Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Dear Chairman Rep. Farouk Lawan,
My respects.
I refer to your kind letter of invitation captioned “INVITATION TO A MEETING WITH THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON THE MONITORING OF THE SUBSIDY REGIME” dated 12 January, 2012.
Your letter of invitation under reference stated further: “You are expected to make detailed presentation based on your wealth of experience on the importation, distribution and consumption of petroleum products and or payment of subsidy by the government.”
I was further asked to make “ten hard copies and a soft copy” of my presentation.
It was naturally refreshing to me to be officially considered worthy once again to give service to our Beloved Fatherland, Nigeria, in areas in which I can with all humility lay claim to some range of knowledgeability and commitment through the grace of the Almighty and the kind consideration of my country.
I am referring to my cabinet portfolios as one-time Minister of Petroleum and Energy/Petroleum Resources, Chairman the Board of Directors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Chief Executive, NNPC under two governments, General Muhammadu Buhari and General Ibrahim Babangida.
At this point I must continue to express my indebtedness in gratitude to General Muhammadu Buhari, who “discovered” me through my writings as a Social Critic (or Social Commentator) and honoured me with a place in his Federal Executive Council (EXCO) even without meeting me personally. This was on 18 January 1984. I later on learnt that this was because he believed that both of us shared similar moral values and sincere love for the Fatherland.
I must also state how greatly humbled I was when he demonstrated his sincere confidence in me by making me so far the most powerful Oil Minister (Petroleum Resources) to serve our dear Fatherland: Minister, Chairman NNPC Board of Directors and Chief Executive NNPC.
It is apropos to mention that even during his very outstanding days as Oil Minister he was not “Chief Executive.” This naturally made me all the more very humbled indeed by his unique confidence in me. Thanks to the Almighty I did not abuse the confidence so generously reposed in me or disappointed him in my stewardship.
And together we served for service to our dear country with pride, contentment and fulfillment. No self-enrichment. None.
Respected Chairman, with the above background tandemed with my numerous constructive articles, analyses, critiques and x-raying of our vital oil enterprise over the past more than two decades. I did not hesitate to accept your kind invitation to avail the Fatherland of my “wealth of experience” (Your compliment in your letter of invitation refers). My letter dated 23 January 2012 refers. Your letter of invitation got to me only on 20 January 2012.
I attached photocopy of my article, “Refineries breakdown: Sabotage theory,” published some 16 years ago; courtesy Vanguard 31 July 1996.
“The Business Day of 09 December, 2011 very thoughtfully reproduced it because of its topicality.
My ‘thesis,’ after in depth investigation of our refineries, was simple: “Recurrent sabotage of our refineries to cause recurrent fuel shortage to justify recurrent fuel importation.”
I, even far back as that date, some 16 years ago, alerted Government and indeed the country on FUEL IMPORTATION Cartel (or Cabal). In conclusion, I challenged the NNPC to publish the list of the said cartel (cabal) “If there is no fishy things in the messy oil waters.”
Once again the Business Day 29 November, 2011 scored topmost in Investigative Journalism when it successfully cracked open the NNPC secret casket of the fuel importers cabal in its elaborate, “Subsidy bonanza swells rank of fuel importers” Front page splash. Fantastic report! My kudos.
Scandalous disclosures: 2006 (3). 2007 (8). 2008 (23). 2009 (21). 2010 (36). 2011 (77). Figures in brackets, “Importers benefiting from subsidy.” TOTAL 168. The sordid list includes a construction company and an America-based jeweler. All of them well connected. Any wonder why our refineries cannot work at reasonable installed capacity (only 30-40%). Any wonder why the “criminal neglect of our refineries?” (General Abdusalami Abubakar, Sunday Concord 10 January, 1999).
The pictorial journalism (accompanying the List of Dirt) of the Business Day is also very highly commended: Oil barrel and Importation Vessels.
I foresaw this coming some 16 years ago, Respected Chairman.
You can now see how sad I felt, very sad indeed, to have been vindicated by all the mess, corruption, fraud, monstrous scandals and incredible administrative ineptitude and ineffectuality your Committee has been able to unearth. Self-fulfilling prophecy!
However, Mr. Chairman, your discoveries, in spite of their monstrous and scandalous nature, are not the whole of the sordid story of personal and corporate corruption and fraud in the so-called ‘subsidy’ racket. May I repeat again: Fuel subsidy does not exist. Indeed your discoveries have vindicated me.
I was thus very delighted when your Secretary informed me by phone that my acceptance letter of your invitation had arrived; and that you have even directed that my “Sabotage Theory” article be photocopied and circulated to your Honourable Committee Members.
I also informed the Secretary to pass on to you that I am also making ten copies each of all my TWENTY “authorities” to assist the work of your Committee as requested of me. All in service of the Fatherland.
I was waiting for the green light to proceed to Abuja to appear before your Committee, as by your letter of invitation, when the incredible news got to me on 08 February, 2012 that your Committee will be rounding up on 09 February, 2012.
I was naturally nonplussed. I was greatly shattered. But this was not necessarily because of the discourtesy of not even caring to respect me with expected and necessary Elementary Courtesy with a formal withdrawal of your invitation, even if this comes after all the pleasant and refreshing phone contacts with your office.
My shock and disappointment are also not because of the elaborate preparations I have meticulously (as is natural with me) made to place at the disposal of your Committee useful and helpful information (and materials) calculated to be in the best interest of your assignment and the Fatherland.
My disappointment and indeed sadness, is mainly (if not SOLELY) because my country has been rudely and crudely denied the benefit of my experience and my knowledge on the question of a so-called ‘Fuel Subsidy,’ the hottest contemporary national debate. It’s inherent fraud, it is corruption and it’s all shades of lies at the expense of the country and especially the masses, who are invariably more heavily impacted by bad government policies.
The poor masses are so divinely sanctified. Because God so loved the poor He created lots of them. Hence, government policies that are anti-people, the poor especially, remain divinely denounced. Simpliciter.
I am also sad because the country is by your action denied the benefit of the suggestions I wished to place before your Committee on how the ‘subsidy’ corruption can be stamped out, and also how some of the staggering corrupt disbursements in the name of ‘subsidy’ can be recovered. We, during the Buhari government, successfully got back hundreds of millions of over-paid contracts of the Shagari administration. In fact we were so successful in this ‘sanitisation’ operation a very big contractor, fearing that we were getting too close for comfort voluntarily surrendered to government very handsome multimillions of Naira.
I am particularly irked also because the management of our crucial oil enterprise seems to be playing out in ominous full relief the alliteration sequence of BLOOM, GLOOM, and DOOM. Because it is largely all self and less and less of country. So many ‘Oil Sheikhs’ all over the place. Sad!
There is no question that the Nigerian oil business is easily the worst managed, the most corrupt and the most reckless among all the oil-producing nations of the world. I stand to be controverted or challenged. Facts not fiction.
Hence, the agonizing and excruciating paradox of so much poverty in the midst of so much wealth. Divine outrage!
But, quite honestly how much money does one need to live? And what of “The Poverty of Wealth.” My Essay. The Sunday Guardian 19 March, 1989 page 6. ThisDay Sunday 23 January, 2000 page 18. Daily Sun 06 November 2006 page 31. Reproduced because of topicality. In short, does wealth equate with health. Does wealth translate to the Good Life? I am talking about corrupt wealth, product of pathological indiscipline and dirty appetite. The category all the fraudulent and corrupt wealth of the so-called “fuel subsidy” belongs. DIRTY!
Respected Chairman, Honourable Farouk Lawan, my shock, sadness and disappointment are all exacerbated by the following instructive report carried by the influential and respected Daily Trust popular journal of 10 February, 2012:
“Faruk (sic) Lawan: We’re under pressure over subsidy.” Front page promotion. And on page 2: “House admits ‘intense pressure’. ” “The panel will not witch-hunt anybody or run people down but will also not bury the truth or sweep the issues under the carpet” (Farouk Lawan). AMEN. But I keep my fingers crossed. Our country, Nigeria, is notorious for cover-ups especially when ‘Big Fishes’ are caught in the anti-corruption “Net.”
On this national perversion please read C. C. Ekeke’s beautiful piece: “Hello…is that the able P. A. himself?” Sunday Sun 05 February, 2012. Back page. Very instructive indeed.
The Daily Trust report went further “….we were put under tremendous pressure from the presidency. The chairman was summoned and he has been receiving calls not to invite certain people… even the speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was pressured by the presidency and the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party.” (Member, Farouk Lawan’s Committee). Underlined emphases mine.
I crave indulgence to make the following analyses:
One, “the presidency” is situate on the President himself. This conclusion is reinforced by the next statement that “even the speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was pressured by the presidency…” Because an abstract “presidency” can’t pressurize. Only a concrete three-dimensional entity, President Jonathan, can pressurize. And this he did. He has done so before over “Adaka Boro’s Annual Lecture.”
Two, “not to invite certain people” is particularistic and palpably pointed, especially considering the shabby, rude, crude and discourteous manner the Committee chickened out of consummating their invitation to me by ‘canceling’ or “stopping” my trip to Abuja even after their manifest earlier enthusiasm.
For instance, my 16-year “Sabotage Theory” of our refineries (Now vindicated!) was caused to be circulated to all the Honourable Members of the “Subsidy’ Committee. In fact, the House of Representatives had also earlier vindicated me: The House of Representatives “Say refineries were sabotaged” (Daily Sun 06 November, 2009. Front page lead).
Furthermore, I wish to make the point that what the Rep. Farouk Lawan’s Committee did to me is reminiscent of that of the said programmed, teleguided, BEGGING THE QUESTION Town Hall Meeting on ‘Subsidy’ at the Muson Centre Lagos on 22 December, 2011, where I was also sequestered out. Thanks to the several queries from the public at home and on-line.
For instance, “…Host Nduka Obiagbune (sic) why was former Minister of Petroleum, Professor Tam David-West, the first to signify intention to public debate on subsidy not at the NPAN Town Hall Meeting? Why did the organizers not invite him?” From Carol Ajie (carolajie@yahoo.com).
Mr. Chairman, I respectfully ask you to please take due note of the date of the fraudulent so-called Town Hall Meeting, 22 December, 2011. This was a week before the Jonathan-Okonjo-Iweala insulting perfidy and duplicity. An ambush, policy coup against the good people of Nigeria.
Their so-called fuel ‘subsidy’ was removed on 01 January, 2012. Quite contrary to the April 2012 date they deceitfully together told the country, nay the whole world (including Okonjo-Iweala’s World Bank).
As if this insult was not intolerable and censurable enough Okonjo-Iweala shamelessly lied - repeat lied – that “neither herself nor the president’ ever fixed April date. It was, according to her an “invention of mischief makers.” (Daily Sun 09 January, 2012 page 48). A contemptible and embarrassing lie. And this from a very obtrusive cabinet minister.
OKONJO-IWEALA’S LIE EXPOSED
“Fuel subsidy still intact, says Okonjo-Iweala * Policy likely to take off in April” The Nation 15 December, 2011. Front page splash. With her pix.
Furthermore, “Subsidy won’t go in Jan” by Diezani Allison-Madueke, The Nation 26 October, 2011. Front page splash. With her pix.
“Fuel Subsidy: FG shifts ground * Says Jan commencement date not feasible” (Daily Sun 11 November, 2011. Front page splash.
None of this was ever refuted before the ambush sneaky date of 01 January, 2012.
No responsible government ever deceives the people with new policies of government. More especially when such policies are anti-people hurled on the people like a malevolent meteorite.
JANUARY 01, 2012 IMPOSED BY THE IMF
The cat (Okonjo-Iweala’s cat!) is out of the bag.
A recent document stated categorically how the IMF was teleguiding the fuel subsidy crisis from Washington D. C. USA.
What a monumental national disgrace!
Dr. Izielen Agbon’s paper: “Still on fuel price increase” (The Nation On Sunday 04 March, 2012 page 15) is a MUST read for any serious and patriotic Nigerian. A great eye-opener indeed.
The patriotic and concerned compatriot wrote from Dallas, Texas, USA.
Anchoring his revelation on “The IMF handbook on fuel subsidy removal IMF Working Paper 07/71, Washington: International Monetary Fund” he disclosed how the IMF cornered President Jonathan pointedly through their ‘agent’ Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to impose the fuel price increase on 01 January, 2012 instead of the earlier peddled April 2012.
To me this did not come as a surprise. I’ve repeatedly said that the Jonathan’s ostensible new ‘courage,’ “NO going back on fuel subsidy removal,” is not a manifestation new robust biceps. No. Never. It is not congenital. I clearly suggested that it is imported and imposed.
Dr. Izielen Agbon, a Nigerian scholar, was once Head of Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Ibadan. He was also Chairman of ASUU. An internationally renowned expert in Oil and Gas, now resident in Dallas Texas USA with full time occupation in oil matters.
In an earlier paper, “It costs N34 per litre to refine crude locally” (The Nation On Sunday 29 January, 2012 page 59) he pegged oil price at N36.34 after detailed and meticulous calculations. His calculations were confirmed by other experts.
OIL PRICE RETURNS TO N141 STILL BY AMBUSH COUP
Compatriot Izielen, even also projected that Jonathan and his IMF/World Bank ‘agent,’ Okonjo-Iweala will sooner or later (sooner than later) increase the fuel to N140 at least. And that it will once again be an ambush against the poor people of Nigeria. Sneakily! We watch.
Let me warn them that Nigeria is no Lilliput and they are not Gullivers.
Furthermore, the bitter tears of the suffering masses will ascend to Heaven and God will surely fight for their JUST cause especially since He has blessed us (Nigeria) most abundantly. No amount of kneeling or so-called spiritual consultations will stop it. Amen.
And furthermore since “fuel subsidy” does not exist. What exists is fraud, corruption, duplicity and lies as amply demonstrated even by your House of Representatives Farouk Lawan Probe by secretly implementing the “IMF 01 January, 2012” to remove a non-existing ‘subsidy’ Jonathan and his Okonjo-Iweala in conspiration concert have inflicted double pains on the people: One, outrageous fuel price. Two, inflicting sorrow on the people with this sadistic New Year shocker. Divine outrage! He who says New Year Wish away from the conventional “Happy New Year” will – must – answer the Law of Karma. Colloquially: “If mama no want baby to sleep mama too no go sleep.”
Based on the above one is constrained to ask: “Who is afraid of the truth? “Who is being so hypocritical in the great fight against corruption, the county’s most potent societal ‘virus’?
Now, is it not proper and appropriate to conclude that the Lawan’s Committee most unfortunately allowed itself to be compromised on the pivotal issues of seriousness and political will when it failed to allow (after invitation) the only former Minister of Petroleum Resources on their list of the voluntarily invited persons to appear before it. And even more importantly, a former Oil Minister who has over 20 years been actively involved in the administration and x-raying of the nation’s oil enterprise.
Then there is also the fundamental question of the derogation of the principle of the “Separation of Powers.” Executive, Legislature and Judiciary in a REAL Democracy.
Let me on this use President Jonathan’s much-adored “Philosopher Guardian,” President Obama (USA), as example.
It is totally inconceivable and preposterous for President Obama to attempt to even “pressurize” Congress and teleguide it to his self-serving goal.
Any such attempt will certainly put him on a fast track to impeachment and disgrace out of the White House.
The Lawan’s Committee’s action under scrutiny has further confirmed the worst fears of quite a few of us that in the Nigerian situation the Executive is a veritable “superman.” The Legislature is its veritable extension. And the Judiciary is its adjunct.
The modus operandi is manipulate. Teleguide. No Separation of Powers. Only “submergence of Powers.” Ominous.
Honourable Farouk Lawan, in spite of my great disappointment, I must congratulate your Committee and yourself, Chairman, for excavating and exhuming (even if not in totality) the monstrous corruption, fraud, deceit, conspirational perversion of the system which goes by the glamourised false name or tag, ‘Fuel Subsidy’ which General Buhari and myself have been saying overtime does not exist; only fraud and corruption in high places.
However, I make bold to say that admirable and commendable as your discoveries so far this far from being the whole fraud with the fancied name of ‘Fuel Subsidy.’
In other words, the storm is yet to be completely contained. We’ve only so far poured Oil on the troubled waters of the mismanagement and fraud of the nation’s Oil Enterprise.
And true to the idiom or classical allusion all what the said oil does is to calm the storm on the surface. But the turbulence remains uncontained underneath. In other words, the storm is not over. And it may erupt next time as hurricane, as tsunami.
Yes, your Committee has established that there in fact nothing like fuel subsidy. It does not exist. What exists is the sustenance and ‘Subsidy’ of corruption. But I still hold stubbornly that the fuel pump price should not be more than N30 - N40 per litre. And this has been confirmed by 3 independent experts from the USA. The N97 was panic gestimation of convenience. No - repeat No – scientific basis whatsoever. It is purely a “Political Figure.” And until political calculations give way to scientific calculations there can be no peace in the land. Because the masses are subjected to monstrous injustice.
Should General Buhari and I smile and celebrate? No. We should weep instead for our dear Fatherland where corruption has become a ‘Religion of Faith.’ Because “In Nigeria it is not only that officials are corrupt. But that corruption is official.” This was by one of our greatest compatriots, Alhaji Shehu Musa. And after Buhari all seem to have signed an abiding contract with corruption.
But how much money does a sane and disciplined person need to live? One divest of corrupt dirty appetite. Why so much obscene opulence, which holds one hostage or force to scamper out of the country a fugitive thief. A ‘prisoner’ of dishonour in a foreign land. “Your Excellency” at home “You Dirty Thief” abroad.
Your Committee has been successfully pressurized by the President (not ‘Presidency’) not to give me the opportunity to appear before you as by your kind invitation.
However, just as the love of the Fatherland inspired and impelled you to kindly invite me let me also say that the same flame of patriotism will make it ineluctable on my part not to hold a World Press Conference on my mission. Besides, truth cannot – NEVER – be successfully submerged. Like cork it will always float out whether we like it not. And this healthy for any society.
Misology enslaves. Enlightenment liberates.
“Controversial,” the usual diversionary tag. But instead of being pejorative I consider it greatly complimentary indeed since it defines the ME.
“Cogito ergo sum” (I think therefore I am) Rene Descartes. Or should I adapt it to, “I am controversial because I think positively differently.” Not after some 100 ‘controversies’ and corresponding vindications over time from my student days.
Let me conclude, Honourable Representative Farouk, with John Stuart Mill:
“But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it is robbing the human race, posterity as well as the existing generation – those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth; if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clear perception and livelier impression of truth produced by its collision with error.” “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” Fallacious!
And I, Tam David-West, cannot be silenced in telling (and fighting for) the truth. It is a sacred civic responsibility to my God and to my country.
This is an open letter, not out of disrespect for your office. No. But dictated, indeed imperative for wider readership.
That Nigeria may survive.
Yours faithfully,
Professor Tam David-West
POSTSCRIPT
After completing this Open Letter, Chairman, Honourable Farouk Lawan, I came across the following disturbing and scandalous story: “N1.3 TRILLION FUEL SUBSIDY PROBE Tambuwal, Lawan under pressure * Top presidency officials seek soft-land for those indicted * Speaker: Let Committee submit report before next step” (The Nation On Sunday 26 February, 2012). Front page sensation. Also “Pressure mounts on Tambuwal, Lawan to dilute subsidy probe report” (The Nation On Sunday 04 March, 2012 page 10). Pressurized to keep the report in the “Cooler in the “national interest.” “Soften the report to avoid embarrassing some government officials.”
SHAME! SHAME!! SHAME!!! to the Presidency and its confraternity of anti-probity. A further buttress to the reality that only the uncorrupt can successfully curb corruption. No amount of silver-tongued sermonisation can change this truism.
“You preach better sermons with your life than with your lips” (Oliver Goldsmith).
We watch. Nigeria, should not, cannot be left at the mercy of public thieves, shameless mega “419ners” of our collective patrimony while the masses especially, go on with excruciating deprivation. Anti-Justice. Anti-God. Portends divine outrage. Divine vengeance.
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