Opinion

Northern Governors’ Agitation For More Derivation Funds

Published

14 years ago

March 12, 2012

As part of the desire to bring you up to date with burning issues through our Innovative Products, PUBLIC OPINION, a Free Speech template aimed at synthesising the unedited views of our esteemed readers as a feedback mechanism, debuts, today, with the public fielding opinions on the vexed proposal by the Northern Governors’ Forum for a new revenue allocation formula in favour of the North. Excerpts.

Mrs Zell Igweze,

Pharmacist

You know there are three tiers of revenue distribution: local government, state government and Federal Government. They are even getting so much. It is not judicious.

The first thing is that we have to sit down and talk about how Nigeria should go. Until we come to that, nobody should be agitating. If we sit down, we then ask what is this formula, what is this revenue? Okay oil, which are the states where we get these things. Who gives us ten or twenty barrels? These are the basis.

What are you producing? On what basis are you making local government or is it based on population? Who will get more?

You can’t base it on land mass, you can only base it on population. Who are you going to develop with your money? We are talking of individuals. If they have to give a local government N2billion, you are looking at the number of children who go to school, you are looking at the number of teachers you have to pay in the local government. Can you now give it to nama because they are grazing on the field. It should not be on land mass.

The North naturally has a lot of land mass and they are not densely populated. So let us start with census. There are so many things wrong with Nigeria. Until we sit down and decide how to do certain things as a country, because it is when we sit down, we can decide how to do certain things. Let them leave it as it is now. Because when they begin to agitate, some people will begin to be angry.

If I am from an oil producing state, I will get very angry. You know there are so many contending issues. I can’t come from here and in the North you are trying to slaughter me as a goat and you are talking about revenue formula. What are you sharing? Is it two countries, if you are asking me to go back to my state. They should take what they have there. Let’s take what we have here, to be able to cater for people who are coming back.

So, what I am saying to the northern governors is that in those days they used to say Northern Arewa because they had the military power behind them, they were having it easy. Now, although we are running a democracy that is not fully democratized, it will not work. I don’t believe in the Nigerian census. Lagos State is more populated than Kano. These are the issues. Goodluck Elebiri,

Civil Servant

For long, they have been ruling this country. All our wealth from the Niger Delta is sent to that place for their development. Now our own son is there and want to help this side to enjoy the benefits of their resources, they are now agitating for something that is not relevant.

If they want to enjoy derivation, they should also allow the government to tap from their solid mineral resources. Because to my own understanding, I believe that even this Boko Haram thing is being sponsored by most of these northern leaders so that government will not tap into their own mineral resources. Because I believe that this present government wants a situation where if they are tapping from this side we should also tap from the North. When the northerners discovered that we want to tap from their side, they began to sponsor Boko Haram, so that they will stop us from coming to tap from them.

What they are agitating for is illegal and unjustified. They don’t have any moral justification for what they are asking for.

If they are saying that the resources belong to the whole country, yes we agree. The host communities should also benefit because they are suffering, especially from oil exploration. Their means of livelihood: fishing and farming, have been destroyed, and they want to use the resources to develop the communities. Why are they angry?

It is proper for the Federal Government to give states more money for development. But our problem: will the states justify the money that is given to them? Some states may justify it, other states may not. But they should be given more money.

Mina Jamabo,

Civil Servant

In terms of this revenue allocation thing, you know during the groundnut pyramid and the cocoa days in the northern and western Nigeria, derivation revenue was 100 per cent then. But with the inception of oil and gas that came out from the Niger Delta, it now seems as if we are starting from the beginning. You know asking from three per cent to 13 per cent, and uptill now, even 50 per cent is not good enough for the Niger Delta because that is where the resources come from and the terrain is difficult. They have not satisfied the yearnings of the Niger Delta and they are now asking for a revenue increase.

They are not really truthful about it. Because they create nothing. All the groundnut pyramid in the days when groundnut was very vital, they really utilized to develop the northern Nigeria. Now, they are still using the oil and gas revenue coming from the Niger Delta to develop the North.

To me, that is okay for them than asking for more. If they are asking for more, they should give Niger Delta well above 50 per cent so that they too can ask for additional resources.

That is the way I see it.

For you to use what is here to develop the North, I think Nigeria has tried. They try and find a way to develop the Niger Delta. Because in the Niger Delta, our lives, our fishes in the river, every thing is polluted. For us to cover up what we have lost in that sector, I think it will take us over five decades. So, they should not say their revenue should be increased for now. Whatever increment should start from the Niger Delta.

I will advise the northern governors to go into other areas than oil. Because we know the North produces the food Nigeria eats today. So, whatever they want, they could be given agricultural loans to boost farming so that the groundnut era could come back again. The cocoa era could come back. Let us not just talk about revenue from oil alone. They should look for other sectors to develop.

Mr. Enyize Nwokugha,

Civil Servant

This their oil something. How can they give northerners our resources? We are the people that have the oil, and we are not gaining anything from it. I don’t know. How northerners go talk say make them no pay us derivation money? (sic).

Mr. Akekue Michael,

Retired Civil Servant

What I have to say is that whatever the southern governors demand is right because the oil is derived from our area. We are supposed to have a reasonable percentage of whatever benefit that may be accruing from that oil.

I am of the opinion that the states should have taken more because we have much to do within the states, especially considering the geographical consideration of the area. They even benefit more than what we benefit from here. I am of the opinion that whatever they are agitating for is not necessary. The North should depend on their groundnut for additional revenue.

Prince Jasy,

Civil Servant

Whatever you decide that is what you will take. Lion share na him you go take (sic). I am of the opinion that we take lion share. A stranger will not take more than the owner. They, the northern governors, should exploit their resources for more revenue.

Opinion

Trans-Kalabari Road: Work In Progress

Published

4 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”This Dream project is one of the best things that have happened to the people and residents of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas in recent times.”

This is the concluding part of this story featured in our last edition.

Good road network helps farmers to convey their agro-allied products to commercial hubs where buyers and sellers meet periodically to transact business. Road network engineers and motivates people resident in unfriendly geographical terrains, like riverine areas, to own property and shuttle home with ease. Some people will prefer living in their own houses in a more serene and nature-blessed communities to living in the city that is fraught with pollution, and other environmental, social and economic hazards. Prior to the cult epidemic that ravaged parts of Rivers State, the Emohuas, Elemes, Ogonis, and Etches were known for rural dwelling. Most public servants from these areas do their official and private transactions from their villages. For them it was comparatively easier to live in the village and engage in a diversified economic endeavours through farming, fishing or other lucrative business without outrageous charges and embarrassment associated with doing business in Port Harcourt, where land is as scarce as the traditional needle.

That is why the decision to construct the Trans-Kalabari Road by the administration of Dr. Peter Odili was one of the best decisions that administration took. When Dr. Odili vacated office as the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi took over and awarded contracts for continuation of the road project which in my considered view is the felt need of the people of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas. Unfortunately, Rt. Hon. Amaechi’s efforts to drive the project was sabotaged by some contractors some of whom are Kalabari people. The main Trans-Kalabari Road is one project that is dear to the people and residents of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas of Rivers State. This is because through the road commuters can easily access several communities in the three local government areas. For instance, the road when completed will enable access to eight of the ten communities in Degema Local Government Area, namely: Bukuma, Tombia, Bakana, Oguruama, Obuama, Usokun, Degema town and the Degema Consulate. It will also link 15 of the 16 communities in Asari Toru Local Government Area. The communities are: Buguma, the local government headquarters, Ido, Abalama, Tema, Sama, Okpo, Ilelema, Ifoko, Tema, Sangama, Krakrama, Omekwe-Ama, Angulama. The road will also connect 14 of 17 wards in Akuku Toru Local Government Area, and other settlements. It is interesting to note that It is faster, and far more convenient and economical for the catchment Communities on the Trans-Kalabari Road network to go to the State Capital than the East West Road. The people of the three local government areas will prefer to work or do their transactions in Port Harcourt from their respective communities to staying in Port Harcourt where the house rent and the general cost of living is astronomically high.

Consequently, development will seamlessly spread to the 28 out of 34 communities of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas. The only Communities that are not linked by the road project are Oporoama in Asari Toru, the Ke and Bille Communities in Degema Local Government Area and the “Oceania” communities of Abissa, Kula, Soku, Idama, Elem Sangama of Akuku Toru Local Government Area. But because of the economic value of the unlinked Communities to Nigeria, (they produce substantial oil and gas in the area), the Federal, State Governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), can extend the road network to those areas just as Bonny is linked to Port Harcourt and the Lagos Mainland Bridge is connecting several towns in Lagos and neighbouring States.Kudos to previous administrations who had constructed the Central Group axis.

However, what is said to be the First Phase of the Trans-Kalabari Road project is actually a linkage of the “Central Group” Communities which consists of Krakrama, Angulama, Omekwe. Ama, Omekwe Tari Ama, Ifoko, Tema, Sangama. It is the peripheral of the Trans-Kalabari Road. The completion of the Main Trans Kalabari project will free Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor areas from congestion. It will motivate residents and people of the three local areas to contribute to the development of their Communities. If the Ogonis, Etches, Emohuas, Oyigbos, Okrikas, Elemes can feel comfortable doing business in Port Harcourt from home, residents and people whose communities are linked to Port Harcourt through the Trans-Kalabari Road will no doubt, do likewise. The vast arable virgin land of the Bukuma people can be open for development and sustainable agricultural ventures by Local, State and Federal Government.

It is necessary to recall that the Bukuma community was host to the Federal Government’s Graduate Farmers’ Scheme and the Rivers State Government moribund School-to-Land Scheme under Governor Fidelis Oyakhilome. Bukuma was the only community in Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas that has the capacity to carry those agricultural programmes. However the lack of road to transport farm produce to Port Harcourt and facilitate the movement of the beneficiaries of the scheme who lived in the community which is several miles away from the farms, hampered the sustainability of the programme. The main Trans-Kalabari Road remains the best gift to the people of Degema, Asari Toru, and Akuku-Toru Local Government Areas. Kudos to Sir Siminilayi Fubara.

By: Igbiki Benibo

Opinion

That U.S. Capture of Maduro

Published

4 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”Strategic convenience does not nullify sovereignty. Political frustration does not authorise military abduction.”

The first part of this story was published in our last edition.

In Africa and the Middle East, regime change—whether by invasion, proxy warfare, or sanctions—has often left behind fractured states, weakened institutions, and prolonged instability. Washington’s motivations in Venezuela are widely understood: vast oil reserves, alliances with U.S. rivals, and symbolic defiance of American influence in the Western Hemisphere. But none of these reasons confer legal or moral legitimacy. Strategic convenience does not nullify sovereignty. Political frustration does not authorise military abduction. If every powerful nation acted on its grievances in this manner, global chaos would inevitably follow. International law provides mechanisms for accountability. Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), individuals accused of crimes against humanity or other grave offences are subject to investigation and prosecution through judicial processes.

Likewise, extradition treaties, mutual legal assistance agreements, and Interpol mechanisms exist to ensure accountability while respecting due process. These frameworks were designed precisely to prevent unilateral enforcement of “justice” by military force. The most profound consequence of America’s action may not be in Caracas, but in the precedent it sets. If the world accepts that a superpower can unilaterally depose another country’s president, then the foundation of the international system is weakened. Sovereignty becomes conditional—no longer a right, but a privilege tolerated at the discretion of the powerful. Going forward, if another country invades its neighbour, will the United States retain the moral authority to impose sanctions or demand restraint? Some analysts already warn that parallels between Russia’s actions in Ukraine and America’s conduct in Venezuela risk further eroding global norms. Selective adherence to international law breeds cynicism and accelerates the drift toward a world governed by force rather than rules.

Power—military, economic, or political—should serve human progress and collective well-being, not domination and destruction. For African nations, many of which emerged from colonial rule through bitter struggle, this precedent is especially alarming. Sovereignty is not an abstract legal concept; it is a hard-won shield against external domination. Any erosion of that principle anywhere weakens it everywhere. Africa’s painful history of foreign interference makes this lesson especially urgent. For me, the real issue is not whether Nicolás Maduro is a good or bad leader. That judgment belongs, first and foremost, to the Venezuelan people. The larger issue is whether the international system still operates on law—or has quietly reverted to hierarchy. If America insists it is defending global order, it must ask itself a difficult question: can an order survive when its most powerful guardian feels entitled to violate it? Until that question is answered honestly, the capture of a foreign president will remain not a triumph of justice, but a troubling symbol of a world drifting from law toward force.

If the United States felt so strongly about the allegations of terrorism, drug trafficking against Maduro, were there no other lawful options? Judicial accountability, diplomacy, regional mediation, and multilateral pressure may be slow and imperfect, but they reflect respect for international law and sovereign equality. Military seizure is a blunt instrument. It humiliates institutions, radicalizes populations, and hardens resistance. It may remove a leader, but it rarely resolves the underlying crisis. History teaches that military interventions seldom result in stable democratic outcomes. More often, they breed resentment, resistance, and long-term instability. For the sake of global order and the rule of law, the United States should reconsider this path and recommit to diplomacy, legal cooperation, and respect for the sovereign equality of states. Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly described the invasion of Venezuela as “unlawful and unwise,” warning that such actions “do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable.” Her words reflect a growing recognition, even within the United States, that force without legitimacy undermines both moral authority and global stability.

Should what happened in Venezuela serve as a wake-up call for corrupt African leaders who undermine the people’s right to choose their leaders? The answer is yes. The capture of Maduro should alarm African leaders who manipulate elections, weaken institutions, suppress opposition, undermine citizens’ rights, or cling to power at all costs. Venezuela faced widespread criticism over disputed elections and repression long before this episode, and that context shaped how the world reacted. This does not justify foreign military intervention, but it highlights an uncomfortable truth: prolonged democratic decay isolates nations and invites external pressure—from sanctions to diplomatic censure. Global opinion matters, and legitimacy at home strengthens sovereignty abroad. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and several African leaders have rightly condemned the events in Venezuela, invoking the principles of sovereignty and non-interference enshrined in international and regional law.

Beyond condemnation, however, African leaders must look inward. The continent’s future cannot be built on repression, constitutional manipulation, and personal greed. Leadership must reflect the will of the people, not desperation for power. Two days ago, a social commentator on a radio station argued that Trump’s action—though condemnable—demonstrates how far a leader can go for his country’s interest. According to this view, he did not intervene in Venezuela for personal enrichment, but to strengthen his nation. In stark contrast, many African leaders plunder their own countries. They siphon public resources, impose crushing taxes and harmful policies, and leave their citizens poorer—all for selfish gain. That contradiction is the deeper lesson Africa must confront.True sovereignty is protected not only by international law, but by accountable leadership at home.

By: Calista Ezeaku

Opinion

Kudos Gov Fubara

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Please permit me to use this medium to appreciate our able governor, Siminalayi Fubara for the inauguration of the 14.2-kilometre Obodhi–Ozochi Road in Ahoada-East Local Government Area. This inauguration marks a significant milestone in the history of our communities and deserves commendation. We, the people of Ozochi, are particularly happy because this project has brought long-awaited relief after years of isolation and hardship.

The expression of our traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Prince Ike Ehie, JP, during the inauguration captured the joy of our people. He said, “our isolation is over.” That reflects the profound impact of this road on daily life, economic activities, and social integration of the people of Ozochi and other neighbouring communities. The road will no doubt ease transportation, improve access to markets and healthcare, and strengthen links between Ahoada, Omoku, and other parts of Rivers State.

The people of Ahoada, Omoku, and indeed Rivers State as a whole are grateful to our dear governor for this laudable achievement and wish him many more successful years in office. We pray that God endows him with more wisdom and strength to continue to pilot the affairs of the state for the benefit of all. As citizens, we should rally behind the governor and support his development agenda. Our politicians and stakeholders should embrace peace and cooperation, as no meaningful progress can be achieved in an atmosphere of conflict. Sustainable development in the state can only thrive where peace prevails.

Samuel Ebiye