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PEOPLE AND POLITICS BY MOHAMMED HARUNA Resource Control and All That In the last two weeks this column dwelt on the subject of resource control as the most contentious issue at the National Political Reform Conference. The articles provoked mixed reactions, some sensible, some downright vulgar. Below are two of the sensible reactions. ********** Dear Mohammed, Once again, I must commend the scholarship you have brought to this burning issue, among others, dividing our Peoples- I have come to regard your column as my unvarnished point of connection with contemporary happenings in my homeland. I enjoin you to consider the points proffered by those agitating resource control for their peoples in the spirit that it is being advocated, as if you were from the oil producing area of the country. I daresay going home to the Delta would give you a shift from the balance your article suggests. I must preface my comments by stating that my first allegiance is to the corporate existence of our nation as one and the continued growth of its citizenry into a mindset allowing us to see one another, not as we currently posture, but as the "us" Nigerians. The initiating point of such an ideal is one of power. Where a people within the polity could represent to the whole the real substance of the "cross" they bear in their overwhelming contribution to the purse of the center. Whether oil or another commodity; the prevailing sense of equity suggests the need to amply provide, through surcharge or derivation allocation, funding commensurate to what is gotten from the area, to cope with the environmental impact and displacement caused by production. In the United States, where I have lived for the past 35 years, land where oil prospecting activity is set to occur, is considered capital investment, procured through leases from the owners of the land (Oklahoma native Indians turned the corner from destitution when they became partners of the oil giants, under favorable terms, when oil was found in their reservation). The State of California rejected leases granted some oil companies to prospect for oil in waters off its continental shelf, mindful of the disastrous impact the endeavor could have on other industries in the area. In 1998 while in Nigeria for the funeral of my father, I remember the dense smell of petroleum in the air, the seeping of tar in creeks and the cavalier disposition of rusting tools of oil production... Contrast that with the smell of fisheries, palm produce, rubber production and sawmills that was the order of the day when, as a boy, I would accompany my late father on visits to Sapele. The area has not changed much, excepting for the lack of an environmental policy, mindful of the ecological systems, that could have protected against the displacement of the peoples of these area, from their traditional source of livelihood - fishing and farming. The attendant increase in the incidence of cancer in these areas can be attributed to the contamination of the water table. On the question of our past priorities, I fully concur with the points raised by your article; but would like to add the fact our political immaturity, the lack in the intellectual capacity and a lack of vision of our leaders to date. The complicity of well educated persons, the powerlessness of the masses to alter their lot and the seduction of self-promoting, treasonable felons, who mortgaged us to the hilt, is not native to Nigeria alone, but mirrors the plight of every nation in varying degrees throughout Africa. On the question of onshore/offshore dichotomy, I differ to an article on this subject raised by my older brother, Prof. Itse Sagay. He suggests the United Nations findings on the subject and the operative laws in the United States of America, as an illustration, ought to have guided the Supreme Court in its decision. I forwarded your article to him, under the subject moniker "Superb Intellect”. If time permits, I'd suggest you meet with him and debate the issue in person, over pepper soup and yam (laugh). if such an idea is of interest to you, I could make the arrangement. I, with due respect to the person of Professor Sam Aluko, beg to differ in some aspects of statements attributed to him. The subject of resource control is the point of contention. Transparency and accountability, is most important in solving the problems of Nigeria in particular and the whole of Africa in general. Professor Aluko's suggestion that oil producing areas, "have no input in the exploration of oil", flies in the face of reason. The land from which they derived their livelihood, the rivers from which they demonstrated their prowess as first class fishermen; the contaminated creeks, streams and water table that quenched their thirst, is their capital contribution to the oil exploration venture. Prof. Aluko & Mrs Aluko, my dad, late Andrew Sagay, and brother, Itse Sagay were all on the staff of University of Ife in the 70s. I have utmost respect for his individuality, and scholarship. It would seem patronizing to a deliberation among partners within a federation, for one to superimpose his diagnoses on what ails an area, different from raising an issue or making a case for or against the substance of the demands of the oil producing States; which in the same statement he suggests the 13% is not enough. The subject of lack of transparency and accountability; the injuries caused by leadership in these States, is not endemic to the oil producing States only. Mindful of your exhortation to all, for better language in this debate; I shall leave statements, attributed to Frank Kokori, for exactly what it illustrates. It seems to me the South-South and other oil producing States, would be best served to rely on Mohammed Haruna, as their advocate than tether their lot to the sensibilities of Frank Kokori. Thank you very much for your time! I am still distilling all of the ramifications of your article on not barring the ex-military leaders from seeking any political office. I subscribe to the view that they and all who seek the mantle of leadership in future must submit, before hand, to a rigorous examination, on past financial practices, sources of wealth, complicity in any action to defraud, and the reach of their intellectual ability - hence their capability to handle the manifest demands of the office they seek in the 21st. century. I'd prefer to see a President Aliyu Tilde and Vice President Mohammed Haruna. If there is a fight at the nominating convention, over the suitability of nominating persons from the same part of the country, I know, you would graciously decline, in favour of being guaranteed the Governorship of Delta State, which I must add, you are most qualified to handle. It is my hope and prayer that some day soon, the origin of a person, would not preclude him or her from vying for political positions in any part of the country he or she has dwelt in for a requisite amount of time to allow him or her full understanding of the range, wishes, and aspiration of the peoples they seek to serve. May Allah continue to hold you safe and blessed in all your mission.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Sisan. O. Sagay ******************* Dear Mohammed, I read your article on gamji.com. As usual it was full of insights. The North will continue to [be] bashed and blamed for all Nigeria's woes. When are we going to get our media? Can Daily Trust fill that vacuum? I really hope so. I was chatting with two of my colleagues today, one a Yoruba and the other from the South-South and I told them that Nigeria is what it is today because we are together. Neither the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, etc will be anything in Africa or the world alone. We need each other. We are now clamouring for a seat in the UN Security Council. A Nigeria of Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba only will never aspire or get such a position. Do you know that most people don’t know that agriculture is the largest contributor to our GDP? You need to educate these people more often. Perhaps they will stop calling Northerners greedy. Can you imagine they are calling us lazy and greedy! Talk about greed. I usually see the monthly allocation of each State in the papers. I recall seeing Bayelsa and Rivers getting allocations in excess of N8 billion each, with states like Gombe, Zamfara and Yobe getting less than N2 billion each. Kano with the largest allocation among the northern states gets over N2 billion but the figure is closer to N2 billion than N3 billion. You need to emphasize this in your future writings. People need to read the facts. As for the South West benefiting, I completely agree with you. What are the oil companies, NAPIMS (a subsidiary of NNPC in charge of upstream oil companies) and DPR doing in Lagos? NAPIMS and DPR have no business being in Lagos. The reason why the oil companies are in Lagos is mainly because NAPIMS and DPR are in Lagos. Do you know how much the Lagos state government gets from oil company workers as taxes every month? Plenty! DPR and NAPIMS should be in Abuja, otherwise in the oil producing areas. Perhaps you can bring this fact to the attention of all. I know DPR has an office in PH but it is not their head office. Head office is still in Lagos. As for NAPIMS they are in Lagos despite their main office being gutted by fire some years ago. They are currently squatting in rented offices. If you look at the states of origin of oil sector workers, you would also discover that the northerners are an inconsequential minority. Less than 5% I am sure. While Yorubas, Igbos and people from South-South are well represented. In this area therefore, the North is not benefiting. All the same, like u rightly mentioned we need to get our acts together and develop our human resources. I believe that is the only way we can progress. People like you really need to get into positions where you can contribute more. Be part of the decision-making and the action. Please think about it. We need people like you if we are to have any hope of progress. Keep up the good work. Yours faithfully, Zainab Usman
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