The Nigerian Village Square - Leadership: Merit or Ethnicity?

Leadership: Merit or Ethnicity?

Written by Ikechi Udegbunam Chukwunonye

Sunday, 24 December 2006

Leadership: Merit or Ethnicity?

Ikechi Udegbunam Chukwunonye

WHERE there are any two humans, there would most likely be division. Whether they are related by birth, ethnicity or race or not. Between North and South, rich and poor, tall and short. If a Nigerian, whose ethnic affiliation leans towards another by way of language and culture, tells you, that, he is related to you ethnically, do not listen to him. Run way from him. It is all flatteries. Deep within him, it is a superficial sentiment that serves no real purpose and wouldn't hinder him from plunging a knife into you at opportunity. When time for politics arises or when push comes to shove, he would be your staunchest foe. He would whip up anti-ethnic sentiments against you.

I was speaking to someone once when the topic of ethnicity in Nigerian leadership came up. I spoke about the importance of seeing people on the basis of their input or integrity rather than their origin. He eyes bulged. 'They would cut you down to half. You'd to have your own man up there!' His eyes snarled. Sadly, his conviction mirrors the views of most if not all Nigerians.

In Nigeria, many people consider ethnicity to be as important as leadership. But can we carry on forever on this pedestal? We should bow out from ethnic considerations and move into ability. Looking at leaders according to their measure. One would have expected leadership to be consigned solely to the best, the strongest, the fittest. To the one who is able to captain the ship through thick and thin; but in modern day Nigeria, it is a mirage.

We have had a nation for 46 years and the old ghost of ethnicity continues to hunt us. The president or leader of Nigeria carries with him, his entire ethnic group, albeit unintentionally; thrown to him by the bent, sully world of our leadership. His every action is interpreted on the basis of his ethnic group. Till today, ethnic groups are still pilloried for the actions of their own in pre and post independence. This is not making a case for corruption but soliciting a universal acceptance of responsibility. When they talk or write condescendingly about these leaders, it is usually a smokescreen to defame their ethnic groups. Infact, there is no such country as Nigeria .

What we have are hamlets of ethnicities strewn apart by division and held together by the thread of hypocrisy. Whatever action he does is framed and seen on ethnic lines. Never my own, it belongs to them, they say. It is in this nonsensical cry that breeds schizophrenic escapism from responsibility and fuels selfish agitation for leadership. The president's people nay any leader's come into stereotypical light. The leader's people take the heat; the bad mouth for the actions of a man they had no chioce in installing. But this is Nigeria, where the idea of unity is a concept of imagination.

Pity an Onitsha man, today, who insists his people took off from the old Benin kingdom and landed in their present day location. He may be correct in his belief, but in today's Nigeria , he would be seen as Igbo because his outlook in terms of language and culture are steeped in Igbo tradition. He may have 500 years of oral history to back up his assertions, but it would still not wash . He may trace his Obi Kingship lineage all the way to a rebel Benin Eze Chima, who led an insurrection against an iron-fist Benin king and journeyed into the wild blue yonder, landing amongst the Igbos in the East; and over years, shed their language and culture.

All these may be true, afterall, America today, is historically a conglomeration of European ethnic groups, amongst others. At different periods in its history--French ,Spanish, Danish etc were spoken; but today most Americans speak English. Nnamdi Azikiwe, in one of his books emphasized the origins of his people, the Onitshas, in clear terms, to be one of Old Benin ancestry. But this would not sell for a mile, even though he spoke Hausa and Yoruba just as good as the natives, perhaps even more than he did the Igbo language.

The question is: how long would we tarry on this narrow road? Isn't it time we embrace a system that emphasizes qualities and downplays ethnicity? Haven't we come of age? If not, when? How long? So what if one ethnic group holds presidency for 6000 years? Should that matter? This all boils down to the unity question that calls into question our compactness as a nation.

The fact is that in Nigeria , there is little or no unity anywhere, both at state and national level. States that are predominantly monoethnic are fractured along sub-ethnic lines; while states that have a large stock of indigenous mixture of ethnic groups divide along tribal lines. And so people grow out of this narrow prism and become pests at national level. At state level, they clamor for governorship. They argue that only governorship would bring succor to the morass of decadence plaguing their land.

The fact is until Nigeria enthrones a system of meritocracy; a system where the best assumes leadership irrespective of origin, we would continue to be held down by mediocrity and never rise up. We must insist on substance. The experience. The ability to lead a vast ship of state like Nigeria's, surely demands more than the feeble requests of ethnicity; an able determination, is what we need.Take for example our various states .They have received millions in revenue but tales of corruption come back more swiftly than development .

Consistent rioting mostly hinged on ethnicity has served to strengthen ethnic awareness in Nigeria.Infact, shortly after the return of democracy in 1999, at least 5 riots broke out within that year :Shagamu riot, Ketu/mile 12 riot,Bodija riot,Ajegunle riot and the Kano riot.Since then we have had other riots including the recent upheaval in Maiduguri which claimed hundreds of lives.

Since 1960, we have had 12 different rulers. Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, became prime minister before independence and retained power after independence till 1966. Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi, became the military ruler of Nigeria following the 1966 coup in which Balewa was killed.A counter coup in 1966 led to the emergence of Yakubu Gowon, the chief of army staff.Gowon's government was dethroned in 1975 by a coup that saw Brigadier General Murtala Muhammad emerge as military ruler. However, his reign would be short-lived.

A bloody coup led to his death and Lieutenant Olusegun Obasanjo took over the reigns of power. Alhaji Shehu Shagari's--a minister in Nigeria 's First Republic ---emergence in 1976, following a general election marked the end of 13 years of military rule.On the new year's eve of 1983, a much appreciated coup that disposed the Shagari government--reviled for corruption--brought in Muhammadu Buhari. However, in 1983, his Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Babangida, ousted him in a bloodless coup. Babangida resigned on August 27, 1993.

Chief Ernest Shonekan replaced him in a short-lived government. On November 17, 1993, General Sani Abacha, Shonekan's vice president and Babaginda's defense minister overthrew him. At the age of 54, Abacha died on June 8, 1998. General Abdulsalami Abubakar, assumed power. On May 29, 1999, former military ruler, General Olusegun Obasanjo returned to power again, breaking the chains of 15 years of military rule.

Of all these, all, apart from Obasanjo ,Shonekan and Ironsi--and depending on what you believe Muritala--are Northerners.Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe was ceremonial president from 1963, following the proclamation of republic; he was disposed in the military coup of January 15,1966. Muritala's origin has been a subject of controversy. Some people say that he's an Auchi man,a group found natively in today's Edo State. So as the argument runs, Northerners should take the backseat and allow Southerners assume the reign of leadership because they have had a 'monopoly of government.' This argument fails to take into consideration Southerners who aided in the various governments.

Ethnic based organizations emphasize our fractured existence as a nation. At the heart of this matter is the problem that has held Nigeria down since independence. My dream Nigeria , is a place, where personality, achievement and hardwork triumph over any undeserving consideration for leadership. Where the struggle for altruistic leadership outmatches any base consideration. Frequently, our news reports blare with reports of people/bodies making sectarian claims to presidency . To them, the solution lies in a figure with the same ethnicity. But I ask a question: What has indigenous rule done for us in past 7 years of democracy? You would have thought arguments for leadership would be made on the grounds of merit rather than ethnicity; but in Nigeria , you would most likely be seen as a fool for espousing such 'myopic' position.

PDP's recent adoption of Governor Umaru Musa Yar'Adua as its presidential flag bearer, has not been excluded from ethnic interpretations; imputed to the president.

Surely, the need to move towards a Nigeria, where ability reigns, should take central focus; as a way forward .The vain structuring of Nigeria on ethnic lines,North/South divide elevates mediocrities to tribal relevance. People who are caged eternally to their little fiefdoms .Different groups have lived together across ethnic lines and areas and share great tradition together, but close perception blurs it.

The days of selfish, nauseating, sectarian demands for governance must never factor in any way! There should be a collective, sharing of responsibility in government; where everybody holds hands. Failure and success should be partitioned in equal measure. We must sound the death knell on ethnic or regional apportionment of blames for the failings of our country. All of us through our actions and inactions have contributed to the problems bedeviling Nigeria. Not one ethnic group is immune.

Usually, an innocent description of North and South should take no more than a vanishing brush, but in Nigeria, it is pregnant with meanings mired in prejudice. Though at the moment most of our revenue come from oil-producing communities in the South, it by no means reveals a dearth of resources in North. Apart from a huge land mass, they boast of large deposits of soild minerals including mica kaolin, columbite ,zircon ,clay cassiterite, and limestone, Beryl (Emerald, Aquamarine and Heliodor).These solid minerals are found in Nasarawa State, located next to Abuja, the federal capital. It is no wonder, the state is nicknamed, the home of solid minerals in Nigeria. These minerals have various industrial uses. Iron ore, for example is used to make cast iron, wrought iron, steel for various uses. The yardstick for regional description is based on ridiculous fautlines and does not conform to thorough geographical delineations, but a vain show.

Some say that due to the 'peculiar' history of Nigeria, we must make ethnic concessions to inspire a sense of belonging in the country. This postulation ignorantly or deliberately fosters and strengthens ethnic consciousness and fails to balance with nation-structuring indices. Underdevelopment cannot be offloaded by ethnicity. We must probe for substance and settle for no less!

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Robot Robot is offline
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	# 1 W...Read the full article. Posted by Robot\| 24.12.2006 17:04

akuluouno akuluouno is offline
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	# 2 Dear Ikechi, The problem with any historical analysis of Nigeria,s development is that post independence Nigeria history riddled with different interpretations akin to the blind men who were taken to feel an elephant and proffer their descriptions. Having said that, let me quickly state that ethnicity or tribal identity is not bad in itself. Prof Okwudibia Nnoli in his landmark book, "Ethnic Politics in Nigeria" earlier anticipated all that you have said. I remember an industrialist in Nigeria who was accused of not refelcting federal character in his company by a very close friend. The man turned to the friend and told him that it is only in govt businesses that FC prevails but that in his company, his priority is profit and as such he cannot compromise on merit. I agree withyou that we need to strike a balance. Posted by akuluouno\| 25.12.2006 07:42

nero africanus nero africanus is offline
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	# 3 part of these problem of ethnicity comes from the fact that too many are looking for too few jobs. for instance i remember , a burial i attended in my village in the early 1990s this old generation civil servant WHo had worked as a civil servant for years and in his eulogy , and tributes what i did not see was that he had served nigeria well. it was full of the fact that he had given employment to a lot of people in the village. for them that was very important and all they deemed fit to remember the man for . definitely this fellow did not recruit by merit but by whatever. part of the problem is that if he had not done it , his people will say this this useless man he was in a posItion of authority he did not employ ANYBODY FROM THIS VILLAGE. THE WORST PART IS THAT becuase of our attachement to our roots, the opinion of these people who are just interested in self preservation matter to us . these is where laws come into play laws which cannot be violated. finally , ethnicity can be destroyed with laws, amendments to the constitution and a strong judiciary . obj never deemed this important in nation building , all that was important was the stupid reform. reform to free market in a lawless countrty like nigeria will lead the the worst exploitation the world had ever seen.......... Posted by nero africanus\| 25.12.2006 17:59

Obugi Obugi is offline
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	# 4 nero, =nero africanus;145559>part of these problem of ethnicity comes from the fact that too many are looking for too few jobs. for instance i remember , a burial i attended in my village in the early 1990s this old generation civil servant WHo had worked as a civil servant for years and in his eulogy , and tributes what i did not see was that he had served nigeria well. it was full of the fact that he had given employment to a lot of people in the village. for them that was very important and all they deemed fit to remember the man for . definitely this fellow did not recruit by merit but by whatever. part of the problem is that if he had not done it , his people will say this this useless man he was in a posItion of authority he did not employ ANYBODY FROM THIS VILLAGE. THE WORST PART IS THAT becuase of our attachement to our roots, the opinion of these people who are just interested in self preservation matter to us . these is where laws come into play laws which cannot be violated. finally , ethnicity can be destroyed with laws, amendments to the constitution and a strong judiciary . obj never deemed this important in nation building , all that was important was the stupid reform. reform to free market in a lawless countrty like nigeria will lead the the worst exploitation the world had ever seen.......... Now, this is impressive reasoning, Nero. A good insight into the relationship between ethnicity and corruption or maybe inefficiency. The question as always is, who will do the work? Does the Nigerian govt have the legitimacy to operate a fair system of laws? Will enforcing the law include giving the peoples of the Niger Delta ownership of their oil wells? You don try. I raise hand for you, jare. But wait O.....what is wrong with ethnicity? I mean, the French and Germans are ethnicities......do you think they should be destroyed too, or just African ethnicities? Mmmmmmh:icon_ques Obugi. Posted by Obugi\| 25.12.2006 21:11

nero africanus nero africanus is offline
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	# 5 Will enforcing the law include giving the peoples of the Niger Delta ownership of their oil wells? the oils in the niger delta ..........the oil.........the problem of the niger delta is the problem of the entire nigeria . it is like every other problem in the entire country , negligence by leaders. but the way i see it, what exactly will the nigeria delta do with the resources control if they are offered are they going to pay taxes to the federal govt like they do in texas. or do they want the entire thing. if they want the entire thing then thats a problem. cos some people will have homes where american dollars will be used as wall paper.the money will be that much. first of all 13 percent oil derivation came, they used it for nothing corrupt governors took it away. so with resource control, how will they know they are not just fighting for one man who will take everything away like odili and aly, because he is their governor. so you see why i say we are all together in this You don try. I raise hand for you, jare. But wait O.....what is wrong with ethnicity? I mean, the French and Germans are ethnicities......do you think they should be destroyed too, or just African ethnicities? Mmmmmmh:icon_ques you may want to know obugi, that in rwanda there is nothing like a hutsi or a tutsi anymore , only rwandan. it has become a crime to allude to the so called ethnicity of rwandans. in a place as multi ethnic as nigeria , who have gone thru what nigerians have gone thru , in the interst of peace , ethnicity need to be de emphasisied a typical example is the people on nvs who only indulge in finger pointing ethnic hating and bashing . influencing readers that silent majority who dont contribute anything who most dont even know are here. they simply need to be gagged because of the influence they have on others. the media is apowerful tool and it is always with the media that ewthnic cleansing is propagated. french and german ethnicities are there but they are different countries so it helps . in those countries they foster homogeniety to help national integration.a black kid whos parents are from cameroun is told that he is french by identity , culture and otherwise so in essense within the french ethnic group nation integration is fostered to help nation building........ Posted by nero africanus\| 26.12.2006 07:56

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	# 6 nero, but the way i see it, what exactly will the nigeria delta do with the resources control if they are offered are they going to pay taxes to the federal govt like they do in texas. or do they want the entire thing. First of all, did the people of the Niger Delta consent to being included in Nigeria? :lol: Do you know that a lot of States in America voted of their own free will to join the Union? Even taxes shouldn't be a problem, as long as everyone pays. If there is a 10% income/wealth tax, then owners of oil wells will be taxed ten percent, and cocoa/oil palm tree owners will also give up 10%. As it is today, the ONLY people whose wealth is being shared is the people of the Delta. if they want the entire thing then thats a problem. cos some people will have homes where american dollars will be used as wall paper.the money will be that much Wow, this Nero, you sure want those petro dollars bad. Didn't the Bible say not to covet thy neighbours property or somesuch? See, even God is not on your side. Suppose the Fed Govt goes to your home village, drives everyone out at gun point and takes the land for farming, without paying you comparabe compensation. Would you still be singing this song? Or say a gold mine is discovered under your village tomorrow and the govt nationalizes it, will your opinion change? As for corrupt governors, give them their wealth first.....if they want they can throw it into the ocean, none of our business. the oils in the niger delta ..........the oil.........the problem of the niger delta is the problem of the entire nigeria . it is like every other problem in the entire country , negligence by leaders. No, no, no.....not that dodge again. Those leaders, aren't they Nigerians? The problem is all the people of Nigeria like you who want FREE education, FREE roads, FREE healthcare, SUBSIDIZED phone service, below market price petrol, FREE govt jobs......all paid for by stolen petrol from the Delta. you may want to know obugi, that in rwanda there is nothing like a hutsi or a tutsi anymore , only rwandan. it has become a crime to allude to the so called ethnicity of rwandans. Really. You know, in the Soviet Union it was also a crime to refer to the ethnic groups.....like Russia, Ukrainian or Azerberjani. Law can't beat nature. Theres also laws against theft, but theres theft everyday. In Turkey today it is a crime to be religious. We'll see who'll win. in a place as multi ethnic as nigeria , who have gone thru what nigerians have gone thru , in the interst of peace , ethnicity need to be de emphasisied a typical example is the people on nvs who only indulge in finger pointing ethnic hating and bashing . influencing readers that silent majority who dont contribute anything who most dont even know are here. they simply need to be gagged because of the influence they have on others. the media is apowerful tool and it is always with the media that ewthnic cleansing is propagated. So now you want to curb freedom of speech. Hmmmm. french and german ethnicities are there but they are different countries so it helps . in those countries they foster homogeniety to help national integration.a black kid whos parents are from cameroun is told that he is french by identity , culture and otherwise Good point. Now if living together in one country is causing so much wahala, why aren't you advocating separation? Or let me ask it differently. If homogeneity seems to be working for the Germans & French, and we have fairly homogenous groups in Nigeria, why aren't you advocating the split of Nigeria into homogenous groups? The Yoruba for one have a pretty good basis for forming a homogenous ethnic nation, don't you think? Why is FORCING different ethnic nations to live together in "HARMONY" :lol: your preferred solution? Care to explain that one? Get Yours! Obugi. Posted by Obugi\| 26.12.2006 10:33

nero africanus nero africanus is offline
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	# 7 =Obugi;145637>nero, First of all, did the people of the Niger Delta consent to being included in Nigeria? :lol: Do you know that a lot of States in America voted of their own free will to join the Union? Even taxes shouldn't be a problem, as long as everyone pays. If there is a 10% income/wealth tax, then owners of oil wells will be taxed ten percent, and cocoa/oil palm tree owners will also give up 10%. As it is today, the ONLY people whose wealth is being shared is the people of the Delta. Wow, this Nero, you sure want those petro dollars bad. Didn't the Bible say not to covet thy neighbours property or somesuch? See, even God is not on your side. Suppose the Fed Govt goes to your home village, drives everyone out at gun point and takes the land for farming, without paying you comparabe compensation. Would you still be singing this song? Or say a gold mine is discovered under your village tomorrow and the govt nationalizes it, will your opinion change? As for corrupt governors, give them their wealth first.....if they want they can throw it into the ocean, none of our business. No, no, no.....not that dodge again. Those leaders, aren't they Nigerians? The problem is all the people of Nigeria like you who want FREE education, FREE roads, FREE healthcare, SUBSIDIZED phone service, below market price petrol, FREE govt jobs......all paid for by stolen petrol from the Delta. Really. You know, in the Soviet Union it was also a crime to refer to the ethnic groups.....like Russia, Ukrainian or Azerberjani. Law can't beat nature. Theres also laws against theft, but theres theft everyday. In Turkey today it is a crime to be religious. We'll see who'll win. So now you want to curb freedom of speech. Hmmmm. Good point. Now if living together in one country is causing so much wahala, why aren't you advocating separation? Or let me ask it differently. If homogeneity seems to be working for the Germans & French, and we have fairly homogenous groups in Nigeria, why aren't you advocating the split of Nigeria into homogenous groups? The Yoruba for one have a pretty good basis for forming a homogenous ethnic nation, don't you think? Why is FORCING different ethnic nations to live together in "HARMONY" :lol: your preferred solution? Care to explain that one? Get Yours! Obugi. i don vex , obugi, i dey go sharp my mouth no worry i dey come Posted by nero africanus\| 27.12.2006 06:00

nero africanus nero africanus is offline
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	# 8 First of all, did the people of the Niger Delta consent to being included in Nigeria? Do you know that a lot of States in America voted of their own free will to join the Union? Even taxes shouldn't be a problem, as long as everyone pays. If there is a 10% income/wealth tax, then owners of oil wells will be taxed ten percent, and cocoa/oil palm tree owners will also give up 10%. As it is today, the ONLY people whose wealth is being shared is the people of the Delta. America and Nigeria is not the same thing So that comparison is out of place, we existed as small communities with the exception of the Benin, sokoto caliphate. If we are sincere to ourselves we will realize that these secession issue is like an open wound which is only been made worse by bad , corrupt and incompetent governance. We cannot live as those communities any more because one they will be too tiny , and how are you sure I want to be with my community , maybe I want a republic for just my family only those related to me by blood. How is that. Why don’t we talk about greater self rule within the confines of the Nigeria project. Where the local policies make and have more impact that the decisions in abj. In any case only the Niger deltas are in a position to succeed as a result of the oil they possess. Nigeria produces nothing and everybody is dependent on the Niger delta oil and they need to be weaned off it. This can be done with good governance and reintroduction of taxes. Wow, this Nero, you sure want those petro dollars bad. Didn't the Bible say not to covet thy neighbors property or somesuch? See, even God is not on your side. Suppose the Fed Govt goes to your home village, drives everyone out at gun point and takes the land for farming, without paying you comparabe compensation. Would you still be singing this song? Or say a gold mine is discovered under your village tomorrow and the govt nationalizes it, will your opinion change? As for corrupt governors, give them their wealth first.....if they want they can throw it into the ocean, none of our business. Honestly, obugi, you are reading me out of context , im not coveting the oil im just stating the obvious . I have a feeling there is some oil in your village and that is the reason why you are this hyper sensitive , that is not to say we should not be. What the niger delta has gone thru is terrible. There is no denying that but countries like Norway have oil as well and the same method of sharing is used , only they don’t emerge worse off like the niger delta has been forced to by Nigeria. It is supposed to be welfarism not exploitation which at present , is what it is. No, no, no.....not that dodge again. Those leaders, aren't they Nigerians? The problem is all the people of Nigeria like you who want FREE education, FREE roads, FREE healthcare, SUBSIDIZED phone service, below market price petrol, FREE govt jobs......all paid for by stolen petrol from the Delta. We had these things before the oil became an issue so what are you on about ? granted it was not completely free but it was subsidized so what exactly are you talking about ? I tell you this obugi , under somebody’s watch they allowed the economy to crumble and become completely dependent on oil . if it had not been for the ***s , the niger delta would have fared the way they have. Subsidized services is the reason why we pay taxes So now you want to curb freedom of speech. Hmmmm. Ok obugi, Go to the city centre tomorrow and proclaim the holocaust did not happen after all you have freedom of speech . And we shall see how long you shall be away from the nvs. Even the most democratic of countries they have anti sedition laws and anti incitement laws. There are limits to freedom of speech. Why don’t you go into a shopping mall and verbally assault any Caucasian you see, tell them they’ve got no skin pigments and are actually inferior . Let’s see if your freedom of speech will let you come home without a visit to the big house Good point. Now if living together in one country is causing so much wahala, why aren't you advocating separation?......... Why is FORCING different ethnic nations to live together in "HARMONY" your preferred solution? Care to explain that one? It is not causing any wahala, bad governance is ……………………… the time has come for the black man to take his destiny in his own hands i must see the grand awakening of the black man in my life time nero africanus Posted by nero africanus**\| 27.12.2006 10:46

Vaya con Dios Vaya con Dios is offline
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	# 9 =nero africanus;145830>America and Nigeria is not the same thing So that comparison is out of place, we existed as small communities with the exception of the Benin, sokoto caliphate. If we are sincere to ourselves we will realize that these secession issue is like an open wound which is only been made worse by bad , corrupt and incompetent governance. We cannot live as those communities any more because one they will be too tiny , and how are you sure I want to be with my community , maybe I want a republic for just my family only those related to me by blood. How is that. Why don’t we talk about greater self rule within the confines of the Nigeria project. Where the local policies make and have more impact that the decisions in abj. In any case only the Niger deltas are in a position to succeed as a result of the oil they possess. Nigeria produces nothing and everybody is dependent on the Niger delta oil and they need to be weaned off it. This can be done with good governance and reintroduction of taxes. Honestly, obugi, you are reading me out of context , im not coveting the oil im just stating the obvious . I have a feeling there is some oil in your village and that is the reason why you are this hyper sensitive , that is not to say we should not be. What the niger delta has gone thru is terrible. There is no denying that but countries like Norway have oil as well and the same method of sharing is used , only they don’t emerge worse off like the niger delta has been forced to by Nigeria. It is supposed to be welfarism not exploitation which at present , is what it is. We had these things before the oil became an issue so what are you on about ? granted it was not completely free but it was subsidized so what exactly are you talking about ? I tell you this obugi , under somebody’s watch they allowed the economy to crumble and become completely dependent on oil . if it had not been for the ****s , the niger delta would have fared the way they have. Subsidized services is the reason why we pay taxes Ok obugi, Go to the city centre tomorrow and proclaim the holocaust did not happen after all you have freedom of speech . And we shall see how long you shall be away from the nvs. Even the most democratic of countries they have anti sedition laws and anti incitement laws. There are limits to freedom of speech. Why don’t you go into a shopping mall and verbally assault any Caucasian you see, tell them they’ve got no skin pigments and are actually inferior . Let’s see if your freedom of speech will let you come home without a visit to the big house It is not causing any wahala, bad governance is ……………………… the time has come for the black man to take his destiny in his own hands i must see the grand awakening of the black man in my life time nero africanus My brother, I agree with you 100 and 10 per cent on this one. Abeg, clap for yahself o jare!:biggrin: Other oil-producing countries like Venezula, Norway, Kuwait & co. do not have the same problems in their own oil-producing districts, like we do in ours'. Why? They have managed their oil revenues properly & used it to develop all parts of their nation. Good management is the answer, not seccession! Posted by Vaya con Dios*\| 04.01.2007 11:53

Obugi Obugi is offline
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	# 10 Vaya, =Vaya con Dios;147159>My brother, I agree with you 100 and 10 per cent on this one. Abeg, clap for yahself o jare!:biggrin: Other oil-producing countries like Venezula, Norway, Kuwait & co. do not have the same problems in their own oil-producing districts, like we do in ours'. Why? They have managed their oil revenues properly & used it to develop all parts of their nation. Good management is the answer, not seccession! Venezuela? Na lie.....the oil has only benefitted the Caucasian settlers, which is why the first Native American President Chavez is raising a ruckus. This is why he is enemy #1 for America and the West. This is the same as saying the South African economy has benefitted Blacks. Norway and Kuwait...........ethnically homogenous. Keep deceiving yourselves. Obugi. Posted by Obugi\| 04.01.2007 12:06

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