quote:President Olusegun Obasanjo has ordered the closure of Ibeto Group’s Cement Factory, Port Harcourt because he wants only Aliko Dangote to be the sole producer of cement in Nigeria. As of today, there are six ship loads of materials imported from China for the factory waiting and accumulating demurrage at the Port Harcourt seaport. The Chinese ambassador to Nigeria tried to intervene but Obasanjo told the Chinese ambassador that the easiest way to deal with the issue of demurrage was for the Chinese to dump the materials into the ocean and leave Nigeria. Today, there was a very large demonstration of the employees of the factory and other stakeholders demanding to have the factory reopened. African Independent Television (AIT) carried the demonstration in their news coverage tonight. I expect it to appear in Nigeria’s papers tomorrow. This is the latest example that Obasanjo hates Ndi Igbo. There have been irrational bans on importation of items that disproportionately affected Ndi Igbo. Obasanjo builds multi billion dollar industries in Yoruba land but there is absolutely no Federal presence in Igbo land. We must speak up or we’ll all perish. We must find ways to fight this madness. For those who may not know, Ibeto Group is one of the largest employers of labor in Igboland with several factories in Igboland, including the battery industry in Nnewi. Anything that affects any employer of labor in Igboland affects all of us because it is our brothers and sisters that work in these places of employment.
___________________ Feel me? Ofu onye ana asi unu abia go. - Ednut Igbo-American . www.airamericaradio.com visit her. Posts: 2447 | From: Mother Earth | Registered: Mar 2001
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How difficult could it be for creatures like obasanjo to follow this simple elementary economics? How about the one-nigeria confusionists who never react to news such as this? daud and his fellow shallow thinkers come to mind here. By stifling Igbo competitive spirit is the only way the lazy nama herders’ claim to wealth could be achieved aside from outright robbery of Eastern Region’s oil wealth. Are there any Igbo still asleep to what’s happening or do we need to whack it into their brains that nigeria is bad news for every Igbo, especially the efulefus and the entire Eastern Region?
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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I would like to know what Rick thinks about this since he seems to be in favor of staying with Nigeria.
___________________ The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves... Posts: 660 | From: Valle del Sol | Registered: Nov 2004
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What else is new? "Obasanjo is an Igbo Hater." We have heard that before. As Fumi succinctly put it, the question for chicken heads like you is: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT, other than eat hamburger and yap and yap?
Posts: 449 | Registered: Mar 2001
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Obviously the junior awusa dumb islamist idi bin daud failed to see who opened this thread. Yesterday your uncle, the short pig victor malu = NAMA (who in the world would share the same name as a cow? Answer, awusa!) was puffing around and today he and all other fools who joined the arab fulani to fight a jihad against God's chosen people are hiding and running around begging to live another day. Hey boy! Ever had of goes around throttles around? As long as the Yoroba dude keeps the heat on all the nama herders too, he can ruin that idiotic country of yours for all I care. BIAFRA is the LIGHT for me!! I used to keep tab of the many fools (danjuma, ogbe, lar, malu, the CAN fella, oh my God the list is endless!) from your neck of the wood who were disgraced out of office without a whimper from any, can you dig that? And now that obasanjo has turned on your folks, what you gon do about it like Fumi said? Yallo! Seen the replica yet of the terrorist you call mohammed running around in a bomb shaped turban that is showing in European TV stations and papers? Hehehehehehehe!
God is for real great! After teaching the awusa boy a lesson, lo and behold someone couldn't have written better than what Amadi O. posted out there and here is for idi bin daud:
quote: Fellows,
SNAKE OIL: Yoruba 1-0 Igbo, Yoruba 1-0 Hausa.
The above is the real score. How?
The AREWA has just found out what some IGBO had known for a while. No body can beat the master in his snake oil dealings. The AREWA cannot hide their bedroom talks anymore. From Adamawa to Sokoto, Koano to maidugiri, they are shouting from ontop of their roofs. Things are very bad. Those so called tough Governors, then backed by guns are now left with finger pointing. Gowan is left with leaking text messages on cell phones from insiders. Marwa refunding millions. Buhari cant win in Court where Hausa is Chief Judge, even after Malu wiped out villages like ODI for Obasanjo.
The Hausa and Yoruba plotted together, kickedout and took away PDP from Igbo, made Yoruba Oduduwa the head, even though the Oduduwas were not interested in this party and were no members. They had their own Owambe Party.
Now the North has been kicked out of this party {Robin Hood Style} and are now forming another party of disgruntled AREWANS. This monster the Hausa helped train and cultivate into the power sharing deals has gone against them. He is working against them. He has denied signing any deal in the Bathroom of Saduana of Sokoto. The video they took of him with Emir of Kaho, crying for the position is no good. Those present,witnessed when he was begging VP Atiku for one more term have gone into hiding afraid of being probed. He has kicked them out of the army -- The main souce of fund. Then went to BUNKERING. Now, he is bringing the MARINES to shot it down. [BIaFRAN BLOCKADE].
He has given part of their lands to Zimbabwen farmers to teach farming to Hausa!! [Remember how they gave away BAKASSI]. They forgot he is Yoruba, the son of ODUDUWA
Lets go back few years in history around 1967. Gen. Ojukwu made a deal with a Yoruba leader. It was on how to deal with the north, the issue of Igbo killings in the north because of the coup. The person was Awolowo. He was released from prison on treason charge against the FED. He promised to go home in peace and declare ODUDUWA country and be calm so the Igbo can take care of business.
He went home to ODUDUWA land, changed his mind and deed the Igbo in with starvation and blockade, and all Yoruba promotions in the civil service. The HAUSA was happy with the betrayal and they lived very comfortably for many years. The willed and dealt, shared power and wealth at the expense of Igbo.
In the 1990, another son of Oduduwa, Abiola, who had been involved financially in every coup plotted since 1970, and was jailed till his death, tried to follow the foot step of ODUDUWA himself. He told Igbo that he can rule Nigeria without Igbo. He said it to everybody who wanted to hear. He dealt with Hausa, but that Hausa did not want to get out of office. Abiola was side stepped and sidelined . The Hausa got another Oduduwa son from jail for the position..
This time, this Oduduwa son has been tested for being anti-igbo in many ways. His name is Obasanjo. He was in jail for planning a coup against the FED. They used him as a trusted ally to side line and side step an Igbo called Alex Ekwueme. They gave him scripts and tables of operations. Hand over dates that go with deals as given to obedient son and servant.
NO! NO!! NO!!, Haba, Allah no go gree!! They are being swindled like father like son. The son of ODUDUWA overstayed by 4years, and is planning another 4 years more. He even has retired all those who can tell him SHUT UP. All the people who installed him have lost all their insider army Generals, promoted in the army, left behind to help bring them back. To make matters worse, he is probing and trying to lock up their candidates in jail for stealing some of the money they used in installing and backing this Oduduwa son.. To humiliate them, he is talking of keeping the Presidency in the south for another 8years.
Those who want to be in power from the North will be dead by them!! By then the whole North would have forgotten how to be President, by COUP. The journey will then be tougher. They will now have to deal and build bridges. They will now look for other people other than the sons of Oduduwa.
But others, from different regions, want to be President too. The people who own the oil want to build bridges and have Julius Bagger dredge water so they can build on it.
AREWA has gone crazy. The well made plans are no more. They are led by un-educated Generals who couped into Presidency. They cannot even talk tough nor talk coup because they will be invited by the son of ODUDUWA for serious questioning. And might even be probed and Bank accounts frozen. ALLAH AKUBAH!!
The sons of ODUDUWA that pretended to be Muslims are now going back to Christianity in droves and to the god in Ife and Oshun.
The ODUDUWAS are now back into the South. Looking towards EAST and South South. The Great Grand son of ODUDUWA has been seen hanging out with one IGBO Presidential wannabe. This IGBO man said that this Great Grand son of ODUDUWA is different. He is not like his people. He said that Even though he had fights with his father. He is not like his father. This son is different. I will not disown him. Snake deals is not in his blood. He lives in America.
WHO IS THE CAT and WHO IS THE MOUSE? Who Knows what snake oil is the next bottle.
The ODUDUWAS are good. They know how to knock heads together. Let us keep watching. This is cheese in human form.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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The dense yoroba moron could not even take the credit for providing the loans to Izuogu Motors to mass produce this car in nigeria. The hateful warlord couldn't stand the idea of riding in Biafran made automobile, as if he/nigeria has a choice. The fact of the matter is that the engine of growth for sub-saharan African economy is made in Biafra. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Africa is set to acquire the rights from an automobile engineer to mass produce Nigeria's first car, the Z600, in that country.
Christian NWOKOCHA, Owerri South African President Thabo Mbeki has instructed his deputy-president to finalise details of the agreement with the car manufacturer with a view to producing the vehicle in South Africa. Ezekiel Izogu, managing director of Izogu Motors Limited managing director disclosed this in an exclusive interview with BUSINESSDAY. Izogu said the car was first launched in Owerri in 1997 by then Chief of General Staff Oladipo Diya during the regime of former Head of State Sani Abacha. But the success story really began last year when Izogu was invited by South Africa to deliver a lecture on science and technology. Izogu said: "The South African Government encouraged me more than my own country. Mbeki sent his deputy-president to receive me and told me how ready they were to encourage me and to provide what I wanted.
"However, they said I must take the car to South Africa to let it be manufactured in their country. If they are putting up the money it is only fair that the car is made in their country". He added that the board of directors at Izogu Motors was in the process of taking the car to South Africa, but he stressed that the Z600 would "lose its Nigerian identity".
For the car to be truly Nigerian, he said, the engine, chassis and body would have to be made in this country. He claimed that "ethnic politics killed this product in Nigeria". "After the car's launch the Federal Government formed a high-powered team of scientists to probe my work. This team was led by the then Science and Technology Minister, Sam Momoh. The team was drawn from research institutions in Nigeria. "They spent three days in Owerri investigating my job. Questions were asked and I answered them. "When the team went back to Abuja, matters concerning the car were discussed at an executive council meeting which resulted in a commendation letter being sent to me. "But politics of ‘why must it be an Igbo man' came up. I was shocked!"
Despite these set-backs Izogu said "the world will feel and touch a car made in |South Africa instead of a car that should have been made in Nigeria". "This car must be mass produced. It is worth doing that I as a Nigerian.
This project has given my fellow countrymen a sense of pride. No matter where it is produced the most important thing is to co-operate. This project remains my contribution to the development of Africa," he said.
___________________ achieve Biafra and show the difference Posts: 642 | From: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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First Made-in-Nigeria Car Launched The first made-in-Nigeria car known as Z-600 has been launched in the eastern city of Owerri. The unit price of the new car is between 150,000 and 180,000 naira (between U.S. $1,800 and $2,000). Nigeria has several vehicle assembly plants, but new cars have been priced beyond the reach of the average salary earner, forcing many to patronise the booming market of imported used vehicles. Izuogu said it would require 200 million naira (U.S. $2.4 million) to set up a factory fit to produce only about 30 Z-600 cars a year.
This is the crux of my anger with the Uche Nworahs who do not know their right from their left. There is something in baba iyabo that makes him incapable of getting along with the Igbo: He feels extremely inferior and his inadequacy finds expression in blatant hateful actions.
Izuogu should consider taking out a south african citizenship and do what he knows best in an unfettered environment. Some of my friends who are involved in the over hyped Biafra Nigerian GSM are all South African Igbo.
___________________ Awo's political idea was based on the assumption that any town beyond Owo was Igbo or Hausa. Awo was not socialised; he was not a good mixer because he did not have the opportunity, which the secondary school offered. ~TOS Benson, Baba Oba of Lagos Posts: 2644 | From: United Kingdom | Registered: Apr 2001
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But, I was wondering if Izuogu Motors could find funding among the local investors to mass produce this car in Biafra. Imagine the jobs that would be created throughout the nation from Asaba to PH. Even nigerian car dealers and citizens would benefit especially with the price tag.
I really think this is an excellent investment for a capitalist chasing returns on investment. This product has the mission to corner the auto mass market throughout sub-saharan Africa just for the price alone. You can also bet on the rock solid Biafran technology.
___________________ achieve Biafra and show the difference Posts: 642 | From: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Mz Nwakanma is right. olusegun obasanjo does not have to like/love Igbo, but we must give him reasons to fear the Igbo nation. We can start by getting ojo maduekwe, acheke udenwa, and others, to stop slaving around in the service olusegun obasanjo on the back of the Igbo. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nwanna,
You're spot on, on your interpretation of "give on to Caesar..." The Igbo have their own version of it: "imenyere Nwogwugwu, imenyere Nwanosike..." and you'd have equilibrum. Its the simple law of balance. That was exactly what Yeshua was emphasizing "ndi otu ya." Two things however, the Igbo complain that Obasanjo hates them. My question is, is Olusegun Obasanjo obliged to love them? Ndiigbo should deal with that, and with the most important question: if Obasanjo hates you, what can you do about it? There are only two things, it seems to me: bare your arse for violation and thereafter, wring one's hand in self-defeat, or alternatively, give him hell! Give him bloody hell!! But we are doing the former. Getting properly fucked.
The other question about Ibeto: but what has he done about it? In other places, people like him with strategic investment funnle money to advocasy institutions - to the media, to university foundations, to human rights organizatiions and lawyers, to public trusts. Ibeto has not learned to dance the surugede, and somebody should teach him. But let me be upfront in saying, I admire the Ibeto group for its investments in Igboland. He is one of those who has defied all the hogwash about the "wrong" investment climate in the East, often propagated by those, including the Igbo, who use it as an excuse to site their industries outside of Igboland. It is the same reason for which I admire Mr. Onwuka Kalu (Okpuzu n'Abriba). Perhaps we could find possible links in Ibeto's current travail to this defiance, much in the same way that Onwuka Kalu's own enterprse - his steel firm - was subverted from the very top, because, certain industries are deemed too dangerous to be sited in Igboland.
Perhaps, the monopoly and leverage offered to Dangote, which is nothing new, because he was also given a sugar monopoly under Babangida, is at issue here. To protect Dangote's monopoly seems more attractive to the president for all kinds of reasons. Nevertheless, Ibeto and certain key Igbo investors have not yet understood the imperative of protecting themselves, by funnelling money to these institutions of advocacy. For as long as the technologies of dissemination and propaganda are in the firm control of one section of the country, stories like Ibeto's would be suppressed, mangled, and even at worse, used against them. Who fights for Ibeto? Why? Ibeto is vulnerable on a number of accounts: one, his story is not heard, two, Obasanjo does not feel adequately threatened by the Igbo, largely because the Igbo seem impotent at the moment.
People mouth the tired argument about Obasanjo hating the Igbo. So what? He does not need to love the Igbo. He should FEAR them. But he does not because we have a very docile, very ambivalent civic population who have no reason to create human waves enough to threaten Obasanjo. They are busy dying and burying their dead. Those who are alive cannot be mobilized, and my assumption is that this is largely because of the abscence of well organized, and very prominent indepedent media in the region where Ibeto's is based.
The president should have no business closing down a factory in Port-Harcourt. Even on matters of national security, the president cannot or ought not be capable of taking unilateral decisions. The Port authority, the local ministry or department in charge of trade, and so on, should either tax Ibeto or regulate the distribution of his ware under a proper trade protocol. That the president is able to take that kind of overwheening decision points to the absolutism that we have unneccssarily allowed to thrive withoiut challenge. Ibeto should, first, seek an interlocutory injunction on the federal government, seek relief under the law, and ask for an interim stoppage of demmurrage charges on his property until such a time when his rights under the Nigerian laws can be determined. What the president is said to have done is illegal, even within Nigeria, and somebody should have the courage to fight, and detremine the boundaries of these presidential powers. This is how constitutions have grown to protect the citizen from the tyranny of men. But to do that, you must have courage, you nmust have patience, you must above all have the voice of an alternative narrator - vide: the media.
Obasanjo does not have to love Ndiigbo. We must be capable of showing him the glare of our own daggers, so that he should take note. We must in other words, be capable of mustering serious counter measures, including the use of extreme alternatives if it calls for it, to protect the laws of our land, and ourselves from those who wish to undermine our humanity. That is one important lesson the Jews learnt through history, and have applied ferrocioulsy, without regard to consequence. I find the contenmporary generation of Ndiigbo too driven to self-pity. Obasanjo can hate us all he likes, for as long as he knows the consequence of trampling upon Igbo affairs. We do not need Obasanjo's love, we need his respect. But no one respects a slave. Be a slave or fight to be free. That is the law of balance.
Obi Nwakanma
___________________ achieve Biafra and show the difference Posts: 642 | From: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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From the "1997 Igbo Week Celebration" in Chicago by Ekwe Nche Organization
OUR JOURNEY (IJE ANYI)
This is the journey of a people that have refused to be exterminated.
This is the journey of a people that have refused to be wiped off the face of the earth.
This is the journey of a people that have refused to have their story told by others.
This is the journey of a people that trace their tradition and culture to the dawn of time.
This is the journey of a people that practiced DEMOCRACY before the word was ever invented.
This is the journey of a people that believe that all persons are created equal, thousands of years, before America was colonized.
This is the journey of a people that for more than four hundred years continue to be threatened with extermination and as usual the world continue to turn a blind eye to this holocaust.
This is the journey of a people that were enslaved by the Western World, brought to the New World to cultivate rice, tobacco, sugar cane and cotton, forced to undergo all manner of inhuman and dehumanizing treatment, stripped of their culture, tradition, philosophy and self-worth, and yet survive and prosper they did.
This is the journey of a people that believe in the Supreme Being, (“AMA Ama Amasi Amasi – The Unknowable and Unfathomable ONE”, YAH – Thou, Yahnwe – Thou that Owns, Yahnweuwa – Thou That Owns the Universe, Chi na Eke – God is creating, Chi Ukwu – The Great One) before the advent of the major religions.
This is the journey of a people that call themselves “Umu Chukwu – The sons and daughters of YAH”.
This is the journey of a people that believe in their individual Chi and COLLECTIVE CHI (Supreme God).
This is the journey of a people that believe that all things are possible through YAH if one is ready to pursue one’s dreams.
This is the journey of a people that believe that leadership should always be accountable to OHA (The People).
This is the journey of a people that believe in COLLECTIVE Leadership.
This is the journey of a people that believe that both the weak and strong have the inalienable right to live in peace.
This is the journey of a people that bow to no one but YAH!
This is the journey of a people who lost more than 3 million people in a war of genocide engineered by the leaders of Britain; Hausa/Fulani and Yoruba nations of Nigeria.
This is the journey of a people in which the millions who were then part of the country Nigeria were threatened with deliberate starvation, in an effort to wipe them off the face of the earth, and an uncaring world turned a blind eye and deaf ear to this tragedy of immense proportion because these people are BLACK!
This is the journey of Ndi-gboo (The ancient people), Igbo, Ibo, Hebo, Hegbo, …, Ndi-Igbo, yes the Igbo can be found in every nook and corner of the world where YAH in His/Her (des)pleasure scattered them, be it in Nne Ala Igbo (Biafra), Haiti, Jamaica, Belize, U.S.A., Cuba, Canada, …
Igbo Kweeeenu – YAH!
Kweeeenu – YAH!
Kweeeezuonu – YAH!
Our forefathers thousands of years ago called Humans “Mma ndu – beauty of life or the masterpiece of life”; the Sun they called “Anyanwu – the eye that never dies, for when the eye dies, the world would cease to exist”; the Stars they called “Kpa kpa ndo – the pulsating objects in cold far away places”.
They believed that both the spiritual and the physical were one and the same, and their philosophy and way of life was built on truth (Eziokwu bu ndu – Truth is the foundation of life).
Igbo Kweeeenu – YAH!
Kweeeenu – YAH!
Kweeeezuonu – YAH!
Yes, we the survivors of a planned holocaust will celebrate the death of more than 500,000 innocent children, women and men who were brutally massacred in 1967.
We will celebrate the death of the unborn children who were ripped from the stomachs of their mothers and then hacked to death.
We will celebrate the death of the school children pulled out of their classrooms and bludgeoned to death.
We will celebrate the death of civil servants, housewives, our brothers and sisters, our friends and neighbors, who were massacred - many burnt to death, their only crime was that they were Igbo or were about to born Igbo.
And we will continue to point an accusing finger at the leaders of Britain for the part they played in helping the Hausa-Fulani carry out these heinous crimes against a peace loving people.
We will continue to remind Britain about the part played by her leaders in the genocidal war that followed in which more than three million Igbo lost their lives.
We will continue to point an accusing finger at the world for standing by silently while millions more continue to lose their lives by planned starvation from a marginalization policy put in place by the Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba Leaders.
We will celebrate the death or loss of our brethren who were forcibly removed from Igbo land during the “Trans Atlantic Slave Trade” in which more than two million Igbo were kidnapped, sold as slaves in the New World and died in a world they did not understand and that did not want them.
We will celebrate the death of these our brethren who were denied all basic rights as humans.
We will celebrate the deaths of all our brethren at all the “Ibo Landing” sites in Georgia, South Carolina, …, your sacrifice will continue to motivate us as we continue in this life and death journey.
We will celebrate all our Igbo brethren who were denied knowledge of who they were or are, stripped of their culture, philosophy, language and tradition.
Yes, we will celebrate all our innocent dead for more than four hundred year history of persecution. And we will continue to point an accusing finger at the world for standing by and doing nothing.
And to the world we say, just as our fore-parents were able to withstand this history of persecution, we the descendants of those great philosophers, we the descendants of this nation of problem solvers, we the descendants of those great metallurgists, and we the children of YAH will continue to survive and multiply.
We will gather all our Igbo brethren worldwide, for this is a journey of self-discovery, and we will lead the crusade to make Africa the shinning beacon it once was!
Igbo Kweeeenu – YAH!
Kweeeenu – YAH!
Kweeeezuonu – YAH!
Posts: 166 | From: chicago | Registered: Jun 2003
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Igbo/Biafrans: Do NOT allow Ibeto Cement Factory located in Igwe Ocha the Igbo heart land itself, to be shut down by olusegun obasanjo a yoruba man from Oduduwa republic to create monopoly for his hausa sponsors and Mr. Dangote an islamist from the republic of Arewa in the Sahara desert. This is a major disrespect for Igbo/Biafrans everywhere. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why should Aliko Dangote, an Hausa-Fulani, come down from the sahara desert to take the piss?
Photo: Ibeto Cement closed to give Dangote undeserved monopoly.
Nwannaa,
You have asked very far-reaching questions on the Ibeto saga. The answes to these questions may never be known or remain speculativ just like the reasons why certain items can only be imported via Lagos and not Port Harcourt.
1.Whatever info is coming out about the Ibeto thing comes directly from the people on the ground demonstrating against an unpopular act. To get a fuller story, the Ibeto Group itself may need to be contacted web page. Alternatively, other forumites who have more specific info. could share the same.
2. The Nkalagu Cement Factory has been out of action for quite some time. There has been a plan to privatize it. We just heard today that that proces has been stalled by the reluctance of Enugu to surrender its shares to the core investor- Eagle Cement web page
3. I believe that Dangote did succeed in taking over Benue cement.
4. The concern is that Dangote is indeed being set up as a monopoly in the sector at the expense of other players such as Ibeto and that the institutions of state such as the nigerian customs are being misused in this way.
5. I am not sure whether any further action to assist Ibeto Group should wait until anything. Yes the matter remains mere allegations. But over 2000 workers of the company have thrown out of work as we speak with no alternative means of livelihood while the factory remain occupied by nigerian agents. This alone transforms the seemingly emty allegations to actionable facts.
The very complex interface between politics and economics in nigeria means that you will never be able to get the definitive answers you seek. So while the call for facts a practical and incontrovertible manner is rational and commendable, it may only lead to the consolidation of an accomplished fact - nigerian style.
The lack of spontaneous action by Igbo people is one reason why Hausa and others take us for granted in nigeria. Today, Awusa people are burning Danish flags and stamping it on the world that nigeria is a Muslim country while the Igbo are too scared to counter the trash.
If a similar thing happened to an Awusa firm in Kano, there would be instant crisis on the streets and religious leaders would stand firm until the firm is re-opened. Similarly, the Hausa-Fulani started thinking seriously about handing power to the Yoruba when Dangote and their other business interests came under OPC threat in Lagos during the Abacha era.
In the Igbo case, nobody is leading. Instead of calling out the crowd into the streets to resist the obnoxious policies, we run to our closets and cringe while Hausa men come down from the sahara desert margin to take the piss in our own backyard. Regardless of the details, if Ibeto cannot import cement, then Dangote cement should never be allowed anywhere in Igbo territory.
Ndeewo!
Mz Ani
___________________ achieve Biafra and show the difference Posts: 642 | From: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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The Ibeto Group was in the business of cement importation from 1999 to 2001. During this period they were importing shipload of bag cement and by 2001 the federal government banned importation of bag cement. The government after 2001 only permitted the importation of bulk cement via an enclosed terminal in a quantity not less than 10,000 metric tons.And to be discharged in silos( special storage facility) with a cement bagging capability where it will be bagged. The government reason for this, was job creation.(Ibeto group took them up on that and are now being short down)
Soon after this ban and new directive on cement importation. Ibeto group apply with Nigerian port authority for allocation of water front because you can only bring bulk cement into a purpose built facility.A mangrove swamp water front space was allocated on down stream PH to Ibeto group. Ibeto commence construction on this site immediately by sand filling and stat up pilling to enable them erect facilities that will carry the heavy load of cement( men, you need to go there and see for yourself).The sand filling and pilling included the 2km access road, because there was no road or light to this mangrove swamp areas.
Among what was built by Ibeto group in these areas was a purpose built jetty with lenght of about 200 meters to be able to take alongside a 35,000 dead weight vessel loaded with bulk cement.The jetty was also dredged to allow a big vessel with about 12 meter draft to berth without problem.
This jetty construction was done by multi international company's in Nigeria, like Trevi foundation Ltd, Foundation construction Ltd, Natsh engineering construction Ltd etc. A project that took Ibeto group about 2 years to complete.
Upon completion in early 2005, It will be interesting to know that the president of Nigeria Chief Olusagon Obasanjo gave approval on Ibeto's request to grant him 2.5% import duty concession together with vast extension guarantee for setting up the factory in Port harcort. At this time, Ibeto group wrote a letter to Federal finance minister Abuja, who controls the budget and policies of the federal government and asked, if there is anything that will prevent Ibeto cement from importing cem ent in bulk --- the answer was in writing signed by the current Minister, that so long it meet the policy that cement must be imported in bulk not less than 10,000 metric ton and in silo and bag through an installed bag plant.The conditions, which Ibeto cement over meet.Ibeto cement at time was given clearance to start bulk cement importation.
Ibeto cement commence importation of bulk cement, their consignment landed and was cleared by the Nigeria custom. When Ibeto cement entered the market, it was well received and wildly accepted because of the following reasons.
1. Ibeto group is a known name in Nigerian industries with their industrial products. 2. Quality of their cement was very good. 3. Their cement weighs 50 kg and above, which is very difficult for other terminal operators to match.
Ibeto cement continue to flow into the market and was doing very well and meeting its market share. suddenly, a letter came from the presidency of Nigeria stopping Ibeto cement operation. And came up with a reason that Ibeto has not started investing into greenfield (that is manufacturing cement using lime stone) which is abundant in Nigeria.Has other investors started manufacturing locally in Nigeria. Why is Ibeto cement been singled out and closed for not having started manufacturing cement locally. It must be stated here that one thing about Ibeto group is that they think ahead of time.Before the commissioning of this cement terminal at PH, they had already acquired a 36 kilometer sq land with lime stone deposit at Ebony state close to Nkalagu and has entered into agreement with the community where the land is situated together with the Ebony State Government as partners on this project. Technical partners are from Far East and had visited the site and agreed to partner with Ibeto group on the Cement project. Letter of credit for some of the machines and other equipment that will enable them move into the second phase of the cement project has already been established. These,are live documentary evidence that one can see, yet the government insisted in closing down Ibeto terminal in PH.
As stated above, the reason given for the closure of Ibeto cement was based on a petition written to obasanjo by Dangote Group alleging that Ibeto cement was given unlimited allocation on cement importation even though it has no plan to start local cement production. The fact still remains that Ibeto cement will get into local cement manufacturing in the near future since they already have plans for that.
It is quite obvious that the closure was instigated by dangota in order to continue its monopoly of the product. Dangote is still being allowed to continue bulk cement importation and is not yet locally producing any.
I will not be able to give you the information requested in terms of who control the listed cement company's, but i must tell you from the limited information i got on this matter most of those company's are either closed or are being controlled by dangote.
Ibeto cement must be allowed to continue with its business so long as Dangote is allowed to continue to import cement, no other company should be excluded . There is no law in Nigeria that says you must have plans in other to be allowed to import bulk cement into the country and if there is any, Ibeto cement met the requirement 100%..
Ndewo
E.Amann Okonkwo.
___________________ achieve Biafra and show the difference Posts: 642 | From: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Eagle Cement Nigeria Limited owned by Mr. Aliko Dangote, the hausa/fulani, wants to acquire majority interest in Nkalagu Cement -- an icon of Igbo/Biafran businesses. Standing between him and this transaction to award monopoly rights to Mr. Dangote on cement production is the Enugu State Govt.
Igbo/Biafrans must unite in opposition to this corrupt yoroba management of assets in nigeria that has seen the give away of steel plants at way below market values. We MUST write to the governor of Enugu to support his action on this one.
___________________ achieve Biafra and show the difference Posts: 642 | From: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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My brother well done. Your exposees have been very insightful, persistent and moving indeed, especially when citing the able Messr's Nwakanma and Ani, two powerhouse Igbo warriors whose efforts in our interest remain absolutely unrelenting, methodical, and highly sophisticated.
Thank You.
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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Good to hear from you again. Our mission here is to help free our natiion from nigerian backwardness and mismanagement. Mz Ani and Mz Nwakanma are among our nationals who have continued to lead the fight for Igbo/Biafran freedom. We appreciate their leadership.
___________________ achieve Biafra and show the difference Posts: 642 | From: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Agents worried over Ibeto, Eagle cement closure • Wednesday, Feb 15, 2006 Authorised agents of Ibeto and Eagle Cement companies in the State have called on the federal and State governments and indeed all authorities concerned to re-open the companies as their continued closure has been causing the agents and other beneficiaries untold hardship.
The former Secretary General of Cement Dealers Association in Rivers State, Mr. Rosebury Mba, who made the appeal while speaking with The Tide in Port Harcourt recently said over 400 agents were suffering in penury with their families following the closure of the companies.
Mr. Mba said some of the agents borrowed from banks adding that with the closure interest on the loan has been accumulating in the banks while they are out of business.
He said when the Eagle Eement was closed down last year, most of the agents pitched their tent with Ibeto for survived, but wondered what would be their fate now that Ibeto had also been closed down early last month.
“Business activities have been paralyzed and investors in Eagle Cement and Ibeto are facing hard times and would want the authorities to come to our aid by opening the companies”, he said.
The former secretary general noted that Dangote and Atlas cement companies could meet the increasing demands of cement in the East, as prices of the product were going up beyond the reach of an average Nigerian.
In their separate reactions, Iwuofor Chinedu, Titus Okonkwo and Evans Oziji, stressed that the closure was affecting most of them who were agents as their money was tied-down which interest accumulating in the banks and appealed to the federal government to come to their aid, adding the policy would not encourage Nigeria investors to invest in the country for fear of their company being closed down.
They said the workers were also affected seriously by the closure as most of the workers would now be tempted to go into unwholesome acts in the society.
Also speaking, the company liaison Officer (CLO), Tonye Samuel said the Budu Ama Community had gained lot from Ibeto CementCompany like boreholes, scholarship, road, among others and called on the government to urgently wade into the issue.
Posts: 1532 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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I do not mourn the loss of properties of bunch of Igbo olukus who never did anything positive for their people when they had the chance to. What is happening to them is much like good riddance to good rubbish by an awusa errand boy for aremu. Don't we remember when their mantras were hail to the chief? Come to think of it, it’s good thing he hates the Igbo. obasanjo is not under any mandate to love us as Mazi Nwakanma said.
quote:El-Rufai Pulls Down Anyim, Ezeife Abuja MansionsBy Don Bassey and Paul Mumeh, Abuja
The multi-billion naira Abuja mansion home of former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, was on Tuesday demolished by bulldozers on the orders of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nasir el-Rufai. The house was reportedly spared in the earlier demolition exercises following the intervention of the Senate leadership under former Senate President Adolphus Wabara in 2005.
Also brought down was the palatial home of former Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, a one-time civilian governor of Anambra State. Both houses, located in the highbrow Asokoro District of the Federal Capital City (FCC), were alleged to be under sewer lines. Also affected was the house of Success Amauche, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly being the arrowhead of the land syndicate in Abuja. All three houses were located on Justice Fatai Williams Street, Asokoro.
El-Rufai had, in a press briefing at the time, told newsmen that Amauche forged several land documents to deceive many high-ranking officials, including Anyim, into buying several plots of land now termed illegal by the FCT administration.
The owners had protested against the demolition and reportedly showed evidence of legitimate allocation by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) charged with the responsibility of the physical development of the FCC.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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