Of Nigerian "Groundnuts Pyramids" and the Curse of Crude Oil.

I understand that Nigeria has become so technologically focused to the extent that the teaching of History as a course or subject in our High Schools is now an aberration. So, to my nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins, and children of friends and family members who are reading this, please, the pictures you're seeing below are not from Egypt. And they are not made of concrete. They are groundnut seeds, harvested, bagged, and neatly arranged for shipment overseas. They are the handiworks of Nigerians by Nigerians in the heart of present-day Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe, Kebbi, Bauchi, and Gombe State in Northern Nigeria. If you must know, Kano City was the citadel of that kisses in the sky. Today, that historic opulence is now history. So, what happened? That's what this essay is about. I will come back to that shortly. 

Going through the syllabus on the "International Petroleum and Comparative Law and Policy" course prior to the commencement of classes, I came across a chapter devoted to the curse of crude oil. It was a shock to me, seeing the word "curse" attached to crude oil that is supposedly a major source of income and the mainstay of the economy of any nation so blessed with it. It didn't take me time to grasp the overall importance of the message. 

In Nigeria, the curse is more than the crisis in the Niger Delta. It has spiral effects. It is more than oil spillage. More than pollution and contamination of the aquatic resources in the riverine areas. More than environmental catastrophe. More than corruption. More than escalation in income gaps. More than the disconnect between the governed and the leadership. And more than the hostile relationship between the host communities and the exploiters who are engaged in exploratory activities. Above all, makes the leadership indolent. And disincentivize the government's interest in other industries. E.g. Venezuela. 

Today, with the exemption of Lagos State, There is no other state in the union that can survive without the monthly allocations from Abuja, thanks to crude oil. So, why is that a curse? Simple. The Governor can appoint whoever he likes or impose on him by his party as a Commissioner or Adviser, without giving credence to his or her ability to perform or deliver. The zeal to invest and generate income internally is missing. So, it doesn't matter who is appointed, it's all about quota. After all the Chinese Investment Banks and Multinationals are there to supplement the monthly allocations from Abuja. 

Let's tie this essay to reality. I am from Edo State. If you are following the development in Benin City, Governor Obaseki is out for a showdown with anyone who has a hand in the Benin Storm Water Project that gulped the people of Edo State about N3B. He said it was a fraud. He said it was designed to fail. He said you cannot channel water from a lower level to a higher level. That's common sense. But who was the Commissioner of Works under Governor Adam Oshiomhole? Was the Commissioner an Engineer? Who is the Commissioner of Works in Governor Obaseki's Administration? I don't think he has one. 

Can Governor Obaseki appoint an Edo indigene who is an Engineer by profession, his Commissioner of work, without subjecting him to the PDP and APC vetting process? Also, if Comrade Adam Oshiomhole and his team had generated that N3B internally from the sweat and labour of his advisers and commissioners, would they have been nonchalant in the award of the contract and the apparent carelessness about the topological make of Benin City? Governor Adam Oshiomhole did not care about the academic background of his Commissioner of Works or of the Environment and Urban Affairs. Because he doesn't need their expertise. At the end of the month, the state allocation is coming from Abuja. Besides, the World Bank and Chinese Multinationals are there to sap the oil windfall. 

My friends, it is not only the KANO PYRAMIDS that are the casualty of Crude Oil or the curse of Crude Oil. In Edo State, Bendel Insurance is. New Nigerian Bank is. Bendel Line is. Bendel Brewery is. Bendel Pharmaceutical is. By the way, if you don't know, Ewu Flour Mills was gutted by fire a few days ago. And while the demand for Ema prouder and fufu is on the rise, they left the Flour Mills to riot away.  

Yes, the curse of oil is spiral and it is monumental. The President, the Governor, and the Local Government Chairman do not give a damn about who they appoint, because he doesn't need their opinion on who to generate revenue. Finally, if you think expertise doesn't matter, think and reflect on the performance of former Governor Fashola, a Lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as the Minister of Works and Housing in the past five years, side by side with the performance of Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State in the areas of road networks, urbanization, and modernization since coming to office as Governor. Governor Umahi is an Engineer, but Minister of Works Fashola is not. President Buhari and his team do not give a damn. Fashola has a lot going for him. He is a Muslim. His expertise or the lack of it in road networks or the topographical makeup of our highways is irrelevant. 

What am I driving at is this: If the leadership is defying all odds to raise revenue to execute the needed projects, he will not only emphasize accountability, but he will take the pain to ensure that competent and qualified Nigerians are elected or appointed to supervise and execute the project. In other words, crude oil is there; if the project is haphazardly executed by greedy and incompetent political lackeys, the contract can be rewarded again in a few years. 

And why the rich are getting richer, defunding our educational system, buying and installing huge generating plants and inverters in their private homes for electricity, flying Helicopters to their villages, and sending their children to schools overseas, you are asking yourself every day in Facebook: who do this to us?