Doug,
(If I can get you bull/bear participants to neutral corners for
a minute. <gg>)
I've been following your observations regarding petropolitical
events and situations with great interest and recall your recent
observations about Nigeria on some SI thread.
News in Oil and Gas Journal (can't link, subscription service)
today reports that Abubakar (military ruler of Nigeria) has
disbanded his cabinet and installed some very interesting people
in the top posts:
Foreign Minister-----Ignatius Olisemeka, former Ambass. to USA and
Israel. Well respected internationally.
Finance Min.---------Ismaila Usman, former (ousted by previous
regime) head of central bank, reinstated by Abubakar, now Fin. Min.
Again, well regarded world-wide, and known as a corruption fighter.
Oil Min.-------------Office eliminated, apparently too much
corruption available from that chair.
Of 31 ministers in new cabinet, (new and temporary, until May 29,
1999 elections) only 12 are northern Muslims. Remainder are Ibo,
Yoruba, and another tribe whose name I can't recall, a hypenated
name Fxxxx-Hxxxxxx.
Does this guy Abubakar stand a snowball's chance of being as
genuinely reform-minded as the picture I'm getting of him from
various news sources? If he is so, does he stand a chance of
physical survival until the elections? (Sounds like he's
chomping on the lunch of what must be some unsavory characters
and messing with the fundamentalists' grip on an oil rich nation.
Any light on this situation would be greatly appreciated.
Lee |
