Mbaka kicks against Stingy Peter Obi becoming Nigeria’s next president.

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Read Time:1 Minute, 52 Second

Passionate Enugu-based Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has declared that the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, can never become Nigeria’s president.
Mbaka, who made the declaration at his Adoration Ministry ground in Enugu, said unless God ceases to exist, Obi would never lead Africa’s most populous nation as it better to have an old man as president than a ‘stingy young man’.
“A stingy man that cannot give people his money, with this hunger ravaging the land, and you are saying he is the one you want; you want to die of hunger? Are you people insane? Where is the Holy Spirit?
“It is now that [PDP candidate Abubakar] Atiku is seriously contesting for president; now that he is contesting without Peter Obi; it is now that he is serious. We want somebody that is serious. Unless Peter comes here to kneel, if he becomes president, he will close down this ministry. What we are doing is spiritual,” said Mbaka.
“Listen, a good old man is better than a young wicked man. Peter Obi is going nowhere as far as God lives. If Igbos want a representative, it is not someone like Peter Obi.

“I should not have talked but I saw my video going round everywhere as if Fr. Mbaka wholeheartedly came out and apologized. No, I didn’t apologize wholeheartedly, it was out of duress. I had to obey my Bishop, in obedience I had to; it is not of my volition. I did it because I am a Catholic priest. My Bishop said, ‘do it’, my own is ‘Yes my Lord’.
“I did not say he is a bad man; I said he is a stingy man. A hungry man wants someone that is generous; the man has so much money, but he is ‘I, me, myself’. But that money will not be useful to him. I am very happy now that I have spoken out. That apology is a poisonous curse against Peter Obi.

“If he is wise he should have come here after that apology to say he is sorry but he waited. Anybody supporting him is wasting his money, he is going nowhere.”

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About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Rejected Olympic sports: 5 new events you won’t be seeing in Sochi

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Read Time:3 Minute, 1 Second

The Olympic Village, Russia — If you have the feeling that the 2014 Olympic Games are a little short on activities, give yourself a medal. Five brand-new sports created for Sochi’s big show were shot down without getting as much as a singe from the Olympic flame.

 

Only “slopestyling” survived, but it looks like just another excuse for getting Shaun White off the couch. Meanwhile, five exciting events have been scratched due to politics, physics or a little of both. Here’s what you’ll be missing:

 

Ice Bowling

This innovation was to be played on the curling lanes, giving them a second purpose. Ice bowling combines the slippery qualities of curling with the mathematical challenges of scoring furious ten-pin action. Unfortunately, the curlers and the bowlers couldn’t decide who was going to bring the cigarettes and the Budweiser, so the  new sport was shelved.   Also: the Russian authorities were never thrilled with the notion of citizens renting their shoes.

 

Freestyle Bobsled

What happens when you take four-man bobsleds out of their restrictive course and get them out in the open?  What happens when you send them down one of the steepest peaks in Sochi, freestyle, letting the drivers find the fastest way to the bottom? 

 

Trees happen. Cliffs happen. Avalanches happen. Collisions between sleds happen. Don’t ever ask those questions again.

 

Pole Taunting

Children the world over can’t pass up a frozen pole in the winter without testing it with their  tongues. They make a game of it. The kid who can keep his tongue on the pole the longest without getting it stuck frozen is the winner.

 

The competition committee thought that the game would translate directly into an Olympic event simply by lengthening the time each contestant would have to remain on the pole. What they discovered was an immutable law of physics: “The length of time a body part remains in contact with a  sub frozen object is inversely proportional to the body part’s possibility of survival.” Donations can be sent to the Sochi School for  Speech Therapy. And don’t send soup. It’s hard to eat soup without a tongue.

 

Snowmobile Demo Derby

Fill an Olympic hockey rink with 50 snowmobiles, 50  hay bales, 50 snowmobile drivers and   a douche with a checkered flag.  Congratulations, you have just winterized  the classic demolition derby. Unfortunately, all those snowmobiles have motors that give off massive quantities of carbon monoxide, making them unsuitable for indoor use.

 

 â€œOur test audience alerted us to that fact by falling asleep shortly into the first event,”  said Herb Booker, director of Olympic ice surfaces and cocktail franks.  “We’re looking for work around. It’s not every day that a sport so violent that even the audience is knocked out.”

 

Show Dog Iditarod

This wanna be event combines the elegance of an uptown dog show with the grittiness of an Alaskan-style dogsled race.  Grizzled huskies and other powerful breeds are replaced in the harnesses by poodles, pugs and Pomeranians.  

 

“Sadly, our research into this event overlooked the fact that some participating countries value dog meet  as a delicacy,” said Sally Ramshackle, “That limited us to running the race only once, as a demonstration event, due to a sudden lack of contestants. But those who attended said it was exciting and delicious.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Astronauts bumped up to first class for another NASA first

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Read Time:2 Minute, 24 Second

Houston, Texas – – US astronauts will be flying at an unprecedented level of comfort and style, thanks to a new agreement between NASA and Russian space shuttle operator Retro Rocket. The upgraded International Space Station package brings first-class service to space travel for the first time. Round-trip tickets to the station had originally cost $65 million per seat. The Russians raised the price last spring to $70 million a ticket, without any stated improvement in service. That didn’t sound fair to Susan Reynolds, Assistant Deputy Director of NASA’s Travel Department. She immediately went online to see if she could get a better deal, only to discover that the Russians have a lock on the space station route. With the demise of the space shuttle, NASA has no rocket system capable of servicing the International Space Station, which is endlessly circling in the low Earth orbit. “It’s a little like a NASCAR race without a Victory Lane,” said Herman “Blip” Keselowski, NASA’s liaison with Travelocity. “It’s the classic going around in circles boondoggle.” Now, thanks to Reynolds and Keselowski, the shuttle has been bumped up to a first-class boondoggle. “They’ve installed wider seats that recline 23% further and provide 16% more legroom,” said NASA astronaut Mel Freeman. “ For dinner, we have a choice of no-gravity entrées, including ribeye on a rope and flightless duck.” Also included in the first class package is an upgraded toiletries kit and priority boarding and disembarking. “You want to get off of that thing as quickly as you can,” said Keselowski, who pointed out that the 60s-designed Soyuz spacecraft uses essentially the same technology that put John Glenn into orbit during the Johnson administration. “The word ‘soyuz’ has become another way of saying ‘keep your fingers crossed’ in Russian,” he added. Asked why NASA didn’t continue its shuttle program, the space-age travel agent replied, “There are a billion and a half reasons. That’s how much each shuttle flight cost —$1.5 billion. And they didn’t even have a frequent flyer program.” Funded with the sole purpose of making space travel affordable and safe, NASA’s space shuttle program did quite the opposite, costing 14 astronauts their lives while burning up almost $200 billion in taxpayer funds. At least the International Space Station is creating some jobs. Last month, astronauts replaced an environmental systems pump on the station. That experience landed them interviews at the prestigious Iowa Institute for Heating and Air Conditioning Repair when they return to Earth. “We welcome former NASA personnel,” said Institute President Ned Frothing. “They’ll find plenty of parking in the rear and all-you-can-eat doughnuts every Thursday.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Astronauts bumped up to first class for another NASA first

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Read Time:2 Minute, 24 Second

Houston, Texas – – US astronauts will be flying at an unprecedented level of comfort and style, thanks to a new agreement between NASA and Russian space shuttle operator Retro Rocket. The upgraded International Space Station package brings first-class service to space travel for the first time. Round-trip tickets to the station had originally cost $65 million per seat. The Russians raised the price last spring to $70 million a ticket, without any stated improvement in service. That didn’t sound fair to Susan Reynolds, Assistant Deputy Director of NASA’s Travel Department. She immediately went online to see if she could get a better deal, only to discover that the Russians have a lock on the space station route. With the demise of the space shuttle, NASA has no rocket system capable of servicing the International Space Station, which is endlessly circling in the low Earth orbit. “It’s a little like a NASCAR race without a Victory Lane,” said Herman “Blip” Keselowski, NASA’s liaison with Travelocity. “It’s the classic going around in circles boondoggle.” Now, thanks to Reynolds and Keselowski, the shuttle has been bumped up to a first-class boondoggle. “They’ve installed wider seats that recline 23% further and provide 16% more legroom,” said NASA astronaut Mel Freeman. “ For dinner, we have a choice of no-gravity entrées, including ribeye on a rope and flightless duck.” Also included in the first class package is an upgraded toiletries kit and priority boarding and disembarking. “You want to get off of that thing as quickly as you can,” said Keselowski, who pointed out that the 60s-designed Soyuz spacecraft uses essentially the same technology that put John Glenn into orbit during the Johnson administration. “The word ‘soyuz’ has become another way of saying ‘keep your fingers crossed’ in Russian,” he added. Asked why NASA didn’t continue its shuttle program, the space-age travel agent replied, “There are a billion and a half reasons. That’s how much each shuttle flight cost —$1.5 billion. And they didn’t even have a frequent flyer program.” Funded with the sole purpose of making space travel affordable and safe, NASA’s space shuttle program did quite the opposite, costing 14 astronauts their lives while burning up almost $200 billion in taxpayer funds. At least the International Space Station is creating some jobs. Last month, astronauts replaced an environmental systems pump on the station. That experience landed them interviews at the prestigious Iowa Institute for Heating and Air Conditioning Repair when they return to Earth. “We welcome former NASA personnel,” said Institute President Ned Frothing. “They’ll find plenty of parking in the rear and all-you-can-eat doughnuts every Thursday.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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New Year delayed after Congress fails to reset date ceiling (humor)

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Read Time:2 Minute, 57 Second

Washington DC — America will have to spend an extra week in 2013, thanks to the latest congressional mishap. It seems that the House and Senate failed to reset what is known as “the date ceiling” before leaving on holiday recess,  an oversight that will bring time to a standstill in the United States.

 

House Speaker John Boehner (R – Ohio) immediately blamed Pres. Obama for the snafu. “They  force-feed us Obama Care, and suddenly both chambers of Congress have Alzheimer’s and forget to advance the country into the new year.  Has anyone seen my porridge?”

 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D – Nevada) disagreed, and pointed at finger at Tea Party Republicans. “All that tea has turned them into caffeine addicts. They never sleep, so no wonder they can’t keep track of time.”

 

Fortunately, the U.S. Constitution has provisions that are automatically imposed when the date ceiling is reached. The official timekeeper for the New York Knicks takes control of the calendar and activates a temporary mini-month called Novemblur.

 

“Novemblur is only seven days long and is designed to be forgettable,” official timekeeper Lloyd Blanche explains. “Seven days is plenty of time for Congress to do its duty and advance us into 2014.”

 

Trouble is, Congress can’t seem to agree on anything anymore and the resulting deadlock, according to Blanche, could “cause time to go cuckoo.”

 

Sen. Ted Cruz (R — Texas) accused his colleagues of overreacting. “I like the idea of stopping time," he said. “Maybe we can even go back in time, before Obama Care and Roe v. Wade. I know I’m going to use the extra time for reading. I read an entire book of the Bible every day.”

 

“Time is money,” countered the outgoing Chairman of the Fed, Benjamin Bernanke. “So when time stops, the buck stops, and people start doing Harry Truman jokes.  I can’t afford to waste time like that. I only need two more punches on my Quantitative Easing card to get a free trip to Vegas.”

 

Sen. John McCain (R — Arizona) blamed “dissident elements in the Middle East” for hijacking 2014. “It's time we settled this once and for all. You can’t let them walk away with a perfectly good year. What’ll they take next? A decade?  A century? 

 

“Imagine the wife asking: ‘Honey, do you remember where we put the next century?’  You’ve got to have an answer for that, or else you'll find yourself in Vietnam, playing dominoes. It’s a shame people still don’t understand why went to war in Vietnam. They  can't seem to grasp Eisenhower’s domino theory. Well thanks to what we did there, Vietnam now has some of the best domino players in the world.”

 

Meanwhile, the Library of Congress has printed a calendar page for Novemblur to help keep the nation up to date. It features “ Legislative Lovelies,” a photo spread of lawmakers modeling the latest lingerie.  “It costs five dollars,” said assistant librarian Victor Trance. “But it’s worth it to see Charlie Wrangle in a garter belt.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Super Bowl to be played without helmets (humor)

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Read Time:2 Minute, 7 Second

New York — Unleashing a last-minute rule change that is certain to spark controversy,  the National Football League has banned the use of helmets in the upcoming Super Bowl.

 

“The NFL wants Super Bowl XLVIII to be the safest championship game ever played,” said league commissioner Roger Goodell. “That  means knocking out the current epidemic of concussions.”

 

The solution, according to the commissioner, can be found in the canyons of computer printouts that dominate his desk.  “Our research shows that helmet-to-helmet contact is the leading cause of concussions by far. Lose the helmets and the problem disappears.”

 

The NFL Players Association at first responded to the change with a scathing press release that accused the league of exploiting football's violent characteristics.

 

“Nothing draws crowds like a bloodbath, and without helmets, that’s just what the game would be,” the release said. “We demand that the NFL revoke this proposed ban before someone is seriously injured.”

 

But a hastily called meeting between player reps and the Commissioner resulted in the Players Association shifting its position.  The group issued a major revision to its initial press release declaring:

 

“Nothing draws crowds like a game that has removed the major barrier between the players and their fans. We applaud the NFL for creating this proposed ban in the interests of safety and more lucrative player endorsements.”

 

One unnamed player said it’s all about marketing. “In the promotion game, your face is your ace. You don’t want to be covering it up with a big helmet.”

 

Goodell noted that other changes to the game on the field would be explored “now that everyone is on board with the headgear issue.”

 

Among the proposals:

— change the shape of the ball to a perfect sphere, eliminating the hazardous points

— put the foot back in football by prohibiting players from touching the ball with their hands

— tear down the goalposts and replace them with goals, guarded by proper goalkeepers 

—  smooth out the herky-jerky flow of the game by keeping the ball rolling nonstop over two 45-minute periods

 

One reporter questioned if the proposals did anything to address the problem of violence in the sport. He was escorted into a small room where he was persuaded to pursue a different line of questioning.

 

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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The Looted Funds from Nigeria Have Found Other Destinations

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Read Time:3 Minute, 50 Second

“Nigerian treasury looters have found new destinations for their loot: Persian Gulf, India and China. This revelation came from former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador John Campbell, one of the speakers at the 2010 Achebe Colloquium on Africa,” a Nigerian newspaper, This Day reported two days ago, Sunday 5th of December 2010.

According to the report titled, “China, India, others now haven for Nigerian loot”, the funds looted from Nigeria are no longer going to Switzerland, France, United Kingdom or the United States. Instead, the new destination for Nigerian looted money is now Persian Gulf, India, and perhaps China.

This is exactly the point. Somebody is not doing the right calculation about the Nigerian pitiable situation, the artificial hardship that has been created for the Nigerian people.

The politicians are pretending to be gentle now as they beg to be voted into power, come 2011. But not sooner they have gotten the mandate will many become passionate looters of the Nigerian oil money and rubbing the nation’s name in the mud.

They think they have created a philosophy: “it’s the National Cake; you chop, I chop”. Well, it is because many Nigerians are not asking the right question: “how can you have your cake if you have eaten it?”

Any singular “Naira” that is burgled out from the Nigerian state and taken abroad for safekeeping is both a “double incident of loss” and a serious impediment to the Nigerians’ ability to develop their local system and depend on themselves. See the article, “Underdeveloping Africa through Corruption”, an extract from the research, “UNDERDEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA: My Hands Are Clean”.

Let’s get the mathematics clearer.

Firstly, the money in question was stolen from the public funds, meaning loss number one to Nigeria and Nigerians. Secondly, the guy who has stole the money think he is intelligent by taken the money to India or China, where it will eventually be invested to create job opportunities for the Chinese or Indian youths. That is the loss number two to Nigeria, because whatever China or India has gained in that regard, Nigeria has certainly lose.

If we further extend this argument, the situation will automatically emerge clearer. At least, to those who will accept the bitter truth that corruption in Nigeria is being deliberately used to punish the common people and deny them the ability to depend on themselves.

By siphoning the public funds meant for the creation of electricity, the construction of good roads and the provision of medical facilities, it means that Nigerians will have to depend on other people to provide them with their means of livelihood. Whereas the Nigerian people would have been able to satisfy their own needs, if the government had provided the needed facilities.

It can even be much simpler. Just because the person who is in charge of the power project has taken the project money to his private bank account in India or China automatically means that the Nigerian factory owner who produces toothpaste will have to generate his own power. Meanwhile, the individually generated energy is far more expensive and oftentimes hazardous to the environment, especially in the case of continues burning of diesel to power electric generators, not to talk of the noise and nuisance to the Nigerian public.

Quite apart from that, the consequence of the additional cost is that the aforementioned toothpaste will now become more expensive, so that the producer can recover his additional money. Yet, the real danger to the local economic development is only waiting at the corner.

According to several economic analysts, what really determines production is not necessarily the desire to produce, but the demand for the good that is produced. Therefore, for the singular reason that the Nigerian producer of toothpaste has increased his price will mean that he stands the risk of not, even, selling his product. This is because with the global economic competitiveness of the 21st century, a toothpaste producer in Italy who do not have to pay the extra cost for power generation, like his Nigerian counterpart will easily dominate the market, simply by selling at cheaper prices to the Nigerian consumers.

The real result from the above situation is that the Nigerian producer will eventually become jobless, because when his consumers can no longer afford his products himself would no longer have a reason to keep producing, thanks to the Nigerian corruption.

The ordinary Nigerians deserve better, please do not take away their money and their means of survival.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Ken and Sankara: Africa should demonstrate its Innocence

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Read Time:10 Minute, 16 Second

This is an extract from the research, “UNDERDEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA: My Hands Are Clean”, as was published on the 10th of November 2010. Images and footnotes are omitted; to know more about this (216 pages) research, see the book at www.unibook.com, www.amazon.com and at www.lulu.com.

–Thomas Sankara (Burkina Faso) And Ken Saro-Wiwa (Nigeria)–

“It was exactly the 15th of October, 1987 that a young and upcoming leader, Thomas Sankara, was assassinated in his own country, Burkina Faso. As many experts tried to analyse the assassination saga, there was no lack of accusations and the pointing of fingers towards the Europeans and other Western powers. On July 2009, a documentary titled (in Italian), “Ombre Africane” (African Shadows) was aired by an Italian popular TV channel, Rai3. In the documentary, one army general from a neighbouring West African country was thrilled to talk about the assassination of Sankara and he did not hesitate from spelling out the details.

Below is part of the transcript from the documentary, as was published in many international news agencies. (Names were intentionally omitted. To know more about the story, follow the link in the footnote):

“France was totally involved (…) I was right there when Sankara said, ‘(…) you are my best friend, I call you my brother, and yet you assassinate me?’(…) made an irritated gesture and said something to him in French (…) then he fired a shot…”

Just as a reminder, Fidel Kientega was the foreign policy adviser to Thomas Sankara. In the interview he granted to a Gambian journalist, Bubacarr Sankanu on the 10th of January, 2010, he said of Sankara’s leadership quality:

“His children were pedalled to school on the back seat of bicycles. We raised concerns about their safety but Sankara said he wanted his children to grow up modestly like every normal Burkinabe child… Thomas set the pace for modesty and simplicity in leadership. He renamed our country “Burkina Faso” which means, “Land of the Upright People”. He himself lived and died by an upright example… Sankara died at the age of thirty eight (38) without betraying his cause…”

Now let’s get the point clearer. If truly there is anything to reveal about Sankara’s death, it is the fact that local Africans should take responsibility in most of the actions often deemed ‘Western infiltrations into the African system’. This is because the direct infiltrators are usually the African people, in the exception of few instances, like the case of a British machinery who was involved in a failed coup d’état (2004), against an African head of state. This is where the question of responsibility comes into play and equally brings to bear the often exaggerated African brotherhood. By common sense, the latter will have no meaning until Africans have learned to be their brothers’ keeper, watch each other’s back and defend their common interests.

There is no doubt that someone somewhere could have been uncomfortable with Sankara’s philosophy and desire for his people, as an uncommon African leader. His drive to re-orientate his fellow countrymen and prepare them for a new beginning, renewing a fact that has become rejected, even by the Africans themselves, (that an African is beautiful and he can do it on his own). Considering the masquerading of the African political arrangement, the above could have made someone, far away, to call for the death of Sankara, but why should an African accept to pull the trigger and then tend to shy away from the responsibility later on? Why?

Let’s look at a different case with a similar story.

Naturally, there is no way that those who fight for ecological justice can be fighting for the wrong reason. Unfortunately, things can be different in Africa and excuses are never in short supply. That is how bad the African situation has become. Born on the 10th of October, 1941, in Bori, Niger Delta, Ken Saro-Wiwa was like every other Nigerian and African as it were. Yet, he not only understood the connection between a man and his natural environment. He equally upheld to the obligation of defending the latter for the good of everything that lives. This was the drive behind his strong will. It was the reason he chose to challenge Shell Oil Company, in Nigeria, for abusing the ecological system of the Niger Delta, through its decades of oil exploration.

Everybody knew that Ken’s campaign was a non-violent, yet he was considered a serious threat to one of the richest companies in the world and the largest army in Africa. On the 4th of May, 1994, he was arrested for the alleged connection in the death of four Ogoni men. And it was going to be doughty for him.

On his trial at a special military tribunal, the words of Ken were few. They were pure and full of human resilience. They were the type of words to remind the local people of their individual and collective responsibilities, towards their own community and survival as a people.

“In my innocence of the false charges I face here, in my utter conviction, I call upon the Ogoni people, the peoples of the Niger Delta, and the oppressed ethnic minorities of Nigeria to stand up now and fight fearlessly and peacefully for their rights. History is on their side. God is on their side…”

Convicted by the Nigerian military tribunal, Ken and his eight Ogoni colleagues were executed on the 10th of November, 1995. And talking about history, as Ken had pointed out on his trial, that particular case was going to turn Shell to devil in the eyes of many international civil right and environmental activists. In reaction to Ken’s death, just after the news became available on the 10th of November, 1995, the Greenpeace Movement, an international organization which preaches against the abuse of ecological system quickly released the following statement:

“The blood of Ken Saro-Wiwa will permanently stain the name of Shell”

Different protests were staged against Shell in many places, including some countries in Europe, all to clear a point that the death of Ken was unjust. Some few individuals even stopped buying Shell oil because of the incident of 10th November, 1995.

There was the need for all that, no doubt. The angle of this argument, rather, is ‘if Shell can be blamed for Ken’s death’, what about the Nigerian politicians and other local elites who have accepted or chose to eliminate one of their own? What about their material benefits, their deliberate sustenance of corruption in the Nigerian system, so that the natural resources can be exploited for their personal interests, (against the collective interest of the ordinary people)? Do these actions not have any consequence on the local economic development; the orientation of the local population towards the perception of wealth creation and growth? Do these actions not say anything about the responsibility and accountability of the local people, as it concerns their local economic development?

In a real world, what kind of economic development will occur in most parts of the Niger Delta? A place where the ecosystem and the rights of the indigenous people have been overly abused? A people who have traditionally depended on their land and water have now become jobless. The fishes in their waters are suffocating from oil spillages; their farm crops are dying. The local atmosphere and land space is polluted and almost uninhabitable due to oil activities. Yet the oil money is not plough back for alternative occupation; infrastructures and social amenities are not developed. Is it not natural that the local youths would someday revolt? That violent activities like that of ‘the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta’ will emerge, destroying oil installations and kidnapping oil workers? That the violence control violence will not be equal to local economic development?

This is the sad equation in the Niger Delta; the people, their resources and their local development.

Now, the argument can better be understood. What actually led to the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa was not a mere selfish attempt to sabotage the activities of Shell Oil Company in their land, but that through those activities, their human rights and the right of their natural environment needed to be respected. This was supposed to be a legitimate fight for the Nigerian/African people and their governments, who should protect the local interests. Instead, a different action was taken and the consequence of that action, as it relates to local development cannot be hidden, not now, not ever.

I know that the aforementioned Ken and Sankara are by no means the only outspoken people in Africa, in connection to how things should go for the interest of the African people. But for the purpose of this discussion, I will try to connect the two to local development, as follows:

First, I would say that ‘evaluating the development of a place without placing such evaluation vis-à-vis the local people and their collective aspiration is a mere philosophy’. And for the local people to be fully involved in what can be regarded as their developmental project, it will mean they have to be conscious of the process that drives the project. This is where Sankara came into the discussion. As an individual African who wanted to take responsibility in his action and conviction, he encouraged his Burkinabe people to believe in themselves, as a people who are capable of developing their own society.

The above was to mean that the people of Burkina Faso no longer needed to wait for the French and the Americans to tell them what to do and how to do it, but that they, as a people should know what to do and to do it in their own way. After all, their social/economic development was to be about them and their well-being, as a people. Consider the following paragraph:

If Shell Oil Company was owned by Nigeria or from the Niger Delta, there is no way it could have acted in the Niger Delta the same manner it has done all these decades. Take it from me; I’m not trying to stage a racial argument here, but that certain things can be much simple to understand about this issue. A Shell Oil Company from the Niger Delta, even though driven by the desire to make money (with the Nigerian oil), would definitely consider the interest of ‘the local people and their natural environment’.

This can better be understood from Ken’s argument because it is very simple: ‘while the multinational oil companies can extract petroleum from the Niger Delta, they should not forget that there are millions of people who call that land their home’. So, it was a struggle to prevent more than 30 million Nigerians from loosing their home, just for the fact that petroleum has been discovered on their land. The British could have done the same, the Germans could have done the same, and the same goes for the Americans. This is not about selfishness but that a people who want to survive and be relevant in a world such as ours must learn to defend their local and collective interests.

Finally, these two different struggles by two different Africans would naturally have led to local development in their respective places. This is because if the African people are encouraged to believe in themselves and pursue a common goal, they will collectively win. And if the interests of local Africans are put into consideration by the multinationals companies, operating in the African soil, the results from their activities will hardly be detrimental to the African people and their natural environment.

Yet, some Africans decided, for their personal interests to eliminate Ken and Sankara. Therefore, the question of responsibility as it relates to African development/underdevelopment cannot be more relevant than in the above cases.” From the discussion, “MEETING ACTIONS WITH RESPONSIBILITY”, page 36 to 52.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria Business news

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Read Time:6 Minute, 32 Second
The Nigeria Business – we provides latest business news, technology political banking financial business travel and economic news in Nigeria. Also – an insight into Nigerian Investment, Governance, property as well as a discussion forum for Nigeria business news articles.

Why is Nigeria an important market?

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with a population of 150 million. This makes one in every six Africans a Nigerian. It is also one of the largest oil producer on the continent creating huge inflows of foreign income. Without question it holds enormous commercial potential as recent administrations have focused on developing the non-oil economy and tackling corruption and red tape. The explosion of industries such as the mobile telecoms market and the unparalleled success of foreign companies such as South Africa’s MTN have also demonstrated that potential can be turned into reality. Despite persistent problems of corruption and bureaucracy the international business community increasingly sees Nigeria as the central driver of a vast African market that remains the last under-developed commercial market in the world.

How do I set up a company in Nigeria?

There is no restriction on foreign nationals or foreign entities doing business in Nigeria, however, they must incorporate a local vehicle before commencing business. Companies are set-up through and regulated by the Corporate Affairs Commission. The local entity must then register with the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) before commencing business. It is possible for a foreign entity to appoint a local qualified solicitor to act as the agent who may hold shares in the local entity on appointment by the principal. Once all registration formalities are complete the power of attorney of the appointed solicitor should then lapse and the principal takes over.

Contacts for setting up a business in Nigeria:

Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission www.nipc.gov.ng
Corporate Affairs Commission www.cacnigeria.org

What incentives are there for investing in Nigeria?

The Nigerian government has created numerous incentives to try and increase foreign direct investment to Nigeria. Go to our incentives section and search by sector for the pertinent incentives.

Is Nigeria a dangerous country?

Nigeria is a huge country with a turbulent political history. Despite being constitutionally stable since 1999, political power still affords opportunity for huge influence and wealth and therefore remains an intensely competitive arena where political positions can be a matter of life and death; however, contrary to popular opinion the country for the average business visitor is certainly no more dangerous than most African countries and substantially safer than many. Violent crime does exist but the vast majority of visitors have a safe and crime free experience.

Niger Delta

The spate of kidnappings in the last few years have almost exclusively been limited to the area known as the Niger Delta where specific political tensions have spilled over and threatened the civilian and in particular the foreign worker population.

The Niger Delta is a vast area of creeks and waterways in the far south of the country where Nigeria’s oil industry is based. Most kidnappings have taken place in remote locations but more recently the region’s major city Port Harcourt has seen a number of incidents. While it is little comfort that the vast majority of these kidnapping have ended without the victims being harmed, the underlying cause of the political crisis is the extent to which the people of the Niger Delta have been amongst the most marginalised in Nigerian society despite the region being the source of Nigeria’s staggering oil revenues. Kidnappings are seen as the most effective weapon in bringing international awareness to the region’s problems and bringing pressure to bear on the Federal Nigerian Government to ensure a more equitable deal for the Delta’s indigenous population.

Religious tensions

The other most common cause of trouble in Nigeria has been religious tensions in the north of the country. Nigeria is broadly split into a sectarian and Christian south and Muslim north. Some of the northern Nigerian States are even run on Sharia Law. From time to time clashes between different religious communities spill into violence but such incidences tend to be very localised and centred on specific issues. For example the hosting of Miss World in Nigeria triggered violent protests in northern cities killing scores of people.

Road safety

By far the most dangerous aspect of travelling in Nigeria is driving. The country has a horrendously high accident rate due to the poor quality of the roads, the poor repair of vehicles and poor standards of driving. Most business visitors will spend their time in either Lagos (the commercial centre) or Abuja (capital). The country operates a substantial airport network and those travelling further afield will nearly always fly to local destinations. Should your visit require substantial road travel outside the main cities (and this should be avoided if possible) then it is essential to ensure you are provided high quality vehicles and recommended drivers.

Will I have to pay bribes to get anything done?

Categorically untrue. Yes, corruption is a major problem in Nigeria. It has been an endemic and institutional problem for many years but the common held assumption that you can’t do successful business without offering bribes is wholly untrue. Millions of Nigerians in the public and private sector every day execute their jobs without contemplating soliciting bribes. Never offer bribes and never agree to them. If anyone indicates they would like something in return just politely ignore the request or, if appropriate, suggest a genuine commercial incentive.

How do I find a reliable and honest business partner?

Getting a local business partner in Nigeria is highly recommended but finding the right partner is critical. Your biggest risk will not be ending up with a fraudulent partner but an ineffectual one – the same risk as you would find in any other country. Make sure potential business partners come recommended by someone you know and trust. Do proper research into the people and companies that you are dealing with and be sensible and cautious in making decisions. Your local Nigerian Trade Commission and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council both offer screening services to validate the authenticity of companies.

What about ‘419’ email and fax scams? Should I avoid giving email or other contact details?

Absolutely not. There is no more danger in disclosing your email address in Nigeria as there is anywhere else in the world. People who fall victim to 419 scams do so because they fail to recognise simple and obvious warning signals.

These are the golden rules:

1. Never respond to unsolicited emails or faxes suggesting financial reward for providing assistance.
2. Never respond to unsolicited emails requesting money or spurious assistance.
3. Never send money on the promise of receiving money.
4. Never send money back to someone who has sent you money by cheque.
5. Always ensure your bank authenticates the source and clearance of any funds received.
6. If a business proposal looks too good to be true, it probably is!

None of the above should make you nervous or suspicious about doing business in Nigeria. Millions of people every day interact by email with genuine Nigerian businesses and conclude genuine business deals. Just be vigilant and sensible.

Doing Business in Nigeria – the summary guidelines:

1. Authenticate potential business partners through official channels or people you know.
2. Never pay bribes.
3. Foreigners shouldn’t travel in the Niger Delta without sufficient security organised by your hosts. 
4. Be patient – establishing long-term relationships and mutual trust are the key to success in Nigeria.
5. Avoid inter-state road travel if possible. Virgin Nigeria and Arik Air are recommended for internal air travel around Nigeria.
6. Be aware of religious sensitivities – particularly in the north.
7. Go to Nigeria and meet your partners. Don’t expect success without making the effort to establish proper relationships.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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