Poor Rich Country

“The militants often attack oil installations and kidnap oil workers for ransom. Last year, such attacks cut Nigeria's oil output by some 20%. Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but most of the Niger Delta population remain poor. The militants say more of Nigeria's oil wealth should benefit local people.” News.

“The price of gas, though, is still running about $4/gallon vs. the regular of $2.50. I am minimizing my trips to town and elsewhere. I have even had to cut back on the use of my generator at night. Thus I finding myself heading to bed earlier than normal, usually about 9 PM.. Rumor has it that things should get better price-wise in a week or so. On the whole, it has taught me that I need to keep a little reserve on hand when this situation occurs again. I am told that typically around major holidays, such as Christmas, the shortages begin and the prices start to climb. This year, the situation has been worsened by damage done to oil supply pipes in the south.” Nigerian resident in the north east. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

“The rebel Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has bombed oil export terminals, blown up pipelines, planted car bombs in oil company compounds and abducted foreign workers since it appeared in late 2005. Output from Nigeria, the world's eighth largest oil exporter, is down by a fifth. Bar-owner Oluchi, like others who benefit from Africa's largest oil industry, sees the surge in kidnappings as partly linked to general elections in Nigeria in April and hopes things will settle down after that. But MEND says it is not interested in politics – it is preparing for all-out guerrilla war with Africa's largest army. MEND argues that the people of the delta, most of whom live in poverty without access to clean water, schools, power and roads, have been cheated out of their oil wealth by the central government in league with Western multinationals.” News one hour old.
What a world we live in. We can always find something to fight about, something to expropriate, someway to benefit ourselves to the detriment of others. We can always find a way to make the altercation into a three way triple by pass extended compound complex situation with all the arms dealers stockpiling for brisk business; oil, bird flu, religion. And it all comes down to the heart of the individual person. God says “you must be born again” !!