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OIL RESERVE DISCOVERY IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: WARNING FROM A SIBLING IN THE SOUTH

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Oghenefego Ofili

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OIL RESERVE DISCOVERY IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: WARNING FROM A SIBLING IN THE SOUTH

I would like to congratulate my brothers and sisters in Bauchi and Gombe on the discovery of oil reserves underneath their soil. I am writing as an older sibling figuratively based on the saying that “to be forewarned is to be forearmed”. I am from the Niger Delta region, although I was not alive in 1956 when oil reserves in Oloibiri was discovered, I have lived with the consequences of crude oil exploration in my community. As we jubilate and calculate the potential income from this new discovery, do not repeat the mistakes my people made in the Niger Delta. These are my suggestions:

  • As a young person in these States be interested in what the policies are and what the politicians are doing and saying about this revenue. Engage with all stakeholders with a mindset that promotes shared prosperity; an enabling environment for growth and development.
  • Do not allow a spokesperson to stand for the whole community, whether titled or untitled chief, let the dialogue be done in the open. Instead of a one or two-man delegation, have a committee with tenures for service. Give structure to the group that would be responsible for representing your community/state. If possible have a constitution to guide its operation.
  • Think sustainability. Do not just focus on the short term gains. Do not become lazy and wait for one oil company to pay you monthly for doing nothing. There is still a lot of potential out there; technology is advancing and has no limit, tourism is a big industry. Please do not treat this discovery as the answer to all your economic problem; look at Dubai.
  • Be clear and vocal about your expectations from the onset. Question things that are not clear. If they tell you a particular ‘Youth’ has been selected to represent others, ask them what the selection criteria was.
  • Whatever percentage is allocated as resource control fund, be clear from the onset what those funds will be used for. Do not allow politicians decide what to use the proceeds for. If possible let there be a clear-cut process on how such funds will be accessed for expenditure.

Make una shine una eye, oil moni dey sweet, make sure say your eye open as you dey chop am. People when dey Dubai no get five heads!

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