India produces 0.9 million barrels per day, mbpd, of crude oil and refines 4.5mbpd as a result of the 25 refineries she has. She achieves this by importing petroleum for her self built refineries (read the contribution of Engineers India Limited, EIL, to India's success story). Nigeria's crude oil production is 2mbpd but refines about 0.2mbpd in her four dilapidated refineries.
My question is how has Christianity prevented the functioning of our refineries or construction of new ones? When India was establishing EIL to help in construction aspect of the petroleum industry, what was Nigeria doing? Today EIL is into almost all aspects of engineering. Several other non oil producing nations import crude oil, build refineries and sell refined products to a prodigal nation like Nigeria. I still keep wondering why Nigeria didn't build a refinery once every four years since 1960.
The steel industry in South Korea, Iran and other Asian nations started almost the same time with Ajaokuta Steel Complex and the Delta Steel Company (with about a million tonne installed capacities each). Several years later, the production capacities of the steel companies in those Asian nations have been surpassed and they have become masters in steel technology. Unfortunately, Nigeria's steel project is still a mirage.
You'll wonder if Christians are to be blamed for the woeful performance of Nigeria's steel industry. You'll wonder if a stoppage in tithe payment will raise both steel production by reviving the steel plants from comatose or bring about new stell plants. It is a pity to see the church being blamed for the consequences of failed politicians and their policies.
Take a look into the educational sector to see the laudable things being done by the church from the establishment of the first primary school, 1843 in Badagry, till the time government mischievously and forcefully took over private primary and secondary schools. Qualitative education was a trademark of those good old days. It is now obvious that the government bastardised the educational system, later gave room for the church and the private sector to come to their rescue.
It is so terrible to see Christians as a threat in all areas of socio-economic investments, as she is being castigated for all government's inefficiencies. I believe Nigeria's educational standard would have been much better than what we have now if the church's participation had not been been interrupted in the first place.
Malaysia took oil palm seedlings from Nigeria in the 70's, today Nigeria imports palm oil from Malaysia. Malaysia's palm oil refineries are bigger than Nigeria's petroleum refineries while Nigeria keep producing palm oil- and other farm produce- the primitive way. Agric graduates roam the streets seeking for employment because they are unequipped to revolutionise the agricultural system.
Why do we have to blame the church for the government's neglect of the agricultural sector as well as running a monolithic oil economy? Why don't we hold the government responsible for not revolutionising the agricultural sector? Are non christians not part of nation building as well?
Asian Tigers, UAE and other developing nations had rapid transformations as a result of the developmental principles they applied. Life is governed by rules, laws and principles, if you abide by them, you'll succeed. Some African nations are embracing developmental principles of massive investment in education and industrialisation while Nigeria is investing in kleptocracy, nepotism and illiteracy.
Christian critics talk as if we'll immediately have good roads, electricity and all other social amenities when tithes are not being paid. They see Christians as the reason why Nigeria's unemployment troop is increasing daily.
Silicon Valley was started by graduates of Stanford University (such as William Hewlett and David Packard) and today, it is seen as the world headquarters of information technology and hi-tech products. As Havard undergraduates, Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin were able to create facebook in their room. The quality of education offered by American universities made these possible, but Nigeria educational system turn graduates into pop-corn, car wash and beer palour entrepreneurs.
Read my articles "entrepreneurship in Nigeria is a Scam and a multiplier of poverty" Part 1 and Part 2.
http://www.nairaland.com/2983340/entrepreneurship-nigeria-scam-multiplier-poverty
http://www.nairaland.com/3102449/part-2-entrepreneurship-scam-nigeria
More than 40 percent of Nigerian Christians don't attend church at all or attend irregularly. More than thirty percent of Nigerian church goers don't pay tithe. More than sixty percent of "tithers" pay lesser than ten percent of their income as tithe, while many still pay irregularly. I still wonder how a little set of faithfull tithers are being crucified for Nigeria's underdevelopment.
The onus of national development lays on tithers, non-tithers as well as christians and non-christians, especially the leaders in the public sector who are the main policy makers. Nigeria needs someone like Late Lee Kuan Yew of who single-handedly provided the visionary leadership for his country that lacked almost all the natural resources- including water- and transformed Singapore into a great nation.
Orphanages, universities, primary and secondary schools, football clubs, hospitals, skill acquisition centres and many more are what Christians, churches and tithers have invested in, so they should be applauded for their selfless contributions to nation building.
What Nigeria needs presently is to see how we can encourage churches to invest more in projects that can bring rapid transformation to Nigeria. This will be the focus of my next article.
India produces 0.9 million barrels per day, mbpd, of crude oil and refines 4.5mbpd as a result of the 25 refineries she has. She achieves this by importing petroleum for her self built refineries (read the contribution of Engineers India Limited, EIL, to India's success story). Nigeria's crude oil production is 2mbpd but refines about 0.2mbpd in her four dilapidated refineries.
My question is how has Christianity prevented the functioning of our refineries or construction of new ones? When India was establishing EIL to help in construction aspect of the petroleum industry, what was Nigeria doing? Today EIL is into almost all aspects of engineering. Several other non oil producing nations import crude oil, build refineries and sell refined products to a prodigal nation like Nigeria. I still keep wondering why Nigeria didn't build a refinery once every four years since 1960.
The steel industry in South Korea, Iran and other Asian nations started almost the same time with Ajaokuta Steel Complex and the Delta Steel Company (with about a million tonne installed capacities each). Several years later, the production capacities of the steel companies in those Asian nations have been surpassed and they have become masters in steel technology. Unfortunately, Nigeria's steel project is still a mirage.
You'll wonder if Christians are to be blamed for the woeful performance of Nigeria's steel industry. You'll wonder if a stoppage in tithe payment will raise both steel production by reviving the steel plants from comatose or bring about new stell plants. It is a pity to see the church being blamed for the consequences of failed politicians and their policies.
Take a look into the educational sector to see the laudable things being done by the church from the establishment of the first primary school, 1843 in Badagry, till the time government mischievously and forcefully took over private primary and secondary schools. Qualitative education was a trademark of those good old days. It is now obvious that the government bastardised the educational system, later gave room for the church and the private sector to come to their rescue.
It is so terrible to see Christians as a threat in all areas of socio-economic investments, as she is being castigated for all government's inefficiencies. I believe Nigeria's educational standard would have been much better than what we have now if the church's participation had not been been interrupted in the first place.
Malaysia took oil palm seedlings from Nigeria in the 70's, today Nigeria imports palm oil from Malaysia. Malaysia's palm oil refineries are bigger than Nigeria's petroleum refineries while Nigeria keep producing palm oil- and other farm produce- the primitive way. Agric graduates roam the streets seeking for employment because they are unequipped to revolutionise the agricultural system.
Why do we have to blame the church for the government's neglect of the agricultural sector as well as running a monolithic oil economy? Why don't we hold the government responsible for not revolutionising the agricultural sector? Are non christians not part of nation building as well?
Asian Tigers, UAE and other developing nations had rapid transformations as a result of the developmental principles they applied. Life is governed by rules, laws and principles, if you abide by them, you'll succeed. Some African nations are embracing developmental principles of massive investment in education and industrialisation while Nigeria is investing in kleptocracy, nepotism and illiteracy.
Christian critics talk as if we'll immediately have good roads, electricity and all other social amenities when tithes are not being paid. They see Christians as the reason why Nigeria's unemployment troop is increasing daily.
Silicon Valley was started by graduates of Stanford University (such as William Hewlett and David Packard) and today, it is seen as the world headquarters of information technology and hi-tech products. As Havard undergraduates, Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin were able to create facebook in their room. The quality of education offered by American universities made these possible, but Nigeria educational system turn graduates into pop-corn, car wash and beer palour entrepreneurs.
Read my articles "entrepreneurship in Nigeria is a Scam and a multiplier of poverty" Part 1 and Part 2.
http://www.nairaland.com/2983340/entrepreneurship-nigeria-scam-multiplier-poverty
http://www.nairaland.com/3102449/part-2-entrepreneurship-scam-nigeria
More than 40 percent of Nigerian Christians don't attend church at all or attend irregularly. More than thirty percent of Nigerian church goers don't pay tithe. More than sixty percent of "tithers" pay lesser than ten percent of their income as tithe, while many still pay irregularly. I still wonder how a little set of faithfull tithers are being crucified for Nigeria's underdevelopment.
The onus of national development lays on tithers, non-tithers as well as christians and non-christians, especially the leaders in the public sector who are the main policy makers. Nigeria needs someone like Late Lee Kuan Yew of who single-handedly provided the visionary leadership for his country that lacked almost all the natural resources- including water- and transformed Singapore into a great nation.
Orphanages, universities, primary and secondary schools, football clubs, hospitals, skill acquisition centres and many more are what Christians, churches and tithers have invested in, so they should be applauded for their selfless contributions to nation building.
What Nigeria needs presently is to see how we can encourage churches to invest more in projects that can bring rapid transformation to Nigeria. This will be the focus of my next article.
But some people love watermelon. We all have different areas of weakness. Christ saves from all.
