herniec:

It is because we have a wrong value system. Acquisition of material things seems to be the only way we can show people that we are doing fine in our pursuits. Is it not the same thing that has corrupted even our religious leaders? We generally define our worth by things - money, cars, clothings, houses, etc.

posakosa:

I think that it has a lot to do with unnecessary ego.

True.

LOL i remember once we were at a food joint (bro and i) and we were chilling with some people.  Waiter accidently poured fanta on one of them.  His response was 'See this idiot, how you go pour drink for my $400 shoes!?!' My bro and i burst out laughing.  .  .silly people

naijacutee:

This is the question someone asked me today, and after trying to think of a clever response/excuse, I found out that I had none. It got me thinking, and I started to think of all the guys I know who talk about "swag" from morning till night, friends I know who will not wear anything and be tagged twice in it on Facebook, family members who I compliment saying "Your top looks good on you", and the response is "Very expensive. N4,000 at The Palms". People who will buy anything - Blackberry, Holiday to Dubai, TM Lewin shirt, Lace weave, MAC make-up - solely to fit in with everyone else, and not because they really need these things; people who will talk disrespectfully to a person the minute they perceive that this person cannot afford certain things, girls who will lose their virginity to someone who only has to pretend to be wealthy and bribe them with recharge cards, people who will do anything to get rich - even to the point of lying and twisting Biblical references to back their lies.

Is this an unrecognised culture amongst us? Why are money and material wealth so important to us? Almost to the point where we are ready to worship money even in church! Can we be content with a life which involves living in a decent, comfortable and clean house in a quiet village somewhere, with good food, clean water and a steady stream of income - or would that be classified as "suffering"?

herniec:

Let's look at it well. Has our cravings for material things not blinded most of us? Are religious bodies not infested with the same virus? A man cannot afford to sponsor his children's education. Yet he has money to throw around at parties, buy expensive lace material, declare surplus for friends at joints, maintain a second wife he does not need, . . . ? In a bid to show off, we gadly eat up our tomorrow today. This same disease is what is plaguing our political, ecnomic, social, and religious life. It is extremely hard in Nigeria to be rich and yet maintain a simple lifestyle. Where on earth do the most foolish rich people live? Is it not in Nigeria? Foolish rich people who could afford the best and lastest cars, yet they run short of common sense to make the roads are good enough for their cars. Are they not the myopic ones who build houses without giving thought to where the water comes from? Borehole? Nonsense! We are backward because our views are wrong. Our minds are our biggest problem. We need renewed minds, else we will keep suffering amidst plenty and perhap die in it. Not the kind of political rebranding we see around us.

muffins:

Everybody is materialistic, why must nigerians be mentioned?

coolier:

Because majority of Nigerians don't work for their money, they steal it one way or the other. And because they are vain and conceited.

MrCrackles:

This is a very daft response!