by Cheta Nwanze

So many watched the meeting between President Buhari and the “leaders” of the Niger Delta yesterday with keen interest. Like many, I was gobsmacked by the outcome. One of the demands by the stakeholders, including traditional rulers, is inclusive participation of the region in oil industry.

Then they demanded for oil blocs.

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Dear Niger Delta,

I am sorry, but you have no leaders. What you have are people who are motivated by plain avarice, and are simply interested in chopping for themselves, and their kids. Three and a half years ago, ThisDay newspaper, owned by one of the men who made a presentation to the President yesterday, published an article, which forever destroyed the myth of oil bloc ownership by the North. I recommend you read it too.

To be honest, this whole show just exhibits why the region does not have a coherent approach in anything. The people who represent it just get to the table and immediately begin to look out for themselves. At this stage, I’ll go out on a limb and say that the much criticised “Northern leaders” have one better than this lot of jokers. They are obliged by religion to share some of their loot with the downtrodden in their society. This other crew, there are no words.

Let us bear in mind though, that on 1 November 2016, a huge opportunity to right some of the wrongs that Nigeria is built on, was pissed away under the umbrella of naked avarice. It is infuriating.

Not much to add, make I go find my daily akpu.

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