There is no day, no time I read Nigerian newspapers, magazines, or internet news websites without me coming across mats of articles, written by Nigerians, which describe how underdeveloped, how failed Nigeria is in her independent nationhood. Some of these Nigerian article-writers believe that all Nigerians are thieves and corrupt while others describe all Nigerian government officials as political looters and incompetent public servants. There are others among these Nigerian lampoon-writers who are of the view that Nigeria has never made any progress since independence because the quality/quantity of her socio-infrastructural development is at a low ebb. There are others among them who believe that Nigeria has retrogressed because of the recent upsurge in incidents of kidnapping, armed robbery, and some other criminal maladies in the society.



Many of these self-styled social critics are very apt to draw an analogy between Nigeria and the industrially advanced nations of the world, such as the USA, UK, France, and Japan. Many of them are very quick to teach the reading public that Nigeria at 49 has nothing to show for her independence, and that it did not take these industrialized countries up to half a century ( fifty years ) to get developed. Many of these self-made social crusaders are very apt to draw a comparison between Nigeria and China, India, Malaysia, Singapore etc. According to them, China, India, Malaysia, and Singapore were some of the countries that started the race of national development with Nigeria almost at the same time. In their view, instead of moving on equal or the same pace as these other countries, Nigeria has stagnated, retrogressed, or lagged far behind them. A good number of these article-writers see themselves as acting in the manner of Chief Ghani Fawehinmi, the renowned late Nigerian human rights activist. Some of them see Nigeria as a hell or another Sodom and Gomorrah. Many of them believe that the best way to bring about an effective change in the errant Nigerian polity is through constant, subversive, blaming article-writing and rhetorical opposition. A good number of these self-opinionated Nigerians live abroad and have stayed away from Nigeria for a donkey number of years. Some of them living abroad have even sworn never to come back to Nigeria for good until Nigeria becomes as developed as Japan overnight in social conveniences for them.

Although I am not interested in making a case for Nigerian government officials in this write-up, I personally believe that many, if not all, of these characterizations of Nigeria, Nigerians, and Nigerian public office-holders are myopic, misleading, mischievous, unpatriotic, and uninformed. It is understandable to me that Nigeria has not achieved much socio-economic development as a nation, and it is unarguable to me that Nigerian political arena is dominated by corrupt and incompetent individuals. However, it is not clear and believable to me that these self-proclaimed social critics are honest and God-fearing individuals who can lead Nigeria or any of her component states or local government areas to the promised land if given the opportunity to serve. The insincere, untrue, lopsided, and ethnically tinctured nature and tenor of their criticisms immensely belie whatever professions of love or true crusadership for Nigeria they may seem to have made.
How can a true social crusader for Nigerian development believe that the USA, Japan, UK, Germany, Russia, Italy, and other industrialized nations achieved their developmental strides in fifty years when history is full of the authentic dates and times of major world inventions, without which modern human civilization and development wouldn't have been possible? According to history, the following statements of fact are indisputable:


The first flying machines, which ushered in the manufacture of airplanes, were invented in 1905 by Wright brothers
The first full-scale working rail-way steam locomotive was built by Trevithick in 1804.
The first successful steam rail-way in the USA was South Carolina railroad, inaugurated in 1830.
The first automobile vehicle, with internal combustion engine, was built by Gottieb Daimler and Maybach in 1889.
Turing's machine, the theoretical precursor to modern computers, was invented in 1936 by Alan Turing.
Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer (ENIAC), the first digital computer, was built in 1945 by John Mauchly and J. Presper.
The first electric light and incandescent light bulb, which ushered in the manufacture of electric generators, wires, appliances, and all modern electric equipment, were invented in 1879 by Thomas Alva Edison.
The first television set/device was invented in 1927 by Philo Farnswworth.
The first telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.
The first bicycle was invented by Kirpatrick Macmillan in 1839.
The first pneumatic tire/tyre, which occasioned the construction of concrete/macadamized roads, was built in 1845 by Thompson Williams.
The first refrigerator, called an ether ice machine, was constructed in 1834 by Jacob Perkins.
The first antiseptic was made in 1847 by Ignaz Semmelwers.
The first telegraph was invented in 1837 by Samuel Morse.
The first matches were invented by John walker in 1827.
The first typewriter was built in 1829 by W.A. Burt.
The first sewing machine was constructed in 1830 by Barthelemy Thimonnier.
The first patented radio set/system was invented by Guglielmo Marconi in 1896.


[b]
According to history, the united states of America, for instance, got her independence from the British in 1776, and that she was fifty years old in 1826. History has also shown that slavery, the worst man inhumanity to man, was officially abolished in the USA in 1865, and that black Americans were for the first time accorded citizenship status in their country in 1866, after about hundred years of American independence. From these facts, a right-thinking social critic will understand that when the USA was forty-nine or fifty years old, she had no electricity, no matches, no bicycles, telephone system, television sets, telegraph, computers, type-writers, no refrigerators, no motor cars/vehicles, no trains, no airplanes, no sewing machines, no radio sets, and no antiseptic solutions. This, therefore, means that there were no airports, radio stations, television stations, no railway stations,no seaports,no concrete/macadamized roads,no motor transport systems, no air-condition/heating systems, no equipped hospitals, no equipped schools, universities, no human rights, no social justice, no social conveniences, no comfort, pleasure, and joy for an American in 1826, when the USA, as an example, was fifty years old. [/b]


With this abject state of underdevelopment, this stupendous social discomfort or injustice, Americans never failed to celebrate their national day in 1825 (when the USA was 49 years) or 1826 ( when she was 50); they never lost hope and faith in their national and individual abilities to develop, to grow, and march towards national greatness. They never rejected their country and never described their nation as a hell or Sodom and Gomorrah. Nigeria at forty-nine, has all these social conveniences, though in short supply or quality. Instead of Nigerians to be proud of their national heritage, feeling lucky to have had all these amenities, though in inadequacy, in their national forty-ninth independence birth-day and believe in the audacity of hope for a better future, many of them who are fair-weather citizens have chosen to toe the path of subversive, vituperative, and negatively incisive article-writing, which will never do Nigeria any good, all in the name of fake social crusadership.

If somebody can see Nigeria as a failed state, as a hell with all the said social conveniences in her forty-ninth year of national development, how can that person describe the USA, Germany, UK, France, Russia, Japan etc at fifty without any of those amenities of life? If one can describe Nigeria as Sodom and Gomorrah because of political corruption in her forty-nine years of age, how can one qualify the USA at fifty with unabated slavery (the worst inhumanity to man), engulfing social injustice, racial prejudices, unchecked lynching/hanging of the black folks, and untold corruption across her landscape then?

Again, in assessing a country 's growth, we consider its level of civilization/national development before colonization, the nature of colonization, amount of natural resources, amount of its educational reservoir, the patriotism of its citizens, length of sovereignty, population, presence or absence of ethnic diversity, and existence or absence of a dominant culture. Many Nigerian socio-political critics are very quick to condemn Nigeria because of her low ebb of infrastructural development and usually compare her with China, India, Malaysia, Singapore or South Korea. In my view, this comparison is out of place.

In history, we have ancient and modern China, and China never suffered or experienced colonialism by any external power. On first of october every year, China celebrates the birth of communism in 1949, which ended previous years of dynasty and civil wars. China never celebrates independence from any foreign force, as many short-sighted Nigerian critics believe. Ancient China was one of the earliest centers of human development and civilization. For instance, true writing or phonetic writing records were developed independently in four different civilizations in the world, namely Mesopotamia, China, Egypt, and Mesoamerica. The first university in China, Liaoning university, was founded in 1892 while the second and third, Peking university and Zhejiang university, were established in 1898 and 1912 respectively. During these periods in Chinese educational development, Nigeria had no single university or institution of higher learning.

Likewise, we have ancient and modern India. Though India experienced advisory and protective colonialism, she never suffered predatory and emasculatory imperialism as Nigeria did. Before India got colonized in 1858, she had already established her university of Calcutta in 1857. The first university built in this world, Takshashila university, was established by ancient India in 700 BCE. Ancient India was one of the earliest seats of world civilization. In the same token, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea experienced advisory colonialism; they never underwent predatory, plundering imperialism like Nigeria. The first universities in Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea were built in 1905 while the first autonomous, indigenous university in Nigeria was established in 1960. Can a reasonable social critic expect Nigeria to develop at the same pace as these countries?

Functional, creative education is the substratum of any national development. Nigeria is developing at a snail's pace because we have not achieved much in proficient education. A country that has eighty percent of its citizens as illiterates and educated illiterates, who possess ineffectual university degrees, cannot realize massive socio-infrastructural development in double quick time, whatever is the amount of its natural oil reserve. Afortiori, though China, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the USA, Germany, Japan, Uk, Canada etc are plural societies, they all have their individual dominant cultures, unlike Nigeria where there is none. Having a dominant culture in a society facilitates the forging of a common front, unity of purpose, the creation of national consciousness and patriotism. Because there is no dominant culture in Nigeria, mustering support for the best government/public programs is extremely difficult. As a result, the best government policies in Nigeria are usually killed either at the altar of ethnic/primordial rurutanianism, educated myopia or stark ignorance.

The agony of it all is that many of the said Nigerian self-styled social critics, who believe that Nigeria has lagged far behind other countries in development, have lived in industrialized nations where, according to them, everything is perfect, for over twenty, thirty, forty or fifty years. Many of them, with their children, are citizens of their host countries, yet they have not been able to have their names written in the list of world millionaires or billionaires. They have not been able to create any niches for themselves in the world temple of inventors or discoverers, and they have not been able to land any noble laurels as Wole Soyinka did, living in Nigeria where nothing, according to them, works.

When Americans, Germans, Italians, the Chinese, Russians, Malays, Koreans, the British etc travel to foreign lands, they come back to their fatherlands with new, creative ideas, skills and use them to help in developing their nations. However, when Nigerians travel abroad, many of them get drowned in useless romance and pleasure and when they get back to Nigeria, they become disenchanted at the failure of the OKADA RIDERS in Nigeria to develop the country for them. This fair-weather friend attitude, this consumer/romance-mentality on the part of many Nigerians abroad is one of the serious elements that pander to Nigeria's underdevelopment.

In fact, Nigeria is a country endowned with many resources for greatness. All we need to do is to have the lamp of hindsight, insight, and foresight in evaluating her developmental steps and to have the wisdom to imbibe the ideals of John F. Kennedy who said, "ASK NOt WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU BUT ASK FOR WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY." Nigerians should be proud to celebrate their nation's forty-ninth independence anniversary. Ignorance of world history is, in truth, part of the failure of Nigerian socio-political criticisms.

absolute crap 

Is the writer saying Nigeria should reinvent an aeroplane, a locomotive, telephone and all the other things mentioned.  Just because it has taken a country 200 years to get its act together should not mean Nigeria should take that Long.  I beg to differ China,Singapore and dubai were created in the last 50 years.

^i agree

absolute crap

Is the writer saying Nigeria should reinvent an aeroplane, a locomotive, telephone and all the other things mentioned. Just because it has taken a country 200 years to get its act together should not mean Nigeria should take that Long. I beg to differ China,Singapore and dubai were created in the last 50 years.

china is 5000 years old you doofus.

@ OP
CRAPS!! i mean big Crap.
People like you are the reason why Nigeria still remain the way it is and if every one holds your mentality even after 200years of independence we will still remain like this if not worst. So becoz countries like American never achieved all that you listed above at 50 justifies our backwardness, corruption and acute poverty eating the bones of average Nigerian. Forgeting that we live in a civilized world today when every country is running at a higher speed in technology and otherwise to meet the current demands of the Era we are. And if i understand you article well you suggest we should be left behind, fold our arms and waiting till we clock 200years.

So becoz my father couldnt own a car even at the age of 50 the i should fold my arms until that age b4 i could think of having a car. That it took my father 50years to build a house justify my foolishness of having a house at the age of 30.
Someone jst posted a topic on the fastest internet in the world that downloads 80GB/SEC. That should tell you that the world is running at its higher speed, so people like you should save us those craps and lets move alone at that pace other countries are moving.

If you are confortable with the way Nigeria is being run and the pace we are moving at the moment then i suggest you cross over Niger republic or relocate to Afghanistan coz soon we shall not tolorate those leaders with stagnant mind and low vision.
It is time for Nigeria to move forward even if she refused to, we have no option than to push it foward. We have have all it takes to do that.

citizenY:

@Princekevo

What have you done and how far have you gone? What is your blueprint ?

If you think i should come on Nairaland here and list it out then you must be a joker and far from reality.

@princekevo

I plan to campaign for you as the next president. How can I do without such
material? No be hot air we go sell now!!1

All critics are absolute doodus.

Princekevo,

Thanks a million for those words of wisdom. You have said it all and I need say no more on the subject.

Nigerians will sell their birthright for a mess of portage, if that is what it takes to join the ruling class.

Some of us are ignorant to the fact that we are living in a dynamic world where information and services can be accessed easily than ever before.

The problem we have in Nigeria is : enlightening the masses about their right and obligations within the society which they live. I think it is time to stop talking about bad leadership and take the bull by the horn. Once Nigerians know the gravity /impact of selling their votes for money the better.

I am sure that you will agree with me that it is not the governor himself that goes to stuff the ballot boxes and sing praise songs at every opportunity to politicians.

I came back from Nigeria this morning and yesterday night in Ikeja I saw a police officer in full uniform working as a conductor and even collecting the fare for the driver. That is how bad things have become!!!!

Does the average Nigerian want a positive change within his environment?

Israel got independence on May 14, 1948.  This is just 12 years before Nigeria.

12 years ago , Israel was already a world power.   We are not even a regional power in 2009.

deor03

Exchange Israelis with Nigerians, including yourself, and see what becomes of the two conutries in just one year. One will be a shadow of itself, battered and bruised while the other will regain her glory- think deeply on those words.

citizenY:

@princekevo

I plan to campaign for you as the next president. How can I do without such
material? No be hot air we go sell now!!1

Lol. I dont need to be a president, governor or one of the ministers to creat a positive impact on Nigerian future and likewise every other youths  of that Nation. So am not asking for any campaign to the top, but sworn to do everything within my reach to make sure tht my children will never expirience what we are presently passing through in Nigeria. It is time we for us to move forward.

citizenY:

WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. WHERE DO WE START FROM?

Start from where you are right now. Call in to your reps each time you watch the TV or hear of something you disagree with. Harrass them if you can. Tell others around you to do the same. Do all you know to do to put the heat on them. Plan this christmas, when you head back to your village or towns in Nigeria to organize for people to push for change in your community. Even if what you can do is organize a block party complete with fried rice and barbeque for all so as to get them to sit and listen to you talk of why it is important for them to start thinking with their heads and not sitting back complaining and blaming everyone else, do it, so that come 2011, we will not be here asking the same question.

roflmao

Ikengawo:

^i agreechina is 5000 years old you doofus.

and Ghana is 55,000 years Professor

lannre:



and Ghana is 55,000 years Professor

lol.

the modern day communist peoples republic of china is pretty young.

Nigerian has no excuse when compared to it's counterpart in malaysia etc

When Americans, Germans, Italians, the Chinese, Russians, Malays, Koreans, the British etc travel to foreign lands, they come back to their fatherlands with new, creative ideas, skills and use them to help in developing their nations. However, when Nigerians travel abroad, many of them get drowned in useless romance and pleasure and when they get back to Nigeria, they become disenchanted at the failure of the OKADA RIDERS in Nigeria to develop the country for them. This fair-weather friend attitude, this consumer/romance-mentality on the part of many Nigerians abroad is one of the serious elements that pander to Nigeria's underdevelopment.

ROFLMAO!!!!

I could not help myself, I just had to laugh holding my sides at this one!

bawomolo:

lol.

the modern day communist peoples republic of china is pretty young.

Nigerian has no excuse when compared to it's counterpart in malaysia etc

Reread the article. It clearly states that time is not the only factor. Asia was never colonized by the British the way Africa was. It is not an excuse, but its obvious you cannot compare the paths of both continents. Even within Africa, check out the countries ruled by Belgium instead of Britain. You will find a clear difference in rate of development after independence (hint, Rwanda, Congo, , ). You might also want to check out the history of Malaysia while you are at it.

bawomolo:

lol.

the modern day communist peoples republic of china is pretty young.

Nigerian has no excuse when compared to it's counterpart in malaysia etc

Communist ke? China is now mostly communist on paper oo!!! That country is almost wholly capitalist, last I checked.

Kobojunkie:

Communist ke? China is now mostly communist on paper oo!!! That country is almost wholly capitalist, last I checked.

na true you talk. China has quietly become a capitalist monster

I agree with my inteligent interlectual friend. lets be realistic and matual thinking pls, the biggest problem (NIGERIA) is facing in terms of industrual development today is as a result of beleivual differencies which distance us from accord, unity one voice and most specially, agreement and which is the backbone of politice and indirect government from ages. like our dear broda stated, the key to the delvelopments of all this developt and fast developing countries are communistic sake! anyway, we are the leaders of tomorrow and we must try to learn our fult today in order to act wisely tomorrow because, it must fall on us. try your possible best as a good citizen of nigeria today to attain any level of education of your capacity and prepare your salves for tomorrow venture. most of us abroad has only one aim MONEY and notting else are our dreams. How many of all this mentioning country's citizens remain in foreign countries for as long we nigerians do without other aims otherthan our families (selfcenteredness) tomorrow will think of it self. abi. then take wht tomorrow gives you then.
think wisely and be realistic.
1

birdman:



Reread the article. It clearly states that time is not the only factor. Asia was never colonized by the British the way Africa was. It is not an excuse, but its obvious you cannot compare the paths of both continents. Even within Africa, check out the countries ruled by Belgium instead of Britain. You will find a clear difference in rate of development after independence (hint, Rwanda, Congo, , ). You might also want to check out the history of Malaysia while you are at it.

I don't know what we argue abt. The fact remains that we have no justification for our suffering neither do we have any for the backwardness of Africa as a continent.
Colonization or no colonization have nothing to do with the corrupt leaders and tyrants we have in Africa.
British never thought us selfishness nor wickedness, they never thought us greediness nor foolishness, rather it runs in African blood.

We might not dispute it that Asians never actually experience colonization as African did but we can see most of these countries were no where to be found in the past 15, 20 years, but today somewhere. These are countries without any Natural resources.
It's obvious that we have all the natural resources in Africa but we cant make effective use of it.

The successful Asian countries today are those who believe that they can independently build up their country, but African leaders have always believe that we don't have enough or what it takes to build our country as such still dependent on the west for aid, so do you think African will ever be independent?The colonization we rejected is what our leaders are indirectly chasing around today. They still give us pieces of cake for a bag of flower. Is it not time we start learning how to bake ourselves?
A pest will always remain a pest while a host will always remain a host and there is always host for a pest to live on. Our leader chose to remain at level of being a pest, seeking for aids here are there, at every UN meeting where as the main income from the country's resource goes into their individual pockets.

There is one thing our leaders failed to understand, that for long time now we have become a liability to the entire world and to UN as such no aids from them comes on a good will anymore, they all lack good intents.
We better wake up and not wait until we achieve 200yrs of independence.

^ I agree with everything you've said, no excuses here. However, we do need a balanced view of the problems we face. Many are despondent about the Nigerian project, because we have a mindset that is different from our independence fathers (Awo, Zik, McCaulay, ). We want everything to magically become orderly, it takes a painful process to truly become a nation (instead of a geographical expression according to Awo), and the nature of our colonisation has had an effect on our trajectory. There is the albatross of a northern ruling elite that had the backing of Britain in the early years after independence, for example. Without this perspective on our history, we will all slide into despondent wailing, finding it easier to heap abuses on Nigeria instead of doing something positive (however little) to help.

@OP,,,
The best way to solving a problem is admitting and identifying that you have a problem and not living in denial!,,, Mark my words,,,Nigeria does not have any reason or excuse why she is where she is now,,,,
Your analysis is simply giving Nigeria excuses for her failures,,,and the excuses U gave are baseless and without any reasonable substance.Bottomline is this:
1.If it took Americans over 200yrs b4 they start using the i nternet or having access 2 the internet,,,should it take Naija 200yrs? or Naija should have waited 200yrs to start using the internet.
2. It probably took Americans over 100yrs b4 using telephones,,,why did'nt Nigeria wait for another 100yrs b4 we start using telephones,,,,mind U,,,Ivory Coast and Republic of Benin have been using mobile phones for 10yrs in west Africa b4 Naija started in 2001.
3.If it took Ghana over 30yrs b4 they start having uninterrupted power supply,,,why is naija at about 50yrs has no hope of having stable power supply?
I can go on and on but finally, I want you 2 know that the difference btw developed countries and underdeveloped ones simply lies in the way and manner they think.Its not about their age or how long they have been existing.A good example are as follows:
A. Liberia is over 100yrs,,,practically older than South Africa, China, Dubai, Ghana,,,,but can U compare these countries with Liberia?
B. Ethopia and Egypt re older than Canada, South Korea,Israel and Japan,,,,but can U compare these countries with Ethoipia and Egypt?
The major problem with Africa and Africans simply lies in way they THINK,,,Until our THINKING process is ratified and transformed to see and vitualised where the world is going,,,we would continue to lag behind,,,Nigeria in particularly is the most unseriuos African country and probably the most unserious nation in the world,,,
Much more than that,,Naija is filled up with people who deserve the kind of LEADERS they have!!!

Yee! o pari. Real truth you have hit the nail on the head

@RealTruth and sliced and diced it right for all to read!!!

Kobojunkie:

@RealTruth and sliced and diced it right for all to read!!!

Chiddysville:

Yee! o pari. Real truth you have hit the nail on the head

Thanks pals,,,,it just amazes me when I see people even Nigerian so called political leaders give excuses for Naija continued failing and deteriorating status.Some times U hear them saying home grown democracy,,,what nonesense is that!!,,,even Americans and the western are not the original owners of democracy,,,the world felt its the best form of Government,,,
On a personal note,,I love Nigerians,,,individual we have very wonderful people,,,however docility and complacency is creeping in and eroding the very fabric of our values that defines us,,,,For this and many other reasons I personally refuse to be blindly patriotic and call things just the way they are,,,the way things re going right now in the country,,I deeply fear what is gonna be the end!!!