The problem with Nigeria is that many of her citizens have a poverty mentality. Poverty of the mind, so to speak. I'm not saying it is not good to travel out. Travelling to Europe and other industrialized nations makes us exposed. We can learn how things are being done and how to be organized. I am of the belief that one of the factors behind Governor Fashola's drive to sanitize Lagos is the exposure he gained from travelling and living abroad. Small towns in England like South Ockendon, Tilbury and Purfleet are better than Nigeria when it comes to the provision of Public services and infrastructure. I was in the London Borough of Havering the other day and my bag got stolen. I went to the Havering Council Building and laid a complaint with one of the attendants there. She told me to hold on and right from her desk, she called the council's patrol team and asked if they had seen a bag on the streets or someone carrying my bag. She also told me to lodge a complaint at the Police Station. Though I have not seen the bag, I'm happy about the care and concern shown by the council workers. Can we say the same about council workers in Nigeria?

Our attitude and ways of doing things in Nigeria is bad. We really don't care about ourselves and mutual respect is not in our dictionary. In Nigeria, People delight in seeing the downfall of others. We love forming cabals that oppose progressive minds. We oppose people who are visionary in thinking in our schools, churches, homes , offices, Local Governments, States and in our country. We find it hard to acknowledge that someone is better than us. We are also not gracious when someone turns things around. WE NEED A REVOLUTION OF THE MIND IN NIGERIA. The mind of Nigerians is where the rebranding of our country should start. It is because of our bad attitude to life that Nigeria remains underdeveloped. Why do we find it so easy to blame our leaders when we ourselves are also playing a part in destroying the nation? Our leaders will continue to loot the country's financial and mineral resources until we change our mentality that the responsibilty of running Nigeria remains with the Governors and President alone.

Pastor Sam Adeyemi has continued to emphasize the need for Nigerians to change their mentality. We would keep running to other countries until we start to use our inner abilities to develop the country. I was watching Dr Ben Carson [ I hope you know him. If not, google his name ] give a speech through the internet last week. What he said nearly brought me to tears. As industrialized as America is, the country is still lagging behind in Mathematics. Dr Carson was calling on the American government to pump more money into education. Then I thought about Nigeria and nearly cried. We blame the Government for not investing in Education, but when the Government pumps money into our universities once in a while, the money gets mismanaged. Yet, the Professors will keep saying our universities are in a bad shape.

I could go on and on, but I have other things to do. For those that have travelled abroad, it is time to start thinking of Nigeria's development. Yeah, there will be challenges but we will surmount them if we are determined to change things. There is nothing like passion. Passion for change was what brought about the industrial revolution in Britain. We need loads of Passion to rebuild Nigeria. I want to add this- Quality Information is the key to Nigeria's development. Cheers.

@redman44
while i agree with most of your comments,i disagree with the second and third paragraphs as i believe diasporians share a lot of the faults as well,
its all well and good calling for a revolution of the mind,but what are diasporians doing to change the status quo?its all very well and good for anyone to tell nigerians not to run abroad when in actual fact the ones abroad have either refused to contribute their own developemental quota, but will come back home for two weeks flaunting dollars and pounds as if money grows on trees abroad without telling their hangers on the truth of what goes on abroad.
also,how many diasporians have opted to voluntarily go back to nigeria,like the whites do to africa either as volunteers or relocate and stand shoulder to shoulder with nigerians and either show them how things are done abroad and also identify with them and what they r going through,i dont believe the average nigerian is as bad as you are painting considering what they have to go through on a daily basis,rather i believe it behoves us to do more to lead by example,there are less than 2% of children adopted in orphan homes in nigeria due to the stigma attached,if 50% of diaporians adopted a child each or fostered or opted to sponsor a child,the figures will be relatively less,and it will also serve as a catalyst to breaking down the stigma,i was watching a programme on sky about something holidays and this average white family have always spent their holidays in a ghananian village that they have adopted,they raise monies to pay for school buildings,water and general well being of the whole village yet they are not africans, where are the ghananians in uk?same goes for us as well

@lucabrasi

thanks for your comments. I really appreciate them. I'm not one of the Nigerians that go home and flaunt money on short holidays. I'm a very simple young man with a passion for development. I have some projects I will be starting soon. You will know when I'll embark on them because ideas are easily stolen these days. I still hold on to the idea that Nigerians need a revolution of the mind. By the grace of God, I will play my part in bringing about that revolution.

Believe me, I've seen how a good number of Nigerians oppose progressive people Some of the good things I've achieved while doing my Uni in Naija were due to a strong determination and my passion. Many Nigerian undergraduates are not informed. I know how hard I worked to make the programmes successful. I would be the one to type letters, distribute them and ensure preparations were going on smoothly. Yet I had members of my press club that were supposed to do those things. Many Nigerian youths have a lackdaisical approach to life. They are too lethargic towards many things. I know the Nigerian environment could be tough, but my brother, I was able to get a lot of things done due to being passionate in all I do.

I will be coming home very soon to help in the development of Nigeria. Let all the naysayers laugh at me. I know I will have the last laugh. Thanks, Lucabrasi. Cheers.

@ lubrasci

Pardon me if i may, but your comment on people abroad spending money like it grows on trees when they come back home seemed to raise my eyebrow. What exactly do you want us to spend our money on when we come home?Building roads?.The only people that i see back at home making an effort to build the damaged roads without government support are the areaboys by laying pieces of stones filling potholes on d road. What have these so called people preaching "Nigerians should stay at home" done for the country.Why did you even notice the individual that came back from abroad anywayeveryone has a choice of lifestyle. At least he is not a yahooboy is he?

We all speak as if people that stay back at home  are doing a sort of missionary work by choice, building Nigeria when in actual fact they are just hypocrites who have hidden agendas.
I have served Nigeria in my Nysc programme in Jos teaching underprivileged people computer science and collecting N7,500 without finding fault and yet some people are saying we should stay and develop the country. Havent i made my contribution?

Going through the forum i have finally concluded that a lot of Nigerians are envious people.

1. Someone goes to a private university and u say u say he went 2 a secondary school.
2. someone gets a good position at work u say she slept with the manager
3. someone goes abroad to develop himself u say he is running away and he does not have any talent to make it in nigeria.

Sometimes d mentality of Nigerians amuse me.

@redman44
i totally share your sentiments,and i get what you r saying about nigerians in general,but i will still reiterate that,these attitudes and behaviours are not just an inordinate inborne thing,fostered and sustained as a result of years of dissappointment,hopelessness,loss of opportunities,poverty e.t.c in a situation where a university undergrad has to be a mini local govt on his/her own,providing what the university authorities should be doing i.e accomodation,conducive learning environment,good lecture halls e.t.c they are bound to compromise if the opportunity presents itself,that is different from these that have the opportunity and then pissing it down the drain.these that have a lackadaisical approach to life or are lethargic, is as a result of several knock downs making them despondent and cynical about the nigerian situation,when you have been to a million interviews and you have passed convincingly and the job is given to someone else on the basis of ethnicity or family/political connections,how do you think one will feel?

i applaud your decision to go back home,as i have and are working on similar plans myself,i just wish more diasporians will have this though process,as it will go a long way in kick starting our own brand of the great leap foward.you r welcome and GOOD luck.

@lucrabasi

I was at the university of Ibadan in late 2007. The VC of the university, Professor Bamiro, is really changing the face of the campus. The guy is really determined to restore the glory of the University back to when the whites were in charge of the place. The University was wearing a new look. Even the reading rooms of my hall were looking good with new air condition sets there. The floors had been re-tiled and new fans had been fixed. When you walk on the campuses of many Nigerian Universities, you will realize that they have a lot of potentials. Yet, I wonder why the Nigerian Media hardly reports the positive developments on our campuses. Negative journalism reigns supreme in Nigeria. One of our secondary school girls participated in a NASA programme some years ago, yet no Nigerian Newspaper or Magazine put her on their front cover. The key to Nigeria's development is quality information and passion for development on the part of Nigerians. We should also learn to celebrate innovation and creative minds among us. I have my plans and the good lord has given me the go ahead. Cheers.

@tbaba83
first of all,check my location and you ll realise i am based abroad as well,so my comments are not borne out of bitterness or jelousy, just thought ill get that out of the way first.

now your first paragraph,yes i believe they should,there is something called social responsibility,if the government are exhibiting obvious failings,then we should take it upon ourselves to do the litte we can,if you dont do anything and i dont and no one does,then the society will breed legion numbers of area boys and armed robbers,and we end up losing as well,if you get to muritala mohammed,can you honestly say u dont look back or check the side mirror in case armed robbers are following you?
can you honestly say u r not scared if you r in a hold up or going out at night?
lets be honest,how many of us abroad,are even ashamed to even mention our villages due to the level of deprivation and backwardness?
we know the government cant do it for one reason or the other,so rather than flaunting money,wouldnt it be better served by doing the bit we can?if a white family can decide to build schools,hospitals e.t.c for our own people,i beieve it is an indictment on us as citizens of these countries if we havent or dont do anything about it,while we are waiting for government,children who have no opportunities are turning to armed robbers and hired killers who will turn round to terrorise us,have you wondered why some armed robbers will still rape and kill even after taking money?

some will keep on smacking their victims for no reason,and then exhibiting a high level of resentment towards them,the reasons are because they feel like they have been failed and let down by the society at large,not just the government.

yes,you have made your contribution,but you and i know how far that has gone in improving the standard of living of the average villager, i believe you are being overly simplistic  and boderline dismissive about this,and i will suggest you check the disadvantages and advantages of leaving it to the government,as to the last bullet points,pls count me out sire,with all sense of humility i attended private schools all through my education and had my degree programme abroad in a good british university.

i like some others who share my sentiments could very well ignore the les well off,after all we r not affected in any way and continue doing our own thing like you are inferring,but you forget that we dont have any other country and secondly no matter the level of wealth and affluence you atatin in the society,the threat of these less well off we are ignoring will be hanging over our heads,
even if you live in a fortified mansion,you are bound to come outside hence at risk of these same boys who are hawking pure water and lemon vicks and gala in the hold ups, if i was abandoned and neglected in my childhood and circumstances pushed me to armed robbery,you can bet 9 times out of ten any rich,well off victim to me is an embodiment and personification of the government who has failed me,the rich who have ignored my plight, that is the gospel truth sire!

Redman44:

@lucrabasi

I was at the university of Ibadan in late 2007. The VC of the university, Professor Bamiro, is really changing the face of the campus. The guy is really determined to restore the glory of the University back to when the whites were in charge of the place. The University was wearing a new look. Even the reading rooms of my hall were looking good with new air condition sets there. The floors had been re-tiled and new fans had been fixed. When you walk on the campuses of many Nigerian Universities, you will realize that they have a lot of potentials. Yet, I wonder why the Nigerian Media hardly reports the positive developments on our campuses. Negative journalism reigns supreme in Nigeria. One of our secondary school girls participated in a NASA programme some years ago, yet no Nigerian Newspaper or Magazine put her on their front cover. The key to Nigeria's development is quality information and passion for development on the part of Nigerians. We should also learn to celebrate innovation and creative minds among us. I have my plans and the good lord has given me the go ahead. Cheers.

ill be spending some days in ibadan on my next trip to nigeria so im sure to go have a look see,i agree with you and i have made these same comments on a thread in the politics section about why the sahara reporters sowore man has negleted to highlight the failings,corruption and decadence generally in nigerian universities,secondly if you care to look at most of the cynical/negative comments and put downs about positive developments in nigeria,you will discover that majority are made by us diasporians,if you dont believe just go through most of the threads on the politics section and then check their locations,same goes for other nigerian social networks,hence the reason why i reserve my indignations and criticisms for diasporians even though im one, this is where i think anyone with a passion should come in,how many scientific research facilities whave we supported in initiating or supporting as diasporians especially as we know these are the mediums that produce future scientists,inventors e.t.c
yet we are the first to rubbish every nigerian innovation

@ Poster

To be sinsere lack of infrastructure or unemployment is not the issue, a lot are willing to relocate back to Naija but the
Sicurity issues:

you could easily fall pray if you've stayed too long outside Naija either to the robbers, higher killers etc

Nigerian Police should reinstall confidence in there citizens!

Wetin dey reasons?

Constant electricity? Safety? Trustful government? Ethnic harmony? Yeah right.

Discover the beautiful, cosmopolitan city of Los Angeles:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-181875.64.html

(Sorry, this was a double post, I had to put something in it )

We stay cos we r NIGERIANS

Am tired of people saying look at China, malaysia etc. Do u guys think they got there with the kind of leaders we have in Nigeria? I'am also tired of the few people who have jobs boasting about 9ja, pls tell me how many of ur coursemates are working? Should we talk about infrastructures? We have a president who has done nothing in 2years. If u've sat at home since 2004 with a 2.1 then you won't say this. My own be say if e no better for you in 9ja discharge, don't let anybody decieve u. Even security man for london wey de do 12 hrs shift like most of our bank boys de do go earn a cool 1,450 after tax(remember to save do ur masters o and if u sharp apply as a home student)
LETS FACE IT THERE'S SERIOUS POVERTY IN 9JA AND WE NAIRALANDERS ARE NOT EVEN ONE OF THEM. When u look at the okada drivers or that woman wey de sell for market then u asked this question again.
Peace
I repeat no compare 9ja to Malaysia or even Ghana(this country de make some serious steps to dev.)

IF we all leave Nigeria jst because of d hardship nd other negative things.WHO THEN WILL MAKE D COUNTRY A BETTER PLACE.we can't blame those that migrate to other countries and things are working out 4 them because by d time u sit and see wat really goes on in dis nation if u have ur way u too will leave.confronting and solving problems is a very painfull process people tend to avoid but it becomes more painfull wen we keep avoiding this problems.we jst have really think nd find solutions to dis problems instead of running away 4rm it.

Rest of mind, no fear of armed robbers, constant light, good roads, hot/cold water constantly running in your house. Fast internet, yet you do not have to be rich to have all these things. If you really want to see what poverty is, go to the streets and see the homeless kids, there are so many kids in Nigeria that cannot afford education, how many countries in the west will you see kids hawking when they are supposed to be learning? There is a wide gap between the poor and the rich which is not supposed to be so, its not all about money, it is about security, good welfare packages, where when you are sick, you don’t have to go borrowing before you can have access to quality health care, where you don’t have to be rich to have access to good and quality education. Many kids on the streets in Nigeria wanted to be a doctor,lawyer,engineer,but it will always be a dream for them,just because they cant afford it. Many graduates are out there, searching for jobs after years of sacrifices in the University/Poly,only the lucky few land a good job. These are the reasons why people are leaving naija and people will continue to leave naija in large number.

Reason why i left 9ja
Couldn't get into uni, either because of JAMB or Post JAMB wahala. paid to a school abroad and received immediate admission, and luckily got a visa. Best part is, for me, studying abroad has been the best thing that has ever happened to me,   
other things that makes me want to stay back
>constant power supply
>good infrastructures
>policies that work
>people know how to mind their businesses
>haven't heard things like "juju", "my enemies are against me", "wicked people are sending something to me and my family" in a long while
>can parole at night feeling quite safe
>street light
>sense of security
>no scary gunshots in the morning
>no scary gunshots in the afternoon
>no scary gunshots at night
>kidnapping stories are very minimal
. . . . . . . . .  . . . . .  and the list can go on and on and on

OKAY now to the main question on this thread  REASONS FOR NIGERIANS TO STAY IN NIGERIA. aaight, i'll speak for myself though
Reasons why i would stay visit nigeria
Nkwobi
suya
pami
isi ewu
fried rice and chicken
fish pepersoup
chicken pepersoup
mama-put
moms cooking (love you mom)
. . . . . . . . .  . . . . . and the list ends
chei, 'em already salivating! inshort i'm coming back to 9ja today today. no wonder they say home SWEET home.kai, mehn 9ja delicacy tooooo SWEET, walahi!!!!!!

ARE WE REALLY GOOD PEOPLE? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
person wey dey prepare mouth watering meals like this no be good person?? if e no be, na wintch, mami water abi wetin. abeg,  one big Gbosa to all our suya makers, kirishi sellers, mama-putters, and of cos our lovely mothers jare. . . . . una too gbaski jor. , talk of a reason to live

I don't think staying in Nigeria or leaving Nigeria is the real issue.
If we consider ourselves as Nigerians, or we have ties to Nigeria, we should be committed to Nigeria's uplifting, regardless of where we choose to live.

I think, looking back at both Redman and lucabrasi's comments, truth be told, both Nigerians at home and Nigerians abroad are guilty of not contributing our quota. We only think about our own selves, and never about others. We always do what is convenient, and we never do things for progress. Average Nigerians are usually not willing to make any sacrifices for a better future. We even deride those who try to do so, because we seem to be wired for opportunism and cannot understand why anybody should make sacrifices.

For me, I live in Naija right now, and may not live in the country in the future (always had a secret wish to end my days in some island or coastal paradise ). Whatever the case, I'll always get involved, and will put my time, money, and efforts towards making Nigeria better, and uplifting other less privileged Nigerians.