lol . . . the fact is that 98% of Nigerians (both male and female) do not know what is going on in Niger Delta.

Ibime:

lol . . . the fact is that 98% of Nigerians (both male and female) do not know what is going on in Niger Delta.

u c dese r some statements u make dat makes me wonder, on d contrary a lot of ppl knw and appreciate wat d issues are in d niger-delta, i can speak for myself and say dat i have seen first hand d degradation dat has been meted out by d acts of commission or omission by d oil majors, i have travelled extensively across and believe u me my heart bled when i visited nembe,oporoma,sangana,ngo e.t.c. it was really pathetic,

but armed struggle will further impoverish and cause pains to dese ppl mend claims dey are fighting for, wat dey need is nt talk but real,hard core developement which when given to dem by way of new/refurbished schools with trained teachers,new/refurbished roads/qualitative and quantitative health care systems, will go a long way in mellowing dere apprehension,

dont think ppl dont knw dat wld be thoroughly deceiving urself

buchio7:

but armed struggle will further impoverish and cause pains to dese people mend claims dey are fighting for, what dey need is nt talk but real,hard core developement which when given to them by way of new/refurbished schools with trained teachers,new/refurbished roads/qualitative and quantitative health care systems, will go a long way in mellowing dere apprehension,

Look, let us forget about all this talk on development. Nigeria came together on the premise of 50% resource allocation - 50% to the state and 50% to the Federation  - until Gowon and successive miltary governments illegally amended the constitution. So if we ask Nigeria for development, they will not be able to afford it. Under rule of law, we are supposed to own 45% of Nigerias assets from the last 50 years. If we ask for development we are going to ask for our rights from the past, present and future. That is not what we are asking for. Asking for 'development' is an insult to us. Give us our stake and we will develop ourselves. If we knew that the contract upon which we agreed to Nigeria would be torn up, we would not have signed it in the first place. The constitution has lied against itself. We are now talking about security. There is no development without security and vice-versa. All we ask Nigeria to do is respect our constitution. We will even negotiate a lower percentage, but something substantial. After that, we will guard Nigerias pipelines and oil installations against any miscreants who still want to take up arms for private profit because we will now have a stake in the pipelines. Unfortunately, the North do not want Nigeria to return to a form of fiscal federalism because they produce nothing. Because the North is buffeted from the Igbo and other ethnic tribes, they do not feel the agitation of the other tribes. The day when the Yorubas let the North feel the heat, they will start to respect the fact that they live in a democratic and diverse nation. Until then, they will continue to ride roughshod over the rest of Nigeria. Asari-Dokubo has this week said that the NDPVF will start to launch attacks on Abuja if British warships head for the Niger Delta. Maybe Nigeria will sit up and take notice then.

So Ibime do you think MEND can handle Ateke and Odili effectively?

Easily if they become an overground group and are not concentrating on fighting the federal government. Infact, Ateke would down arms. Dont forget that many stakeholders in this Niger Delta ish are playing double-sides. As you know, Ateke is now on speaking terms with Asari and the rest and is part of the dubious Okrika peace process. Anyway, whatever the case he seems to be a lot more interested in his public image these days as is the case with most ex-militants. Odili himself will be killed like a fowl. As you know, he is now enemies with Ateke hence he enlisted the help of Soboma George.

this Goodluck Jonathan who claims to be from the niger delta- in what way is he making himself useful as the vice president?

Is he only there to take over in the event "something" happens to yaradua the same way he took over from alams?

I dont see any sign of whatever it is this guy is supposed to be doing.

tpia:

this Goodluck Jonathan who claims to be from the niger delta- in what way is he making himself useful as the vice president?

Is he only there to take over in the event "something" happens to yaradua the same way he took over from alams?

I don't see any sign of whatever it is this guy is supposed to be doing.

He is just there like a spare tyre. . . . .
Can't do anything due to what happened during the impeachment of his former boss Alamieyeseigha.
Yaradua doesn't have an ounce of trust in him. . . . . . . .
Initially they though making him the Vice president would be one of the steps to stop the crisis looming in Niger-delta. . . . . .
But unfortunately,That plan has woefully failed. . . . . . Naija self!

What's going on in here?

In Niger Delta we call him the Federal Houseboy. Not prejudging him sha - he is an intelligent man. Maybe he can have a hand in solving this crisis.

Ibime,

Asari and Ateke, Friends??

Odili succeeded in unleashing thugs in the ND and now no one can differentiate thugs from the real struggle because thugs claim to be fighting for development too.

I see your point but how can ND people convince the rest of Nigeria about all you've written?

Yes o!

Asari even said during the TRC that he had no bad feelings toward Ateke and that Ateke was misguided.


Here is another quote:


Dokubo's NDPVF, the Bush Boys of Okrika and other militia
groups had overrun Tom Ateke's base at Okochiri, looted his properties
and smashed others. Scores of Ateke's men were slaughtered by the
penetrating Asari's coalition of the willing. Tom Ateke is the real cat
with nine lives, during the operation he also escaped unhurt.
Dokubo-Asari and Tom Ateke were later granted amnesty by the General
Olusegun Obasanjo's government. The duo later reconciled through the
efforts of Dr. Judith Burdin Asuni, the director of the Academic
Associates Peace Works (AAPW) who was arrested last year on trumped up
espionage charges with 2 German Journalists and her staff, Danjuma. The
charges were later dropped. When Dokubo-Asari was captured and jailed
on false charges of treason by same Obasanjo, Ateke joined other armed
groups in the delta to agitate for his release.


https://lists.mayfirst.org/pipermail/friends/2008-January/003060.html

Its a pity dat ppl actually believe this hypothesis, it shows a great deal abt d mindset dat has to be overcome b4 true developmentcan come to d region

What is the deal with britain coming in to the Nigeria to fight the Niger Delta?? Since when did britain care so much about Nigeria??


I think this is a step in the wrong direction o! Nigeria has not seen militancy yet. The day it is confirmed that foriegn mercenaries have landed in the country, I am leaving this country because, these Militants will tear down the Niger Delta. I'm so sorry for these oil companies because they will suffer the most.
Infact, all the oyinbos and albinos had better leave the Niger Delta for their own safety.

Okija_juju:

The day it is confirmed that foriegn mercenaries have landed in the country, I am leaving this country because, these Militants will tear down the Niger Delta.

u fit begin run frm now sef , e no too early, naija ppl na wah!!!! bullet never sound u don dey find square root

@ Ibime,

By the time Govt employ MEND to protect the pipelines. After the First Month they would give them allocation for their services

Then the in fighting would start how to share the money. Some people would be aggrieved and might decamp to form another group. Since MEND gained recognition on the account of being ruthless The newly formed Group would be more ruthless.

So there would be more trouble and the power struggle would be titanic

dayokanu:

@ Ibime,

By the time Govt employ MEND to protect the pipelines. After the First Month they would give them allocation for their services

Then the in fighting would start how to share the money. Some people would be aggrieved and might decamp to form another group. Since MEND gained recognition on the account of being ruthless The newly formed Group would be more ruthless.

So there would be more trouble and the power struggle would be titanic

this will just be the tip of d iceberg, the negatives to d guys quest to make mend the safeguards to d pipelines are much more greater dan dese

Ibime & Orikinla,

I am impressed with the detail and analysis that you have proffered.

How can a government and the PDP, who is at the heart of the Niger Delta crisis, bunkering has been going on in full scale for decades , it is made possible by the military top brass, underpinning this contention is oil money.

Who created the militants, cultist, thugs etc, without them there would no Odili, and I do not mean MEND, how were the elections of 2003 and 2007 orchestrated.

My main issue is how you can negotiate your salvation with the devil (Liar, Thief, and Murderer) in this case our government, to be sincere with the insincere. Herein is the PROBLEM.

There are options, possibilities and approaches let the talk, talk continue, I rest for now.