First of all, the conclusions I draw are mainly from my own analysis of my experiences with the few Nigerians I have met within the past eight months in the US of A and might not reflect an exact 'typical nigerian mindset'. I am a 17 year old Nigerian, currently a college student in the US. Within the time I've spent, I have discussed with a number of Nigerians (mostly college students and a few relatives) about plans to contribute to the development of Nigeria and the conversations usually proceed as such

Me: Do you plan on going back to Nigeria soon?
Nigerian: Yes
Me: I mean to stay and try to make a contribution to the society
Nigerian: Hell no
Me: Why?
Nigerian:
Me: because of the insecurity, poverty, corruption, crime, etc? (usually they bring this up themselves)
Nigerian: *nods profusely* Of course
Me: don't you think if everyone of us go back to nigeria to make any little contribution with the knowledge of the more-developed world, we might be able to change something? i mean, we might not change the whole of nigeria, but we can change at least one other nigerian's who can make things right?
Nigerian: *scratches head* ________________________ (insert any ridiculous excuse)
Me:
the conversation becomes really awkward afterwards

While I totally understand that people rightfully migrate for various reasons, I also know that a country is nothing without people to own it, nurture it and call it theirs. Most of the Nigerians want to be Americans just to live the "good" life Americans live. I know a number of Nigerians that would tell you "I'm an American, but, umm, my parents are originally from Nigeria", but however get butt-hurt and pick up defense when any non-Nigerian points out that Nigeria's messed up in any way. A majority want to be Americans and Nigerians at the same time i.e most families I have met at different "nigerian" gatherings try to bring their children up as they would in Nigeria (they teach them to prostrate to elders, to say "good morning sir/ma", never to shake an older person's hands and all that culture shyt); they love the Nigerian lifestyle/culture, but can't stand to fight for it. This makes me wonder, are Nigerians are wired to be hedonistic?


PS: Ignore any typos or irrelevant rant, I was really dizzy when I wrote this. I just didn't want to forget
btw TO BE CONTINUED

I can tell you are really 17 years old. When you are my age and there is no more bank of daddy and mummy and you've got to provide for your own kids, come back and tell me this your patriotic story. Basically come back in about 20 years and tell me the same story. Good luck.

You can't really blame them, Nigeria's case looks hopeless.

We have an election coming up and every Nigerian already  knows the wrongest guy would win and the looting and bad leadership will continue.

We have been witnessing the spiraling of pessimism and melancholic conclusions that nothing good will ever come out of Nigeria; But pessimism is very dangerous and has the power to divide society and even destabilise it.

ONCE YOU ARE A NIGERIAN,
YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A NIGERIAN

no matter what citizenship you carry
omo they that are there knows that we
that are here are happier.

ok tell me where else on eath can you see
the same number of people that share the
same color [black] with you?

One of the best posts I have seen on Nairaland in a while!!!

Before I returned to Nigeria, I had this kind of sampling with many Nigerians. The same response you've gotten is the same response I got.
I returned , notwithstanding. Today, I can say categorically that, there are much better prospects in Nigeria for Nigerians abroad than there are prospects in the best countries abroad.

What many people don't realize is that Inefficiencies= Opportunities. Everything in Nigeria is inefficient, hence Nigeria is awash with too many opportunities.

Horus:

We have been witnessing the spiraling of pessimism and melancholic conclusions that nothing good will ever come out of Nigeria; But pessimism is very dangerous and has the power to divide society and even destabilise it.

IMO I think most of us believe that Nigeria can be a better place, but none of us want to get our hands dirty or work to make it happen. Most of those I know talk endlessly about Nigeria's problems and possible solutions, but get up the next morning to their various places of work in the states. That's where it ends, the talk. Every one has an idea or two, but the question is "Who will bell the cat?" and my answer right now is "Definitely not any Nigerian I know of"

PapaBrowne:

One of the best posts I have seen on Nairaland in a while!!!

Before I returned to Nigeria, I had this kind of sampling with many Nigerians. The same response you've gotten is the same response I got.
I returned , notwithstanding. Today, I can say categorically that, there are much better prospects in Nigeria for Nigerians abroad than there are prospects in the best countries abroad.

What many people don't realize is that Inefficiencies= Opportunities. Everything in Nigeria is inefficient, hence Nigeria is awash with too many opportunities.

opportunities for who or what exactly? certainly opportunities to make money is abound, yes you employ people, pay more tax but majority that return are not doing it because they want to improve the 'country' same way the people that migrated to other countries are not doing it to help those people or improve their healthcare, education,
or space programmes

if people return to Nigeria they wont really go start up an NGO to fight for these developmental rights

pappilo:

I can tell you are really 17 years old. When you are my age and there is no more bank of daddy and mummy and you've got to provide for your own kids, come back and tell me this your patriotic story. Basically come back in about 20 years and tell me the same story. Good luck.

gbao

Dis Guy:

gbao

pappilo:

I can tell you are really 17 years old. When you are my age and there is no more bank of daddy and mummy and you've got to provide for your own kids, come back and tell me this your patriotic story. Basically come back in about 20 years and tell me the same story. Good luck.

at your assumptions. What makes the both of you think I'm living off my parents' pockets? And I still don't see what my age has to do with the question I'm asking, because even if I were 50 years old, the same effing thing is still prevalent -- people are bailing out of Nigeria every second without a second look backwards.

Also, in a way, you're still bringing up the same question. You're speculating that as a Nigerian, I cannot be patriotic and successful at the same time (I won't be able to feed my kids and I would have to bail to another country too in search of the "good life",  which was the same thing I was ranting about. Is abandoning Nigeria for the "good life" the ultimate end? last time I checked, the most successful/developed countries were the ones whose people stuck together to strive towards perfection. so are we, Nigerians, basically hedonistic by default?

Staying put in Nigeria or returning to Nigeria is not necessarily being patriotic

Not saying you live off your parents but when you grow older your needs will change and your priorities will be different
many people living outside Nigeria are actually able to do more for nigeria  than when they were actually inside


And there are many reason why people 'abadon' nigeria- to get quality education, to get qualitative work experience, to basically better yourself! if you cant better yourself then you can better your society, you have nothing to give you follow the same path you know you think along the same line etc etc

the most successful countries borrowed ideas from different countries then patch them together to form a better one

timmy2409:

at your assumptions. What makes the both of you think I'm living off my parents' pockets? And I still don't see what my age has to do with the question I'm asking, because even if I were 50 years old, the same effing thing is still prevalent -- people are bailing out of Nigeria every second without a second look backwards.

Also, in a way, you're still bringing up the same question. You're speculating that as a Nigerian, I cannot be patriotic and successful at the same time (I won't be able to feed my kids and I would have to bail to another country too in search of the "good life",  which was the same thing I was ranting about. Is abandoning Nigeria for the "good life" the ultimate end? last time I checked, the most successful/developed countries were the ones whose people stuck together to strive towards perfection. so are we, Nigerians, basically hedonistic by default?

LOL@Topic!

It's a tough one. I don't know about hedonism, that's rather a strong conclusion to draw. But Nigerians are definitely not nationalistic. I doubt there is anything that can be done about that, cos you can't force people to love what they don't love. And let's face fact, we don't really have any reason to be, since the foundation laid for us all was one of greed and corruption. Why should our generation feel different about things? Life isn't like that.

If you ask me, it is on us that live at home to try to change things. To change things, we have to somehow change ourselves. Like Tupac said 'let's change the way we live, the way we eat, the way we treat each other'. I tell myself this all the time.

Dis Guy:

Staying put in Nigeria or returning to Nigeria is not necessarily being patriotic

Not saying you live off your parents but when you grow older your needs will change and your priorities will be different
many people living outside Nigeria are actually able to do more for nigeria  than when they were actually inside


And there are many reason why people 'abadon' nigeria- to get quality education, to get qualitative work experience, to basically better yourself! if you cant better yourself then you can better your society, you have nothing to give you follow the same path you know you think along the same line etc etc

the most successful countries borrowed ideas from different countries then patch them together to form a better one

I agree with this fully.

@timmy2409,

Go read up, in detail, on Nigeria's history. To make your work easier, focus on the period 1954 - 1979 (25 years). How do you hope to understand the present without understanding the past.

The personality disorders observed in an adult may be explained by the emotional/psychological trauma he/she suffered as a child.

Thank you.