The man behind the gold shades and camouflage jacket is the self styled General Boyloaf, his real name is Ebikabowei Victor Ben. In the past he鈥檚 commanded thousands of young militants who demanded the people of the Niger Delta receive more benefits from the oil production in the Nigerian region. Today he鈥檒l take your calls.
The commander has renounced the use of violence in peace deal but he remains a senior MEND figure (MEND stands for Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.) The organisation remains split into factions with the use of violence being the key divisive issue.
Here is a recent 主播大秀 profile of MEND.
(You may have seen that earlier this week, one MEND faction took responsibility for an attack on oil facilities.)
It's worth adding that the attacks in Abuja during the 50th anniverary celebrations were attributed to MEND but General Boyloaf had nothing to do with them. In fact he condemned the actions.
That said, there was a time when he believed violence was justified. He was responsible for some spectacular and deadly attacks against the oil industry and Nigeria government, perhaps the most infamous being an attack on a Shell off-shore facility.
It鈥檚 thought that in the past The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) cut Nigeria's oil production by one-third - causing spikes in the global oil price.
Many of you on Facebook are keen to talk to Mr Ben, we have many interesting questions for him already.
You鈥檙e keen to find out how he justifies the violence he鈥檚 used in the past, why he鈥檚 accepted peace and what makes him different from an ordinary criminal? No subjects are off limits.
Another area I'm interested tro discuss is whether the wealth created by a country's natural resources should be shared across the nation. Or does the region - in this case the Niger Delta - deserve a disproportionate amount of the benefits.
General said they were not after money,then why are they kidnaping the foreigh oil workers for ransom? ETHAN. From MAIDUGURI. NIGERIA.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:44
113631290
Fazalrahman - Do you think that you might have killed innocent people? And really will you continue fighting against your goverment or you just abandoned fighting?
Comment sent via SMS
18:29
110597169
The amount that one state of niger delta receive frm d federal govt every month is mothern what 19 states of north. So blame your leaders.
Comment sent via SMS
18:29
115335371
Who do you think are behind the kidnappings, if you claim it鈥檚 not MEND?YD from gombe Nigeria
Comment sent via SMS
18:29
108778446
Pls 主播大秀 may I know if Gen Boylov鈥檚 struggle was inspired by late Ken Sarowiwa. If not what was his source of inspiration? Tortiv Emmanuel, Abuja, Nig.
Comment sent via SMS
18:37
112168595
Maginlisation is a feture of Ngrian centrifugal societs. Yet, crises, insubodintion, etc, manifest in d Niger-delta. Hw do u jstify ur ideolgy? Wiri in Nigria
Comment sent via SMS
18:39
115335440
Is MEND corrupt? How has corruption in the delta region led to its under development. The corruption is not by multinationals but mostly from nigerians
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:42
113631290
Martin in London emailed - can you please ask the General where he gets his legitimacy from? Does he have any?
Comment sent via SMS
18:29
109595391
The Niger Delta strugge is not violence, but a frantic, necessary effort to shake off oppression. Why did the General run away?
Abineni, Uganda
Comment sent via Facebook
18:29
113631290
Amos - General, how come that ever since the Nigerian government came out and took the challenge of developing the area, putting up structures and ploughing back resources, these Militants are still fighting, kidnapping and threathening to kill and maim more people?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:24
113631290
Boadu - did most of the MEND leaders and members accept the Amnesty because Goodluck Jonathan is from the region?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:24
113631290
Bonnke - It is easy to pick arms to fight against injustice - but I know for a fact that NO reason justifies violence.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:22
113631290
Martin in Monrovia emailed - The Nigerian government has offered Mend an amnesty, but you're still killing innocent civilians. Why did 12 people have to lose their lives on the country's anniversary?
Comment sent via SMS
18:16
109630314
If u say ur people were not @ the top, for which u started the struggle, now da ur man is @ the top why do u containue? Amos G. Jones Monrovia.
Comment sent via SMS
18:15
108540073
Y does general boy loaf live in air conditioned luxury with satellite dish and heavy generator yet his people r poor around him. He is the criminal element.
WHYS: Your questions to General Boyloaf
| Thursday, 11 Nov. 2010 | 17:08 - 19:08 GMT
The man behind the gold shades and camouflage jacket is the self styled General Boyloaf, his real name is Ebikabowei Victor Ben. In the past he鈥檚 commanded thousands of young militants who demanded the people of the Niger Delta receive more benefits from the oil production in the Nigerian region. Today he鈥檒l take your calls.
The commander has renounced the use of violence in peace deal but he remains a senior MEND figure (MEND stands for Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.) The organisation remains split into factions with the use of violence being the key divisive issue.
Here is a recent 主播大秀 profile of MEND.
(You may have seen that earlier this week, one MEND faction took responsibility for an attack on oil facilities.)
It's worth adding that the attacks in Abuja during the 50th anniverary celebrations were attributed to MEND but General Boyloaf had nothing to do with them. In fact he condemned the actions.
That said, there was a time when he believed violence was justified. He was responsible for some spectacular and deadly attacks against the oil industry and Nigeria government, perhaps the most infamous being an attack on a Shell off-shore facility.
It鈥檚 thought that in the past The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) cut Nigeria's oil production by one-third - causing spikes in the global oil price.
Many of you on Facebook are keen to talk to Mr Ben, we have many interesting questions for him already.
You鈥檙e keen to find out how he justifies the violence he鈥檚 used in the past, why he鈥檚 accepted peace and what makes him different from an ordinary criminal? No subjects are off limits.
Another area I'm interested tro discuss is whether the wealth created by a country's natural resources should be shared across the nation. Or does the region - in this case the Niger Delta - deserve a disproportionate amount of the benefits.
Your comments
Comment sent via SMS
General said they were not after money,then why are they kidnaping the foreigh oil workers for ransom? ETHAN. From MAIDUGURI. NIGERIA.
Comment sent via Facebook
Fazalrahman - Do you think that you might have killed innocent people? And really will you continue fighting against your goverment or you just abandoned fighting?
Comment sent via SMS
The amount that one state of niger delta receive frm d federal govt every month is mothern what 19 states of north. So blame your leaders.
Comment sent via SMS
Who do you think are behind the kidnappings, if you claim it鈥檚 not MEND?YD from gombe Nigeria
Comment sent via SMS
Pls 主播大秀 may I know if Gen Boylov鈥檚 struggle was inspired by late Ken Sarowiwa. If not what was his source of inspiration? Tortiv Emmanuel, Abuja, Nig.
Comment sent via SMS
Maginlisation is a feture of Ngrian centrifugal societs. Yet, crises, insubodintion, etc, manifest in d Niger-delta. Hw do u jstify ur ideolgy? Wiri in Nigria
Comment sent via SMS
Is MEND corrupt? How has corruption in the delta region led to its under development. The corruption is not by multinationals but mostly from nigerians
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Martin in London emailed - can you please ask the General where he gets his legitimacy from? Does he have any?
Comment sent via SMS
The Niger Delta strugge is not violence, but a frantic, necessary effort to shake off oppression. Why did the General run away? Abineni, Uganda
Comment sent via Facebook
Amos - General, how come that ever since the Nigerian government came out and took the challenge of developing the area, putting up structures and ploughing back resources, these Militants are still fighting, kidnapping and threathening to kill and maim more people?
Comment sent via Facebook
Boadu - did most of the MEND leaders and members accept the Amnesty because Goodluck Jonathan is from the region?
Comment sent via Facebook
Bonnke - It is easy to pick arms to fight against injustice - but I know for a fact that NO reason justifies violence.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Martin in Monrovia emailed - The Nigerian government has offered Mend an amnesty, but you're still killing innocent civilians. Why did 12 people have to lose their lives on the country's anniversary?
Comment sent via SMS
If u say ur people were not @ the top, for which u started the struggle, now da ur man is @ the top why do u containue? Amos G. Jones Monrovia.
Comment sent via SMS
Y does general boy loaf live in air conditioned luxury with satellite dish and heavy generator yet his people r poor around him. He is the criminal element.