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Thanks to the NVS owner(s)/admin for this great addition. I like this podcast feature; I was able to listen to the talk while doing other things. The topics of discussion were relevant to what many of us in Nigeria or abroad have questions or concerns about.

Great talk and a well informed panel. I was able to learn one important key factor in the Niger Delta crisis since I had always wondered why most people would think that the Federal Government (FG) owed the citizens of the ND a better life. And it was that these foreign oil companies that are doing business in Nigeria are registered not in the states that they are ‘based’ in, but with the FG in Abuja. Therefore the state laws don’t affect these companies and the state government has no jurisdiction to enforce any compliance to said laws by these companies. That now ties everything together. So I agree that the FG needs to enforce stricter rules for oil drilling and work hard to ensure these rules are abided by. Should the FG fail to do that, I really won’t blame these oil companies. They are only getting away with what they know they can get away with since we have a lax governing system when it come to environmental issues and an equally unconcerned government for the lives of its citizens.

I also have a question about land ownership and resources that might come from that land.
Mr Bozimo, did you once mention that lands/lots in Nigeria are leased from the Nigerian government for 99 years? If that’s the case, can we then say that everyone who has bought land in Nigeria doesn’t truly own it, but it only leasing it from the government? And as such, would the resources on that land be viewed as being leased also? I don’t understand why land in Nigeria shouldn’t be owned? Is this the same in other parts of Africa? I might be wrong, but in the US when one buys a house/land he/she owns it right? So if one discovers oil on such land, it’s rightfully theirs isn’t it?

To end, I liked the closing thought for this first series: I can’t remember the exact words but it went something like:
“When you are done here on earth; how will people remember you, for what will they remember you?”
That should get us all thinking about what contributions we want to make to our fellow men/women irrespective of where we might find ourselves.
Thanks to Prof. Aluko, Mr. Ikpatt, Mr.Bozimo, Mr. Adekunle and the host Mr. Adewumni for a good show. God bless us all.

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It was nice, but I did acept some of the things said, but in general it was nice to listen to.

One I believe in the power of region. that Nigeria should operate just like canada.. where the region are powerful, but the federal only distribute money, but never built anything.

I do not agree with the idea of property right, I believe it should be that of the region right. and I do agree that we need to restructure Nigeria, using region. I believe the constitution review is a good thing and should go on..
What i would like to see is more state been created as part of region. have four tie of govt, federal , region , state and LG. I would want to see either a 3 region arrangement or 8 region arrangement. not six. why not you may ask, because the present 6 zone, do not put into consideration population.

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The major impediment to peace, sanity, equity, sustainable development, and progress in the Niger Delta region, and by extension, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is the infinitely obnoxious and fraudulently conceptualised Land Use Decree (Act) of 1979, the very brainchild of His Excellency, General Olusegun Obasanjo, the reformatted incumbent civilian president of Nigeria.

Consequently, the key solution to centralised corruption and neo-colonial manipulation of Nigerians is the immediate, unconditional, and unequivocal revocation of General Obasanjo’s 419: The Land Use Decree (Act).

With the benefit of hindsight, the increasing violent posturing of the people of the Niger Delta is a representative reflection the fundamental paradigm shifts taking place in the Nigerian political space, nationwide. Sooner than later, more and more similar assertive postures would emerge from various disenfranchised hotspots, and become more commonplace across the country, for the ultimate benefit of Nigerians, worldwide.

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Great stuff. Another first for the NVS?
I didn't listen to all 3 sessions but I would have loved to have heard someone from the Fed Govt side . Not that I am partial to the Govt

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@ Maryam,

I got a great response to the question you said I raised in another thread from a friend who is far wiser than I will ever be! This is what he said/I learned:

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the Land Use act affect land acquired after 1976 or so. the act does not affect ancestral lands and lands purchased prior to that period. Consequently, there is land ownership in Nigeria, as well as government leases. For instance, Oba's approvals cover land purchase prior to that period in Benin and remains legal tender, as well as several family lands in Lagos, Uyo etc. I am however not very familiar with Land matters up north, but knowing the feudal Lords, the lands are likely to be vested in Emirs (don't quote me o).

However, the evil part of the Act is that it allows government to acquire any piece of land on the pretext of national interest etc. That particular law was used to disenfranchise the Niger Delta people of their oil. The rest they say is history.

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This is an awesome idea! :biggrin:

Great show!

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EZB,

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. Have a good one.

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=EezeeBee>@ Maryam,

I got a great response to the question you said I raised in another thread from a friend who is far wiser than I will ever be! This is what he said/I learned:

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