Governance

Grimot Nane Zine

Some Think The Hunger Gripping Nigeria Is A Great Blessing

While most Nigerians are adept at hiding and ignoring their nation’s hunger and poverty, the past year has not permitted the continuation of that habit without presenting massive allowances for exposure. The current consensus is, “there is untold hunger in Nigeria” and it is hounding over 120 million citizens (who used to live on less than $1.25 a day but it is more like less than $0.50 today) as if with a sheer punitive vengeance. Starvation is becoming commonplace yet death by starvation in the land would be unthinkable to most Nigerians. Think again. The aspect of hunger most are unlikely to handle is, who is to blame? (more…)

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Grimot Nane Zine

Can Buhari Win The Oil War?

The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) may not be a praiseworthy entity to many but their emergence and defiance have provided a thorough and incisive diagnosis of the dissembling cohesion of the nation-state called Nigeria. Nigeria has never been a thoroughgoing republic but simply a geographical “convenience” of British colonial exploitation (for palm oil) and a political “convenience” of Northern Nigerian auto-colonial hegemony (for crude oil). Race and tribe have played an exceeding big role in the creation of NDA. Enduringly placing the ‘straightjacket of inferiority’ firmly upon Niger Delta people/region who never asked for it by people who have extracted its wealth in obscene amounts without considering the indigenes will generate extreme reactions. Oppressive exploitation of oil in a highly fragile state does not work forever; President Muhammadu Buhari will learn this. (more…)

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Grimot Nane Zine

Fantastic Nigeria: Amaju Pinnick and the Olympic Football Saga

So many Nigerians (particularly those from Delta State) I have come across in the UK very recently appear to be the alter ego of Amaju Pinnick, president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). Quite shockingly, far too many people appear to know him personally and very well. Pinnick’s name is being dropped so frequently and intimately by so many Nigerians, one begins to think he is probably the most socially friendly, widely connected and open individual from that country. Pinnick is not an internationally famous celebrity but his private and public life just as well-known or supposed as so among numerous Nigerians. It is Olympics Time! (more…)

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Nigeria: Stealing in the Name of Nuclear Power

Nigeria: Stealing in the Name of Nuclear Power

Nigeria: Stealing in the Name of Nuclear Power

Anytime you hear that a new great ‘developmental project’ is being planned and undertaken by the Government of Nigeria (GON), it is important to identify who the short, medium and long term beneficiaries and losers created will be. Consultants, contractors, traditional land-owners, traditional rulers, government officials, board members and special interests groups are the short, medium and long term beneficiaries with a mix of obscene upfront fees, atrociously inflated contracts, preferential job offerings, generous concessionaire privileges under privatisation and convenient abandonment clauses. The 150 million ‘everyday Nigerians’ who the GON take out odious “development debts” on their behalf without asking them (by default) become the permanent losers but projected as winners by GON. This ‘development’ winners/losers dichotomy has now been moved to nuclear power, oil is failing. (more…)

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Grimot Nane Zine

Nigeria Should Thank Buhari For Not Revealing Corruption List

Even though President Muhammadu Buhari was riding on a high crest of fame and popularity during the Anticorruption Summit held recently in London, it was evident it would not last for long. Buhari used that momentous platform to assure Nigerians (and the entire world who were keenly watching) that the list of names of Nigeria’s big thieves (past and present) and their stashes will be “revealed” to the nation on the 29th of May 2016. The President did address the nation as promised but was silent on the promised “revelation”. Buhari should be thanked by Nigerians for saving “One Nigeria”. (more…)

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