GSM Im digging this your BLUEPRINT Ohhhh !!!

and do you really think these regions will work? in-fighting is our trait in the region no one will be satisfied. We have created so much intolerance in our culture. After subdivision it will just be "ethnic clashing in Bornu as Manga youth riot against the killing of a young Shuwa man who stole some mango from the wrong tree".

To me all this is like when the Black Panther Party was proposing to create a "BLACK AMERICA COUNTRY" consisting of new jersey, pennsylvania and some other states. Uhm, yeah i guess we COULD..................

__________________

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:6


www.my-fish-bowl.blogspot.com <---- Visit my blog!!!

Funmi babes, if we're too stupid, greedy, selfish, self-centred, ignorant and intolerant to make our regions work, and handle our diffrences maturely, then we deserve to have the rest of the world(including other African countries) defecate and urimnate on us!

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UP ISI-EWU!! UP NIGERIA!!!

Na who be GSM ?
Thanx sha!

__________________
UP ISI-EWU!! UP NIGERIA!!!

then get ready for the bucketload...........


i still have hope in our NIGERIA. less states.

__________________

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:6


www.my-fish-bowl.blogspot.com <---- Visit my blog!!!

We'll see what happens sha! As for me, whether Nigeria remains one country or not, life continues around the world jare! The USSR is no more, but the world didn't come to an end because of that.

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UP ISI-EWU!! UP NIGERIA!!!

I think what the Niger Delta said is right. The did to break from Nigeria.

If Naija keeps repeating the same old mistakes of the 1960s, then what's the point of it's existence ? A country that deliberately impoverishes it's own citizens, like a prostitute opening wide for foreign countries to steal it's wealth, destroying it's own culture in order to imitate others ? Abeg e don do, if the giant of Africa can't find it's feet after all this time, then it's time to call it a day on the yeye failed wexperiment jare!!!

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UP ISI-EWU!! UP NIGERIA!!!

No vex I meant GSA !!! has per his dictatorship now ????

The fact that Nigeria has not been able to unite has somethin to say, meaning if we do not put away our differences and strive towards a better cause then there is definitely no way we can move ahead and can get better as a nation, there is almost no single nation that is not multicultural, even the superpowers of the world (USA, UK etc) are very much diverse but they've been working so hard trying to put their differences away and trying to work together as a nation, and till our people do that, then any nation that emerges from Nigeria should say byebye to ever getting better and to their living conditions ever improving.
Whether the Ibos, Yorubas, Niger-Delta have there own separate nation, if we are not ready to put our differences away and work towards making our nation better, then there is no way there would be positive changes. I know for sure that If Yorubas have a separate nation, there is still gonna be rivalry and fights between the likes of Ijebu against Ondo or Ibadan and so forth and I'm sure the same applies for other ethnic groups.

The Niger-Delta people are complaining about been deprived of social amenities or whatever, I'm not saying its a lie but I know similar situation happen in other parts of Nigeria, even in Obasanjo's village, no adequate water supply, electricity and its likes. So why dont we just come together with a strong bond holding us together as faithful Nigeria who wants the progress us of our dear nation and people and together we can shout and make our voice heard by our selfish government and work together wanting better lives for ourselves and our people instead of shouting all around claiming to be cheated as a ethnic group and claiming superiority over another and also instead of just shouting for us to be by ourselves(one ethnic group, one nation) without any meaningful cause.

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Stand@attention 4 d Nigerian Child
Unhappy yet gleeful.Tender,strong,young&beautiful
Standing Tall inspite all odds
Gifts of inestimable value and priceless treasures
She is a special heritage from God&deserves the best

If Obasanjo's village doesnt have electricity isnt that a big shame ??? The places producing the oil suffer severe environmental pollution every time there is an oil spill !
1960 Nigeria got its Independence and still there is no as you put it "One Nigeria" Its just like harvesting yam in John's farm to feed the village but John and his family are starving to death .I dont expect a supporting opinion from non Niger Delta people of course folks would love the oppression to continue ...because you all know what will happen if the south south has more resource control ....enough is enough...Nigeria needs to be Regionalised...that pipeline syphooning our oil to the North has to be cut off...Let everyone depend on THEIR own resources !!!!! I am proud that we have bold people like Asari Dokubo to fight for the rights of the Niger Delta God will continue to guide him.

You better get ya nomenclature right when addressing my excellent self!

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UP ISI-EWU!! UP NIGERIA!!!

I agree with the first part but man, the Niger Delta area is really horrible. The living and environmental condition there is deplorable. And one thing is, no one is even testing to know what the effects of living so close to oil production, and flaring, and gas will be for the locals there. In America those things are avoided because of correlation to cancer and such. It's horrible there and not quite comparable to Ota at all.

That being said, i will repeat that the Niger Delta area is full of ethnic strife. There's like different ethnic groups with different alliances and aggrieviances all within like one block of each other. That area separating from Nigeria will be a disaster. It is already divided amongst the rich and elite class and regular folks. I can't imagine that money would ever reach the people there. Then the Ijaw would want control over the Tivs, and the Ogoni will want, and Urhobo, Itsekiri and so on. I have said earlier that one big problem we have is intolerance and that isn't gonna change even if small small sections separate.

__________________

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:6


www.my-fish-bowl.blogspot.com <---- Visit my blog!!!

I disagree with you it wont be a disaster ! There will be more development and people will be happier.

Niger Delta: Time For Justice, Equity, Peace And
Development

The Guardian:POLICY/POLITICS
BY LARRY CHARLES
Sunday, July 31, 2005
------------------------------------------------------

ONE region of Nigeria holds the KEY to PEACE in the
country, that is the NIGER DELTA REGION. President
Obasanjo's first term in office witnessed an explosion
of bottled up anger and frustration, which
subsequently resulted in uncontrolled aggression by
various communities, particularly in the oil-producing
areas of the Niger Delta. But great Leaders emerge by
the policies they conceive and implement to confront
complex problems. Between 1934 and 1959, Dr. Nnamdi
Azikiwe and his African new found Leaders notably
Kwame Nkrumah and Sekou Joure evolved polices, which
they fought with their lives to gain independence for
their countries. These pioneer African Leaders were no
doubt inspired by their training and exposure in
America and must have been influenced by the quantum
leap of America, but American Political Analysts and
Scholars consistently point to the era of President
Roosevelt, inaugurated in March 1933, just a month
after the emergence of the NAZI dictatorship of Adolf
Hitler in February 1933 in Germany. While Hitler
consolidated his murderous policies which culminated
in the Second World War, 1939 - 1945, American
President Roosevelt consolidated and articulated
innovative and pragmatic policies which according to
La Rouche "enabled the USA to escape the kind of
political fate which overtook Germany under
Hitler...Only Roosevelt's leadership made possible the
defeat of the threatened NAZI world Empire under Adolf
Hitler". Subsequent policies anchored on the American
tradition of Political Economy have made America to
provide those Socio-economic and political conditions
that gave rise to the explosion of individual talents
and creativity, characterized by ingenious inventions
that transformed the America dream into American
greatness.

The question now arises, what have Nigerian nascent
Political Leaders been able to provide in the last six
years? What is the impact of the new Leaders? The
political terrain in Nigeria before 1999 was chaotic
and uncertain. But Nigerians were overwhelmingly
determined to support their new won democracy.
However, the Nigerian nascent Political Leaders took
the challenge of Leadership to make a mark that will
send a strong message to the erstwhile Military
Leaders who ruled for over thirty-eight, out of
Nigeria's' Forty-five years as an independent nation
(1960 - 2005).

THE NEW DEMOCRACY - 1999

Nigerians were elated with the new democracy and had
rising if not revolutionary expectations from the new
Political Leadership that came on board on May 29,
1999. Immediately - after the enthronement of
democracy, the latent anger and frustration among
several ethnic groups in the NIGER DELTA and the
masses of unemployed youths exploded into an
uncontrollable and anarchic outburst. The threat to
the nascent democracy was real and President Obasanjo
who quickly realized that the oil exploration
companies were under threat reacted with a familiar
military tradition of sending troops to the Oil areas
to protect the Oil Wells and restore peace. It is an
irony that the crisis has since 2000 soared and
spread, but the government has never failed to counter
the militants. The South-South Zone, which
incidentally is home to the major oil-producing
States, has had a dual challenge to meet the
aspirations of their people, grossly neglected in the
scheme of equitable resource sharing and terribly
traumatised by the environmental degradation of their
land caused by oil spills and gas flares. Have the
communities received respite? Definitely NO! hence the
continuous tension, crisis and threats of further
attacks of oil companies and their flow stations. With
the National conference at Abuja, the Niger Delta
communities were optimistic that their problems would
receive humane attention by Nigerian wise men. The
signals from the deliberations have further aborted
their dreams.


The Governors of the South-South states Bayelsa, Akwa
Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Delta and Rivers State, have
also major challenges arising from the restiveness of
the communities and the natural hazards from oil
spill, oil flares and pollution all of which have made
life impossible for these communities.


ISSAC BORO

The militancy in the region over the past six years
has been as a result of anger and frustration of the
communities over what they consider gross
insensitivity to their needs. Their Governors have
therefore been forced to invest a huge percentage of
their resources to quell the incessant explosions
which have led to losses of thousands of lives and
destruction of property worth billions of Naira.
Ironically had the Federal Government invested such
Billions of Naira directly or through increased
revenue to the Niger Delta region in providing for the
needs of the people, much of anger would have been
tempered.


The crisis in the Niger-Delta exploded in the early
sixties, when ISSAC BORO launched a major revolution
to seize the oil installations in the area using an
armed gang and to possibly secede. That war preceded
the Brafran war of 1967. ISSAC BORO, became a hero and
was subsequently absorbed in the Nigerian Army. He
died fighting for the cause of ONE NIGERIA.


After ISSAC BORO, KEN SARO WIWA took up the challenge
for Human Rights and environmental degradation. Among
those who supported the cause were thousands of Human
Rights activists in Niger Delta area and their fellow
compatriots from other parts of Nigeria. They also
included members of academia and friends of the region
in the diaspora. They have sustained the battle all
these years and have in the past ten years lost
thousands of lives directly and through military
intimidations, amongst them were the "Ogoni Nine" and
the "Ogoni Four" of blessed memory. Credit must go to
these patriots for their courage in confronting the
oil companies and Nigeria military forces.




NIGER DELTA AND SOUTH-SOUTH PRESIDENCY


The Niger Delta indigenes have for a period of almost
Fifty Years, sacrificed lives in their quest for
equity and justice for their region and their people.
Obviously all the palliatives initiated by the Federal
Government such as the establishment of special
agencies OMPADEC, NDDC (1999) - have not yet appeased
the people. The time is right for more radical
appraisal of the region that lays the golden eggs. If
the Political Reform Conference fails to recommend
measures that will finally restore peace in the
region, then the peace and development in Nigeria may
be threatened judging from the reactions of the
militant groups in the region. The crises that led to
Nigeria's current quagmire began with the Political
Leaders, in 1993 succumbing to the manipulations of
the Military Dictator, self styled President, Ibrahim
Babangida who unilaterally annulled Nigeria's freest
and most successfully organized elections in June 23,
1993.


That ignominious act led to the death of the second
republic and the subsequent murder of the winner off
the election. Several thousands died in the protests
which followed the annulment nationwide. Most of the
political leaders who played roles at that time are
still today in the corridors of power.


Had Abiola been allowed to claim his mandate, he would
have completed his first term in 1997. How time flies!


Another crisis is threatening the nation because of
the issue of resource control and Presidency. Our
elder statesmen should reflect on the events of 1990 -
1993 and realize that the nation is bigger than
individuals. They should indeed passionately review
the demands of the Niger Delta delegates and take a
courageous decision to meet their aspirations.


These questions must honestly and objectively be
reviewed with patriotism. Our wise men will no doubt
realize that the Goose (NIGER DELTA REGION) that had
given birth to over $300,000 billion dollars from
exports of crude oil from the bowels of Niger Delta in
the last four decades must not be hacked to death. The
Goose must be given opportunity to thrive and prosper.


For forty-five years, all the Five, Geo-political
Zones have through military interventions and the few
democratic elections, produced a President of Nigeria.
This factor is very crucial in considering the crisis
in the NIGER DELTA. From our first Prime Minister to
several Military Dictators that emerged from 1966
through 1998, all but only THREE are Northerners.
General J. T. U. Ironsi (six months) and President
Obasanjo (1976 - 1979) 1999-2007) and Chief Ernest
Shonekan who was an interim President for six months
during the political explosions following the ignoble
annulment of June 12, 1993 free and fair elections. If
in the forth-five years of Nigerian Independence, the
NIGER DELTA REGION has continued to sustain Nigerian's
economy through earnings from crude oil from the
bowels of her earth, why should a political
compensation not be considered plausible at this
stage? A worthy compensation is indeed imperative to
assuage the anger of the Niger Delta communities in
particular and the zone in general.


The current aggressive posture of the Niger Delta
delegates at the National Political Reform Conference
is understandable because their communities who have
been at the receiving and of the evils of oil
explorations, must never be fooled again. They demand
Justice, Equity and Peace. But most importantly, they
demand to be compensated for their economic and
political investments in keeping Nigeria united all
these decades, especially during the civil war, during
the first oil boom of 1970, the second oil boom of
1990's and the current oil boom.


President Obasanjo by belatedly inaugurating the
National Conference, has nevertheless proved his
leadership quality as a sensitive Leader. However, his
current Socio-economic and Political Reforms must be
patterned after those of the great Leaders who built
solid foundations that propelled their nations to
greatness.


The NIGER DELTA albatross is a major challenge to
Nigerian Political Leaders.


The emergence of a South-South candidate as a
Presidential hopeful in 2007, will send signals to the
rest of Nigerian's and indeed Africa and the world
communities that Nigeria has now matured politically.
At a time the rest of the world is expecting further
explosions in oil region and with the recent United
States of America government sponsored report which
predicted Nigeria's demise within fifteen years, our
political leaders must prove to them that NIGERIA will
ever remain strong, united and economically viable.


The NIGER DELTA REGION indeed holds the key to peace,
and political - economic stability and prosperity in
Nigeria. From a spiritual perspective, I ask our
leaders to remember the Biblical injunction - what
does it profit a man of if he gains the whole world
and suffers the loss of his soul? What will it profit
Nigerian Political Leaders if they fail to be fair and
just to the Niger Delta Zone by providing logical
economic and political compensation and in the process
trigger further crises that could lead to
socio-economic and political in stability in the
nation? If Nigeria must emerge as a Viable Black
Power, if Nigeria must bear the banner of the Black
race in the world, then the time is ripe for Nigerian
Political Leaders to demonstrate faith in their
country. They can prove their patriotism by
jettisoning myopic and ethnic values and interests and
focus on Nigeria that is indeed bigger then any
individual or region. If Nigeria must be built on a
strong foundation of peace, equity, justice and human
sensitivity to the plight of the governed, than the
NIGER DELTA deserves a more equitable and fair
compensation. Political and economic palliatives
become imperative to sustain our nascent democracy.


Larry Charles, a public affairs analyst, lives in
Surulere, Lagos