Please Do the Math: 2 million gallons of oil daily

During 2003 Protest

Nigeria exports over two million barrels per day of crude.

Obasanjo, who wants to end subsidies on imported oil products of some $2 billion annually, hiked petrol prices on June 20 by over 50 percent. The price of gasoline jumped from 26 naira (about 20 U.S. cents) a liter to 40 naira.

The country’s four ailing refineries are unable to meet local gasoline demand of more than 30 million liters a day, and Nigeria has to import to meet the shortfall.

http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/2003/jul/04/0013.html

During the 2012 Protest

It should be noted that before fuel subsidy was withdrawn on January 1, 2012, a litre of petrol in Nigeria was N65 (35 cents of a dollar). However, when the subsidy was withdrawn, a litre of petrol jumped to N141 (93 cents) overnight…

Given that fuel subsidy feeds corruption in the oil industry, it goes without saying that the first cause of action by the government is to close that pipeline of corruption. Specifically, “since the cost of crime, corruption, and trade mispricing accounted for $130bn in Nigeria between 2000 and 2009, representing an estimate of $14bn a year, which, in fact, exceeds the estimated “$8bn” yield from subsidy withdrawal, the obvious logical answer right now lies squarely with ending corruption in the oil industry, not fuel subsidy…

For Nigeria to claim the lion’s share of its own oil revenue, and for your administration to deliver your promise of “fresh air” with that revenue, the country must refine at least 90 per cent of its own crude oil – not just 30 per cent…

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/on-the-fuel-subsidy-removal-protests/

Strike is Over; Business as Usual?

All staff reported for work today to prepare for the resumption of classes tomorrow. While we were congratulating and patting ourselves in the back that we were available post lessons and assignments online, I was dying to talk to my Nigerian friends about their thoughts and experiences about the strike. That will probably have to wait, lesson plans have to be finalized, worksheets to be photocopied, the thick layer of harmattan sand on everything had to be dusted off. But I have been reading some of the tweets under #occupynigeria and was not surprised that my friends share similar sentiments, that they’re glad it did not escalate into further violence but are hopeful that this is only the beginning.They are shaking there heads that prices of items, such as transportation is still up. When my former nanny traveled to her village during Christmas the bus fare was N5,000, and she still had to take a second ride. Now that fare has gone up to N9,000+.

 

 

Day 6 of Nationwide Strike

For updates check https://twitter.com/#!/jongambrellAP

The protests resume after people had a chance to restock on fuel and groceries over the weekend. Today is now Day 6 of the strike and our virtual school thru Edline. While some parents appreciate the teachers’ efforts to post lessons and assignments online, a few expressed concern about the students work load. I can imagine how stressful it can be for some to be stuck at home with all their kids and without nannies and helpers for an extended period. I am thankful to the parents who e-mail me, even to complain, because it shows they are supervising and helping their kids with the assignments. Some families have 3-5 kids in school, and more burden rests on parents with students in the elementary.

Some key comments from a recent article

But tackling the deeply and widely embedded corruption that lubricates all levels of Nigeria’s political system is a much tougher challenge in the long term.

“A really determined effort to stamp out corruption would itself be massively destabilising. It can only be done gradually,” Ellis said.

But until this happens, outbreaks of angry protests and violence are likely to recur in an energy-rich country that pumps 2 million barrels of oil a day with the help of oil majors like Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil, while its citizens face crumbling roads, abysmal public hospitals, chronic power shortages and an economy rigged in favour of powerful import oligarchs.

“Nigeria … has been ruled by the same cult of mediocrity – a deeply corrupt cabal – for at least forty years, recycling themselves in different guises and incarnations,” said famed Nigerian author Chinua Achebe in a recent interview with the Christian Science Monitor.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/15/uk-nigeria-fractures-idUKTRE80E0FP20120115

 

 

Day 2 of Nationwide Strike in Nigeria

We are now on the third day of the nationwide strike, and are preparing to go into virtual school mode so teachers and students can do their lessons online.

 

Aso-Oke

The aso-oke is the handwoven cloth of Nigeria’s second largest tribe, the Yoruba. It is usually striped and often worn on ceremonial and other special occasions such as weddings as head wrap, girdle, shawl, or full dress and robe. I was introduced to this by a Nigerian lady who wove these herself, Mrs. Abu, during the recent Nigerian Culture Day celebration. I was planning to do my Christmas shopping early and ended up buying several which I now have difficulty giving up as presents. I simply could not imagine my family and friends appreciating them as well as I do, even though I’ve only been using these as table runner. My nanny, who is getting married next week, was at least thrilled when I gave her one because she not-so-subtly hinted that the colors are her wedding motif.

Aso-oke in various colors

Mrs. Abu modeling the aso-oke as shawl or iborun

Aso-oke as headwrap or gele

Aso-oke as headwrap or gele

A Tale of Two Spas

When it comes to massage spas in Lagos my friends and I have two places to choose from, and both are staffed by Indonesian masseuse.

The Temple Spa is located in Victoria Island, and being closer to school, that is where my colleagues like to go. They go there at least twice a month, and it has become part of their routine as the trip for haircuts and manicure/pedicure. The Barazahi at Lekki Phase I offers those services as well. I have been to both places just once, and only because my wonderful friends bought me gift certificates for my birthday last year and this year. I tend to agree with my friends that the Temple Spa is a good place to frequent for regular massages, because they seem to have more masseuses and of course, closer to where I live. But I would highly recommend the Barazahi for special occasions and VIPs for the interior design of their facilities (a massage room for couples) and amenities like robes and lockers.

They offer similar massage and spa packages at similar prices. An hour of Balinese, Indonesian, Swedish, or aromatherapy massage, for example, cost between $50-$60.

Photos in the top row are of Temple Spa. The bottom row were taken at Barazahi

Nigerian Culture Day 2011 – Handicraft Market

I love it when performers, artists, and vendors come to our school for the Nigerian Culture Day celebration. We were treated to exhibits, dances, food, and the mini-market, where students and parents had fun bargaining the Nigerian way. It is hard to find a better bargain elsewhere when there is a price cap for items sold (1,000 naira = about $7). These vendors usually refuse to bring their price down if you go to their stall in Lekki market, so I learned to wait for Nigerian Culture Day to do my Christmas shopping. My problem is I usually end up buying more things for myself, because most of my Filipino family and friends are not interested in baskets, word carvings, batiks, hand-woven fabrics, beads, and other handicrafts that are abundant in the Philippines.

A horse, a bird, and some paintings in Lagos, Nigeria

I took this photo as our vehicle approached a corner on our way to Palms Mall. It’s not unusual to see artists selling their work on street corners and sidewalks, but a horse and what I think is an egret walking together in front of the paintings is definitely special. Note that the artist’s mobile phone number is also displayed.

Nigerian Batik Prints

Nigerian Culture Day is just around the corner when everyone is encouraged to wear Nigerian outfits to celebrate the country’s independence. Some teachers go to Balogun market to pick a fabric, others contact their favorite vendors to come to school. Today I had the opportunity to photograph some beautiful batik patterns made by a couple who also agreed to pose for me.

Ghanian Glass Beads Made in Lagos

The best news today is I found a supplier for glass beads actually made in Lagos. Most if not all the glass beads and powdered glass beads sold in Lagos are actually made in Ghana. But a lot of these beads are chipped and cracked due to poor packaging, shipping (trucking), and handling. The Italian designer Igizia Polloni, for example, said she orders her materials elsewhere, because of the poor condition of beads sold here.

When I visited the Earth & Fire Clayworks factory site this morning to buy a few more glazed bowls, its Ghanian owner Charles Hervie noticed the bracelets I bought from his village of Odomase-Krobo. He proudly led me to his new glass bead furnace and showed the molds. He also introduced me to his new employee, who worked for Nomoda Ebenizer Djaba aka Cedi, the bead exporter we visited in Ghana.

He has some original designs and the quality looks better. He did add that it’s a slow and painstaking process all the way to hand-painting every single bead.

Related blog posts

Earth & Fire Clayworks

Igizia Polloni

Related links

Profile of Cedi, Krobo Bead Maker in Ghana

Glass Beadmaking in Ghana