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Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy - Politics - Nairaland

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Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by odumorun: 12:01pm On Apr 17, 2010
What is it with many educated Nigerians that we can't take the truth and get so upset when foreigners see through our bluff and bluster and point out what anybody who's ever lived in Nigeria knows - that we are a poor, underdeveloped mismanaged country where most people live in abject poverty.

True the western media play up the negatives, because it is in their interest to do so. But we're not the only country they dislike; they dislike the Libyans, Iranians and Chinese more than they do us, because they challenge them while we don't. So if they could show people eating from dustbins in these countries they definitely would. If they don't show such images from Tehran, Tripoli and Beijing, it’s because it probably doesn't happen there.

Of course most Nigerians don't live in Olusosun, but neither do most Nigerians live in the houses we see in Nollywood - I have not seen too many Nigerians complain about the false image Nolllywood portrays of contemporary Nigerian life. Most people in Lagos live in crowded, fetid and stinking slums, with no access to proper drainage, drinking water, parks, good roads. A couple of Nigerians I Know, educated, comfortable and westernised, the most pretentious and artificial variety and those most outraged by the BBC documentary, denied that most Lagosians lived in slums, pointing out that many lagosians didn't. There are nice places in Lagos, but every and I repeat every posh neighbourhood in Lagos is surrounded by a sprawling endless slum. Apapa is swamped by Ajegunle, Surulere by Itire and Masha, Akoka by Shomolu and Bariga, Palmgrove by Mushin and Oshodi. 4 million people live in Ajegunle with no access to water, good toilets and roads. Living in filthy crumbling tenement blocks infested with rats and vermin and a few well off middle class people get upset because foreign cameras only see the the oceans of penury and not islands of relative comfort diotted across them

We delude ourselves that we are developed becos in the popular Nigerian saying "there is nothing you want in the world that you can't buy in Nigeria' Very true, but how many of those things were produced in Nigeria. Countries are not defined as great due to the amount they consume; they are because of the amount they produce. We drive the best cars and expect the world to acclaim our taste, even when we can't manufacture bicycles. We wear the best shoes and shirts, celebrating our fashion sense and wonder why people laugh at us, when we can't generate enough electricity to run a shoe repair shop let alone a shoe factory. We boast about our shops being full of the latest electronic and computer gadgets yet have been unable to master the art of manufacturing transistor radios first built 200 years ago in the 19th century. we glide around town in the best cars produced by foreign brains and have a railway system based upon the Victorian gauge and expect ourselves to be taken seriously by a broadcasting company the BBC currently ruled by the Granddaughter of the Queen in whose time our railway was built and not since upgraded. We live in a circus and complain when people laugh at us. We consume everything and produce nothing; our engineers work in Banks, our scientists in finance houses and expect to be taken seriously.

Some of those guys interviewed in Olusosun spoke better English than some of the past and even some rumour (present occupant) of our presidential villa and they live in a dump, while half wits rule over us. The only difference between many who have made it (or at least think they have) and those guys in Olusosun is not intelligence or ability, but opportunity, a wealthy or generous uncle, some connections’ abroad, family etc.

Some say Lagos is changing, I know it is. Oshodi is now free of traffic it is true, no more wretched hollow cheeked masses all desperately trying to sell the same thing, trying to eke out a living and spoiling the view for those of us fortunate to be gliding through in our air conditioned cars. Now we can bring in foreign freinds and drive them around Lagos pretending it is now a mega city because the downtrodden have been kicked out to go and die in the village. Let them go and farm we say. But people on the farms are hungrier than tose in the city. Why ?. Because Nigeria is not hungry because we dont produce enough food, we actually do, we simply cant store what we produce and transport it. Most people in England buy fresh vegetables for instance in sainsbury or tesco, what do you feel when you pick the grocerry's from the aisle yes it is cool, electricity. if you buy them in open market, they were just delivered by a refirgerated truck. So if you live in the rural areas and produce two tons of pepper and tomato, youn will still be hungry in a week. If there was no regular power in Nigeria, they would be as hungry as we are, even f they all lived on the farm

People can like you for free, but respect is not free, it has to be earned - what have we done to earn the world's respect. Our educated class complain about the government all the time, but mirror their faults - we are brash, loud, boastful and pretentious, we define ourselves by what we consume, not what we produce and expect the world to respect us. Engineers abroad point to their work, bridges, dams, complex constructions, chemical plants etc, ours point to their imported cars, chieftaincy titles and fancy clothes and take umbrage at the lack of respect they are afforded outside our shores, where achievement not status is what is measured. Foreign doctors point to academic papers, new methods of working, ours to their titles. Our soldiers who go to war are forgotten, the ones who seize political office are celebrated. How many of us know the names of any army officer who excelled in the wars in Liberia or Sierra Leone? Yet even Lizards in Lagos know the names of soldiers who sat in political office looting the nations. What did we train our soldiers for at public expense for war or political banditry. Yet those who fight bravely in war are unknown, while those who dodge what they were trained to do to sit down at home and steal money are the ones we all know and we expect the world to respect us, we are angry when they mock us - we have a long way to go, a very long way.

There is only one route to the worlds respect, handwork, honesty sacrifice and above all courage. Those young men in Olusosun had nothing, but they had courage, the courage to risk contempt and ridicule rather than steal, the courage to work hard, the courage to make do with what they have, the courage to be resourceful, the courage to be themselves, not pretend t foreigners that they were anything more than what the world knows them to be.

That such people could be condemned to life on a waste dump in a country ruled by criminals is to our everlasting shame. So rather than whinging because the foreigners we work with have now seen the emptiness of our society.

1 Like

Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by AjanleKoko: 12:47pm On Apr 17, 2010
Good post.
You captured the reality pretty well. I only disagree on one point - there is no 'middle class' in Nigeria. What we have are temporary patrons, whose fortunes may change with government's policies. Imagine top bankers 2 years ago, now sitting at home jobless. I know a couple.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Chinda02(f): 1:16pm On Apr 17, 2010
And the UK and US are free of slums, abi?.In this life you cant seperate the fact that there will always be the rich and the poor.lets face facts,inasmuch,as we are a third world country we know our defects and we dont need the western media rubbing it in.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by citizenY(m): 1:39pm On Apr 17, 2010
^^^^
Agree, but you have to realize that they will ''rub it in'' and display it as long as we do
not do anything to live up to our and their ''expectations''. Yes, there are slums but
what measures have we taken to provide the basics of human existence and the
required template that our people can use to improve their lives?

We all have intentions- on the internet or in Abuja or the state capitals.

We are in the global village now.

IF YOU DEY BLAST( POOPOO0 AND SOMEBODY DEY PASS, SIDDON ON TOP, WHEN E
PASS U GO CLEAN NYASH. U FORGET SAY NOT FOR TOILET YOU BLAST.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by 55(m): 2:05pm On Apr 17, 2010
Mr Odumorun pls dnt let me mispronounce d last 5 letters of ur name.
U sound like sum1 in diaspora.
Before i got my B.Eng, i had a few engineerin projects undr my belt. Nowadays wen i drive round d streets of PH, i see my projects.
Not all wit B.Eng degrees want to practice. Free them!
Dat subtle jab on d Ag President is flat out dumb. He english an accent is not worse than Swarzeneggers (4get d spellen).
I understand ur anger but stop being to critical.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Ilelobola: 2:08pm On Apr 17, 2010
Well said Odumorun. The average Nigerian probably shies away from the truth; as long as "I pass my neighbour" we can all watch "Bisi Olatilo Show", admire BRF's flowers and pretend all is well with Lagos and Nigeria.

It's unfortunate that it has to be the BBC and other foreign media that show these things because God forbid this can't be Lagos.

"Eko o ni baaje" or is it "Eko ti baaje".  cry
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by saemoenl(f): 2:17pm On Apr 17, 2010
What can we do to elevate that said problem if only we can remain focus and say No to things that bring about embezzlement of public funds. Then and only we can think of real development and better future for all.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by insideview: 2:18pm On Apr 17, 2010
True talk.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by naijacutee(f): 2:30pm On Apr 17, 2010
Excellent talk. There is some positive development in Nigeria, but these developments are not enough to counter-balance the shameful reality that a greater proportion of Nigerians are living below the poverty line. Giant of Africa - I say we have more pride than strength.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Nobody: 2:47pm On Apr 17, 2010
Perfect and spot on article.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Nobody: 2:48pm On Apr 17, 2010
My brother your views contain lots of depth. I am holding onto a phrase from your write up:

People can like you for free, but respect is not free. . .

We need more 'clear-eyed' people like you.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Kobojunkie: 2:53pm On Apr 17, 2010
Excellent Writeup @Poster . I particularly loved this . . . .


[size=13pt]Some say Lagos is changing, I know it is. Oshodi is now free of traffic it is true, no more wretched hollow cheeked masses all desperately trying to sell the same thing, trying to eke out a living and spoiling the view for those of us fortunate to be gliding through in our air conditioned cars. Now we can bring in foreign freinds and drive them around Lagos pretending it is now a mega city because the downtrodden have been kicked out to go and die in the village. Let them go and farm we say. But people on the farms are hungrier than tose in the city. Why ?. Because Nigeria is not hungry because we dont produce enough food, we actually do, we simply cant store what we produce and transport it. Most people in England buy fresh vegetables for instance in sainsbury or tesco, what do you feel when you pick the grocerry's from the aisle yes it is cool, electricity. if you buy them in open market, they were just delivered by a refirgerated truck. So if you live in the rural areas and produce two tons of pepper and tomato, youn will still be hungry in a week. If there was no regular power in Nigeria, they would be as hungry as we are, even f they all lived on the farm[/size]
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by lexicon(m): 3:04pm On Apr 17, 2010
cry cry
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Pennywise(m): 3:17pm On Apr 17, 2010
odumorun:

Let them go and farm we say. But people on the farms are hungrier than tose in the city. Why ?.

A lot of food for thought.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Nobody: 3:18pm On Apr 17, 2010
odumorun:

Some of those guys interviewed in Olusosun spoke better English than some of the past and even some rumour (present occupant) of our presidential villa and they live in a dump, while half wits rule over us. The only difference between many who have made it (or at least think they have) and those guys in Olusosun is not intelligence or ability, but opportunity, a wealthy or generous uncle, some connections’ abroad, family etc

There is no need to be so patronising and so amazingly downright rude.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by toladop(m): 3:23pm On Apr 17, 2010
Middle class is non-existent in Nigeria. We have levels of poverty and levels of wealth.
 
    The number of poor ppl in Nigeria is too much. How many Nigerians can even think of logging on to nairaland. Majority of NL members are in Lagos,PH,Abuja or 'diaspora'. Calculate the amount outside of Nigerians who live in perpetual poverty, its ridiculous. Go and find out minimum wage in civil service, you would be amazed considering that government is the highest employer. Most of us that complain about western media are a priviledged few, strictly speaking many of us are still poor.
  In fact, I am beginning to support the western media because it seems we are getting too comfortable with ourselves.

If we say everything is in Nigeria, how many things that are meant to be provided by our government are available, none.
 
Truth needs be said, we are living in ridiculous conditions in Nigeria which we are better than.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Nobody: 3:32pm On Apr 17, 2010
55:

Ms Odumorun(she sounds female) pls dnt let me mispronounce d last 5 letters of your name.
U sound like sum1 in diaspora.
Before i got my B.Eng, i had a few engineerin projects undr my belt. Nowadays wen i drive round d streets of PH, i see my projects.
Not all wit B.Eng degrees want to practice. Free them!
Dat subtle jab on d Ag President is flat out dumb. He english an accent is not worse than Swarzeneggers (4get d spellen).
I understand your anger but stop being to critical.
Actually it is laughably obvious that a lot of diasporan elements here subconsciously compare infrastructure in Nigeria with that of the West when they come up with unguarded utterances about the situation in the country.
Nigeria is still a developing country.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by sulad82i(m): 3:41pm On Apr 17, 2010
One thing that I can say about the western country like the U.S is that they have slumps and people who eat rubbish too. Anyone here who have worked in Washington DC can confirm this. And when it comes to speaking good english, there are countless akatas in this country that think they are better than some of us immigrants. When those people speaks, you will find it hard to understand what they are saying. If a white person speaks you'll here them clearly.

Media content in this country is regulated very well, you can't just come here and make videos of poor neighborhood to be shown in other countries, you will be made to clear some huddles which that person will likely fail. All those other countries the poster made reference to in the post also have people and places that are sometimes worse off than we have in 9ja but will never allow those pple to broadcast them.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Kobojunkie: 3:44pm On Apr 17, 2010
sulad82i:

One thing that I can say about the western country like the U.S is that they have slumps and people who eat rubbish too. Anyone here who have worked in Washington DC can confirm this. And when it comes to speaking good english, there are countless akatas in this country that think they are better than some of us immigrants. When those people speaks, you will find it hard to understand what they are saying. If a white person speaks you'll here them clearly.

[size=13pt]Media content in this country is regulated very well, you can't just come here and make videos of poor neighborhood to be shown in other countries, you will be made to clear some huddles which that person will likely fail. [/size] All those other countries the poster made reference to in the post also have people and places that are sometimes worse off than we have in 9ja but will never allow those pple to broadcast them.

Why the lies? You think people on here are daft? You fancy yourself a sleek liar or something? If you have to lie, at least make sure there are no persons on here who have a) Worked in DC b) even live in the same US to point out the huge hole in your story there

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/4265454.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8013102.stm

These are some of what the same BBC has done on America. Check for others on Al Jazeera and the African Channel
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Nobody: 3:52pm On Apr 17, 2010
55:

Mr Odumorun pls dnt [/b]let me mispronounce d last 5 letters of your name.

As in slowpoke abi? 55, aren't you the slowpoke?

55:

[b]U
sound like sum1 in diaspora.
Before i got my B.Eng, i had a few engineerin [/b]projects [b]undr [/b]my belt. Nowadays wen i drive round d streets of PH, [b]i see my projects.
Not all wit B.Eng degrees want to practice. Free them!
Dat [/b]subtle jab on [b]d Ag President is flat out dumb. He english an accent is not worse than Swarzeneggers (4get d spellen).
I understand your anger but stop being to critical.

@ Underlined phrase

If you drive around the streets of Port Harcourt you see them right? I wouldn't be surprised if you mean street lights or some other stuff you installed [/i]or at most [i]assembled .

What VALUE has your products added to (the Nigerian) society? On what scale? Do you argue that you couldn't have done more if our resources were better managed?

You are not ashamed of yourself, watch the National Geographic channel (Big, Bigger, Biggest) and see some of the things real Engineers do.

@ Bolded words

Beautiful! Can you see exactly what the poster meant? We are all products of a mediocre educational system.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by sulad82i(m): 3:55pm On Apr 17, 2010
I agree with some of the things the poster said about 9ja and also disagree with some. For those pple in the government that he said are not better than the average person in the street ---- I agree with that. All those people have is the opportunity and nothing more.
Also talking about the same government, Nigerian government are people like you and me who turn to a beast in the instance they assume power. What makes you and I different from those pple acting in power? Its just the fact we are not in their position. The government we have takes the blame to me. Like the poster said that we can not produce a transistor that was first invented years ago,  I have a question on that. How much do you think the government of that country spend on projects like that? Do you think those people that built those things made it all on their own? Majority of the early inventions are supported by the government, the government act as a bridge in providing the needed fund for the project to get off the floor. Nigerians dont have that. New inventions are now supported by venture capitalist who fund the project and some are taken over by existing companies. Example of these points, Youtube was not started by google but they purchase it and make it very popular, Boeing was heavily invested by the United States government in the past before it gets to where it is today.
So the government have a lot of impact in an economy and well being of its people.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Beaf: 3:58pm On Apr 17, 2010
citizenY:

^^^^
Agree, but you have to realize that they will ''rub it in'' and display it as long as we do
not do anything to live up to our and their ''expectations''. Yes, there are slums but
what measures have we taken to provide the basics of human existence and the
required template that our people can use to improve their lives?


We all have intentions- on the internet or in Abuja or the state capitals.

We are in the global village now. . .

Exactly!
If the dump dwellers weren't there, regardless of BBC's intentions, they would have either have found something more positive to broadcast or they would have simply gone away.

Lets take care of our mess, its there, we can see it and so can the BBC. For those asking if there aren't slums in the UK, I challenge you to produce photographic evidence of places equivalent to Makoko, Olusosun dump or even Ajegunle (as a milder example). They take care of their droppings; in London, run down areas like Lewisham, Brixton and Peckham are subject to very aggressive regeneration policies. The package is total, businesses are given insentives, new housing is created, while derelict apartments are torn down and their inhabitants compensated and rehoused.
The worst anyone can come up with are cases were the council or social security have stepped in to end filthy living by the mentally unstable.

We don't want to take care of our mess, but wish nobody will notice or if they do; "respect" us and keep quiet about it. Story, story!
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by pappilo(m): 4:04pm On Apr 17, 2010
spot on!
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by sulad82i(m): 4:06pm On Apr 17, 2010
Kobojunkie:

Why the lies? You think people on here are daft? You fancy yourself a sleek liar or something? If you have to lie, at least make sure there are no persons on here who have a) Worked in DC b) even live in the same US to point out the huge hole in your story there

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/4265454.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8013102.stm

These are some of what the same BBC has done on America. Check for others on Al Jazeera and the African Channel

How many times have you as a Nigerian seen these kind of images shown on or printed by our local media? The powerful target the powerful to mock the leaders of that country. As you see in the post you attached, its not that  the event is a new thing but to mock the president as someone who came from the slump.
And talking about the lies u saw and quick to point out, those people in the links you provided are far better than most Nigerians. They have access to houses, and are paid by the government weekly, roughly $1000 per person a month. Tell me how many Middle class Nigerians make that as income.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Mudley313: 4:15pm On Apr 17, 2010

One thing that I can say about the western country like the U.S is that they have slumps and people who eat rubbish too.

n what has dat got to do wit the reality of the situation documented on dat bbc documentary? u're one of the types the OP was actually writing about. u sit in d comfort of ur computer in yankee while denying the reality of the vast majority of squallor n poverty dat exist in our oil rich nation

Anyone here who have worked in Washington DC can confirm this. And when it comes to speaking good english, there are countless akatas in this country that think they are better than some of us immigrants. When those people speaks, you will find it hard to understand what they are saying. If a white person speaks you'll here them clearly
.

i can also see dat u're also a self-hating negro. have u ever been down south n hear them white hicks try to speak english

[size=16pt]Media content in this country is regulated very well, you can't just come here and make videos of poor neighborhood to be shown in other countries, you will be made to clear some huddles which that person will likely fail. [/size] All those other countries the poster made reference to in the post also have people and places that are sometimes worse off than we have in 9ja but will never allow those pple to broadcast them.


spotted the bold faced lies as well. i thot u were talkin bout north korea for a sec there. u think say na only u 4 nairaland dey live for yankee eh
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Kobojunkie: 4:16pm On Apr 17, 2010
sulad82i:

How many times have you as a Nigerian seen these kind of images shown on or printed by our local media?

American Local media? EVERY FREAKING DAY! I have lived in enough cities around this country to know that it is sometimes best to turn the news off to keep one's sanity. I remember living in a city where the crime situation in the Southside deteriorated at an astronomical degree with the recession. Driving past the Southside in that city was considered a risk, if you listened to all the media said of the place.


sulad82i:

The powerful target the powerful to mock the leaders of that country. As you see in the post you attached, its not that the event is a new thing but to mock the president as someone who came from the slump.


What in the world, are you talking about now? Mock what president? Are you sure, you are watching the same video and reading the same post as I am?

sulad82i:

And talking about the lies u saw and quick to point out, those people in the links you provided are far better than most Nigerians. They have access to houses, and are paid by the government weekly, roughly $1000 per person a month. Tell me how many Middle class Nigerians make that as income.

That is because you cannot compare the poor in America to the poor in Nigeria, especially the 5000 inhabitants of Olusosun. You cannot compare a poor man living in a cardboard box under a bridge here, to a poor man living in a cardboard box in Nigeria. That you even attempt it makes me doubt you

a) Live in America
b) Know of the picture of poverty in America

Even people who choose to live as ‘hippies’, off garbage do not live that way. We have a place here where poor live under the bridge. Most of them still have access to organizations -- churches, other non-profits, and even government subsidies. Do you realize they now have healthcare as well? How can you compare that to what is obtained in Nigeria?
For that reason, I think it is UNFAIR for anyone to try to compare poverty in the west with poverty in Nigeria, or other developing countries in the way most people have vehemently tried to on here. It does not work.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by idifu(m): 4:31pm On Apr 17, 2010
there are no more middle class families in Nigeria, it doesn't exist anymore.
there was a time in this country that lot of Nigerians could afford to buy New range rovers jeeps, New Mercedes e.t.c
I use to know a family that lived right opposite my father's house they owned 2 range rover jeeps and a Mercedes benz in the early 80's and this family were living in a rented 3 bedroom flat. also my father had a tenant in his house that also owned a range rover jeep too, this was when Nigeria was ok as of today these two families can't afford to buy a tokunbo car of 500,000 naira , I am yet to see New range rover jeeps on Nigeria roads except the tokunbo range rovers that are all scattered all over the country
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by kashmo: 4:34pm On Apr 17, 2010
Absolutely beautiful and well crafted! It's a shame when I read comments on the BBC website and I found my fellow Nigerians lambasting the documentary and the journalist involved. Most on the forum were clamoring for them to show the beautiful parts of Lagos instead of the slums and, in fact, some folks went to the extent of denouncing the slums. It's a shame and unacceptable from these folks living in Behind environment, and an insult to those brave soldiers living as resourceful as they can. I couldn't watch the documentary because it's not available where I reside, but the article summed it up for me.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by Nobody: 4:34pm On Apr 17, 2010
sulad82i:

I agree with some of the things the poster said about 9ja and also disagree with some. For those pple in the government that he said are not better than the average person in the street ---- I agree with that. All those people have is the opportunity and nothing more.
Also talking about the same government, Nigerian government are people like you and me who turn to a beast in the instance they assume power. What makes you and I different from those pple acting in power? Its just the fact we are not in their position. The government we have takes the blame to me. Like the poster said that we can not produce a transistor that we produce years ago,  I have a question on that. How much do you think the government of that country spend on projects like that? Do you think those people that built those things made it all on their own? Majority of the early inventions are supported by the government, the government act as a bridge in providing the needed fund for the project to get off the floor. Nigerians dont have that. New inventions are now supported by venture capitalist who fund the project and some are taken over by existing companies. Example of these points, Youtube was not started by google but they purchase it and make very popular, Boeing was heavily invested by the United States government in the past before it gets to where it is today.
So the government have a lot of impact in an economy and well being of its people.

I disagree with a huge section of your post. Yes, the state of any nation is an aggregate of the collective consciousness of the people comprising it. The Nigerian government is corrupt because majority of Nigerians are corrupt or very tolerant of corruption.

However, it is not just the duty of the government to bring change. It is a collective responsibility. We should all do our 'little jobs' and carry out our individual responsibilities well. Martin Luther Jnr said: "If you've been called upon to be a street-sweeper, you should sweep the streets as Michael Angelo painted; as Beethoven composed music and as Shakespeare wrote poetry. You should sweep the streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, here lived a great street-sweeper who did his job so well". Do we (you and I) feel such a strong sense of duty?

Finally, what is really most required of the government is the production of a 'conducive' environment for businesses to thrive; not direct intervention. Please can you remind us of the early inventions (without primary military applications) that the government financed? The atom bomb? My brother na market forces, a conducive business environment and You and I we suppose run the other package. Na our work be that


NB: The government had nothing to do with YouTube. Google purchased it from the founders and their initial financiers. Geddit?

@ Topic

It's interesting to note how most of us are missing the point. Mr Odumorun did not say the west doesn't have slums. He only argued that the depiction of Nigeria by the western media is disturbingly accurate or. . . in milder terms, not too far from the truth. Does it require rocket science to generate and distribute electricity across the country over a period of 50 years?

Oh, I forget say we sabi rocket science by proxy. Abi we not get satellite sef?. I almost forgot it's missing. . . if it wasn't even a scam from the get go.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by sulad82i(m): 4:34pm On Apr 17, 2010
@ kobojunkie and mudley, I am not trying to make Nigerians feel superior from what I'm saying. I also hate the fact that our beloved country is like that. We are out of it cos we want to make better of our life and open ourselves to opportunities we dont have in our home country.
When I talk about local media, I'm not talking about what you are expose to here in the state, I'm talking about Nigerian media.

Kobojunkie:

American Local media? EVERY FREAKING DAY! I have lived in enough cities around this country to know that it is sometimes best to turn the news off to keep one's sanity. I remember living in a city where the crime situation in the Southside deteriorated at an astronomical degree with the recession.  Driving past the Southside in that city was considered a risk, if you listened to all the media said of the place.



What in the world, are you talking about now? Mock what president? Are you sure, you are watching the same video and reading the same post as I am?

That is because you cannot compare the poor in America to the poor in Nigeria, especially the 5000 inhabitants of Olusosun. You cannot compare a poor man living in a cardboard box under a bridge here, to a poor man living in a cardboard box in Nigeria. That you even attempt it makes me doubt you

a) Live in America
b) Know of the picture of poverty in America

Even people who chose to live as hippies, off garbage do not live that way. We have a place here where poor live under the bridge. Most of them still have access to organizations -- churches, other non-profits, and even government subsidies. Do you realize they now have healthcare as well? How can you compare that t what is obtained in Nigeria?



I dont know if you understand what you read or you are just posting cos u want to. The point u r making to attack what I wrote is the same thing I wrote which u put another way. or maybe I'm not making a clear point to u
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by EzeUche(m): 4:36pm On Apr 17, 2010
He is right though.

At least the West tries to help its most vulnerable citizens. Look at welfare policies in the West and then compare it to the plight of the average Nigerian.

I come from a wealthy family, but I understand that the common man is suffering. We live in our secluded worlds, without venturing outside it. Most of you all writing in this board most likely live in a good part of Lagos or in Abuja or some wealthy district, not some poor area.

All I have to do is go to my village and I see people suffering yet smiling. This is not the Nigeria that I want my children to have.

So all you deluded people who has insulted the poster, get your head from out your arses is smell the truth.
Re: Bbc, Olusosun And Nigerian Middle Class Hypocrisy by sulad82i(m): 4:41pm On Apr 17, 2010
Richfella:

I disagree with a huge section of your post. Yes, the state of any nation is an aggregate of the collective consciousness of the people comprising it. The Nigerian government is corrupt because majority of Nigerians are corrupt or very tolerant of corruption.

However, it is not just the duty of the government to bring change. It is a collective responsibility. We should all do our 'little jobs' and responsibilities well. Martin Luther Jnr said: "If you've been called upon to be a street-sweeper, you should sweep the streets as Michael Angelo painted; as Beethoven composed music and as Shakespeare wrote poetry. You should sweep the streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, here lived a great street-sweeper who did his job so well". Do we (you and I) feel such a sense of duty?

Finally, what is really most required of the government is the production of a 'conducive' environment for businesses to thrive; not direct intervention. Please can you remind us of the early inventions (without primary military applications) that the government financed? The atom bomb? My brother na market forces, a conducive business environment and You and I we suppose run the other package. Na our work be that


NB: The government had nothing to do with YouTube. Google purchased it from the founders and their initial financiers. Geddit?

@ Topic

It's interesting to note how most of us are missing the point. Mr Odumorun did not say the west doesn't have slums. He only argued that the depiction of Nigeria by the western media is disturbingly accurate or. . . in milder terms, not too far from the truth. Does it require rocket science to generate and distribute electricity across the country over a period of 50 years?

Oh, I forget say we sabi rocket science by proxy. Abi we not get satellite sef?. I almost forgot it's missing. . . if it wasn't even a scam from the get go.


I dont think you read and fully understand what I wrote. Did you miss the part of companies and venture capitalist also investing in projects?

I'm not saying that the government have to do everything for the people, all I'm saying is that the country needs all the help it can get from all corners and the government is the biggest body that can provide most of what is needed.

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