PhysicsMHD:

Why are they obsessing over one attempt at wit by some rich Brit when the reputation of Nigeria is less than shi.t and whining won't stop scammers one bit,


His snide remark wasn't too far from the truth, too many scams do come out of Nigeria, and taking all this time to condemn him is really just giving the comment far more power than it should really have. If you respect yourself, you can take a little mockery or derision. I know I make fun of Brits every now and then for the way they act, their supposedly glorious inglorious history, and their awful food, I doubt a Brit would get all up in arms if I did so, as they have a tendency towards sarcasm and would just fire back; then it would be a competition*(_+

texazzpete:

The Envoys don't get it; it's when you obsess over these things that it becomes bigger news. Why do our Envoys have to release all these cringe inducing, long winded letters whenever someone cracks the 'Nigeria' joke?

Like it or not, many many people have received hundreds of these 'Nigerian' emails. Fix this from the source. take decisive actions against these scammers first before you start being so damn self-righteous.

frosbel:

He is used to handing out the criticism. But today Lord Sugar was on the receiving end as Nigeria's High Commissioner in London accused him of insulting millions of his countrymen.

In a statement, His Excellency Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida accused the Apprentice boss of making “demeaning” and “spurious” comments about the African country on his hit BBC show The Apprentice.

His Excellency accuses the peer of smearing Nigeria's reputation with an “unprovoked” and “damaging” attack based on his sordid dealings with one individual.

It comes after Lord Sugar suggested that Nigerians could not be trusted over financial promises.

During the opening episode of The Apprentice, the peer asked contestant Stuart Baggs why he should not be “fired” from the show.

Mr Baggs said: “If you give me one hundred grand a year, I will deliver to you 10 times that and if I don't — take it all back. A money back guarantee, I'm that confident”.

Lord Sugar replied: “I had an offer like that from Nigeria once and funnily enough it didn't transpire.”

The peer gave no explanation as to whether his comment was based on a real event or a stereotyped view about Nigerians.

The BBC, which is often sensitive to such pejorative remarks, allowed the pre-recorded clip to be broadcast.


Today a statement issued on Dr Tafida's behalf said: “Lord Sugar's remark on Nigeria is preposterous and spurious for a number of reasons.

"It was an unprovoked, damaging remark on a sovereign and independent state of over 150 million people, based on his alleged sordid and isolated deal with a Nigerian individual. It is indeed demeaning and unfortunate.”

Nigeria has developed a reputation, however, as a base for “mass marketing” rackets in which organised criminals seek to cheat victims of their money by offering prizes or other incentives, which subsequently fail to materialise, in return for cash payments.

A report this year by the International Mass Marketing Fraud Working Group warned that the country continued “to serve as a base of operations for a wide range of mass-marketing activity.”

The 2001 census said there were nearly 90,000 Nigerian-born people living in the UK — just under 69,000 in London — and both numbers are believed to have increased significantly since.

The Hackney businessman versus the High Commissioner

Lord Sugar started in business selling electrical goods from a van after leaving school at 16, and is now worth about £730 million. He founded Amstrad, the electrical goods firm, which he sold in 2007, and was chairman of Tottenham Hotspur for several years. The Hackney-born entrepreneur was knighted for services to business in 2000 and was last year appointed Gordon Brown's Enterprise Champion and elevated to the Lords. He also supports charities including Great Ormond Street Hospital and Jewish Care.

His Excellency Dr Dalhutu Sarki Tafida was appointed Nigeria's High Commissioner in London in 2008 after a career in medicine which included studying in Newcastle, Liverpool and the US. He was appointed chief physician to the Nigerian president between 1980 and 1983 and later served as minister of health between 1993 and 1995. He was a member of the Nigerian senate between 2003 and 2007, including a period as the Senate majority leader. He is married with nine children and his interests include playing Scrabble and table tennis.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23890179-sir-alan-sugar-under-fire-over-nigeria-insult-in-the-apprentice.do






A BBC spokesman said: “It is clear Lord Sugar was just making a reference to a perception about email scams.

“I think that was what the remark was about and a person has chosen to make a comment on it.

“It is clear what he was referring to and I don’t think it can be seen as a comment against the whole Nigerian nation.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/the-apprentice/8078721/Lord-Sugar-in-row-over-Nigeria-comments.html

So, even if some Nigerians conclude that they themselves are not deserving of any respect from the International community, and as such have no qualms about every Tom, D .i. ck and Harry deriding them both privately and openly, his Excellency Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida and many other self-respecting Nigerians should take offence at Mr Sugars ignorant comments. . .  

frosbel:



Best comment so far.

texazzpete:

You mean the only comment you agree with.

You people are the ones making Nigeria an international joke! Instead of fixing your country you're here preaching of outrage and indignation. If you feel so strongly about this stigma, please go to Lagos cybercafes and throw out all the scammers you see there! or go picket MTN, Starcomms et al until they install better scam filters on their networks.

tpia@:

obama said the same thing.

i think it's some kind of status symbol with them.

EzeUche0:

The British have some nerve. After centuries of exploitation of developing nations, this British man has the nerve to talk. Britain would not be where it is if it did not exploit Africa, Asia and North America. Point blank. . .