some smart nigerians

james ibori

alamiesigha


alao-akala

andy uba

gbenga daniel

aandoaka

We havent extricated ourselves from the grip of neo colonialism - our economic policies are dictated by the WTO, the IMF and the world bank, we are incapable of providing the most basic necessities of life to our own citizens, there is mass exodus of nigerians due to the harshness inflicted by IMF dictated austerity measures on our populace and yet there are people on here STILL insisting that we are smart- what kind of smartness is that please? Of what use are academic qualifications when our economic policies are decided in washington, london and paris?

We live in another mans country with these so called qualifications and end up as a source of cheap labour to these very nations that are exploiting our own countries - and yet we feel grateful that we are being tossed a few crumbs from the very people that have fomented the economic destruction of our own nations - what is so smart about that ?

Gbawe mentioned that Al Fayed owns Harrods here in the UK - (he has since sold it to the Qatari royal family- a country which is a staunch ally of britain and america) however, I cant imagine the british agreeing for the chinese - their main economic competitors to buy up Harrods -

The chinese have tried several times to buy up american owned companies in the US and have been blocked at every turn.

going back to al fayed - despite the fact that he created all those jobs in london during his ownership of harrods, he was STILL denied british citizenship by the british govt - which goes to show you that the europeans do not care how much investment you bring into their countries - as long as you are a foreigner - they still impose restrictions on how far you can go - it was because of the hostile and shabby treatment (as well as the mysterious death of his son) which led to him leaving britain permanently, compare that to the way the nigerian govt sucks up to the lebanese, indian and of course european business men in nigeria.

the point is that when non europeans try to buy up businesses in europe or america they are either blocked or subjected to the most rigorous scrutiny and these investors are obliged to take on the indigenous workers in these countries on terms that have to be favourable to the country and the workers of those countries.

In nigeria the reverse is the case -ANY foreign nation can buy up a business in nigeria, fire the nigerian staff and bring in their own indigenous staff or retain the nigerian staff and subject them to substandard working conditions all with the agreement of the nigerian govt
why? because the nigerian govt has no real power and can not defend the interests of its own s own nation. Why? because the nigerian govt has signed up to WTO economic policies which DICTATE the economic policies of almost every african nation including nigeria - the nigerian govt in turn agrees to go along with these crippling policies because they do not have the interests of their own people at heart and the nigerian people in turn buy the lies that these crooks peddle and live in perpetual hope that one day these crooks will have a change of heart - if you cant even hold your own govt to account but still claim to be smart then i fail to see why anyone should for one minute think nigerians are smart people.

I therefore can not understand why we still continue to deceive ourselves about our supposed "smartness" when we continue to be ripped off and exploited by people who really are smarter than us but who camouflage their hidden agenda with noble word and false promises.

aribisala0:

some smart nigerians

james ibori

alamiesigha


alao-akala

andy uba

gbenga daniel

aandoaka

One can only expect you to highlight the negatives to promote your agenda of "giving a dog a bad name to hang it". I don't even know why you still deem yourself Nigerian with your negative writing that is easily discredited by folks even averagely knowledgeable about actual events on the ground .

I guess Wole Soyinka is not "smart" . This would explain why he won a globally coveted Nobel prize in literature. Chinua Achebe nko? What a classic example of a Nigerian who is not smart. Kase Lawal, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Obi Ezekwesili and many others are also fools who think themselves to be "smart". In fact most Nigerians are not smart at all.

you are more conspicuous when you keep quiet

Gbawe:

One can only expect you to highlight the negatives to promote your agenda of "giving a dog a bad name to hang it". I don't even know why you still deem yourself Nigerian with your negative writing that is easily discredited by folks even averagely knowledgeable about actual events on the ground .

I guess Wole Soyinka is not "smart" . This would explain why he won a globally coveted Nobel prize in literature. Chinua Achebe nko? What a classic example of a Nigerian who is not smart. Kase Lawal, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Obi Ezekwesili and many others are also fools who think themselves to be "smart". In fact most Nigerians are not smart at all.

hahahaha - so the Nobel prize is now a determinant of intelligence - Gbawe let me let you in on a little secret - the Nobel prize is usually given to africans who are known to promote western ideologies or economic policies - Wole Soyinka is not the best academic in the arena of literature we have in nigeria but because he remains mute in his criticism of imperialism and neo colonialism he was selected for the prize, also his literary style of writing is more in tune with middle class white westerners than africans,

Henry Kissinger who was america's national security adviser during the vietnam war and who presided over the carpet bombing of millions of vietnamese and cambodians won the nobel prize for peace - hahahahaha so i wouldnt give any credibility to the nobel prize.

Lest i forget, Obama was also awarded a nobel peace prize for doing absolutely nothing at the time towards securing world peace - and ironically has now decided to launch an unprovoked war in libya.

Okonjo Iweala is an IMF stooge who negotiated a debt relilef payment which saw nigeria parting with a whopping $18 billion dollars in PART payment of our supposed debts to the Paris club, a payment which was described as one of the largest transfers of wealth from africa to europe in modern history - this gargantuan sum was paid despite the fact that nigeria had not borrowed any money from the IMF since 1992 - is that your idea of intelligence?

cap28:

We havent extricated ourselves from the grip of neo colonialism - our economic policies are dictated by the WTO, the  IMF and the world bank, we  are incapable of providing the most basic necessities of life to our own citizens, there is mass exodus of nigerians due to the harshness inflicted by IMF dictated austerity measures on our populace and yet there are people on here STILL insisting that we are smart- what kind of smartness is that please?  Of what use are academic qualifications when our economic policies are decided in washington, london and paris?

We live in another mans country with these so called qualifications and end up as a source of cheap labour to these very nations that are exploiting our own countries - and yet we feel grateful that we are being tossed a few crumbs from the very people that have fomented the economic destruction of our own nations -  what is so smart about that ?

Gbawe mentioned that Al Fayed owns Harrods here in the UK - (he has since sold it to the Qatari royal family- a country which is a staunch ally of britain and america) however, I cant imagine the british agreeing for the chinese - their main economic competitors to buy up Harrods -

The chinese have tried several times to buy up american owned companies in the US and have been blocked at every turn.

going back to al fayed - despite the fact that he created all those jobs in london during his ownership of harrods,  he was STILL denied british citizenship by the british govt - which goes to show you that the europeans do not care how much investment you bring into their countries - as long as you are a foreigner - they still impose restrictions on how far you can go - it was because of the hostile and shabby treatment (as well as the mysterious death of his son) which led to him leaving britain permanently, compare that to the way the nigerian govt sucks up to the lebanese, indian and of course european business men  in nigeria.

the point is that when non europeans try to buy up businesses in europe or america they are either blocked or subjected to the most rigorous scrutiny and these investors are obliged to take on the indigenous workers in these countries on terms that have to be favourable to the country and the workers of those countries.

In nigeria the reverse is the case -ANY foreign nation can buy up a business in nigeria, fire the nigerian staff and bring in their own indigenous staff or retain the nigerian staff and subject them to substandard working conditions all with the agreement of the nigerian govt
why?  because the nigerian govt has no real power and can not defend the interests of its own s own nation.  Why?  because the nigerian govt has signed up to WTO economic policies which DICTATE the economic policies of almost every african nation including nigeria  - the nigerian govt in turn agrees to go along with these crippling policies because they do not have the interests of their own people at heart and the nigerian people in turn buy the lies that these crooks peddle and live in perpetual hope that one day these crooks will have a change of heart - if you cant even  hold your own govt to account but still claim to be smart then i fail to see why anyone should for one minute think nigerians are smart people.

I therefore can not understand why we still continue to deceive ourselves about our supposed "smartness" when we continue to be ripped off and exploited by people who really are smarter than us but who camouflage their hidden agenda with noble word and false promises.

Go back and read what I wrote to noted that I said Al Fayed owned Harrods . Not owns.

You will find that most of your observations are issues seen , even to a more prevalent degree, in other African nation. Largely , African nations face similar issues which are a resultant effect of our difficult history vis a vis unfair trading with the West not helped by African leaders without vision or the will to seek better deals for their Nation. We will get there and evolution will see to that .

Even now , and even with all the mischief, the Petroleum Industry Bill is an example of how our thinking is changing . We are now more interested in controlling our own destiny . We will of course need to continue working to reject the "every man for himself" attitude that is preventing our "smartness" from shining. If we don't get the PIB passed we all now know that it is not because Nigerians are not "smart" enough to conceive such a bill. Issues are more to do with unpatriotic Nigerians colluding with conniving foreigners to actualise selfish agenda that stifles National growth. It has always being like that and your contention that others "smarter" than us exploit us is wrong. We must factor in the part played by saboteurs within our own ranks.

The changes desired won't happen overnight. Folks can believe it or not but it was only last Sunday I was talking to a Ghanaian who is one of the top boys at Ecowas. He is permanently based in Abuja and has been there for many years. This guy actually praised the thinking of Nigerians others do not have . He said , and I quote, "Nigeria will be untouchable if the electricity situtation is sorted out" . He gave a comprehensive analysis of policies and real socio-economic issues that shows he understands issues effectively. Of course we have a long way to go but the same is true for many nations in Africa bar a few. What you write below is an example of seeing ourselves as extricated from the problem;

I therefore can not understand why we still continue to deceive ourselves about our supposed "smartness" when we continue to be ripped off and exploited by people who really are smarter than us but who camouflage their hidden agenda with noble word and false promises.

You think you are the only one clever enough to work out what is written above? How many sound books and articles on unfair trading have Nigerians written? You really think if you get to a leadership position today you will easily defeat an entrenched system to reverse the situation of "those who are smarter than us ripping us off"? Evolution and change in attitude , for us and for others (our "unfair" trade partners) will take care of many issues in the end . This will be gradual . We find ourselves where we are today because of a combination of many issues . Some of those issues are of our own doing while others are not . We can indeed criticise but it is not objective to malign Nigerians as not smart because of deficiencies seen in others.

cap28:

hahahaha - so the Nobel prize is now a determinant of intelligence - Gbawe let me let you in on a little secret - the Nobel prize is usually given to africans who are known to promote western ideologies or economic policies - Wole Soyinka is not the best academic in the arena of literature we have in nigeria but because he remains mute in his criticism of imperialism and neo colonialism he was selected for the prize, also his literary style of writing is more in tune with middle class white westerners than africans,

Henry Kissinger who was america's national security adviser during the vietnam war and who presided over the carpet bombing of millions of vietnamese and cambodians won the nobel prize for peace - hahahahaha so i wouldnt give any credibility to the nobel prize.

Lest i forget, Obama was also awarded a nobel peace prize for doing absolutely nothing at the time towards securing world peace - and ironically has now decided to launch an unprovoked war in libya.

Okonjo Iweala is an IMF stooge who negotiated a debt relilef payment which saw nigeria parting with a whopping $18 billion dollars in PART payment of our supposed debts to the Paris club, a payment which was described as one of the largest transfers of wealth from africa to europe in modern history - this gargantuan sum was paid despite the fact that nigeria had not borrowed any money from the IMF since 1992 - is that your idea of intelligence?

You are clearly determined to argue with bias and lack of objectivity. Are you not a Nigerian? Why not criticise the chap who produces a list of the the "usual suspect" as evidence that Nigerians are not smart? Yet you are quick to join issues with the person who produces a list of intelligent Nigerians. Please propagate the Nobel prize to be whatever it is you wish to claim it to be and call Okonjo-Iweala a stooge for as long as you want. It is obvious to objective folks what I am talking about.

aribisala0:

you are more conspicuous when you keep quiet

and you total lack of objectivity , self-hatred and sheer ignorance of what obtains on the ground is glaring every time you post .

roflmao!!!!

Gbawe:

Go back and read what I wrote to noted that I said Al Fayed owned Harrods . Not owns.

okay fine, noted.

You will find that most of your observations are issues seen , even to a more prevalent degree, in other African nation. Largely , African nations face similar issues which are a resultant effect of our difficult history vis a vis unfair trading with the West not helped by African leaders without vision or the will to seek better deals for their Nation. We will get there and evolution will see to that .

I agree that we are where we are because of the historical imbalance created by slavery, colonialism and now neo colonialism, however we must be grown up enough to acknowledge that we have a problem and NOT gloss over evrything claiming to be smart when we have so much catching up to do.

Even now , and even with all the mischief, the Petroleum Industry Bill is an example of how our thinking is changing . We are now more interested in controlling our own destiny . We will of course need to continue working to reject the "every man for himself" attitude that is preventing our "smartness" from shining. If we don't get the PIB passed we all now know that it is not because Nigerians are not "smart" enough to conceive such a bill. Issues are more to do with unpatriotic Nigerians colluding with conniving foreigners to actualise selfish agenda that stifles National growth. It has always being like that and your contention that others "smarter" than us exploit us is wrong. We must factor in the part played by saboteurs within our own ranks.

Well, lets wait and see what our dear president says about the PIB upon his return from the US, as i have said earlier, if you are yet to sort out your right to self determination then you will continue to go around in circles,  its all very well to pass legislation stipulating how you want things to be run, but if your "master" slaps you down and says - sorry I dont want you to do that - you must do it this way instead - where does that leave you?  surely you cant expect to be regarded as a "nation" state in charge of its own affairs if you take orders from an external power.

The changes desired won't happen overnight. Folks can believe it or not but it was only last Sunday I was talking to a Ghanaian who is one of the top boys at Ecowas. He is permanently based in Abuja and has been there for many years. This guy actually praised the thinking of Nigerians others do not have . He said , and I quote, "Nigeria will be untouchable if the electricity situtation is sorted out" . He gave a comprehensive analysis of policies and real socio-economic issues that shows he understands issues effectively. Of course we have a long way to go but the same is true for many nations in Africa bar a few. What you write below is an example of seeing ourselves as extricated from the problem;

Yes the same is true of the entire african continent - but lets be realistic about our true position and stop pretending as if we have reached the promised land.

You think you are the only one clever enough to work out what is written above? How many sound books and articles on unfair trading have Nigerians written? You really think if you get to a leadership position today you will easily defeat an entrenched system to reverse the situation of "those who are smarter than us ripping us off"? Evolution and change in attitude , for us and for others (our "unfair" trade partners) will take care of many issues in the end . This will be gradual . We find ourselves where we are today because of a combination of many issues . Some of those issues are of our own doing while others are not . We can indeed criticise but it is not objective to malign Nigerians as not smart because of deficiencies seen in others.

i dont think I alone will be able to defeat western neo colonialism, however if more of our people are educated about the reality of where we stand as a nation it will make our collective progress that much easier, isnt it better to have a well informed populace who understand why things are the way they are than an ignorant public who continue to wallow in blissful ignorance?

there is no point bamboozling an entire nation of 150 million people and telling them lies about how "smart" we are when clearly that is not the case.  I thinks its best to portray the nigerian situation for what it is, lets start by educating the youth (who are the future of nigeria) by telling them exactly what is going on - that way we save time and start focusing on ways to get ourselves out from under the grip of neo colonialism.

cap28:



there is no point bamboozling an entire nation of 150 million people and telling them lies about how "smart" we are when clearly that is not the case.  I thinks its best to portray the nigerian situation for what it is, lets start by educating the youth (who are the future of nigeria) by telling them exactly what is going on - that way we save time and start focusing on ways to get ourselves out from under the grip of neo colonialism.

This post from you is far more balanced. Even on page one I stated that I have no objection to fair criticism . What I cannot stand is the unfair maligning of Nigeria by self-hating Nigerians who must interprete everything Nigeria is doing or not doing to condemn her . Aribisala0 is highly guilty of that and so is Kobojunkie . As a poster ostensibly with a better grasp of economic issues than him , I would minimally expect you to posses the balance that will see you correct his obvious misconceptions even if you will then carry on your line of argument. That would mark you out as a fair person. You must realise that taking a position in a debate should never prevent one from correcting highly subjective and intellectually lazy misconception that stems from a desire for some to make the crime fit the man by all means .

It almost seem knowledgeable folks like you are happy to see others yarn the type of highly ignorant nonsense you would ordinarily correct. One has to wonder if this is because they are on your side of the fence. We can always expect the likes of Kobojunkie to automatically align her argument with those making disparaging comment against Nigeria because that is what she has always done but it is indeed quite funny to me that virtually all commentators on this thread , presumably Nigerians , to include clever folks,  ignored blatantly incorrect assertions written exclusively to malign Nigeria while they focus on contritbuting their two kobo in favour of the thread topic. Ask yourself if citizens of most nations of the world behave with such herd mentality and lack of objectivity when condemnation of their own Nation and people is the dish of the day.

ola olabiy

May be  we need to ask ourselves why these Lebanese guys who have never been to any university; [/b]who speak English the way my grandparents did -[b] run businesses better than Nigerians with multiple degrees.

@ola olabiy

Bros you are very much aware and will agree that you do not need a 'degree' to run a successful business at least from our 'common sense' observations around us everywhere let alone turanci(English).

The Lebanese will run businesses better than a majority of Nigerians because of their inherent "Culture" and historical exposure to doing so in their own domain. It is said that "Practice makes Perfect" . How many Lebanese, Asian(Indian and Chinese) young boys and women do you find roaming aimlessly around the streets of Nigeria instead of understudying and working in their Parent's businesses? Can you sincerely say that of our so called Nigerian business people in a consistent and constant learning environment? Children live what they learn. Our various cultures do not exactly encourage in a very systematic way such formal or informal education. In Nigeria, the closest to such practices are by our Yoruba and Itsekiri Market women/daughters, Igbo apprentice systems, Hausa farming, craftsmen and trading families, Bini and Nupe bronze casting apprentice systems yet are simply denigrated by the 'city' centric or quasi- educational culture pervasive in most sub-saharan Africa. We are indeed regressing and actively promoting ignorance instead of developing empowering systems to liberate us economically. The Lebanese like the Jews have age old systems that has worked and it's honed appropriately for their survival anywhere they go. Have you ever wondered how is it that money and gem stones(diamonds) are controlled and moved easily across borders by these low profile people? Well, culture and good age old system have become a Habit and an automatic reflex for them. Their "Education" from cradle to grave (Culture) does not allow an individual to be anything else but what is expected of them. Be good at whatever you are programmed to do or else you are seen as a "Disgrace", "Shame" "Failure" or "Outcast". Most societies in Africa have such values but somehow we are inexorably losing our inherent sense of "Shame and Disgrace" in Nigeria, otherwise why would an arrested thieving politician be seen on tv smiling and walking with a 'swagger' guilty or not. Culture of excellence begets smartness in the overall society. It's a skill that is not necessarily found in formal education but can be designed, institutionalised and socialised if we are truly desirous of a great society as a people.

Kilode?!

You discard your cultural advantage and you become a wanderer in the wilderness of earthly competition. Yes we can learn from others, but our competitors are not dumb. You lose your leverage (culture, language, society) and you become a follower never a leader.
Your "smart" becomes a disadvantage and a burden if you don't pivot it on your cultural advantage and home grown organic philosophies.

@kilode?!
Hi Bro  Thanks for your contribution. 

That was the clear intention and desire of "bantu" or "Apartheid" education in RSA then.

But if you pivot it on your cultural advantage and home grown organic philosophies, you become a truly empowered and liberated human being hence the sudden drive towards home grown appropriate economic ideas, technologies and softwares e.g. ubuntu and the study of 'King Shaka Zulu' military skills, discipline and ideas in business and military schools. There is no substitute for "Self" or home grown wisdom as the bed rock on which other so called "international" knowledge can be grafted to extend oneself. The Chinese, Arabs/Jews, Europeans, Indians, Japanese and ultimately Africans(us) must learn from each other without loosing sight of the Base or else we become nothing but efulefus instead of true Omoluabi in the true sense of the word.

For some obvious reason? kobojunkie is a annoying as hell, he or she never has anything good to say about Nigeria or Nigerians as if we are all devils in the devil's paradise like the racist falsenews anchor said two years ago, seriously people need to really be around Nigerians, Nigerians I chill with are proud of their accomplishment small or big. Even if all he got is a degree, he will herald it to the world as a big accomplishment and use that accomplishment as hope to get what he wants and he will hold on to it even if it is the only thing that won't work for him. He will keep pushing and pushing until the ship sails,

he may be cocky, but he is never ignorantly disrespectful, he has inferiority complex but if you try to manipulate that bring him down because of that, he makes himsefl better than you in every sense.

He is hustler, a survival, street smart, book smart. YES! He/she is a Nigerian.

I know some people that will never ever see something good in Nigeria. While they are stuck in a welfare nation screaming freedom because they get fed for free, Foolish people. Even though things are changing, they are so ignorant and need a reason to keep avoiding Nigeria and keep holding on to the blue passport which any wise entrepreneur will tell you is useless in the global market. Nigerians are better competitors in the Global market today and we are slowly getting to a position where we will be able to negotiate favorable deals for ourselves individually, While some New Yorkers don't even know where Albany is,

Gbawe:

Comments on this thread glaringly amplifies the problem with Nigeria for those discerning enough to introspect and take even their own personal attitude, outlook and thinking into consideration. Nigerians are smart, innovative and intelligent . That is without doubt. Our main problem is that we are not united and simply do not believe in Nigeria enough to reach the point of selflessness that facilitates progressive nation building . The "every man for himself" attitude is now firmly entrenched.

We are only ever to be found, as evident on this thread, criticising as if we are somehow dissociated from the problems of Nigeria. Somehow , it is other who are "greedy" and "wicked" - not us. It is easy to prove my point . If most Nigerians commentators on this thread are balanced and objective citizens in the normal sense of the world , as pertains to what obtains worldwide, we would have seen more robust defence of outrightly wrong assertions against Nigeria. Instead all I see is pseudo-intellectual pontification driven by inobjective thinking that has already made up its mind to unpatriotically give Nigeria a bad name to hang it. What others do that Nigerian does not do is now a negative indictment against Nigeria . What Nigeria does that others do not do is also a Negative indictment against Nigeria . How can Nigeria win or even make progress when its own citizens are such inobjective critics of their own Nation?

Right on page one aribisala0 wrote:


I was the only one who challenged this highly inobjective example from a person keen to wallow in self hatred of his Country to the extent that everything to him that we do or don't do is a negative indictment of Nigeria. I must tell all of you that normal citizens of a country don't behave like this . They can criticise their Country but they won't stand for their country to be maligned falsely . I wrote in response:

Yet all folks could focus on , while ignoring what they[b] must see[/b] as normal citizens of Nigeria , was that I said a Nigerian owns Gatwick . How most folks glaringly ignored what is important (the inobjective accusation against Nigeria) to focus and talk on what is trivial exposes the huge cataract in their eyes that makes them not understand that they are now firmly part of the problem of Nigeria. They don't even realise that they too do not believe in Nigeria enough to even defend her , as non-Nigerians would do for their Country, when Nigeria is maligned wrongly. They prefer to ignore what is important to begin speaking as it is others who are the problem of Nigeria.

Above, the Gatwick example was only made to show that it is acceptable in modern Countries for foreigners to own businesses, concessions and important companies. What would indicate a problem is when foreigners own most things worthwhile in a nation as is the ironic case with a West African nation aribisala0 is always keen , perhaps out of sheer ignorance of what is on the ground, to praise as an example of those nations showing that "Nigerians are not smart" . The ignorance of what obtains in other nation , that leads many Nigerians to demonize Nigeria, is truly shocking to me personally.  A lebanese person owning a restaurant at a Nigerian airport can only be considered a negative indictment against Nigeria by someone looking at issues without objectivity. Afterall , many foreigners own British football clubs and businesses . Al Fayed owned the most British of Businesses i.e Harrods. I guess it is either that the British are not smart or that , for any objective person, the Brits have just accepted the trends set to be the norm in the global village that sees borders shrinking.

Aribisala0 then wrote this with no one challenging it:

Folks, you are Nigerians. Is what is written above not ridiculous and meriting a reply from any of you? Some Countries far more developed than Nigerian and Ghana don't have their products at Tesco yet a Nigerian can contend that because Nigerian products are not sitting next to Ghanaian products at his local Tesco we are "not smart" ? Haba ? I cannot even begin to go into the millions of very obvious reasons , non of which are negative, that may explain why Nigerian products are not on the shelves of Tesco !!!!

You guys should all wake up and smell the Coffee !!! You are all part of the problem. It is very obvious that most of you are now so uncharitable towards your Country that you casually fail to see what is obvious in preference for believing yourself , in your diasporan bases, to be innocent while contending others are the problem. I can tell some of you[b] categorically[/b] that you are even damaging your nation unfairly with what you write that demonstrates your wholesale ignorance of what obtains , on the ground , in other Nations!!!!! 

If most of you become involved in influential positions you will quickly become those you criticise. The problem with Nigeria iscertainly not what many of you claim it is. That much is demonstrated by what you are all writing to include what you choose to comment on and what you fail to see or perhaps prefer to deliberately ignore.

Your analysis here was on point. This is the biggest problem we have with Nigeria.

It is very easy for everybody to identify these problems, but we always fail to see ourselves as a part of the problem. It is always some other person.

The thread was supposed to show that Nigerians are not as smart as they think they are, but surprisingly, a lot of Nigerian posters here are trying to prove superior knowledge. World of contradictions.

Our strength is in our pride, but unfortunately, it is also the same thing that prevents us from working together to achieve a common goal/dream that we all have!!!

we need to learn how to SHUT UP if we are smart let us prove it with actions.

aribisala0:

we need to learn how to [size=8pt]SHUT UP[/size] if we are smart let us prove it with actions.

Quite true!!! Sometimes, all we need to do is just sit back and learn from other people. You would be surprised by how much there is to be learnt!!!

roflmao!!

@ ?

@ aribasala0

Thanks sooo much for this post. I've often wondered at the sheer arrogance of our supposed "smartness", when 50 years hence, we're still digging one hole for water, one hole for our crap because we have zero or near zero sewage systems and now, we have to buy water filtration systems because our crap is contaminating our water!!!

I suspect the root of the problem is a fundamental laziness; on the political front, we're unwilling to hunker down to do whatever work is required if the return will not be nearly immediate, (so no sewage network, so national roads, no power, no water delivery systems). These things take time and the rewards are not immediate. On the part of the governed, we the people are unwilling to put in the long, hard, sustainable work to challenge our leaders to deliver. Furthermore, since we don't truly see ourselves as a nation (for all the obvious reasons), a collective sustainable push is unlikely.

^^^ thanks for being an [b]HONEST [/b]Nigerian there.

Ade2K8:

@ aribasala0

Thanks sooo much for this post. I've often wondered at the sheer arrogance of our supposed "smartness", when 50 years hence, we're still digging one hole for water, one hole for our crap because we have zero or near zero sewage systems and now, we have to buy water filtration systems because our crap is contaminating our water!!!

I suspect the root of the problem is a fundamental laziness; on the political front, we're unwilling to hunker down to do whatever work is required if the return will not be nearly immediate, (so no sewage network, so national roads, no power, no water delivery systems). These things take time and the rewards are not immediate. On the part of the governed, we the people are unwilling to put in the long, hard, sustainable work to challenge our leaders to deliver. Furthermore, since we don't truly see ourselves as a nation (for all the obvious reasons), a collective sustainable push is unlikely.

You mean, you, your parents, relatives and your family?

I know Nigerians are hardworking.

Ade2k8

Furthermore, since we don't truly see ourselves as a nation (for all the obvious reasons), a collective sustainable push is unlikely.

@Ade2k8

That's partly the crux of our collective problems and perceived Incapacity, hence I asked rhetorically in my first reply "are we a nation yet, let alone in "decline"? ." Smart" does not spring in such an atmosphere of general feeling of collective incapacity no matter how urgent and dire the conditions are. It's a tragedy no wonder we loot and export the loot offshore not even to our villages or local domain besides the odd house or two.

I really wonder why we bother to talk about these things. Clearly there's no collective; whatever 'intelligence' is ascribed to Nigerians actually refers to individual and not collective ability.
We have our fair share of intelligent individuals, but since we don't belong (or see ourselves as belonging) to any collective, the individual sparks cannot and will not be harnessed for the common good.

That's why we can have a Soyinka or Achebe, or even a Kanu or Odemwingie. They are smart individuals, but there is no system that is structured to cyclically produce new Achebes or Osazes, or even sustain the existing talent. No culture, or value system exists anymore. Even the so called traditionalists have jettisoned whatever they learnt from their fathers for the lure of lucre.

^^ Now you are talking . . .

. . .lots of pretentious self-hating idiots on this thread.

What do some of you gain from this pious pontification that , ultimately , seems like selfish grandstanding? Benazir  Bhutto died for her Country . That type of selflessness is long gone in us Nigerians. All we do , with our intelligence, is to place the onus of nation building at the feet of others. Very convenient. It suits our agenda of being able to criticise from afar without understanding the history of the nations we praise that shows a direct correlation of selfless sacrifice , by the most knowledgeable "good men",  that secures the progress we all envy and use as negative indictment of why "Nigerians are not smart". What a joke i.e the concept some will build a nation for us while we deceive ourselves that the task of Nation building falls on others we can lampoon casually just so we sound intelligent in cyberspaces. Totally comical !!!!

AjanleKoko:

I really wonder why we bother to talk about these things. Clearly there's no collective; whatever 'intelligence' is ascribed to Nigerians actually refers to individual and not collective ability.
We have our fair share of intelligent individuals, but since we don't belong (or see ourselves as belonging) to any collective, the individual sparks cannot and will not be harnessed for the common good.

That's why we can have a Soyinka or Achebe, or even a Kanu or Odemwingie. They are smart individuals, but there is no system that is structured to cyclically produce new Achebes or Osazes, or even sustain the existing talent. No culture, or value system exists anymore. Even the so called traditionalists have jettisoned whatever they learnt from their fathers for the lure of lucre.

You mean no system that is structured to produce new Miltons in the mold of the paul Krugmans of this world?

aletheia:

. . .lots of pretentious self-hating idiots on this thread.

Thank you !!! those folks should just forget Nigeria and adopt the citizenship of their diasporan Nations. They are of no use to us . They are only unhelpful fifth columnist who want to criticise from afar while rejecting their duty to get involved . Kobojunkie is the worst. Nothing typifies that more than the thread Jarus started asking me , Beaf and kobojunkie to defend our Presidential candidates. I.e Ribadu, GEJ and Buhari respectively. I obliged and so did Beaf . Kobojunkie chickened out with some pathetic excuse (someone should dig up the thread) that shows how she is the embodiment of talking the talk, for the sake of it ,  yet, in testimony to cowardice, unwilling to walk the walk. Folks like her are only capable of leading others astray with their lack of nobility. Like the General who deserts his men when the gunfire gets 'hectic'. Most of you in this thread are like her.

roflmao!!! See me see wahala oooo!!!!

Wizardofoz:


You mean no system that is structured to produce new Miltons in the mold of the paul Krugmans of this world?

I mean, no system that is structured to bring the best out of every Nigerian. The best in terms of self-belief and will to excel.

Whether we like it or not, the primary feeling towards Nigeria by its people is a sense of hopelessness, frustration and ultimately desperation. That seems to have consistently brought the worst out of people. For example the cop ready to shoot someone like a dog for N20, the local government councillor only interested in mindless looting, and the grossly incompetent civil servant who wants a bribe to move your file to the next table. Like it or not, they're merely victims of the system (or lack of a system), and are reacting with their primal instincts to survive the harsh conditions.

Tell me abourrrit.
DA dumbest phocks of human beings!
All noise. . . no back bone. . . sheer cowards!
Twa!