Comments on: Niger Delta: FG not interested in genuine peace — DR IYAYI

By: Bright Udemezue

Bright Udemezue — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:42:03 +0000

Dr Festus is a Fellow Activist. He speaks the mind of all who hold issues of our country Nigeria close to heart.The question is, are we not doomed already. As records can testify to a series of failures at rescuing the country , from the brief Murtal regime to the failed June 12 election and subsequent attempt at rescuing it .The Niger Delta criss may eventually prove the Achilles Heel of our dear beloved country. What a tragedy in the making before our eyes. Cry The Beloved Country.I sincerely grieve for my country Nigeria, But to God be the Glory.Amen.

By: osagie oscar asemota

osagie oscar asemota — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 01:19:53 +0000

A true son of his I believe father (iyayi)! the lunatical bastard leaders of PDP knows of this report about those power masquirades in nigeria politics & economy retardment of our nation !
the education here is for electorates to stand up for their valuable Rights to resist further voting in an incredible election that may usher in evil-babangida or continuation of a sick-carmel umaru yardua. We must put on an iron coat to drive-out the above devils incarnate in nigeria political/military Arena, come 2010/2011!

By: Jim Baker

Jim Baker — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:42:28 +0000

Ex-MASSOB Commander and leader of a dreaded 29-man gang of kidnappers and robbers who have terrorized the South East for over two and half years, Innocent Orji, alias ‘B’ stone General’, was yesterday paraded by the
Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro in Abuja.

Orji confessed that one of the two Chinese nationals kidnapped by his gang at Nnewi, died in his custody.

Orji also disclosed that his gang has realised up to N20million income, as ransom for their kidnap victims, and that from the proceeds, he paid his boys, N20, 000 monthly as salary for their robbery activities while many of them got married in their camp located at Ekoli-Edda in Afikpo South local government of Ebonyi state.

Explaining how they began kidnapping, Orji said, “When our leader, Chief Ralf Uwazuruike was arrested by the Federal Government, he told us MASSOB, to make some noise so that government will release him.

We then scattered. After that we started looking for money to sustain ourselves”. There was one army officer, Chukwuebuka Ikewachukwu, serving in Lagos who was training our boys at Idoani and Ojoto. He directed us to one abandoned prison yard in Nnewi.

“But we needed money and I sent my boys to talk to our people to raise money. They went to Chief Ogbuawu and he gave them N1million. But they came back and gave me N400, 000 saying it was raised from the market. Ejiofor later told me the money was from Ogbuawu and it was N1million. What was this truggle about in the East–

By: Toni, Warri

Toni, Warri — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:27:37 +0000

I am a core Nigeriosceptic. I dont believe the system will ever work. The nation has been on a steep decline of different gradient since its supposed independence. With better access to arms and information as we wee in the world today, there is very little chance that Nigeria will continue for much longer. The apathy of the ruling class and their almost unshakeable belief that this can not happen is further proof that the nation is doomed. The masses too have gone anti-idealism. The people have left off engating in quality discussion about the possibility of moving forward. Most Nigerian youths are apolitical – exactly the way the ruling elite want it – resigned to fate with the attitude that you shouldnt make it your personal problem if the heavens are to fall. The majority have turned to anti-intellectual religion – which they have also largely corrupted – as a means of escaping reality. the nation is souless and in a dying state. It seems it will die for sure.

By: emma

emma — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:37:51 +0000

Dr Iyayi, I am quite impressed by your grasp of the state of the nation and proffered solutions. For the records I stand to affirm we cannot be mistaken to conclude that WE ALL KNOW THESE BITS. However, history and experience has taught us the fact that OUR scholars, polititians, activists etc who sing justice only do so to attract patronage ’cause they fail to uphold integrity as soon as there is a call to serve. 13% may not be adequate but would have gone a long way to deal with some of the issues on a smaller scale that should provide a basis for increase. I am yet to know a genuine struggle/militant group that would first demand justice the Niger Delta within the representative context before approaching that of a larger Nigeria. I can assure u that while 13% is on record the other 37% go to the elits of the Niger Delta which explains why nothing happens. Do not forget that these whole structure of Amnesty is a design of leaders of the Niger delta who have been fingered in the active support of millitants. N50billion is only a design to further enrich themselves and we shall be back to square one. Please keep doing the good talks!

By: Don Kester Oshioreame

Don Kester Oshioreame — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:44:27 +0000

When men like Iyayi talk on these issues, one only wish that those in authority listen. Well, my take on the present amnesty is that like every other good intentioned policy of governments in Nigeria, it may be bedevilled by the C.I.D principle- Conception, Implementation and Delivery- The conception is usually faultless but at the stage of implementation and delivery, that is where our ‘Nigerianess’ comes in because someone would want to benefit immesurably from this scheme at the detriment of the masses… my challenge is eventually, due to poor implementation, the ‘reserve’ arms, would be used to unleash terror on the citizenry by way of Armed Robbery… I am not a prophet of doom, but I must be a numskull to believe that a ‘militant’ leader only had 3 AK 47, etc in his armoury and has submitted same in the name of amnesty. We need to restrategise.

By: obusmillion

obusmillion — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:46:10 +0000

We the people of Niger Delta don’t need militant to fight for us because this so call militant have been doing bunkering for years to empower themselves and forget the Emancipation for the Niger Delta people so we don’t need them. All we need is wisdom to work Nigeria, as it is today, cannot be a beacon in Africa, what the military and the militant has been doing in the Niger Delta is bunker. Ateke Tom and Tompolo as been working with this bad government for years. The problem we have in the Niger Delta was caused by the previous government

I understand this current military action in the Niger Delta is a carry-over of what government has been doing for year. Is it not a thing of shame that federal government mobilized 7,000 military personnel-army, navy, air force, two warships and jet fighters, sub-machine gun to invade Gbaramatu kingdom a small kingdom. Rapping mothers, wives, and young girls and killing young men all in the name of Tompolo, the same Tompolo who has worked with the federal government, state government and the JTF.

The truth about the bombing and sacking of Gbaramratu kingdom is yet to be disclosed the JTF is telling lies, what is a Lt-col and a major doing in a small patrol team of 18 personnel, if not a bunkering deal in which they disagreed with their militant partner in oil crime that went awry resulting in a shootout and the militant sank the military boats? (Govt should investigate that tragic incident, not just accept the lies of the JTF) the truth is that the JTF is on a face saving vendetta operation against the ijaws whose sons gave them such a terrible blow. All the militant camp in the Niger Delta is known to the JTF. They should go after the militant and stop destroying homes, killing, maiming and rendering innocent people homeless in a deceptive operation.

I want to bring out something in this place; this security outfit will not bring peace to the country rather it will worsen the whole thing. One it will bring joblessness, our economic is going to be worse off in such away whereby the country money will not be appropriated, all the allocation will by directed to the security outfit. Remember this is one of the problems the US is passing through which led to US economic breakdown. The federal Government should understand for good government and for us to get good leader we need to work for free and fair election both federal, state and local government

By: Hrh sukunu charles

Hrh sukunu charles — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:21:36 +0000

It is obvious that the GOVT.is not after peace and human in the NIGER DELTA but are running a race after CRUDE OIL,development of North and brainwashing vices in the ND to their detriment

By: Dips

Dips — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:17:41 +0000

Dr. Festus Iyayi as spoken well, far from just being cynical, he proffer solutions to Nigeria’s immediate and long term problems.

kudos to him and let those who have ears, hear him carefully because disaster and revolution is near.

By: Dr. Philip Ugbodaga

Dr. Philip Ugbodaga — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:08:58 +0000

nigeria is a fraud and is its failure is very eloquently discussed by the erudite Dr festus iyayi. the country is very rich, the leaders are extremely rich, yet the people are abysmally poor. what a paradox. the conditions are ripe for a revolution. we all need to wake up and the time is now

By: Patrick Agbobu

Patrick Agbobu — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:51:19 +0000

Amnesty International has described the crisis in the Niger Delta as a “human rights tragedy,” saying that the people of the area have seen their human rights abused by oil companies which their government cannot hold to account. The group, in a report released on Tuesday, said the situation in the Niger Delta, home to 31 million people, has fuelled anger and conflict. “People living in the Niger Delta have to drink, cook with, and wash in polluted water; they eat fish contaminated with oil and other toxins – if they are lucky enough to still be able to find fish,” said the report. The report stated that the situation in the Niger Delta provides a stark example of the lack of accountability of a government to its people, and of multinational companies’ almost total lack of accountability when it comes to the impact of their operations on human rights. The report titled, “Petroleum, Pollution and Poverty in the Niger Delta”, was presented by its Head of Business and Human Rights, Audrey Gaughran. It examined oil spills, gas flaring, waste dumping and other environmental impacts of the oil industry, stressing that evidence gathered on pollution and environment damage relates to the operations of Shell, the main oil company operating on land in the Niger Delta. The agency said that the human rights impact of pollution in the Niger Delta is greatly under-reported, adding that the majority of people in the area depend on the natural environment for their food and livelihood, particularly through agriculture and fisheries. Amnesty blames both the government and multi-national oil giants for the rights abuses in sub-Saharan Africa’s most populous country.

By: Patrick Agbobu

Patrick Agbobu — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:35:03 +0000

THIS AMNESTY CRAP OF A THING WAS SOLD TO THE PRESIDENT, BY THE INDICTED AND CORRUPT EX GOVERNORS, EXPECIALLY THOSE FROM THE NIGER DELTA, THROUGH THEIR FRIEND THE AGF AONDOAKAA. THESE CORRUPT AND INDICTED EX GOVERNORS RECOMMENDED THE AONDOAKAA FOR THE JOB OF THE AGF AND WE ALL KNOW HIS VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE CORRUPT EX GOVERNORS. THESE SAME CORRUPT AND INDICTED EX GOVERNORS ALSO RAISED AND ARMED THE CRIMINALS NOW TORMENTING AND KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE FROM THE NIGER DELTA AND OUR UNIFORMED PERSONS. WHY CAN’T MR. PRESIDENT SEE THROUGH THESE EVIL PERSONS.
MR PRESIDENT I HOPE THAT THERE IS NO HIDDEN AGENDA, WITH THIS AMNESTY OF A THING. IT APPEARS THAT THE WAY YOU ARE PURSUING AND PROGRESSING IT, IS BECOMMING WORRYING AND I HOPE YOU ARE NOT UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE, FORM THE CORRUPT AND INDICTED EX GOVERNORS, AS MOST OF THEM ARE THE BACKERS AND COLLABORATORS OF THE CRIMINAL ELEMENTS IN THE NIGER DELTA. THEY ARE MAKING BLOOD MONEY. IN ADDITION TO THE ONE THEY LOOTED AND STOLE FROM THE TREASURY. THESE CORRUPT AND INDICTED EX GOVERNORS AND THEIR COLLABORATORS STAND TO BENEFIT MASSIVELY FROM THIS BLANKET AMNESTY OF A THING. YOU SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER THE UNIFORMED PERSONS YOU SENT TO THE NIGER DELTA AS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF NIGERIA, TO MENTAIN THE PEACE AND SOME OF THEM WERE SLAUGHTERED IN COLD BLOOD BY THE CRIMINALS.
THESE CORRUPT AND INDICTED EX GOVERNORS, ARE THE SAME PERSONS, WHO CLAIMED THAT THEY BANK ROLED YOUR ELECTION AND THEY ARE NOW SAYING THAT THEY WILL ALSO, BANK ROLE YOU 2011 ELECTION. MR PRESIDENT YOU MUST CLEAR THE AIR. NIGER DELTA DOES NOT WANT AMNESTY, AS AMNESTY IS FOR THOSE THAT COMMITED CRIMES, WE IN THE NIGER DELTA DID NOT COMMIT ANY CRIME BY HAVING CRUDE OIL AND GAS. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE PATRONISING US AND THIS MUST STOP.
AMNESTY IS NOT AMNESTIA. WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE NIGER DELTA IS IMMEDIATE MASSIVE ECCONMIC DEVELOPEMENT OF THE AREA AND IMMEDIATE AND MASSIVE ECCONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE NIGER DELTA. USE THE EXCESS CRUDE MONEY, USE PART OF THE EXTERNAL RESERVE, INTRODUCE WINDFAL TAX ON THE COMPANIES THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM AND USE THE MONEY TO PROGRESS AND DEVELOPE THE NIGER DELTA. WE NEED AN IMMEDIATE MARTIAL PLAN IN THE NIGER DELTA. PURSUE THIS MARTIAL PLAN, WITH THE SAME ZEAL, VIGOR AND ENTHUSIAZM, AS WAS USED IN BUILDING ABUJA AND ENVIRONS. NO MORE SLOGANS, NO MORE TALKS, NO MORE TITLE TATLE, NO MORE INFANTILE APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE NIGER DELTA. NO MORE POSTPONNING OF ACTIONS, NO MORE PROMOSES. IF THEY ARE CRIMINALS JAIL THEM, NAME AND SHAME THEM. NAME THEIR SUPPORTERS AND COLLABORATORS. WE WANT ACTION! ACTION!! ACTION!!! AND WE WANT IT NOW! NOW! NOW!!! NOW!!!. MISS THIS OPPORTUNUTY TO RIGHT THE PAST WRONGS AND MISS IT FOR EVER. MAKE HISTORY MR PRESIDENT. ABUJA WAS CREATED IN LESS THAN TEN YEARS, WITH MONEY MADE FROM THE NIGER DELTA, WHY NOT THE NIGER DELTA WHERE ALL THE MONEY OF NIGERIA WAS MADE, THIS INCLUDES EXCESS CURDE AND THE HUGE EXTERNAL RESERVE.
STRAT THE IMMEDIATE MASSIVE DEVELOPEMENT OF THE NIGER DELTA NOW!!!!!!

By: Oladokun Bola Steve

Oladokun Bola Steve — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:32:42 +0000

The only way forward is to raise godly leaders for national transformation. Godly leaders are genetic products of godly family, and the latter is intrinsically formed by marrying a genuine child of God, be it male or female. Visionary,honest and God-fearing leaders are better groomed from the grassroot. Our present leaders are dried errings,difficult to bend,hence unrepentantly callous, corrupt, heartless and therefore,eternally doomed.

By: LUCAS OTOKUNEFOR

LUCAS OTOKUNEFOR — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:28:26 +0000

Surely what do we expect the Northern Oligarchy to do, solve the problem so that everything will be alright?We should all be prepared for the worse, these guys are ready to impoverish us all this is balderdash, NDDC, OMPADEC et al.That is one of the major conduits the North takes money from us evident in the large scale contracts awarded to them and they are mostly not executed.Loook at recent revelations on Dangote evading taxes, there are more of him.

By: Dapso

Dapso — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:51:28 +0000

The devil has his haedquarters here!

By: sam sam

sam sam — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:06:21 +0000

Let us no more deceive ourself in nigeria, Nigeria is treuly a failed state. can you poit to something working normally in Nigeria? The destiny of Nigerians are in the hands of nigerians. we can only deliver ourself from slavery if we collectively rise up and say no to re-colonialism from ruling class. PDP is a party of recolonialism.

By: emmanuel

emmanuel — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:21:32 +0000

Ask me to show you a failed country. Nigeria. Our leaders are so shameless that they are trying to amass wealth for the forth generation that are yet unborn.

By: G. Bibi

G. Bibi — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:10:38 +0000

Well Done, Dr. Iyayi with your perfectly crafted words of analysis of diseases affecting our beloved country. Which way forward will you suggest to average Nigeria? I believe that the is a suggestion in your crafted words of wisdom but only will be cleared to intellectuals not ordinary people on the street. I will like to read more from somebody like you and/or even ready to meet you when you are in London.

By: arueya bebeti

arueya bebeti — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:39:19 +0000

oho! See, a failed nation.