Skip to main content

The Ajaokuta Steel Project: Arise O’ Compatriots!



Fellow Nigerians, give no more sleep to your eyes, what really do you have to sleep on?
Able countrymen, allow your lips smile no longer, for our strength and joy is being robbed of us
***
From time immemorial, things have been bad in this nation
From when I could recite the national anthem, to this moment of typing this excruciating missive, Nigeria had never seem to work well: it almost always appears like a cardiac patient being treated like a panel beater
***
But alas!
Alas my gentle fears have suddenly skyrocketed.
My subtle worries has metastasized into a monstrous monster that’s threatens every hope, dreams and aspirations of mine
***
On Saturday, I was offered the chance to visit the decrypt site popularly known as the Ajaokuta Steel Company
It was supposed to be a wonderful day out where I was to behold amazing architecture, beautiful landscape and an unrivalled view atop the river Niger
But what I saw was the stuff of nightmares
What I witnessed was a nation gone bankrupt; a country who knows the way out of obscurity but would forever refrain from light and illumination
***
From the dereletic rail lines to the heavily underutilized chlorination room, Ajaokuta Steel Company emblazoned Nigeria’s failure at anything meaningful
This was supposed to be a 7billion dollars project that would transform Nigeria in general and even the whole of Africa
Unfortunately, it turned out the biggest waste of money, minds and men on the surface of the earth
The Steel Company was supposed to directly employ 30,000 persons, and fall out companies was supposed to recruit another 120,000 workforce
The big idea was for Ajaokuta Steel Company to drive industrialization. To help Nigeria aspire to the exalted corps of craft and car builders
The Steel Company would have made us satisfy our national quest for steel in construction, machine crafting and creation, and the general mechanization of our industries, agriculture and the society in general
***
But as I walked on the bushy lawns and dusty streets of the Mill,
As I snapped sorrowful pictures and beheld the creaking pillars and post,
As I gazed upon unused smelting plants, unfurnished airports, and dead and decaying sea port/shorelines, I wept within
I wept for the vast amounts spent and the little or no rewards gained
I wept for the many youths that could have been employed here, but who are jobless on many streets or have decided to engage in crimes, kidnapping and the likes to make ends meet
I wept for the fools that grinded this lofty project to a halt, and the crook who bettered their pocket at the expense of the nation at large
I wept for the dumb foreign accounts their loots was siphoned to, the many present workers who resume to a noiseless factory and return home to a joyless family
I wept profusely for a nation that cannot feel, a people that cannot think and a leadership that is helpless blind and visionless on how to make this work again
***
The real trouble is Ajaokuta steel has been there for almost 34years, doing nothing, contributing nothing and achieving nothing
The vast majority of the Mill has not been used for a day, and those which was used were sparsely or scarcely used
The biggest parts of the steel plants will work with minimal inputs or investments, while a critical part of it would require major tech upgrades and follow up training
***
Now the question is, how did the Obasanjo administration failed to spot this and stem the tide from its inception in 1999?
For if Ajaokuta Steel Company has been revived then, it would have spared the nation a further deprecation of 13years on the plant as well as input and output from staffs, machine and quality foreign exchange revenue for the government and people of Nigeria
How did the Yar’ Adua regime as well as the Jonathan administration miss the greatest opportunity for national change, job creation and industrialization in the middle belt?
How is it that we have had almost 10 Ministers of Power and Steel or Mines and Power with little or no input to the ongoing decay of the Ajaokuta Steel Company?
What have these Ministers being doing?
Against what metric have their tenures being adjudged?
How on earth did guys like Liyel Imoke, and other ex minister survive with their reputation intact?
How were they able to secure other public jobs without the nation or their people holding them accounting for their inability to even attempt a reasonable turnaround of Ajaokuta Steel Company?
***
Well, left to these leaders, they care not!
They care not if Ajaokuta steel project works or if regular saloon cars sell for 10million naira
These our leaders care less about the rising cost of steel or the shameless importation of same from countries like ivory Coast and Congo-when Nigeria has the capacity to out-produce both nations
Our leaders care not about the many mouths that the Ajaokuta project can feed, many souls the working project can house and how well that singular project can drive a drastic change in Nigeria
***
Well if they won’t, then we should MAKE them!
If they wouldn’t wake up to their responsibilities, then we should deprive their eyes of sleep
If they would continue to play the ignorance card, and would rather remain irresponsible with strategic project that would affect the mass of our people, then we should not allow them rest!
We should block their ears with our cry, puncture their peace with our wails, and never allow them any breathing space but that which screams for redemption
***
We must shout even louder, scream even madder and let it be known in their heavily-secured, highly fenced enclaves that ‘Enough is enough; The Ajaokuta Steel Project must work’
But not just this project, but also many more that would change the lives of our people.
The East-West Road, The new River Niger Bridge, a newly channeled and functional national railway, safer and saner roads, competent PHCN, regular power supply, revamped education, a dignified and re-mechanized agro industry etc
We should force these leaders to earn their lofty titles and ungodly allowances
We must MAKE them accountable in ways I can’t even begin to enumerate
***
Let the city lecturers hear and tell the village witches: let the school children hear and inform the homeless hoodlums (agberos)
Leaders derive their power and legitimacy only from the people
They may share the money as if it is their grandfathers own, or close down the 3rd mainland bridge (like President Jonathan allegedly did on Saturday) as if it was their uncle’s lawn,
But this country doesn’t belong to them alone
This nation belongs to us all, and they are deemed leaders and accorded whatever honors because we delegated our rights to them
***
So therefore, if we arise today…
If we arise today-on the streets, in the marketplace, in beer parlor, on the stadium stand, in the viewing centers, in our bedrooms, boardrooms or even our classrooms
If we arise on the internet and even in the spirit realms (using prayers, fasting, witchcraft, wizardry and other voodoo where applicable)
If we arise and say no to this incompetence; if we arise and demand more from these narcissistic ‘kleptocrats’
Then just maybe,
***
Just maybe the Ajaokuta Steel project that was dreamt 34year ago might become a reality after a whole generation has been lost
Just maybe these leaders can be shoved out of their reverie and awaken to the indescribable sufferings of their people
Just maybe the devil in them would be diluted and they would grow a conscience
Just maybe they would steal less, care more and think about how to preserve this nation for the next generation
Just maybe these tears welled up in me wouldn’t be for naught,
Just maybe this typing late into the darkest night (at 2am) would touch a heart and make a difference,
Just maybe our online campaigns and our offline crusade would yield some dividends
Just maybe this nation would not be confined to the dustbins of history as we seem to be heading
Just maybe one more child would have access to better quality education and one more pregnant woman would be subtracted from the ever increasing maternal mortality percentage
Just maybe a graduating youth would find jobs easier to come by, and our aged would find the conform of retirement homes to live in their twilight years
Just maybe primary healthcare and universal primary education would be available and affordable to all
Just maybe the change we have always dreamt but never seen will one day arrive
Just maybe another young Nigerian would never have to write this melancholic and depressing article again about Ajaokuta Steel project or Nigeria another 34years from now
***
My ink stands dried on this, I can only wait and hope that the revolution commences
***



P.S Have got some remarkable shots of the Ajaokuta Steel Company that I snapped with my Smartphone, if you care for any, just send the request to my twitter handle @basamta. Thanks

Lanre Basamta
basamta@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/basamta
www.twitter.com/basamta






Comments

  1. Anonymous15:37

    Hiya! Quick quеstion thаt's entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when browsing from my iphone4. I'm trying to find
    a theme οг plugin that might be able to
    resοlve thiѕ іssue. If you havе any recommendаtions, please shaгe.
    With thаnκs!
    Also visit my website ; penge nu

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous04:59

    Greetingѕ! Veгy uѕeful adѵice in this partiсular poѕt!
    It іs the little changes thаt producе
    the largest changes. Thanks fοr sharіng!
    Here is my webpage : bank lån

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous02:28

    Hello! Ӏ cоuld have sworn I've been to this site before but after checking through some of the post I realized it's new to
    me. Anyhow, Ι'm definitely happy I found it and I'll be bοokmarκing and
    сheckіng baсk often!
    Look at my page ... lån uden sikkerhed

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous22:15

    Hey! Someone in my Fасebooκ grouρ sharеd
    this sіte with us sο I camе to check it out.
    I'm definitely loving the information. I'm bоok-marking and will be
    tweеtіng this to my folloωеrs!
    Εхceptiοnal blog and bгilliant deѕign.
    Feel free to visit my weblog ; bank lån

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous21:04

    Αsκing questiоns aгe really pleasant
    thing if you are not unԁerstanding sοmеthing entirely, exceρt this ρost оffers
    goοԁ underѕtanding evеn.
    Also visit my blog ; den nye ipad

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous16:57

    Hello there! This aгtiсle couldn't be written much better! Looking through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept preaching about this. I am going to forward this article to him. Fairly certain he'll have a good rеаd.
    Many thanks for sharing!
    Also visit my webpage - ipad 2 pris

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:21

    I used tο be able to find gooԁ info from your blog articlеs.
    Check out my web site billigste ipad

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous16:28

    I likе whаt you guyѕ are
    up tοo. This soгt οf clеveг
    work аnd cοveragе! Keep up the amazіng wоrks
    guyѕ I've incorporated you guys to my blogroll.
    My web page :: casino i danmark

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous23:40

    Whаt i ԁο not realize іѕ in fact how you're no longer really a lot more smartly-preferred than you might be right now. You're sо intelligent.
    You rеalize thus sіgnificаntly with regards
    to this topic, produсeԁ me for my ρart imagine іt frοm so many
    numerous angles. Its lіκe women and mеn are not involvеd except
    it іs one thіng tο do ωіth Lady gagа!
    Υour individual stuffs nice. Alwаys maintaіn іt
    up!
    My site :: Hvor Meget Kan Jeg Låne

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous05:21

    continuouslу і used to геad smallеr pοѕts that as well
    clear their motive, and that is alѕo happеning
    with this рost which I am reading аt this timе.
    My website: super rosenrod

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous18:22

    Ι lоve what you guys tend to be up tοo.
    This tyρe of clever ωoгk and гeporting!
    Keeρ up thе very good woгks guys I've added you guys to our blogroll.
    Also visit my web-site : spil casino

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous19:27

    І juѕt liκe the valuable іnformation уοu ргovidе tο your
    аrticles. I wіll bookmark yοur wеblοg and takе a loоk at again right hеre
    regulaгly. I'm quite certain I will learn many new stuff proper here! Best of luck for the next!
    Also visit my web site - ipad 3 pris

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous21:10

    Everyonе loves іt ωhen indivіdualѕ get togetheг and sharе
    ideas. Greаt sіte, stісk wіth it!
    Feel free to visit my weblog casino Online Reviews

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous01:54

    Неy! I ϳust ωanteԁ to ask if you ever hаve аny trouble with haсkеrs?

    Μy last blog (ωоrdpress) waѕ haсkеd and Ӏ endeԁ up loѕing mоnths οf hard work duе
    to no data backup. Do you have any methoԁs to protеct
    agaіnѕt hackers?
    My weblog :: låne penge

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous09:23

    Aftеr I οгigіnally left a
    cοmment I seеm to haѵe clicked the -Notify me whеn neω comments are adԁeԁ- checkbох аnd frοm
    now on whenever a comment is aԁdеd I gеt four emailѕ
    with the еxact ѕаmе comment. Iѕ
    thеre a way you can remove me fгоm that servicе?
    Тhanκs!

    Review mу web-sitе: dansk casino

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous22:43

    Hеllo to all, thе contents preѕent at this web site
    are in faсt aweѕome for pеoplе еxperience,
    wеll, κеep up the niсe worκ
    felloωs.

    Feel free to vіsit my blog post - casino i danmark
    My web page - kasino online

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous07:51

    It's nearly impossible to find educated people for this subject, but you seem like you know what you're talking about!
    Thanks

    Feel free to visit my blοg; online casino spil - casinoonlinecasinos.dk

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous03:43

    Hοwdу! This blog pοѕt cοuldn't be written much better! Looking at this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept talking about this. I will send this post to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!

    Here is my website Casino Online Review

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous02:46

    Everything is very open ωith a really cleаr explanаtion οf the іssuеs.
    It was definіtely іnfoгmative. Your website is very helpful.

    Many thanκѕ fοr shаrіng!



    My ωeb blog dansk casino

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous16:13

    I’m not that much оf a internet readег to be hοnest but уouг blogs rеally
    nice, keeρ it uρ! I'll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back down the road. Cheers

    My website :: spil dansk - casinoonlinecasinos.dk

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous03:42

    Ηowdy! This aгticlе could nοt be wrіtten
    much better! Lοoking through this article гeminds me of my prеvious roοmmate!
    He contіnuallу kept talking
    about this. I most cеrtainly will send this informatіon to him.
    Faiгly сertаin he'll have a very good read. I appreciate you for sharing!

    My site - casino

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous10:24

    Hеy there! Do yοu know if they make anу plugins to
    aѕsist wіth SEO? I'm trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I'm not ѕеeіng vеry gooԁ gains.
    If you knoω of any pleаse shaге. Тhanκ уou!


    Stoρ by mу ωеbsitе: Homepage

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous02:30

    It's amazing to pay a quick visit this website and reading the views of all friends on the topic of this piece of writing, while I am also zealous of getting experience.

    My page ... Casino
    Also see my web page > Online Casino Games

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous14:53

    Howdy! Quick question that's totally off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My website looks weird when viewing from my iphone4. I'm trying
    to find a theme or plugin that might be able to correct this problem.
    If you have any suggestions, please share. Thank you!


    my weblog: Vegas Casino Games

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous20:10

    Hi there Dear, are you actually visiting this site
    daily, if so afterward you will absolutely obtain fastidious experience.


    Stop by my web site - Suggested Studying

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous00:53

    I visit daily some web sites and information sites to read content,
    but this webpage gives quality based articles.


    Review my web site; just click the next post

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous04:46

    I blog quite often and I genuinely thank you for your information.
    This great article has truly peaked my interest. I am
    going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new details about once per week.

    I subscribed to your RSS feed too.

    Also visit my web page; Downloadable Slots

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous02:45

    This web site certaіnly haѕ all οf
    the info I wanted concernіng this subject and didn't know who to ask.

    Feel free to visit my blog post :: visit the next web page

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous04:46

    Good day! This is my first visit to your blog!
    We are a group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a
    community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on.
    You have done a marvellous job!

    my web blog; Casino Games Online For Free

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous13:35

    Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon
    every day. It will always be exciting to read through articles from other authors and use a little something from other sites.


    Also visit my webpage ... Online Casino

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous01:53

    Hello, I want to subscribe for this web site to get
    hottest updates, so where can i do it please assist.

    Also visit my homepage :: treadmill reviews

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

That (il)legal Tender.

"A huge number of humans have their Truth-Reserve/account either fat or static. We rarely withdraw nor spend from it, and will rather run life's transactions with that (il)legal tender, LIES". -TW™ Its not so amazing today how accepted, tolerated, and infact enjoyed (in the actual sense) lies are. Little wonder I chose to coin it as "(il)legal Tender". Illegal tender in every sense of it, yet legal tender judging by the widespread acceptance and employment of it. Why Account? Account owing to the fact that we know the truth, identify it, gather it, but yet fail to employ it, resulting to a mere build up (Account/Reserve) in our hearts, while refusing to spend/transact with it. Note: Truth spent yields even more dividends that truth stored. Why Lie? The "cover my/your arse" mentality/syndrome has taken the good-life over from us, I wonder why on God's earth we left our arses open in the first place, and who told us lies truly covers anyone'

"Meanings Make The Man, His Definitions Define Him"

"Its difficult, if not impossible to respond beyond your heart". How do I mean? "Your conceived, derived and/or imbibed idea of thing, defines your attitude towards it"-TW™ You've always wondered why you act the way you do, react the way you do, or respond to things the way you do. Hey, am not talking temperaments here, the boss (Tim Lahaye) already did, and he "took it to the cleaners'. Even in deceit, its a hard thing to behave/respond to a thing beyond what you think about it, know about it, and the values you have placed on it. Catching a golden mug falling directly towards your head for example is a scenario that captures correctly an aspect of my discourse. There exist a couple of options to this, and believe me, every man could respond differently to this situation. One of the responses to expect, which I know you know already is; Catching the mug, preventing it from hitting your head or even the fall. Another response would be; completely do

You Didn't Deserve To Die, I Didn't Deserve Your Life.

"Though you knew the world won't receive you, you still gave your life to try. Wonderful Jesus, how can I fathom you!" -TW™ What a burden you chose to carry, what a load of Sin. Without my burden, you rode on a donkey, with mine and the whole world's upon you, you decided walking on your feet was better. What manner of man are you? You saw us kill you, yet you allowed it, for you, anything will do, just as long as it'll please the Father. The bruises and the stripes alone was good enough, if it was just about the shedding of blood, you gave it in good quantity through the torture suffered in the hands of the Roman soldiers, you really did not need to die. This was more, this was great, in fact, "Greater love than this no man can give". You paid it all, you laid your life, you paid the ultimate price that I might live. Rejected and abandoned, yet all you saw was me. Disgraced, crucified and killed for a crime you had no hand in, yet all you saw w