The Israeli agronomist named Ian Kedem was responding to a question on Quora that said "Why is Nigeria such a terrible country?" Reading his response, you can see him trying not to hurt our feeling. Yet, he ended up hitting the nail on the head and - as if we are the nail - it hurts. For me, however, what hurts most is that, his remarks may still go on deaf ears. See what he said:

I'm an Israeli that lived in Nigeria for 5 years working on an agricultural project in Plateau State.

Nigeria is no better or no worse than any other country in the world. Every country has it's advantages and dis-advantages.

The leadership is the biggest Nigerian problem with rife corruption and lack of basic humanity.

The Nigerian people are suffering from a lack of leadership and too much religious dogma.

One of the main problems with Nigerians is that they are too tolerant of their politicians. No strikes or protest marches for justice. They have come to terms with the fact that they have to bribe a government official, customs officer, police officer, immigration officer just to progress in life.

I am refering to the bold lines my people. What do you think about what he said?

100% correct.

Correct

People dont see giving 50naira to police as a crime, they see it as norms and constitutional right of security work forces, and so failure to do so is then termed as CRIME. We are finished

The only surprising thing here is that even a foreigner knows this.

Of course we all know this too and are good with the Stockholm syndrome lifestyle.

An attempt to dare to be different or challenge the status quo would even attract hues and cries from the most unlikely of folks...your very own immediate family.

The language is usually, just settle them make dem no waste your time or, na you wan change Nigeria?

We are the most docile of beings and the entire world are a witness to this inalienable truth.

Na big big English and online we dey get mouth as I just type so.

Self-centeredness is our bane as a people.

Where are dss official they should charge this one and detain him and senate should pass that hate speech bill sharp sharp

You want Nigeria to change? Let me give you idea.

Find a way to clone and control 100,000 human-eating zombies with bullet-proof skin (thick multiple layers of crocodile and hippo skins may do) release them in Abuja at the strategic points to hunt down only politicians, their supporters and maybe their family members.

The ruling politicians at state levels will run out of the country without anyone telling them.

When the country is cleansed and you have a clean slate, neutralize or hibernate the creatures.

Problem solved.

The annoying thing with NPF is; they always think giving them 50 naira is their birthright

I have said it many times. Nigeria's problem is not leadership but followership. It is out of the abundance of the heart, that the mouth speaks. It is from amongst the multitude that a leader is chosen. If the multitude are mostly bad or corrupt, chances are that bad or corrupt leaders will always emerge. When Buhari told Nigerians that change begins with us, some ignoramuses were mocking the statement. Look at our power sector in the hand of Nigerians even after privatization.

So this post don't reach NL.. I saw the post yesterday, screenshot it and shared on my WhatsApp status..
Well, its a wake-up call to us.
cc. lalasticala
mynd44

Who wan protest?

Make them kill you troway...

This man has confirmed what we keep saying that leadership, not corruption, is Nigeria's number one problem.

A good leader will stamp out corruption.

And insist Custom and Police stop taking bribes from us.

I no even know whether we get hope.

I can kill myself oh
I no care again oh.
I can come and die oh

LabDNA:
You want Nigeria to change? Let me give you idea.

Find a way to clone and control 100,000 human-eating zombies with bullet-proof skin (thick multiple layers of crocodile and hippo skins may do) release them in Abuja at the strategic points to hunt down only politicians, their supporters and maybe their family members.

The ruling politicians at state levels will run out of the country without anyone telling them.

When the country is cleansed and you have a clean slate, neutralize or hibernate the creatures.

Problem solved.

Will the new sect of politicians be any different
You seem to forget that the problem of Nigeria is Nigerians.

Lack of humanity and too much religious dogma...

CLICK

It's not like we don't know these things..
Who wan protest.
Ask sowore wetin him eye see

Nigerians too fear for their lives

Nigeria's problem is bigger than what you can imagine. Even if you start talking about 9ja's issues from now till infinity, you won't finish talking about it cos the more you look, the less you see. Nigeria needs to be recolonized. We are so senseless and lawless. The followers are as guilty as the leaders. It's a 50/50 thing. Almost all Nigerians are unpatriotic. The only reason why you and I have not abused public office is because we are not there yet. In fact, people expect you to loot.

It's not like we're too tolerant of our rulers, but our hands are tied.
Going out to protest in Nigeria is like playing a huge gambling with your life. It's 50/50. I always advice people to say their last prayers before going to protest.

Police, army, DSS, and every other gun carrying agency will come there and shoot sporadically. If it gets you, that's the end for you.

All what will follow is "RIP"

I always say that I will not be the one to die before Nigeria becomes a better country. (It's not as if it'll change anyway) So let's continue with the status quo.

Did you see what happened during the Kogi elections today? The governor knew he performed badly, but he just won't give up that sit, even if it means having many voters killed. Tell me, would you like to be the victim of their quest for power?

There's serious problem in this country and this will be a joke compared to what will happen in say 10, 15 years time.

Just run out from this country while you can


Nnamdi Kanu was right, nigeria is truly a zoo.

Only a JJ Rawlings approach can reset this country.

His own country, Israel, was established in 1948 by war - killing, robbing and displacing millions of Palestinians of their land.

Till today they oppress the Palestinians, deny them basic rights, build thousands of houses on their land, and suppress all dissent, while colluding with the US govt to maintain this oppression, and ignoring countless UN resolutions aimed at protecting the Palestinians and/or granting them their own state.

His own country is founded on, and sustained by, the oppression of the weak.

He needs to pull the speck from his own eye before pointing out the speck in another's.

Rosskiki:
His own country, Israel, was established in 1948 by war - killing, robbing and displacing millions of Palestinians of their land.

Till today they oppress the Palestinians, deny them basic rights, build thousands of houses on their land, and suppress all dissent, while colluding with the US govt to maintain this oppression, and ignoring countless UN resolutions aimed at protecting the Palestinians and/or granting them their own state.

His own country is founded on, and sustained by, the oppression of the weak.

He needs to pull the speck from his own eye before pointing out the speck in another's.

This envious nonsense about Israel's crimes of oppression of Palestinians (which is true) is irrelevant to his observations about the systemic failures of Nigerian society. Fact is millions of Jews fled Europe, the Middle East and North Africa to Israel and founded a successful, wealthy, enterprising, resourceful, innovative first-world nation whose high tech sector is the envy of the world - 2nd only to Silicon Valley - and they did it on a largely barren land with next to nothing in natural resources. They accomplished this while Nigeria, with all its natural and mineral resources and arable land remains an unproductive shiithole. So, if Israelis are talking about how to run a successful, productive nation, shut up and listen.

Obi1kenobi:


This envious nonsense about Israel's crimes of oppression of Palestinians (which is true) is irrelevant to his observations about the systemic failures of Nigerian society.

Err... no it's not. If he's gonna criticise Nigeria, we need to look at where he is coming from, which is Israel, a country that has MAJORITY of the world's nations at the UN voting against its oppression of the Palestinians whose lands they seized and still occupy.

Fact is millions of Jews fled Europe, the Middle East and North Africa to Israel and founded a successful, wealthy, enterprising, resourceful, innovative first-world nation whose high tech sector is the envy of the world - 2nd only to Silicon Valley

By stealing and robbing others of their land? I know in your soulless brain, the end justifies the means. So what if millions of women and children are slaughtered and robbed? Hey we build great computers. The ''envy of the world''. The world will not descend to your depravity and barbarism.

and they did it on a largely barren land with next to nothing in natural resources.

They get billions of dollars in US aid and technology transfer each year, plus (politically driven) easy access to western markets for their finished products (something denied African countries via sky-high tariffs etc). What are you talking about? Stop pretending like they were just stuck out there in the desert, and then brilliance and inspiration just came to them, and they built a ''first world nation'' out of nothing but sand. Save that fairytale BOLLOCKS for your fellow racist simpletons and airhead goons.

They accomplished this while Nigeria, with all its natural and mineral resources and arable land remains an unproductive shiithole. So, if Israelis are talking about how to run a successful, productive nation, shut up and listen.

Israel has only 8 million people. Since the 1940s, they've received countless billions of dollars each year, from the US. They can literally be ''anything they wanna be'', with little stress.

Culturally, ethnically, and religiously homogeneous, with no real internal conflicts, they do not face the challenges of a multicultural, multilingual, multi-ethnic, multi-religious 200 million strong behemoth like Nigeria established by Europeans at the ignoble Berlin conference of 1884. A country designed solely for the evacuation of resources to Europe. Can't blame us too much for needing some time to sort out the mess.. Blame your greedy forbears, white boy.

Nigeria moved from Ruthless brutal Monarchy system where kings sold people as slaves and behead people over silly issues, then came the brutal Colonialist and white supremacist that controled us with brutal forces of the Royal Army of her Majesty that chased the most revered Kings to exile, and imprisoned any person..

The little true freedom we had through first republic democracy was shortlived and hijack by extremely brutal Military Dictators that dont mind sacrificing the lives of millions of people over power play of meaningless civil war..

All this Brutal oppression has left a stron mark in us to fear the Authorities, until recently after JEGA gave us PVCs and we can now rise up to defend ourselves or simply sell our votes to whoever we wish to


..

NaijaDonCast:
People dont see giving 50naira to police as a crime, they see it as norms and constitutional right of security work forces, and so failure to do so is then termed as CRIME. We are finished

This is very true. I was on a bike yesterday evening when the bikeman said he had paid up #600 in just a day to bribe different policemen at different checkpoints. My co-passenger simply asked 'For what?', the biker himself couldn't give a definite answer just said that's how they've met it and how will he claim to be different. These were just 2 policemen terrorising bikemen of more than 50 collecting ₦100+ on daily basis for no reason at all. It's until we decide with unity of purpose to go against oppressors we'll continue to be on this level

Oluwatosean:
CLICK

It's not like we don't know these things..
Who wan protest.
Ask sowore wetin him eye see

Nigerians too fear for their lives

we are not scared but the system both executive judiciary and the legislative are now a single unit where the supremacy of checks and balance for the guidance of the common man is now subject to a single person who is truly power drunk

Rosskiki:
His own country, Israel, was established in 1948 by war - killing, robbing and displacing millions of Palestinians of their land.

Till today they oppress the Palestinians, deny them basic rights, build thousands of houses on their land, and suppress all dissent, while colluding with the US govt to maintain this oppression, and ignoring countless UN resolutions aimed at protecting the Palestinians and/or granting them their own state.

His own country is founded on, and sustained by, the oppression of the weak.

He needs to pull the speck from his own eye before pointing out the speck in another's.

But despite all, Israel is doing very well as a country. Last time I checked, 3 Israeli Shekel gets is equal to 1 Dollar

But you need over N300 to get one US Dollar

Even though everyone knows that the system Nigeria operates is backwards, rotten, unfair and fraudulent, people live in denial

In truth, Nigeria is a country of sectional interests, there is no national interest

gidgiddy:


But despite all, Israel is doing very well as a country.

You say ''despite'' as if their atrocities are somehow a hindrance to them. It is precisely because of their oppression and theft of others' lands - trampling on the weak - while receiving billions of $ in US aid - astronomical for a nation of just 8 million people, that they are ''doing well as a country'', or even existing as a country.

Imagine today that the people of Ikoyi used their mega money to organise the expulsion of everyone from Lagos mainland in order to claim it for a new ''Ikoyi republic''.. And they achieve this through war, massacres, and land seizures, slaughtering millions and displacing millions more, and then a few years later, the entire mainland looks like Ikoyi, with a few rich people populating it, while the former residents of the mainland are caged in their millions in hideous ghettos far away..

Would you go around praising 'Ikoyi Republic' for creating ''a great country''?

The Israeli forgot to mention what led to the contributing factors, tribalism.

Religion is the bane of Nigerians. Everyone is always saying "...God will pick up my call..." hence Nigerians do not really see the connection between bad governance and the miserable life of the average person. The moment God 'picks up' the 'call' of the average Nigerian, then he feels specially 'chosen' by God and see ZERO need for his/her fellow citizens to have a better life. If I am lying talk to the average Nigerian and see what comes out of their mouth.

Rosskiki:


You say ''despite'' as if their atrocities are somehow unfavourable to them. It is precisely because of their oppression and theft of others' lands - trampling on the weak - while receiving billions in US aid - astronomical for a nation of just 8 million people, that they are ''doing well as a country''.

When juxtapose that to Nigerian situation where people are oppressed, different atrocities committed, grabbing peoples lands and insisting they must be Nigerians wether they want it or not.

Nigeria is as guilty as Israel but the difference is that while Nigeria is poverty capital of the world, Israel is the 20th richest country in the world

gidgiddy:


When juxtapose that to Nigerian situation where people are oppressed, different atrocities committed, grabbing peoples lands and insisting they must be Nigerians wether they want it or not.

Nigeria is as guilty as Israel but the difference is that while Nigeria is poverty capital of the world, Israel is the 20th richest country in the world

Israel has just 8 million mouths to feed while Nigeria has 200 million. Israel can easily feed and house 8 million folks with their billions of dollars in US aid per year, and use the rest for technology or whatever. Nigeria has no such luxury.

And this ''poverty capital'' nonsense is also highly misleading and a needless smear, as it conveniently omits the fact that Nigeria has the 2nd largest middle class in Africa after Egypt, making it a major hub of wealth generation on the continent.

https://qz.com/africa/1486764/how-big-is-africas-middle-class/

[s]

solmusdesigns:



Nigeria moved from Ruthless brutal Monarchy system where kings sold people as slaves and behead people over silly issues, then came the brutal Colonialist and white supremacist that controled us with brutal forces of the Royal Army of her Majesty that chased the most revered Kings to exile, and imprisoned any person..

The little true freedom we had through first republic democracy was shortlived and hijack by extremely brutal Military Dictators that dont mind sacrificing the lives of millions of people over power play of meaningless civil war..

All this Brutal oppression has left a stron mark in us to fear the Authorities, until recently after JEGA gave us PVCs and we can now rise up to defend ourselves or simply sell our votes to whoever we wish to


..

[/s]

Ezewuzie01:
I have said it many times. Nigeria's problem is not leadership but followership. It is out of the abundance of the heart, that the mouth speaks. It is from amongst the multitude that a leader is chosen. If the multitude are mostly bad or corrupt, chances are that bad or corrupt leaders will always emerge. When Buhari told Nigerians that change begins with us, some ignoramuses were mocking the statement. Look at our power sector in the hand of Nigerians even after privatization.

I did not agree. Nigerians can't change when govt is still corrupt and continues to do wrong things with strong policies n law to support that change