mr.official:

The known name that has been dragging us to the pit.

And this crude unimaginative derivation is any better? However Nigeria is not being dragged anywhere though the same can not be said of some criminal elements of Nigerian extraction.

tensor777:

And this crude unimaginative derivation is any better? However Nigeria is not being dragged anywhere though the same can not be said of some criminal elements of Nigerian extraction.

Oh Menh, why do you sound like this? Are you saying the name Naija has not truly united the nation to an extent? We got tired of the name Nigeria, you got tired of it even before you left for England or you woulda been right here. The point is this, we know our country is Nigeria, we need no one to remind us but why would this woman pay more attention to what we call our nation and care less about the continuous setback this country faces daily? We are patriotic or we woulda given up on Nigeria.

Nigerian Government is shameless and you know it; they are in no position to make this kinda demand for a name change; The street re branded Nigeria ; this is Naija; unlike the pseudo re branding they claimed to have done that has no positive impact. You wanna support this woman, support her on something reasonable.


Naija!

roymary:

Oh Menh, why do you sound like this? Are you saying the name Naija has not truly united the nation to an extent? We got tired of the name Nigeria, you got tired of it even before you left for England or you woulda been right here. The point is this, we know our country is Nigeria, we need no one to remind us but why would this woman pay more attention to what we call our nation and care less about the continuous setback this country faces daily? We are patriotic or we woulda given up on Nigeria.

I have my opinion, you have yours, which is all well and good but thankfully the minister has sent a clear message that this crude derivative is no longer acceptable  which really should be the end of the discussion.
It is that simple.

tensor777:

I have my opinion, you have yours, which is all well and good but thankfully the minister has sent a clear message that this crude derivative is no longer acceptable  which really should be the end of the discussion.
It is that simple.

Ok Sir.


Always unapologetically pro-establishment.

tensor777:

I have my opinion, you have yours, which is all well and good [b]but thankfully the minister has sent a clear message that this crude derivative is no longer acceptable[/b]  which really should be the end of the discussion.
It is that simple.

I'm sure you know how far she's able to go with this, the media might dance to her tune but not the street. During the Flood incidence in Ikorodu, this your much loved woman was asked as the minister of information, what the public should expect from the government as aid; she clearly stated on national TV, " I don't know"

As for me, i just try to do my own quota and make a positive impact and not listen to hypocritical jargons nor the greedy government.

Naija!

Dora needs to take a 'chill pill', does NAFDAC have any of those, ?

i prefer referring to our great nation as naija.even if she ban companies, i, Joe Ruano will continue 2 use d word naija.NAIJA 4 LIFE! its clear dat akunyili is now jobless even tho she occupies an office dat ought 2 keep her busy.make she go boil iron beans.

thats wat u get when u put square pegs in round hole.e be like say she no tink of the implications of her statement b4 she begin run her mouth like brokrn tap.madam,i respect ur works in the food and drug industry,but not this crap of not callin nigeria naija.

This Prof should go back to school if she doesnt have anything else to say. is this the most important problem we have now?

lol. that's funny
I was going to say that it's a generational gap problem but then I realized that even my parents and many grandmas and grandpas I know use the word "naija"

who knows, in the near future, we just might change our official country name from Nigeria to Naija. lol  I won't mind that.
we will just have to figure out how to convince people that Naija and Niger are two different countries.

But seriously Nigeria or any other country  for that matter does not need such a derivative. Here's hoping that the name naija dies an untimely  death.

slyfoxxjoe:

and for all u illiterates saying brits "nickname" their country UK, americans US, australians OZ i can see how trully daft u lot are. those are not "nicknames" but country codes used for porposes of travel and other international relations issues to which nigeria has one too (NG) so why not go about calling it NG instead of naija? fools! tryng to tarnish the image of this great nation and her patriotic daughter . keep up with this attitude and see how far it will get the nation!

Well there is STILL a shocking level of illiteracy and sheer ignorance in Nigeria. I guess this campaign against sloppy words is just part of the ongoing rebranding campaign.

so tensor you don't use the term "naija"?
I thought everyone uses it!!!

I use it and don't see anything wrong in it. what's so bad about it?

tensor777:

But seriously Nigeria or any other country  for that matter does not need such a derivative. Here's hoping that the name naija dies an untimely  death.

Ah, mumu dey sha. You are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, you are not entitled to you own facts.

And the fact is: anybody who is actually connected in anyway to contemporary Nigerian life (who isn’t a member of the political elite, and, thus, far removed from reality) knows that Nigerians have been referring to Nigeria as “Naija” for a long time now. While the heavy use of this phrase is relatively recent, it’s not as if it just started. For Nigerians in Nigeria, it’s probably used in a way to expedite conversation and keep things moving. For Nigerians abroad, it’s mostly used as a term of endearment by which they refer to Nigeria. So, it’s not uncommon to hear people on the streets of England or the U.S., for example, use the word in conversation. (Think: “When you dey go Naija?) Words like “Naija”, “Naij”, “Lasgidi” and “J-town” are obviously used to refer, affectionately, to places Nigerians, home and abroad, feel indelible connection to. Somewhat similar to Jamaicans referring to Jamaica as “Yard” or “J.A.”. Or People from Trinidad & Tobago referring to their home country as “Trini”.

To somehow equate this with illiteracy or vagrancy as you do is, quite frankly, idiotic. What exactly is the problem with Nigerians referring to their home nation as "Naija"? When somebody is able to answer this question intelligently, without resorting to senseless obfuscation, we'd take them serious.

You know what your problem is? It’s not that you are unintelligent – this is not in doubt. Your problem is that, despite the obvious limitations of your brain, you think you are intelligent – this is your problem.

You clearly have limited understanding of Nigerian culture and the Nigerian soul. This is why you would take offence to the fact that people refer to their home nation affectionately as “Naija”. Ironically, people like you, once in the U.S., have no problem with people from South Carolina saying they are from “South Cacchie”, or people from the Brooklyn saying they are from “Brook-nam”, or people from Mississippi saying they are from “Ole Miss”.

These terms are essentially terms of endearment. Nothing more, nothing less. And “Prof.” Akunyili obviously gaffed by making this comment. It is condescending, it is bone-headed and it is moronic.

In the final analysis, in this country, we actually have more serious concerns. People are worried about real things: how they’ll pay their bills, etc. Nobody cares what some elitist politician thinks.

1. The name Nigeria sounds too wayward for me. It is dull and so much connected to corruption and mismanagement. The name Naija brings everything into life. When I walk on the streets of Europe or North America and someone asks me, are you from Nigeria? I will simply say yes and walk away. But if the person uses Naija in place of Nigeria, I will not only say a resounding yes, I would spend few minutes with him, get his name and where in Naija s/he is from.

2. Perhaps the waywardness of the name Nigeria is as a result of the incidence which gave birth to it: prostitution. History teaches us that Nigeria is a term coined by a love peddler (pro.stit.ute) who was picked up by Lord Luggard on his way back from work as the administrator of a new protectorate. Imagine the scene

Lord Lugard: Darling just lie this way on the bed
Ashawo:       ok kiss me
Lord Lugard: Honey you are sweet
Ashawo:       Aah take it is easy
Lord Lugard: I've just merged two protectorate around the Niger River into one
Ashawo:       Oooohhhh!!!
Lord Lugard: Did you hear what I just said
Ashawo:       I have I have I haveee ,  heard (ecstasy)
Lord Lugard: So what name should I give it?
Ashawo: Ni , Ni,   Ni,   Nigeria
Lord Lugard: Ok, I will register the name. You can use the bathroom now if you wish to


Naija is not foreign, it is made in Naija, created in Naija by Naija for Naija people

First heard '9ja' mentioned back in 1993. I do not foresee it dying anytime soon - not with the way Dorathy unwittingly brought it to the fore (apologies to Reuben Abati). Her actions have now caused the phrase, 'agressive black sister' to take on a wholly new meaning.

I am really surprised that this thread did not deviate to and ethnic issue between the Igbos and the Yorubas as usual with one insulting Akunyili as Igbo and the other saying "hey you, leave my sister alone"  Shows we all love NAIJA abi

malabite:

Lord Lugard: Darling just lie this way on the bed
Ashawo:       ok kiss me
Lord Lugard: Honey you are sweet
Ashawo:       Aah take it is easy
Lord Lugard: I've just merged two protectorate around the Niger River into one
Ashawo:       Oooohhhh!!!
Lord Lugard: Did you hear what I just said
Ashawo:       I have I have I haveee ,  heard (ecstasy)
Lord Lugard: So what name should I give it?
Ashawo: Ni , Ni,   Ni,   Nigeria
Lord Lugard: Ok, I will register the name. You can use the bathroom now if you wish to

Act I scene 2

**Ashawo rolls back in**

Ashawo:        Will they like the name?
Lord Lugard: Who?
Ashawo:      The Natives
Lord Lugard: Those Primitive Yes mens?!  Are you out of your mind?!
Ashawo:        Huh?
Lord Lugard: They worship the ground I walk on! I'm their Lord!
Ashawo:       Really?
Lord Lugard: They will rather commit mass suicide than reject any name I call them.
Ashawo:      Oh my Lord, you are so strong, hmm
Lord Lugard: You felt that too. . .  I heard the moans
Ashawo:       Yes my Lord,  take me with you to Nig*er-area

malabite:

1. The name Nigeria sounds too wayward for me. It is dull and so much connected to corruption and mismanagement. The name Naija brings everything into life. When I walk on the streets of Europe or North America and someone asks me, are you from Nigeria? I will simply say yes and walk away. But if the person uses Naija in place of Nigeria, I will not only say a resounding yes, I would spend few minutes with him, get his name and where in Naija s/he is from.

2. Perhaps the waywardness of the name Nigeria is as a result of the incidence which gave birth to it: prostitution. History teaches us that Nigeria is a term coined by a love peddler (pro.stit.ute) who was picked up by Lord Luggard on his way back from work as the administrator of a new protectorate. Imagine the scene

Lord Lugard: Darling just lie this way on the bed
Ashawo:       ok kiss me
Lord Lugard: Honey you are sweet
Ashawo:       Aah take it is easy
Lord Lugard: I've just merged two protectorate around the Niger River into one
Ashawo:       Oooohhhh!!!
Lord Lugard: Did you hear what I just said
Ashawo:       I have I have I haveee ,  heard (ecstasy)
Lord Lugard: So what name should I give it?
Ashawo: Ni , Ni,   Ni,   Nigeria
Lord Lugard: Ok, I will register the name. You can use the bathroom now if you wish to


Naija is not foreign, it is made in Naija, created in Naija by Naija for Naija people

Kilode?!:

Act I scene 2

**Ashawo rolls back in**

Ashawo:        Will they like the name?
Lord Lugard: Who?
Ashawo:      The Natives
Lord Lugard: Those Primitive Yes mens?!  Are you out of your mind?!
Ashawo:        Huh?
Lord Lugard: They worship the ground I walk on, I'm their Lord!
Ashawo:       Really?
Lord Lugard: They will rather commit mass suicide than reject any name I call them.
Ashawo:      Oh my Lord, you are so strong, hmm
Lord Lugard: You felt that too. . .  I heard the moans
Ashawo:       Yes my Lord,  take me with you to nig*er-area

^^^

Wiki entry on the Rationale behind Flora Shaws Christening of "Niger-area"

In her essay Shaw was making a case for a shorter term that would be used for the "agglomeration of pagan and Mahomedan States" that was functioning under the official title, "Royal Niger Company Territories". She thought that the term "Royal Niger Company Territories" was too long to be used as a name of a Real Estate Property under the Trading Company in that part of Africa.

Na our people she call pagan so o.

She referred to our lands like some mere "Real Estate" property for her shaggin partners  

And Dora con dey foam for mouth because of that name? Mtcheew!

We've created our own shorter term!

Sango fire Ashawo Flora Shaw for grave!

Na Ija (it is fight!)

[b]She has been preaching to us to like our own and use what is our. we created the word 9ja and we are using  like good disciples and now she says it is disrespectful, Must we always live by the standards of our white colonialists ? after all the Americans call the US Yankee and they are very comfortable with it.
Sum one should help me tell her that. that is not our problem for now.our problems are;
electricity
food on our tables
security
good hospitals with quality and affordable drugs
a functional public sector educational system
and lots of myriads of problems that time and space will not let me write down for now.[/b]

She should be kidnapped and made to do series of frog-jump shouting 'NAIJA IS MY COUNTRY' on top of every jump. Rubbish!

The word Nigeria has an element of fraud in it and for the oldschool men who got free education and refused to give back to the people instead they are stealing more,while niaja is for boys who.m are about to steal mandate from the oldschool men.I hope she would read this and explain the national executive council's decision on NTA tonight.Thats what Parmacist now do.She should have studied secretarial studies so she could be a reporter or typist

tensor777:

There is nothing wrong at all with the present name Nigeria. so no need to start another pointless debate.
However the minister is absolutely right that Nigeria should be known by its proper name and not a lazy sloppy derivation.

Yeah and no one should say DORA again, always say DOROTHY . . . . .really ''naija'' is our most pressing problem.Nobody should even say '' Glo'' again always say GLOBACOM.Really she and all her supporters are clueless. Naija is an appellation that she can use very well to foster more unity and sense of patriotism.

she sshould go and look for a job abeg. we hae many more problems in Naija and that has nothing to do with the name naija.

For me,  I do not like Nigeria nor do I like Naija,
But each time I hear the term "Naija," It points out to me how highly dissatisfied Young Nigerians have become with not only the imposed identity, the environment and the polity it self, it tells me that many are ready to do something to change what they have become, but leaves a bitter taste in my mounth as I wonder what is holding us back from that revolution!

Anyone who truly understands the meaning of a people willfully changing there name, should understand why their current government can not love that name. That is also why I often get awed when I see corporate organisations use it without worries, I thought it was the wind of change building its roots, but alas its been almost a decade and the hope fades like a night star on a cloudy sky! For our time, I only shrug my shoulder as I watch my mates fight teneciously to hold onto their dear term "Naija," then a flicker of hope, my be its our children who will fight the real fight, just maybe, but will it not be too late.

madam minister, u are loosing it ma'am. focus on so,something more important plzzz

Dora, i sure do respect you, but its apparent you all have run out of ideas. what a waste,

KenGali:

For me,  I do not like Nigeria nor do I like Naija,
But each time I hear the term "Naija," It points out to me how highly dissatisfied Young Nigerians have become with not only the imposed identity, the environment and the polity it self, it tells me that many are ready to do something to change what they have become, but leaves a bitter taste in my mounth as I wonder what is holding us back from that revolution!

Anyone who truly understands the meaning of a people willfully changing there name, should understand why their current government can not love that name. That is also why I often get awed when I see corporate organisations use it without worries, I thought it was the wind of change building its roots, but alas its been almost a decade and the hope fades like a night star on a cloudy sky! For our time, I only shrug my shoulder as I watch my mates fight teneciously to hold onto their dear term "Naija," then a flicker of hope, my be its our children who will fight the real fight, just maybe, but will it not be too late.

What on earth are you on about? So many words, yet so little substance.

@ Dora Akinyuli >>> You were once the gem and pride of the nation; An enduring example of the virtuous woman, one who particularly made a difference in the murky waters of the Nigerian polity. You saved lives by your uncompromising nature and all the world held you in high esteem. I remember thanking God for a woman like you when the infamous 'Ettehgate' scandal occurred such was the potency of your virtue

UNTIL >>> you made the mistake of joining the powers-that-be who are characterized by their penchant for chasing shadows while the stone remains unturned. First it was the 'Nigerian image' palaver, now you needlessly vex of the brand 'Naija' >>> what next 

I am ashamed to hear this kind of news about a person of your stature >>> when you chose to accept the office of the MOI >>> l joined other well-intentioned and concerned individuals in warning you about potential pitfalls >>> we pleaded that you stepped down from the stage when the ovation was highest >>> You refused to listen (and still refuse to_step down b4 it is too late !!!) >>> we gave you the benefit of doubt >>> but by the passing month, our worst fears are confirmed >>> You are becoming 'them' >>> om a se o 

@ topic >>> don't mind the jobless lady >>> this is what Naija means to me >>> 'Naija' is the rendezvous of the Nigerian youth >>> it is borne out of the hopelessness and despondency of the Nigerian question >>> it is our wazobia >>> the rebel of a young turk against a name given by aliens who subjugated us >>> despise that name and despise the very soul of what the hope of Nigeria is hinged upon >>> Youths, who despite all, believe in the greatness of their nation

In kaduna ,we call our city kd,In Jos it is called J town ,in Lagos its lasgidis etc.So madam calling nigeria naija is our own(masses) way of rebranding Nigeria

sun_temi:

  Someone should find this woman a job. She's so so jobless this days.

Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija Naija

Is it the Naija we call Nigeria that makes Nigeria corrupt? Madam, grow up. Get busy.

Madam minister is sure jobless this days and just needs her voice to be heard.Can't u guyz see? I am sure madam sees nothing wrong in United states citizens referig to their country as uncle sam,and British people referring to theirs as JAND.Give us a break.