Nigeria is a country of great contrasts and great opportunities. Oil has brought great wealth, but this stands alongside extreme poverty. Nigeria is basically a consumer nation fighting to produce everyday products. There are huge opportunities in so many sectors yet chiefly untapped due to the idiosyncrasies of men in power where corruption and greed is the order; of course the followers have a share of the blame. Starting a business can be difficult because of problems as water, electricity supply, import and export difficulties.
For the reason that I am so patriotic almost to the point of jingoism, writing this essay in an objective manner will definitely be an uphill task, but as a trained journalist objectivity is foremost in any article. I am a Nigerian and I am passionate about the geographical territory and its people. It is a land with so much greenery and people amazingly receptive.
Only in Nigeria would you see a pastor and a robber co-habiting peacefully as neighbour in the famous ‘face me I face you apartments’. Only in Nigeria would your next door neighbour slap you and walk away freely and satisfied because if you took any actions against her, you never know, she just might use otumokpo on you and trust me you do not want that to happen, because then again you would have to spend at least three days on a Nigerian mountain praying that you get delivered and finally get a break through.
Only in Nigeria would you pay to be provided a good or service and the service person is absolute rude to you because she thinks she is doing you a favor. If it is about your change, you should have been carrying all the denominations in your purse and if she is wasting time “abeg do not rush her ohhh”! Except you want a show down, Odds are, her colleagues will back her up and since there is strength in numbers, they will win. Still on services paid for, hopefully it is not someone who is within the age range of your grand mum; let’s not even go that far, it is not one who is only one year older than you. If it is, you would be given the “didn’t your mother teach how to respect your elders” talk. Even if all you did was politely pointed out that she did not give you the right item.
The commercial nerve centre of Nigeria is Lagos. It is often frustrating, but never boring and the people are wonderfully warm. In most states in Nigeria, traffic on the roads has to be seen to be believed. Lagos ‘go slow’ can be especially frustrating making travel times excessive. Our idea of traffic management is “provision of meals’ in traffic, so that commuters can handle the traffic without having to bother about hunger pangs. In traffic every thing is available, you can have a three course meal and if you are on a healthy diet, don’t worry, we have the fruit sellers selling side by side the food vendors and you can also get diet drinks too.
There is a general lack of maintenance culture this even extends to housing; if you are renting an apartment, you would be expected to generally paint and revamp your supposedly ‘new accommodation’. And no matter what state you reside, from the federal capital territory Abuja to Zamfara, you understand that it is not necessarily a fault when there is power failure, in fact it is most unlikely a fault. you already know what to do when that happens; depending on your class, you would go in search of items ranging from candles to generating sets in the hope that by the end of this year we can achieve 6000 mega watts of electricity.
Nigeria is certainly a great place to live in, because the constitution provides for equal rights for each citizen, but trust me, the George Orwell “all animals are equal but some are more equal than others” saying is very applicable here, or how is it that, two citizens with equal rights would be driving along a street and then one would think that he should be given more right of way than the other and then results to beating the other to a pulp to prove the point, “I am more equal”.
Only in Nigeria, is it not so bad to steal huge amount of monies because you can plea bargain. It is though, extremely unacceptable to steal smaller sums like 100 naira, if you did that, even before the arm of law caught up with you, you would be lynched. Warning! If you live in Nigeria do not steal little sums of money.
Living in Nigeria, where everyone shouts “I know my right” but really do not, or how do you explain a police man shooting a three year old kid and getting away with it. Our Men in Black are certainly unique and another unifying factor for all Nigerians because whether you live in Lagos, the centre of excellence or Portharcourt, the garden city; The police men are most active on the roads and not so much on their major assignment which is to protect lives and properties. On the roads they will probably get more money than their take home salaries which often takes them only half way home. Protecting lives, they just might loose their own lives.
Even in the midst of all these occurrences, I would not live any where else because Nigeria is without doubt the only country you can live in and you car develops a faults and you‘ll find people scrambling to help you. Only in Nigeria would your neighbor notice that you are ill and helps you get to the hospital even without an ambulance but with the same speed. She found out because she checked to find out why you had not come out that morning; the same neighbour brings your child back home from school then feeds her and really she is not being paid to baby sit.
In Nigeria every one is related by blood, the elderly woman that you buy you supplies of tissue is “mama” and the older lady that you buy fruits from is ‘aunty’ even if your tongues differed. The people live communally plus they have genuine love for each other. Nigeria is a land where milk and honey flows; with the quality of people you would find nowhere else.
And even though we are going through a phase where everything does not work, we cope. We have people who are strong and have enduring and long suffering temperaments, because amidst suffering, we smile, amidst lack we give, amidst want, we readily offer help. Ours is a tradition of survival. I am a Nigerian and would live nowhere else because living is about people and people are what we have in Nigeria. Great people that would finally get Nigeria to the point where even the least of us can afford the basics of life with dignity.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Saturday, October 10, 2009
More on district nine, because I still have not gotten over it
It was vehement, one of the most disturbingly aggressive arguments I have ever had. I say this even as I must add that since I am confrontational especially about the things I am passionate about; I have had very many aggressive arguments. This one particularly, made my blood pressure rise. My neighbour and I were about exchanging pleasantries. Just I was telling her that the previous week I had watched a South African movie (district nine) that extremely aggravated me because of the content and the representation of Nigeria as scavengers, fraudulent and immoral. She shocked me by saying “well it’s true, Nigerians are cannibals, they are 419ers, and don’t they groom their girls for prostitution?” It took about 10 seconds before I recovered. At the time, my natural wind traits had come into play. I proceeded to ask her, if she meant to tell me that she was a prostitute, if her brother was a scam star and if her father fed on humans? Because these are the people that are being referred to as Nigerians, the stranger who rushes to help you push you car to start, the neighbour who sends food to you during sallah celebrations, the pastor whom you rush to when you are challenged and he fasts and prays like your problems were his
Of course, she felt slighted and proceeded to express her views and continued by saying that Nigerians are bad, its what we portray to the outside world that they would know of us. But then again I told her corruption was not limited to Nigeria, that infact I wasn’t aware of any nation that didn’t have its fair share of menaces and corruption. I told her that great American has a huge number of pedophiles, I told her that it was their reckless living that sent the world into global recession(even though I was a bit to extreme on that one) I told her that the west produced the guns that sent fear and shivers up our spines back home, I told her that in the united kingdom, it was terrifying walking at any time, because u could be mobbed, I told her that in south Africa, it was their beliefs and values that led them to sleep with the under-aged because they thought the act would heal them of their illnesses. I reminded her that during the apartheid, Nigeria fought the hardest for South Africa to ensure that apartheid was abolished. I told her that the international community also thought south Africa a corrupt nation, that they had very high rates robbery cases, that they also had scammers, they theirs had the highest number of immorality cases. I went ahead to ask her if she thought they had any moral standing to castigate Nigeria. And then to ask her why she did not think that a country whose media did not know that it was unethical to defame, was a corrupt nation; Or that could it be that their educational system is so bereft that it did not teach them the international ethical media practices. I asked her if it was OK, in any form, for anyone to bite the finger that fed them. We give them highest market for their media and telecomms industry. We backed them up financially and morally in their struggle against apartheid.
One of my neighbours argument was that in foreign nation were you find Nigerians, they represented as scammers and prostitutes. But I went ahead to remind her that there were actually a greater number of Nigerian in those countries that earned a decent living. There were doctors of great worth, scientist who had contributed so much, lawyers of great repute. Economist and top cadre staffs that had contributed in no small measure to the economic buoyancy of those countries. I said to her that in those countries they were Nigerians who because they wanted to earn a decent living washed plates, worked three jobs and even washed dead bodies in the cold. I asked if those ones should be blacklisted because they were a few bad eggs. I asked if she should be called a prostitute because she is a Nigerian. I reminded her that Nigeria was a country with an official population figure of 140 million. I told her it was the most populated Africa nation, that 1 of every 10 black persons was a Nigerian and that 1 of every four black African was a Nigerian. My point being that if south Africa with 50 million people had the same rate of corruption as ours, then it was far more corrupt, that if it had 10% less corruption than ours it was still far more corrupt. I let her know that blacks were not doing so well in S.A and that Nigerians even did better in that country. The South Africans knew it and decided that that Nigerians should be killed. I asked if a country that did not value human lives because there were not their citizens had any moral inclination to portray another as bad.
I also told her that if she wanted to rebuke her daughter, she would do it with love and moreover she would do it behind closed doors and that if someone else did it for her she would feel hurt and slighted especially because she had done nothing to abate her daughter’s negative traits. I let her into the Yoruba adage that says and I interprete “it is only a bastard that points at his father’s house with his left hand.” I hoped that she understood that she was the bastard who pointed at her father house with her left hand.
I must add that my neighbour is a smart girl, and as I argued with vigour and passion and points, her vigour, passion and points matched mine. Now that was the scariest part. Because, in the past I have heard really foolish and invalid arguments against Nigeria. But here was a smart girl who felt strongly against her own country. I do not think Nigeria is the most glorious nation, I do not think it has given me so much to proud of, but I strongly refuse to let a bad mother punish my baby because she was naughty. I also feel that if not for anything, this nation gave me birth and life, it also gave me a sense of belonging and it is the one place I can truly call my own. For these reasons will I never ridicule this nation, with bright potentials, it is almost blinding.
Of course, she felt slighted and proceeded to express her views and continued by saying that Nigerians are bad, its what we portray to the outside world that they would know of us. But then again I told her corruption was not limited to Nigeria, that infact I wasn’t aware of any nation that didn’t have its fair share of menaces and corruption. I told her that great American has a huge number of pedophiles, I told her that it was their reckless living that sent the world into global recession(even though I was a bit to extreme on that one) I told her that the west produced the guns that sent fear and shivers up our spines back home, I told her that in the united kingdom, it was terrifying walking at any time, because u could be mobbed, I told her that in south Africa, it was their beliefs and values that led them to sleep with the under-aged because they thought the act would heal them of their illnesses. I reminded her that during the apartheid, Nigeria fought the hardest for South Africa to ensure that apartheid was abolished. I told her that the international community also thought south Africa a corrupt nation, that they had very high rates robbery cases, that they also had scammers, they theirs had the highest number of immorality cases. I went ahead to ask her if she thought they had any moral standing to castigate Nigeria. And then to ask her why she did not think that a country whose media did not know that it was unethical to defame, was a corrupt nation; Or that could it be that their educational system is so bereft that it did not teach them the international ethical media practices. I asked her if it was OK, in any form, for anyone to bite the finger that fed them. We give them highest market for their media and telecomms industry. We backed them up financially and morally in their struggle against apartheid.
One of my neighbours argument was that in foreign nation were you find Nigerians, they represented as scammers and prostitutes. But I went ahead to remind her that there were actually a greater number of Nigerian in those countries that earned a decent living. There were doctors of great worth, scientist who had contributed so much, lawyers of great repute. Economist and top cadre staffs that had contributed in no small measure to the economic buoyancy of those countries. I said to her that in those countries they were Nigerians who because they wanted to earn a decent living washed plates, worked three jobs and even washed dead bodies in the cold. I asked if those ones should be blacklisted because they were a few bad eggs. I asked if she should be called a prostitute because she is a Nigerian. I reminded her that Nigeria was a country with an official population figure of 140 million. I told her it was the most populated Africa nation, that 1 of every 10 black persons was a Nigerian and that 1 of every four black African was a Nigerian. My point being that if south Africa with 50 million people had the same rate of corruption as ours, then it was far more corrupt, that if it had 10% less corruption than ours it was still far more corrupt. I let her know that blacks were not doing so well in S.A and that Nigerians even did better in that country. The South Africans knew it and decided that that Nigerians should be killed. I asked if a country that did not value human lives because there were not their citizens had any moral inclination to portray another as bad.
I also told her that if she wanted to rebuke her daughter, she would do it with love and moreover she would do it behind closed doors and that if someone else did it for her she would feel hurt and slighted especially because she had done nothing to abate her daughter’s negative traits. I let her into the Yoruba adage that says and I interprete “it is only a bastard that points at his father’s house with his left hand.” I hoped that she understood that she was the bastard who pointed at her father house with her left hand.
I must add that my neighbour is a smart girl, and as I argued with vigour and passion and points, her vigour, passion and points matched mine. Now that was the scariest part. Because, in the past I have heard really foolish and invalid arguments against Nigeria. But here was a smart girl who felt strongly against her own country. I do not think Nigeria is the most glorious nation, I do not think it has given me so much to proud of, but I strongly refuse to let a bad mother punish my baby because she was naughty. I also feel that if not for anything, this nation gave me birth and life, it also gave me a sense of belonging and it is the one place I can truly call my own. For these reasons will I never ridicule this nation, with bright potentials, it is almost blinding.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
OUR CRUMBLING WALLS [end this strike!]
I was going through the news paper today when the headline caught my eye "TEACHERS REFUSE TO RESUME WORK!" This issue can never be overflogged and even though we might not be able to do much as individuals, we must continue to voice our displeasure, shout if need be day and night until the right thing is done. The educational system of our country isbbeing handled too ligghtly for my interest. Education is what secures the tommorrow of our country, It is the reason we are where we are now and it is our only security for a greater tomorrow. It started with our tetiary institution and has now rippled down to both the primary and secondary schools. What in the name of God are our leaders doing? It was disheartning to see this children resume school with no teachers to teach them and those who even went to teach were chased out of the classrooms.
I will not at this point blame the lecturers and teachers because they are only asking for what has been promised by the government. Rather I would want to appeal to them , knowing fully well that we have an irresposible and unconcerned governement, to return to school. Not because they are weak or have lost out, but because they are stronger and wiser in every aspect. Our Education as Africans is what secured our independence and has been serving us till date. Let us not toss it out the window! This is a clarion call to all patriots out there, NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM needs you and I!
I will not at this point blame the lecturers and teachers because they are only asking for what has been promised by the government. Rather I would want to appeal to them , knowing fully well that we have an irresposible and unconcerned governement, to return to school. Not because they are weak or have lost out, but because they are stronger and wiser in every aspect. Our Education as Africans is what secured our independence and has been serving us till date. Let us not toss it out the window! This is a clarion call to all patriots out there, NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM needs you and I!
Friday, September 11, 2009
NO! TO DISTRICT NINE
I have not stopped asking myself how we allowed things to get out of our hands. After watching the movie "DISTRICT NINE" I began to think and eventually came to the following conclusion. We have actually done enough talking and it's high time we started acting as one. Our country Nigeria has been identified with a lot of negativity far and wide and it seems as though we{Nigerians} are doing little or nothing to change this. We have the journalist, the broadcast media{tv & radio} and the print media and i highly recommend that all hands need to be on deck now to condem this act. For those who have not watched this movie, permit me to hint you a little;
Plot Synopsis by Jason BuchananDirector Neill Blomkamp teams with producer Peter Jackson for this tale of extraterrestrial refugees stuck in contemporary South Africa. It's been 28 years since the aliens made first contact, but there was never any attack from the skies, nor any profound technological revelation capable of advancing our society. Instead, the aliens were treated as refugees. They were the last of their kind, and in order to accommodate them, the government of South Africa set up a makeshift home in District 9 as politicians and world leaders debated how to handle the situation. As the humans begin to grow wary of the unwelcome intruders, a private company called Multi-National United (MNU) is assigned the task of controlling the aliens. But MNU is less interested in the aliens' welfare than attempting to understand how their weaponry works. Should they manage to make that breakthrough, they will receive tremendous profits to fund their research. Unfortunately, the highly advanced weaponry requires alien DNA in order to be activated. When MNU field operative Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is exposed to biotechnology that causes his DNA to mutate, the tensions between the aliens and the humans intensifies. Wikus is the key to unlocking the alien's technology, and he quickly becomes the most wanted man on the planet. Ostracized and isolated, Wikus retreats to District 9 in a desperate bid to shake his dogged pursuers. "
The bottom line is that in this movie, Nigerians were outrightly defamed, insulted and displayed as unintelligent. This is a clarion call to Dora Akinyuli, this will notb help REBRAND Nigeria in any way.
The movie should be BANNED! and we must not keep quiet at all. They cannot even refer to South Africa like that! We must protect what's left of our dignity.
Plot Synopsis by Jason BuchananDirector Neill Blomkamp teams with producer Peter Jackson for this tale of extraterrestrial refugees stuck in contemporary South Africa. It's been 28 years since the aliens made first contact, but there was never any attack from the skies, nor any profound technological revelation capable of advancing our society. Instead, the aliens were treated as refugees. They were the last of their kind, and in order to accommodate them, the government of South Africa set up a makeshift home in District 9 as politicians and world leaders debated how to handle the situation. As the humans begin to grow wary of the unwelcome intruders, a private company called Multi-National United (MNU) is assigned the task of controlling the aliens. But MNU is less interested in the aliens' welfare than attempting to understand how their weaponry works. Should they manage to make that breakthrough, they will receive tremendous profits to fund their research. Unfortunately, the highly advanced weaponry requires alien DNA in order to be activated. When MNU field operative Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is exposed to biotechnology that causes his DNA to mutate, the tensions between the aliens and the humans intensifies. Wikus is the key to unlocking the alien's technology, and he quickly becomes the most wanted man on the planet. Ostracized and isolated, Wikus retreats to District 9 in a desperate bid to shake his dogged pursuers. "
The bottom line is that in this movie, Nigerians were outrightly defamed, insulted and displayed as unintelligent. This is a clarion call to Dora Akinyuli, this will notb help REBRAND Nigeria in any way.
The movie should be BANNED! and we must not keep quiet at all. They cannot even refer to South Africa like that! We must protect what's left of our dignity.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
ASSU {WHAT WISDOM IS THIS}
It is becoming really annoying and I actually feel lioke taking a whip and flog all the Assu lectures back to the classroom. I don't dispute the fact that the Our Government is a very irresposible one{without apologies}, but there is need for some sacrifice on our part. They have gone on strike as though while thry were in session, they were actually working. We all knlow how these lecturers operate on campus and their lackadisical attitude towards teaching and their students; so why the prolonged strike. I beg to say that these lecturers are purely LAZY, UNSERIOUS, & SILLY!
My candid opinion is that they get back to the classrooms and still continue their negociations. The government they are fighting have little or nothing to loose. Their kids are either in private or foreign institutions meanwhile many of these lecturers have their wards @ home now because of the strike. We have an irresposible government, they know and the world knows. Let the strike be called off, display the foolishness of the government, save our educational sector from collapsing.
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