NIGERIA: 
                    WHAT'S UP WITH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION?

                                   Posted by 
                       PRINCE SHADRACH BANIGO (ECONOMIST)


When will Nigeria show appreciation for all the goods from the Niger Delta 
region? Rather than help make life easy for indigenous natives, the government 
helped militarized the region and forcibly stage a violent killing of innocent 
citizens. Who want a technical committee forum that will discuss the interest 
of indigent states in the region while the killing by Nigeria military operative 
continues? 

I agree that the president is deeply involved in trying to find a lasting peace in 
the region. However, the Ijaw tribes don’t have to apologize for lack of thinking 
on the other side (criminals in government). Who want independence day celebration 
when corruption and military dictatorship are the order of the day? The government 
has had ample time to correct the wrong in the region, but corrupt politicians 
and their co-conspirators failed to seize the chance. Now, the process of 
rebuilding is as tall as anyone can imagine. 

What's up with our money, Mr. president? For more than fifty years, same abusive 
method has occurred and yet the government has failed to find any reasonable 
solution. So, when will the citizens of the Niger Delta have a blessed (harvest) 
year? The trouble in the region took place because indigenous natives went 
underground as their freedom and rights to a peaceful clean environment were 
liquidated by government and criminals as opposed to citizens mandates. 

In the last two months, we have seen government propaganda claiming 
how youth’s restiveness curtail developments in the region. However, 
for more than fifty years, youth’s restiveness can not be an excuse for non 
performance on environmental issues, respect for indigenous cultures 
and fairness in the distribution of national wealth.

Federally financed developments in the riverine region does not reflect 
indigenous net worth. I believe there should be no independence day celebration 
in these area as long as the government failed to adjusts their bargaining 
tactics that will reflects indigenous values. 

Area natives are poor, hungry and tired of dealing or negotiating for peace with 
guns over their heads. When a community has people ready to die in order to 
protect their rights and cultures, a negotiating change is needed. The people who 
died fighting for their freedom and those ready and willing to die fighting for 
same issues is reason to be concern. 

I am hoping the government will start acting in the right direction and stop the 
killing game. The president cries of how Nigeria is losing in the oil market. 
However, the president has failed to show in the last fifty years, the 
benefits to Ijaw land when Nigeria was number one oil producers in Africa. 

Its amazing how the area natives have taken a stand and accurately defend their 
community from monsters’ criminals in government. Unfortunately, 
the government in power never learns from the mistake of those before them. 
The bottom line, Mr. celebration (president), the area natives plan to remain 
vigilance for the longest time. 

The government needs to admit her poor oversight and apologize for willful neglect 
and unwillingness to repeal the land use decree in the region. The government needs 
a complete new approach of handling citizens’ concerns. The Niger Delta region 
needs a new leadership approach that can correct many years of poor 
management without having to cripple progress already made by area natives. 

The situation is too challenging as the government keep using the “born-boy and 
baby” approach on hard working war-lords, so, they are holding papa and mama 
accountable (Administrator Amaechi Rotimi of Rivers state) and demanding apologies 
for actions of freedom fighters. Evidently, Administrator Amaechi (BA) has not got 
grips the reality of life in the mangrove. Evidently, he hates the ugly exposures 
coming out of the Delta region that show how criminals in government 
robbed the Riverine tribes.

We all understand that ranting from politicians are very upsetting. The Niger 
Delta natives has done everything in their part to help keeping Nigeria ONE. I 
challenge these politicians to provide a recap of their contributions in Nigeria. 
Their shameful propaganda grossly misrepresents the actual pain and suffering 
in the riverine tribes. The Niger Delta uprising is an issue of 
mismanagement by criminals in government and was not an indigenous error. 
When will Nigeria join the rest of the world to fight for 
clean environment? When will Nigeria reward citizens of the riverine tribes? 

I respectfully challenge Nigeria leadership to account for all their efforts 
committed to clean environment in the Niger Delta region. When was the last 
time Nigeria acted in good faith toward the Niger Delta tribes? When was the 
last time Nigeria has work quickly to resolve poverty, education and 
environmental concerns in the region? The Niger Delta issues are very sensitive 
that need ideas from experts rather than same praise singers like Amaechi & Co. 
Nigeria must adjust to increasing reality of poverty in the region.
 

God blessed Ijaw land.

 
September 29, 2008 
www.africannight.com