria that the psychiatrically challenged does not respond to the most brilliant of psychiatrist. A mad man does not ignore a killer lunatic. It is good to speak in parables that are obviously made up. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO DRIFT FOREVER, THE TIME HAS COME.

Zuma  # 4 | 16.05.2009 15:26

I recommend that the indigenes of the N.D. should ask Yaradua, Akunyili and Ekaette the above questions through the media. Those questions should be published in Nigerian newspapers. Meanwhile, while Yaradua, Akunyili and Ekaette crack their brains on how to answer the questions, my advise to the indigenes of the N.D. for now is to tell Yaradua to go to hell with his ministry of N.D. Your recommendations are well intentioned, but do not relate to the system of government or lack thereof practiced in Nigeria. The media is not a powerhouse for the people but a conduit for the Nigerian government. When you have a society to weak and corrupt to hold thieving government officials on all levels accountable for their misdeeds, I do not believe a 'question' and 'answer' session to a maleficent hierarchy of corruption would serve any needs/purpose. Nigerians have been asking questions for almost 50 years and even where we know the answers, corruption and lack of accountability at all levels of government render all to naught. No need to try old failed methods to ensure the same failed results. The rulers of Nigeria are not stupid, they have always known what they plan to do and are doing. Nigerians are not stupid either. Just a stalemate. http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/34355/41/ Militants as criminals: S-South governors Written by Emma Amaize Saturday, 25 April 2009 Digg! GOVERNORS of the South-South region disagreed, yesterday, in Calabar on whether Niger-Delta militants are all criminals, and should be treated as such. While Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state maintained that militants are criminals and should be dealt with by security agents, his Delta State counterpart, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan said not all of them were criminals and the genuine freedom fighters should be separated and be productively engaged. Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom state said certain things gave rise to the agitation by the militants in other parts of Niger-Delta but in his state, it was a case of pure criminality and he had sent a bill to the State House of Assembly for death sentence on armed robbers and other criminals. He faulted the claim by Governor Amaechi that the Niger-Delta struggle was not ideological, saying there was a general understanding at a point that the region was being marginalized and the “boys” went into the creeks with the support of the people to wage a crusade. However, Governor Timipre Sylva said the quarrel Governor Amaechi who was the first to speak after a lunch conversation by the former Prime Minister of Ireland, Bertie Ahern delivered his lecture said Niger-Delta militants were not ideological and that they were pursuing their own selfish economic agenda. In his words, “My view is that the boys are not ideological, they are pursuing their own economic goals, and they are growing poverty instead of growing the economy of the region”. He said it was wrong to negotiate with the criminals and that was why the Delta State Government was not interested in negotiating with them. In his opinion, what the country was lacking is law enforcement and even if the country was marginalizing the South-South, the people should not kidnap and kill themselves the way the militants were doing. He called for a halt to the criminality by militants, saying it was destroying the economy of the Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa-Ibom, Edo and Cross River states. Governor Uduaghan who spoke next said it was not true as Amaechi tried to impute that other people were negotiating with criminals, pointing out the problem started in the form of inter-ethnic problem in Warri and later developed into a much bigger crisis and the issue now was how to manage it. According to him, after reviewing the issues involved, particularly as guns were being deployed to other purposes after the Warri war, the state government took some identified youth leaders that participated in the crisis to Northern Ireland, which had a similar crisis and resolved it with some of the people who took part in the “war” as drivers for peace to understudy the peace process in that country. He said it was based on the findings that he set up the Delta Waterways Security Committee (DWSC), which since its formation has helped in bringing peace to the state by moving into the militant camps to talk to the boys to drop their arms. Governor Uduaghan said the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) was constituted to bring development to the person since that was the major reason for the crises and at the moment, it was working wonders in the state. He kicked against the excessive use of military might, saying, “Do you want to kill everybody”, adding that he had no problem with the actual criminals being dealt with. Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State likened Nigeria to an aeroplane in which so many people were inside, some in the first class, others in the business and economy classes, but, since 1960 when they boarded the plane, it had not taking off and nobody has bothered to find out if there was a pilot everybody was quarrelling. He said so many leaders of the country have been consumed by the war, starting from Aguiyi Ironsi, and Murtala Mohammed but up till date, the problem still persisted, and said what brought about the economic summit was that the South-South was tired of the rigmarole and now wants to harness its brains in the different field to give a direction. Governor Akpahio of Akwa Ibom state said it was 50 per cent derivation in the past when the resources were being produced by the other regions but when it came to oil, belonging to the South-South, the principle of derivation changed and even the 13 per cent that was fought for before it was approved was initially not implemented because of the marginalization of the region by the powers that be. To end the Niger-Delta crisis, he asked the Federal Government to stop beating about the bush and discuss with the boys carrying the arms because they were the ones fighting in the creeks. In his words, “As Abiola used to say, we should shave the hair of the militants in their absence”. He said his state was affected because it does not have much of oil but those operating therein were criminals. “In my state, we have submitted a bill for death sentence. I am going to kill those that carry guns. Akwa-Ibom child has no reason to be involved in criminality because I have provided free education for him...”, he said. We could not rise from this meeting with the mind that a system that worked in Northern Island and think it will work here. Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross Rivers State said it was unfortunate that the plane was bought with the resources of the South-South people have remained in the economy class ever since. He asserted that there was something wrong with a system that operates in that way and that something has to be done to redress the imbalance. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole enumerated the finances that come to the South-South region and stressed the need for the money to be used prudently for the development of the people. He said that nobody would give political power to the South-South people and so, the region should fight for it and take it. Governor of Borno State, Alhaji A Sheriff said the South-South has every right to be giving at least 50 per cent derivation to enable it develop the region. The circus continues. There will be no end to the Niger Delta crises, for the simple reason that the governors of the Niger Delta States are not held accountable to the people. Till the Niger Delta militants decide to hold the governors of those states accountable, the need for further resource allocation or derivation should not be negotiated. That means the federal government gets to keep the loot till when the the governors of the Niger Delta States have shown the capabilities of managing what ever resources they have. Unfortunately, due the nature by which these governors are installed(by the federal government itself), they should be no head way to be made in the foreseeable future, being indentured servants of the federal government. Between what kickbacks are owed to the federal government as homages and the personal gains selfishly awarded to the Niger Delta governors themselves, the people of the Niger Delta and their needs will forever remain persona non grata. No way out for now. I don't see any.

Zuma  # 5 | 16.05.2009 17:21

http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2762:nigerian-military-jtf-attacks-village-of-oporoza-in-niger-delta&catid=116:sr-readers-letters&Itemid=393 Nigerian military (JTF) attacks village of Oporoza in Niger Delta Saturday, 16 May 2009 09:04 By Sweet Crudemovie Dear Friends of Sweet Crude: It is with great sadness that we share the news that Oporoza, the village where much of Sweet Crude was filmed, is under attack by the Joint Task Force of the Nigerian military. To learn more, please continue reading below. As heavy as our hearts are, we find hope in the possibility that parties in a position of influence – the media, U.S. government officials, international diplomats – will finally understand the gravity of the Niger Delta crisis and take action quickly to help end the violence. (Please read the report filed on April 30th by the International Crisis Group: http://tiny.cc/ICGReport) We ask that if you know such people, please tell them what’s happening and how critical it is to speak out and hold the Nigerian government accountable – right now. Please also forward this email widely so that as many people as possible understand what’s going on – so that Oporoza is not just a faceless village in Africa, but the place where real people, many of them our friends, may be dying. And finally, please hold these men, women and kids in your thoughts and prayers. With thanks from Sweet Crude movie More information There are conflicting reports, but we do know from a friend who called from the bush, where village residents have fled, that the military has opened fire and there are casualties. We received this text message from one of the film’s main characters: “The situation is getting worse every minute. Their plan is to wipe Oporoza out of the surface of Earth tomorrow morning. Pls let the international community intervene before we witness a genocide.” We have also heard that a specific target is the home of Tompolo, one of the top leaders of MEND. This is a very dangerous development. It is uncertain whether President Yar’Adua ordered or acceded to this attack – perhaps to test the waters for a larger engagement – or whether the JTF is operating outside the Federal government. Both scenarios are of critical concern in their implications about the Nigerian government, the likelihood of escalation and the collapse of any peace initiatives. Particularly alarming is the decision to target Tompolo, a MEND leader who is said to have been active recently in talks with the Federal government and who is seen as a political leader of the movement. The Nigerian Vice President, who is from the Niger Delta, is out of the country. We hope the U.S. government will address the situation immediately, ask directly for an explanation of the attack and the chain of command that authorized it, and call for a cease fire. The situation has been reported by several international media outlets. Here’s an article from the Wall Street Journal: http://tiny.cc/WSJ And if you haven’t seen it, there is a 15-minute video on our web site (sweetcrudemovie.com/videoGallery) that captures the beauty and tragedy of the Niger Delta. As the opening shot depicts the serene Oporoza jetty, imagine it today, surrounded by gunboats, soldiers, helicopters and a terrifying rain of bullets. This is the human cost of the dire Niger Delta situation. Please join us in calling for an end to the crisis. For three years we have been asking “What if the world paid attention before it was too late?”. Tonight we are flattened to know that for some people in the Delta it is already too late. But now more than ever, our attention might avert a new unspeakable level of violence. www.sweetcrudemovie.com Keep us posted.