Tunde Bakare, Tunde Fashola and Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kano
Guys, Guys, Guys. It’s Friday, and the norm is for JSD to ease you (my dear readers) into the weekend. Funny photographs and jokes attest to this norm. However, today, for some reasons, I am just not in the mood to laugh. It is still extremely difficult to buy fuel.
It is not a funny matter at all.
Nigeria is definitely taking God for granted, so it seems.
The only people oblivious of the huge problems this nation is facing are the Politicians. And I really cannot blame them. Don’t tell me if you were in their shoes you would do better? I really would find it hard to accept all the talk that you would act differently, unless of course you are not a typical Nigerian who bribes his way to power only to feed concocted habits.
For the life of me, I cannot see this situation lasting the whole year. I just cannot, especially at the way it is going.
- The nation is headless.
- There has been fuel scarcity for over a month now.
- Leaders within the same party are lobbying for a non-executive Presidential power for the Vice-President.
What the hell is happening?
Thank God for democracy. We can still speak out. The Save Nigeria Group rally in Lagos yesterday ended up at Alausa, the power house of the Lagos State Government. This time Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain led the Rally and what a great job he is doing.
I really do not give a hoot about what anyone says about this man, at least he is coming out in the open to make his views known.
Guys, put politics aside, can you imagine how the turnout would have been if the top 50 listed pastors had joined in on the rally? The momentum would have been greater.
- Pastor Enoch Adeboye, general overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God
- David Oyedepo, general overseer of Living Faith Ministries aka Winners Chapel
- Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Christ Embassy
- Pastor Temitope Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations
- Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, founder of Kingsway International Christian Centre, KICC
- Pastor Chris Okotie, founder of Household of God
- Pastor Paul Adefarasin, House on the Rock
- Pastor Tunde Joda, pastor of Christ Chapel
- Pastor Sam Adeyemi, founder of Daystar Christian Centre
- Pastor William Kumuyi, general overseer of Deeper Life Christian Ministry
- Pastor Mike Okonkwo, founder TREM evangelical mission
Some of the well known Pastors as listed above are yet to have openly shared their opinions. And please, let no one tell me that they are praying. We all are. What we want to see is prayer and action, which Tunde Bakare seems to be doing. I am actually looking forward to reading views, especially from readers who would try to defend these Pastors for not taking a public stance on the plight of citizens of Nigeria. I just can’t wait guys.
Martin Luther King Jr
I have realised quite a while back that Nigerians fail to realise the power of collective action. And these pastors have the opportunity to inspire and reawaken their followers. After all Martin Luther King jr, a preacher spoke up for what he believed in outside the church, he did pray in the chruch and from the pulpit, mind you, but he led his people on the streets as well.
The truth, the hard truth needs to be told and that was exactly what the Minister for Information and Communications, Dora Akunyili did not bargain for when Enerique Fernando Arrundell, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Nigeria, used the opportunity of his visit to her office to tell Nigerians some hard lessons on how to manage, develop and utilise their God-given natural resources for the benefit and good of all.
He practically lectured us all on how we could manage our Oil wealth.
The envoy, who was responding to an appeal by Mrs. Akunyili to help woo some of his country’s investors to come in and establish refineries under the federal government’s planned deregulation of the downstream sector of the nation’s petroleum industry, advised Nigeria to rather look inwards and to take full control of the industry.
Though, he acknowledged Venezuela as a prominent member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) like Nigeria, he said his country will be willing to collaborate with the federal government to develop the industry.
Check out what he had to say;
Mr. Arrundell said, “In Venezuela, since 1999, we’ve never had a raise in fuel price. We only pay $1.02 to fill the tank. What I pay for with N12,000 here ( Nigeria ), in Venezuela I’ll pay N400. What is happening is simple. Our President (Hugo Chavez) decided one day to control the industry, because it belongs to the Venezuelans. If you don’t control the industry, your development will be in the hands of the foreigners.
You have to have your own country. The oil is your country’s. Sorry I am telling you this. I am giving you the experience of Venezuela . We have 12 refineries in the United States , 18,000 gas stations in the West Coast. All we are doing is in the hands of the Venezuelans.”
The envoy said, “Before 1999, we had three or four foreign companies working with us. That time they were taking 80 per cent, and giving us 20. Now, we have 90 per cent, and giving them 10. But now, we have 22 countries working with us in that condition.
It is the Venezuelan condition. You know why? It is because 60 per cent of the income goes to social programmes. That’s why we have 22,000 medical doctors assisting the people in the community. The people don’t go to the hospital; doctors go to their houses. This is because the money is handled by the Venezuelans. How come Nigeria that has more technical manpower than Venezuela, with 150 million people, and very intellectual people all around, not been able to get it right? The question is: If you are not handling your resources, how are you going to handle the country?
“So, it is important that Nigeria takes control of her resources. We have no illiterate people. We have over 17 new universities totally free. I graduated from the university without paying one cent, and take three meals every day, because we have the resources. We want the resources of the Nigerian people for the Nigerians. It is enough! It is enough, Minister!”
ex-President Obasanjo
And on a different development, “Umoru”‘s predecessor, President Olusegun Obasanjo has spoken out at last. Believe it or not, he has asked the sick Nigerian President to resign his position. Read in full at 234next.com
Great to hear a foreigner telling it as he sees it. I hop eone day this oil that we have mis-managed for decades runs out. Also many developed countries are in frantic R & D to find alternatives sources of energy so it will not be long before our so called premium “black gold” becomes irrelevant.
Completely agree with the Venezuelan, we should look into piggy-backing of their pattern. Do not agree with your criticism of the pastors, if you think they should be involved in a rally, why don’t you try and get their buy in and involvement. Sometimes we spend too much time in a race checking how well somebody else is running instead of working on our game.
Every man has his call, his passion, his role and mandate….lets respect that.
Totally agree with Edo Ukpong’s write up in today’s Guardian which goes thus – “Our religious leaders should rise up to this challenge, if truly they have been chosen by Allah or God (same). Their vision and energies should not be restricted to how to increase their congregations and hence their power and ego. It should extend to how to get us out of this mess. We, your people, ask you to do this for us. The only advice we will give, is that no religion can do it alone. Going it alone will worsen the problem. No doubt, it is a time for cohesion and cooperation. In any event, I am probably not the only Nigerian who believes that salvation is available to good Muslims and good Christians alike. After we fix the society, we can continue with the debate of which religion or no religion will lead to salvation! Then the people will be really paying attention and listening to the verses, not only the rumbling of empty stomachs. And whilst they are at it, let them pray for Yar’Adua to fully recover and live happily to a ripe old age. This is our wish for him and there is no conflict if they also pray that he should not continue to be part of the problem”.
Thanks my brother for providing yet another source for my post. Endeavour to read Monday’s post. God bless.
I totally agree with Joicee. If only we could have a “Benevolent Dictator”. I have lost hope in this crop of politicians.
I thank you so much for your insight… You are leading a quiet revolution without even knowing it.
I am trying to be positive her, but it is hard. I can see why Hugo Chavez works very well for his people. He is headstrong and fearlesss, this is the type of leader that we need. I remember sometime ago, conversing with a south korean friend , he mentioned treat Nigeria needed a steely and fearless leader somewhat like former Southkorean president Chun Doo-hwan, that completely transformed their nation from peasant to an industrialised nation. Unfortunately we have weaklings, who don´t know even what to do for themselves.
Concerning those “men of God”, do you think they care? they have got enough petrol to fuel their jets and so it does not matter to them at all. If they were wise and truly cared for their “flock” they would actually join in their voices for social change.
Before anyone mentions prayer, faith without action is dead, evidently.
Agh reading this just makes me want to cry. Look at the limitless possibilities that could have been afforded to millions of Nigeria if we can manage our resources properly. Ha to be able to have free medical care and graduate from University without paying. God what we are seeing now cannot be our lot! God please show us what to do? We are willing and able.
You are scaring me, Baba!
Is it possible that Mrs. Akunyili and other Nigerian politicians will actually listen to this man and nationalize Nigeria’s oil? Will I no longer be able to run my automobile here in the United States so cheaply on your Nigerian crude? Will Nigerians actually demand that we pay a few more peanuts for their crude oil which we refine to supply our needs here in the “developed” world?
Horror of all horrors, will Nigeria actually manage to build and operate her own refineries?
I very much doubt that.