The Problem and Solution of the Niger Delta

Having discussed,at length, the evil and illegality of the Niger Delta Avengers and any other militant group for that matter,it is imperative on me to also discuss their replacement.If the militancy must be shunned as a means to reach the government,then,their must be replacements that must be much more effective than militancy.This is what we shall be discussing today.

THE PROBLEM
The problem with the Niger Delta is NOT peculiar to the Niger Deltans alone,it's a national disease.Nigerians are generally misrepresented at all levels of government and we seem confused as to how to remedy the anomaly.But, our diverse cultural backgrounds,of course, led to the different reactions with which we respond to this same problem...they say it is problem of leadership.But I beg to disagree though.
It is my honest and humble believe that there would be no leaders where there are no followers.Looking from the angle of Democracy which happens to be the the political system of Nigeria,the leaders are the products of the followers and not otherwise.
It is us the followers that saw the need for leaders and we decided to choose them via elections and voted them not to lord it over us but to serve us.They are,therefore,our servants and not our masters.How come,then, is it happening the other way round?

We Are Yet to see Ourselves as Citizens of a Country
This,in fact,to the best of my knowledge,our greatest undoing!Nigerians are unaware of the existence of the Nigerian state.When it comes to issues of national security or issues in general,we are quick to segregate ourselves into tribes and ethnic groups.What we know and live by is the same as with our fore-fathers way before the emergence of the Europeans on the African Continent.So,technically speaking,Nigeria is non-existent.This is,however, a topic for another day.So,let's concentrate on the subject matter and move to the second reason.

Most Nigerians are Ignorant of the Mechanisms of Democracy
Democracy is no doubt a game of numbers.If your number falls short,you'll loose but if your number is highest,you'll win.This is the name of the game.Majority carries the day!
If this is the case,then,it means that if your demands must be met,you should be able to cajole the larger number of your people to support your cause.Now,let's go to the field and apply the principle to the issue of the Niger Delta.
Again,the major reason for the struggle in the Niger Delta,is the demand for the cleanup of the region of the oil pollution that has plagued their communities for so long that are due to the activities of the Oil companies. I want to belief that there's no person of the Niger Delta region extract that would oppose the move.If this is the case,then, I think the cleanup of the region is a sure-banker!
This is because the nature and principles of democracy demands that people should choose their representatives via elections and communicate with the government through them.In other words,if in your immediate environment,there's a need for government's intervention,you are to lodge your complaints in writing to the Federal government as a form of bill to the National assembly.But,the question is that how many of both your National and state representatives do you meet and how regularly???
The bitter truth is that both the National and state representatives,plus the governor and the local Chairmen are indigenes of the respective areas they represent and collect millions of cash on their behalf monthly or quarterly as the case may be.Yet,they haven't been talking,why?
Normally,in a democracy,it's the political office holders that should be doing the talking and not a criminal set up like militant groups.This is certainly where the problem lies,the people of the Niger Delta,as well as most parts of the country are misrepresented!But why?

Because Nigerians Don't Ask Questions!
If you are misrepresented by your leaders and you are not complaining,then,it's as if you are okay with the way things are and that's your own cup of tea!
There are avenues by which we can lodge our complains and be heard.If our representatives and political office holders are not championing our cause,we should be concerned and express our displeasure with such individuals.If after a couple of warnings they refuse to dance to our tune,we should kick them out of office of course!
The constitution is very explicit as to how such insensitive leaders can be removed and replaced by others that we believe would do our bid.But considering the Lions and Devils that are in power,that would be a bit difficult.But,wait o! The fact that it's difficult does not mean it is not possible...hmmm!
Okay! I got an idea!!!

Community Networking is the Answer!

Ever since the emergence of the social media,communication has become a breeze and no more a hassle.We get the news almost as soon as it happens and decisions can be made very quickly which makes working and doing business a lot easier.Such is the power of the social media!
The social media helped a great deal during the Arab Spring especially when it was Egypt's turn to revolt.A great deal of mishaps on the side of security forces were easily exposed and used as evidence of government brutality.In Nigeria,the social media was a major campaigning tool in the hands of All Progressive Congress (the APC and the ruling party) during the very recent elections.It was so effective that despite the incumbency of the People's Democratic Party (the PDP),the APC won the Presidential and very many other electoral posts available.Overnight,the social had helped to downturn the tables...the opposition became the Ruling while the Ruling turned the Opposition party!
I took the time to cite these examples so that you can appreciate the power of Networking!I stand to be corrected,in the Niger Delta,there doesn't exist a formidable Community Network to champion their cause.When I talk of a community network,I'm referring to a very strong group with a very,very,large member base.The Brotherhood of Egypt comes to mind.
The Brother was so large in population that they produced Morsi as President.Even after the removal of Morsi, General Sisi (the incumbent President) had to find a way to outlaw the Brotherhood because,he knows that the Brotherhood is a force to reckon with anytime,any day and the only way to gain victory over them is to ban them when he can! So,when I'm talking here,I'm talking of a very big community and not a group of touts coming together to form a militant groups or gangs by which they hope to extort the government.

Niger Deltans should form a Platform that Commands Respect.
Let explain with an analogy.We all know that elections are won by the number of votes you can garner.If your number is the highest,you are the winner.there's need,therefore,for the formation of a single body that has NO party affiliation,you join the group for one reason and one reason only which is none other than,of course,(in the case of the Niger Deltans) to be a part of the progress and prosperity of the Niger Delta region.
The Body must be a non-governmental,not politically bias,speaks with one voice and see all Niger Deltans as same and equal!If such a body is formed successfully,then,getting the attention of the government,at any level to listen to you would be as easy as a pie!Why? Because,they know that with your population,you can make or break any politician during election!!!
The Governors,Local government,Chairmen,Senators and House of Reps both at the state and federal level plus the ward Councillors would be at your beck and call anytime any day.When you sneeze,they'll catch cold.Unless the Niger Deltans come together as one politicians and their god-fathers would continue to call the shots which is not favorable most of the time.They would continue to wield the powers of anarchy despite the fact that we are in a democracy. The Number is the key not militancy,crime,force or violence!

Niger Deltans should Call their Political Leaders to Account for their Stewardship
The Federal Government is in faraway Abuja,while your Ward Councillors,Local Government Chairmen and Governors are close by.I think you should ask them for all that you want...be it the clean up,restoration of the Ecosystem and return of your economic activities.They are the ones that are expected to champion your cause not the Militants.Call them to order now. But know this,they won't take you seriously unless you unite and present your issues from only one front and with only one voice!I rest my case for now!Thanks for your time.
God Bless Nigeria!
  

Why Niger Deltans MUST dis-Own the Niger Delta Avengers!

I'll like to clear the air about the supposed newest SUPER HEROES in the Niger Delta.I'll like to state clearly that they are in no way representing the interests of the Niger Deltans.

What Does The Niger Deltans Need?
I can't speak for the Niger Deltans that's why I'm going to talk on what they need and not what they want.In my opinion,I think the greatest problem of the Niger Deltans is the Ignorance of modern system of government.This, unfortunately is not peculiar to them,it's in fact a general problem of all Nigerians.But I would be treating the matter as it affects the Niger Deltans.
Truly,the Niger Delta region has been grossly polluted and most of their sources of livelihood has been affected negatively.Now,the question is how are they going to get compensated for what has been lost and probably get on with life peacefully?This is where the problem lies.
The Late Ken Sarowiwa of blessed memory did his best to claim the compensation at the expense of his life.But sadly,not even the Great Ken Sarowiwa understood the core problem at hand.It wasn't as much of a federal as it was a local problem.The people he led admired his courage,his fearless confrontation of the Military regime that was in place as at then.It wasn't an easy task,I must admit!But,the goal wasn't just to confront them,neither was it to play to the gallery as the Avengers are doing as we speak.
Ken had made so many rather vague statements as to the emancipation of his people that his mission and vision were altogether misunderstood by the ordinary people in the street.The misunderstanding of such statements that has to do with 'emancipation','freedom' and 'marginalization' were what both the repentant (when they were still in action) and this crop of militant groups capitalized upon to wreck havoc in the name of the Niger Deltans and as expected,they had the support of the general populace who saw them as their heroes.

The people of the Niger Delta whose traditional lifestyle of a fisherman has been disrupted and put out of business saw the militants as the only voice they had and naturally,had to support them.After all,the Man of peace (the Late Ken Sarowiwa and co) was killed for being so nice,so,the not so nice militants may continue the great cause for them! This is,perhaps,the thinking of an ordinary man from the Niger Delta.
This goes to mean that the people of the Niger Delta needs a voice that would speak on their behalf to bring the Federal Government,not to their kneels but to their responsibility of fixing the problem they created with their exploration of oil by doing all that's humanly possible to restore the balance of the ecosystem of the region.They only wanted the Government to see the need to clean up the pollution created by oil spillage and take measures to forestall future re-occurrence. That's all!

Is that What The Niger Delta Avengers are Fighting for?
We all know that it isn't.The true mission and cause that great activists like Ken Sarowiwa died for had been sidelined and forgotten.They actually made mention of it as a little part of their demands.Most of their demands were in actual fact,more political and financial than the restoration of the ecosystem of the Niger Delta.They didn't even make mention of compensations,to whom and how it was to be paid.Rather,they were busy asking for the release of a high profile criminal like Nnamdi Kanu,an apology to a former governor's family that was summoned to answer to charges of robbing the people of the Niger Delta(he died from the shock of the news),the continuation of the rehabilitation of touts and thugs (while the ordinary law abiding Niger Deltans are still wallowing in abject poverty,thugs and touts are sent abroad for training that costs several millions that could help thousands of Niger Deltans to their feet) and the most ridiculous of all,to me,the ownership of oil wells!I don't know how these aforementioned demands cleans up the Region and compensate the poor masses that are most hit by the environmental disruption.
To cut the long story short,these guys are not fighting for the people but,rather,their very pocket and their sponsors as one can see clearly from their demands.

The Avengers are Wrecking Much more Havoc than Good!
Now,the cleanup of Ogoniland a struggle for which the late Ken Sarowiwa and the other ten Braves of the Niger Delta were condemned to death for has begun.If the Avengers were truly interested in the cleanup exercise,they should mellow down and make a press release to that effect,but,instead,what did we hear?
When the news of cleaning up Ogoniland reached the Avengers,their response was that the President,General Muhammad Buhari should not dare enter the Niger Delta region.Can you imagine?!The President have heard your call for a clean up and had deemed it fit to personally come down to the area to flag off the clean up and your response was that he shouldn't come.Is that not madness...or...could it be insincerity???
My fellow country men from the Delta,it is very obvious that Avengers are misrepresenting you in all ways.They are not actually interested in the clean up as they have actually shown with threats to kill the President on your soil.Why? Because he was coming to clean up your land as you wished as they claim to demand.
Their constant bombing of oil pipelines only pollute your lands the more and it means that the oil is wasted,the Federal Government cannot sell to make money from which they send you allocation through your governors,they can't fund the NDDC or the Ministry of the Niger Delta.
Above all,they disenfranchise your youths by making thuggery,oil bunkery, crime,drugs and prostitution more lucrative to them than a decent lifestyle of education and honorable means of employment.If your youths are out there breaking oil pipelines while youths from other regions are in the classroom learning how to explore and refine oil,where would they be when it's all over and the Federal Government have cleaned up your land and no longer depend on only oil for foreign exchange as they currently do?They have no certificates or qualifications and they are already used to the wild life they current live,crime would be the only option left.Is that what you want?I believe your answer is no!

So,What's the Way Forward?
In my opinion,I think all traditional leaders of the region should meet and raise a voice to call the Avengers to order.The Battle, to me,is over.The struggle of Ken Sarowiwa and the other ten sentenced to death is NOT in vain.Their dream for Ogoniland and the Delta region as a whole has come true.Nigeria has finally come to her senses and her president have succumbed to the demand of cleaning up the land and restore the balance of the ecosystem.Therefore,there's no more need for further vandalization.The Rural leaders should call the Avengers to order now!
If after their call,the Avengers continue to strike,then,the Rural leaders and the people of the Niger Delta should publicly dis-own them!Who says you needed them in the first place?Like I said in the beginning,our ignorance of the mechanisms of Democracy is the core problem we have in this country!I'll explain how in my next post,God's Grace.Stay tuned!
God Bless Nigeria!

Why the Niger Delta Avengers will fail

PLEASE NOTE: This is a bulky write up despite my efforts to make it as light as possible.There are,however points that might need further break down.I shall be breaking them down in the nearest future,God's Grace!

Some dudes just rose to fame now in Nigeria,they call themselves the NIGER DELTA AVENGERS.When I heard their name,it sounded very ridiculous to me and sincerely,I never took them seriously,I still don't, to say the fact.I'll tell you why.
Their Unrealistic set of Demands
 To start with,their name sounds somewhat childish,my opinion was confirmed when I read their ten largely UNREALISTIC demands.Seriously,one would want to think that they've watched too many comic movies...especially the famous MARVEL comics' 'THE AVENGERS'.
Secondly,their demands,chai!They are so unrealistic considering their mode of protest - 'Crippling the Economy'.
You want Nigeria to clean up the Niger Delta, continue to fund the Amnesty program,make a university to start running in earnest, yet, your choice or mode of protest is bombing the oil pipelines that serves as the major source of income for the country.How are they going to do all these without money,where do you expect the government to get the money from???
This is not to mention the apologies they are asking the President,the EFCC and Amaechi to make for things they've done or said.Imagine asking the President and the EFCC to apologize to Alamieyesegha's family for killing him...how,abeg,how did they kill him?
A man is called to come and face corruption charges,he slumped and died,you call that murder?Can you imagine the hypocrisy behind the formation of the militant group?If he doesn't have anything to hide,why should he be bordered,what gave him so much concern that he had to die of the news of his imminent trial,are you asking the President to apologize to the family of a suspected criminal?NO! It won't happen.
Another funny or rather childish demand they made is the unconditional release of Nammdi Kanu who is cool his feet in Kuje Prison.He's facing trial, for God's sake and his bail was granted but its requirements were not met as far as I can tell.When it is met,he's then picked for another set of charges.Personally, I don't see why a guy that sort to split our country into pieces should be granted bail in the first place.So many souls have died for NOTHING after he had fed them with all sorts poisons through his radio programs on RADIO BIAFRA.
Americans were after the Wikileaks owner a couple of years ago,if he was caught,do you think he would be answering to his court case coming from home?Let's be realistic abeg!Mandela spent 27 good years in prison,ever wondered why? He didn't kill a soul or anybody.So,to me,freedom has a price,let's assume he's paying the price for the Freedom of Biafra,so,no one or group should hold us,as a nation to ransom over a BIG criminal like Kanu,Kanu's release is suicidal to Nigeria as a country,it would,therefore,not happen!
The clean up Ogoniland have already commenced,so,if this guys are truly fighting for the Niger Deltans,they should mellow down and allow the oil business to continue 'coz the money for the clean up may not be available if they continue to blow up pipelines.
The 2014 conference as organized by Jonathan's regime is a mere academic exercise to me.This is democracy,the implementation of ANY policy,has to go through due process.If any policy is to be implemented,it has to go through the national assembly.I think the Niger Delta Avengers are being unfair if the implementation of the resolutions of the 2014 conference is one of the reasons they are bleeding the economy dry.They should present the resolutions as bill to the National Assembly and see if the President won't sign it to law when it reaches his table!
Finally,I'll like to discuss the ownership of oil wells which happens to be another demand of the Avengers.I was conversing with a friend on facebook who claimed that the Northerners owns 90% of the oil wells down South and my question went thus: "If 90% is owned by the Northerners,then,10% is owned by the Southerners,mostly Niger Deltans,WHAT HAVE THE INDIGENES OF THE NIGER DELTA THAT OWNS OIL WELLS DONE TO BETTER THE LIVES OF THE POOR IN THE REGION?"
I'm asking because the only reason why the demand for 60% ownership be justified is that the 10% ownership has been highly beneficial to the people.

Misplacement of Priorities
The Federal Government have really done so well for Niger Deltans,they have done so well,that to me,the Avengers continue to be a criminal organization that needs to be flushed out ASAP!
In response to the several years of agitation of the Niger Deltans,the Nigerian government has given out 13% of the Total monthly allocation to the Oil producing states,in addition,it has granted another 2% to the oil communities,on top of that,the Federal Government,have created the Ministry of Niger Delta and the Niger Delta Development Commission plus the famous Amnesty program. Haba!Haba! Avengers,what are you avenging???
There was a month in which the little Akwa Ibom state took a whooping sum of N110 Billion home while a big state up North like Kano took only N19 Billion home.This made me thinking and wondering if the Militant groups are fully aware of the mechanisms of a democracy or they are just a mere group of touts hired and paid by their corrupt pay masters?
Militants should hold both their Local and state governments responsible first,before the Federal Government.There are so many billions that have been received by their governors and local government chairmen...even their senators and house of reps,I think they should start asking them how they spend the monies instead of disturbing the already broke Federal government. This is why I think the Avengers are insincere with their demands.

They are Wrecking more Havoc than Good
I would like to round up by bringing to the notice of all that support the Avengers how the Avengers are doing more harm than good to the Niger Deltans.
Firstly,they recruit mostly indigenes of the Niger Deltans who are largely un-educated thereby killing the future of the region.Prof. Pat had once put it so nicely that
"Rivers state can be very wealthy from the oil resources in their area but Sokoto state can be much wealthier if they train their youths"
So,as you can see,it's not much about the oil than the brainwashing of the youths to depend solely on oil as their only source of livelihood WITHOUT EDUCATION.Already,Nigeria is looking at the possibility of diversifying the economy,when Nigeria opens up opportunities in Agriculture,solid mineral mining and other lucrative sectors and pays much less attention to you,what would you do,what would you eat?
Secondly,When they blow up pipelines,they merely increase the extent of the pollution of the region.I learnt that one of such blow up happened under water,thereby polluting the streams and rivers around the area much further.
Thirdly blowing up pipelines means crippling the economy as they put it,yes,that's true.But,by extension it also means less money is available as Federal allocation,which does not leave out the Niger Delta states and its people generally!
My appeal,therefore,goes to all those that are blessing the actions of the Niger Delta Avengers on social media to please read and digest the points I've stated here on this post.Like I've stated earlier,I shall be breaking them further in the nearest future,God's Grace!
God Bless Nigeria!

 they made is Alamieyesegha
Read more: https://www.naij.com/824855-list-10-conditions-niger-delta-avengers-gave-buhari-truce.html

 

Alamieyesegha
Read more: https://www.naij.com/824855-list-10-conditions-niger-delta-avengers-gave-buhari-truce.html

 

Alamieyesegha
Read more: https://www.naij.com/824855-list-10-conditions-niger-delta-avengers-gave-buhari-truce.html