Put your bruised egos to one side. It was Nigeria.

What I saw was unity, compassion, cooperation and humility.
There was dignity in the labour of these brothers and sisters.

They were not begging or relying on handouts, they were making 'brass from muck'

On a positive note, it was a metaphor for what Nigeria could become, a happy place where equity and equality prevail.
No food for lazy man, there was no federal character in evidence.

To those of you who say Nigerians are lazy, this program is sticking two fingers at you.

God bless our people.

chamotex:

Spot on

By the way, this is the track from the guy in the dump, he's music is now being played on 9ja music stations.

http://www.myspace.com/vocalslender

I'm guessing he's living a better life now

He is even being considered as a replacement for the sick Da-Grin right now from one of the promoters of the London O2 concert show next month.
Now thats good news. I'm happy for him.

Yeah, the dude is a big shot now. He's been interviewed by all the top British media houses. . . [size=14pt]No more rubbish dumps for him![/size]
God blesses delingent, hard workers.

too bad,,,,so sad,

I stay in Lagos and I am yet to see anywhere in Lagos where people pray and sleep in dumpsites.
If U take a very close look at those pictures,U would see they are kind of doctored for a purpose, the guy sleeping on the trash cans looks nothing like a person that sleeps there, they all look like ppl doing a job and getting paid for poses, U would notice that the dumpsite is not even in Nigeria, look at the people in the dumpsite they look nothing like nigerians. Pure water nylon, plastic water bottle and other polythene and plastic material usually make the bulk composition of a typical lagos dumpsite. . The pictures are so clear and precise that they betray the demeaning intents of the so-called documentary. . .Western media are in the habit of highlighting only the ugly side of things that happen in Africa, check out CNN, BBC and co each time there is news about Africa , it is either Sudan,Libya,Congo, Somalia and any war torn part of Africa. They tend to give the impression that only war,hunger and poverty exist in Africa. . Like to say that they are right in their supremist thinking that unless a white man governs us, we would continue to live in hunger and poverty. . Well, am not living in poverty neither am i hungry or live and pray in a dumpsite. . I live just like an average american or european does, may be BBC should also tell their people that. . Facking Colonialists, who does not see through their vail of pretense as if there are no dumpsites in the west or everyone there lives like the president. . .if they cant give us a balanced and unbiased coverage, then let them shove their documentary down their throats, we know the harsh realities already, we would be stupid to deny them but we would even be more stupid if we allow these kinda pseudonym in the guise of a documentary to poke stupid fun at us just to make themselves feel better. .

i am 100% certain that those pics are not Nigerian. they are from a doco that i saw.
besides, they are damned too clean to be from our shores.
do you guys realize how bad things have turned out here?
see this scenario:
when you turn your garbage into the bin outside your house, some street scavengers are already there harvesting the best portion, all within minutes. the street scavengers are on duty on three shifts, morning, afternoon and evening and mind you everyday.
whatever gets left over, your monthly bin collector (those in GRAs are lucky to have them bi-weekly) still come and harvest the best part of your garbage.
check this out, what finally gets to our dumpsites are the worst of the (worstest) and the dregs of the earth.

i can tell you that the salvageable things in those places are scrap metals and plastics, not electrical components you saw in those pics.

THOSE DUMPSITES ARE TOO CLEAN TO BE NIGERIA.

wetin dey worry us pass wetin una dey see

[size=18pt]I think that documentary is like two years old - if i remember, Fashola has cleared that Ojota dumpsite and turned it or part of it into a major park for the much successful BRT buses.[/size]

rhymz:

I stay in Lagos and I am yet to see anywhere in Lagos where people pray and sleep in dumpsites.
If U take a very close look at those pictures,U would see they are kind of doctored for a purpose, the guy sleeping on the trash cans looks nothing like a person that sleeps there, they all look like ppl doing a job and getting paid for poses, U would notice that the dumpsite is not even in Nigeria, look at the people in the dumpsite they look nothing like nigerians. Pure water nylon, plastic water bottle and other polythene and plastic material usually make the bulk composition of a typical lagos dumpsite. . The pictures are so clear and precise that they betray the demeaning intents of the so-called documentary. . .Western media are in the habit of highlighting only the ugly side of things that happen in Africa, check out CNN, BBC and co each time there is news about Africa , it is either Sudan,Libya,Congo, Somalia and any war torn part of Africa. They tend to give the impression that only war,hunger and poverty exist in Africa. . Like to say that they are right in their supremist thinking that unless a white man governs us, we would continue to live in hunger and poverty. . Well, am not living in poverty neither am i hungry or live and pray in a dumpsite. . I live just like an average american or european does, may be BBC should also tell their people that. . Facking Colonialists, who does not see through their vail of pretense as if there are no dumpsites in the west or everyone there lives like the president. . .if they cant give us a balanced and unbiased coverage, then let them shove their documentary down their throats, we know the harsh realities already, we would be silly to deny them but we would even be more silly if we allow these kinda pseudonym in the guise of a documentary to poke silly fun at us just to make themselves feel better. .

Stop this whole picture shiznit . . . we are not stupid.
Did you watch the documentary? NO!
So dont come here and give us all this crap.
We that watched it know what we are talking about.

@labiyemmy:

[size=18pt]I think that documentary is like two years old - if i remember, Fashola has cleared that Ojota dumpsite and turned it or part of it into a major park for the much successful BRT buses.[/size]

Who cares how old the film is? If Fashola has close Ojota dumpsite, what happened to the people that use to live in the dumpsite? Did Fashola close them too or did they move on with their lives to somewhere else (a new dump)?

The different between the West and our people is that, if this film is about somewhere in the West, the lives of Eric and Orji will dramtaically change for the best. They will become instant celebrities, everybody will like to seat and eat with them, most company will even adopt them as their image and pay them handsomely. If I happen to see the Eric's music, I will definitly buy it for his sake alone, not the music itself.
But here what many are worried about is that the BBC did not indulge is celebrating a false image of their country just like their leaders.

For crying out loud, they dont sleep there. Thats like their own trade floors, they analyse recyclable movements and close deals in that dump site.Music careers are resuscitated,families are catered for and groups are formed and authorities are respected there.

For the informative part, no part of a cow is wasted.

God bless Nigeria!

@Iceblue, this is a life lesson for all.

Rather than focus on what the next man thinks of you and painting a FALSE picture, focus more on IMPROVING Yourself and the people will see it. Singapore did it, China has done it and is still working hard at it. Iraq is doing it, even Mexico is working on it. Nigeria ought be doing that rather than worrying about which side of the field foreign media chooses to focus on. We cannot continue to make excuses every time someone decides to focus on a particular area and not the one we would prepare they do. You cannot go around controlling what people choose to focus on, but you can work on improving the country so that they have nothing of what you do dnot like, to focus on.

This documentary is for real, it was reported in the newspapers while it was being filmed recently.

This people are enterprising people who take advantage of lack of an organized waste re-cycling system [/b]to earn an [b]honest living.

I am aware of small scale industrialists who buy from them, & can tell u with authority that the average person on that dump site earn more than N15,000 monthly which is what a lot of graduates earn now, & which many more are struggling to get to keep body & Soul together, (Quite above national minimum wage) Hence d REALITY of their happiness.

Relative to the number of people in the trade, very few lv there. I know people in Mushin who head there in the Morning as their 'corporate' office (why are u laughing)

The health risk they are Exposed to is high, but not as bad as some miners face in countries like South Africa.

Believe me there are bigger problems to weep about, if u actually want to weep for Nigeria.

But I can feel u all for your concerns & conclusions within the limits of facts available to you. Cheers

Eziachi:

Who cares how old the film is? If Fashola has close Ojota dumpsite, what happened to the people that use to live in the dumpsite? Did Fashola close them  too or did they move on with their lives to somewhere else (a new dump)?

The different between the West and our people is that, if this film is about somewhere in the West, the lives of Eric and Orji will dramtaically change for the best. They will become instant celebrities, everybody will like to seat and eat with them, most company will even adopt them as their image and pay them handsomely. If I happen to see the Eric's music, I will definitly buy it for his sake alone, not the music itself.
But here what many are worried about is that the BBC did not indulge is celebrating a false image of their country just like their leaders.

Bang on the money! Here's the dude on BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/2010/04/100412_outlook_lagos_dump.shtml
and here's interview he did with the Guardian (UK) - you need to scroll down;

Voices from the margins

ERIC OBUH

Eric, 28, works as a scavenger on the Olusosun landfill site, the largest dump site in Lagos, and has recorded his first album "Send Them Come".

"They call me Slender, Vocal Slender, that's my music name. Because I'm very lean in the face, and because I'm always singing my songs. I have so many songs I still want to record, good songs that I've written, but no one has heard. Songs about divine love, peace and unity in Nigeria, and others which praise all the girls.

"The film crew have made me a website. MySpace. It's not easy to get a website on your own. I know about 200 singers in Ajegunle where I live, but only two or three have websites. Ajegunle is the biggest ghetto in Lagos. It's where all the biggest Nigerian stars come from, people like Daddy Showkey, Baba Fryo, Mighty Mouse, African China, B'Clean, and Nico Gravity. Every night there's a party going on somewhere, people playing music on the street corners, or setting up sound systems to dance to.

"One day I'm going to be more famous than Craig David. Then I'll have enough money to be able to spend all day on my music, instead of working here on the dump. A lot of people who know me, my friends, and my family, they don't know I work in the dump. They believe I just do music. And I want to keep it that way, so I will have respect. It's not that the dump is bad, because the money I get from it keeps my body and soul together, and helps me make my music."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/04/documentary-film-welcome-to-lagos-nigeria

Onlytruth

Nigeria can not sustain a welfare system at this time and if such is attempted it will in fact be a drag on development. Societies where unemployment benefits work are societies where the unemployed are in the minority. But ours is a country where the unemployed is in majority and attempt to create a welfare system now will mean dangerously toying with creating a hall of destitudes.

What we need is a leap on infrastructure development and job creation in other to lift people out of poverty.

A welfare system is not sustainable right now in Nigeria.

It sounds very harsh, but I think its pragmatic.

It doesnt look like Nigeria, and I dnt thin they live there.

and so what niggu dis looks lik every other thirld world country, 80 pecent of the world lives lik this.

see pic niggu





[img]http://nomoreccp.files./2008/10/2004-11-18-china_poverty.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/white/2003/image/ts311103.jpg[/img]
Japan ^^^^^^^^

[img]http://thegirlcanwrite.files./2009/01/poverty_south_america.jpg[/img]
^^ South america


so what is everyone point grows some balls its not a Nigerian thing, its a GLOBAL THING Nigeria still is growing like all third world counries.

Thanks Sjeezy. The difference is that the western media devote virtually 100% of their coverage of poverty to African poverty. This coverage does not reflect the true situation with regard to global poverty. Take India for instance. Half her 1.5 billion population are stark illiterates. That's 750 million people - and they mostly live in poverty with malnourished kids in slums and desolate mud hut villages. The world's biggest slum is not in Africa or in Lagos. It is in Mumbai, India.


Why do we NEVER see such ''documentaries'' on Mumbai on CNN, BBC and other western stations?

At least 30 African countries boast a higher standard of living than India, Pakistan, Bangladesh.

20 have higher living standards than Brazil and China.

Why is this not reflected in the west's racist characterization of Africa as a land of unending blight and hopelessness?

It is right that we attack their propaganda, even when it comes in the form of a ''touching documentary''.

God knows how many billions have been lost  by Africans denied investment and tourism income due to the average non-African's  conception of what being in ''Africa''  entails, fuelled by a rabidly racist western media propaganda assault  against the continent.

ROSSIKE:

Thanks Sjeezy. The difference is that the western media devote virtually 100% of their coverage of poverty to African poverty. This coverage does not reflect the true situation with regard to global poverty. Take India for instance. Half her 1.5 billion population are stark illiterates. That's 750 million people - and they mostly live in poverty with malnourished kids in slums and desolate mud hut villages. The world's biggest slum is not in Africa or in Lagos. It is in Mumbai, India.


Why do we NEVER see such ''documentaries'' on Mumbai on CNN, BBC and other western stations?

At least 30 African countries boast a higher standard of living than India, Pakistan, Bangladesh.

20 have higher living standards than Brazil and China.

Why is this not reflected in the west's racist characterization of Africa as a land of unending blight and hopelessness?

It is right that we attack their propaganda, even when it comes in the form of a ''touching documentary''.

God knows how many billions have been lost  by Africans denied investment and tourism income due to the average non-African's  conception of what being in ''Africa''  entails, fuelled by a rabidly racist western media propaganda assault  against the continent.

Did you watch 'slumdog millionaire'? That was set in a real mumbai slum and they used real slum dwellers for the children. The film also cleaned up at the Oscars last year. I have always said that if an opportunity came for such a story to be set in Nigeria it would never happen. Some Nigerians are way  too stuck up and would rather the foreign film-makers go to Lekki and VI where the real essence of the story would be lost. The BBC couldn't even film a basic drama like 'Blood and Oil' in Nigeria.

And this is just another area where Nigeria fails miserably because of her people's arrogance and egos. I remember being in India and one of the tour guides proudly telling me about the biggest slum in India, Dharavi and mentioning that my trip to mumbai would be incomplete if I were to miss it.

I am sure that there are plenty of Oscar worthy stories ala Slumdog millionaire in Lagos but of course they will never be told because of the obvious.

Did you watch 'slumdog millionaire'? That was set in a real mumbai slum and they used real slum dwellers for the children. The film also cleaned up at the Oscars last year. I have always said that if an opportunity came for such a story to be set in Nigeria it would never happen. Some Nigerians are way  too stuck up and would rather the foreign film-makers go to Lekki and VI where the real essence of the story would be lost. The BBC couldn't even film a basic drama like 'Blood and Oil' in Nigeria.

And this is just another area where Nigeria fails miserably because of her people's arrogance and egos. I remember being in India and one of the tour guides proudly telling me about the biggest slum in India, Dharavi and mentioning that my trip to mumbai would be incomplete if I were to miss it.

I am sure that there are plenty of Oscar worthy stories ala Slumdog millionaire in Lagos but of course they will never be told because of the obvious.

Well said, some people need to dig their heads out of the sand jare. We all know the miracle that Lagos airport did for MMA

EloSela:

Did you watch 'slumdog millionaire'? That was set in a real mumbai slum and they used real slum dwellers for the children. The film also cleaned up at the Oscars last year. I have always said that if an opportunity came for such a story to be set in Nigeria it would never happen. Some Nigerians are way  too stuck up and would rather the foreign film-makers go to Lekki and VI where the real essence of the story would be lost. The BBC couldn't even film a basic drama like 'Blood and Oil' in Nigeria.

And this is just another area where Nigeria fails miserably because of her people's arrogance and egos. I remember being in India and one of the tour guides proudly telling me about the biggest slum in India, Dharavi and mentioning that my trip to mumbai would be incomplete if I were to miss it.

I am sure that there are plenty of Oscar worthy stories ala Slumdog millionaire in Lagos but of course they will never be told because of the obvious.

Most intelligent analysis so far !

wOW, mad poverty!!! So, so, sad!!! Now I get why Ibos resort to drug dealing. kidnapping, human sacrifices, fraud and all other sortsa crimes just to get ahead in the world. Aint nobody tryn to live in no dumpster!!!

Earning a living this, eking a life that 
All I know is that there is something morally wrong with this picture in a country with a GDP of over $300 billion.
I don't care what anyone says. Even the most capitalist western countries have safe nets. That is not socialism. It is called being responsible. If it is possible for a single goon to steal or misappropriate N300 billion, it must be good to pay these hapless Nigerians some type of a stipend.
All these attempts at explaining this away is glib and insulting. 

bk/babe97:

wOW, mad poverty!!! So, so, sad!!! Now I get why Ibos resort to drug dealing. kidnapping, human sacrifices, fraud and all other sortsa crimes just to get ahead in the world. Aint nobody tryn to live in no dumpster!!!

Try and contribute a valid point without some silly comment about Igbos into kidnapping etc.

mikeansy:

Onlytruth

Nigeria can not sustain a welfare system at this time and if such is attempted it will in fact be a drag on development. Societies where unemployment benefits work are societies where the unemployed are in the minority. But ours is a country where the unemployed is in majority and attempt to create a welfare system now will mean dangerously toying with creating a hall of destitudes.

What we need is a leap on infrastructure development and job creation in other to lift people out of poverty.

A welfare system is not sustainable right now in Nigeria.

It sounds very harsh, but I think its pragmatic.

I'm not really calling for "a welfare system" (which is often read as socialist system). I'm calling for a system of safe nets. The Nigerian government needs to bring a social contract with the people whereby the government must be there for the citizen to some extent, and in return, the citizen must love and be loyal to the country.
This our system is a "carry and go" system, a Hobbesian state of nature where life is brutish and short.
Also, it makes some economic sense to consciously infuse money at the grass root level to create a footing for the economy. No economy survives without a footing. What we have now is a thieving system where a plot of land sells for N500 million naira, yet Nigerians are scavenging and living inside dumps. That is an upside down economy.
This mallam CBN governor should have understood this simple economics.

I say it is time to pay Nigerians. Anything would do but make it monthly and collect tax from them as well. That way the government is directly involved in lives of the people and vice versa.

My question is- if they show dump sites in America and scavengers working on the dump sites - will the pictures make you leave America and run to another country?

These are pictures of ppl going about their normal business. Those scavengers sell for some good bucks and BBC goes on in fake screems. E no concern una ooo. Over Sabi.

My question is- if they show dump sites in America and scavengers working on the dump sites - will the pictures make you leave America and run to another country?

Try and see this for what it is, the fact is a vast majority of Nigerians still continue to vacillitate irrational irritability and exorbitant enthusiasm to borrow Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon's phrase.

^^^^

Meaning?

That Nigeria is a third world nation despite its vast resources, that the majority still live below the poverty line yet manage to survive without resorting to crime, that the plush Lekki and VI you so desperately want aired is not the everyday reality of the majority.
Showing a dump does not take away credit from the Fashola government rather i saw the positives  of his governments i.e. waste trucks instead of the carts we had in the past, a responding fire bridage with a functioning fire engine with water. Like I said before try and see this for exactly what it is

naijababe:

That Nigeria is a third world nation despite its vast resources, that the majority still below the poverty line yet manage to survive without resorting to crime, that the plush Lekki and VI you so desperately want aired is not the everyday reality of the majority.
Showing a dump does not take away credit from the Fashola government rather but  i saw the positives  of his governments i.e. waste trucks instead of the carts we had in the past, a responding fire bridage with a functioning fire engine with water. Like I said before try and see this for exactly what it is

well said.

@sjeezy, pls what is your point?

I don't think there is any problem with the bbc showing the down sides of lagos. It's not as if they made up the story. These people exist and deserve a voice.

bk/babe97:

wOW, mad poverty!!! So, so, sad!!! Now I get why Ibos resort to drug dealing. kidnapping, human sacrifices, fraud and all other sortsa crimes just to get ahead in the world. Aint nobody tryn to live in no dumpster!!!

please take your tribalistic self to the appropriate section. bigot.

bk/babe97:

wOW, mad poverty!!! So, so, sad!!! Now I get why Ibos resort to drug dealing. kidnapping, human sacrifices, fraud and all other sortsa crimes just to get ahead in the world. Aint nobody tryn to live in no dumpster!!!

Ignorance.

Naijababe

Noone is advocating that Ikoyi and VI be shown - the point is - showing a dump site and making it seem like the life in Lagos is a complete false hood, a dumpsite is not Lagos, can not be Lagos and it should be seen as what it is, a mere dump site - a mere dump site in America does not represent what America is.