@kobojunkie

what are your suggestions??

@Samparian, I am not going to “PROFFER SOLUTIONS” as I believe every single Nigerian, even the world, knows the solution to the problem. Donating more people to send more people to school, using private money to tar more roads, building more hospitals with private money, sending more books to equip more libraries is NOT, I repeat NOT going to change the situation in Nigeria.

So I roll my eyes when people claim that if you move down to Nigeria to train more people in a certain field, they will help in making things better in Nigeria, when research shows that over the past 10 years alone, all those who have moved back for exactly the same have yet to put a dent in the problem. In the end, majority accepts defeat and focus on the usual struggle to survive.

If the root problem is not dealt with at some point, we will definitely continue to see the same old cycle of nonsense. I remember only 2 years ago, the news was that Nigeria was on the way up. Two years later, it seems we have rolled things back another 10 years. Did this happen because not a lot of Nigerians abroad moved back to Nigeria, Or because Nigerians abroad did not pump money into the Nigerians economy? Did this happen because no new wells were dug in those two years? Or that no new students were offered scholarships in that time? Did this roll back happen because no new professionals were introduced into the system, or no new libraries were built or no new schools were provided equipments? My answer is NO. Definitely, all these activities continued but regardless Nigeria took a huge step back still.


Someone will come in to tell me that Lagos has changed and so that means Nigeria has. To that person I will ask how come in the same period of time more Nigerians have fallen below the poverty line.


Anyhow, I can go on and on but reality is all these sanctimonious CONTRIBUTIONS we announce, we make or about to make, have their place but I doubt they are essentially going to CHANGE Nigeria in our life time if we do not deal with the root problems.

Enlighten me. what are the root problems?

What do you think?

During Abacha's regime, a man once told me that,"if you worry too much about nigeria, you go die go and nigeria go still be nigeria."

I am not saying we should stop “CONTRIBUTING” to change the we have been doing in the past by sending a dollar here and there and maybe moving back to build a well or teach a couple more students and what not. But I am saying we should stop deluding ourselves with ideas that this is THE WAY to change the nation as a whole. Actions such as these remain commendable, however when we consider that millions of Nigerians have been involved in the same old “contributing towards change” activity for decades now, it is safe to assume, and even conclude, by the way, that these fixes are and will remain temporary fixes until we deal more with the root problems in our society.

The man that tars the roads on his street will likely have to continue tarring the same road over and over for years to come for it to remain in good shape. The man who provides scholarships to students will likely continue to have to provide scholarships to the same group of students until they are completely done with school. Even after then, he will likely have to create jobs for the same students for them to be able to boast of employment of any sort.

I know that. so in other words Nuzo and others like him should give up on Nigeria?

How did you read the last post there, only to come up with that? What part of the posts so far did you get that from?

Even Prof Wole Soyinka is not too happy.
His words:

“If Obama decides to grace Nigeria with his presence, I will stone him. The message he is sending by going to Ghana is so obvious; is so brilliant that he must not render it flawed by coming to Nigeria any time soon,” he said.

Commenting on Nigeria’s downward spiral status in the international community as a result of the recent non-invitation to the G20 Summit and now Obama’s preferred visit to Ghana, Soyinka said Nigeria had never had any status in the first place.

According to him, there is no basis to judge if Nigeria’s status is either increasing or decreasing since the factors upon which such analysis can be measured are lamentably absent.

“Which status did it ever have? It has lies, deceptions, one regime after another and the impudence of trying to suggest that we have a status in the first place is misleading” he said.

Soyinka while also commenting on the current onslaught in the Niger Delta, described it as a shame and crime against humanity whose master minders must face the International Criminal Court (ICC).

My brother, i wont lie to you.
I worry about the state of affairs in Nigeria, and what we, the Nigerians in daispora go through when we identify ourselves as Nigerians.
We are seen as criminals, drug pushers and thieves.
It got to a stage where i shamefully started denying my nationality. Right now, some people think i'm Jamaican, others believe i'm Ghanaian cos i featured once in  ghanaian movie.

But, i've started correcting them and i'm fed up with the insults we recieve abroad as Nigerians.
I keep coming back to this thread so that i can learn one or two things about ways we can go forward as a nation.
I'm waiting for someone more intelligent than myself to profer reasonable solutions and we'll start from there.

Believe me, we really need to change the way things are in Nigeria, but the BILLION DOLLAR question is
where do we start??

I believe the only way we can redeem Nigeria’s image, both at home and abroad is for us to get actively involved in the solution. Now you will agree that the so called Nigerian 419ers abroad are not all unknown. Many of them have families and friends who continue to turn the other way, but are quick to complain or cry racism when put down by others for being Nigerian. We need to start turning in the crooks amongst us, to show we are serious for change.

For the problem at home, again, we need to get actively involved. We like to claim that the fight people like Dele Giwa, Ken Saro Wiwa fought back some years ago involved all Nigerians. That is a BLOODY LIE!!! 99.999999% of Nigerians did not know who Dele Giwa was, until we heard of his death. Even after that, we continued in our “It is not my fight” way to live our mini lives. Until more people get involved on an active basis, we may have to live another 49 years of this.

Fela said it in one of his songs.
"we no wan die, i marry new wife, mama dey for house, papa dey for house"
we give many reasons to dodge the fight and that is why we're are being abused by those in power.

READ THIS

"OL'boy, are you watching CNN now?"

"No. I dey Tarmac dey chop life"

"What are you chopping?"

"Peppersoup. Correct isi ewu and nkwobi"

"Be careful. You may be taking a typhoid concoction."

"No. Oh. This one cures malaria. It is specially prepared. And the thing sweet no be small. Leave me make I chop the life of my head."

"Look, that's not why I called. I think you should go and watch CNN right now. It is a sad day for Nigeria. In fact every Nigerian must hide his or her head in shame."

"What is it again this time? Dis kin country wey no go let person rest. Problem today. Wahala tomorrow. To be a Nigerian na crime?"

"Obama is visiting Africa in July and he is not coming to Nigeria"

"And so? Is he a Nigerian? Let him go to his Kenya. Obama is coming to the land of his fathers. Is that why I should stop enjoying my nkwobi?"

"Did you hear what I said? How many bottles have you taken? Obama is coming to Africa on a presidential visit in July and he is visiting Egypt and Ghana. He and Michelle, his wife, will spend two days in Ghana. I think that is an insult to Nigeria. I mean the Americans are deliberately rubbishing us."

"But you should know why? That is America's own way of sending a strong message that they are unhappy with the situation in Nigeria."

"That is why I am sad."

"That is how the American foreign policy process works. It is based on a reward and sanctions principle, if you like - carrot and stick. America goes out of its way to reward countries that are doing well. It sanctions those that appear to be doing badly and a sanction can be in any form. Obama flying over Nigeria to go to Ghana is an act of snobbery. It is the most painful form of sanction"

"But what is it that Egypt is doing well?"

"It is a strategic choice. Egypt is a strategic U.S. ally in the Middle East and America's major bilateral partner."

"Nigeria is also strategic. We sell crude oil to the United States. American oil companies are Nigeria's Joint Venture partners. We supported the U.S. African High Command in the Gulf of Guinea. We have a long history of relationship with the United States. We are the most powerful, the most populous, "

"I beg. Leave that matter oh. Nigerians can't fool anybody with that slogan anymore. Don't you get it? You want Obama to come to Nigeria shortly after the shameful electoral process in Ekiti? You want him to visit Abuja and address your National Assembly? The same National Assembly where the lawmakers are being accused of corruption? You want Obama to attend a dinner in Nigeria where nearly all the people he would come across will be persons who organise the snatching of ballot boxes, the distribution of bribe, oil thieves, tax evaders, treasury looters, and aggressive Nigerian women who will be waiting for Michelle to go to the ladies for a second so they can swoop on the U.S. President, and squeeze their numbers into his palm? You think the Americans don't know?"

"You are not serious. You should stand up for your country. We are not worse than Pakistan or Egypt, and even Obama's Kenya."

"Obama is a brand apart from being the U.S. President. His handlers must have advised him that this is not a good time to visit Nigeria. And all those your countrymen and women in the United States are not helping matters. They are always telling the Americans that their country is a useless place."

"You don't even need to blame those ones. The U.S. has an embassy here. They know what is going on. But it is just that I would have loved Obama to visit Nigeria, Nigerians worked very hard for that man's election."

"Una vote for am?"

"But he has more supporters in Nigeria than in Kenya. People bought Obama stickers and pasted on their cars. There is still an Obama billboard in Abuja. Obama photo portraits are being sold on the streets of Lagos. Musicians sang about him. Even market women campaigned for him. Not to talk of the Obama for Africa associations that tried to raise funds for his campaign. I also know many Nigerians in the U.S. who contributed to the Obama fund. I am even sure that if anybody had said Obama lost that election, bare-chested Nigerian women were ready to go onto the streets in protest. Someone said that was part of the calculations."

"You know you are actually talking about Nigerians who were using the Obama name to do business and make quick profit. By the way what happened to your sister's Obama fund campaign? You mean she and other members of the Obama for Africa movement cannot persuade the U.S. President to come to Nigeria first?"

"Not fair. Obama should have visited Nigeria first. If only to come and say thank you to the Nigerian people. The U.S. Embassy will need to explain why we are being snubbed. We may not know how to organize free and fair elections, but we are a great nation."

"Good people too, Tell them make dem hear."

"I feel sad when I see how Ghana is now upstaging Nigeria in every respect."

"Ghana organizes good elections. And its leaders are better organised and more disciplined. Obama's visit to Ghana is to encourage both the people and government of Ghana to remain the shining Black Star of the West African coast. And a way of telling Nigeria to get its acts together"

"I know".

"Besides, Ghana has discovered oil in commercial quantities. Soon, the United States will buy oil from Ghana and ignore Nigeria and its Niger Delta problems. Also, the U.S. has adopted a new four cardinal-point strategy in Africa. It includes South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Egypt. Nigeria is not quite part of it."

"I hope our leaders are getting the message"

"They won't. Look, let's take a bet. I won't be surprised if in July, Nigerian leaders travel to Ghana to join the Ghanaians in receiving Obama. Can't you see that many Nigerians are now going to Ghana? Nigerian companies are setting up branches in Ghana, there are Nigerian-owned restaurants and shops in Accra, the population of Nigerian students in Ghanaian universities is very high and it keeps increasing. I know Nigerians who have bought homes in Ghana. Every weekend, they just hop across the border. It is 45 minutes by air. Accra is closer to Lagos than Abuja. So really, should we blame the Americans? Even Nigerians prefer to go to Ghana. In fact, I hear that Nigerians in Ghana are lobbying to be part of the Obama reception activities!"

"There will always be shameless Nigerians. But we need to rebuild this country. There were more foreign dignitaries at Jacob Zuma's inauguration than there were at Yar'Adua's inauguration. Countries like Tanzania and Rwanda have better international recognition than Nigeria."

"Don't worry yourself. In fact, if you ask me, I will recommend that President Yar'Adua should ask the Americans and the Ghanaians to invite him to the dinner for President Obama."

"God forbid. We are a sovereign nation."

"I know, I am sure somebody must have told Obama that they kidnap people in Nigeria. And he must have been advised not to put anything past those Niger Delta militants. They could organize and kidnap Obama and his wife. Or throw a shoe at him."

"Kidnap who? Throw a shoe at who?"

"Obama. Didn't somebody throw a shoe at George Bush in Baghdad?"

"Now, I am convinced that you are drunk".

"So why are you disturbing my drink with your sadness about Obama not coming to Nigeria? Okay, let me now play the Devil's advocate. Someone should go and tell that Obama that he does not know what he is missing. He should go and ask President Bill Clinton and President Jimmy Carter. Those are friends of Nigeria. When Clinton visited Nigeria, he enjoyed himself so much. Let Obama go to Ghana. He is free to prefer kenke to nkwobi. We are still the happiest people in the world and we thank God for that."

"Who is talking about happiness?"

"And tell President Yar'Adua not to worry. In fact, who are the Americans to tell us how to organize elections? We are a free country. We have the right to go to heaven the way we choose. President Yar'Adua should also organise a foreign trip. Let him fly over the United States and go to Canada, and from there let him go to Venezuela and Cuba on state visit. America too dey make yanga. Faure Gyassingbe Eyadema of Togo was here on a presidential visit, the same week they announced Obama's African trip. That was Nigeria's response to America's snobbery. Is Eyadema also not a President?"

"The United States is the most powerful country in the world. Who is Faure Eyadema?"

"Who talk so? Where were you when Maurice Iwu said we are in a position to teach America certain things about elections? Every country has its own strengths. Obama can go anywhere. Na him leg he dey take travel. That will not stop me from eating isi ewu, Baby, do you want another drink. Eh, another bottle for my darling here, "

"What's that?"

"I wasn't talking to you."

"Looks like whatever you are doing there is beginning to get to you. May be we should continue this conversation later."

"No. Don't worry. You think I am drunk? Na only bottle fit get drunk. Me, I am a human being. Anything else?"

"I am just sad. We are failing at home. We are losing international goodwill."

"You have said that before. Stop moaning. It's no big deal."

"Our President even wanted to visit the United States, they said no."

"Look, if it is about this Obama visit, forget it. On second thoughts, may be it is even a blessing in disguise. If the man had chosen to visit Nigeria, that would have been an opportunity for Nigerians to loot the treasury. By the time the man leaves, every state treasury will be near-empty. And we could have an Obama visit scandal on our hands. And come to think of it, you know Obama likes to play basketball. Suppose he invites President Yar'Adua while visiting to a game of basketball, one on one, and the man out of politeness agrees. And you know President Yar'Adua doesn't play basketball, he only plays squash. Me, I thank God o."

"Good for the Ghanaians".

"Don't worry, you can watch the visit on AIT, Channels TV etc live."

real funny stuff


roflmao

i knew you'd like it.
Got it from this day news.
its really funny, but its the plain truth

Yeah, it is close to the truth of the situation. I am not a bit worried that Obama chose Ghana over Nigeria. In fact, I doubt it would change much. I support wole soyinka on this one. I would personally pick out the rocks for him to stone Obama with, should he venture into that country anytime in the next 2 years.

Kobojunkie:

Yeah, it is close to the truth of the situation. I am not a bit worried that Obama chose Ghana over Nigeria. In fact, I doubt it would change much. I support wole soyinka on this one. I would personally pick out the rocks for him to stone Obama with, should he venture into that country anytime in the next 2 years.

and when he visits, may you stone yourself to death.

giving up on naija is not as good idea.

my strong advise is let us keep exposing the lame govt of mr go slow. very soon he will change his tactics

jimmysho:

giving up on naija is not as good idea.

my strong advise is let us keep exposing the lame govt of mr go slow. very soon he will change his tactics

It has yet to cause him to change tactics in over 10 years. What makes you think it will in the next 2 years or even 6 years( if he gets his re-election wish)?

i think Oby is even better than this slow motion.

@ nuzo i feel ur pain. it hurts me to see how nigeria has gone to the dogs. maybe we culd get a group of like minded people. pull resources together, and form a death squad. we need to systematically take tht. this people out. fake pastors, imams , poiliticans, every single bastard that set this country back. its gonna be of biblical proportions. if you guys r ready sign up at smartron007@yahoo.co.uk

Instead of giving up, Ive decided to vie for a post in the National assembly come 2011. Lets see if we can get this country back starting from the next elections.

^ Happy birthday!!

And don't give up.

^You again. . . been a long time.

Why are trying to expose my ol age here?

^ Huh? Long time ke? I don't think we've ever had an encounter before.

chiogo:

^ Huh? Long time ke? I don't think we've ever had an encounter before.

My bad. . . I must have mistaken you for a friend I met here. But the birthday wishes baffles me.

^ Oh, there's a birthday cake on your profile next to your supposed age. It's not your birthday? lol

Yeah, it is. I will clock 32 later this year. Damn. . . I need a wife! My mom nags the hell out of me for that.

32 Good luck with the wifey thing oo.

chiogo:

32 Good luck with the wifey thing oo.

Thanks for the luck jare, but what is it with the shock and eye popping? Am I too ol to be single?
Take ya time abeg.