@ gbawe- I will not join the bandwagon of those that need to see others fail before they can be deemed successful. We're quick to lampoon Ghana and SA citing their weak economies and crime-rate in a bid to justify our own mediocrity and utter failure. If we fail to identify the symptoms,we can't treat the disease. I won't for the sake of patriotism say my country is a land of milk and honey when ALL the indicators point otherwise.

All of you complaining about Nigeria's 'utter failure'. . .what have you done other than complain? Do you think things improve just because some keyboard commandos go out of their ways to talk about how 'embarrassed' they are of their 'ghetto' country? Imagine the words you're using on your homeland yet you're not making any effort to make a difference. You're all pathetic and I'm sure if given the chance, you'd leave Naija and never so much as look back. Good riddance to bad rubbish. I see why you guys have such terrible leaders as they are a reflection of their ingrate population. I rep Nigeria all day, everyday and will never stop; you can acknowledge the accomplishments of other nations without throwing Naija under the bus.

*spits in thread on the way out*

I think Nigerian are too hard on themself,Looking at Nigerian history with all her past corrupt Military leaders to where it is now I think the country is doing well.I think the biggest problem with Nigerians is they're too impatient,they want success now,Rome was not build in one day.There are crop of new leaders emerging from the country who want Nigeria to claim its rightful position in the world,and I believe given a chance and time the country is heading to that direction.I also belive that Nigerians should not compare or compete with other nations rather set your own goals, targets and time based on your stregths and weaknesses.From where I am sitting Nigeria is on the right track but I aggree that we should also be our goverment biggest critics and not only criticise when things go bad but also praise when the goverment is doing good job.

If you read South African media about South Africa,you'll probably think the country is a hell and that nothing works,a one hour of power interuption will be reported on by major newspaper for the whole week.A pothole after a rainy season will make the headline in all newspapers.Newspapers will report how they phone the road agencies and how the phone rang for ten minutes or how clueless and unprofesional  the operator was,if the pothhole is not fixed in a week time,we will wake up with headlines like 'South Africa is heading  Zimbabwe route'.And we have a crimerate and HIV infections that is second to none,uncontrolled influx of immigrants to the country,high unemployment amongst the less educated,mostly blacks.My point is we have serious problems as well but as a country we have a common goal,which is the development of South Africa.

And that is the only thing Nigeria should learn from South Africa,work together for the betterment of you country,criticise constractively and praise where it is due.
And remember that Nigeria is bigger than any tribe,language,person or kingdom,Nigeria must always be the bigger picture.

@rsa you are not the person to preach to us, what the hell do you mean by Nigeria people are not patienti? So you want us to pretend as if everything is okay. We cannot be suffering and at the same time smiling. Carry your foolishness somewhere else

darqly:

@ gbawe- I will not join the bandwagon of those that need to see others fail before they can be deemed successful. We're quick to lampoon Ghana and SA citing their weak economies and crime-rate in a bid to justify our own mediocrity and utter failure. If we fail to identify the symptoms,we can't treat the disease. I won't for the sake of patriotism say my country is a land of milk and honey when ALL the indicators point otherwise.

I don't know who you are talking about but it certainly is not me. In case you have not noticed , I mainly speak to correct misconceptions and ridiculously erroneous assertion about Nigeria I feel can only be driven by how self-hating we have become as a people . If God has given us intelligence then we must use it . When someone stated ridiculously , and perhaps in our usual self-hating effort to belittle ourselves, that "Ghana has the potentials to be the economic powerhouse of West Africa" would I not also be guilty of misinformation if I know the truth but fail to speak up in defense of it?

The facts are:

Nigeria , even if it is not performing optimally, is already the economic powerhouse of West Africa. No other West African country is remotely close and no amount of self-hate should make us speak as if they are. We are not in competition with anyone but we should not be comfortable either with ignorant and logic-defying assertions.

Nigeria has the biggest consumer market in Africa. Find out what MTN  make from Ghana and from Nigeria to give you an idea of the vast difference in Market vibrancy Nigeria already enjoys that enabled its telecom market  to go on, in a short time, to become one of the fastest growing in the World to date.

With 42 out of the top 50 companies in West Africa coming from Nigeria and only 3 from Ghana why should any intelligent person ignore statements that stand logic on its head ? Is it actually clear what Ghana would have to achieve to become the "economic powerhouse of West Africa" ?

Nigeria would have to experience negative growth rate for the next 30 years while other West African nations would probably have to grow by around 25 - 30% yearly for the next 30 years for any Nation to overtake Nigeria as the regions economic powerhouse !!! Is that scenario plausible to you? If you think it is not then you must agree that I am right to correct the ridiculous misconception of those who propagate such Jargon.

With South Africa, I am merely pointing out that no one , least of all a Nigerian, should call Nigeria "an irritant to humanity" when they have visited a nation that still has its own significant challenges albeit even as that Nation may be more developed than ours.

These days we Nigerians tend to condemn ourselves by highlighting only what is good about others while we are only able to speak of the negatives about our own nation to the World !!!!

A broad and informed viewpoint is always better than a parochial, false and biased interpretation of information. It is not true to speak as if no progress at all is being made in Nigeria Same way it is not true to speak as if nations like Ghana are only forging ahead , without any problems, when a quick search for more knowledge beyond our shores can show us that we are not the only nation facing serious challenges . (see below).

http://discussions.ghanaweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=122316

NO JOBS FOR YOUNG GHANAIANS TILL 2013

Until 2013, there will be no formal employment in the public sector for fresh graduates since the current macroeconomic policy framework, a three-year stabilization programme agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by government does not permit so.

This means many young people who would graduate from tertiary institutions from 2010 to 2012, and those who graduated in 2008 and 2009, are at risk of being at home for a very long time.

As part of fiscal stabilization programme, which led the nation to borrow about $1.2 billion from IMF, public sector employment was frozen, starting from 2009, a situation most economists and analysts described as harsh and would therefore hurt the economy.

http://discussions.ghanaweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=93540

Ghana's economic bankruptcy exposed -PNC


,  deteriorating since 2006 and continued in 2007.

Accra, Nov. 24, GNA - The Peoples' National Convention (PNC) on Monday commended the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for exposing the true state of the economy, which the institute said was deteriorating since 2006 and continued in 2007.

Mr Anbataayela Bernard Mornah, PNC General Secretary in an electronic mail to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, described the IEA's "Annual 2007 Economic Review and Outlook," document as a bold independent identification and diagnosis of the ailing economy. He therefore called on the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to stop white washing the "economic sepulchre," they have created over the past eight-year through misrule and immediately convey a bi-partisan economic think-tanks forum to analysis the true state of the economy.

http://discussions.ghanaweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=122318

PURC announces new tariffs

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has announced new tariffs for water and electricity that will take effect from Tuesday, June 1, 2010.

On average, electricity was increased by 89%     and water by 36%    , the board chairman of the commission, Dr Emmanuel Annan, announced at a press conference on Monday.

Tariff increases unacceptable - TUC boss, others




Industry players and organised labour have described the increases in water and electricity tariffs by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) as outrageous and unacceptable.

They are of the view that considering the already harsh economic situation and wage levels in the country, the increases, if allowed to stay, will deal a severe blow to the economic recovery effort.

In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic in Accra Monday, the industry players, including the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Mines, Ms Joyce Aryee; an industrialist, Bernard Ocansey, and the Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr Kofi Asamoah, were unanimous in their assertions that the increases should be rejected for the government to take a second look at them.

I think the only way Nigeria will move forward is to criticize our country wherever it's going wrong. Decieving ourselves won't help mattters.

afam4eva:

I think the only way Nigeria will move forward is to criticize our country wherever it's going wrong. Decieving ourselves won't help mattters.

I have no problem with that as long as we are factual while doing so . Telling outright lies will just damage the psyche of our youth in making them believe that Nigeria is useless and not worth fighting for. In the end all the lies make it harder for us to muster the type of national atitude that can bring about the change we want . For example, totally ignoring facts and outlandishly and falsely proclaiming Somalia as a Greater economic giant than Nigeria will achieve nothing other than wrongly make Nigerians feel bad about their nation since most will simply choose to believe outright lies , rather than do simple fact-finding research, in the haste to conclude that Nigeria is the worst nation on Earth. Yes we should accept what we are , in an attempt to build a better nation, but we should also reject what we are not in the same spirit of nation-building .

seanet02:

@rsa you are not the person to preach to us, what the hell do you mean by Nigeria people are not patienti? So you want us to pretend as if everything is okay. We cannot be suffering and at the same time smiling. Carry your foolishness somewhere else

I meant maybe you guys are expecting little too much too quickly.The democratic goverment in Nigeria started ruling only 11 years ago,and there have been some improvement.Look at the telecomunication,Banking and other sectors in the country which are doing well.Concentrate on making the private sector bigger,goverment has no control over them,build your own schools,roads and other services which work perfectly and all this will takes time and patience,develop that culture of building for the long run and since   the politicians are one of us they will follow soon.Nigeria is full of opportunities for those who have visions,and most people are blind sighted by the negatives that they cannot see them.Your country is indeed a great nation but  its a pity that its citizen cannot see it.
Remember you own Nigeria,you've got the same right as any politician in your country so take control.Stop complaining,Start building now.

Well, a bit excessive from the writer, I'd say. But we do have serious problems. And no amount of tough talk is going to hide them.
Political problems, caused mostly by ethnic and religious differences, have continued to stunt the growth of the nation Nigeria.
With the kind of resources we have had at our disposal, we should have achieved way much more than we have been able to. Which is why economic outlook remains positive to some extent for Nigeria. Most think-tanks know that we are gross under-achievers.

I don't think the writer is self-hating. That's kind of oversold. We need to question everything about Nigeria, even the basis of the nation being one entity. But rather than practically facing our problems, to a large extent we continue to be delusionary.

RSA:

I meant maybe you guys are expecting little too much too quickly.The democratic goverment in Nigeria started ruling only 11 years ago,and there have been some improvement.Look at the telecomunication,Banking and other sectors in the country which are doing well.Concentrate on making the private sector bigger,goverment has no control over them,build your own schools,roads and other services which work perfectly and all this will takes time and patience,develop that culture of building for the long run and since   the politicians are one of us they will follow soon.Nigeria is full of opportunities for those who have visions,and most people are blind sighted by the negatives that they cannot see them.Your country is indeed a great nation but  its a pity that its citizen cannot see it.
Remember you own Nigeria,you've got the same right as any politician in your country so take control.Stop complaining,Start building now.

Thank you Sir. Your insight is commendable . The onus of nation building falls on all the citizens of a nation . Sadly, many Nigerians don't wan't to accept that. They place the burden of developing Nigeria firmly on the shoulders of others to the extent that they are not able to see the positives to note that this may be the time for all hands to be on deck. I am one of the biggest critics of our politicians but I am also aware that Nigeria's democracy is essentially still very young. Even then progress has been made in the past 11 years to the extent that it should be obvious that we need to consolidate on the positives while working hard to resolve problem areas.

@rsa while i do recommend your appreciation of Nigeria, let me tell you that Nigeria is a false entity. We must brake up before we can have progress. Really sorry for my language in the previous post, imagine people living under $1 a day while a senator earns over $100,000 monthly. Accept my apologies. Will like to know you more. You sound so optimist.

Why do we Nigerians hate being told the truth 

I sincerely believe that we are on the right track; just like @RSA has hinted, Rome was not built in a day.

One step at a time!

Check out the next 11 countries; surprisingly South Africa is not in the list 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Eleven

We only need to be persistent and steadfast.

seanet02:

@rsa while i do recommend your appreciation of Nigeria, let me tell you that Nigeria is a false entity. We must brake up before we can have progress. Really sorry for my language in the previous post, imagine people living under $1 a day while a senator earns over $100,000 monthly. Accept my apologies. Will like to know you more. You sound so optimist.

No need to apologise,I know how emotional Nigerians are when it come to their country.Personally I don't think breaking up is a solution,Nigeria's power is in their numbers.If you break ,your countries will be another Togo's or Chad(no disrespect intended),you'll have no influence and also it won't garanteed peace or working goverments for all the breakaways countries.You are giant of Africa because of your numbers,when you talk people listen because you're Nigerians.Now why would you throw that away because of lousy politicians?
Yes it is sad that 80% of Nigerians lives under poverty line according UN but there is power behind those people,if they recoup?the world knows how far Nigeria will go.And I thing they are starting to get their act together,Nigeria just like other African countries are developing at a fast pace,Constraction,Banking,Telecomunication,Information and Tourism sectors where underdeveloped and are growing at a high pace in Africa.Africa is the future and Nigeria will play a very important role in determining it.As Africans we need a succesful Nigeria.Criticise while your building,don't critices while folding arms.You're not helping the cause.

Whoever that condemns the writer is nothing but simply among the passengers of the dipilated train called Nigeria. Keep deceiving yourselves by your self acclaimed non existent name called Giant of Africa till Benin republic becomes your economic umbrella. Blind fools, wake up to reality

colorism and some people sha!

didnt read the article.

btw "glisten" as used in the title, has a rather negative effect, since the image is of something slimy.


that tricky language called english!

wale4x35:

Why do we Nigerians hate being told the truth 

I sincerely believe that we are on the right track; just like @RSA has hinted, Rome was not built in a day.

One step at a time!

Check out the next 11 countries; surprisingly South Africa is not in the list 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Eleven

We only need to be persistent and steadfast.

They find it offensive.

RSA:

I meant maybe you guys are expecting little too much too quickly.The democratic goverment in Nigeria started ruling only 11 years ago,and there have been some improvement.Look at the telecomunication,Banking and other sectors in the country which are doing well.Concentrate on making the private sector bigger,goverment has no control over them,build your own schools,roads and other services which work perfectly and all this will takes time and patience,develop that culture of building for the long run and since   the politicians are one of us they will follow soon.Nigeria is full of opportunities for those who have visions,and most people are blind sighted by the negatives that they cannot see them.Your country is indeed a great nation but  its a pity that its citizen cannot see it.
Remember you own Nigeria,you've got the same right as any politician in your country so take control.Stop complaining,Start building now.

There are no improvements abeg. The banking sector was there and it was even Abacha who straightened banking in Nigeria. Stop giving us props where there is really none to celebrate.

Aloy+Emeka:

There are no improvements abeg. The banking sector was there and it was even Abacha who straightened banking in Nigeria. Stop giving us props where there is really none to celebrate.

I guess your glass is half empty,while I think mine is half full.Let me say this in South Africa I have just launched an NGO with some friends,that is trying to instill hopes and dreams of youngsters in South Africas poorest townships.Our organisations will exposes this kids to the other world within South Africa.They will meet succesful people,visits their companies and be inspired.They will be shown the possibilities that exist within their country.Thier family,schools,community will be involved.Without going into details we are trying to change our peoples mentalities,from how they raise their families,to giving them control over their lives,most importantly we want kids to have unlimited rights to dreams,kids must feel like they could achive anything and our role is to give them information and guidance.And so far we have positive responses from private sectors,locally and internationally and even the goverment is interested in helping us.14 millions of South Africans are getting goverment grants and we want to help their children to move up the ladder of the food chain and instill not only self respect but also independence mentality.

My point is really as citizen there is soo much we can do,and in Africa,South Africa and Nigeria included the possibilities are there for ordinary people like you and me to change our history and our peoples lives without being politicians.If your goverment could kill you or arrest you for doing what we are doing in South Africa then I'll understand.Nigeria is a democratic and I belive citizen are not banned from developing their people and country.One Nigeria,one future.

To all who think the writer did a good job: Does this self-hating and hopeless attitude make u feel better? When we are hopeless and can't see positives in ourselves , how can we get better?

Human quest for globalization and sustainable development can be traced back to the very onset of human existence. This explains why human history is replete with various attempts by man to better his conditions at various points in time.
http://www.scharticles.com/globalization-sustainable-development-africa/