Opinion: COVID-19 broke the back of the fossil-fuel industry

The COVID-19 or Coronavirus outrbreak has broken the Fossil-Fuel Industry or the Petroleum Industry. The futures of sales on oil is crashing, the value of oil is shrinking, as the demand has gone bust within a short time. While the OPEC-Plus countries and other oil producing continued to drill oil and produce more barrels of oil. Which by all means are surplus. This means, the cost of production and the possible hitting the market at a loss.

The oil industry is hit by the lack of ordinary transport. That people are not flying, they are not using public transport or their own cars. As so many nations and republics with lockdowns. So, the demand has fallen dramatically over the last few weeks. This means the amount of drilled oil and surplus will stored, as the wholesale struggle to be traded and the ones buying need to keep it in stock. Since, the market is saturated with surplus as it is.

Why did the Oil Prices Crash:

“First, demand has been obviously decreasing as the coronavirus spreads around the world. Many countries took preventative measures including social distancing, restrictions on going out and prohibitions on international travel. This has sharply reduced demand for oil for transportation via vehicles and airplanes” (…) “Secondly, there is a technical reason. In the futures market, investors have to end the contract by doing a reverse trade by a certain expiry date, or buyers have to take physical delivery of the oil. The contract of WTI crude for May delivery, which was most actively traded, expires on Tuesday, so many investors who had bought oil rushed to sell to close the trading” (Rurika Imahashi – ‘Four things to know about the historic oil price plunge’ 21.04.2020, Asia Nikkei – Asian Review).

We can easily see and understand why we are here. There is no tourism right now. Airlines are not operating. Companies are going bonkers and people are under lockdown all across the board. Not only in one Republic, but in most. There isn’t a Kingdom, Republic or a Nation in itself, which haven’t had a lockdown or movement restriction. There are so many places where the public have been restricted.

That this industry has been hit and hard. This is only natural by the actions made by all governments and citizens following the social distancing and less travel. That is why the petroleum industry have more production, than what its actually trading. The wholesale is failing, while there is surplus in stock.

The petroleum and gasoline will be hit for a while, until the public and transportation companies uses as much as it used too before the COVID-19. The usage of cars, public transport and aviation industry too.

We are seeing a crash of industry because of how we changed quickly and how the lockdowns interfered in the usual acts of man-kind. We don’t need as much petroleum and fossil-fuel to get around. We don’t even travel within out own towns. There is just needed workers who does. The rest are based in small spaces. There already other industries hit already like Airlines, Tourism and so-on. This is a continuation of it.

The oil crash will directly hurt markets. It will not a big whoesale, as there is a lack of storage and places to put the millions of surplus barrels of oil. That is before the ones produced in the future. Peace.

Opinion: Who needs enemies, when you have Trump?

There isn’t anything about this man that is about trust, except of his own ego and his own scary love for his daughter. The rest is just a relic of man, whose role in the world is supposed to be trusted and secure, but instead is a beacon of distrust and disloyalty, there isn’t any cause or any effort he will thwart because of his world-view. It isn’t anyone else he will make sure suffers, because it doesn’t fit his narrow little cable-TV mind of his. President Donald J. Trump, has yet again betrayed the world, this time with Iran and Middle East as a the pawns.

That President Trump is untrustworthy is with the change of guards, the twitching ways of bombing in Yemen, the drone attacks in Somalia, the possible pull-out in South Sudan and so on. The sudden suicidal mission in Niger, the blatant support of Saudi Arabia and other friends in the Middle East. While not having a coherent strategy in Iraq and in Syria. Therefore, that today, the United States is pulling out of the Nuclear Agreement with Iran.

Everyone should know that Trump cannot be trusted, the allies in NATO should be worried, as he has attacked them and said they haven’t done enough. Who knows if he pulls out of there too. Just like he has done with the TPP and the Paris Agreement. Nothing seems impossible, if he would ask the United Nations to change their headquarters too, would seem reasonable at this point. Because this man is of the chains. Nothing is stable, nothing is done with consensus or quorum, all in the midst of misty fog, which the farts he has made by eating to many cheese-burgers and drinking to much diet-coke.

Clearly, the world cannot anticipate a trustworthy partner in the United States, the NAFTA negotiations team, the Chinese Trade Deals and the North Koreans should know that Trump is unreasonable and a megalomaniac, who only praise his own ego, but not caring about the costs for the world around him. Like it is seemingly done on impulse without other reasons than, Obama did this, so I have to do the opposite. If Obama acted like a grown ass man, I have act like baby, if Obama talked with tact with his allies, Trump has to insult the Montenegro Prime Minister Duško Marković, because Trump has to be the big-shot and King Kong at the NATO Meeting.

So, the world doesn’t need enemies when it has Trump, he has already lied about missiles ships in Asia to spread fear around North Korea, promised that something might happen in Syria or other places. This man is pulling out of the world, but expect his guns and ammunition to hit conflicts with a steady phase. If he thinks this is wise and controlling, it will just be by rare luck if nothing going to pop-off, not like Ivanka Trump or Jared Kushner can even trade their bad estates of 666 fifth avenue in New York, and copy-cat fashion designs to make a deal like the Iran Nuclear Agreement. 3 years into the deal, he pulls out.

If I was North Korea, I would wonder if the United States can be trusted and if they should just directly talk with Seoul and not Washington. Since the mad-man in DC is off the hinges and could suddenly send drones to Pakistan, because his newly appointed such-and-such with a mustache said so. Since, nothing is impossible in this mess and the lack of reflection is a bad sign. That the microwaved and lack of possible outcome of a self-inflicted wounds are the result of pulling out of it.

I am sure Fox & Friends, Tomi Lahren and all the bad-boys of the Republican going to praise this, but the world is looking in awe and thinking, does this man has any hinges? Where does the buck stops? When will this man be better? He is only getting worse.

Who needs enemies? When you have Trump? You don’t need any, no one is so self-conflicted, split-personality and self-indicted, than the commander-in-chief. Also his neglect in lack of understanding and basic knowledge of the concerns is evident too. That is why these sort of acts appears, because he thinks he won the rose on The Bachelorette and gets another shot at the woman. Instead, its big giant policies that affects not only the region, but all powers. This is creating frantic problems, and worries about the outcome. While he is just acting like it was nothing.

Who knows the consequences now, but Iran will with time start up their Nuclear production, the arms race of the Middle East will happen with time. The United States will export more weapons and who knows how it will go. Who will shoot and who will spread fear, but in the equation, the United States cannot be trusted. The United States cannot be trusted at all, as long as Trump is at the helm.

He might end NATO tomorrow. Who knows? He got the capacity and he doesn’t care. Peace.

U.S. Department of State: “Dissent Channel: Alternatives to Closing Doors in Order to Secure Our Borders” (30.01.2017)

#MuslimBan: Statement on the travel ban on Somalia (31.01.2017)

“United we stand, divided we fall”: letter by President Donald Tusk to the 27 EU Head of State or government on the future of the EU before the Malta summit (31.01.2017)

Yemen: Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on #MuslimBan (29.01.2017)

Opinion: Time for sanctions against the Trump Administrations because of the #MuslimBan

When the American Government sees something as unjust, unfair and against what’s seen as Human Rights, than they sanction Burundian officials or Congolese Officials for their connections with ill behaviour. Now it is time to deflect from the super-power, it is time for instance that the nations of Canada, Mexico, China, India, Pakistan and the Member States of the EU to put sanctions on the United States Government.

Especially the Seven Nations where the Nationalities overnight cannot visit or live; or having possible refugee in the United States should act upon the unfair threatment of their citizens and their diplomatic missions in the United States. These countries are: “Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen”. Some of these countries the US Army has even been part of chaos and supporting fighting groups that still lingers. So they are not responsible for the violence and cycle of massacres that are happening in Somalia, Yemen Sudan, Syria and Iraq.

Operation Freedom in Iraq is still lingering as the US Army and Iraqi National Army is fighting for key towns and villages to strike at the ISIS. The same are done in Syria as the Syrian Government Forces, ISIS and Rebels are tormenting the nations with an internal civil-war, which the support of American Government and also Russian forces in the battles. Yemen has both been sold American Machinery and also supports of Government forces, as the Yemeni Government are striving to gain total control in the war-torn nation.  Somalia the AMISOM and Kenyan Forces are together with American support battling Al-Shabab as the terrorist organization and citizens flee from their homes as the battles escalates and the Somali government struggle to hold control as the Al-Shabab militia continue to force the US Supported government and peacekeeping mission at bay. Therefore it is ironic that the US Government is banning people from the nations where they have put the most guns, put the most soldiers and invest the vast majority of funds into war over the last two decades.

That the US Government is banning the refugees, and also steady living citizens from these nations who has been working or studying in the US proves their mentality and their wrong. Proves that the US Government under President Trump is out of touch with their own violent acts of transgression overseas. That the US Government deserves to get punished in a way it will hurt them.

They have put fear in many people across the seas, they have exported weapons, taken battleships with them and taken more of fighter jets where they have blown town into pieces and left ancient historic places into dust. That dust should be stained on President Trump suits as he transgresses against those fleeing the American aggression and military, as well as their own and rebels in their nations. The killings and murders that are sponsored by America should not go without cost. The cost shouldn’t just be on Syrian Refugees, it should be on the nations who sponsored the killings and done the export of heavy weaponry to it.

Trump Administration as they are inciting hatred and passionate white-supremacy executive orders in the vision of White House Strategist Stephen Bannon. These days it is his fellow racist mind that is controlling and offering advice to President Trump who executes his ideas. Well, I am sure that Trump agrees since he hired the ill-minded man as his closest adviser into the White House.

Trump Administration should get sanctioned as first the Trump Organization and their foreign businesses should get foreign account frozen. Their investments should be nationalized and taken away from the company and the estates should be sold on the open market. As the obnoxious ban of these nations should cost the President Trump and his family, when he exclude and introduce an Executive Order who takes away citizenship and justice; not based on merit, but on precaution that cannot be proven, not even in courts.

The Trump Administration should get punished with sanctions by the regional bodies that the inflicted nations are connected too. These being the African Union which has Somalia and Sudan as Member States, the African Union should suspend the Diplomatic envoys and embassy at the Addis Ababa Headquarter. The Envoys in the African Countries should be send packing for the attack on the innocent brothers from Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia, as the refugees and citizens which is born in these three nations are personally inflicted in the fear of the Trump Administration.

Secondly the Arab League and the OPEC should sanction the trade of oil to the American heartland and stop exporting the oil. Because the United States could break with international law and inflicting pain on citizens in neighbour nations who is connected with both OPEC and Arab League . The Arabian nations should shield the Syrian refugees as the United States is stopping to their international responsibility for the Syrian population who is living in diaspora. These are innocent civilians who are now traded for political reasons in the United States. They should end the diplomatic missions in the Arab League Nations and the OPEC as that would prove the tantrum of vigilant behaviour from Washington D.C. cannot be accepted.

Third, the European Union and Canada should in all due respect not allow any of the elected and selected members of the Trump Administration to get visa or even travel abroad to any of these nations. These members of the Trump Administration should not be allowed to have investments or having any cooperative enterprise in the European nations or in Canada. This as they themselves should get the same treatment as they are sanctioning on the innocent fleeing civilians from oversees.

Fourth, set penalties and special taxes on all United States associated businesses and all the businesses that have and are led by executives from the nation have to either leave or move their business headquarters. As the economic incentive will hurt the American economy and also the promises of President Trump who we’re supposed to be the “best jobs President!” So this alone will hurt his pride and vanity.

Time for sanctions and execute orders that hurt the United States, as they are not better or holy than anybody else. The United States should be touched by the world and pay for the mess they are creating in the Middle East and on the African continent. Their armies are also involved in the atrocities that is occurring and leading to the refugees leaving the nations. Therefore the International Community should react with methods that the US Government really feels. Peace.

Gen. Muhammade Buhari – First Speech after Military Coup, 31 December, 1983 and General Ibrahim Babangida – Speech on 27. August 1985 after overthrowing Gen. M. Buhari

General Muhammadu Buhari’s first speech after the Coup d’etat 31. December 1983:

In pursuance of the primary objective of saving our great nation from total collapse, I, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari of the Nigerian army have, after due consultation amongst the services of the armed forces, been formally invested with the authority of the Head of the Federal Military Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is with humility and a deep sense of responsibility that I accept this challenge and call to national duty.

As you must have heard in the previous announcement, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1979) has been suspended, except those sections of it which are exempted in the constitution. The change became necessary in order to put an end to the serious economic predicament and the crisis of confidence now afflicting our nation. Consequently, the Nigerian armed forces have constituted themselves into a Federal Military Government comprising of a Supreme Military Council, a National Council of States, a Federal Executive Council at the centre and State Executive Councils to be presided over by military governors in each of the states of the federation. Members of these councils will be announced soon. The last Federal Military Government drew up a programme with the aim of handing over political power to the civilians in 1979. This programme as you all know, was implemented to the letter. The 1979 constitution was promulgated.

However, little did the military realise that the political leadership of the second republic will circumvent most of the checks and balances in the constitution and bring the present state of general insecurity. The premium on political power became so exceedingly high that political contestants regarded victory at elections as a matter of life and death struggle and were determined to capture or retain power by all means. It is true that there is a worldwide economic recession.

However, in the case of Nigeria, its impact was aggravated by mismanagement. We believe the appropriate government agencies have good advice but the leadership disregarded their advice. The situation could have been avoided if the legislators were alive to their constitutional responsibilities; Instead, the legislators were preoccupied with determining their salary scales, fringe benefit and unnecessary foreign travels, et al, which took no account of the state of the economy and the welfare of the people they represented.

As a result of our inability to cultivate financial discipline and prudent management of the economy, we have come to depend largely on internal and external borrowing to execute government projects with attendant domestic pressure and soaring external debts, thus aggravating the propensity of the outgoing civilian administration to mismanaged our financial resources. Nigeria was already condemned perpetually with the twin problem of heavy budget deficits and weak balance of payments position, with the prospect of building a virile and viable economy.
The last general election was anything but free and fair. The only political parties that could complain of election rigging are those parties that lacked the resources to rig. There is ample evidence that rigging and thuggery were relative to the resources available to the parties. This conclusively proved to us that the parties have not developed confidence in the presidential system of government on which the nation invested so much material and human resources. While corruption and indiscipline have been associated with our state of under-development, these two evils in our body politics have attained unprecedented height in the past few years. The corrupt, inept and insensitive leadership in the last four years has been the source of immorality and impropriety in our society.

Since what happens in any society is largely a reflection of the leadership of that society, we deplore corruption in all its facets. This government will not tolerate kick-backs, inflation of contracts and over-invoicing of imports etc. Nor will it condone forgery, fraud, embezzlement, misuse and abuse of office and illegal dealings in foreign exchange and smuggling. Arson has been used to cover up fraudulent acts in public institutions. I am referring to the fire incidents that gutted the P&T buildings in Lagos, the Anambra State Broadcasting Corporation, the Republic Building at Marina, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Capital Development Authority Accounts at Abuja and the NET Building. Most of these fire incidents occurred at a time when Nigerians were being apprehensive of the frequency of fraud scandals and the government incapacity to deal with them. Corruption has become so pervasive and intractable that a whole ministry has been created to stem it.

Fellow Nigerians, this indeed is the moment of truth. My colleagues and I – the Supreme Military Council, must be frank enough to acknowledge the fact that at the moment, an accurate picture of the financial position is yet to be determined. We have no doubt that the situation is bad enough. In spite of all this, every effort will be made to ensure that the difficult and degrading conditions under which we are living are eliminated. Let no one however be deceived that workers who have not received their salaries in the past eight or so months will receive such salaries within today or tomorrow or that hospitals which have been without drugs for months will be provided with enough immediately. We are determined that with the help of God we shall do our best to settle genuine payments to which government is committed, including backlog of workers’ salaries after scrutiny.

We are confident and we assure you that even in the face of the global recession, and the seemingly gloomy financial future, given prudent management of Nigeria’s existing financial resources and our determination to substantially reduce and eventually nail down rises in budgetary deficits and weak balance of payments position. The Federal Military Government will reappraise policies with a view to paying greater attention to the following areas: The economy will be given a new impetus and better sense of direction. Corrupt officials and their agents will be brought to book.

In view of the drought that affected most parts of the country, the federal government will, with the available resources, import food stuffs to supplement the shortfalls suffered in the last harvest. Our foreign policy will both be dynamic and realistic. Africa will of course continue to be the centre piece of our foreign policy. The morale and combat readiness of the armed forces will be given high priority. Officers and men with high personal and professional integrity will have nothing to fear.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria and all other holders of judiciary appointments within the federation can continue in their appointments and the judiciary shall continue to function under existing laws subject to such exceptions as may be decreed from time to time by the Federal Military Government. All holders of appointments in the civil service, the police and the National Security Organisation shall continue to exercise their functions in the normal way subject to changes that may be introduced by the Federal Military Government.
All those chairmen and members of statutory corporations, parastatals and other executive departments are hereby relieved of their appointments with immediate effect.

The Federal Military Government will maintain and strengthen existing diplomatic relations with other states and with international organisations and institutions such as the Organisation of African Unity, the United Nations and its organs, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, ECOWAS and the Commonwealth etc. The Federal Military Government will honour and respect all treaties and obligations entered into by the previous government and we hope that such nations and bodies will reciprocate this gesture by respecting our country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Fellow Nigerians, finally, we have dutifully intervened to save this nation from imminent collapse. We therefore expect all Nigerians, including those who participated directly or indirectly in bringing the nation to this present predicament, to cooperate with us. This generation of Nigerians, and indeed future generations, have no country other than Nigeria. We shall remain here and salvage it together.May God bless us all. Good morning.

The Coup d’etat speech from Ibrahim Babangida: 

This was in 27. August 1985:

Fellow Nigerians,
When in December 1983, the former military leadership, headed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, assumed the reins of government, its accession was heralded in the history of this country. With the nation at the mercy of political misdirection and on the brink of economic collapse, a new sense of hope was created in the minds of every Nigerian.

Since January 1984, however, we have witnessed a systematic denigration of that hope. It was stated then that mismanagement of political leadership and a general deterioration in the standard of living, which had subjected the common man to intolerable suffering, were the reasons for the intervention.

Nigerians have since then been under a regime that continued with those trends. Events today indicate that most of the reasons which justified the military takeover of government from the civilians still persist.

The initial objectives were betrayed and fundamental changes do not appear on the horizon. Because the present state of uncertainty, suppression and stagnation resulted from the perpetration of a small group, the Nigerian Armed Forces could not as a part of that government be unfairly committed to take responsibility for failure. Our dedication to the cause of ensuring that our nation remains a united entity worthy of respect and capable of functioning as a viable and credible part of the international community dictated the need to arrest the situation.

Let me at this point attempt to make you understand the premise upon which it became necessary to change the leadership. The principles of discussions, consultation and co-operation which should have guided decision-making process of the Supreme Military Council and the Federal Executive Council were disregarded soon after the government settled down in 1984. Where some of us thought it appropriate to give a little more time, anticipating a conducive atmosphere that would develop, in which affairs of state could be attended to with greater sense of responsibility, it became increasingly clear that such expectations could not be fulfilled.

Regrettably, it turned out that Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was too rigid and uncompromising in his attitudes to issues of national significance. Efforts to make him understand that a diverse polity like Nigeria required recognition and appreciation of differences in both cultural and individual perceptions, only served to aggravate these attitudes.

Major-General Tunde Idiagbon was similarly inclined in that respect. As Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, he failed to exhibit the appropriate disposition demanded by his position. He arrogated to himself absolute knowledge of problems and solutions, and acted in accordance with what was convenient to him, using the machinery of government as his tool.

A combination of these characteristics in the two most important persons holding the nation’s vital offices became impossible to content with. The situation was made worse by a number of other government functionaries and organisations, chief among which is the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO). In fact, this body will be overhauled and re-organized.

And so it came to be that the same government which received the tumultuous welcome now became alienated from the people. To prevent a complete erosion of our given mandate therefore, we had to act so that hope may be rebuilt.

Let me now address your attention to the major issues that confront us, so that we may, as one people, chart a future direction for our dear country. We do not pretend to have all the answers to the questions which our present problems have put before our nation. We have come with the strongest determination to create an atmosphere in which positive efforts shall be given the necessary support for lasting solutions.

For matters of the moment which require immediate resolutions, we intend to pursue a determined programme of action. Major issues falling into this category have been identified and decisions taken on what should be done.

Firstly, the issue of political detainees or convicts of special military tribunals. The history of our nation had never recorded the degree of indiscipline and corruption as in the period between October 1979 and December 1983.

While this government recognises the bitterness created by the irresponsible excesses of the politicians, we consider it unfortunate that methods of such nature as to cause more bitterness were applied to deal with past misdeeds. We must never allow ourselves to lose our sense of natural justice. The innocent cannot suffer the crimes of the guilty. The guilty should be punished only as a lesson for the future. In line with this government’s intention to uphold fundamental human rights, the issue of detainees will be looked into with despatch.

As we do not intend to lead a country where individuals are under the fear of expressing themselves, the Public Officers Protection Against False Accusation Decree 4 of 1984 is hereby repealed. And finally, those who have been in detention under this decree are hereby unconditionally released. The responsibility of the media to disseminate information shall be exercised without undue hindrance. In that process, those responsible are expected to be forthright and to have the nation’s interest as their primary consideration.

The issue of decrees has generated a lot of controversies. It is the intention of this government to review all other decrees.

The last twenty months have not witnessed any significant changes in the national economy. Contrary to expectations, we have so far been subjected to a steady deterioration in the general standard of living; and intolerable suffering by the ordinary Nigerians have risen higher, scarcity of commodities has increased, hospitals still remain mere consulting clinics, while educational institutions are on the brink of decay. Unemployment has stretched to critical dimensions.

Due to the stalemate, which arose in negotiation with the International Monetary Fund, the former government embarked on a series of counter-trade agreements. Under the counter-trade agreements, Nigerians were forced to buy goods and commodities at higher prices than obtained in the international market. The government intends to review the whole issue of counter-trade.

A lot has been said and heard about our position with the International Monetary Fund. Although we formally applied to the fund in April 1983, no progress has as yet been made in the negotiation and a stalemate has existed for the last two years.

We shall break the deadlock that frustrated the negotiations with a view to evaluating more objectively both the negative and positive implications of reaching a mutual agreement with the Fund. At all times in the course of discussions, our representatives will be guided by the feelings and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

It is the view of this government that austerity without structural adjustment is not the solution to our economic predicament. The present situation whereby 44 per cent of our revenue earning is utilised to service debts is not realistic. To protect the danger this poses to the poor and the needy in our society, steps will be taken to ensure comprehensive strategy of economic reforms.

The crux of our economic problems has been identified to centre around four fundamental issues:
1. A decrease of our domestic production, while our population continues to increase.
2. Dependence on import for both consumer goods and raw materials for our industries.
3. A grossly unequal gap between the rich and the poor.
4. The large role played by the public sector in economic activity with hardly any concrete results to justify such a role.

These are the problems we must confront.

ON FOREIGN POLICY:
Nigeria’s foreign policy in the last 20 months has been characterised by inconsistency and incoherence. It has lacked the clarity to make us know where we stood on matters of international concern to enable other countries relate to us with seriousness. Our role as Africa’s spokesman has diminished because we have been unable to maintain the respect of African countries.

The ousted military government conducted our external relations by a policy of retaliatory reactions. Nigeria became a country that has reacted to given situations, rather than taking the initiative as it should and always been done. More so, vengeful considerations must not be the basis of our diplomacy. African problems and their solutions should constitute the premise of our foreign policy.

The realisation of the Organisation of African Unity of the Lagos Plan of Action for self-sufficiency and constructive co-operation in Africa shall be our primary pursuit.

The Economic Community of West African States must be reborn with the view to achieving the objective of regional integration. The problems of drought-stricken areas of Africa will be given more attention and sympathy, and our best efforts will be made to assist in their rehabilitation within the limits of our resources. Our membership of the United Nations Organisation will be made more practical and meaningful. The call for a new International Economic Order which lost its momentum in the face of the debt crisis will be made once again.

Nigeria hereby makes a renewed request to the Non-Aligned Movement to regroup and reinvigorate its determination to restructure the global economic system, while we appeal to the industrialized nations to positively consider the debt plight of the developing countries and assist in dealing with the dangers that face us. We shall remain members of the various multilateral institutions and inter-governmental organisations which we belong to and do what must be done to enhance the membership and participation within them.

Fellow Nigerians, this country has had since independence a history mixed with turbulence and fortune. We have witnessed our rise to greatness, followed with a decline to the state of a bewildered nation. Our human potentials have been neglected, our natural resources put to waste. A phenomenon of constant insecurity and overbearing uncertainty has become characteristic of our national existence.

My colleagues and I are determined to change the course of history. This government is determined to unite this country. We shall not allow anything to obstruct us. We recognise that a government, be it civilian or military, needs the consent of the people to govern if it is to reach its objective. We do not intend to rule by force. At the same time, we should not be expected to submit to unreasonable demands. Fundamental rights and civil liberties will be respected, but their exercise must not degenerate into irrational expression nor border on subversion.

The War Against Indiscipline will continue, but this time, in the minds and conduct of Nigerians, and not by way of symbolism or money-spending campaigns.

This government, on its part, will ensure that the leadership exhibits proper example. Criticisms of actions and decisions taken by us will be given necessary attention and where necessary changes made in accordance with what is expected of us.

Let me reiterate what we said in 1984: This generation of Nigerians and indeed future generations have no other country but Nigeria. We must all stay and salvage it together. This time it shall be pursued with deeper commitment and genuine sincerity.

There is a lot of work to be done by every single Nigerian. Let us all dedicate ourselves to the cause of building a strong, united and viable nation for the sake of our own lives and the benefits of posterity.

Finally, I wish to commend the members of the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police for their mature conduct during the change.

I thank you all for your co-operation and understanding.

God bless Nigeria.