The topic statement is unfair to the north because in truth you can include the west and east to that category. They are equally unproductive to the Nigerian Economy.

For now it is still the oil we depend on for our income. If 85% of our earnings, as a nation, comes from oil,

then all the so called governors would prove a point if they can refute 85% of their allocation

henceforth and see how they will cope. Then we will truly know The possibility of survival, in the interim,

outside oil.

For now it is still the oil we depend on for our income. If 85% of our earnings, as a nation, comes from oil,

then all the so called governors would prove a point if they can refute 85% of their allocation

henceforth and see how they will cope. Then we will truly know The possibility of survival, in the interim,

outside oil.

The real question is can Nigeria survive without oil.
The OP phrased the question as if oil revenues go directly to Northern states exclusively.

nigeria do not really need oil to survive, the leaders needs common sense, but in nigeria case common sense is not common !

nigeria do not really need oil to survive, the leaders needs common sense, but in nigeria case common sense is not common !

Naija cant survive without oil. Not for now. After using oil money 4 6 decades, @ high international oil price dey still need oil money 2 continue building Abuja after Lagos. They cant survive without oil-

Can Nigeria flourish without corrupt leadership?

Naija cant survive without oil. Not now or sooner. After 6 decades of using d Delta oil dey still need it. If no be oil Lagos no fine and Abuja no go exist. They are still spending oil moneY @ Abuja. They cant survive without oil no deceiving yourselves.banks use oil money whether legal or illegal. Same apply 2 telecoms.

It would be better to reframe the topic as: Can Nigeria survive without the Niger-Delta oil? I took the pain of reading all the posts here in reply to this particular question. While some individuals made positive and realistic observations, others were bent on onleashing their natural acrimony and in-born hatred for the north, as though the north has been the cause of their misfortune and poverty-stricken lives. To this latter group of people, may I advice you to rescind on your negative opinion which you might have gotten through bad indoctrination.
Now back to business, the north can very much survive , without recourse, if the Niger-Delta oil is severed from them. How many countries of Africa have oil? Those without oil are even well off. Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius, South Africa, Morocco, name them, and Ghana-which just spudded their oil. "Necessity they say, is the mother of invention". So, no shaking at all. I leave that to your imagination. Yes the north may be backward in education and social development, but as I write now, the region is transforming tremendously through the positive impacts of public campaigns, awareness programmes, and government inducement. when I say 'north' , I mean the far-north because the north-central is well off the hook.
Talking about oil, which region has benefitted more from oil wealth in Nigeria? Ofcourse without any contemplations, it is the South-south especially through their 13% derivation formula. According to a US publication on Niger-Delta in 2006, over 400 billion naira is generated through bunkering activities in the Niger Delta annualy. An evil perpetrated by the so-called elites of the region and the militant groups, in the name of fighting for justice. Ironically, this is the region that is crying loudest for underdevelopment. The report also says that if the proceeds of the stollen oil were ploughed back for economic development and infrastructure, the region would have clearly become a paradise. This suggests that the Niger Delta struggle is basically for self aggrandizement and not for economic freedom. Unknown to this challatans, this struggle has lost steam and popularity. Is it corruption? How many past governors from the oil rich Niger Delta have been indicted by EFCC? We know all those from that region who have built private refineries abroad and carted away billions of naira to foreign land!! So much to say, but with this few points, I have been able to disabuse your little brains, all those who are confused about the subject matter. Leave the north alone!!! Be mindful about how to make Nigeria better. Virtually, all regions have their perculiar problems. Nigeria surfers an epidemic malady and it's wrong to point accusing fingers to one particular region alone. I think what is important for now is how to diversify the economy to reduce over dependence on oil. ONE LOVE.

Heffalump:

It would be better to reframe the topic as: Can Nigeria survive without the Niger-Delta oil? I took the pain of reading all the posts here in reply to this particular question. While some individuals made positive and realistic observations, others were bent on onleashing their natural acrimony and in-born hatred for the north, as though the north has been the cause of their misfortune and poverty-stricken lives. To this latter group of people, may I advice you to rescind on your negative opinion which you might have gotten through bad indoctrination.
Now back to business, the north can very much survive , without recourse, if the Niger-Delta oil is severed from them. How many countries of Africa have oil? Those without oil are even well off. Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius, South Africa, Morocco, name them, and Ghana-which just spudded their oil. "Necessity they say, is the mother of invention". So, no shaking at all. I leave that to your imagination. Yes the north may be backward in education and social development, but as I write now, the region is transforming tremendously through the positive impacts of public campaigns, awareness programmes, and government inducement. when I say 'north' , I mean the far-north because the north-central is well off the hook.
Talking about oil, which region has benefitted more from oil wealth in Nigeria? Ofcourse without any contemplations, it is the South-south especially through their 13% derivation formula. According to a US publication on Niger-Delta in 2006, over 400 billion naira is generated through bunkering activities in the Niger Delta annualy. An evil perpetrated by the so-called elites of the region and the militant groups, in the name of fighting for justice. Ironically, this is the region that is crying loudest for underdevelopment. The report also says that if the proceeds of the stollen oil were ploughed back for economic development and infrastructure, the region would have clearly become a paradise. This suggests that the Niger Delta struggle is basically for self aggrandizement and not for economic freedom. Unknown to this challatans, this struggle has lost steam and popularity. Is it corruption? How many past governors from the oil rich Niger Delta have been indicted by EFCC? We know all those from that region who have built private refineries abroad and carted away billions of naira to foreign land!! So much to say, but with this few points, I have been able to disabuse your little brains, all those who are confused about the subject matter. Leave the north alone!!! Be mindful about how to make Nigeria better. Virtually, all regions have their perculiar problems. Nigeria surfers an epidemic malady and it's wrong to point accusing fingers to one particular region alone. I think what is important for now is how to diversify the economy to reduce over dependence on oil. ONE LOVE.

It was unfortunate that you mixed up some of your few good statements with you categorical hatred for the south and ended up saying ONE LOVE. I think it should be ONE HATRED. Although this is your  1st post, so it is suspicious, maybe you have contributed on this topic and re-assigned to yourself another name to represent your views, or you just heard about nairaland, common to the north.

When was the last time your were in the south? I mean the actual creeks where this oil sustaining all of us come from? Your so-called billions goes through the machinery detected by the North through the governemnt and sent back to them. You asked why EFCC never tried any Gov. Ofcourse, you knew very well Ibori sponsored Yaradua(notherner) and hence he can't.

You Northerners seem to be very selfish. Did you hold any committee to develop Abuja as it is today with our oil money? That was mere farmland before. why all the conferences and meetings that never developed the niger delta?

For you to say that the struggle of the people who are impoverished over decades as selfish issues shows that you never went to south at all or you are simply one of those notherners who like to dominate why lazying around with government machinery.

In federal system, revenue control from state is legal likewise state police. Now Military is in the south fighting issues of revenue control but They kept quiet in Kano when there is a state police there acting with their islamic instincts. Commissioner of police testified to that.

This remind me. you mentioned kenya, Tanzania, etc. How many times have you heard of Islamic fighting of non-muslims over there? The northern muslims dont even want to see other nigerians who are not muslims. You guys will come to power through Constitution and set it aside for Sharia, great hypocrites, i have never found the type.  The countries you mentioned are people takes education serious unlike the nothern nigerians who prefers to have more children/wifes they can cope with, and end up descending on oil money.

It is disheartening for you to come to this forum and rubish us on our pain. Do you know how many fishermen/women who don't have what to do? Do you see how spillage affects our ecosystem? are you with your senses at all?

Can someone come to the North and do to you what you are doing to us in the south? How many oil wells are controlled by the real south? all the so-called developmental agencies are still being controlled by the notherners.

talking about governors sending public money to abroad is general thing not only the southern governors. all should be jailed. tell yaradua your brother, but maybe he needs to re-inburse Ibori, that might be the hurdle.

You said Our struggle has lost steam, you are joking. dont worry very soon you will notice there will not be oil money to fund sharia activities and you guys will be forced to go to school, then, no campaign/public awareness will be needed before you start school.  awareness programmes ko, advertisement ni.

The day the Oil dries, till that day b4 nigeria moves ahead.
the truth is that every state in Nigeria can survive alone check around the world
We ve all grown up to think that oil is the lifeline or better still a country has to be naturally endowed b4 it can be run

Imagine if Nigeria runs on tax do u think corruption will be these widespead but because of the petrodollars no body care.Am sure if ur been taxed 25% we will all monitor thr government but no nigeria is just free

no long thing we will start to build Nigeria when the oil dries

The day the Oil dries, till that day  b4 nigeria moves ahead.
the truth is that every state in Nigeria can survive alone check around the world
We ve all grown up to think that oil is the lifeline or better still a country has to be naturally endowed b4 it can be run

Imagine if Nigeria runs on tax do u think corruption will be these widespead but because of the petrodollars no body care.Am sure if ur been taxed 25%  we will all monitor thr government but no nigeria is just free

no long thing we will start to build Nigeria when the oil dries

They can't survive ooo cos NIGER DELTA OIL is the national cake u hear

Every part of Nigeria will fare well without the Niger Delta oil.

Yes they can and should be encouraged to stay on their own.

STACYM:

They can't survive ooo cos NIGER DELTA OIL is the national cake u hear

You gus forgot that the so-called oil wealth goes to individual pockets rather than being used for development,how much does the whole northern region collect monthly that would make them collapse? The cocoa and the groundnut wealth of the west and north were also shared before the discovery of oil,did the other region collapsed ? You guys have over-stretched this oil stuff and it's starting to pisss me off

I think the North can survive without oil, because they hardly use the oil wealth they receive to improve their land.

the North will definitely find it difficult to cope without oil, because they have refuse to educate their people and that is the only way forward for a region without much resources

~Bluetooth:

You gus forgot that the so-called oil wealth goes to individual pockets rather than being used for development,how much does the whole northern region collect monthly that would make them collapse? The cocoa and the groundnut wealth of the west and north were also shared before the discovery of oil,did the other region collapsed ? You guys have over-stretched this oil stuff and it's starting to pisss me off

Stop sounding so ignorant. Cocoa was bought, it was trade and the traders got paid for their work. I am yet to see in Nigeria structures or cities or government bureaucracies built and run on Cocoa derivation fund. If other regions or Nigeria as a whole can survive without oil then why have we been having this discussion? Rather it is people like you that annoy. Have you seen the devastation oil spills and gas flaring has brought to the Niger Delta region? But as long as it is not in your backyard or affecting you it is fine and people who voice such genuine complaints like environmental degredation and calling for an actual federal structure that makes sense are the ones that are annoying voices to ignore as long as states keep getting their derivation, right?

seanet02:

the North will definitely find it difficult to cope without oil, because they have refuse to educate their people and that is the only way forward for a region without much resources

They may be illitereate but most of them have already taken to self-empolyement.so what else do they want from the government when the govt is not paying them directly or indirectly.

~Bluetooth:

They may be illitereate but most of them have already taken to self-empolyement.so what else do they want from the government when the govt is not paying them directly or indirectly.

SO YOU ALSO CLASSIFY ALMS SEEKING AND BEGGING AS SELF EMPLOYMENT

I LAUGH OOOOOOOOOOOO

WRONG QUESTION.

Nigeria owns the oil, not Niger-delta. When did they create the word Niger-delta sef? Nigeria was existing before oil was discovered.

As somebody mentioned earlier, the real fight is always between the haves and the have-nots. until people figure that out, there will be no solution. Nigerians will eventually figure this out, just that it may take too much time.

Sky Blue:

Stop sounding so ignorant. Cocoa was bought, it was trade and the traders got paid for their work. I am yet to see in Nigeria structures or cities or government bureaucracies built and run on Cocoa derivation fund. If other regions or Nigeria as a whole can survive without oil then why have we been having this discussion? Rather it is people like you that annoy. Have you seen the devastation oil spills and gas flaring has brought to the Niger Delta region? But as long as it is not in your backyard or affecting you it is fine and people who voice such genuine complaints like environmental degredation and calling for an actual federal structure that makes sense are the ones that are annoying voices to ignore as long as states keep getting their derivation right?

Maybe you should ask the colonial masters and the first republicans how the cocoa was spent instead of asking me what happened over 50 years ago.the point here is that the cocoa was coming from the west while the groundnut came from the north and there was no complaint of any form.
Bunch of the oil wealth as at today still goes to the niger delta states,so also for every bunkering that occurred in the region,you find a niger delta directly involved or as a conspircay.why should you blame the north or yoruba for the woes caused by indigenes of the region ? Have you ever seen a yoruba man in MEND ?

~Bluetooth:

Maybe you should ask the colonial masters and the first republicans how the cocoa was spent instead of asking me what happened over 50 years ago.the point here is that the cocoa was coming from the west while the groundnut came from the north and there was no complaint of any form.
Bunch of the oil wealth as at today still goes to the niger delta states,so also for every bunkering that occurred in the region,you find a niger delta directly involved or as a conspircay.why should you blame the north or yoruba for the woes caused by indigenes of the region ? Have you ever seen a yoruba man in MEND ?

Do you understand how silly and childish that question sounds? Why not recite to yourself what the abbreviation MEND stands for and it might help. You think even up to half of the bunkering that goes on in the Niger Delta is done by hooligans? It is not every thread you need to comment on just for the sake of it. The flaw in your logic has been called out and as usual you try to change topic. Was there any such thing like cocoa derivation fund? Why do you make it sound as if other regions of Nigeria got Cocoa or Cocoa money for free? Do you actually understand what trade means?

P.S. what happened to the Cocoa fields and groundnut pyramids? Have people all of a sudden forgotten how to farm? Why do we talk of the groundnut pyramids and cocoa fields in past tense?

Akanbi_edu:

WRONG QUESTION.

Nigeria owns the oil, not Niger-delta. When did they create the word Niger-delta sef? Nigeria was existing before oil was discovered.

As somebody mentioned earlier, the real fight is always between the haves and the have-nots. until people figure that out, there will be no solution. Nigerians will eventually figure this out, just that it may take too much time.

I believe the fight has always been for good governance that would better represent the people but I wouldn't argue with your postulation either.

seanet02:

SO YOU ALSO CLASSIFY ALMS SEEKING AND BEGGING AS SELF EMPLOYMENT

I LAUGH OOOOOOOOOOOO

No matter how developed the north may become,you would still see people begging for folks.check out this fact,how often do you find an idle hausa youth ? You will see them doing very strenous work just to make ends meet because they either expected less from the government or the government is not doing anything to better their lives

Sky Blue:

I believe the fight has always been for good governance that would better represent the people but I wouldn't argue with your postulation either.

Well, we are on the same page, I believe.

Youth searching for alms is part of Islamic culture in Africa. Go amongst the Mandinka, Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri etc, you will find their youth searching for alms, because they go to these Islamic schools where they are expected to live off of charity.

Sky Blue:

Do you understand how silly and childish that question sounds? Why not recite to yourself what the abbreviation MEND stands for and it might help. You think even up to half of the bunkering that goes on in the Niger Delta is done by hooligans? It is not every thread you need to comment on just for the sake of it. The flaw in your logic has been called out and as usual you try to change topic. Was there any such thing like cocoa derivation fund? Why do you make it sound as if other regions of Nigeria got Cocoa or Cocoa money for free? Do you actually understand what trade means?

P.S. what happened to the Cocoa fields and groundnut pyramids? Have people all of a sudden forgotten how to farm? Why do we talk of the groundnut pyramids and cocoa fields in past tense?

You are replying me and castigating me at the same time ? Na wao
you are looking for cocoa derivation fund ? Lwkmd
see you know about trade,maybe you should find out what and how nigeria was earning her foreign wealth before oil was discovered and the commodities that were traded.fyi,MEND stand for nothing than oil bunkering and militancy.

~Bluetooth:

You are replying me and castigating me at the same time ? Na wao
you are looking for cocoa derivation fund ? Lwkmd
see you know about trade,maybe you should find out what and how nigeria was earning her foreign wealth before oil was discovered and the commodities that were traded.fyi,MEND stand for nothing than oil bunkering and militancy.

Ok, I genuinely apologise if I offended you, but a lot of your posts (99% of which I ignore) tend to irritate me because you seem to have a myopic and insensitive view that does not accomodate the struggle of other groups in a country you so proudly proclaim (it is a trait that seems to run through most - if not all - of your posts that I actually read). I am not a supporter of MEND and in your quick quest to reply me you failed to see that I was not asking you what they stand for in a metaphorical sense, but what the abbreviation M.E.N.D literally stands for and hence why your question could appear silly in light of that fact. Yes before oil Nigeria earned some of her wealth by trading in commodities with other countries, but how many states were there and I have to repeat, was there any such thing as Cocoa derivation fund? Where are the structures that Cocoa and groundnut money built in other regions that did not have it? Weren't other regions of the country also trading in their own commodities? Were people who did not produce Cocoa handed out Cocoa money for free? Did we have Cocoa and groundnut spills that destroyed livelihoods, farmlands, and affect people's health? So do you see why I lambast such a weak parallel?

Sky Blue:

Ok, I genuinely apologise if I offended you, but a lot of your posts (99% of which I ignore) tend to irritate me because you seem to have a myopic and insensitive view that does not accomodate the struggle of other groups in a country you so proudly proclaim (it is a trait that seems to run through most - if not all - of your posts that I actually read). I am not a supporter of MEND and in your quick quest to reply me you failed to see that I was not asking you what they stand for in a metaphorical sense, but what the abbreviation M.E.N.D literally stands for and hence why your question could appear silly in light of that fact. Yes before oil Nigeria earned some of her wealth by trading in commodities with other countries, but how many states were there and I have to repeat, was there any such thing as Cocoa derivation fund? Where are the structures that Cocoa and groundnut money built in other regions that did not have it? Weren't other regions of the country also trading in their own commodities? Were people who did not produce Cocoa handed out Cocoa money for free? Did we have Cocoa and groundnut spills that destroyed livelihoods, farmlands, and affect people's health? So do you see why I lambast such a weak parallel?

The issue of oil when being over-stretched piss me cuz nigerians would definitely continue with their lives if there is no oil in nigera or the present one stop flowing.I'm yet to see a genuine militant group that actually cared about the common man of the region.The cries have always been about federal government injustice but what keep bothering me is how billions of naira allocated for the region disappear into thing air,yet the same people from the region keep blaming governement and the other regions for the problems bedevilling the region.what happened to OMPAEDEC ? What about the present day NDDC ? What have they achieved despite the billions allocated to them ? Was it not last year or so that Sam Edem the former NDDC chairman spent almost a billion naira on juju ? you guys need to settel your problem GENUINELY among yourself before other tribes can take you guys serious .what i only see in MEND are some boys just hiding under the cause and making cool money.there is still a long way if the niger delta problem is to be addressed.