THE ADVOCATE

quite a distance to go.

The Federal Government does not have time to mine coal in Enugu or petrochemicals in the South South. It has enough on its plate. This should be done by the individual States. Our interview last year, with the Director General of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), revealed that Nigeria has almost unlimited natural resources located in most areas of the country, ranging from produce to petroleum products and gas, to minerals and petrochemicals, which have remained untapped. This is why the NEPC came up with the Zero-Oil Plan.

'Apa' (Wastrel) I attended an Oil and Gas Summit, organised by the then Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Oil and Gas, some years ago (when Dimeji Bankole was the Speaker of the House of Representatives). Part of the topic of discussion was the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). I was rather shocked when one of the speakers at the forum, informed the audience that aside from the fact that the oil Nigeria has is little in comparison to its gas endowment, at the time, the quantity of gas that made Trinidad and Tobago Number 4 or so in world production and supply of gas, Nigeria was wasting even more, in gas flaring! That is what the Yorubas call 'Apa' (Wastrel). Part of the discussion then, was that the oil majors must be made to pay for the by-products resulting from their oil exploration activities, like gas, whether they choose to harness or flare it. They wanted this aspect to be included in the PIB. The PIB now tagged the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, was finally passed this year, about 17 years after its inception. However, I doubt that much has changed, in regard to gas flaring.

Change of Nigerian Mindset Most importantly, whether we have 50 States or 36, or Restructure and allow the States to have more control, so that they are able to harness their resources more efficiently and thereby generate revenue, the resources must be managed well. There has to be good governance, if not whatever change or restructure, will simply be in vain. If the States are simply going to reproduce what has been happening in the past on a Federal level, in their States, then what's the use? If we are going to continue to loot the State Treasuries once they start to generate revenue, as has been done on a Federal level, instead of utilising the income generated, for the development of state infrastructure and welfare of the people, what's the use? If we are going to exchange tribalism between Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, for State Tribalism between Ijebu and Egba people, both from Ogun State, what's the use? If Religious Bodies continue to teach their devotees to pray that "ka sise bi era, ka de jere bi erin" (we work like ants, and reap like an elephants)!, thereby making them lazy, looking for miracles instead of buckling down to some hard work, what's the use? There needs to be a revolutionary change in the mindset of Nigerians.