Mr. President (Musa Yar’Adua), please permit me the fact that I am sending you an early Christmas present. I want to be the first Nigerian this year (2009) to send you this seasonal gift. That is, if you have not started receiving presents. I don’t have gold neither do I have silver, but what I have is what I will give you. My present is simply my piece of advice below. I have decided to make my advice known to Nigerians because, I want to follow the examples of what Obama said in Egypt. When President Obama gave his speech on June 4 2009, at the Cairo University, he said that the advice he gave to Israeli leaders in private, that he will say it in public before his largely Moslem audience. He went ahead and told the audience what he has been telling the Israeli leaders.
May I also challenge your advisers to tell Nigerians what they have been telling you in private. But sensitive issues, particularly on national security should not be shared publicly. My argument is that, Nigerians have the right to know the quality of advice that you have been getting. After all, you’re our president and it will not be a bad idea to know how you govern the most populous black nation in the world. I know that you’re not under any obligation to accept their advices. Ex President Obasanjo once said that, it was not compulsory for him to take the advice of his advisers.
Mr. President, with due respect to you and your office, I think that you owe Nigerians an apology for some of your past and recent conducts. I will comment on very few of such conducts. In your last year’s (2008) sallah message to Nigerians, you confirmed your administration’s determination to reform the electoral process in order for us to have transparent elections. Your actions and inactions during the Ekiti re-run election and your attempts to doctor the Justice Uwais electoral recommendations spoke volumes of your actual intentions. Please you can prove me wrong by reforming the electoral process or give it the kind of attention that you’re giving the Niger Delta amnesty deal. Nigerians are getting negative signs of what will happen in Anambra governorship election come next year 2010. This will be another test for you. If Anambra State governorship election goes the way of Ekiti, then we should prepare for the worst in 2011
Mr. President, you betrayed Nigerians when you embarked on a two day state visit to Brazil when the Boko Haram crisis started. I watched you on the television in April of this year (2009) as you expressed sadness that Nigeria was not invited to the G20 summit in London. I did advise you on an article I wrote which I titled; London G20 Minus Nigeria, published on my blog; http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com and other media outlets. Part of the advice that I gave was that, “Mr. President (Musa Yar’Adua), since you have expressed regret over the exclusion of Nigeria from the G20, the task is now on your desk to put Nigeria on the right track so that the outside world would take us serious. Another G20 summit is coming up again in September 2009, perhaps if you can steer the ship of Nigerian state with transparency, honesty and selflessness the world might decide to invite Nigeria”.
Your deliberate absence from the just concluded United Nations summit showed that the sadness you expressed about the exclusion of Nigeria from London G20 summit in April 2009 was not a true one. After all there was another G20 summit in Pittsburgh America, immediately after the United Nations heads of state meeting. With good arrangements, Nigeria could have at least attended as an observer in this last G20. As number one public servant in Nigeria, you should always be sensitive to the yearnings of Nigerian people. The people whom you’re supposed to be serving. I suggest you use the coming Sallah, Christmas or New Year celebrations to apologize to Nigerians. The mood of the nation will be most ideal to forgive you.
Mr. President (Musa Yar’Adua), you will do Nigeria and Nigerians a great service if you could stop going overseas for your treatment. Why can’t you equip our hospitals to international standard? Or is it that Nigeria cannot build a specialist hospital that can take care of you with all the oil money, if the answer is in the affirmative which I doubt, it then means we have finally failed as a nation. It’s even a security risk having our president treated abroad or don’t your security advisers tell you this. These and more are why Nigerians deserve to know the quality of advice that you get.
Not too long ago, the director general of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) Mr. Emmanuel Enaruna Imohe was relieved of his duties. I was expecting you to do same to some of your cabinet members/ministers. Sincerely speaking, your present cabinet is long overdue for reshuffling. Many of your ministers have outlived their usefulness. Your attorney general and minister for justice (Anodoakaa), education minister (Egwu), information minister (Dora) etc are no longer fit for purpose. Information minister (Dora) in particular has no business in that ministry. Mr. President, if you love Nigeria like you claim, you should have left Madam Dora Akunyili to continue with NAFDAC. The greatest disservice you did to Nigeria was to remove her from the fight against fake drugs. Her war on fake drugs was far more important than the information ministry that she is mismanaging.
Some of your ministers are actually liabilities to you and the country at large. I understood that, you ordered the probe of the sacked Nigeria Intelligence Agency boss (Mr. Emmanuel Enaruna Imohe). Mr. President, Nigerians have lost count of how many probe panels you have constituted. Amongst many probe panels your administration has set up, may I ask you only about the Halliburton? Please could you tell Nigerians what happened to Halliburton’s probe?
The federal government claimed that the proposed deregulation of the oil sector will be done to help fight corruption in this sector. Interpreting this further, means that larger population of Nigerians will simply bear additional economic hardship, because government could not fight a small cabal in the oil sector. You should consider a stimulus package for people who will suffer from petroleum poverty as this measure will increase the number of people in that category. This takes me to another point that I want to let you know. Your seven point agenda should be narrowed down to only one point agenda and that should be the fight against corruption. As you know, corruption has ruined all government ventures. Even your emergency as the president were through corrupt process which you acknowledged. Other examples are; Independent National Electoral Commission, former Nigerian airways, Nigerian National Shipping Line, Halliburton, and National ID card project etc. Space will not permit here to list failed government projects owning to corruption.
May I also remind you to champion the course of saving the environment in Nigeria. You should know the dangers of desert encroachment by virtue of your state of origin and the larger Northern region. You have to physically and actively lead the campaign to plant trees in Nigeria. May I advise you to always switch off lights at Aso Rock when not in use. Introduce energy saving bulbs. Give instructions to your numerous subordinates to do so. Nigerians must be able to see you going green. Fidel Castro of Cuba was televised live, for many hours where he was cutting sugar cane. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Green Techniques.
Climate change is real. There is no doubt that the earth is becoming warmer than it was. This is not a conspiracy theory. Most people you meet will tell you that, there have been noticeable changes in the climatic conditions. Experts are warning that the consequences of global warming will be catastrophic. Coastal cities and towns are at greater risk because of rising sea levels. The entire globe including Nigeria is under serious threat of the dangers, which accompanies global warming. The time for action is now. There are little things we can start doing that can help to save the planet.
As a starting point, the Nigerian government, the Niger Delta states and various stake holders in the oil industry should dialogue with the oil companies in Nigeria to stop gas flaring and adopt green technology. As the world is preparing for the December 2009, Copenhagen conference on climate change and global warming. The Nigerian delegates to the conference, should take the issue of gas flaring to the conference and table it before the international community. The idea will be for the entire world to see how the western owned oil companies are both damaging the environment in Nigeria where they drill the oil, and also how their gas flaring is contributing to global warming.
At present, experts are of the opinion that about 60% of all carbon emissions emanate from the developed countries, while 40% comes from the developing countries. My argument has always been that, most multi national companies have production plants in the developing countries. These multi national companies are owned by the western countries, therefore who takes the blame for their gas emissions? The host country or the country of ownership where the profit goes to. Coca cola for example has plants in almost all the countries of the world. The greenhouse gases which coca cola plants emit from their plants in the developing countries should be the share of America’s greenhouse gas emission. This is because coca cola is owned by America. Going by my calculation, I believe that the percentage share of the greenhouse gases from developing nations will be lower than 40% as estimated by experts.
At present, the campaign to save the planet is gathering momentum in the western world. Just recently (October 11th 2009), about 40 Greenpeace environmental campaigners climbed on the roof of British Houses of Parliament in protest to call for action on climate change. Most companies in the west are seriously considering green technology. There have been serious campaigns, and sensitization of the people through various adverts on the need to go green. ExxonMobil (a major oil company) has an advert, part of which read thus, “ExxonMobil is working to help meet the world’s energy challenges, investing more the US$100 billion in additional supplies over the next four years, developing efficiency technology options like lithium-ion battery film to speed the adoption of hybrid vehicles, and testing new carbon capture technologies that could reduce emissions significantly”.
Germany’s Volkswagen is converting part of a car engine plant to produce green electrical generators. The government of Maldives held it’s first under water cabinet meeting, underneath the Indian Ocean to highlight the dangers of global warming. In Nottinghamshire United Kingdom, over a thousand activists protested against a coal energy plant, because coal is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emission.
I want to believe that this ExxonMobil pledge above will be applicable to their operations in the developing countries. At present, I think different rules apply to their operations in the developing countries and the developed nations. Foreign companies tend to be more accountable and responsible in their home countries. I am sure that gas flaring which the oil companies are still doing in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria will be highly resisted or not allowed in the European Union for example.
Prominent global personalities have given their support to saving the earth. Al gore (former American Vice President) has won a Noble Peace Prize for his efforts towards saving the planet. I did advise Atiku Abubakar (former Nigerian Vice President) in one of my articles titled;(Atiku Abubakar and His Nigerian Leadership Project) to follow the footsteps of Al gore. I was glad when I saw former President Shehu Shagari on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) news of Monday October 5th 2009 preaching about tree planting to caution desert encroachment. Ojo Maduekwe (current external affairs minister) had in the past asked Nigerians to ride bicycles. Both advices from ex president Shagari and Ojo Maduekwe are in line with saving the planet. However I will need to point out here, that Nigerian urban roads are not bicycle friendly and also not bicycle compliant.
Nigeria suffers from deforestation. People cut trees for different reasons. According to Marcio Santilli, (a Brazilian environmental rights activist) “tropical deforestation accounts for about a fifth of annual greenhouse gas emissions and it’s the largest source of emission in the developing countries”. Greenhouse gases are emitted when forests are burnt or logged. Mostly we cut trees and burn the forest for traditional farming purposes. We also use the trees for furniture making and for cooking. This method might be too difficult to stop. What I will add is that, we should start planting trees. For every one tree we cut down, let’s plant at lease three trees for replacement.
Most trees we are cutting today were planted by our great grand fathers, grand fathers and our fathers. It will be cruelty on our part if we fail to plant trees for our children, having used the ones planted by our grand fathers and great grand fathers. If for any reasons (for example people too busy at their offices or Nigerians in Diaspora) we cannot plant a tree, let’s sponsor someone to plant on our behalf. We owe ourselves this responsibility. We do not need the government or the international community to do this for us. Tree planting should be so easy for us to do. Tree planting/saving the planet contradicts what the late musician (Oliver de Coque) sang in one of his songs that, tenants should not plant flower when they are renting a house. I suggest a daily tree planting routine. Besides we owe our lives to nature and our environment. Ironically, the colour of our national flag is green white and green, which should encourage us to be a greener nation.
As a recommendation for going green, please let companies, banks, the government and other establishments in Nigeria send less paper work and do more emailing or telephoning/sms. This has a small way of saving the planet. Nigerians should start using energy saving bulbs. Also we should form the habit of switching off all electrical appliances and bulbs when not in use, for example leaving the electric bulbs/lights on during day time should be stopped. It’s a very common practice for you to see electric bulbs switched on during the day time. During my last visit to Nigeria (January 2009), my folks were laughing at me when I was busy switching off all lights during the day. The Federal Road Safety Commission owe Nigerians a duty to come up with vehicle carbon emission level permissible on Nigerian roads. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
As a starting point, the Nigerian government, the Niger Delta states and various stake holders in the oil industry should dialogue with the oil companies in Nigeria to stop gas flaring and adopt green technology. As the world is preparing for the December 2009, Copenhagen conference on climate change and global warming. The Nigerian delegates to the conference, should take the issue of gas flaring to the conference and table it before the international community. The idea will be for the entire world to see how the western owned oil companies are both damaging the environment in Nigeria where they drill the oil, and also how their gas flaring is contributing to global warming.
At present, experts are of the opinion that about 60% of all carbon emissions emanate from the developed countries, while 40% comes from the developing countries. My argument has always been that, most multi national companies have production plants in the developing countries. These multi national companies are owned by the western countries, therefore who takes the blame for their gas emissions? The host country or the country of ownership where the profit goes to. Coca cola for example has plants in almost all the countries of the world. The greenhouse gases which coca cola plants emit from their plants in the developing countries should be the share of America’s greenhouse gas emission. This is because coca cola is owned by America. Going by my calculation, I believe that the percentage share of the greenhouse gases from developing nations will be lower than 40% as estimated by experts.
At present, the campaign to save the planet is gathering momentum in the western world. Just recently (October 11th 2009), about 40 Greenpeace environmental campaigners climbed on the roof of British Houses of Parliament in protest to call for action on climate change. Most companies in the west are seriously considering green technology. There have been serious campaigns, and sensitization of the people through various adverts on the need to go green. ExxonMobil (a major oil company) has an advert, part of which read thus, “ExxonMobil is working to help meet the world’s energy challenges, investing more the US$100 billion in additional supplies over the next four years, developing efficiency technology options like lithium-ion battery film to speed the adoption of hybrid vehicles, and testing new carbon capture technologies that could reduce emissions significantly”.
Germany’s Volkswagen is converting part of a car engine plant to produce green electrical generators. The government of Maldives held it’s first under water cabinet meeting, underneath the Indian Ocean to highlight the dangers of global warming. In Nottinghamshire United Kingdom, over a thousand activists protested against a coal energy plant, because coal is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emission.
I want to believe that this ExxonMobil pledge above will be applicable to their operations in the developing countries. At present, I think different rules apply to their operations in the developing countries and the developed nations. Foreign companies tend to be more accountable and responsible in their home countries. I am sure that gas flaring which the oil companies are still doing in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria will be highly resisted or not allowed in the European Union for example.
Prominent global personalities have given their support to saving the earth. Al gore (former American Vice President) has won a Noble Peace Prize for his efforts towards saving the planet. I did advise Atiku Abubakar (former Nigerian Vice President) in one of my articles titled;(Atiku Abubakar and His Nigerian Leadership Project) to follow the footsteps of Al gore. I was glad when I saw former President Shehu Shagari on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) news of Monday October 5th 2009 preaching about tree planting to caution desert encroachment. Ojo Maduekwe (current external affairs minister) had in the past asked Nigerians to ride bicycles. Both advices from ex president Shagari and Ojo Maduekwe are in line with saving the planet. However I will need to point out here, that Nigerian urban roads are not bicycle friendly and also not bicycle compliant.
Nigeria suffers from deforestation. People cut trees for different reasons. According to Marcio Santilli, (a Brazilian environmental rights activist) “tropical deforestation accounts for about a fifth of annual greenhouse gas emissions and it’s the largest source of emission in the developing countries”. Greenhouse gases are emitted when forests are burnt or logged. Mostly we cut trees and burn the forest for traditional farming purposes. We also use the trees for furniture making and for cooking. This method might be too difficult to stop. What I will add is that, we should start planting trees. For every one tree we cut down, let’s plant at lease three trees for replacement.
Most trees we are cutting today were planted by our great grand fathers, grand fathers and our fathers. It will be cruelty on our part if we fail to plant trees for our children, having used the ones planted by our grand fathers and great grand fathers. If for any reasons (for example people too busy at their offices or Nigerians in Diaspora) we cannot plant a tree, let’s sponsor someone to plant on our behalf. We owe ourselves this responsibility. We do not need the government or the international community to do this for us. Tree planting should be so easy for us to do. Tree planting/saving the planet contradicts what the late musician (Oliver de Coque) sang in one of his songs that, tenants should not plant flower when they are renting a house. I suggest a daily tree planting routine. Besides we owe our lives to nature and our environment. Ironically, the colour of our national flag is green white and green, which should encourage us to be a greener nation.
As a recommendation for going green, please let companies, banks, the government and other establishments in Nigeria send less paper work and do more emailing or telephoning/sms. This has a small way of saving the planet. Nigerians should start using energy saving bulbs. Also we should form the habit of switching off all electrical appliances and bulbs when not in use, for example leaving the electric bulbs/lights on during day time should be stopped. It’s a very common practice for you to see electric bulbs switched on during the day time. During my last visit to Nigeria (January 2009), my folks were laughing at me when I was busy switching off all lights during the day. The Federal Road Safety Commission owe Nigerians a duty to come up with vehicle carbon emission level permissible on Nigerian roads. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Our Resources.
The questions of our abundant human and natural resources are no longer in doubt. What is in doubt is how to harness these potentials for the greatness of our people, and the development of the country and the continent at large. I have mentioned the larger African continent because, the development or under development of our country will have a spill over effect on the rest of the continent. Nigeria is huge with massive potentials. There are more the Nigerian people can do to harness these resources without necessarily depending on the government. The civil society groups have got more work to do in this aspect. Also there is need to disseminate proper information, so that people can become aware of what they can start doing both individually and as group.
Nigeria has massive solar energy, courtesy of the abundant sun. Just recently, Time international magazine of September 28th 2009, reported that Europe aims to cover a considerable proportion of their electricity needs over the next decades using solar power from Africa. This is not another colonization or neo-colonization, it’s simply that we do not value what we have or that we do not know how to explore our God given resources for own good. Nigeria is also blessed with abundant strong winds. Strong winds can be used to generate energy. India, Germany, United Kingdom etc are already using wind turbines to generate electricity. Niger Delta States including other coastal regions in Nigeria will be well suited for wind turbine plants. This is because of presence of strong winds emanating from the ocean. Having observed this, let the Nigerian private sector go into researches and partnership to explore these untapped resources. Am sure a lot of energy can be generated from these sources.
Power is very crucial to the development of any country. That was why many Nigerians became disappointed, when the National Assembly revealed the amount of money wasted on power without any mega watt added to the national grid. Solar and wind energy can be a better alternative source of energy. More so, it’s equally environmentally friendly since the world is going green. There is need for wider private sector lead researches into this area. There are more to gain from these sources of energy. There is no point folding our hands while the Europeans come over to use the African solar to supplement their energy needs. Solar and wind energy can produce power cheaper. The question of distribution like laying electric cables, electric poles etc will not be an issue. Thus homes, individual, groups and communities too remote to be reached by power cables, can generate on their own without depending on the national grid. In the United Kingdom, there over 100,000 installed solar micro generation. This figure is set to rise, especially with the increased campaign to save the planet. With this method in place, we might begin to have steady power for both home and industrial needs.
Lets not forget our pleasant whether conditions (tropical climate), which I consider to be one of the best in the world. Our whether supports the cultivation of most cash crops and farm products. Nigeria can become the food basket of Africa if we want. You will begin to appreciate our whether more, when you live in countries with adverse whether conditions. Most western and other foreign countries (United Kingdom, Canada, America, Germany, China, etc) can record between -1 to -20 degrees. Our whether is also quite suitable for tourism, as most western tourist(s) prefer warm climates.
There is also need for us to start recycling our waste products. This is an area that requires more researches and more investments. The private sector/business leaders should look more into this process of converting waste to wealth. Nigeria has more waste to be converted to wealth. In 2008, the city of Leicester in United Kingdom recycled 33% of its waste. This city is the size of Enugu city/town. I have heard about the project by the Ekiti State government to generate electricity from waste. This is good idea. May be other states, local governments and private sectors should copy from Ekiti state waste to energy project.
The level of recycling waste in Nigeria is low. There is more wealth to be created by our waste. A lot of employment opportunities can be created through this venture. The following waste can be recycled, paper, cardboard, newspapers, catalogues, magazines, glass bottles, plastic bottles, jars, aluminum, car batteries, cans, CDs, metal, electrical equipment, fluorescent tubes, ink jet cartridges, used engine oil, video tapes, unused paints, asbestos materials, used cooking oil etc. We can export our waste products like scrape metals etc.
At present, some researchers from Hokkaido University Japan in partnership with a business firm have produced the world’s first biodiesel from used cooking oil. The product is called, Vegetable Diesel Fuel. This product (Vegetable Diesel Fuel) has been used to generate electricity in some events in Japan. We can borrow this technology and domesticate it in Nigeria. The major raw material (used cooking oil) can never be in short supply in Nigeria. Since it can generate electricity, it will be highly needed to substitute for the normal diesel and fuel, which is currently being used to generate power.
From the above paragraphs, Nigerians can begin to discover or add to what they know already that we have far more resources to exploit. There is no point to wait for all these resources to continue wasting. What we need are domestic investors to explore these areas. We also need further feasibility studies, researches and dissemination of information to empower people towards recycling abundant waste products in Nigeria. There are many individuals, families, friends, groups, churches, NGO’s etc that could carry out researches on the above or fund people to do same. Interestingly the cost(s) of doing feasibility studies and researches on recycling our waste might be cheaper than we think.
Added to the above are our abundant human resources. Our population is one of our biggest assets as a nation. Our big population has created large market, which is indirectly the investors’ paradise. MTN Nigeria (mobile phone Communication Company) is a good example of a company that has benefited from the large Nigerian market. Our market/our large size accounts for why there are so many Chinese, Lebanese, and Indians in our country. They are doing business as well benefiting from our large population. Our economic planners, business leaders, entrepreneurs etc should explore our size to its fullest. If not for economic problems, energy instabilities (regular power failures), insecurity etc, am sure many more foreign investors would have come to Nigeria.
We also need to add skills acquisition to our academic pursuits in order to boost our human resources. When President Clinton came to Abuja for a symposium/seminar after handing over to Bush, he asked Nigerians to copy the Japanese who do not have any natural resources beneath the earth but up in their brain. We can earn more money with our skills overseas if we choose to work abroad. An example is a plumber, electrician, and a motor mechanic earns more than 30 pounds per hour in most cities in United Kingdom. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
Nigeria has massive solar energy, courtesy of the abundant sun. Just recently, Time international magazine of September 28th 2009, reported that Europe aims to cover a considerable proportion of their electricity needs over the next decades using solar power from Africa. This is not another colonization or neo-colonization, it’s simply that we do not value what we have or that we do not know how to explore our God given resources for own good. Nigeria is also blessed with abundant strong winds. Strong winds can be used to generate energy. India, Germany, United Kingdom etc are already using wind turbines to generate electricity. Niger Delta States including other coastal regions in Nigeria will be well suited for wind turbine plants. This is because of presence of strong winds emanating from the ocean. Having observed this, let the Nigerian private sector go into researches and partnership to explore these untapped resources. Am sure a lot of energy can be generated from these sources.
Power is very crucial to the development of any country. That was why many Nigerians became disappointed, when the National Assembly revealed the amount of money wasted on power without any mega watt added to the national grid. Solar and wind energy can be a better alternative source of energy. More so, it’s equally environmentally friendly since the world is going green. There is need for wider private sector lead researches into this area. There are more to gain from these sources of energy. There is no point folding our hands while the Europeans come over to use the African solar to supplement their energy needs. Solar and wind energy can produce power cheaper. The question of distribution like laying electric cables, electric poles etc will not be an issue. Thus homes, individual, groups and communities too remote to be reached by power cables, can generate on their own without depending on the national grid. In the United Kingdom, there over 100,000 installed solar micro generation. This figure is set to rise, especially with the increased campaign to save the planet. With this method in place, we might begin to have steady power for both home and industrial needs.
Lets not forget our pleasant whether conditions (tropical climate), which I consider to be one of the best in the world. Our whether supports the cultivation of most cash crops and farm products. Nigeria can become the food basket of Africa if we want. You will begin to appreciate our whether more, when you live in countries with adverse whether conditions. Most western and other foreign countries (United Kingdom, Canada, America, Germany, China, etc) can record between -1 to -20 degrees. Our whether is also quite suitable for tourism, as most western tourist(s) prefer warm climates.
There is also need for us to start recycling our waste products. This is an area that requires more researches and more investments. The private sector/business leaders should look more into this process of converting waste to wealth. Nigeria has more waste to be converted to wealth. In 2008, the city of Leicester in United Kingdom recycled 33% of its waste. This city is the size of Enugu city/town. I have heard about the project by the Ekiti State government to generate electricity from waste. This is good idea. May be other states, local governments and private sectors should copy from Ekiti state waste to energy project.
The level of recycling waste in Nigeria is low. There is more wealth to be created by our waste. A lot of employment opportunities can be created through this venture. The following waste can be recycled, paper, cardboard, newspapers, catalogues, magazines, glass bottles, plastic bottles, jars, aluminum, car batteries, cans, CDs, metal, electrical equipment, fluorescent tubes, ink jet cartridges, used engine oil, video tapes, unused paints, asbestos materials, used cooking oil etc. We can export our waste products like scrape metals etc.
At present, some researchers from Hokkaido University Japan in partnership with a business firm have produced the world’s first biodiesel from used cooking oil. The product is called, Vegetable Diesel Fuel. This product (Vegetable Diesel Fuel) has been used to generate electricity in some events in Japan. We can borrow this technology and domesticate it in Nigeria. The major raw material (used cooking oil) can never be in short supply in Nigeria. Since it can generate electricity, it will be highly needed to substitute for the normal diesel and fuel, which is currently being used to generate power.
From the above paragraphs, Nigerians can begin to discover or add to what they know already that we have far more resources to exploit. There is no point to wait for all these resources to continue wasting. What we need are domestic investors to explore these areas. We also need further feasibility studies, researches and dissemination of information to empower people towards recycling abundant waste products in Nigeria. There are many individuals, families, friends, groups, churches, NGO’s etc that could carry out researches on the above or fund people to do same. Interestingly the cost(s) of doing feasibility studies and researches on recycling our waste might be cheaper than we think.
Added to the above are our abundant human resources. Our population is one of our biggest assets as a nation. Our big population has created large market, which is indirectly the investors’ paradise. MTN Nigeria (mobile phone Communication Company) is a good example of a company that has benefited from the large Nigerian market. Our market/our large size accounts for why there are so many Chinese, Lebanese, and Indians in our country. They are doing business as well benefiting from our large population. Our economic planners, business leaders, entrepreneurs etc should explore our size to its fullest. If not for economic problems, energy instabilities (regular power failures), insecurity etc, am sure many more foreign investors would have come to Nigeria.
We also need to add skills acquisition to our academic pursuits in order to boost our human resources. When President Clinton came to Abuja for a symposium/seminar after handing over to Bush, he asked Nigerians to copy the Japanese who do not have any natural resources beneath the earth but up in their brain. We can earn more money with our skills overseas if we choose to work abroad. An example is a plumber, electrician, and a motor mechanic earns more than 30 pounds per hour in most cities in United Kingdom. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 4, 2009
I.B.B. Should Lead This Struggle.
Thisday newspaper of Wednesday 23rd September 2009, reported that former Nigerian military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida has called for the re-introduction of Option A4 electoral system in Nigeria. This is a welcome development. It is also an indication that he wants to be part of the solution to the problems he caused. He annulled the June 12 1993 presidential election, which was judged by national and international observers as the freest and fairest election in Nigeria history. By annulling this election, he also annulled the system (Option A4) that produced it.
Babangida’s comment did not come as a surprise to me because I was actually expecting it. The only surprise to me was that, this comment came a little bit late. In February of this year (2009), I wrote an article which was specifically directed to Ibrahim Babangida himself. The title of the article was; IBB, This is My Response to You. The article was published on my web blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com), including some other media outlets. In the said article, I made some comments, part of which I have quoted below.
“However, no person is above mistake. Many world leaders have at one point or the other made mistakes. In your own case, a window of opportunity exists now for you to redeem the mistake you made in 1993. That window of opportunity is for you to use your influences to campaign for electoral reforms. Nigerians will forgive you and be more glad if you could help to reintroduce Option A4 Electoral system in Nigeria. Option A4 system was your brain child, therefore you need no explanation that it should be the best system for Nigeria. Nigeria has derailed largely because of our corrupt electoral system. I am appealing for your support in this campaign for the reintroduction of Option A4 system”
There are many benefits that Option A4 can give to Nigeria, at least it guarantees openness, transparency, fairness etc. But one of the greatest advantages of Option A4 electoral system is the fact that, post electoral litigations are avoided or reduced to the lowest minimum. It’s too frustrating when people have to undergo lengthy litigations before claiming their mandates. In Edo State, it took Adams Oshiomhole 18 months to reclaim his victory. I did a write up on this issue as well. It was titled; Post Electoral Litigations In Nigeria, Which Way Forward? It was published on my blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com) plus other national and international media outlets. I wish to share some interesting points from that article. I have quoted those paragraphs below;
“Only God knows the legal costs of all these litigations. The time wasted on all these cases cannot be captured on monetary terms. The setbacks to the nation as a result of these cases cannot be quantified. This is also a serious threat to our democracy and nation at large. It is an unwanted distraction on the part of government. The effects of all these are that the masses are denied the dividends of democracy. Government abandons its primary responsibility and only face litigations”…, “Without doubts, an average Nigerian is simply too tired for this kind of setbacks. The solution is simple, adopt the Option A4 electoral system and we will have a smooth, transparent and fair elections. Nigerians are yet to see a system better than Option A4”.
Following the manner that some Senators spoke against the attempt, to introduce a bill for the establishment of electoral offenses commission at the national assembly on Wednesday 30th September 2009, it becomes imperative to seriously consider the option A4 methods. From the debates on the floor of Nigerian Senate on 30th September 2009, it became obvious that some senators were not comfortable with the proposed bill. This can be avoided using Option A4.
Now that Ibrahim Babangida has called for the re-introduction of Option A4 electoral system, the next step should be how to actualize this noble idea. This would have been easier for him to achieve under his military regime by using a decree. But since we are in a democratic dispensation, it will involve a lot of political lobbying, media campaign, sensitization of the Nigerian masses, debates etc. Campaigning to re-introduce Option A4 will require total commitment. Therefore Ibrahim Babangida should come out and lead this campaign with all his might. Am aware that he still has some influences over some political elites and some law makers, therefore the National Assembly will be a good place to start mobilizing law makers towards actualizing Option A4 electoral system.
Next will be to organize debates, symposiums, lectures and sensitization of Nigerians on the need to go the way of Option A4. As a follow up to the above, I will advocate for a formation of Option A4 political party or the merging of some existing parties to form Option A4 political party. The singular purpose of this party (Option A4 party) should be to seek power only to re-introduce this system back to our statute books. Some parties exists overseas mainly for a particular purpose. In the United Kingdom, the Green Party exists mainly to promote social and environmental justice. The seek power through campaigns and electoral processes in order to actualize their main purpose of existence. Many Nigerians have argued several times for the re-introduction of this system back to our electoral methods.
Babangida could also use his influences to convince his state government (Niger State) to introduce the Option A4 electoral method into their state electoral commission. This might be easier to achieve. Besides, charity begins at home. If Niger State can adopt this method, chances are higher that other progressive states in Nigeria might copy them. By canceling the freest and fairest election in Nigeria and by extension the Option A4 system, Babangida became heavily indebted to Nigerians. His pay back time starts when he sincerely commits his time and resources towards working for the re-introduction of Option A4 system to Nigeria.
He (IBB) and Humphrey Nwosu (former National Electoral Commission Chairman during the 1992/93 elections when this method was used) are among the top qualified people in Nigeria to lead this campaign. I have said so because; introduction of Option A4 method was their brain child. Since Babangida has spoken in favour of re-introducing this method, Humphrey Nwosu should please make a comment on this as well. The truth should always be spoken. Thank goodness that Babangida has at least spoken the truth.
Our group (Support Option A4, Leicester-UK) will be willing to partner with Ibrahim Babangida only if he is ready, to lead the campaign in Nigeria, for the re-introduction of option A4 electoral system. Am sure other groups might be ready to join forces to actualize this electoral method. Transparency and fairness is what we need in our electoral process. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
Babangida’s comment did not come as a surprise to me because I was actually expecting it. The only surprise to me was that, this comment came a little bit late. In February of this year (2009), I wrote an article which was specifically directed to Ibrahim Babangida himself. The title of the article was; IBB, This is My Response to You. The article was published on my web blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com), including some other media outlets. In the said article, I made some comments, part of which I have quoted below.
“However, no person is above mistake. Many world leaders have at one point or the other made mistakes. In your own case, a window of opportunity exists now for you to redeem the mistake you made in 1993. That window of opportunity is for you to use your influences to campaign for electoral reforms. Nigerians will forgive you and be more glad if you could help to reintroduce Option A4 Electoral system in Nigeria. Option A4 system was your brain child, therefore you need no explanation that it should be the best system for Nigeria. Nigeria has derailed largely because of our corrupt electoral system. I am appealing for your support in this campaign for the reintroduction of Option A4 system”
There are many benefits that Option A4 can give to Nigeria, at least it guarantees openness, transparency, fairness etc. But one of the greatest advantages of Option A4 electoral system is the fact that, post electoral litigations are avoided or reduced to the lowest minimum. It’s too frustrating when people have to undergo lengthy litigations before claiming their mandates. In Edo State, it took Adams Oshiomhole 18 months to reclaim his victory. I did a write up on this issue as well. It was titled; Post Electoral Litigations In Nigeria, Which Way Forward? It was published on my blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com) plus other national and international media outlets. I wish to share some interesting points from that article. I have quoted those paragraphs below;
“Only God knows the legal costs of all these litigations. The time wasted on all these cases cannot be captured on monetary terms. The setbacks to the nation as a result of these cases cannot be quantified. This is also a serious threat to our democracy and nation at large. It is an unwanted distraction on the part of government. The effects of all these are that the masses are denied the dividends of democracy. Government abandons its primary responsibility and only face litigations”…, “Without doubts, an average Nigerian is simply too tired for this kind of setbacks. The solution is simple, adopt the Option A4 electoral system and we will have a smooth, transparent and fair elections. Nigerians are yet to see a system better than Option A4”.
Following the manner that some Senators spoke against the attempt, to introduce a bill for the establishment of electoral offenses commission at the national assembly on Wednesday 30th September 2009, it becomes imperative to seriously consider the option A4 methods. From the debates on the floor of Nigerian Senate on 30th September 2009, it became obvious that some senators were not comfortable with the proposed bill. This can be avoided using Option A4.
Now that Ibrahim Babangida has called for the re-introduction of Option A4 electoral system, the next step should be how to actualize this noble idea. This would have been easier for him to achieve under his military regime by using a decree. But since we are in a democratic dispensation, it will involve a lot of political lobbying, media campaign, sensitization of the Nigerian masses, debates etc. Campaigning to re-introduce Option A4 will require total commitment. Therefore Ibrahim Babangida should come out and lead this campaign with all his might. Am aware that he still has some influences over some political elites and some law makers, therefore the National Assembly will be a good place to start mobilizing law makers towards actualizing Option A4 electoral system.
Next will be to organize debates, symposiums, lectures and sensitization of Nigerians on the need to go the way of Option A4. As a follow up to the above, I will advocate for a formation of Option A4 political party or the merging of some existing parties to form Option A4 political party. The singular purpose of this party (Option A4 party) should be to seek power only to re-introduce this system back to our statute books. Some parties exists overseas mainly for a particular purpose. In the United Kingdom, the Green Party exists mainly to promote social and environmental justice. The seek power through campaigns and electoral processes in order to actualize their main purpose of existence. Many Nigerians have argued several times for the re-introduction of this system back to our electoral methods.
Babangida could also use his influences to convince his state government (Niger State) to introduce the Option A4 electoral method into their state electoral commission. This might be easier to achieve. Besides, charity begins at home. If Niger State can adopt this method, chances are higher that other progressive states in Nigeria might copy them. By canceling the freest and fairest election in Nigeria and by extension the Option A4 system, Babangida became heavily indebted to Nigerians. His pay back time starts when he sincerely commits his time and resources towards working for the re-introduction of Option A4 system to Nigeria.
He (IBB) and Humphrey Nwosu (former National Electoral Commission Chairman during the 1992/93 elections when this method was used) are among the top qualified people in Nigeria to lead this campaign. I have said so because; introduction of Option A4 method was their brain child. Since Babangida has spoken in favour of re-introducing this method, Humphrey Nwosu should please make a comment on this as well. The truth should always be spoken. Thank goodness that Babangida has at least spoken the truth.
Our group (Support Option A4, Leicester-UK) will be willing to partner with Ibrahim Babangida only if he is ready, to lead the campaign in Nigeria, for the re-introduction of option A4 electoral system. Am sure other groups might be ready to join forces to actualize this electoral method. Transparency and fairness is what we need in our electoral process. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
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