Chxta's Space (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Chxta
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My days of being a loner are at a partial end. You see, in my class, there are 29 students. Of the 29 of us, only 16 turn up regularly in class, the rest (as far as I know) have one job or the other that occupies their time, and as a result makes them too busy for school. Of the 16 regulars, there is Chxta from Naija, F from Kenya, T from Nepal, Y from Turkey, and K from Spain. The rest of the regulars are 2 Chinese guys then 9 Indians. The Chinese guys never mix with anyone. I daresay that the only time I ever heard one of them speak English was when he had to give a seminar in the first semester. The second guy somehow managed to dodge his own presentation, and was duly penalised. I guess that won't happen again. He is up for another seminar just after the Easter break. B, the Englishman from Ghana shows up once in a wee-little while, then there is O, another Naijaman who like me is a UNIBEN product. As a matter of fact, we were both in 500 LT back in the day 10 years ago. I was an Engineering freshman, he was a Computer Science freshman. Back then we only knew each other facially, but during our orientation here back in September, it was only natural that we strike up a friendship, afterall, we are not only from the same country, but were classmates at a point.
During that orientation, O had informed me that he had gotten a job, and had asked that I once in a while help fill his name in in the attendance registers during classes as he may be coming late. I said no sweat, afterall, it was something that we all did regularly in UNIBEN. Problem was that there was no way I'd have known that unlike in UNIBEN (when I was there at least), that the lecturers here would take a headcount after class. By the time this happened twice (I made another attempt just incase the first was initial gra-gra), I stopped. Afterall, it wouldn't take a dunce to figure out that it was yours sincerely signing in for someone else. O never turned up in class until early in December when he showed up to attack me for not signing for him. Apparently, some lecturer had sent him an email to ask if he was still a student. I told him in no uncertain terms that I didn't pay his fees, and he left with a mighty sulk. Maybe it is safe to assume that he's dropped out, as he didn't turn up for the exams in January either...
Before the detour, I was talking about F, Y, K and T with whom I have struck a friendship. Our new found love is more a case of necessity than any other reason, see the courses we are facing this semester are wider in scope than what we faced in the first, so there was a need to read. Seeing that the Chinese boys keep to themselves, and that the Indians have this annoying habit of cutting you out of conversations with their teeter in Urdu, or Hindi, or whatever else of the 589 Indian languages that catches their fancy at the point, it was only natural that the five of us begin to read together. We meet in the library for four hours every lecture free day to compare notes, and I must say it has been a rewarding alliance.
After yesterday's meet, on my way out of the library, I ran into N...
During that orientation, O had informed me that he had gotten a job, and had asked that I once in a while help fill his name in in the attendance registers during classes as he may be coming late. I said no sweat, afterall, it was something that we all did regularly in UNIBEN. Problem was that there was no way I'd have known that unlike in UNIBEN (when I was there at least), that the lecturers here would take a headcount after class. By the time this happened twice (I made another attempt just incase the first was initial gra-gra), I stopped. Afterall, it wouldn't take a dunce to figure out that it was yours sincerely signing in for someone else. O never turned up in class until early in December when he showed up to attack me for not signing for him. Apparently, some lecturer had sent him an email to ask if he was still a student. I told him in no uncertain terms that I didn't pay his fees, and he left with a mighty sulk. Maybe it is safe to assume that he's dropped out, as he didn't turn up for the exams in January either...
Before the detour, I was talking about F, Y, K and T with whom I have struck a friendship. Our new found love is more a case of necessity than any other reason, see the courses we are facing this semester are wider in scope than what we faced in the first, so there was a need to read. Seeing that the Chinese boys keep to themselves, and that the Indians have this annoying habit of cutting you out of conversations with their teeter in Urdu, or Hindi, or whatever else of the 589 Indian languages that catches their fancy at the point, it was only natural that the five of us begin to read together. We meet in the library for four hours every lecture free day to compare notes, and I must say it has been a rewarding alliance.
After yesterday's meet, on my way out of the library, I ran into N...
A friend of mine visited the Niger Delta probably for the first time and like more than enough people was shocked by what she saw. Like most people, she lays the blame squarely at the feet of the multi-nationals operating in the region. Hear her:
"..the reason I stopped buying gas from Shell stations and the intrigue about the whole Ogoni Saga. It all makes a 'ship-load' of sense. What I saw brought tears to my eyes..."
The above is the impression that a lot of people have of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, especially given their not so clean record in Nigeria. You see, Shell is far and away the biggest oil operation in Nigeria, so they are the most obvious. Reminds me of the way people like myself always pick on Micro$oft...
Shell began operations in Nigeria in 1938, but had to wait twenty years before they finally started shipping. The breakthrough had come two years earlier with the first successful well drilled in Oloibiri in what is now Bayelsa State. As time has passed, Nigeria has gone through various upheavals from independence to civil war to the three Rs, from 'oil boom' to 'oil gloom', from civilian rule to military rule back to civilian rule, the company has remained in Nigeria, doing their business and feeding fat.
Shell is blamed almost entirely for the degradation, and about two months back, a report appeared in National Geographic's website which while trying to be objective, ended up like everyone else in placing the blame mostly at the doorstep of the oil companies.
It is my opinion that most people who comment on this issue couldn't be further form the truth.
I believe that while the oil majors such as Shell do have a significant share in the blame for the apparent destruction of the environment in the Niger Delta, they do not have a majority of the blame. As is usual, I'd rather look at myself (and my people) for faults before looking outwards.
One thing I find interesting however is that despite that record, Shell is probably the first choice company to work with for the average Nigerian graduate given that they pay very well by Nigerian standards. Nigerians dominate the workforce of the company and right now the MD (Basil Omiyi) is a Nigerian from the Niger Delta. Again, I wouldn't mind working for Micro$oft despite the fact that I slate them often, but then again, that is unlikely, I am not a programmer...
It is my opinion that Shell and the other oil companies do what they do in Nigeria because of the complicity of the government and people of Nigeria at all levels, Federal, State and Local. Anyone who has ever tried to do some work in the Delta would know about the brigandage of the youths who always make silly demands and generally make life difficult for all workers. There is no law enforcement in this situation, people do what they like, and that includes the oil companies. To be honest, were I in their position, I'd do the same.
Now let us look at some facts: Shell runs a business in Nigeria where they own only 35% of same. The Nigerian government through the NNPC owns 55% of the business. All Shell budgets have to be approved by the NNPC. Shell's community development budgets and sustainable development initiatives also have to be approved by the NNPC. Over the last 8 years these budgets have consistently been cut by the NNPC in order to divert the funds saved to the NDDC.
Shell's Port Harcourt office alone pays a minimum monthly PAYE tax of N300million to the Rivers State Government. This does not include other taxes both legal and those taken by coercion usually by youths doing the bidding of community chiefs and/or local officials. Shell pays production related taxes to the Federal Government and contributes 5% of its profit to the NDDC.
Shell cannot take money straight to the communities for project without the approval of the government through the NNPC. Same applies to the other oil firms in the region, although I must admit, NLNG has done a better job of sharing money to the community. I guess that is the reason that of all the oil firms, NLNG probably has the best relationship with its host community.
Granted there is pollution in the Niger Delta, and while the gas flaring is the fault of the oil companies, let's be frank, there is some (though it is half-hearted at the moment) effort to reduce it, and hopefully stop it in the near future. Most of the pollution in the Niger Delta in recent times unarguably comes from vandalism by the people of the region, and in a terribly twist of irony, these same people make concerted efforts to prevent the companies from cleaning up the damage that they caused. Many times when Shell staff go to communities to clean oil spillages, the community elders and youths prevent them. The reasoning behind this is to allow the spillage(s) to cause more damage to the soil and wait for claims later on.
Funny thing is that most times when such claims are paid, the money goes into the pockets of a few individuals. There was an incident where the traditional ruler of Evwreni, Delta State was beheaded by his own people after refusing to share the money that Shell gave to him. This was about seven years back. Did you hear of Afiesere clash where an entire family was almost wiped out after their father 'ate' the money given to the community by Shell? On a personal note, in late 2004, Chxta was involved in an installation project in Saigbama, Bayelsa State where a community leader at the time (his name is Ebisu), refused to give his permission for the installation of communications infrastructure that would have benefited his community. We were told that we had to come up with five million Naira in cash or get out. We got out. Look at the recent spate of kidnappings, look at the most recent kidnap, the guys taken hostage are involved in a road construction project that would benefit the entire region. There are so many of such stories, and it is disgusting.
Our government pays a lot of lip service to the plight of the Delta, and the world blames Shell. Is it Shell's responsibility to build roads, provide water, build hospitals, schools, and provide electricity while Odili et al buy jets?
Another terrible occurrence in the Niger Delta is the phenomenon of the community nominated contractor. As a result of this, 'indigenes' of the Delta have the first call when it comes to receiving Shell contracts. Do you know how many of such 'community nominated contractors' have collected money and abandoned their projects? According to a friend of mine, as at December 2006 Shell Eastern Division alone had over a hundred of such projects abandoned by community nominated contractors. Yet the communities would not allow any other contractor to go and complete these 'community assistance projects' except once again the 'community nominated contractors'.
At the end of the day, it is my opinion that we need to get our heads out of our arses. Shell and the other oil majors came to Nigeria to make money, and are not a fucking charity. If we want them to behave the way they behave in the Western world, then we need to get our own act together.
"..the reason I stopped buying gas from Shell stations and the intrigue about the whole Ogoni Saga. It all makes a 'ship-load' of sense. What I saw brought tears to my eyes..."
The above is the impression that a lot of people have of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, especially given their not so clean record in Nigeria. You see, Shell is far and away the biggest oil operation in Nigeria, so they are the most obvious. Reminds me of the way people like myself always pick on Micro$oft...
Shell began operations in Nigeria in 1938, but had to wait twenty years before they finally started shipping. The breakthrough had come two years earlier with the first successful well drilled in Oloibiri in what is now Bayelsa State. As time has passed, Nigeria has gone through various upheavals from independence to civil war to the three Rs, from 'oil boom' to 'oil gloom', from civilian rule to military rule back to civilian rule, the company has remained in Nigeria, doing their business and feeding fat.
Shell is blamed almost entirely for the degradation, and about two months back, a report appeared in National Geographic's website which while trying to be objective, ended up like everyone else in placing the blame mostly at the doorstep of the oil companies.
It is my opinion that most people who comment on this issue couldn't be further form the truth.
I believe that while the oil majors such as Shell do have a significant share in the blame for the apparent destruction of the environment in the Niger Delta, they do not have a majority of the blame. As is usual, I'd rather look at myself (and my people) for faults before looking outwards.
One thing I find interesting however is that despite that record, Shell is probably the first choice company to work with for the average Nigerian graduate given that they pay very well by Nigerian standards. Nigerians dominate the workforce of the company and right now the MD (Basil Omiyi) is a Nigerian from the Niger Delta. Again, I wouldn't mind working for Micro$oft despite the fact that I slate them often, but then again, that is unlikely, I am not a programmer...
It is my opinion that Shell and the other oil companies do what they do in Nigeria because of the complicity of the government and people of Nigeria at all levels, Federal, State and Local. Anyone who has ever tried to do some work in the Delta would know about the brigandage of the youths who always make silly demands and generally make life difficult for all workers. There is no law enforcement in this situation, people do what they like, and that includes the oil companies. To be honest, were I in their position, I'd do the same.
Now let us look at some facts: Shell runs a business in Nigeria where they own only 35% of same. The Nigerian government through the NNPC owns 55% of the business. All Shell budgets have to be approved by the NNPC. Shell's community development budgets and sustainable development initiatives also have to be approved by the NNPC. Over the last 8 years these budgets have consistently been cut by the NNPC in order to divert the funds saved to the NDDC.
Shell's Port Harcourt office alone pays a minimum monthly PAYE tax of N300million to the Rivers State Government. This does not include other taxes both legal and those taken by coercion usually by youths doing the bidding of community chiefs and/or local officials. Shell pays production related taxes to the Federal Government and contributes 5% of its profit to the NDDC.
Shell cannot take money straight to the communities for project without the approval of the government through the NNPC. Same applies to the other oil firms in the region, although I must admit, NLNG has done a better job of sharing money to the community. I guess that is the reason that of all the oil firms, NLNG probably has the best relationship with its host community.
Granted there is pollution in the Niger Delta, and while the gas flaring is the fault of the oil companies, let's be frank, there is some (though it is half-hearted at the moment) effort to reduce it, and hopefully stop it in the near future. Most of the pollution in the Niger Delta in recent times unarguably comes from vandalism by the people of the region, and in a terribly twist of irony, these same people make concerted efforts to prevent the companies from cleaning up the damage that they caused. Many times when Shell staff go to communities to clean oil spillages, the community elders and youths prevent them. The reasoning behind this is to allow the spillage(s) to cause more damage to the soil and wait for claims later on.
Funny thing is that most times when such claims are paid, the money goes into the pockets of a few individuals. There was an incident where the traditional ruler of Evwreni, Delta State was beheaded by his own people after refusing to share the money that Shell gave to him. This was about seven years back. Did you hear of Afiesere clash where an entire family was almost wiped out after their father 'ate' the money given to the community by Shell? On a personal note, in late 2004, Chxta was involved in an installation project in Saigbama, Bayelsa State where a community leader at the time (his name is Ebisu), refused to give his permission for the installation of communications infrastructure that would have benefited his community. We were told that we had to come up with five million Naira in cash or get out. We got out. Look at the recent spate of kidnappings, look at the most recent kidnap, the guys taken hostage are involved in a road construction project that would benefit the entire region. There are so many of such stories, and it is disgusting.
Our government pays a lot of lip service to the plight of the Delta, and the world blames Shell. Is it Shell's responsibility to build roads, provide water, build hospitals, schools, and provide electricity while Odili et al buy jets?
Another terrible occurrence in the Niger Delta is the phenomenon of the community nominated contractor. As a result of this, 'indigenes' of the Delta have the first call when it comes to receiving Shell contracts. Do you know how many of such 'community nominated contractors' have collected money and abandoned their projects? According to a friend of mine, as at December 2006 Shell Eastern Division alone had over a hundred of such projects abandoned by community nominated contractors. Yet the communities would not allow any other contractor to go and complete these 'community assistance projects' except once again the 'community nominated contractors'.
At the end of the day, it is my opinion that we need to get our heads out of our arses. Shell and the other oil majors came to Nigeria to make money, and are not a fucking charity. If we want them to behave the way they behave in the Western world, then we need to get our own act together.
Simple: greed. For every expat that is kidnapped, the multinationals pay large sums to prevent bloodshed. On more than one occasion, the NA (Nigeria Army) has gone in to rescue the hostages, and there was bloodshed. On one of such rescue attempts, a hostage was killed, and as is usual, the media blamed the oil majors.
I'm not saying that the oil majors aren't culpable, but the people in the region IMO have a big share in the blame as well.
I'm not saying that the oil majors aren't culpable, but the people in the region IMO have a big share in the blame as well.