Origin of Resource Control

By

Kunle I Sowunmi

kshoid@2wayexports.com



The first republic the constitution gave control of resource to the regions, which was changed by various military regimes until 13% was allocated to the oil producing States in the country in the new military imposed constitution. Like Oliver Twists the Oil producing States wants more not only more, they want 25-50 percent of the whole oil money and the rest of the country is by style saying No. I say by style, because nobody will be happy with only six States out of thirty-six States of the federation controlling the billions of dollars while the rest of the country will be languishing in poverty.

The South–South States by greed is asking for impossibility. How will they be comfortable with the whole billions of dollars while we continue to look at them sharing it among the warlords or governors? How will they manage the oil and international politics involved without trying to opt out of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Is Nigeria going to be better off with all the resource given to south-south States? The answer to all these will still be NO. The North through its leaders at the last confab was bold enough to openly say no to what the rest of the country is afraid to tell the south-south leaders. The North by that singular action remains the only honest and straightforward groups in the last CONFAB perhaps the South-South will one day get the message about its ambitious demand by unreasonably asking for impossibilities in an economy, which solely depends on oil revenue. It is not possible like the Yoruba will say KO EASY RARA O

Governors as Thieves

It is no longer news that greed is the bedrock of the problem of the so-called agitation for resource control or resource takes over as claimed by one of the warlords. In one other southern states making threats and even moved further to threaten not only the British oil interest in Nigeria, they short down the oil pipe lines in some parts of the country action to this writer is not the best or reasonable approach. The civilian governor of Bayelsa State Peter Alademieyeseigha (what a long last name) was recently arrested in London for money laundry and his passport seized and he is now scheduled for court appearance on November 15th 2005 meaning the governor can not travel home and by this had abandon his duties as Governor for more than 30 days. In all civilized society absenteeism from work for more than seven days can lead to termination of appointment. The Governor must be replaced with the Deputy Governor with immediate effect for the state to move one. This time unlike Governor Dariye of Plateau state Peter is not going to be lucky because there is no immunity for a thief outside Nigeria boarder and this is official from the Federal Government. Peter is not coming back as governor of the state if only for the Federal government to make a point that the leaders of the South- South demanding for more revenue are nothing but thieves. In the light of this new development the state assembly of Bayelsa must initiate action for replacement instead of participating in a fruitless venture of asking the British to release a criminal. It is only in Nigeria that a thief will be arrested and the thief will have the support of the people more than the support of the Law that is helping to regulate the decency in the society. Peter Alademieyeseigha the Governor of Bayelsa like some of the past and present governors is nothing but a thief that needs to be behind the bar for more that 15 years it does not need the sympathy of the people.

South-South Supporters


Those who support the South-South agitation gave the following excuses about lack of water, electricity and other environmental deficiency on the part of the Federal government for the people living in the riverside States as the reasons for the resource control while this writer from the past has been a critic of Obasanjo’s administration. It will be unwise to criticize for the sake of criticism the supporters of resources control failed to understand that some if not all these requests are the responsibilities of the state government not Federal government. In other States of the Federation it is the constitutional duty of the States through Water Corporation to make water available to the various local government, to provide schools and hospitals it is the duty of the state to be responsible for state roads not Federal government what should be asked is what did all past and present governors of the south-south States do with all the money they were allocated since 1956 the first time oil was discovered in Nigeria.

West Approach to Basic Needs

Perhaps, what the rest of the country particularly the South should learn does Papa Awo enshrine the foundation of governance as. He never waited for Federal government in provision of basic amenities in the first republic and this process was adopted by various UPN states in the second Republic for example in 1979 during the agitation for student bursary that was not paid on time all the student of Ogun state students throughout the country met with Late Chief Bisi Onabanjo the then Governor of Ogun state from there the governor explained how he installed all the wire and poles in five local government after which he contacted NEPA to hook it up with the National grid. Unlike the States in south-south areas of Nigeria the West did not have to wait for Federal government to build schools, to have water, electricity and other basic needs, in the West we use NIKI slogan “JUST DO IT” and confront the Federal with evidence which is the reason governor Tinubu of Lagos is involved in some of these kind of projects. Most of the governors particularly, in the so-called South-South States are intellectually lazy, criminally minded and lack of feeling for their people. All the south-South States received their allocation like any other States of the federation what happened to it? If they cannot meet with the financial requirement for a project did they ask for Federal support in areas of water roads and others if yes was it made public? If yes, was it published in News media? If yes, which one and when? But if the answer to all this is no the fault lies within the States involved. The so called warlords must direct their efforts at convincing their governors to adopt people oriented programs like the WEST instead of embarking on fruitless venture because it is obvious nobody is going to allow them out of Federal republic or grant unreasonable request just like the country did not allow the Igbos to go the South –South case will not be different.

Immunity Clause

The military writers of the present constitution did more havoc than good with the inclusion of immunity clause for 74 other political officers. Immunity should not cover criminal activities and to think a governor will be prosecuted upon living office is nothing but lies. The governors that stole all the money from all the States are moving around now without any law after them infact the society looses interest in your past as soon as you are no longer in government. In Nigeria there is no accountability after office. Some have linked sovereignty with immunity meaning the Federal Government has no right to waive the immunity of a sitting governor if arrested or committed crimes outside the borders of Nigeria. What do we expect from a government that has been rendered impotent by the immunity clause in the constitution? Let us commend Aremu Obasanjo for a doing very little in the mist of plenty. Obasanjo must go after the past governors to demonstrate the objectivity of a sincere government. The last governor of his state of origin collected over 100 million Naira for new Third Ogun River Bridge, which up till today there is nothing on the ground to show for it.

While it is becoming increasingly impossible to check the greed of most of Nigerian Governors most of them if not all are not better than armed robbers or pen robbers like the former Police inspector General they have all milked there state dry. They steal openly and also display this proceeds of this action openly, they buy housed in places they will never live for 5 days in a year. These also include the Vice President with a $1.7 million house in the United States of America, the President’s son or do we say the President through his son bought properties in America? To combat this problem the national assemble can vote to expunge that aspect of the constitution since they are not covered by the so called immunity clause the Federal government knows what to do but for the fear that in passing the amendment the state assembly and national assembly may just take away all the immunity form the whole 74 political office holders including the President himself hence the presidency will be very reluctant to do it. We might as well commend the government of Aremu Obasanjo assisting the British government in getting one of the mosquitoes of South-South economy Gov. Peter Alademieyeseigha and by that action saying if you must steal make sure you keep the money in Nigeria otherwise you will be arrested in any foreign country you go because there is no immunity for a thief outside the Federal Republic.


Relocation as Solution

With the deployment of soldiers and police to the oil producing States the Federal government has only one option and the option may not be what the people of oil producing States will appreciate. Can the country consider the relocation of the South-South indigenes to some favorable areas in some other States particularly in the North? If we can resettle the farmers from Zimbabwe in Kwara state we can resettle our own people in some areas of North. The affected areas for relocation will be any place where oil is discovered the people must be relocated to another part of the Country. As much as the people of South –South states will like the whole world to share in their predicament blowing of gas pipes, killing and detaining foreign investors in Nigeria is not the solution. Relocation may be the only option to a lasting solution to the oil producing States and Federal government in a third world country like Nigeria which economy solely depends on crude oil otherwise we will be building a society of warlords and lawlessness. It is extremely difficult to grant the request of the south south unless we want to turn the rest of the country to look like Chad Republic. It is not going to happen at least not with the present leadership.

Conclusion

It has been argued that the first republic and the first post independence constitution gave over 50 percent of revenue to regions, which was only three at that time the scenario has changed. We are dealing with issue of 140 million mouths to feed in 36 states. Allocation 50 percent to only six States out of thirty-six States of the federation is like asking for the human blood to cook Egusi Soup in a very hungry society. It is not feasible, it is not even reasonable and relocation of the people from where oil is discovered to another state will be the only solution and the construction of three more refineries to be situated in all the six regions of Nigeria to assist not only product but to address the problem of distribution to attain this pipeline just like it was done to get the crude oil to kaduna must be done for three other location throughout the federation by we will be putting the problem of oil distribution and south-south States behind us

Kunle I Sowunmi

kshoid@2wayexports.com

Dallas Texas USA