I am sad …… and disturbed ....

My heart bleeds to see this level of callousness in a society of humans.
What could these boys have done to deserve this kind of treatment? Cultism? Stealing?

After reading thru many posts, my conclusion is that an average Nigerian is heinous
and capable of murder with little provocation, but he does not realize his level of heinousness.

He thinks he's pious because he goes to church or mosque regularly, but he has no
calms with cold blooded murder of alleged "criminals" who may be innocent after all.

If we accuse our armed forces of lack of due process, what can we classify the murder of four alleged thieves/cultists to be?

Life is sacred and must be preserved at all costs.

Why are some rejoicing over what is clearly an act of babarism? Have you considered that
you and your group of friends may be apprehended by some blood-thirsty vigilantes
and be subjected to the same kind of treatment?

Four families and their friends are grieving, and some are gloating and
rejoicing, and some are even asking for more pictures to whet their warped mind.

Are we sane at all? Are we so apathetic that we lack basic compassion for our fellow human beings?

Every law abiding person should condemn what these self proclaimed executioners had done.
You never know, you may be their next victim.

If Nigerians must murder anyone in cold blood at all, let it be those who have
debased you, plunder your wealth, and continue to do so with impunity.

Let it be known that I do not support any act of criminality by anyone; and certainly not justifying stealing or cultism.
I just want a society that recognizes that life is sacred where I would not be grabbed on the street by some vigilante and be summarily executed.


@ Oyb,
I wish you well, and hope you recover well both physically and emotionally.

I nominate Gbawe.
Katsumoto is a close second, even though IMO, I think katz is the most articuale NLer. I nominate Gbawe because he
talks more on diverse issues. Katz undeniably is the King of facts and references concerning Nigeria's history.
He never misses a beat.

KnowAll:

A governorship aspirant in Ogun State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, has said that the state’s economy would be among the top four in Nigeria by 2015.

He stated this at an interactive media chat in Abeokuta at the weekend where he also disclosed that his blueprint to turn around the economy of the state would soon be made public.

He also disclosed that the roadmap was predicated on a four developmental agenda which included: growing our economy; providing quality social services; strengthening our people and society; and energising government and polity.

Isiaka, the consensus aspirant of the Ogun West senatorial district for the governorship office, revealed that currently Ogun State Gross Domestic product (GDP) was the ninth largest GDP in the country estimated at US$10.47billion.

He said with the state’s active population of 4.26million, its nearness to Lagos and the expertise he was bringing to the administration as an investment banker, Ogun State would be amongst the top four economies in Nigeria.

He said that if the natural and human resources were well harnessed in line with its comparative advantage, Ogun State’s economy shall compare favourably with the economy of Ghana ($31.23 billion) or Cote D’Ivoire ($32.8 billion) and shall definitely be bigger than the economy of Benin Republic ($12.5billionn), or Mali ($14.18million).


[size=14pt]Where is that man from Ghana, when I said the economy of Ghana is less or equals to the economy of Agege(a run down suburb of Lagos) that cannot be further from the truth how much more comparing the whole of Nigeria with Ghana [/size]

It would be nice to see a blueprint of how he proposes to achieve this economic growth.
Protracting an economy from $10 billion to surpass $31 billion is not an easy feat given the fact that a governor is limited to no more than eight years in office.
Talk is cheap, action is what is needed.

Fela was a great man without a shadow of doubt. His music speaks of injustice meted out to Nigerians by military dictators.
There is no doubt Fela would support Biafra's cause given the disposition of Fela to injustice.

If I were in the same shoes as Easterners in the North during the unfortunate events of 60s when blood-thirsty Hausas were
going on killing spree, I probably would support Biafra.
Nobody wants to his people being slaughtered without wanting to retaliate.

Having said that, Okujwu committed some serious blunders; notably, lack of preparation and underestimating the strength of the Nigerian army.
He was ill-prepared for the war itself and the likely fall-out from war. War is hell, and it should  be eschewed at all costs.

Also, invading the Mid-West and West was the biggest blunder committed by Ojukwu because that was what pitied the Mid-West and West against Biafra.  Prior to the invasion of MW, the SW and MW were neutral parties to the war. The fallout from that invasion is what we read mostly on NL
Igbos may blame Awolowo for his war strategy, the fact is that Ojukwu wasn't making a social call when he invaded SW.

For those who say Ojukwu was trying to liberate Yoruba, how logical does that sound? Biafra was under serious invasion from the East , in fact, some Eastern cities had already fallen during the first month of the war.  Given the fact Biafra house was already on fire, what sense would it make for Ojukwu to abandon his own house  (Biafra) that was on fire and attempt to rescue the MW and SW that were not on fire?

Truth is the march westward by Biafra was a military strategy that backfired. It was an attempt to surprise the Nigerian army at its perceived weakest link.

kettykin:


Please if the yorubas are not cowards , then what really is the meaning of coward or cowardice,

If a people had 17 of their general imprisoned by one man ( Abacha) and could not do any thing about it . Only to match and demonstrate in the streets of london and US, if the people had their prominent people assasinated in their home base and couldn't do anything about it. Then I would love to be coward.

For the purpose of history lesson, would you care to name the 17 Yoruba generals that were imprisoned by Abacha?
Waiting ,

jason12345:

vangogh, continue on this path!!! you are intelligent. this are the kind of people yoruba land and nigeria needs.

Jason,

Thanks, - just trying to point the obvious to Ezeuche. The destiny of Nigerians are so inextricably intertwined that actions/inactions of one region affect the others.

We can collectively choose to build a nation that we will all be proud of or we can continue to be the ridicule of Europeans.
Europeans just see us as Africans, they could care less who is Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Edo or Efik.
The sooner we understand this the better for us.

EzeUche0:

And you are entitled to your views as well. These are your facts. There may be some truth in your words, but to make such bold statements, they have to be refuted in its entirety.

I will continue to say that the Yoruba nation is only a shadow of its former glory. Maybe because of colonialism, or maybe because of being stuck in this contraption called Nigeria, the Yoruba nation has not been able to rise since the days of the Oyo Empire.

Humanity has not changed over the centuries. Force is still necessary. It doesn't matter if it is the 1800s or 1960s or even the 2010s. Humans only understand force. Nations that have the largest militaries and strongest weapons are the people who make the final decisions for the rest of the world. The same can be said for this nation of ours. IBB did not care much about the supposed "strength" of the Yoruba, because if he did, he would not annuled the election. If Abacha cared about the supposed "strength" of the Yoruba people, he would not have jailed your leaders or assassinated other Yoruba leaders. I am still waiting for this strength.

Only the Igbos out of all the ethnic groups that make up Nigeria have shown that we are willing to fight for our rights. We are the only people who mobilized our entire nation around a single cause. These are facts. We have tasted freedom and know what it taste like. No other people can say that. And we are proud of this history.

Yoruba nation is no longer a nation it was because we are now a nation within a nation. Our actions not only affect us alone, they affect all those within the boundary of Nigeria, Likewise, the actions/inactions of others affect us. I am sure you understand that perfectly well. Yoruba nation is no longer an island as it was in the days of Oyo when our destiny was within our control.

As for our strength, I reiterate that you should ask IBB,  do you think a power monger like IBB wanted to leave? Of course not, the heat from June 12 unseated him.  It was either he leaves or face a palace coup. The choices were not good for him. He fucccked with the wrong people.
As for Abacha,  true, he assassinated and jailed some of us, yet the struggle never dissipated. 

You will do well to understand that force brings nothing but havoc.  Look at African nations that result to force at every conflict, what have they achieved?  Peace has eluded them. While Europeans are forming unions and cementing ever lasting peace amongst themselves, Africans are shouting force in this age. Now who is stuck in Stone Age?
The strength of a man does not lie in his muscles, but in his ability to refrain himself in the face of aggression.
On the issue of your supposedly freedom; I believe you are naive to say the least. No need to expatiate on that.

EzeUche0:

We all know why the old Oyo Empire fell. It was, because of infighting and backstabbing. These same traits can still be seen in the Yoruba states. Do not get me wrong, the Oyo Empire was great, but that is the past. The modern Yoruba nation is only a shadow of its former glory.

You said that the Yorubas have produced more activist than any other group combined. That is a very bold statement. I highly DISAGREE with you. Yes, the Yorubas have produced great activist like Wole Soyinka and Fela Kuti, but for every activist the Yoruba nation has produced, it has also produced hundreds of buffoons such as the likes of Obasanjo.

Remember that it was Igbos who led the way for this nation to be free more than any other group. If it was not for the mighty Igbo nation, we will still be in the shackles. Nnamdi Azikiwe the only true NATIONALIST of any leader at that time did everything to free us of British rule.

Dude, I am not into chest beating. The facts have been stated . You're entitled to your views. The names I quoted were not out of the wood work; those names are synonymous with activism in Nigeria.

Yoruba nation has evolved. We are no longer warriors that war  because of issues that can now be resolved by diplomacy.  Times are changing, what was fashionable in the 60s is no longer relevant in the 2010s, so, it is only normal that Yoruba will change with time.  But do not make the error of crossing Yoruba.  Ask IBB, even Abacha felt some of the brunt. Anyway, to expect the characteristics of the old Oyo in the modern day Yoruba nation is unrealistic. If you term that to be cowardice, then, you need to get with the program.

As for buffoons, they cut across every tribe unless you  want to fool yourself. You only need to look at our law makers. Pick anyone from any region, and you'll be a winner.

You also need to brush your knowledge on our history.  Herbert Macaulay was the father of  nationalism in Nigeria. Not discounting the contribution of others -Zik, Tafa Balewa, Aminu Kano, Awo, and many notable names that are enshrined in our history books. However, it was Herbert Macaulay that formed the first political party in Nigeria to address the issue of our sovereignty. Again facts, and not opinions.

deolapo:

I hate tribal discussions but some comments require a reply. Who says yorubas are cowards? Remember the exploits of the warriors in the days of the yoruba empire which spread to Togo and Benin republic where they still speak yoruba today. Even in my village, the stories of how the Fulani were repelled for good is still being told. Anyway only those who did not study yoruba history and were fed with lies will say so.

Even in recent times, the fact that only Yorubas stood their ground on principle against all odds as true omo odua is the reason OBJ became president.  Name it, NADECO, Radio Kudirat and other civil organisations that gave IBB and Abacha a tough time were dominated by Yorubas. After so many years of wars by our ancestors, we have simply learnt better ways of dealing with issues.Of course we remember that our igbo brothers ran away to the east when the battle became tough in Lagos. Those who died fighting on the streets for democracy were mostly Yorubas. That actually gave birth to OPC which is more reliable than the police. Ask people along the Kwara - Niger route.

I wish our warriors in the east will do battle and tackle their kidnapping problem once and for all instead of bluffing online. Afterall its claimed that they have AK47 in abundance. Just load your guns and uproot those mean guys from the jungles. You will be doing the whole country a big favor and proving your worth as fighters.I get so sad each time i read about the activities of those devil possessed people. Our earlier jihadists and simple sharia advocates in the north are also silent now with Boko Haram taking over government gradually. Their christian enemies are no longer the issue.

As far as i am concerned Naija is one great country irrespective of tribes. Only the elites bother about differences. I grew up with people of diverse origins and learnt to love and appreciate each person first as a human being.

Lets do less of tribal yabis. I assume that we are intelligent people with good exposure and have the knowledge that each tribe has its good and bad people.

Well said bro. Being peaceful does not equate cowardice.  Yoruba are relatively peaceful people, and it shows in how we relate with everyone within Nigeria.  It is no wonder that all sundry have been able to find abode in SW of Nigeria

Of course we are all aware of the exploits of the old Oyo Empire. You do not become an empire  of the magnitude of old Oyo by sheathing your sword. Those were the old days when little things were settled by swords. Today,  the strength of Yoruba lies in diplomacy, and in our ability to eschew violence.

It is on record that in modern day Nigeria that Yoruba people have produced more activists than any other ethnic group. I dare even say more than all other ethnic groups combined.   Gani, Fela, Beko, Falana, Wole Soyinka are few names that readily come to mind when it comes to activism in Nigeria.

Yoruba students at Ife, Lagos, Ibadan etc have led many rallies even at a great cost of human lives. Gowon, Obasanjo, IBB, Abacha can attest to the unflinching bravery of Yoruba students.  Heck, Gowon and IBB were both unseated because of Yoruba students led protests.  These are facts, and not opinions.

DapoBear:

Why on earth do you believe any northerner wants this? If I'm a Northerner, I'd want as strongly central a gov't as possible. Look, let's keep it real here, their part of the country is poor as hell. They don't want federalism, and they don't want progress. Progress means strength for Yorubaland to break its current bondage and separate by force. What incentive does a Hausa or Fulani man have for democracy and federalism? Again, if I were Hausa or Fulani, I would be against those things. They can only hurt the North. If I'm a Northerner, I'd want to leech the resources of the delta until that runs dry, and use those resources to enrich my own people, build up a "Nigerian army" (that is primarily Hausa), etc.

Nuhu Ribadu talks a good game. But I highly doubt he is going to support policies that will weaken the strength of his home region. At the very least I know that Goodluck comes from a small ethnic group and does not have a significant power base.

Buhari!? That man seeks nothing good for us. Ribadu I might be convinced; there is a 10% chance I could be grudgingly convinced to accept him. But Buhari? He is loyal only to his people and has no love for mine. I can never support an old-school military Fulani like him. Not a chance.

Ribadu does not have to weaken a region to strengthens the other. Have you considered that it would be a winner for all if Ribadu strengthens all regions without sacrificing any? I

I concur that PDP is inherently bad. However, what is even more disturbing is the attitude of the electorates. Regardless of which party is voted in if left unchecked will behave exactly like PDP.   Absolute power corrupts is the phrase that comes to mind.

People tout Fashola as an example of what to expect from AC. The truth is that Fashola is an exception to the norm -a rare occurrence in Nigerian polity. AC was in control of SW in 1999-2003, and I cannot point to the any outstanding governor from AC during that time span; though not woefully bad as the current crop of PDP thugs.
The key to good governance is not in the party, but in the checks and balances put up by the electorates.  AC, PDP, ANPP,  AGPP, MyParty, YourParty are all prone to corruption if left unchecked.

Pertaining to the impeachment of the speaker of  Ogun State, I did not hear any outcry from any quarter both to the impeachment, and the subsequent passage of the  bonds Bill.
So if you were OGD, wont you continue to perpetuate similar stunts knowing fully well that there won't be any outcry?

As per Jonathan,  I like Jonathan as a person, but I have to admit that he lacks the basic requisite of a good leader.  His utterances in the last few weeks have in no doubt exposed his deficiency.

Of all the candidates  that I have read, Ribadu by far outshines all of them put together in terms of leadership qualities. Unfortunately, he is from the North which Southerners have now grown to associate with ineptitude. If I were to vote today, I'll cast my vote for Ribadu in a heart-beat, and it'll be a pleasure to do so.

Regardless of which party wins, Nigerians across all the geo-zones must demand accountability from its elected officers, not to do so is a recipe for disaster.

The OP is partially correct in his assessment that groundnut was a major source of Nigeria's foreign earnings pre-crude oil days.
Cocoa, groundnuts and palm products were the primary source of foreign earnings back then with cocoa and groundnut as the top earners followed by palm products.


Source: U.S. Library of Congress
http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/58.htm

Here is a snippet from the article.

Most Nigerians eat grains, but the production and consumption of sorghum (guinea corn) and millet are heavily concentrated in the savanna north. In 1980 the two grains accounted for 80 percent of Nigeria's total grain production. Corn production in the savanna middle belt benefits from heavier rainfall, which frequently permits two crops a year. The demand for rice, much of it imported, increased dramatically during the affluent 1970s, but had to be cut back during the foreign exchange shortages of the 1980s.
Cocoa and groundnuts were Nigeria's two major exports until petroleum surpassed both in 1965. Cocoa, cotton, groundnuts, oil palm products, and rubber were the principal export crops in the 1960s and early 1970s, but with export reorientation, only cocoa remained of any importance after 1975. Although Nigeria was the world's largest exporter of groundnuts in the early 1970s, groundnuts fell from the export list by the end of the 1970s as a result of the severe Sahel drought of 1972-74 and a viral disease in 1975. With assistance from the World Bank, the government restored cocoa production in the late 1970s and 1980s through replanting programs and producer price supports. The resulting increase in cocoa output (to 200,000 tons in 1988) kept Nigeria in third place among world cocoa producers, after Ivory Coast and Ghana.

One of the greatest minds Nigeria have ever produced.
His books are in no doubt will provide an excellent road map to the myriad of  problems facing Nigeria today if adopted.
No doubt, Awo was a visionary.

bawomolo:

becomerich is indeed a comedian.   there is nothing you can do about it except you ban his IP.  

if you get ride of becomerich, then you have to get rid of the sunny bobo's and mekus's as well.

Aye to that.

There is nothing comical or intelligent about Becomrich.  While not disputing some of his contributions, I'll say he's more of
a distraction than blessing.
He opens the same old platitude threads over and over again with the same worn-out arguments.
You should curb his excesses.

Fhemmmy:


Well said, and if that is the case, why wasting money to have a national election too . . . .  the little ethnic group could just have small election and "install" over everyone else.

True, why not just conduct an Urhobo election when rotation comes to Urhobo people; saves money and a lot of headache.
Rotational president is fraud.  Whatever happens to "may the best man win the job."
Only in Nigeria you'll have such a stupid arrangement.

Sky Blue:

?? So if he was ill (with a serious ailment by the way) before he was president, and still took the job without seeming to have any clear agenda; why try to whip up sympathy by using "he did not ask to fall ill" as an excuse for his leadership? I am supposed to feel sorry about what could be someone else's greed?

Yaradua like the next man down the street was just overly ambitious. I have no sympathy for his incompetency, however, his illness demands sympathy.
He may have hoped that he would get better as time progresses, man is always optimistic -such is the nature of man.
Bottom line is that the current arrangement is good, we have Jonathan with all the exec power. We do not need to disgrace a president  from office simply
because his illness took south.
Let do the votes do the talking in 2011.

Sky Blue:

Read your news and do basic research. He was ill before he became president.

I said he did not ask to fall ill.
Since you listen to  the news and do research,  please provide evidence that Yaradua asked to be ill.
Just to remind you, I am not contending the fact that he was sick before he became the president.

I agree with the governors on this one.  The Presidency is the highest office in our land and its integrity must be protected regardless
of who currently occupies it. Debasing the office by simply yanking off the president because of illness should not be an option.
Yardua did not ask to fall ill; the whole thing is just an unfortunate thing.

The only gripe I have in the whole saga is how the Yardua handlers+plus his immediate family have handled the handing over of power to Jonathan, it should have been
done in the very first week Yaradua took ill.
The current arrangement is suitable for all concerned as Jonathan now has full executive powers.

ndu_chucks:



My question to forumites is this:

Is it time for Jonathan to announces that he will not run for office in 2011?   I think if he does that, the power grabbers may give him a free hand to rule for the next 12 months or so. 

Jonathan is now like a teenager boy that has just been disvirgined and who will spend the rest of his life chasing skirts (toto).  He has tasted power and his best chance to rule may come in 2015 if he plays his cards right.  Jonathan's hidden ambition to run in 2011 may be ill advised and naive.   

Any announcement short of resignation by Jonathan ain't going to change anything. These ppl already know that Jonathan
will not be running in 2011 -even I know that talk less of those power mongers you alluded to.

He will not be running in 2015 as well, he is a political pawn caught in a political cross-fire.
Ruling Nigeria is very difficult, too many selfish interest groups. 
I have a sad feeling that only ex-military men can rule Nigeria for now or someone who is very familiar with the Nigerian military terrain.
The threat of a coup is always looming.  If power mongers can't rule through a proxy (Yaradua,) they'll use the military.
Nigerians of all tribes must rise up to challenge the cabal holding Nigeria to ransom.

kaecy5:

@katsum

i[b] like your diplomatic response to my question[/b] but take note

1. even though the coup plotters were of igbo descent they actually then were from the Midwest region
2. it baffles me till today that the Midwest that cause the trouble for the eastern region were playing safe as if they were middle men
3. even till today folks from the midwest would argue that they r Ibo and not Igbo, meanwhile the eastern region is receiving the blame for their actions

4. why did Gowon not protect the rights of the citizens of the country instead there was an anti Igbo agenda, t[b]he acts of a 10 men translates to 20 million people[/b]

Likewise myself, I like the diplomatic approach of Katsumo. We can learn to disagree without trading insults.

Unfortunately,  In Nigeria things are seen across ethnic lines.  The unfortunate events of the 60's could have been avoided if
the actions of the coup plotters were not judged solely on their ethnic lines.

Fast forward to now.
Presently,  Isn't everyone from the South blaming the entire North for the inadequacies of Yaradua in this political impasse saga?
Does Yaradua represent the entire Hausa/Fulani or does he represent the other ethnics in the North?

Have we Southerners asked ourselves why the southern senators have not raised any motion to impeach Yaradua.
Why do we continue to blame the entire North when the action of our law makers is just as reprehensible as their Northern counterparts.

citizenY:

They cannot win. Do you know why they lost in Anambra? Because
there were too many prying eyes and the territory was small. If you
have nationwide elections,they will rig it. PDP is already in a dilemma
as the present succession saga has shown their ineptitude. Every
discerning voter now knows that if we have a major crisis in this
polity, the PDP has no capacity to provide leaderhip and direction.
They cannot lead themselves, but they ir noses can smell out where there is
money to be looted,

Every PDP loss creates a distance from public resources and that is good for us.
If there is nothing to be shared, it will crumble, I tell you.

PDP is just like a baby and its feeding bottle.

I would love to agree with you, but sorry to inform you that PDP can win, and will win
if the other parties do not get their acts together before the next election.
Unfortunately, PDP is the only national party in Nigeria, the others for whatever reason(s) seem to focus on
their respective regions.

The politicians know this, and that is why many of them continue to flock to PDP despite the shortcomings of PDP.
If you were a politician and you want to win, which party would you join?
More so, an average Nigerian electorate is not political savvy enough to discern the true intent of these
dubious politicians, as such, it is easy for PDP to pull wool over their eyes.

OPCman:

Several ethnic group is not the problem. The problem is rivalry envy, jealousy and bad belle. We pretend to like each other- because of oil money- when in actual fact we don't. If the oil dries out tomorrow the North will quit Nigeria in speed of light. Midbelters will tell you they are not Hausa-Fulani. Or tell me do Ibos like the Yorubas if not because of Lagos?
Yoruba is not nationalistic in nature and culture (except those in NPN and now PDP) the reason other tribes see them as too tribalistic. However, this shouldn't has caused problem if the naughty person political jobbers with inferiority complex had allowed each ethnic group to manage its own affairs.

And on principal ethnic group, people can take it or leave- Yoruba is the PRINCIPAL ethnic group in Nigeria. The Yoruba of Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kogi, Lagos, Ekiti, Osun, plus the Yoruba in Delta and Edo; and the fact that over 60% of Nigerians speak Yoruba make us the principal ethnic group but other tribe don't like us out of jealousy. If Yoruba is given chance and opportunity to rule the country, we would transform it like the English single handededly transformed Great Britain (UK). BUT WOULD THEY ALLOW US? I DON'T THINK SO.

I have to disagree with you that Yorubas (I am one) are the primary ethnic group in Nigeria.  In the absence of reliable data to verify your claim, 
no tribe Nigeria can lay claim to be the primary ethnic group. If anything, I would say the combination of Hausa/Fulani is probably more like it.

In any event,  the problem of Nigeria is far deeper than having a primary group that can take charge of the affairs of the nation.
Our fundamental problems are deep-seated corruption in high places and the progressive meltdown of our judiciary system

Andre Uweh:

From my calculations, Ndigbo in the U.S.A are about: 2 hundred thousand.
The Yorubas has a sizeable population as well, about: 80 thousand.
Hausa Fulani has a handful population in the USA, about 22 thousand.
I think I am right or close to it.

Your calculation is way off. How did you arrive at those numbers?
I have traveled the length and breadth of the US, and have lived in four states that
have a high concentration of Nigerians.
Maryland State definitely has the largest concentration followed
closely by New York State/ New Jersey/Pennsylvania corridor.
You also find Nigerians in high concentration in Texas, Georgia, Illinois/Indiana,
North Carolina (Raleigh-Durham,) Ohio (Columbus), California, Massachusetts (Boston-Lynn)
and Michigan.

Of all these areas, the only place the Igbos are well represented is Texas.
Everywhere else the Yorubas outnumber the Igbos by a long shot.
Even Texas is almost a split.
Ask anyone that lives in the states listed above to tell you their experience.

Here are some links that 'll give you insight into where Nigerians are concentrated in the US,  Nigerians
are regarded as one ethnic group here though.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-06-16-africanimmigrants_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
http://www.city-data.com/top2/h118.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_American

As Nigerians we must learn to appreciate our culture.
Most major cities across the world celebrate one carnival or the other. Why should it be different for Lagos?

Like every major city, Lagos has its own share problems: however, that does not mean that Lagosians should not celebrate cultural events.
The city of New Orleans went thru a devastation in 2005, yet they continue to stage Mardi Gras yearly.

Good news with a little but.

We get hyper over this type of news because Nigeria has not fully tapped its biggest resource -Its manpower.
If we our leaders fully comprehend the potential of our manpower, they will not be jumping like kids in a candy store because
of any mineral resource discovery.
Our leaders do not realize that natural resources should be treated as a dessert and not as the main dish. 

Every now and them, natural resources are discovered in developed nations, and nobody is jumping up and down.

Our leaders; pls put people to work. Nigeria is blessed with dynamic young men and women!

OBJ was by a long shot the best president Nigeria has ever produced.
What most detractors of OBJ do not realize is that it takes a lot of ingenuity to get anything done in Nigeria because of the many opposing interests
groups in every nook and cranny of Nigeria who at all costs want to service their own interests via the treasury.

For OBJ to keep power, he had to rule the way he did. How many presidents can survive their terms with the threat of impeachment
looming over their heads every second? OBJ survived because he understood the system and he realized that he had to give and take.
Does anyone remember the furniture allowance saga? OBJ almost got impeached for that crap

Just to mention a few of his achievements

GDP
The GDP of Nigeria that had been stagnant at around $35billion in 1998 was more than quadrupled to over $200B in 2007 by OBJ.

Debt forgiveness: In his first two years or so, OBJ canvassed all over the world to bring attention to the insidious effect
of debt service on developing nations.  Eventually, Nigeria's debt to Paris club was forgiven.

Stock Exchange: The Nigeria stock exchange that was half-dead was resuscitated.  Nigerians started to invest
in stocks and bonds.
 
Bank Consolidation: For once, Nigerian banks are now competing globally because of
their new found market capitalization status after the consolidation

Foreign Investment:. OBJ provided a business atmosphere that encouraged foreign investors to invest in Nigeria.
Before 1999,  little or direct foreign investment came into Nigeria.

Privatization: Perhaps in my own opinion, OBJ’s biggest achievement. Simply put, governments have no business in commercial activity for a long-term
Parastatals which by design provide the conduit for embezzlement were privatized by OBJ. Some noise makers will argue that his
friends benefited the most of the privatization process. True dat to some extent, every government to some extent favors certain groups.
There is nothing new in that so long as the objective of the privatization is met -remove government from the business sector.
The same non-functional parastatals are now functioning optimally in the private sector.
When was the last time did anyone hear of flour (bread) scarcity?  It used to be a norm
during the previous regimes. Privatization of Flourmills has taken care of that issue.
Same goes for the National Port. It used to be a nightmare to clear vehicles, now one can clear a vehicle within three days after a ship docks.

EFCC: EFCC was created by OBJ. Regardless of what detractors might say. It is on record that no previous government in Nigeria
had previously done anything to curb embezzlement in Nigeria.
Detractors will call it selective prosecution, but please tell me who of those prosecuted that was not guilty as charged.  Alams? Tafa? Ibori? Dariye?
Communication:  specifically, telephone; everyone can attest to that. It is self evident today.  Besides the abundance of cell-phones,
Nigeria telecom corps are now seen everywhere. Globacom (fully indigenous) is now competing globally with other giant telecoms.

Does OBJ have his short comings? Of course! (The list is long) Personally, I think he got distracted towards the end by his third-term agenda and his feud with Atiku.
In all, I will rate him the best out of all the past presidents Nigeria has ever had.
Sad but true.

asha 80:

^^^^EU is not a nation

I did not say EU was a nation. Always read through before criticizing. My original statement below.

China, USA, UK, and the EU to a lesser extent, are good examples of unions/nations that are thriving well.

SEFAGO:

You can't blame Zik for the one nigeria view though. He lived in America and encountered a lot of racism and he became a pan-africanist; proud of his african roots and determined to create a nation with similar ideology. He probably though we are all black and have something more in common with each other. He didn't know the ethnic bigotry would come in play. One Nigeria was a pan-african concept

Ethnic bigotry is a symptom of economic injustice that characterizes our society. Fact is where economic opportunities
and optimism abound, ethnic bigotry will be minimized to a tolerable level.
Many prosperous nations are not as homogeneous as we think.
China, USA, UK, and the EU to a lesser extent, are good examples of unions/nations that are thriving well.

How I wish that Southern Nigerians will unite and embrace this idea as way forward from the current status-quo.

If this materializes, I predict that one day in the very near future that Southern Nigeria will be at par with the Western Nations in terms of development.

The determining factors (young population, literacy, industrialization, hope, and etc) needed for effective economic growth in a nation are abundant in Southern Nigeria.
You simply connect all the dots together and a prosperous nation is borne.