Umaru Musa Yar’Adua the Hero?

For more than 50 years the Federal Government of Nigeria has taken the people of the Niger Delta region for a jolly ride. While resources from the region developed and sustained project Nigeria the area has been left stuck in the stone age. Roads could not be constructed because of problems associated with Mr. Difficult Terrain. Schools could not be sited here in the Niger Delta because Mr. Difficult Terrain refused to oblige – that is until now!

After nearly 30 months in office, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has finally acceded to the dictates of commonsense to do what needed to be done right from the beginning – put the development of the Niger Delta in the front burner! An estimated N200billion is reported to have been approved for the development of the area in addition to an unprecedented 10% shareholding being reserved for oil producing communities in the Niger Delta region. Now I remember what my mother told me several decades ago. If you must fight with anyone my son, please chose a talkative and avoid the non-talking type!

A note of warning for the Federal Government, lest I forget. In the last thirty years alone, I have lost count of how many laudable projects have been spoilt, as it were, in the process of execution. Care must be taken not to allow the notorious Nigerian factor highjack the laudable intentions of the Federal Government in the implementation process. That will be very sad in deed.

Now that the Federal Government is on the right path, could all the other collaborators in the project Nigeria who collectively made the Niger Delta what it is today, please wake up from their slumber? I am referring to the Multinational Oil Companies who wrecked so much ecological havoc on the area that the fisherman in the area is still groping for an alternative to the only skill he has. It is not enough to build infrastructure in the area and expect that Mr. Ijawman will be in a position to use the roads when he has no car.

Thank you Mr. President for saving Nigeria from disintegration. You are our hero!

Tata, everybody

Napoleon