Extremes of wealth and poverty revealed in photographs of Nigerian oil industry

Christian Lutz / Agence VU via HOST Gallery

Nigeria, Abuja, 04 February 2010.
NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) complex.

Christian Lutz / Agence VU via HOST Gallery

Nigeria. May 2010.
Water polluted by oil, Niger Delta.

Christian Lutz / Agence VU via HOST Gallery

Nigeria, Lagos, 22 November 2009.
Swimming pool at a private beach club on the Lagos lagoon.

Christian Lutz / Agence VU via HOST Gallery

Nigeria, Okerenkoko, 26 May 2010
Gbaramatu Kingdom, Niger Delta State.

Christian Lutz / Agence VU via HOST Gallery

Nigeria. Lagos. December 31, 2009.
Lagos Yacht Club, New Year's Eve party.

According to a report in today's New York Times, billions of dollars in oil revenues raised by the Nigerian government are unaccounted for. The newspaper reports that the country's Excess Crude Account contained about $30 billion in late 2008, almost all of which is now gone. A maximum of $8 billion of spending has been accounted for in the intervening period.

"Where the hell did the remaining $22 billion-plus go?", asked a government adviser interviewed by the Times.

Tropical Gift, a photo exhibition running now at HOST Gallery in London, examines the closed world of those dealing with oil and gas in the Niger Delta.

During three trips to Nigeria in 2009 and 2010, photographer Christian Lutz gained extraordinary access into the dark halls of power of the corporations that govern Nigeria's oil. His pictures contrast the opulent lifestyle of the oil executives with the crushing poverty of local residents.

"I thought it would be more expressive if I underscored that side of the story," Lutz told the British Journal of Photography. "I was a wealthy white in Nigeria, and I used this to get mixed up with the community. I ate fresh sushi that cost $150, and swam in their pools and drank some great South African wine, but I could hardly stand it. It made me sick. I never want to go back. How can we eat sushi in West Africa when the fish for the local population have been annihilated by the oil spillage? The population split in Nigeria is so extreme, it becomes surreal."

The exhibition runs at HOST Gallery until March 1.
More images from the story are available at Agence Vu and an accompanying book has been published by Lars Müller.

Discuss this post

Nigeria Niger Delta Problem used as Disguise to attack Western Energy interest.

Nigeria and the world at large have failed to understand political Dynamics and behind scenario/Niger Delta Disguise being sponsored by the Iranian inspired Cabal to attack western strategic Energy interest, although everybody is fully aware of the Nigeria Niger Delta problematic Challenges and lack of real physical/Skill development with no economic strategic Plan to galvanize the actual development that is capable to alleviate the typical problematic Situation of Niger River Area & alluvial/Swampy Region, which can only be solved through systematic/gradual developmental Approach not this present through foreign based inspired Militant’s Violence/confrontation, induced by the Nigeria dread Billionaire Cabal’s Cronies or proxies. Other local scenario have emerged with some criminal groups acting as copycats of the original Militants, which were created and sponsored by the Northern Cabals, with such acquired skill and prototyping their operation after seeing the benefits and affluence enjoyed by the original Cabal sponsored Militant groups. Now, there are a lot of copycats these days, which are out of control of the Cabals and posing greater security danger to Nigeria. The out of control is becoming problematic to the Northern Cabals who used the Militant’s connection to exact political influence and to control Crude Oil transactional deals through various sponsorship of violent attack on Oil installation and cripple Governmental Oil quota.

All these people using Niger Delta Developmental Deprivation to attack Oil companies with their Oil workers are acting under their own interior motives or basically doing their business, have nothing or no regard to problems daily confronting people of Niger Delta Region. It is very importantly that Niger Elite, should sit with Government including Oil Stock Holders to fashion out the ready existing governmental Plans, fine tune them with some harmonization in developmental programs and benchmarks, as safeguard derailment not Militancy; otherwise we shall be playing to the script of Cabal’s bigger picture of worldly attacking western energy interest and thereby trying to cripple the western energy Flow. Other political plays out are being witnessed in Venezuela, Middle East where Iraqi war is having dangerous impact on West, Cool blood relationship with Russia but happily US President Bush has understood this Iranian inspired conspiracy/strategic game plan with some Cabals within Oil Nations to cripple western Oil supply. Now US is building a new initiatives and better friendship with Russia through Old Bush and to better both Countries’ understanding and economic Ties.

Internally in Nigeria, the Media, Elitist Class with gullible Nigerians are being tele-guided to blame Nigerian economic foes on former President Obasanjo, who bravely implemented serious economic /structural Reforms, which comes with great pains but no Nation really develop without paying very dear for its development and Nigeria cannot be an exception as development does not come easy. You can read the great German economic depression of 1930’s & that of Second World War 1945-60 and its outcome.
Those Nigerian Leaders who played to gallery and paid lip service to Nigeria economic development, are now being championed as great men but History will always be there to judge us after we have gone and a good running economy does not need Reforms and Reforms is the answer to past mismanagement.

Those Politicians who sees nothing is good about Yar’adua Presidency after doing everything that is humanly possible to block his chance of becoming Nigeria President, are the same people who are calling Unity Government but you cannot eat your egg and Omelet at the same time.

Nigeria President Yar’adua whether he like it or not, he has to be very careful on he romance with Old Northern political Players as they are full of deceits, tricks and strategies for their futuristic programs. Some are now trying their best to position themselves very close as monitor, have privy to presidential security data, which they will collaborate with interesting power hungry Northern Cabals to hurt or kidnap if possible, as hurting alone will only create the type of political confusion/tension which PDP, the Military and Obasanjo can manage and handle while as advised by some Expertise that opting to kidnapping, will create Succession’s problem with some inabilities that nobody can account for where about of a President of a Country.

With this, Military and PDP will be greatly divided on how to tackle the succession issue and Obasanjo will be in limbo and will cease to influence his control and Western interest will be at lost with a new arrangement, remotely controlled by Iranian inspired cabals.
It is imperative that Military,PDP and Obasanjo should ignore Yar’adua’s ignorance or lack of his closer friendship and look warm attitude, go ahead to guard him with advanced skilled security arrangements and surround him with devices to network his movement as to avoid any advanced kidnapping bid if he strayed into a set up circle, which the cabal is seriously hoping as the cabal is tactically surrounding Yar’adua with his Cronies as to avail him with presidential security data.

Please, Obasanjo should tactically ignore his threat and avoid the Cabal’s imposed Anthony Anenin political confrontation on the BOT issue, as it is may to create political division inside PDP with groupings and it is sad that he exploring Anenini’s gullibility to cause confusion but if Anthony Anenini is so good as portrayed, why couldn’t he deliver good ROADS to Nigeria when he was a Minister of Works after deceiving Obasanjo that he is very tough and Obasanjo believed his noise then, and appointed him a Minister to execute the much needed Nigerian Roads but he failed that bid.

Only to known to Nigerian Public that he collaborated and shared the Roads’ funds with the cabals while PDP only benefited from the contractual increase. That is why Gov. Orji Uzor was confronting with some facts supplied to him by the Minna Cabal, which he used as dossiers to attack Anenini, believing the attack will create disharmony between Anenini and Obasanjo, but tactically Obasanjo was advised not to fall into that set up confrontation as confronting Anenini can create problem for 2003 election bid.
Secondly Anenini should really understood his rules with Edo State Gov. Lucky, their secret romance with former Labour Leader Adam OSHOMOLE to deliver Edo State to AC party as compensation for Oshomole using Labour as tool to confront Obasanjo Regime.

Another wicked propaganda against Obasanjo is noise made on the sales of Nigeria Refineries while western world is greatly benefiting from privatization exercises and there is our so called western trained Economist, who opposed and fooled Nigerians with faulty theories in the Media, that Obasanjo sold out the refineries without due process, when the NNPC best brain like Engineer Yar’adua who did his beat to maintained them after the Refineries were destroyed beyond repairs during the Struggle of June 12th ,with some cabal positioned repair company; Emeka Offor with Total Nigeria, former Secretary to Federal Government during Abacha Regime and the Cabal used gullible/bankrupt Obaseki [ former group MD of NNPC] to pay out maintaining fee which would have used to build a new Refinery. When Obasanjo confronted them after the contractual payment, Obaseki was removed as he could ask them to delver the repair as expected. During Abacha Regime, the present Group MD was sacked along Eng. Yar’adua, but Obasanjo have to re-installed them back to NNPC based on their past competency and position them to work strategically to better things.

The present PRESIDENT did not that Obasanjo did what he did remove the leeway for Cabal to use to siphon contract maintenance fund but Yar'dua cannot listen to his blood who runs its maintenance but to listen only noise made by Cabal hijacked Media that spread rumor about falsehood which is wicked.

It is ironical important for President Yar’adua to note that those are praising now as a good Leader, are those that will fiercelessly challenge him if he seeks second but it is technical important to realize that Nigerian Contractors/Suppliers found it very difficult to use contractual funds to execute projects, which led Former President Obasanjo to use force in compelling them to do their job and if compromise employed by this regime can work rather than using froce/law, future will judge that.

---------------------------------
Options to handle Gov. Obi and Calm needed to follow Yar’dua

Immediately PDP Nigeria political Party should organize and advise Anambra State PDP confront Governor Peter Obi with 100% post nominees and programmes, once refused, he should be impeached through vote of no confidence as PDP hold total ground in the House.he should not be allowed to gain ground as he might use the State resources to ferment trouble and they don’t need to wait for him to commit any offence.

PDP should insist that the restructuring and reform must be carried as planned; even France has voted for their new President to reform French economy why should Nigeria not conform with the world current economic processes. Obasanjo should reach out to PDP top members, Yar’dua family, Western Nations and try to calm them down, and allow President Musa Yar’dua to exhaust his gas politically before intervening with strategies to overwhelm him along his friend with great better ideas and programmes. Additionally, Military should be ready for any eventuality that might occur by these careful planners as they are opt to something while Obasanjo should advise that surveillances/ security to be put in place for Vice president and family of late Shehu Yar’dua for better protection in case Musa strayed and exposed himself to danger.
PDP must as matter of strategy, should not confront Musa openingly as this, may serve as decode for the Cabal to launch attack

It is still abundantly clear that our inherited deadly ex-military Billionaire Cabal is holding forth his grid on Nigeria including our so called independent Judiciary vis-à-vis remotely controlled Nigeria Supreme Court which strategically is undermining the Nigeria State ability to maintain peace and Order. This, will definitely inject bad blood politically, create divisions and harness future anarchy, generates unnecessary controversies, tension/confusion which will create some leeway for political trouble making people to ferment trouble and attack Government

The current Nigeria President Musa Yar’dua is not learning why the North eliminated his senior brother Shehu, whom most Northerners seem as moderate and very intelligent with his revolutionized ideas which even Obasanjo who disagreed with him in 1970s but now see reason with him and use some of his idea as a guide to rule Nigeria. Some insiders in Yar’dua’s family observed that Musa always pretended not to be interested in politics when Shehu was alive but Musa turned away from Academics and become Katsina Governor in 1999 via the family name and Obasanjo and PDP opted for Musa Yar’dua because he will behave like late Shehu but he is now exhibiting political foolishness and weakness as signs of reconciliation & compromise but Nigeria is very complex country with dangerous elements like IBB, Atiku & others whom nobody can please, as their demand cannot be met by anybody except God.

Regards
Mazi Onigbo

  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Wed Feb 9, 2011 10:00 AM EST

intended Collapse First bank, in order to destabilize Nigeria economically and Advice on how Nigeria could be improved.

Collapse First bank, in order to destabilize Nigeria economically and inflict national wide suffering on Nigerians.

The Nigeria Economic Woes/ill financial Policy outburst by the Core North Nigeria Consensus Presidential Candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar which have tarried with my Revelation and Sources of some boo boo trap collapse programs which are already planted in First bank Nigeria PLC.

The Sources are positing that the IBB Grand Design which will be unfolded next year 2011, using some established internal bank accounting including funny borrowing, crazy crediting networks and imposed irregular accounting books which might have been set up by the former GMG Lamido Sanusi as to collapse and cripple First bank, in order to destabilize Nigeria economically and inflict national wide suffering on Nigeria as part and parcel of the wider Cabal political Agenda.

The Nigeria Presidency, Senate, Representative and SSS Security Operatives not including non effective and gallery playing Nigeria EFCC in order not to weaken any carried out First bank inquiry/investigation; there should be demands of First bank’s account monthly books of each branch, each unit and all kinds of loans with those who signed them for close scrutiny/examination, with all monthly remittance movements and saving/current account monthly records, and any found wrong Auditing should be punished accordingly.

Also, the First bank Directors who have collaborated with Sanusi ignorantly covertly or overtly, should be retired, while the present First MD is not technical fit to handle this complex bank situation,when implemented.

To checkmate this forth coming bank crisis, Government must send hard cracking Accounting/Auditing Experts into First bank and all Arms of Government must work together, while the present First Bank MD must be retired and replaced with the First bank London British MD who must resume his work with a British Diplomatic Passport as an impunity against vicious set up traps and evil plans to be laid the evil genius crony coordinator and another British to take over the First bank London British MD Office not a Nigerian.

Since, First bank is the back bone of Nigeria Economy and it will be effectively coordinated through hidden Sanusi network from CBN and with his usual CBN propaganda which Nigerians have witnessed during the CBN Governor acclaimed Distress of Nigerian Banks. This, is his grand power agenda as it is becoming visible that political power

control may elude IBB with its cronies aftermath of Iranian Arms Seizure as all Nigeria including Core North couldn’t understand the reason for massive importation and storage of sophisticated Iranian Arms, since most Nigerian Muslims are Sunni, with grave implication for keeping such Arms in any volatile/restive area of Nigeria.

Despite the Arms seizure and further prevention of pro-Iranian groups in Africa of using these Arms to sponsor Terror and install Pro-Iranian regimes in Africa in order to stifle US/West Trade with Africa and to use Western African Countries like Gambia, Guinea,Sierra Leone, Mauritania or Senegal whose coast which are geographically facing directly the American Coastline, where the possible sighting of Iranian Nuclear Arm could be done for possible reaching of US, in case of Iran want to attack US, once the Iranian nuclear is produced.

The PHCN

On the PHCN non effective Power supply issue, the suggestion of carrying out PHCN mass retirement of the PHCN Administrative Staff from Grade level 12 and above, with the retirement of the PHCN Technical Staff who have only 3years to retire, to be retired and replaced with upgraded Staff. The oath of PHCN commitment and Allegiance must be sworn by all remaining PHCN against any form of Energy sabotage, since PHCN is of strategic importance to Nigeria.

State and all SSS State Office must have copies of all sworn and signed oath of PHCN commitment and Allegiance for each State and each PHCN Facility/Unit must paste SSS State branch contact Phone numbers for contacting any PHCN State in case any Staff decided to off power when it is not scheduled or without technical fault for switching off

light, then a vigilante Staff can call SSS for prompt action on such facility or unit. Since, it is known fact that those behind Generators importation/distribution with the Diesel Oil Marketer corrupted some PHCN Staff with money as to disrupt the already secured Power supply.

Also, all PHCN Contracts’ documents with other signed information with its mobilized funds for each State and Abuja must be domiciled with State SSS Branch for monitoring and immediate arrest if the Contract is not executed in accordance with PHCN terms of Contractual Agreement, since PHCN Project is terms as security importance to the Nation.

Nigeria Police

As the level of Nigeria violence is becoming very high, Federal Government to implement an memorandum of understanding between the Nigeria Police with all wings of the Nigeria Army as to work in partnership with the Army so that each Police Station and the army barrack nearest to it, in order to coordinate joint security patrol as

to control violent Crime/ and other violent sabotage against innocent and helpless Nigerians.

Nigeria Judiciary with its High Courts Electoral Judgments are Questionable.

Ironically, amusing that some Nigeria High Courts judgment are ludicrous as Court award its verdict on forged and fake

information/documents , since nobody can call them to question and they are working with Cabal IBB and his Crony Tinubu, but all Thinkers are posing that election cancellation and awarding them to ACN are short time Gain to ACN on short term but on long term, it is a gain for Cabal not ACN as claimed, since MKO Abiola who have worked with

the Cabal, later received his due share after his long romance with IBB.

Evidently that some of these people parading themselves as Progressives or Awolowists, are those who connived with the Cabal to implicate late Chief Obafemi Awolowo into an IBB fathom Coup that led the Old man into his untimely death. As MKO realized some of his personal/political mistakes in prison and tend to expose if released and then Abiola has to be eliminated as to foreclose such exposure.

Sadly, Abiola and Awolowo died by the cabal handiwork and in tendon with IBB Cronies who are self acclaiming Progressives or Awolowists.

For political clarity, it is not Pro 12 June Activists/ Progressives or Civil Society group whose activities are marred by their deceptive receipts of foreign Gifts/Donations for their ineffective society activities but late Sani Abacha ambition to rule Nigeria that made IBB to step aside, as IBB would have resorted to his usual usage of ethnic and religious coverage as to manipulate Nigeria polity as to continue his Stay in Power but his honorable exit, is not an end to his evil Power Domination.

www.maziliteralworks.wordpress.com

www.maziliteralworks.blogspot.com

Regards

Mazi Patrick Maduabuchim

Thinker/Writer

  • 1 vote
Reply#2 - Wed Feb 9, 2011 10:06 AM EST

What's new about Africa? A continent with a lot of wealth, but still poor for the majority. Parthetic, and these countries continue to beg for money from the West.

  • 1 vote
Reply#3 - Wed Feb 9, 2011 11:32 AM EST

For the story look at Ed Kashi & Kristin Reimer's work at 

    Reply#4 - Wed Feb 9, 2011 3:16 PM EST

    A developing, petroleum rich, exporting country.

    Naturally under international pressure.

    Exedurated income, the petro dolars,

    Capital intensive investments through international colobaration.

    Distorted wealth distribution.

    Curse of petroleum.

    Critical and important problem awaiting solution.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#5 - Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:56 AM EST

    The northern hausa people who are very stupid, foolish and illitrate in both accounting and control of oil revenue are the ones that got Nigeria to what it is today. The best thing is to divide Nigeria into 3 parts - Eastern, Western and Northern region and each region form their own country. The East is mainly Christians who are very educated and technically minded should continue with their own Biafran dream, the West which is a mixture of Chritians and moslems should form their own country and name it whatever they want, and of course, the Northern Nigeria which is mainly moslems and terorrist minded should name their country whatever they want and continue with their sharia law.

    Nigeria must be broken down to be both peaceful and prosperous. This is not what Britain wants to see for a divided Nigeria is at the British advantage and as long as the moslem Northerners are in power, Nigeria will never become stable again and will always be manipulated by Britain. This is why during the Biafran war, Britain which is supposed to be a Christian country turned its back on the Christians of Biafra and supported the Northern Moslems. Because of oil, this country called Britain will always denounce christianity in favor of Islam. That is where the world problem is.

    Usually a democratic country that is developing usually attracts the interest of USA. But for Nigeria, USA never comes to her rescue when Nigerians cries for help in destroying the corruption evils in Nigeria dveloped by the Northern illitracy and ignorance. Why USA turns her back on Nigeria, no body knows. Only God will solve the Nigeria problem.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#6 - Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:57 PM EDT
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