Dear Mr. President,
I'm sure you are tired of people saying you are not performing as a
president. Mr. President, for your own name in the annals of Nigerian
history, pull out the check book and contact these companies listed
below immediately. If you call these companies, Nigeria's power
problem will be a thing of the past. These are companies with decades
of experience in everything Nigeria needs to move the country forward.
If you start the process of solving Nigeria's power problem by
contacting these companies, Nigerians will forever remain grateful.
1. Bechtel USA
www.bechtel.com
415-768-1234
2. AECOM USA
www.aecom.com
213-593-8000
3. ABB
www.abb.com
Mr. President, call these companies, sit down and ask them to:
1. Give you a satellite image of Nigeria:
Sit down around a table, draw a line going from North to South, Draw
another line going from East to west. Ask them to give you a quote to
build a six lane freeways that goes along these lines.
Draw a circle half way from the center of the previous line. Ask them
to give you a quote on how much it will cost to build another six lane freeway
and railroad along this circle you just made.
2. Ask them to give you a quote on how much it will cost to build a
21st century power generation and distribution grid.
3. Ask for a 5 year commitment for them to run the power station and
train Nigerians on the job.
Mr. President, you will not solve Nigeria's infrastructure problem by
going anywhere else. Please, this is the 21st Century, how can you
award a contract to a company where Nigerians cannot get online and
see the company previous projects. How can you give Nigeria's money
away without a serious due diligence to see if the company has the
wherewithal to handle a project of that magnitude. You have a duty to
lead Nigeria out of darkness, please Sir, do something. I am hopeful
these 3 companies will give Nigeria a chance and come and help us.
Stop your Ministers from looting Nigeria's treasury by bringing all
these companies from Asia and Eastern Europe to loot our treasury.
Remember few billions was given to Chinese Engineering & Construction
Company to build railroad. Sir I have been searching the web to find
this company, to see the projects they've done before, to see a blue
print of what they are going to build for Nigeria. I have not seen
anything.
Fighting online bloggers and press is not going to solve any problem.
These journalists are doing what journalists do: report on things that
affect Nigerians. Every single one of these online reporters have
cried for Nigeria just like I have. To watch a country so richly
blessed be plundered by a bunch of kleptomaniacs makes us all cry. To
see the police shoot innocent Nigerians and call them armed robbers
makes us all cry. Mr. President Nigeria belongs to all of us. Large
percentage of us want to come home but how can we do that when you,
the President, cannot guarantee the safety of property or life. Nobody
hates you as a human being. We hate that you are in that office and
seem not to know what to do.
Stop the killing in Niger Delta, enough is enough. Get these multinational companies devastating the region to become partners, build
schools, bridges etc in the region where they tapping oil and reaping
100% returns. Remove the name militants and talk these Nigerians. An Army should never point a weapon at its own citizens.
Out of these companies, choose one for power and one for the road
construction. Sir, they are afraid that a new government will come in
and not pay them. That's one of the reasons why reputable American
companies doesn't want to do business with Nigeria. So open escrow
account and write a check for the whole project. These companies do
not abandon projects. They do not give kickbacks. They will get
Nigeria back on track. Do something Mr. President, Do something. Obama
chose to go to Ghana because we have become irrelevant. Do Something.
Show the world you know what to do.
These kids who are being called militants, kidnappers, 419ers will
have the ability to open a bakery and know that power will not go out.
My mother, Mr. President will be able to sell cold water knowing that
power will not go out. A country without middle class cannot survive.
Sorry, I had to break it down to you like this. We love our country.
To solve our problem doesn't take a rocket scientist. And as you can
see, no mention of tribe or ethnicity here because we are all the
same, Nigerians. I am tired of my fellow country men and women saying
"na God/Allah dey doam". No, we have to do this. God has done his part
by given us the resources. It is up to us to use the resources to
better our people.
Create Your Legacy. Like Obama said "You will be remembered by what
you built, not what you destroyed."
Thank You Mr. President.
P. O. Agbo
Los Angeles.
etep007@gmail.com
21 June, 2009
A cashless World
Imagine a world without cash. Imagine a world where physical money becomes extinct. What would a world like that be like?
Before the invention of the paper money by people in China a long time ago, people have always had forms of transaction which invariably leads to Trade-by-barter of goods and services.
Since the introduction of paper money that has different values, it has subtly become the next free-flowing thing after water.
In today’s world, what can you do without money? You can certainly move around with your debit and credit cards in your wallet and do most of your transactions but a bill or a coin to toss here and there is not at all out of place.
Taking reality into cognizance, the world from the UK to the Cayman Islands, Somalia to Italy, Niger to Taiwan does not have the capability to eliminate cash from the system.
Imagine taking your card to Bolade Oshodi, Lagos to swipe your card for just two oranges. Even if the orange seller tells you there is a machine available for use, you’ll probably think it is a ploy to steal your card information.
Cultures, Norms and Values will be challenged leading to a new world order.
Some people will flow with the dynamics and make more money while some would become poor in no time because they can’t just get the concept and survive without physical cash in their transactions.
By legislation or something, if everybody in the world, residents and visitors alike need to have a consolidated card that will contain their bio-data, bank account details and balances…I presume that financial crime will drastically reduce. There would be financial accountability that will make the world a sane place. Morals as well are bound to be on the increase as some people would not want to have a traceable anomaly behavior to them.
Developing countries will now have a real chance of infrastructural development.
People in developing countries can now walk the streets at anytime of their choosing without the fear of the men of the underworld.
In developed countries, illegal immigrants will be virtually non-existent.
What is your take on this?
Before the invention of the paper money by people in China a long time ago, people have always had forms of transaction which invariably leads to Trade-by-barter of goods and services.
Since the introduction of paper money that has different values, it has subtly become the next free-flowing thing after water.
In today’s world, what can you do without money? You can certainly move around with your debit and credit cards in your wallet and do most of your transactions but a bill or a coin to toss here and there is not at all out of place.
Taking reality into cognizance, the world from the UK to the Cayman Islands, Somalia to Italy, Niger to Taiwan does not have the capability to eliminate cash from the system.
Imagine taking your card to Bolade Oshodi, Lagos to swipe your card for just two oranges. Even if the orange seller tells you there is a machine available for use, you’ll probably think it is a ploy to steal your card information.
Cultures, Norms and Values will be challenged leading to a new world order.
Some people will flow with the dynamics and make more money while some would become poor in no time because they can’t just get the concept and survive without physical cash in their transactions.
By legislation or something, if everybody in the world, residents and visitors alike need to have a consolidated card that will contain their bio-data, bank account details and balances…I presume that financial crime will drastically reduce. There would be financial accountability that will make the world a sane place. Morals as well are bound to be on the increase as some people would not want to have a traceable anomaly behavior to them.
Developing countries will now have a real chance of infrastructural development.
People in developing countries can now walk the streets at anytime of their choosing without the fear of the men of the underworld.
In developed countries, illegal immigrants will be virtually non-existent.
What is your take on this?
18 June, 2009
Iran
On the eve of the Iranian elections, an Iranian friend of mine, Majid walked up to me and asked me whether I was following the Iranian elections. I replied in the affirmative. We talked for a little while on what the election portends for the people of Iran.
When you meet an Iranian for the first time, you will be forgiven for having the misconception that you are meeting a potential terrorist.
As far as I know, democracy as it should be is still alien to the people of Iran. How and why did a cleric become the Supreme Leader? Isn’t that title supposed to be God’s?
For a while now, world news is not complete without a mention of the alleged role of Iranian-backed activities in Iraq, their grandstanding against the United States on Nuclear Programs and their defiance of United Nations sanctions.
The elections gave the people of Iran two choices. The first choice is to stay with Ahmadinejad and rubber-stamp his continued opposition to the United States and make continuous headline news for all the wrong reasons on major news channels all over the world.
The second choice is for them to break away from the past and embrace the world. I have met a lot of Iranians and they are not just Iranians. They are human beings, intelligent, active people always shying away from trouble.
The people of Iran are tired of being of Ahmadinejad that has put them at war with the world. They want to meet the world on their own terms and not what the establishment says. The women are tired of being oppressed in the name of Religion. They want to dress as normal people and interact with their fellow countrymen on their own terms. They are simply tired of being remotely controlled and being zombies.
Of course, Ahmadinejad is not the cause of the Present perception of the Iranian people. That can be traced back to the US embassy holdup from 1979-1981. I have read about the experience of a French-American-Iranian whose father worked for the Iranian Oil Company in the 70’s.
The grouse of the Iranian people is that Ahmadinejad with the backing of the establishment that he represents is worsening their situation.
The Presidential election as we understand was a farce and is causing a lot of unrest and reverberations around the world. Since the Islamic uprising of 1979, Iran has never seen anything like this. The people have taken a stand.
I cannot begin to imagine the backroom deals going on right now to calm the situation but any deal made with Mousavi is going to hold up for just four years. Any attempt to rig future elections would be met with better organized and well-orchestrated opposition.
The situation in Iran should be noted by people from Africa and the rest of the developing world where sham elections are conducted and justified. The people can rise up to say defend their votes and not allow any Supreme Leader or Court to decide their fate.
When you meet an Iranian for the first time, you will be forgiven for having the misconception that you are meeting a potential terrorist.
As far as I know, democracy as it should be is still alien to the people of Iran. How and why did a cleric become the Supreme Leader? Isn’t that title supposed to be God’s?
For a while now, world news is not complete without a mention of the alleged role of Iranian-backed activities in Iraq, their grandstanding against the United States on Nuclear Programs and their defiance of United Nations sanctions.
The elections gave the people of Iran two choices. The first choice is to stay with Ahmadinejad and rubber-stamp his continued opposition to the United States and make continuous headline news for all the wrong reasons on major news channels all over the world.
The second choice is for them to break away from the past and embrace the world. I have met a lot of Iranians and they are not just Iranians. They are human beings, intelligent, active people always shying away from trouble.
The people of Iran are tired of being of Ahmadinejad that has put them at war with the world. They want to meet the world on their own terms and not what the establishment says. The women are tired of being oppressed in the name of Religion. They want to dress as normal people and interact with their fellow countrymen on their own terms. They are simply tired of being remotely controlled and being zombies.
Of course, Ahmadinejad is not the cause of the Present perception of the Iranian people. That can be traced back to the US embassy holdup from 1979-1981. I have read about the experience of a French-American-Iranian whose father worked for the Iranian Oil Company in the 70’s.
The grouse of the Iranian people is that Ahmadinejad with the backing of the establishment that he represents is worsening their situation.
The Presidential election as we understand was a farce and is causing a lot of unrest and reverberations around the world. Since the Islamic uprising of 1979, Iran has never seen anything like this. The people have taken a stand.
I cannot begin to imagine the backroom deals going on right now to calm the situation but any deal made with Mousavi is going to hold up for just four years. Any attempt to rig future elections would be met with better organized and well-orchestrated opposition.
The situation in Iran should be noted by people from Africa and the rest of the developing world where sham elections are conducted and justified. The people can rise up to say defend their votes and not allow any Supreme Leader or Court to decide their fate.
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