AS YOU ALL KNOW ON NAIRALAND I AM STRONG OPPONENT OF UGU EXPORTERS COMING TO 'DEVELOP' THE SOUTHWEST. YOU KNOW THOSE UGANDANS THAT SPECIALIZE IN 'DEVELOPING' INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, INDIA, THE PHILIPINES ETC. IN THIS SERIES I LET IT BE KNOWN THE KIND OF DEVELOPERS THAT WE WANT - STARTING WITH THE VERY INDUSTRIOUS LABANESE. ENJOY



Multiple generations of Lebanese have made their home in Nigeria. Some are the descendants of migrants who arrived in West Africa as early as the 19th century, leaving behind their small Middle Eastern nation in search of opportunities elsewhere.

Members of this Lebanese diaspora - from fourth-generation Nigerian nationals to recent arrivals - share their experiences of life in Africa's most populous nation.

Tatiana Mousalli Nouri

Tatiana Mousalli Nouri, 38, is fourth-generation Lebanese, raised in Nigeria. She is the deputy group managing director for Aim Group, a family-run conglomerate with offices across the country, which includes broadcasters Cool FM and Wazobia FM.

She also heads Wazobia TV, which is the only Nigerian channel to broadcast exclusively in pidgin English. Tatiana is married with three children.

I was born in London, in the UK, but was conceived and raised in Nigeria. I have been here all of my life because my mum's family has been in Nigeria for a very long time, since 1886. My great grandfather, Michael Lelias, left Lebanon in 1886 on his way to Brazil.

The boat stopped by Nigeria before heading to Brazil. Back then I think it was fashionable to go to Brazil.


The story goes that he did not have enough money to make the trip to Brazil, so he basically stopped in Nigeria and made it home. He worked for many years as a cattle trader. Then he went back to Lebanon, got married and brought back his wife. That's how my grandfather was born here.

My grandmother on my mother's side of the family was born in the Republic of Benin, in Porto-Novo. My mother grew up here when she was a child as well, left for secondary school and then came back.

My father always says that we are civilised nomads because of his and my mother's heritage. We've always been nomads, going from one place to another.

I'm Lebanese maybe by blood, if I can use that word. When people ask me, "Where are you from?" I will say Nigerian, because this is what I know, this is where I grew up, this is where my memories are.

We are not "real" Nigerians, according to some people. When people tell me, "No, you are not Nigerian," I can defend my Nigerian roots more than everyone. But we're usually embraced.

In Nigeria there is a code that says all media owners must be Nigerian. We are Nigerian, meaning my parents are Nigerian, my sister and I are Nigerian. My brother-in-law is Nigerian - he was born and raised in Kano, a city in the north of the country. We feel very much Nigerian. However, the colour of our skin is very different.

When we launched Wazobia FM, in 2007, and it was in pidgin English, no presenter out there wanted to audition to be a pidgin English presenter, because it was not done in Nigeria. We used cleaners and cooks from our cafe, Chocolat Royal. We said, "Just go and talk."

We still have some of the cleaners that have grown with the station. It's gone further than we expected.

Everybody has embraced it. Even though we still get some criticism, by a small amount of people that tell us that we are teaching pidgin English to the future generations. If you want to be educated, put your kids in school. Wazobia is really a medium; it's just a language that we use to communicate a message.

Nigeria has this vibe, this thing that when you come here there is something that hooks you to the country. I don't know what it is.

A lot of my friends that live here feel the same way. The potential that there is in this country, there is nowhere else. There is this dynamism, and there is hope. There is a very bright future for the generations ahead.

Loubna Fakhri-Baker

Loubna Fakhri-Baker, 32, is the executive chef of the Lagos-based restaurant Craft Gourmet, which she co-founded with her husband, Anu Baker. Loubna was born and raised in Senegal but moved to Nigeria in 2008. She has a daughter.

In 1939 my grandfather moved to Senegal along with a big community of Lebanese people. My father told me that they were supposed to go to South America, but the boat stopped in Senegal and they started doing business there and stayed. Senegal is a very nice country to live in and the population there is very welcoming.

I was born and raised in Dakar. We consider ourselves Senegalese. Every Friday or Saturday the family would sit around a thiebou jen (a spicy stuffed fish served with rice), which is the national dish. We cook yassa (a spicy chicken or fish dish) every day. We speak Senegalese, we eat Senegalese, I travel with the Senegalese passport, and we bury our dead in Senegal. We became Senegalese.

French is my mother tongue. I also speak English, Wolof, and Spanish. I don't speak Arabic well. When I go to Lebanon and I open my mouth and say "Bonjour" or "Marhaba", people say, "Oh, she's from Africa" because of my accent.

I want to go back to Lebanon to live - go back to my roots. Whether it's a good or bad experience I don't care. I want to understand where I'm from.

I'm Lebanese by blood but I sometimes feel closer to my Senegalese friends than my Lebanese friends from around the world. However, there's still something that doesn't make me feel completely Senegalese. I had a complex about it. When I talk to Lebanese people I'm not Lebanese, but when I talk to Senegalese, I'm not quite Senegalese for them. I'm still "the white girl" in their country.

I met my husband in Lebanon when I went there for holidays. He was living in Lagos and then he moved to Abuja. When he moved to Abuja we got married and I followed him. After I got pregnant, Boko Haram attacks started to happen in Abuja so when I wanted to deliver we went back to Senegal. We stayed a bit, but we were missing the energy of Nigeria.

When we first came to Lagos my husband was working as a financial controller and I was thinking about what I wanted to do in the food industry because I have a diploma from Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (a Swiss hospitality management school). I knew that I wanted to work in that field.

Craft Gourmet was a concept made by me, but then I felt it was too hard to do it alone and my husband decided to quit his job to join me. He takes care of purchasing and financial control and I'm the executive chef.

It's not easy to live in Nigeria. You are outside your comfort zone every day, fighting and struggling. What I love the most about Nigeria is that I became an adult in Nigeria. In Senegal I was not. Life was too easy. Here I've been challenged. Everyone is hustling here.

Here, if you don't do something, you feel like a loser. For me there's this energy of feeling alive, of getting something fixed every day.

The kind of developers you want, all the industries own by Igbos are not enough abi? Yorubbers and agbero work be like

Eddie Bahnam

ddie Bahnam, 41, works in supply chain management and business development at Beamco Nigeria, an engineering services company with interests across oil and gas services, construction and commodity trading. He moved to Nigeria 15 years ago and lives in Lagos with his wife and two children. He is currently applying for Nigerian citizenship.

I was born and raised in Lebanon. I practically lived there all my life except during the civil war when we had to go to Paris for three years because we couldn't even go to school in Lebanon. After that I returned to Beirut.

After my Masters in Business Administration in Lebanon I was on my way to a job in Switzerland but coincidence led me to my future boss in Nigeria. I thought to hell with Europe. I didn't want to work for a big corporation. I wanted a much more flexible structure where you can make an impact.

I didn't know anyone in Nigeria. I remember vividly, from the airport all the way to Apapa (a neighbourhood in Lagos) I saw people walking. Whether on a bridge, or on a street or on a major road, you had a lot of people everywhere.

I never had the intention to stay. I said, "Let me come here for three years." Then, it was very difficult for me to leave because at that time Nigeria was booming. Then I met my wife who was also working on a project in Lagos and here I am 15 years later. Three years became 15. I don't regret that decision.

In the beginning there was a lot of frustration because you're not used to taking care of your own power supply, providing your own water. When I first came there were absolutely no malls or cinemas. There were probably three or four major clubs that people would go to and the roads were tiny. Now, there's an abundance of malls everywhere. Shoprite (a supermarket chain) is everywhere, in every mall there's a movie theatre and there's a list of restaurants popping up every month.

There are cliches. Nigeria has the tag of being corrupt or unsafe but this is just because of mass media. I feel much safer here than in Paris after 10 o'clock at night. I don't care how foreigners or the media depicts Nigeria or generally West Africa. People are super-friendly. The sense of community is much stronger here. You will get help if you encounter trouble on the street, whereas in Europe nobody will care. Corruption - I think it's blown out of proportion.

I would say I sometimes look at how I lived my childhood and I compare it to what my children are going through. Nigeria is a great place to raise children; however, the most basic things are lacking. I remember when I was four years old, I could go with my friends down the street and maybe go buy a chocolate or walk to my neighbour's house. These are the things you can't do here. Any time you want to step out of the gates of the compound, you have to be escorted.

I've managed to integrate into the social fabric of at least Lagos. I have a lot of Nigerian friends and that might make me different from others within the Lebanese community. Some Lebanese choose to stay within the Lebanese community but these are a minority.

Most Lebanese are well integrated into Nigerian society. I feel I'm welcome in every house, in every party, in every event.

is dat all?

So, wetin concern Yoruba for dis matter? *I dey scratch head *.

Ronald n gilbert chagouri,managers of eko hotel,eko atlantic,construction giants etc,

Abeg when these 'developers' go begin claim Lasgidi as 'nomansland' ?

ODVanguard:
Abeg when these 'developers' go begin claim Lasgidi as 'nomansland' ?

They won't. They are not dumb like the Ugandan Ugu exporters who have NOTHING but make the MOST noise.

FisifunKododada:



They won't. They are not dumb like the Ugandan Ugu exporters who have NOTHING but make the MOST noise.

Yorubas should also try to raise the type of developers other states/nations would want

Kondomatic:
Yorubas should also try to raise the type of developers other states/nations would want

haha.

Kondomatic:
Yorubas should also try to raise the type of developers other states/nations would want

Abimbola Awoliyi is Nigeria’s first female doctor -

Kolapo Hamzat is the youngest professor of physiotherapy in Nigeria and Africa -


Adegoke olubunmo is the first professor of Mathematics in Africa -

Momodu Mosobalaje Olaloye is the first African professor of Geology - Dele Olojede is

the first and only African to win a Pulitzer prize - Abimbola jayeola is Nigeria’s First Female Helicopter Pilot -

William Akinola Dawodu was the first Nigerian car importer, he started importing cars into Nigeria in 1905 -

Prof. Jade Akande was the first female professor of law in West Africa -


Kofo Ademola is the first black woman to receive an undergraduate degree from Oxford University -

Dr. Olaoluwa Hallowed Oluwadara is the youngest African PHD Holder in Mathematics -


Deborah Enilo Ajakaiye is the first female physics professor in Africa and also the first black African to be named a fellow of the Geological society of London -

Wole Soyinka is the first black and only African to win a Nobel prize for literature -

Thomas Adesanya ige grillo is the first Nigerian professor of anatomy -

Taslim Eliasis the first African to be president of the International Court of Justice (World Court) -

Folake Folarin-Coker the first African-based fashion designer to stage a show twice at the New York Fashion Week -


Latunde Odeku is the first US-trained black neurosurgeon and the 1st professor of neuro- surgery in Nigeria. -

Bode Thomas created the First indigenous Nigerian law firm -
I.K dairo is the first Nigerian to be conferred title of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) -

Amzat Beyioku Adebowale is The first Nigerian to bring Sharp range of electronic products in Nigeria -

Prof. Taiyewo Kolawole is the first Nigerian neuro- radiologist -

Prof. Arinola Olasumbo Sanya is the first female Professor of Physiotherapy in Africa. -
Dr Olu Jaiyebo is The first Agronomist in Nigeria.

Professor Micheal Adepoju Adeyemo is The first Nigerian Chartered Accountant
Latola Films was the 1st film production company in Nigeria -

Prof. IlesanmiAdesida, is the first black Vice- Chancellor in an american unversity -

Mrs. Sade Thomas-Fahm is the First woman to own a boutique in Nigeria -

Nojim Maiyegun is the first Nigerian to win an Olympic medal

-Adenike Osofisan is the first African Female Professor of Computer Science. -

Prof T.O Ogunlesi is the first professor of Medicine in Nigeria -

Chief Akintola Williams is the First African to qualify as a chartered accountant -

Ezekiel Adekunle Ifaturoti is the first mining engineer in Nigeria

-Rotimi Adebari is the First black mayor of Ireland -

Folake Solanke is the First Female Senior Advocate of Nigeria -

Elizabeth Abimbola is the First Nigerian Female Doctor-1937 -Helen
Folasade Adu is the First Nigerian-born artist to win a Grammy-1986 -

Prof. Bolanle Awe: Nigeria's first female Professor of History -

Professor Thomas Adeoye Lambo is Africa’s first professor of psychiatry. - Engineer Dr.

(Mrs.) Olatokubo A Somolu: is Nigeria’s first Female to hold a PHD in Engineering -

Mrs Adetowun Ogunsheye is The first female professor in Nigeria -

Mrs bisoye esther tejuosho is Nigeria’s first female industrialist -

Michael Onafowokan is Nigeria’s first Architect 1952 -

Aderonke Kale is the first Female Nigerian Armed Forces (2 Star) Major General: -

Chief (Dr.) Bola Kuforiji Olubi is The first Female Chartered Accountant in Nigeria -

George Olatokunbo Okikiolu, has written more mathematics papers than any other Black mathematician in history -

Katherline okikiolu is the first black person to win the most prestigious award for young mathematics researchers in the United States and the first black woman to publish an article in the Annals of Mathematics -
Samuel Layinka Ayodeji invented the excision knife to treat tropical ulcers. he won the Robert Wilson Memorial Prize in Chemistry and the Welcome Prize in Medicine.

Rashidi yekinni the first player to score for nigeria in Fifa world cup

Rashidi yekinni is the Alltime highest goal scorer for nigeria

Teslim Balogun is nigeria's first proffesional footballer

Jomiloju Tunde Oladipo is the youngest nigeria microsoft certified pro at

Obateru Akiruntan olugbo of ugbo Land is the Richest monarch in Nigeria

Folorunsho Alakija is the richest woman in nigeria

Samuel ajayi crowther is the first anglican bishop in nigeria

Sapara williams is the First indigeneous nigerian Lawyer Federick rotimi williams is the first solicitor to supreme court in nigeria

Herbet Macaulay is the first Nigerian to own a car Yoruba bible is the First indigeneous bible in nigeria

Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the first man to introduce Universal Primary Education in Nigeria in the then Western Region in the year 1956.

The Nigerian Flag was designed by a Nigerian student in London as at then in the year 1960 by Mr. Taiwo Akinkunmi

The first female to drive a motor car was Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti

Mrs. Latifat Okunnu was the first female deputy Governor in Nigeria

Mrs Efunroye Tinubu was the first female to buy a car in Nigeria.

Kafayat shau from Nigeria broke the world record in longest dance with a time of 52 hours and 3 minutes. It happened in 2006.

Olusoji fasuba is the fastest nigerian on 100m track event with 9.85 seconds(2006)

Ajayi agbebaku holds All time best record in nigeria's tripple jump event (1983)
Adewale olukoju is all time best discus throw for nigeria (1991)

Honourable adeyemi ikuforiji is the longest serving speaker in Nigeria

Bishop oyedepo is the richest pastor in the world

Herbet ogunde and ola balogun re the first flim makers in nigeria


SAHARA ENERGY

THE PALMS SHOPPING MALL(PERSINANAS GROUP)


GTB

ELIZADE GROUP

CAVERTON OFFSHORE GROUP

CHICKEN REPUBLIC

NICON GROUP /Air Nigeria Nicon Insurance Nigeria Re-Insurance Corporation Nicon Luxury Hotel The Nicon Group - Lagos, Nigeria - Holdings include investment companies, schools, real estate holdings, transport companies and others Global Fleet Oil and Gas, Nicon Hotels, Global Fleet Industries Energy Bank

DOYIN GROUP OF COMPANIES /Global Soap & Detergent Industries Limited, Consolidated Foods and Beverages Limited Doyin Pharmaceutical (Nigeria) Limited,Doyin Farms
BELLVIEW AIRLINES
PETRO INNET
MURITALA MUHAMMAD AIRPORT TERMINAL2 .
BI-COURTNEY
FAIRGATE GROUP
MAIN ONE
TASTY-FRIED CHICKEN-
ELEGANZA-
SKYE BANK
FCMB
TANTALIZERS-
SWEET SENSATION
ATLANTIC ENERGY
COSTAIN WEST AFRICA

-Oyo state is the largest producer of /Tobacco in Nigeria

-Ondo state is the largest producer of oil after the south-south -Of the 28.6 million metric tonnes of cement produced locally in Nigeria, 14 million metric tonnes of this comes from Ogun State

-Ogun state has the largest concentration of industries in Nigeria. Ota,sagamu and agbara -Sagamu is the largest kola nut collecting center in the nigeria
-Osun-osogbo international festival
-Yoruba pastors control 95% of religious tourism
Musicians
D'banj
Tiwa salvage
Davido
Wizkid
Olamide
Suspect
Korede bello
Reekado banks
Sheyi shey
Eedris Abdulkareem
Salawa Abeni - Waka singer
Sunny Ade - jùjú singer
Sade Adu
Tope Alabi
Yemi Alade - R&B and pop singe
Aṣa - R&B, country and pop singer- songwriter
Alhaji Alamu Atatalo
Yinka Ayefele - gospel singer
Adewale Ayuba
Ayinde Bakare
Banky W - pop and R&B singer-songwriter
Adé Bantu
TY Bello - gospel sing singer and rapper
Femi Kuti - afrobeat, jazz singer-
songwriter and instrumentalist
Seun Kuti - afrobeat, Jazz singer-
songwriter and instrumentalist

Lagbaja
Niyola
Alhaji Abass Akande Obesere
Ebenezer Obey

Sound Sultan
Fela Sowande
Sean tizzle Can't remember all


YOU WANT MORE? I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED MENTIONING OUR SUCCESSFUL PEPS RESIDENT IN EUROPE AND AMERICA

Eastactivist:
Yorubas are refugees in lagos

How can these inferior set of individuals always trying to prove to us that they own Lagos..

Confused lots...

We are refugees yet we deported some of your street beggars to alaigbo - I remember you were one of the people that cried out on Nairaland the most.

Eastactivist:
Yorubas are refugees in lagos

How can these inferior set of individuals always trying to prove to us that they own Lagos..

Confused lots...

The flatness of your heads across the Niger has surely robbed you lots of common sense. If you call the Yorubas who have aboriginal and indigenous Kings and own/sell land in Lagos 'refugees', what then would one call your almajiri/economic asylum seeking brethren?

Make I Sidon dey watch for one corner first

OP, abeg continue with these sweet, educational and uplifting information abeg

ODVanguard:


The flatness of your heads across the Niger has surely robbed you lots of common sense. If you call the Yorubas who have aboriginal and indigenous Kings in Lagos 'refugees', what then would one call your almajiri/economic asylum seeking brethren?

E buru sha - you are wicked!

Eastactivist:

LOL... Yet fashola apologised to the Igbos,
but more Yorubas where deported to ileife, ogun and ondo by lasg and nothing happened...
Ask aregbesola??

When you flog a child and he cries excessively then of course you will try to placate the baby - we didn't know Eboes will be so pained

Eastactivist:

I will answer you

Don't even sweat it. Your incomplete brain no fit process am.

The developers won't like this.

lushrolake:
The developers won't like this.

Our dear Ugu exporters and Malaysia 'developers' are already crying all over this thread

Kondomatic:
Yorubas should also try to raise the type of developers other states/nations would want

We already have them in worthy places outside Yorubaland, even in as far away Ghana, ivory coast, benin, and the West sef. Unfortunately our folks just don't see the business sense in doing such in your parts. If your environment is fertile enough the investors will naturally come. It's not rocket science.

Heck, even your own wealthy few (who made their money outside the region) have to be begged and cajoled to return home to invest there, let alone Yoruba people. Why run to a place where the indigenes are fleeing from? Makes no business sense whatsoever. Sorry.

FisifunKododada:


Our dear Ugu exporters and Malaysia 'developers' are already crying all over this thread

Hehehehe

ODVanguard:


We already have them in worthy places outside Yorubaland, even in as far away Ghana, ivory coast, benin, and the West sef. Unfortunately our folks just don't see the business sense in doing such in your parts. If your environment is fertile enough the investors will naturally come. It's not rocket science.

Heck, even your own wealthy few (who made their money outside the region) have to be begged and cajoled to return home to invest there, let alone Yoruba people. Why run to a place where the indigenes are fleeing from? Makes no business sense whatsoever. Sorry.

Listen sir, you should know that not every person is interested in the aimless igbo vs yoruba supremacy tussle on here.


No responsible adult will get involved in that madness so spare me that.

My initial comment would be the same if this were to be an Igbo thread and I appreciate the response you gave me in the first part of your comment.

The rest of your comment are unnecessary and useless to me.

FisifunKododada:


Our dear Ugu exporters and Malaysia 'developers' are already crying all over this thread

...please add pineapple exporters...you just dey cry for nothing, while they are truly exporting...Continue depending on the Lebanese...while they are depending on their own technologies...

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