I will repeat this question. Are Nigerians that bad? Are we the worst in Africa or even in the world? I ask this question not just because of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa our neighbor where Nigerians are the most vulnerable but my personal experience with foreigners generally.
A woman had denied being a Nigerian with her kids in my very eyes in one of the European countries. She was not being profiled for anything, she was discussing with her white acquaintances.

Yes let me focus on my own experience. I lived in Europe for 2 years, for studies and other legitimate works. I made friends with lots of Europeans and even some Americans who were my classmates. Some were already working in different missions in Africa including Nigeria. "Hey were r gonna meet in Lagos, yea great place,... was in Abuja,... Calabar was nice... bla bla bla."

The first guy, I only knew through facebook that he was in Nigeria, ... the second one called after he had left and said he was gonna visit again "next year...". The third one just said he was at the airport leaving for US, when I coincidentally chatted him up. I can go on and on.

What of our own Nigerians in the diaspora? has anyone got the experience. The moment you chat them up on your possibility of coming to the US maybe on holls or conference, you have not even asked any favour, its either the person chats no more or the conversation becomes monosyllabic. He even visits and remains in hideout in his own country. He leaves home and sleeps in unknown hotels till he leaves. I never got to meet Mike*. He apologised and said he had to leave urgently for a meeting at Awka when I drove several kilometres to meet my bosom friend that has stayed several years in the US. The next chat was that he is already in DC thanking God for journey mercy. I also thanked God for journey mercy with him

You arrive an airport somwhere and the first question is how long are you staying. An immigration officer was struggling to collect my residence permit while I was leaving one of the airports. I was like my visa has not expired and I could have cause to come back and he was like, "I know you will not come back..." what ruthlessness..."

Are we really that bad in the commity of nations?
Are we really that bad in the eyes of the world?

We are kind of bad in the eyes of the world. In more developed countries, we are known for scams and in less developed parts of the world, we are known for drug trafficking. Just like indians and chinese are known for being geeks. Although these acts are commited by a small part of the population, the effect is huge.

Just last week, one of my work colleagues here in canada in a mid sized government owned engineering firm picks up a letter from our fax machine. It was from Alison madueke's son in london. The content of the letter was the usual nigerian scam format. She and his mum was been prosecuted for stealing crude oil proceeds of 34 million dollars in Nigeria and she was dying of cancer in london. They were looking for a maga to help them hide the money for a certain percentage. The scammer even opened an email account ending in madueke.com... lol

ofcourse, the letter was passed around. Everyone laughed and picked on me since i am the only nigerian prince in that particular office of over 500 workers. i had a similar incident when i worked in manchester UK at one of the biggest banks in the world. On a larger scale during anti fruad and corruption training, emron, siemens, halliburton scandals e.t.c are regularly used as examples. No other country rivals Nigeria.

In far east asia, there are thousands of videos on youtube of nigerian drug traffikers being interrogated by the police and confessing fo drug crimes. There are lots of videos being posted by scam baiters too on youtube.

The incident last week at work was a new one to me..even a Nigerian...i mean alison madueke and the process of using fax to send scam letters. I could imagine the same letter was forwarded to thousands of companies all over the world everyday and every week all year round.

The question is: why always Nigerians?

I live in Germany and apart from that I have visited 2 other countries. My Mann and I were discussing this issue and we discovered that many reasons could cause this. The average Nigerian has been misinformed that going abroad automatically translates to fast wealth. They believe that no matter the country they go to as long as its 'abroad' that they will hit it really big, send dollars, ships cars to Naija and build imposing mansions as soon as they get off the plane. They travel with this mentality and without making concrete plans to how it will work out.
Then they land and then reality sets in. Everyone takes time to settle down abroad. Horning your skills, taking courses, writing exams, passing, getting certified are all steps needed before starting the road to success but it takes time and many people can't wait. Their family back home can't wait. They keep calling asking for money everyday (we get so many requests for money all of us abroad). You send little because you are still struggling with lower jobs and trying to make a headway. Your brothers, sisters, friends, parents, relations everybody hits you up for money, money money. Some can't stand the pressure they then take to crime. There other day my Mann was in a group of Germans and they asked were he was from he said Nigeria. They said your brothers are in Berlin selling meth. Infact that it is only Nigerians that carry that particular drug. He was very shocked. But its true. I have personally passed a street in northern Germany of Nigerians (beside an afro shop)were they sell drugs on the streets codedly in pidgin english. I think some of this people may not have wanted to get to the point of selling drugs but the family and societal pressure back home makes them do it. They want to return for Christmas with a loud noise and people hailing them. They don't want people at home to look down them for flipping burgers at MacDonald and earning little. With 'nothing to show' as we say.
Then for a country like South Africa were the citizens are tired of drug dealing from our brothers, its a pity. As far as I know the only job offer available for a Nigerian migrating there is in Medicine(doctors) and lecturers in universities. Every other job is demand by the south African nationals themselves. Many of them are poor and live in villages. Apart from those Nigerians who have capital for business and a lucky few the rest could have no other option than to take to drug dealing and crime.