After the events that sparked the upheaval in Tunisia, apparently there have been 2 cases of men setting themselves on fire in Egypt. The second man in Egypt did it earlier on today , (see link below).

Will this emerging trend prove to be an effective tool to force meaningful change in Nigeria?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12214090

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@shango thor, the answer you'l get from nigerians will be a response with the question "WHO WAN DIE?" cos we always fail to realise that without death (determination to take our destiny in our hands thru collective participation by demanding of govt to be ACCOUNTABLE & RESPONSIBLE) we cant attain heavenly bliss (true democracy).

ShangoThor:

Will this emerging trend prove to be an effective tool to force meaningful change in Nigeria?

Niger Republic maybe, but not Nigeria. We love life too much (not that there is anything wrong with that).

See mind!!

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I don't see any Nigerian setting himself on fire for any reason.

There is a very ancient African philosophy which holds that were there is life, there is hope.

That life itself is hope.

This philosophy lies deep in the heart of every African soul.

This is why it will be exceedingly difficult to come across an African ready to set himself alight for economic reasons.

I commot cap! Damn this one pass mind! Hight of insanity! @ OP What the devil in hell do you mean by it being an "effective tool"? Even mad man know wetin fire be. You were kidding right?

ROSSIKE:

I don't see any Nigerian setting himself on fire for any reason.

There is a very ancient African philosophy which holds that were there is life, there is hope.

That life itself is hope.

This philosophy lies deep in the heart of every African soul.

This is why it will be exceedingly difficult to come across an African ready to set himself alight for economic reasons.

So, Egyptians are not Africans?

Nigerians ke  Impossible

to docile to do anything positive

In the same country where you have people praising GEJ as the messiah

Abeg let us continue to wallow in horse sh it

RichyBlacK:

So, Egyptians are not Africans?

Help me ask the philosopher !

blacksta:

Nigerians ke  Impossible

to docile to do anything positive

In the same country where you have people praising GEJ as the messiah

Abeg let us continue to wallow in horse sh it

GBAM

So, Egyptians are not Africans?

Err,  not quite. The ancient Egyptians were Africans.

Most of the modern-day ''Egyptians'' are descendants of foreign INVADERS of Africa.

Get THAT straight.

blacksta:

Nigerians ke  Impossible

to docile to do anything positive

In the same country where you have people praising GEJ as the messiah

Abeg let us continue to wallow in horse sh it

dont' be so sure about this.the hausa extrmists  may soon take to suicide bombing.

ROSSIKE:

Err,  not quite. The ancient Egyptians were Africans.

Most of the modern ''Egyptians'' are descendants of foreign INVADERS of Africa.

Get THAT straight.

Whether they are ancient or primitive it is inconsequential  - Their country is in Africa

Just admit you dont have the balls simple

From someone who thinks Abuja is best thing that happened to World.

blacksta:

Nigerians ke  Impossible

to docile to do anything positive

In the same country where you have people praising GEJ as the messiah

Abeg let us continue to wallow in horse sh it

dont' be so sure about this.the hausa extrmists may soon take to suicide bombing.

blacksta said:

Whether they are ancient or primitive it is inconsequential  - Their country is in Africa

So long as we get the history straight, you're free to see them however you wish, even as Yorubas!

Just admit you dont have the balls simple

I tend to think that a man has more 'balls' who perseveres and overcomes in the face of adversity, than one who sets himself alight in anger/frustration. The former is strong, the latter, weak.

From someone who thinks Abuja is best thing that happened to World.

It sure beats the rat hole you crawled out of this evening to type your jazz. Not sure where I praised the city to your exaggeration.

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Abi o. Soon someone will come and tell me the whites of Rhodesia that seized 95% of the land, leaving the majority blacks to fight over the remaining 5%, are also ''Africans''  since ''[/b]their country[b]'' ''is in Africa''.

Thankfully, Mugabe put them straight.

Mshewwwwwwwwww 

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tpia, well, but that's the history of the continent. All those places currently populated by white skinned/Arab people are that way for a reason. They weren't like that in early times. Their forefathers invaded, slaughtered, and sacked the black populations which had initially peopled/civilized those regions. Egypt was a particular case in point. In its first few thousand years of existence, it was a wholly black country, just like Ethiopia or Uganda today.

This is why many of those North Africans today don't really consider themselves Africans. They know their history, unlike us!!!!

You have to give it to middle easterner's, they are very motivated and passionate people. Dem get MIND and dey no send. Which African man will do this? If you kill yourself, the people you kill yourself for will walk over your grave and go collect bribe money. And when they pass your grave again dem go point and say "o ma se oh." Before you know dem go even sell the land wey ur grave dey. God help us.

TEWMUCH said:

You have to give it to middle easterner's, they are very motivated and passionate people. Dem get MIND and dey no send. Which African man will do this? If you kill yourself, the people you kill yourself for will walk over your grave and go collect bribe money. And when they pass your grave again dem go point and say "o ma se oh." Before you know dem go even sell the land wey your grave dey. God help us

It is testament to how brainwashed you are against Africans, that you would take a man willing to set himself ablaze  because he cannot cope with life's travails as a plus, which Africans ought to emulate.

Pray, when will YOU lead the way to this (early) grave?

ShangoThor:

After the events that sparked the upheaval in Tunisia, apparently there have been 2 cases of men setting themselves on fire in Egypt. The second man in Egypt did it earlier on today ,  (see link below).

Will this emerging trend prove to be an effective tool to force meaningful change in Nigeria?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12214090

Forget Egypt for a second. What change has actually happened in Tunisia? That country is very close to total chaos right now. Those clamouring for "revolution" should take a close look at events in Tunisia. Apply that to Nigeria (with our tribal and religious issues) and what you will have is hell on Earth.

'Life is wasted on the living'

Mariory:

Forget Egypt for a second. What change has actually happened in Tunisia? That country is very close to total chaos right now. Those clamouring for "revolution" should take a close look at events in Tunisia. Apply that to Nigeria (with our tribal and religious issues) and what you will have is hell on Earth.

'Life is wasted on the living'

actually tunisians are still roiting because they believe that the new unity government is the toppled government is disguise.some of the ministers who signed up for this new unity government there have resigned today because of the continued protest.

eku_bear:

Niger Republic maybe, but not Nigeria. We love life too much (not that there is anything wrong with that).

That is something.  I don't remember ever hearing of middle easterners setting themselves on fire.

Self-immolation is something usually associated with people from the Inidian subcontinent, no?  It happened quite a bit in Pakistan a couple of decades ago, if I remeber correctly.  

Anyway, Mubarak is a despot.  If the USA loves democracy so much, stop propping up this guy. Egyptians don't want him.  He's been there for too long.  So much hypocrisy!

Is it being organized by the Muslim Brotherhood or it's just frustrated individuals?  That's just not something you can arrange as a group effort, is it?.  Sheesh

asha 80:


actually tunisians are still roiting because they believe that the new unity government is the toppled government is disguise.some of the ministers who signed up for this new unity government there have resigned today because of the continued protest.

Why is there no interference by ECOWAS or AU?

asha 80:


actually tunisians are still roiting because they believe that the new unity government is the toppled government is disguise.some of the ministers who signed  up for this new unity government there have resigned today because of the continued protest.

Forget rioting. I'm talking about food scarcity, looting, armed banditry, and armed confrontation between different factions of what government is currently left.

Ola edo:

Why is there no interference by ECOWAS or AU?

i do not know why for AU.

for ECOWAS guy na wa ? ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES tunisia is north africa.

Mariory:

Forget rioting. I'm talking about food scarcity, looting, armed banditry, and armed confrontation between different factions of what government is currently left.

it is a buy prduct of protest and rioting anywhere even in UK.Government factions there are fighting themselves no doubt but at least things are likely never going to be the same there (dictatorship wise).if you ask me though i do not want it but naija has gobe beyod the stage of peaceful change.

I guess there's been no interference by AU because Tunisia being an Arab country, is regarded by the Arabs who control the AU as being beyond the sphere of Africa.

Hence, the AU is meant to control African populations, not Arab populations.

^^^^^^ Touche , Rossike, but very true

[size=18pt]What makes a king out of a slave? Courage![/size]

I really admire 'courage', I think it is the most pivotal virtue that a lot of Nigerians lack, 

If we think about the act of setting one's self on fire, it is perhaps the ultimate act of 'self sacrifice'
and cannot be compared to a suicide bombing, because there is no desire to injure or kill other individuals.
It is also a very deep psychological statement, one that displays complete contempt for the authorities.

@ Rossicke, I really respect and share a lot of your views on history and the current state of affairs,
however, as weak as you perceive the act to be, it has provoked a nation wide reaction that is forcing
change, at least in Tunisia. I have toured Tunisia and it is a relatively modern country with a strong
economy and the standard of living was very cheap, that is perhaps why Tunisians endured 2 decades of
mis-party rule. Nevertheless, history will read ,  eventually the people rebelled and the catalyst
was a 17 year old boy that defiantly set himself ablaze.

At what point do we draw a line in the sand as citizens when certain universal standards of decency
are encroached upon; what do we say to our children when they ask us in the future what we did when
we were confronted by these challenges; what if we do not have anything worthwhile regarding heritage
to pass down to our children. It is never always feasible to 'live in hope' or 'wait and see'.

I asked the question of the post thread title because I was playing devil's advocate.

My take on Nigeria, the erosion of civil liberties, under-development and developmental regression since
the early 80's is that 'we' as Nigerian citizens are complicit in holding her back if not in her demise.

There are no unifying threads of common decency that have trancended all geo-polities in Nigeria, hence
we are all culpable regarding how we arrived at the status quo.

The right of a Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Edo, Ijaw citizen to freedom of movement with guaranteed security
(not being robbed); to state protection from extortion (especially not by the Police at check points);
to protection of pollution of ones community; to protection from exploitation of MultiNational companies
is all about common decency which should apply to all. These are natural inalienable rights that should
not be compromised irrespective of having had Military Dictatorships in the past.

I have never known Nigerians to draw a line in the sand and take a stand, those that do are earmarked
as being fringe or radical movements. Fela tried and sacrificed so much for the cause, and when he was
being battered and bruised despite losing millions of $$$ in the process of trying to awaken our
consciousness to the fact that the 'State' belongs to, or represents an embodiment of the spirit of the people.

All I'm saying is that in my humble opinion, we as citizens have to take some responsibility for the scenario
that we have today.

If all citizens in every state of all ages peacefully engaged in civil disobedience measures aimed at the
government to stop the killings in Jos, or Police bribery at check points, or the pollution in the Niger
Delta, amongst other causes, the State would find the political will to act.