CEASELESS THEFT OUR OIL

OIL theft dates back to the 1970’s when Nigeria had the first oil boom. With the return to democratic governance in 1999, many big time oil thieves became political leaders and many political leaders became oil thieves. They formed cult groups in the oil producing areas from which they linked their contacts in government and the security agencies. The younger ones became political thugs, who after elections turned to oil thievery to arm themselves for next election. Many of these armed youths embraced the militancy that shook the foundations of the nation’s economy. The armed confrontations between the security forces and the militants ended on 4 October 2009 when the regime of the late Umaru Yar’Adua offered the militants, estimated at 26,000, amnesty in exchange for their unconditional surrender of their arms and return to the confines of the law. Since that deal went through, the shooting in the Niger Delta has quietened down. The upsurge in oil thievery and the proliferation of illegal refineries in the creeks of the Niger Delta have been dramatic. Shell estimates that over 150,000 barrels of crude oil are lost to oil thieves daily. The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has a higher estimate of about one-fifth of the nation’s daily oil revenue being lost to oil thieves. It would translate to about 500,000 barrels, or $50 million or N8 billion daily and N2.92 trillion annually, more than half of the 2012 budget. The post-amnesty deal did not give adequate attention to crucial aspects of “cleaning up after the party”. What other agreements did Nigeria extract from the militants, beyond the cessation of hostilities? Since they depended on illegal bunkering to procure the arms and logistics while they fought the state, what steps were taken to remove them from this lucrative activity? Oil thieves and their illegal refineries are partly responsible for the rampant oil spills in the creeks, which worsen the environmental challenges, which many of the militants listed as one of their major reasons for embracing the armed struggle. Where is the crackdown on these economic saboteurs the President promised? What steps have been taken to arrest the problem posed by corrupt security officials who see their posting to the region as an opportunity to strike it rich? The oil companies are also accused of involvement in the stealing, which is a highly technical operation, executed with technologies that are not readily available to everyone. Beyond economic sabotage, Nigeria’s territorial integrity stands the risk of being unsettled with money and arms these thieves are accumulating. If oil theft is unchecked, Nigeria is setting itself up for more trouble in the Niger Delta!

THE ANARCHY AND DOOM IN NIGERIAN JUDICIARY.

The history of the Nigerian Judiciary
since independence had seen
characterised with corruption,
political interference, favouritism,
fearfulness and egoism. Nigerians
would not forget in a hurry when a
High Court judge, delivering a
judgment said, his hands were tied
or when the Supreme Court
delivered a judgment and indicated
that that judgment should not be
cited as legal authority in any other
cases in future.
That showed the level of
interference with our judicial system
by the politicians. The adventure of
the military into governance
between 1966 and 1998 was the last
straw that broke the judiciary’s
back, after it had succeeded in
mauling down politics, royalty and
our collective sensibility.
But recently, the judiciary stood on
its two feet to uphold justice. Some
of their landmark judgments
rekindled Nigeria’s hope that indeed,
the judiciary is the last hope of the
common man. However, the crack
in the judiciary in the last few weeks
has given it a devastating blow,
which serves as an invitation to
anarchy in Nigeria. Those behind the
crack are the same military men and
a few political cabals, who had
removed their uniforms and again
usurped the political authority of the
country.
Apart from the military incursion
into politics that is having
devastating consequences on the
judiciary, there are some
subterranean influences that do not
help matters, involving the judges
or magistrates either financially or
through relationship. The lawyers
also are not helping matters either.
And, finally, there is crack in the
judiciary and the cracking of its wall
is capable of spelling doom for the
country. It’s an invitation to anarchy
in Nigeria.
I praise the courage of the Chief
Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alloysius
Katsina-Alu, who confessed that he
contacted Justice Isa Ayo Salami of
the Court of Appeal for security
reasons on the election petition in
Sokoto State on the mater before
the judges who were deciding the
petition. That invariably confirmed
Justice Salami’s allegation that the
Chief Justice contacted him to
interfere in the Sokoto matter..
If Salami had agreed with the Chief
Justice, the matter would not have
come to the public domain in the
first place. However, as the situation
in the judiciary has degenerated into
a mess, wise counsel should prevail
because the nation cannot afford a
disorganised judiciary because
judiciary is the last hope of the
common man and it should not be
politicised as it’s being done now. A
word is enough for the wise.

Us predictiom on Nigerian breackage.

Back in 2005, The US National Intelligence Council predicted the outright collapse of Nigeria by the year 2015. However on its part, Nigeria launched an "ambitious" initiative (i.e. Vision 2020) designed to take the country into the list of the best 20 economies in the world by the same year. There is of course an unmistakable contradiction between America's prediction and Nigeria's vision, and it is pretty clear that, reconciling these two predictions is absolutely impossible. Though, America's prediction may not necessarily come to pass, the factors it had relied upon to arrive at this prediction (unless properly addressed) warn of upheavals in Nigeria, to say the least. And though the country has survived several rounds of serious turmoil as a result of chronic socio-political and economic crises, her so- called Vision 2020 is of course unrealistic, because it does not seem to be based on any credible scientific indices. Incidentally, the value of predictions and expectations in the modern age is measured by the extent of its compliance with scientific reasoning and intelligent analyses away from mere rhetoric. Therefore the relevant issue is actually, the very prospect of Nigeria's corporate survival by the year 2020. Contrary to the general notion, Nigeria is not likely to break up along the North and South geographical boundaries, neither is she likely to split into any viable political entities for that matter. Because there is no regional, ethnic or religious block organized enough to function as a corporate entity immediately in the wake of the country's break up. Moreover, neither the proponents let alone the opponents of the break up have any substantive fallback plan likely to fill in the political vacuum in their respective regions, should the country collapse spontaneously, as America predicted. Furthermore, throughout the country, there are hardly any political leaders charismatic enough to inspire their respective people, for they have long ago lost their credibility, primarily for their failure to live up to the expectations of their masses over the decades. Therefore, what is most likely to occur in the wake of the country's collapse under the current circumstances is total anarchy instead, whereby warlords, criminal gang leaders, terrorist and drug barons will run the show. The South for instance and despite its huge economic potentials is not likely to come together and form a viable country, because they are deeply polarized along ethnic lines. The two major ethnic groups in the region are often at loggerheads, and there is hardly any harmony between them and the minority ethnic groups amidst them either. The minorities on the other hand mistrust each other and are vulnerable to their respective elite's manipulation for the control of the vast oil wealth in the area, which will be the target of many interest groups within the region and beyond. The North on the other hand is even worse in many fundamental respects. For instance, the hitherto perfect cohesion between its various minority ethnic groups on one hand and the dominant ethnic group on the other has eroded, thanks to the successive governments' poor leadership policies over the past few decades. Enmity under the pretext of religious differences in particular has crept in to redefine their relationship. Hence their prospect of coming together to form a viable country is ruled out. Likewise, the minorities' prospect of forming a country of their own does not seem feasible either, due to territorial constrains, multilateral mistrust among themselves also, as well as lack of instantly exploitable resources to sustain a country. As for the so-called core North in particular, the circumstances are worst, because after all, it is the poorest region in the country, and the most backward even in Nigerian standard. Granted they are relatively cohesive thanks to their shared religiously oriented cultural affiliation, they nonetheless don't have necessary economic resources substantial enough to sustain a viable country immediately. In view of the aforementioned, and while I still believe and call for positive reform in Nigeria, I also urge the stakeholders in all parts of the country to consider fallback initiatives for their respective regions, lest the country crumbles spontaneously. After all, the country operates a federal system under which all states are supposed to take care of themselves to a large extent, instead of looking up to the federal government for basic sustenance. The imperative of such fallback initiative is more pressing as per as the so-called core North is concerned, because it is the region to which all country's woes are rightly or wrongly attributed. As a matter of fact, the proponents of the break up are primarily motivated by their wish to get rid of it, because after all, some failed coup plotters had already attempted to remove it from the rest of Nigeria more than two decades ago. Sidq Isa wrote from United Arab Emirates

Rich country, poor people

They should be told that the
electorate are aware that the subsidy
is an evidence inefficiency, poor
perception and a fallout of the
Federal Government’s inability to
harness the black gold under
Nigeria’s soil for the optimal benefit
of the people.
This is the 13th year of the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) in power at
federal level, it is bereft of ideas to
make the nation’s four refineries
produce at full capacity not to talk of
building a new one.
Is it not a shame that Africa’s largest
oil producer is importing bleached
products to augment the shortfall of
home production for local
consumption. The governors want
to take back from workers the
increase in salary in form of hike in
fuel prices. They have forgotten that
those in the private sector and the
self-employed may have to wait for
sometime before the spiraling whirl
on the new minimum salary pool
reaches them.
As transport is central to the
economic activities of the nation,
any hike in the price of petroleum
products will undoubtedly kick-start
a fresh rise in inflation that may toe
the path of hyper-inflation that
would send the economy into tail
spin.
In a word, the Federal
Government’s incessant claim of
paying huge amount of subsidy on
bleached products consumed in the
country is a ruse and blackmail
against the people. If those in power
are proactive and proved
resourceful, Nigeria supposed to be
exporting bleached products and
not crude oil as it is the practice
now. Malaysia and Indonesia are
endowed with oil as Nigeria but their
people pay far less for fuel than
Nigerians.
From whichever perspective one
may look at it, the present system
of national cake sharing is not, to all
intent and purposes, fair. It is
lopsided. The executives at the
various tiers of government and the
legislators are taking the lion share,
leaving little or crumbs for capital
development and workers. Their
productivity is not commensurate
with what they take from the
nation’s pool.
The Central Bank Governor, Lamido
Sanusi’s declaration last year that
members of the National Assembly
– the Senate and House of
Representatives consumed more
than 50 per cent of the concurrent
expenditure of the federal annual
budget was an exposee. The
lawmakers’ only defence of
devouring the nation’s collective
wealth is that the ministers, aides
and advisers to the president are
also taking mind-boggling salaries
and allowances. In a word,
government in Nigeria is for profit.
Any other claim is nothing but
deceit.
In Britain, there are many
government workers earning more
than the prime minister not to talk of
other ministers tagged secretaries
and advisers.
Is it not regrettable that Nigeria is
rich but her people are poor.
Insensitive government you say.
•Concluded

The question of quality education in NigeriaThe question of quality education in Nigeria

Nigeria’s educational failure will
continue to subsist unless the
following variable, indices or factors
are challenged by a revolution and
revolution only.
Firstly, the appointment and
promotion of teachers from the
primarily schools through the
secondary schools to the
universities has been drastically
compromised since 1980s. Stake –
holders of education in Nigeria know
very well that people from no
where are lifted out of social or
pecuniary interest and appointed
lecturers whose primary
contribution is to became
professors and head of institutions
the way they were appointed.
Secondly the idea of institutional and
university autonomy is like a blanket
power vested on the heads of
institution to appoint lectures and
professors without merit, which at
any rate justified by the currency of
bourgeois autonomy constructed
where professorship is lacking in
international content in most
universities in Nigeria.
Thirdly that some universities reject
some professors for appointment
for sabbatical or substantive
positions only portrays quality of
Nigeria professors and teachers as
well as that teaching and learning is
questionable in some universities
Fourthly increasing population and
expansion of number of universe
are not being managed to
correspond in geometrical
proportion to the quality of
education instead it has brought a
rapidly alarming rate of educational
corruption; as this phenomenon has
released unmerited unwanted
lecturers and teachers who cannot
afford to sit down for at least one
hour to ponder, cogitate on
“problem predicate” yet our system
appoints and promote lecturers and
professors indiscriminately every
year.
Fifthly, sorting-out, bribery and
favoritism in higher institutions of
learning are a society induced , a
symptom of primitive and barbaric
capitalism.
A streaming population of
unrestrained youths fall into the lap
of ethnic , sectional and sectarian
generated corrupt lecturers in order
to grease the elbow of get certificate
quick syndrome.
The problem of Nigeria education
has passed the level of describing it
as facing challenges but is in a state
of near irreversible chaos which
however can be paradoxically and
mutably re-written in new
education history and constitution
for our country. When a piece of
history gets to its dead end only a
revolution can re-define it.
The jump to education organized
for industrial age without first of all
meeting the demands of education
based on knowledge economy is
fallacy: a blind action without
premise that has set African
educational system, especially
Nigeria on the perpetual teeth of
failure and somersaulting and fifthly
good governance is the bottom line
answer to educational failure in
Nigeria without which democracy
will not be sustained and corruption
triumphs. In a corrupt country even
private initiative in education will be
corrupt
There is a adage that says that
anything worth doing at all is worth
doing well. Democracy and good
governance must go along with
social responsibility and non-
governmental initiative and
participation in education. If the
government continues with its
lackadaisical attitude to education,
the wind of change that started
favouring private primary and
secondary schools in the 1970’s will
begin now to favor private
universities disbanding our primary
and secondary schools as well as
our polytechnic and universities as
republics of the poor and the never
–do- wells.

Ministerial nomination: : Will 35% affirmative for women work?

As President Jonathan is about to
submit list of ministerial appointees
to the National Assembly for
screening and confirmation,
Nigerian women from different
pressure groups and Non-
Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
are working round the clock to
ensure that they are not left out in
the scheme of things. RAZAQ
BAMIDELE reports:
In different fora, these women, who
have formed formidable
associations will complain to
whoever cares to listen that Nigerian
women are not being given their
dues in the political affairs in the
country. Some of the advocacy
groups formed and headed by high
fly professionals are Yoruba
Women Initiatives under the
leadership of a veteran journalist,
Dr. Doyinsola Abiola, Business and
Professional Women of Mr. Angela
Ajala and International Federation of
Women Lawyers of a lawyer, Dr.
Keziah Awosika.
Others include Nigeria Association of
Women Journalists(NAWOJ),
Women Arise of Dr. Joe Okei
Odumakin, Female Leadership
Forum of Mrs. Comfort Ogunye,
BAOBAB Women Human Rights as
well as Project Alert of Mrs.
Josephine Effah Chukwuma. In an
interview at one of her group’s
events, the founder and President of
Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei
Odumakin told Daily Sun that the
motive behind the establishment of
the forum is to advocate for the
rights of women within the society.
According to her, some women
don’t even know their rights,
explaining that her group is all out to
sensitise them to know their rights
on one hand and to know how to
claim it on the other hand. Dr.
Odumakin, who doubles as the
President of Campaign for
Democracy (CD) further stated that
the Women Arise is always in
collaboration with other like minds
in other women based associations
to advocate and fight for women
rights by organising series of events
like workshop, seminars, symposia,
lectures, protests and retreats.
When recently a One-Day Yoruba
Interactive Forum was organised in
Lagos by Lagos State Gubernatorial
Advisory Committee under the
leadership of a University don,
Professor Adebayo Williams,
former Managing Director of the
Concord Newspapers, Dr. Doyinsola
Abiola was there to make a case for
women recognition.
Dr. Abiola, who is the leader of the
Yoruba Women Initiatives
expressed delight over the
recognition given to the women by
the Forum, adding however that
“the recognition must be in
concrete, practical terms and not
only a lip service because of the
undeniable ability of the Nigerian
women in the scheme of things.”
The erudite scholar and wife of the
winner of June 12 presidential
election unjustly annulled by former
President Ibrahim Babangida made
it abundantly clear that credible,
competent and qualified women
abound for whatever category of
offices that may be allotted to them.
On Tuesday, the women, at a
forum in Lagos still continued the
agitation for their rights, this time
with particular reference to the
affirmative action about reservation
of 35% of political and appointive
positions for the women.
A socio-political pressure group,
More Women Movement (MWM), at
the forum urged President Goodluck
Jonathan not to forget his
electioneering promise about 35%
appointive position for women
nationwide.
The Movement’s Convener and
Secretary, Dr. Keziah Awosika and
Comfort Ogunye respectively urged
the President to “implement
affirmative action by reserving 35%
of all elective and appointive position
for women in his appointment and
in the forthcoming Local
Government elections.”
This, according to the women, was
in line with National Gender Policy
(NGP), which provides for 35%
representation for women in
governance, pleading with the
President “to implement the policy
without articulating any mechanism
by which this can be achieved.” The
Movement also demanded for
“establishment of a mechanism by
which Curricula Vitae of credible
women will be collected, screened
and appropriately fitted for the
appointive positions,” requesting
that “priority be given to women
that lost during the parties’ primaries
and the general elections.”
While appealing to Mr. President to
make sure that the appointment
transcend party affiliations, they
assured him that they were ready
“to make available to the relevant
authorities, Curricula Vitae of
credible women from our data
bank.” The women group lamented
the unprecedented reverses in their
electoral fortunes in the recent
general elections against the
previous ones stating that “we will
in due course investigate and find
out the root causes of the reverses
and then re-strategise and come up
with a workable blue print starting
from the forthcoming Local
Government elections.”
A retired Custom Officer, Mrs.
Mojisola Maciver, who aspired to the
House of Representatives on the
platform of the Action Congress of
Nigeria (ACN) in the last election told
Daily Sun that Nigeria could not be
in short supply of competent
women to occupy high political
offices.
She reminded that “the feats the
likes of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr.
Oby Ezekwesili and Professor Dora
Akuyili performed in office as
Ministers can not be wished away,”
therefore imploring the President to
give the women special
consideration in the day to day
running of the country’s affairs.