07 Apr 2008 |
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"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." - Derek Bok.
"The new source of Power is not money in the hands of a few but information in the hands of many." - John Naisbitt.
"...It is really funny when military coupists are tried in the open that a civilian has to face a camera trial, especially when the offence in question has been made public by government. Government has called my client names such as gunrunning, treasonable felony, trafficking in arms and has gone ahead to publish the charges in the media and internet, yet it wants our defence to be in camera. That in itself is injustice and an abuse of rule of law thereby making a mockery of the law the government believes in. What is now secretive about an offence that has been so published that the trial should be conducted in camera? Up till now my client has not been served with any charges, and despite a court order obtained for the injunction of the trial, Okah is being kept incommunicado.People like the late Ken Saro-Wiwa were tried in the open. You cannot try a civilian in camera in a civilian government. That is barbaric.This was the first time that the media were being barred from the public trial. If the government has nothing to hide, why in camera?.Up till now, my clients have not been served with any charges. You cannot be talking of fair hearing when an order had been obtained to try them in camera. Government definitely has something to hide. Not even under the late maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha have we seen this kind of insincerity to the people of this country. Having accused Okah and Atatate publicly of treason and gun-running, the Nigerian state should bring its evidence to the open because we intend to use this trial to put the federal government on trial for crime against humanity as far as the Niger Delta is concerned..." Femi Falana, S.A.N. Counsel to Okah and Atatate, leaders of MASSOB, reaction to the decision of the Federal government to try the leaders of MASSOB in secret. April 2008.
"...Revolution is bloody, revolution is hostile, revolution knows no compromise, revolution overturns and destroys everything that gets in its way. And you, sitting around here like a knot on the wall, saying, "I'm going to love these folks no matter how much they hate me." No, you need a revolution. Whoever heard of a revolution where they lock arms, as Rev. Cleage was pointing out beautifully, singing "We Shall Overcome"? You don't do that in a revolution. You don't do any singing, you are too busy swinging. It's based on land. A revolutionary wants land so he can set up his own nation, an independent nation. these Negroes aren't asking for any nation - they're trying to crawl back on the plantation. When you want a nation, that's called nationalism. When the white man became involved in a revolution in this country against Wngland, what was it for? He wanted this land so he could set up another white nation. That's white nationalism. The American revolution was white nationalism. The French Revolution was white nationalism. The Russian Revolution too-yes, it was-white nationalism. A revolutionary is a black nationalist. He wants a nation. I was reading some beautiful words by Rev. Cleage, pointing out why he couldn't get together with someone else in the citybecause all of them were afraid of being identified with blacknationalism, you're afraid of revolution. And if you love revolution, you love black nationalism. To understand this, you have to go back to what the young brother here referred to as the house Negro and the field Negro back during slavery. There were two kinds of slaves, the house Negro and the field Negro. The house Negroes-they lived in the house with master, they dressed pretty good, they ate good because they ate his food-what he left. They lived in the attic or the basement, but still they lived near the master; and they loved the master more than the master loved himself. They would give their life to save to save the master's house -quicker than the master would. If the master said, "We got a good house here," the house Negro would say, "Yeah, we got a good house here." Whenever the master said "we," de said "we." That's how you can tell a house Negro. If the master's house caught on fire, the house Negro would fight harder to put the blaze out than the master would. If the master got sick, the house Negro would say, "What's the matter, boss, we sick?" We sick! He identified himself with his master, more than his master identified with himself. And if you came to the house Negro and said, "Let's run away, let's escape, let's seperate, the house Negro would look at you and say, "Man, you crazy. What you mean, seperate? Where is there a better house than this? Where can I wear better clothes than this?" Where can I eat better food than this?" That was that house Negro. In those days he was called a "house nigger." And that's what we call them today, because we've still got some house niggers running around here. This modern house Negro loves his master. He wants to live near him. He'll pay three times as much as the house is worth just to live near his master, and then brag about "I'm the only Negro out here." I'm the only one on my job." I'm the only one in this school." You are nothing but a house Negro. And if someone comes to you right now and says, "Let's seperate," you say the same thing that the house Negro said on the plantation. "What you mean, seperate? From America, this good white man? I mean, this is what you say. Why, you left your mind in Africa. On the same plantation, there was the field Negro. The field Negroes-those were the masses. There were always more Negroes in the field than there were Negroes in the house. The Negro in the field caught hall. He ate leftovers. In the house they eate high up on the hog. The Negro in the field didn't get anything but what was left of the insides of the hog. They call it "chitt'lings" nowadays. In those days they called them what they were - guts. That's what you were - gut-eaters. And some of you are still gut-eaters. The fiels Negro was beaten from morning to night; he lived in a shack, in a hut; he wore old, castoff clothes. He hated his master. I say he hated his master. He was intelligent. That house Negro loved his master, but that field Negro- remember, they wetre in the majority, and they hated the master. When the house caught on fire, he sisn't try to put it out; that field Negro prayed that he'd die. If someone came to the field Negro and said, "Let's seperate, let's run," he didn't say"Whetre we going?" He'd say, "Any place is better than here." You've got field Negroes in America today. I'm a field Negro. The masses are the field Negroes. When they see this man's house on fire, you don't hear the little Negroes talking about "our government is in trouble." They say, "The government is in trouble." Imagine a Negro: "Our government"! I even heard one say "our astronauts." They won't even let him near the plant- and "our astronauts"! "Our Navy"- that's a Negro that is out of his mind. Just as the slavemaster of that day used Tom, the house Negro, to keep the field Negroes in check, the same old slavemaster today has Negroes who are nothing but modern Uncle Toms, twentieth-century Uncle Toms, to keep you and me in check, to keep us under control, keep us passive and peaceful and nonviolent. It's like when you go to the dentist, and the man is going to take your tooth. You are going to fight him when he starts pulling. So he squirts some stuff in your jaw called novocaine, to make you think they're not doing anything to you. So you sit there and because you have got all of that novocaine in your jaw, you suffer-peacefully. Blood running all down your jaw, and you don't know what is happening. Because someone has taught you to suffer - peacefully. The white man does the same thing to you in the street, when he wants to put knots on your head and take advantage of you and not have to be afraid of your fighting back. To keep you from fighting back, he gets all these old religiuos Uncle Toms to teach you and me, just like novocaine, to suffer peacefully. As Rev. Cleade pointed out, they say you should let your blood flow in the streets. This is a shame to him, you know what it is to me.." Malcom X., excerpt of speech.
ONE NIGERIA? Do You Really Know What It Is? Do you really think you want One Nigeria? Do you really know waht you are asking for? Do you know the FULL economic, political, military and cultural implications of the One Nigeria project for you, your family and ethnic group? Do you really think that it's in the interest of your ethnic group? Are you ready to pay ANY PRICE for the One Nigeria project? Do you want to know the full implications of the One Nigeria project before making any committments? Are you sure you will still want your ethnic group to be part of Nigeria, after finding out the implications? I want to set the tone of this article straight. The purpose of this article is not to convince you at any cost that the so called One Nigeria is not only against the economic, political, military and cultural interests of your family and ethnic group, but conduct an 'objective analysis' that will help you in making an 'informed and correct' decision. As far as I am concerned , maturity is about making informed and conscious decision, and taking full responsibility for them. However, please be aware of the fact that whatever decision you make today will determine the economic prosperity, cultural revival of your family, ethnic group and generations yet unborn. Most importantly, you need to understand that whatever decision you make today to support the One Nigeria project will be IRREVERSIBLE! You are faced with making a very important and historical decision that will have significant and lasting impact on your ethnic group and generations to come. But if I may seek your indulgence to fastforward my thoughts, I am convinced that if there is any southerner in support of the One Nigeria project, he or she either does not know the real implications for his ethnic group or is just being emotional, or both. Therefore, the primary purpose of this article, first and foremost, is to come to the aid of those who are ignorant, and enlighten them. As far as those who are ruled by emotion is concerned, all we can do for them, for now, is to ask them to see psychotherapists for treatment, before they get acquainted with our facts. I am convinced, beyond any reasonable doubts, that any 'well informed' southerner equipped with the full implications of One Nigeria, and in his right senses, will NEVER support this project that the north is desperate to sell to us at any cost. This article is not for this category of people, who are not only very much aware of the implications, but have as well vowed to do everything, or are already doing everything within their capability, to get out of the bondage and trap called 'Nigeria,'that was set for the southerners by the British to serve their selfish economic interest, at the detriment of the south. Therefore, this article is mainly for the 'doubting Thomases,' our fellow southern brothers and sisters; who are either still sitting on the fence or have not really given this very important and sensitive issue a very serious thought. This article has come to their aid. Moreover, we need to give this category of southerners 'the benefits of the doubts' by presenting our objective analysis to them. My aim in this is to let you SEE, and not just LOOK, because there is a BIG difference between mere looking and seeing. For example, you might be looking at something, say a picture, but overlook or not see a very important detail. My aim in this article is to let you HEAR, and not just LISTEN, for there is a significant difference too between the two. You might be listening to somebody, but not hear the key points of his speech, presentation or arguments. And finally, my aim in this article is to let you THINK along with me, and not just limit yourself to just SEEING and HEARING, because it's by thinking seriously about what you have seen and heard that you can make good analysis, which consequently leads to a better understanding of a problem. And a better understanding of a problem, in return, helps you to make informed and correct decisions that will have a lasting impact, all things being equal. The article will empower you with knowledge by connecting all the pieces together to form a complete and 'meaningful' picture in your brain. Raw data will be transformed into information, and the information in your possession, can easyly be converted into knowledge - which automatically equips you to make an informed and correct decision. And, as you are most likely aware, knowledge, correctly applied, is power. This has been proved over and over from time immemorial. For the sake of objectivity, all I need from you now is an OPEN MIND, no more, no less. I can convince you only if you want to be convonced. And, in order for me to convince you, it is of utmost importance for you not to just be open minded, but receptive to the information that I am about to present to you. This is the minimum requirement or prerequisite in order for you to get the maximum value from this article. Before reading further, may I please ask you to write on a sheet of paper 5 things that you want for yourself, your family and ethnic group. If properly done, youir wish list should contain 15 items or wishes. The wishes in each group or category may be the same. I want to remind you that this article is ver important for our discussion and analysis. Thank you for your understanding and co-operation. IS THIS THE NIGERIA THAT YOU WANT? IS THIS THE NIGERIA OF YOUR DREAM? The next exercise in our analysis is to answer 'Yes' or 'No' to all the following questions below. Don't just read and answer Yes or No quickly to the questions, pause over each question and try to think it over. Try to ask yourself why I have asked you this question. What is the motive? Doing that will give you a better understanding of the implication of each question. Please do not skip any of the questions. Some of the questions may resemle, but in actual fact they are different. Yes I understand that they are too many. I simply can't help it. Since we are dealing with a very important issue, we just can't afford to leave any stone unturned. In order to bring ALL the pieces together to form a complete and 'meaningful picture' in your brain, we are compelled to carry out a 'thorough analysis.' All the questions are mandatory and very important for our analysis. Finally, I also want to remind you, in case you have forgotten, or don't know, that the key to good analysis is not only in asking 'the right' questions, but providing or getting correct and unbiased and answers to them. Thank you again for your understanding and co-operation. So, here we go.
ARE YOU CONTENTED? YES OR NO? 1. Are you contented being ruled by incompetent, corrupt, visionless and morally bankrupt leaders? (Yes or No) 2. Do you think that it is fair to be passed over for a candidate that is much less qualified than you because he is from another ethnic group? 3. Are you in support of QUOTA SYSTEM which allows mediocres to occupy public posts despite the fact that there are much better candidates? 4. Are you ready to dash out 95% of your life earnings to strangers? 5. Do you agree to be paid just 5% of your life earnings without any cogent reason or justification? 6. Are you contented with the fact that the leading candidates in the last presidential election were Buhari, Atiku and Yaradua? 7. Are you contented living without regular supply of water despite the fact that Nigeria has some of the highest number of rivers in the world? 8. Are you contented living without regular power supply despite the fact that Nigeria is situated right at the equator and blessed with abundance of gas? 9. Are you contented with the fact that your land is being polluted my multinational oil companies without any repercussions? 10. Are you contented with the fact that the fish in your rivers are disappearing fast and already unedible because of pollution of your rivers by multinational oil companies? 11. Are you contented with the fact multinational oil companies pay Nigeria just 5% for drilling Nigeria's oil? 12. Are you contented with the fact that multinational oil companies and other foreign companies operating in Nigeria use different tax schemes, including offshore taxation to avoid paying Nigeria billions of dollars in taxes? 13. Are you contented with the fact that multinational oil companies import cooks, technicians, etc, to work in Nigeria despite the fact that the unemployment rate in Nigeria is very high? 14. Do you want Nigeria to continue to be ruled by incompetent retired military officers or/and mediocre civilian presidents? 15. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria has been ruled practically by people with military background? 16. Are you contented with the fact that Buhari,one of the 3 leading candidates in the last presidential election, overthrew Shehu Shagari,a democratically elected civilian president in 1983? 17. Are you contented with the fact Nigeria has been ruled since independence practically by northerners despite the fact there are many regions and ethnic groups in Nigeria? 18. Are you contented with the fact that power has been monopolised since independence practically by the north? 19. Are you contented living with Nigeria's fraudulent Constitution that deprives bonafide owners the right to the use of their land, mineral and human resources, first and foremost, for their own development? 20. Are you contented with the fact that the Senate president of Nigeria is a corrupt retired military officer despite the fact that |Nigeria is blessed with some of the best lawyers, with impeccable reputation, in the world? 21. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria uses QUOTA SYSTEM or ROTATION to choose her president, ministers, ambassadors, diplomats, news casters, scholarship students, directors of government parastals? 22. Are you contented with the way the last presidential election was conducted? 23. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua squandered millions of naira by flying to Germany to treat ordinary catarrh? 24. Are you contented with the fact that foreigners are predominantly employed by multinational oil companies despite the fact that there are many Nigerians who have all the necessary qualifications to do the same job, and the unemployment rate in the country is very high? 25. Are you contented with the fact that the probability of your ethnic group producing the president is infinitesimal or practically equal to zero despite the fact that you have more than enough people who are more than capable? 26. Are you contented with the fact that Nigerians live on less than $1 a day despite the abundance of mineral resources? 27. Are you contented with the fact that Buhari, one of the leading candidates in the last presidential election ignored the invitation of the Oputa panel to testify before it? 28. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria built a refinery in Kaduna, located almost at the edge of the country, while the oil field wells are located in the Niger delta, the opposite end of the country? 29. Are you contented with the fact that the major sectors of Nigeria's economy are dominated by mediocre foreign nationals despite the fact that Nigeria is blessed with some of the best brains in the world? 30. Are you contented with the fact that you pay exhorbitant price for petroleum, even more than countries without oil, despite the fact that Nigeria is ranked as the 6th largest exporter of crude oil in the world? 31. Are you contented with the fact that there is no adequate health care programm for you and your family despite the fact that Nigeria has made hundreds of billions of dollars from oil? 32. Are you contented with the fact that Atiku, one of the 3 leading candidates in the last presidential election, has his backgroung from the customs, which is considered as the second most corrupt government institution in Nigeria? 33. Are you contented with the fact that Atiku, one of the 3 leading candidates in the last presidential election, was allowed to stand for election despite the fact that he was publicly accused by his boss, Obasanjo, of corruption, and the country as a whole believes that he is corrupt? 34. Are you contented with the fact that Buhari, one of the leading candidates, in the last presidential election, has his background from the military, which is regarded as the most incompetent, corrupt, visionless and morally bankrupt government institution? 35. Are you contented with the fact that there is no adequate pension programme for you and your family? 36. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria has 35-39 ministers despite the fact that China, the most populated country in the world; Russia, the largest country in the world by land mass, the United States with the largest economy in the world run their respective economies much more effectively with much less number of ministers? 37. Are you contented with the fact that the average life span in Nigeria is a shocking 42.2 years despite the fact that it has made hundred of billions of dollars from oil? 38. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria does not have a single internationally acclaimed indigenous company? 39. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria does not have a single functioning infrastructure despite the hundreds of billions of dollars made from oil? 40. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria has not thought it fit to make provisions for you to vote wherever you may be outside Nigeria, as other semocratic countries have done for their citizens? 41. Are you contented with the history of Nigeria so far? 42. Are you contented with the fact that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians die every year from curable diseases because the Nigerian government has not invested in health care programmes? 43. Are you contented with the fact that thousands of highly qualified Nigerian medical personnels were compelled to leave Nigeria because the government has ruined the economy, and abandoned them to their faith? 44. Are you contented to be living abroad and developing the economies of other countries? 45. Are you contented with the fact that southerners are massacred on regular basis in the north, and the culprits always go scott free? 46. Are you contented with spending a fortune and risking your life travelling thousands of kilometers from your town/city to Abuja through dilapidated roads, in order to get one or two things done? 47. Are you contented with the fact that the north wants to force your ethnic group to live in Nigeria, a country that was carved out by the British without consulting nor seeking the consent of your ancestors? 48. Are you contented with the fact that for almost 50 years, Nigeria is still not capable of drilling her oil by herself despite the fact that countries like Iran and Venezuela, with a much less population than Nigeria, already have indigenous companies that are fully engaged in drilling the oil of their respective countries? 49. Are you contented with the fact that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians die yearly through car accidents due to dilapidated roads? 50. Are you contented with the fact that people like Babangida, alias evil genius, play the role of kingmakers and statesmen in Nigeria? 51. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua go to America, Britain and other western countries for a 'Road Map' on how to resolve internal political problems in Nigeria, despite the fact that the solutions to these problems are known? 52. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua is planning to give carte blanche to the United States to dislocate its military forces in Nigeria because of his, and the north's selfish political ambition? 53. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua approached the British, the country that colonised Nigeria and enslaved Nigerians, to fix Nigeria's police force despite the fact that he was a governor for 8 years, and there are Nigerians who are more than capable of handling this problem? 54. Are you contented with the fact that your ethnic group was not invited to participate fully and as equals in drawing the Constitution of Nigeria? 55. Are you contented with the fact that your ethnic group practically has no say in how the mineral resources on your territory are being mined or explored? 56. Are you contented with the fact that your ethnic group practically has no say in how the revenues generated from the exploration of the mineral resources on your territory are being spent? 57. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua has decided to labell those who are fighting for justice and control of their resources terrorists instead of sincerely admitting injustice, oppression, suppression, economic deprivation, and working out acceptable solutions with the victims? 58. Are you contented with the fact that the north has squandered billions of dollars of the Niger Delta's money on a white elephant project called 'Abuja' while the bonafide owners wallow in abject poverty? 59. Are you contented with the fact that there is always a dispute as regards to the real number of northerners whenever a census is conducted in Nigeria? 60. Are you contented with the fact that the north sells the economic interests of Nigeria to foreign companies and countries in order to maintain its hold/monopoly on power? 61. Are you contented with the fact that foreign spies operate freely in Nigeria? 62. Are you 100% sure that there won't be another military coup in Nigeria by the north? 63. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria is regarded as one of the most corrupt country in the world? 64. Are you contented with the fact that not a single former president has been charged and prosecuted for corruption despite the water proof evidence against them? 65. Are you contented with the fact that not a single governor nor minister has been charged and prosecuted for corruption despite the water proof evidence against them? 66. Are you contented with the fact the same clique has practically been ruling Nigeria for almost 40 years? 67. Are you ready to support the One Nigeria project with 95% of the resources of your ethnic group going to the development of the north, without getting anything in return? 68. Are you contented with the fact that the government has sold practically all major industries to their cronies and foreign companies for peanuts, under the disguise of better management? 69. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria has been living practically on oil for almost 50 years? 70. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria imports practically everything from tooth picks to planes? 71. Are you contented with the fact that uncountable number of Nigerian ladies engage in prostitution because the leaders have ruined the economy? 72. Are you contented with the fact that hundred of thousands of Nigerians, predominantly southerners, migrate from Nigeria every year in search of the green pastures which consequently lead to brain drain and the loss of their lives? 73. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria government is unable to protect you both inside and outside Nigeria? 74. Are you contented with the fact that not a single indigenous Nigerian company is in the Forbes list of 1000 largest companies in the world? 75. Are you contented with how Yaradua is handling the Niger delta crises so far? 76. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua reneged on his promise to call a Sovereign National Conference to discuss the political, economic and military relations among various ethnic groups in Nigeria? 77. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua always runs to foreigners to help him solve internal political, social, economic and military problems despite the fact that Nigeria is blessed with some of the best brains in the world, in different fields? 78. Are you contented with the general image of Nigeria? 79. Are you contented with te fact that some states in the north operate Sharia, or are planning to introduce it? 80. Do you feel completely safe in any part of Nigeria, especially in the north? 81. Are you contented with the fact that Sharia may be introduced all over Nigeria by the ruling cabal from the north? 82. Are you contented with the fact that the name Nigeria, was given to us by the British? 83. Are you contented with the fact that at least 25% of northerners who claim to be Nigerians are in actual fact not Nigerians, but from other African countries like Chad, Niger republic, Sudan, Somalia, etc? 84. Are you contented with the way Nigeria has been governed since independence? 85. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria is unable to make the best use of her extremely rich mineral and human resources because of bad leadership from the north and military respectively? 86. Are you contented with the fact that your generation, like other generations before you, is gradually turning into another WASTED generation? 87. Are you contented with the fact that the Nigerian government oppresses, suppresses and massacres innocent Nigerians at will, without any justification? 88. Are you contacted with the fact that there is no rule of law and functioning democratic institutions in Nigeria? 89. Are you contented with the fact that the Nigeria police and army have sent uncountable number of innocent able-bodied armless Nigerians to their early deaths instead of protecting them? 90. Are you contented with the fact that practically all the leaders of Nigeria come from the north, a region whose contribution to the economy of Nigeria is less than 10%? 91. Are you contented with the fact that the military has turned into an elite profession, if we take into consideration the fact that in most cases only drop-outs from the south used to join in the past? 92. Are you contented with the fact that the north always manipulate the rest of the country in order to achieve its selfish political, economic and military interests at the expense of the rest of the country? 93. Are you contented with the general situation of things in the Niger delta? 94. Are you contented with the fact that the government gave light complextioned Zimbabwean farmers 'free land' instead of investing in Nigerian farmers and creating incentives for them? 95. Are you contented with the fact that the government does not give you a full report on how it spends public money put in its custody by the citizens? 96. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua meets with former governors acussed of corruption? 97. Are you contented with the fact that under the present political system, it is practically impossible for you to choose a competent, uncorrupt leader with vision? 98. Are you contented with how Yaradua emerged as the presidential flag beare of his party? 99. Are you contented with the fact that Yaradua talks all the time about rule of law despite irrespective of the fact that he emerged president of Nigeria in the worst and most fraudulent election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria? 100. Are you contented with the fact that the police stationed on your territory neither speak your local language nor know anything about the culture and tradition of your ethnic group? 101. Are you contented with the fact that whenever you make a stress or emergency call to the police for help, nobody comes to your aid, and you are abandoned to face your agony alone? 102. Are you contented with the fact that the Senate, house of representatives, ambassadors, ministers, senior government officials consist largely of corrupt, incompetent, visionless and morally bankrupt retired military officers? 103. Are you contented with the fact that retired military officers often violate traffic rules in Nigeria without any repercussions? 104. Are you conducted with the fact that the government squanders billions of dollars, put in its custody, on the military, without giving you any account? 105. Are you contented with the fact that the military government headed by northerners decided to squander billions of dollars on building a new capital in Abuja, 'from scratch' without conducting a referendum? 106. Are you contented with the fact that the only official language in Nigeria is english, a colonial language, and does not include your mother tongue, unlike in South Africa, where major local languages have the status of official language like English? 107. Are you contented with the fact that the Nigerian government used your name and the mineral resources of your ethnic group to billions of dollars from the World Bank, IMF, Paris Club, etc. but did not spend the money on the promised projects, and embezzled it instead? 108. Are you contented with the fact that your ethnic group was forced to be part of Nigeria by the British without any referendum? 109. Are contented with the fact that Nigeria was carved out in Berlin by the British, with your ethnic group included, without any preliminary negotiations and approval of your ethnic group? 110. Are you contented with the fact that the governor of your state was rigged into power by the ruling party? 111. Are you contented with the fact that a large number of senators, members of house representatives were rigged into the senate and house of reps. by the ruling party? 112. Are you contented with the fact that the government squanders millions of dollars put in its custody on unnecessary and uneffective public relations and propaganda abroad when this money could have been used to better the lives of millions of Nigerians? 113. Are you contented with the fact that the government squanders millions of dollars on mediocre foreign consultants despite the fact that there are better qualified Nigerians who are capable of doing the jobs better and cheaper? 114. Are you proud of ALL the leaders that have ruled Nigeria since independence? 115. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria may be a FAILED STATE sooner or later because of bad leadership from the north and military? 116. Do you think that your ethnic group is obliged to sacrifice its mineral and human resources to develop the north without getting ANYTHING in return? 117. Are you contented with the fact that your ethnic group has been sacrificing her mineral and human resources to develope the north without getting anything in return? 118. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria is now a country where nobody wishes to spend his or her honeymoon despite the fact that it produces 2.6 million barrels of sweet crude everyday? 119. Are you contented with the fact that the more money Nigeria earns from oil, the poorer Nigerians become? 120. Are you contented with the fact that very little of the oil revenues make its way to those who need it most? 121. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria's oil has produced more jobs for Europeans and Americans than for Nigerians? 122. Are you contented with the fact that foreigners get the best jobs in Nigeria despite the fact that there are countless number of Nigerians who are better qualified, and the unemployment rate in the country is very high? 123. Are you contented with the fact that Nigerians are murdered on a regular basis by the governments of other countries and the Nigerian government has never taken up any of the cases seriously? 124. Are you contented with the fact that the leading political party in Nigeria, PDP, is synonymous with lawlessness, bringandage, banditry, brazen undemocratic practises, corruption, thuggery, assassinations, harassment of opponents, the mizzling of the media and atrocities against innocent Nigerians? 125. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria adopts other countries' constitutions instead of working out her own constitution that takes into consideration her own peculiarity, and acceptable to all ethnic groups? 126. Are you contented with the fact that whenever a southerner is lucky to be offered a job in the north, he is forced to sign a humiliating employment contract as if he is working in a foreign country? 127. Are you contented with the rude treatment you get whenever you arrive at Nigeria's airports? 128. Are you contented with the fact that major construction contracts go to Indians, Lebanese, Palestinians and other foreigners despite the fact that there are competent Nigerian companies capable of handling such projects? 129. Are you contented with the fact that goods worth billions of dollars are smuggled into Nigeria because of corrupt government officials? 130. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeriaq losses billions of dollars in taxes every year because of smuggled goods? 131. Are you contented with the fact that smuggled goods render made in Nigeria goods uncompetitive and eventually lead to the bankruptcy of indigenous companies? 132. Are you contented with the fact that Nigerian government enters into different business deals with foreign companies and countries that are against the economic interests of your ethnic group, the south, and Nigeria at large? 133. Are you contented with the fact that the 3 leading candidates in the last presidential election all came from the north? 134. Are you contented with the fact that one of the 3 leading candidates in the last presidential election, Buhari, has his background from the military which is regarded as the most corrupt, incompetent, visionless and morally bankrupt government institution in Nigeria? 135. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria has been a SLEEPING GIANT for almost 50 years and may NEVER wake up from her slumber given the present political, economic systems and bad leadership? 136. Are contented with the fact that Nigeria is littered with corrupt, incompetent, visionless and morally bankrupt government institutiomns? 137. Are you contented with the fact that all the major security posts in Nigeria are held by northerners? 138. Are you contented with the fact that the Nigerian government dishes out oil wells to her cronies and foreigners for peanuts? 139. Are you contented with the fact that most of the owners of the oil wells on your territory are practically from other ethnic groups, especially from the north? 140. Are you contented with the fact that Nigerian universities and education in general are badly funded? 141. Are you contented with the fact that politicians send their children to the most expensive schools abroad to study, from stolen money, while Nigerian schools and universities are purposely deprived of adequate funding? 142. Are you contented with the fact that there is no single Nigerian university among the list of first 3000 universities in the world? 143. Are you contented with the fact that politicians spend public money to undergo casual medical check-up abroad while millions of Nigerians die every year from curable diseases? 144. Do you know the meaning of the word Nigeria? 145. Are you contented with the fact that the whole of Nigeria's economy is less than 60% of South Africa's economy despite the fact that South Africa's population is at least twice lesser than that of Nigeria, and has lived under apartheid for decades? 146. Are you contented with the fact that majority of Nigerian ambassadors are retired military officers who are mainly from the north? 147. Are you contented with the fact that most of Nigerian diplomats remind one of office clerks back in Nigeria instead of professionals in all sense of the word? 148. Are you contented with the fact that Nigeria, a country with a population of 140 million, does not have a single indigenous automobile company, while Asian countries like Iran, Korea, e.t.c. with much less population not only already export their cars but compete with favourably with western car makers? 149. Are you contented with the fact that many Asian countries that were much poorer than Nigeria at independence are now not only much richer than Nigeria but even compete with western countries practically in all spheres? 150. Are you ready to support the One Nigeria project at ANY COST to you, your family and ethnic group? 151. Do you think that your ethnic group has a fair deal within Nigeria? 152. Do you, your family and ethnic group have a COMPLETE SENSE OF BELONGING as Nigerians? As you can testify yourself from the above questions that you have just answered, Nigeria's problems are just too ENORMOUS! How many NOS and YES are in your answers? Let me tryb to guess your answers. If you are 'normal' then I assume that you answered NO to practically all the above questions. Undoubtedly, only a sadist or a northerner will answer Yes to the questions posed above. Now, let me ask you again just one but very important question. After answering those questions above, do you still want to support the 'anti-development,' 'loopsided,' One Nigeria project that the north is desperate to sell to us at all cost? If you answer in the affirmative, then please be aware of the fact that all the NOS that you gave as answers to those questions above will 'automatically' turn into 'YES.' Why? Because you, your family and ethnic group have been compelled to live or put up with those problems posed in form of questions since independence. Therefore, if you answer Yes or approve the One Nigeria project, what you are saying in essence is that you, your family, ethnic group and generations unborn are ready to continue living with those problems FOREVER in order to keep Nigeria one. In otherwords, by supporting the One Nigeria project, what you are inferring is that you, your family and ethnic group are contented living in the bondage called 'One Nigeria' till the kingdom of God comes simply because the probability of solving the above problems in One Nigeria is practicaqlly equal to zero! How I came to this bitter but correct conclusion will be explained to you in details later. It is very important for you to be aware of this fact or the consequence of supporting the One Nigeria project. The last exercise that we are going to carry out for our analysis also involves answering some questions. However, this time around the questions are much less in number than in the previous exercise. 1. After answering the 150 questions above, are you ready to have a rethink as regards to your support for the One Nigeria project? 2. What is the probability that given the present political and economic situation and system that presently operate in Nigeria, and the 152 questions posed above, your 15 wishes that you wrote on paper will ever be met or fulfilled? 3. Do you want a solution to the above problems now or do you want your children, great great great grand children and ethnic group in general to wait for another 1000 years in order to get the above problems solved in the name of keeping Nigeria one? 4. If breaking up Nigeria will solve most or all of the 152 problems above, are you ready to support the idea of breaking up Nigeria? 5. If breaking up Nigeria will make you, your family and ethnic group live 'at least' 10 times better than now in the next 10 years, are you ready to support the break up of Nigeria now? 6. If breaking up Nigeria will make you, your family and ethnic group live much safer and longer in the next 10 years, are you ready to support the break up of Nigeria now? As you can bear witness, basically, I have only asked you questions. In part 2 of this article, I will present to you in details my arguments in justification of my support for the break-up of Nigeria or why I am TOTALLY AGAINST the One Nigeria project that the north is trying to sell at all cost. Thank you for being with me so far. TO BE CONTINUED...
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