Nigeria Leaders Rebirth
Comrade Ojeremen Stephen - 14.06.2007 19:05
Nigeria is now credited with supplying about 12 per cent of U.S. oil imports.
NIGERIA has moved up the ladder as the third largest exporter of crude oil to the United States (U.S.).At the end of March this year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said that Nigeria overtook Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, at once, to get to the third position in energy supply to America.From eight per cent some years ago, Nigeria is now credited with supplying about 12 per cent of U.S. oil imports.
The development has heightened expectation that the U.S. will continue to be favourably disposed to issues that affect Nigeria.Public policy experts in U.S. have always articulated that the country's energy needs will continue to dominate the tone and tenor of America's foreign policy to oil producing nations, including Nigeria. With the prevailing situation in the Middle East, Nigeria's significance in the provision of U.S. energy needs is now clearly on the rise.
Based on March 2006 records and up till recently, Nigeria was still regarded as the fifth largest exporter of crude oil to the U.S., coming behind Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. But on the average this year, Nigeria has been supplying about 1,156,000 barrels per day, coming behind Canada, which average supply during the period is put at 1,825,000 barrels daily and Mexico with 1,475,000 barrels per day.Last year, Nigeria's average net oil supply to U.S. was put at 2.2 million barrels per day.Nigeria's rising oil supply occurs at a time of a series of disruption in local production in the Niger Delta region, where at least 20 per cent of the total output has been shut out, especially in Warri, Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
Nigeria is the world's eighth-largest oil exporter in the world. Oil has helped fuelled corruption, and Nigerians continue to suffer from high levels of poverty and inequality.Economic, political and social tensions, especially among jobless youths, can quickly spill over into violence.Presidential and state elections in April 2007 were marred by violent clashes, corruption allegations and widespread electoral irregularities. Analysts said the chaotic polls were a blow to democracy in Africa.
Since military rule ended in Nigeria in 1999, at least 14,000 people have been killed in sporadic outbursts of violence across the country and hundreds of thousands have been displaced.70 percent of population live on less than $1 a day,a nation that is the World's eighth-largest oil exporter continue to suffer while billions of naira rolling to private pockets.The word courage is relative,it usually opts not to stand alone,though people tend to adjudge stubborness as been courageous.Nigerians have accepted the"gradual"political process,that's why there is relative peace in the country.Nigerians are not opting for stubborness in the absence of Courage.They are,through their relative silence,telling the world,we're matured human beings,we can handle our political and economic issues through the"gradual"process of dialogueing,instead of matchetting each other to death. We can move forward smoothly,instead of bulldozing each other with imported colonial bulldozers.We're ready to ADOPT and ADAPT the "gradual" process of Demo-cracy,instead of setting each and every opponent on fire.
There would arrive a time when the process shall beget a leader,one whose forsight and fortitudes shall be the embodiment of all that is Good. He/she shall move the process towards the promised land. For there's no alternative to the "gradual" political process.The courage to learn the process, and the courage to eventually beget the true Leader of the people.It is even far more refreshing that the same people who are promoting goodness, betterment,and non-violence, also are willingly accepting the violence perpetrated by government -political related murders,ineptitude and mediocrity.They are so desperate in their attempt to feed us inefficiencies as gradual democratic process.W e are not buying it! Nigeria can do better and Nigerians must not settle for less. People have been patient for so long.Greed is what's stealing progress in Nigeria and Africa in general,not impatience! Long Live Nigeria and Africans with courage
Sign.
Comrade Ojeremen Stephen
(EYRM)
 E-Mail: stephen-ojeremen@minister.com
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