WHEN peoples around the world clamour for democracy, they do so not because of its wider participatory profile, but rather, due to its ability to generate wealth for majority of the people.
The wealth generation attribute of democracy comes in areas of human capital development, improved infrastructure, clement business environment and food security.
As Nigerians mark the tenth year of unbroken democracy in the land, is anything worth celebrating?
For the 10th year of unbroken democracy in the country, the second year anniversary of president Musa Yar Adua and the numeric age attainment of Nigeria at 49 years. Nigeria have looked back and agreed that the country has had raw deals in the hands of successive leaders.
Nigeria still lags behind in the quest for economic development and structural transformation within the framework of good leadership.
Abundant natural and human resources, they said, are nothing in a situation of bad and greedy managers.
Specifically, a management consultant based in Lagos stated that the infrastructural state of the economy, coupled with high rate of poverty, is an indication of lack of good leadership over the years.
Successive governments keep going and coming, but all you see after their tenure is impoverishment of the masses. Look at the state of things, we can’t ever boast of one of the most important things necessary to our lives which is energy.
In describe that the state of insecurity in the country, saying that unemployment has tuned many youths to armed robbers.
Why will the government not involve itself in those policies that will reduce unemployment and consequently reduce poverty? All these things are translating into youth unrest and the end result is violence, which could culminate into armed robber.
Almost fifty years after independence, there is no sector in the country today that has government presence. Look at education, it is in shambles because the leaders come and go without making any good impact on the citizens.
According to Rowland, it is this lack of sincerity on the part of government that the country deteriorated into the position of one of the poorest of the world.
Despite huge resources their disposal, greediness of our successful leaders will not allow them to use the resources judiciously but to work for their own pockets.
Speaking on the state of infrastructure recently, Chairman of Africa Citizens Development foundation (ACDF) decried the infrastructural state of the nation.
This is a country of over 140 million people having just about 3,000 megawatts when South Africa, with a population of 40 million people has 40,000 megawatts. How do you compare that? If you want to grow economically, you must have electricity.
If a country does not have energy it is as good as saying that, that country is dead. It is like a human being without spirit. The spirit energizes gets out of our body. Nigeria today is a living corpse.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
HISTORY OF BUSINESS IN NIGERIA
Every human society develops some means of producing and distributing the goods and services that it needs. Exchange of goods and services was perhaps non existent when man lived in caves, gathered nuts and hunted animals for food. As soon as he began to live in permanent settlements, it became possible to produce more than was required for subsistence living. It became possible for man to specialize in different human activities and to exchange goods and services with his neighbours. The craftsman who needed meat had to exchange his product with that of the hunter. As the society developed, the variety and complexity of goods and services produced and exchanged increased. In the same way, the mode of exchange also became elaborate.
The history of business in Nigeria can be conveniently divided into pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods. In the pre-colonial era. Several and the Sudan. The civilizations, especially Ghana, songhai, mail, kanem-Bornu, Ife, OYO, AND Benin Kingdoms built their economies on conquest, agriculture, craft industries and trading. Between Sudan and North Africa, the trans-Saharan trade in gold, ivory, kolanuts, salt, cloths and selves flourished for several centuries. Other trade routes also developed along major rivers such as the Chad basin area, Senegal, Niger, and Volta rivers as well as the Niger-Delta.
The history of business in Nigeria can be conveniently divided into pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods. In the pre-colonial era. Several and the Sudan. The civilizations, especially Ghana, songhai, mail, kanem-Bornu, Ife, OYO, AND Benin Kingdoms built their economies on conquest, agriculture, craft industries and trading. Between Sudan and North Africa, the trans-Saharan trade in gold, ivory, kolanuts, salt, cloths and selves flourished for several centuries. Other trade routes also developed along major rivers such as the Chad basin area, Senegal, Niger, and Volta rivers as well as the Niger-Delta.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
HOW PRINCES SHOULD HONOUR THEIR WORD
Everyone realizes how praiseworthy it is for a price to honor his word and to be straightforward rather than crafty in his dealings; none the contemporary experience shows that princes who have achieved great things have those who have given their word lightly, who have known how to trick men with their cunning, and who, in the end, have overcome those abiding by honest principles.
You must understand, therefore, that there are two ways of fighting; by law or by force. The first way is natural to men, and the second to beasts. But as the first way often proves inadequate one must needs have recourse to second. So a prince must understand how to make a nice use of the beast and the man. The ancient writers taught princes about this by an allegory, when they described how Achilles and many other princes of the ancient word were sent to be brought up by Chiron, the centaur, so that he might train them his way. All the allegory means, in making the teacher half beast and half man, is that a prince must know how to act according to the nature of both, and that he cannot survive otherwise.
So, as a prince is forced to know how to act like a beast, he must learn from the fox and the lion; because the lion is defenseless against traps and a fox is defenseless against wolves. Therefore one must be a fox in order to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves. Those who simply act like lion are stupid. So it fellows that a prudent ruler cannot, and must not, honour his word when it places him at a disadvantage and when the reasons for which he made his promise no longer exist.
You must understand, therefore, that there are two ways of fighting; by law or by force. The first way is natural to men, and the second to beasts. But as the first way often proves inadequate one must needs have recourse to second. So a prince must understand how to make a nice use of the beast and the man. The ancient writers taught princes about this by an allegory, when they described how Achilles and many other princes of the ancient word were sent to be brought up by Chiron, the centaur, so that he might train them his way. All the allegory means, in making the teacher half beast and half man, is that a prince must know how to act according to the nature of both, and that he cannot survive otherwise.
So, as a prince is forced to know how to act like a beast, he must learn from the fox and the lion; because the lion is defenseless against traps and a fox is defenseless against wolves. Therefore one must be a fox in order to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves. Those who simply act like lion are stupid. So it fellows that a prudent ruler cannot, and must not, honour his word when it places him at a disadvantage and when the reasons for which he made his promise no longer exist.
Monday, October 19, 2009
THOSE WHO COME TO POWER BY CRIME
AS there are also two ways of becoming a prince which cannot altogether be attributed either to fortune or to prowess, I do not think I ought to leave them out, ever though one of them can be dealt with at greater length under the heading of republics. The two I have in mind are when a man becomes prince by some criminal and nefarious method, and when a private citizen becomes prince of his native city with the approval of his fellow citizens. In dealing with the first method, I shall give two examples, one from the ancient word, one from the modern, without otherwise discussing the rights and wrongs of this subject, because I imagine that these examples are enough for anyone who had to fellow them.
Agathocles, the Sicilian, not only from the status of a private citizen but from the lowest, most abject condition of life, rose to become king of Syracuse. At every stage of his career this man, the son of a potter, behave d like a criminal; none the less he accompanied his crimes with so much audacity and physical courage that when he joined the militia he rose through the ranks to become praetor of Syracuse. After he had been appointed to this position, he determined to make himself prince and to possess by force and without obligation to others what had been voluntarily conceded to him. He reached an understanding about this ambition of his armies in Sicily. Then one morning he assembled the people and senate of Syracuse, as if he meant to raise matters which affected the republic; and at a prearranged signal he had all the senators, along with the richest citizens, killed by his soldiers; and when they were dead he seized and held the government of that city, without encountering any other internal opposition. Although he was twice routed and finally besieged by the Carthaginians, not only did he successfully defend the city, but, leaving some of his troops to defend it, he invaded Africa with the rest, and in a short time lifted the siege and reduced the Carthaginians to severe straits. They were compelled to make a part with him, contenting themselves with the possession of Africa and leaving Sicily to Agathocles. So whoever studies that man’s actions and life will discover little or nothing that can be attributed to fortune, inasmuch as not by anyone’s favors he rose through the ranks of the militia, as I said, and his progress was attended by countless difficulties and dangers; that was how he won his principality, and he maintained his position with many audacious and dangerous enterprises. Yet it cannot be called prowess to kill fellow citizens, to betray friends, to be treacherous, pitiless, irreligious. These ways can win a prince power but not glory. One can draw attention to the prowess of Agathocles in confronting and surviving danger, and his courageous spirit in enduring and overcoming adversity, and it appears that he less, his brutal cruelty and inhumanity, his countless crimes, forbid his fortune or prowess what was accomplished by him without the help of either.
Agathocles, the Sicilian, not only from the status of a private citizen but from the lowest, most abject condition of life, rose to become king of Syracuse. At every stage of his career this man, the son of a potter, behave d like a criminal; none the less he accompanied his crimes with so much audacity and physical courage that when he joined the militia he rose through the ranks to become praetor of Syracuse. After he had been appointed to this position, he determined to make himself prince and to possess by force and without obligation to others what had been voluntarily conceded to him. He reached an understanding about this ambition of his armies in Sicily. Then one morning he assembled the people and senate of Syracuse, as if he meant to raise matters which affected the republic; and at a prearranged signal he had all the senators, along with the richest citizens, killed by his soldiers; and when they were dead he seized and held the government of that city, without encountering any other internal opposition. Although he was twice routed and finally besieged by the Carthaginians, not only did he successfully defend the city, but, leaving some of his troops to defend it, he invaded Africa with the rest, and in a short time lifted the siege and reduced the Carthaginians to severe straits. They were compelled to make a part with him, contenting themselves with the possession of Africa and leaving Sicily to Agathocles. So whoever studies that man’s actions and life will discover little or nothing that can be attributed to fortune, inasmuch as not by anyone’s favors he rose through the ranks of the militia, as I said, and his progress was attended by countless difficulties and dangers; that was how he won his principality, and he maintained his position with many audacious and dangerous enterprises. Yet it cannot be called prowess to kill fellow citizens, to betray friends, to be treacherous, pitiless, irreligious. These ways can win a prince power but not glory. One can draw attention to the prowess of Agathocles in confronting and surviving danger, and his courageous spirit in enduring and overcoming adversity, and it appears that he less, his brutal cruelty and inhumanity, his countless crimes, forbid his fortune or prowess what was accomplished by him without the help of either.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
I NEED A LIFE BEFORE DEATH
I am not an atheist, I just think that logically as it is in the English alphabet, there should be an ‘’A’’ before a ‘’B’’. if that sequence is generally accepted, I therefore refuse to be continually harangued by the talk of life after death.
Logically. There could only be a life after death when there when there a life at the present. Does it make sense to worry when it is still dawn today? If you ask me, we have proceeded just too fast for our senses. Far away from reality. Guess it’s time we did a little reverse and began to ponder a little more about life before death. I can almost hear you asking ‘’What is the guy talking about’’. I am speaking on behalf of the little boy on rags who approaches your car window in the traffic, with a dirty old rubber bowl in hand.
You see him approach, and quickly wind up your window, your face either bearing pity or disgust. I am speaking on behalf the six years old girl hawking pure water under the scorching sun at an hour children her age should be in school. She has not even slippers under her feet. Her hair is dirty and unkempt and strings of catarrh hang down her nose. Her eye pleads with you as she announces the price of her wares. Does she remind you of your daughter of the age?
I am speaking on behalf of the prepubescent girl who is married off to a man three times her age by parents who need the money to keep themselves. You read such things in the paper and it
Sounds so distant. No, you really do not read it; you simply flip past it to more interesting stories about celebrities and beauty pageants. I write on behalf of many children who are destined to live but a few days on earth because of the accident of their birth. Children that suckle hungrily at dry flabby breasts. Children that are at the mercy of the elements both hot and cold. Children who cannot access common chloroquin to fight malaria. Children who were better off not born
I speak for the farmer who has watched his produce dwindle every passing year. He doesn’t read in the papers of his local government chairman’s boasts of spending millions on fertilizer every year. I speak for the Cocoa farmer who has lost his sons and helpers to the city. I speak for the palm oil farmer who is losing his trees and house to erosion. I speak for those women who will die and are dying for trying to bring forth others to this life. Those who have never heard of ante-natal care, those who must continue to satisfy their husband’s craving for more children. Those women who are raped and are too scared to say they were. Those who sign up for shipment to Italy not because they find it pleasurable.
I speak for that child who is condemned by HIV. And the mother who bore him or her. And father who has lost his job because his bosses heard he is positive. I speak for those who queue for days to get a dose of the antiretroviral. Those people who we establish NGO’s for. NGO’s that make us rich . NGO’s we administer from the comfort of our air-conditioned four –wheel drives. NGO’s that don’t exist.
I am shouting aloud for that graduate who has lost faith in himself and his country. The one whose shoes tell a million tales. Tales that make the wonderful degree certificate he carries about in that worn out brown envelope seem like a huge joke. I am weeping along with that man who just lost job. The man who has layoff his workers because the books are not balancing anymore. The barber who can’t work because his tiny generator has broken down. The okada rider who can’t buy the spare part to fix his bike. That man pastor who has been paying his tithe and waiting for a miracle. A miracle that only his pastor experiences. The pastor who keeps talking about a life after death.
I really would like to know life now not after. So stop threatening me about what will happen after I die which is likely to be very soon given my current state. Stop asking me to wait. I am tired of your deception and postponing my joy. Give me something to hold unto today. Tomorrow will worry about itself. I need a life before death.
Logically. There could only be a life after death when there when there a life at the present. Does it make sense to worry when it is still dawn today? If you ask me, we have proceeded just too fast for our senses. Far away from reality. Guess it’s time we did a little reverse and began to ponder a little more about life before death. I can almost hear you asking ‘’What is the guy talking about’’. I am speaking on behalf of the little boy on rags who approaches your car window in the traffic, with a dirty old rubber bowl in hand.
You see him approach, and quickly wind up your window, your face either bearing pity or disgust. I am speaking on behalf the six years old girl hawking pure water under the scorching sun at an hour children her age should be in school. She has not even slippers under her feet. Her hair is dirty and unkempt and strings of catarrh hang down her nose. Her eye pleads with you as she announces the price of her wares. Does she remind you of your daughter of the age?
I am speaking on behalf of the prepubescent girl who is married off to a man three times her age by parents who need the money to keep themselves. You read such things in the paper and it
Sounds so distant. No, you really do not read it; you simply flip past it to more interesting stories about celebrities and beauty pageants. I write on behalf of many children who are destined to live but a few days on earth because of the accident of their birth. Children that suckle hungrily at dry flabby breasts. Children that are at the mercy of the elements both hot and cold. Children who cannot access common chloroquin to fight malaria. Children who were better off not born
I speak for the farmer who has watched his produce dwindle every passing year. He doesn’t read in the papers of his local government chairman’s boasts of spending millions on fertilizer every year. I speak for the Cocoa farmer who has lost his sons and helpers to the city. I speak for the palm oil farmer who is losing his trees and house to erosion. I speak for those women who will die and are dying for trying to bring forth others to this life. Those who have never heard of ante-natal care, those who must continue to satisfy their husband’s craving for more children. Those women who are raped and are too scared to say they were. Those who sign up for shipment to Italy not because they find it pleasurable.
I speak for that child who is condemned by HIV. And the mother who bore him or her. And father who has lost his job because his bosses heard he is positive. I speak for those who queue for days to get a dose of the antiretroviral. Those people who we establish NGO’s for. NGO’s that make us rich . NGO’s we administer from the comfort of our air-conditioned four –wheel drives. NGO’s that don’t exist.
I am shouting aloud for that graduate who has lost faith in himself and his country. The one whose shoes tell a million tales. Tales that make the wonderful degree certificate he carries about in that worn out brown envelope seem like a huge joke. I am weeping along with that man who just lost job. The man who has layoff his workers because the books are not balancing anymore. The barber who can’t work because his tiny generator has broken down. The okada rider who can’t buy the spare part to fix his bike. That man pastor who has been paying his tithe and waiting for a miracle. A miracle that only his pastor experiences. The pastor who keeps talking about a life after death.
I really would like to know life now not after. So stop threatening me about what will happen after I die which is likely to be very soon given my current state. Stop asking me to wait. I am tired of your deception and postponing my joy. Give me something to hold unto today. Tomorrow will worry about itself. I need a life before death.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Role of Petroleum Industry Bill
If the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), a document put together by the Oil and Gas Reform Implementation Committee (OGIC) headed by the minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Railwanu Lukman that currently before the National Assembly sails through, Nigeria may soon witness a major structural and administrative changes in the management and running of the nation’s oil and gas industry.
Lukman in other hand proposed bill would result in a significant increase in transparency.
From now on, petroleum prospecting licenses and petroleum mining leases can only be granted by the minister through a truly competitive bidding process. Such processes will be open and accessible to all qualified companies, he said when the petroleum bill will passed the National Assembly and become a law after President accent, would allow every company in the up stream sector including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to be subjected to same system of rents, royalties and taxes depending however on the area of operation of the industry with the creation of three separate and clearly defined entity for this purpose. The bill seeks to establish the Nigerian Petroleum Inspectorate (NPI) that would be responsible for all matters relating to the upstream actives including oil and gas exploration and production process.
Also to be created is the National Midstream Regulatory Agency that will be responsible for all matters relating to mid-stream activities including pipeline transportation, storage, refining to downstream operations including petroleum product and natural gas distribution to the final consumers.
However, at the public hearing last week in Abuja before the National Assembly committees on Representatives, many issues considered by the stakeholders including the Oil prospecting companies were brought to the attention of the lawmakers, especially duplications and other issues that were not properly captured by the OGIC report.
The stakeholders also brought to bear the fact that there was lack of wider consultation on the part of OGIC as well as non inclusion of submission presented by the stakeholders to the bill.
It was also pointed out by the various stakeholders at the public hearing that two bills were in circulation. The initial bill presented by the president and the second bill smuggled in by the NNPC.
Stakeholders also noted that so many issues in the PIB submitted by NNPC are significantly different from an earlier version of the PIB produced by OGIC committee.
Some significant difference as pointed out by the stakeholders include: The provisions relating to the governmental institutional arrangements for the implementation of the law; The provisions relating to upstream petroleum operations including systems of acreage award and management, work program commitment and mergers; The provisions relating to the Incorporation of the existing Joint Venture Agreements between the NNPC and the IOCs and the provision relating to the fiscal arrangements including the the fiscal regime for existing and future PSCs.
Lukman in other hand proposed bill would result in a significant increase in transparency.
From now on, petroleum prospecting licenses and petroleum mining leases can only be granted by the minister through a truly competitive bidding process. Such processes will be open and accessible to all qualified companies, he said when the petroleum bill will passed the National Assembly and become a law after President accent, would allow every company in the up stream sector including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to be subjected to same system of rents, royalties and taxes depending however on the area of operation of the industry with the creation of three separate and clearly defined entity for this purpose. The bill seeks to establish the Nigerian Petroleum Inspectorate (NPI) that would be responsible for all matters relating to the upstream actives including oil and gas exploration and production process.
Also to be created is the National Midstream Regulatory Agency that will be responsible for all matters relating to mid-stream activities including pipeline transportation, storage, refining to downstream operations including petroleum product and natural gas distribution to the final consumers.
However, at the public hearing last week in Abuja before the National Assembly committees on Representatives, many issues considered by the stakeholders including the Oil prospecting companies were brought to the attention of the lawmakers, especially duplications and other issues that were not properly captured by the OGIC report.
The stakeholders also brought to bear the fact that there was lack of wider consultation on the part of OGIC as well as non inclusion of submission presented by the stakeholders to the bill.
It was also pointed out by the various stakeholders at the public hearing that two bills were in circulation. The initial bill presented by the president and the second bill smuggled in by the NNPC.
Stakeholders also noted that so many issues in the PIB submitted by NNPC are significantly different from an earlier version of the PIB produced by OGIC committee.
Some significant difference as pointed out by the stakeholders include: The provisions relating to the governmental institutional arrangements for the implementation of the law; The provisions relating to upstream petroleum operations including systems of acreage award and management, work program commitment and mergers; The provisions relating to the Incorporation of the existing Joint Venture Agreements between the NNPC and the IOCs and the provision relating to the fiscal arrangements including the the fiscal regime for existing and future PSCs.
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