We have a very hard time imagining someone being a hero, or respecting somebody outside of those in the political arena.
our understanding of our selves and nation(s) seldom escape a political dimension. Nigerians will rarely speak of Nigeria as a place with a beautiful landscape, happy people, good music, good food excellent cultures. Everything we use to define Nigeria and africa is political. We only speak of political figures, our history is told in accordance to political events, our aspirations are almost always political. In most functioning democracies the average person doesn't pay attention to politics. Only those that are interested, which is a niche group of intellectuals. But in Nigeria the politicians are the celebrities, religious figures, kings, and government.
American history is filled with people like Davie Crocket, Daniel Boone, Paul Revere, Harriet Tubman, Louis and Clark. All people with 0 political ambition.

If you listen to all american pride songs, from the anthem to America the Beautiful there's no mention of the government. It's all about their values and their landscape.

This is a healthy relationship to self definition. Ours is about politics too often. Even look at the renaming of MKO university. I'm sorry but MKO doesn't make the top 10 list of best nigerians to ever live. He was a politician, nothing more nothing less and was doing what he needed to do to move through his field successfully. A child that names MKO as his hero because he won a fair and free election is an odd one, when his mates are naming Muhammed Ali and Albert Einstein across the ocean. im sorry.




I think we should stop looking beyond politics in defining what Nigeria is. because yes, Obasanjo is Nigerian and a famous one but when I'm in Nigeria i don't see Obasanjo. Huddling around with my grandmother, brothers and sisters and sharing one giant pot of fufu and draw soup than joking and telling stories afterwards, that's 100x more relevant a display of Nigeria than Obasanjo, David Mark or Ekweremadu, whom has no direct affect on most nigerians.


there's more to a nation that politics. politics is the most ugly detail.

The US anthem does mention politics though.

Tpia is a dead obo. Her obo is so dry,so tey e don become flaky like fish feeds.And the deep fact of knowing that it will never be greased again,and probably never has been greased,causes her lunatic burst-ups and frustrations. She is hellishly ignorant.

There is no politics in nigeria. What u have is deluded gangsterism. A people on the cause for self destruction and a people that are fundamentally ignorant.

@OP.

You certainly have a point and I for one wish it was not that way. We canonize Politicians to the extent our decision-making is compromised and some even automatically look out for the interest of Politicians, ahead of what is best for ordinary folks, without even knowing they are doing this.

For example, here on Nairaland, the argument against State Police is entirely limited to "undemocratic Governors will use it to persectute Political opponent"

A Non-Nigerian, from a Nation where folks are not beholden to politicians, would wonder what is wrong with us given how crime, insecurity and general lawlessness has now totally destroyed the citizenship experience for ordinary Nigerians yet we reject what can change this on the ground a few priviledged Politicians , forming a ridiculously small percentage of the general population, might be bullied by their opponents.

Simply senseless. No one is saying Politicians don't deserve protection but this must not be automatic and to the extent what is best for them is put above the interest of 160 million folks. That is Stockholm syndrome gone way out of hand.


It is this 'deification' of Politicians and 'big men' by everyone, to include ordinary Nigerians themselves, that has led to the many glaring social and human development injustice in Nigerian society weighed heavily against the common man.

Ikengawo: We have a very hard time imagining someone being a hero, or respecting somebody outside of those in the political arena.
our understanding of our selves and nation(s) seldom escape a political dimension. Nigerians will rarely speak of Nigeria as a place with a beautiful landscape, happy people, good music, good food excellent cultures. Everything we use to define Nigeria and africa is political. We only speak of political figures, our history is told in accordance to political events, our aspirations are almost always political. In most functioning democracies the average person doesn't pay attention to politics. Only those that are interested, which is a niche group of intellectuals. But in Nigeria the politicians are the celebrities, religious figures, kings, and government.
American history is filled with people like Davie Crocket, Daniel Boone, Paul Revere, Harriet Tubman, Louis and Clark. All people with 0 political ambition.

If you listen to all american pride songs, from the anthem to America the Beautiful there's no mention of the government. It's all about their values and their landscape.

This is a healthy relationship to self definition. Ours is about politics too often. Even look at the renaming of MKO university. I'm sorry but MKO doesn't make the top 10 list of best nigerians to ever live. He was a politician, nothing more nothing less and was doing what he needed to do to move through his field successfully. A child that names MKO as his hero because he won a fair and free election is an odd one, when his mates are naming Muhammed Ali and Albert Einstein across the ocean. im sorry.




I think we should stop looking beyond politics in defining what Nigeria is. because yes, Obasanjo is Nigerian and a famous one but when I'm in Nigeria i don't see Obasanjo. Huddling around with my grandmother, brothers and sisters and sharing one giant pot of fufu and draw soup than joking and telling stories afterwards, that's 100x more relevant a display of Nigeria than Obasanjo, David Mark or Ekweremadu, whom has no direct affect on most nigerians.


there's more to a nation that politics. politics is the most ugly detail.

I understand what your trying to say but I think we differ on views here. Due to the level of development attainable in Nigeria, politics still has a huge impact on daily life (moreso than is the case in those other countries you refer to). For better or worse it is the reason why we have no light, no water, no good roads, polio outbreaks in the north, poor educational system, few career prospects and opportunities for graduates, etc. Dare I say, Politics in the Nigerian context has more of a direct impact on our daily lives. So I guess I would be going against your postulation by stating that I believe Nigerians being more interested in politics than say your average American or Brit is something I see as a good thing.

The second layer you delve into is this deification of politicians in which people come to define their lives and the Nigerian experience through the boundaries of politics. Nigerians do discuss plitics (which again I see as a good thing) but I would not go as far as saying they define their experiences through politics. I can only speak for myself, family and friends so in my case I would reject that notion and if you really believe that I would advice you to get off nairaland more often because it is not a true representation of the wholistic Nigerian experience. I am not one for "heroes", I just have a lot of people I admire and respect. And when I think of the Nigerian experience I think food, music (sweet highlife), diversity in culture, family and friends and hanging out with them, upbringing, a people with passion and enthusiasm I am yet to see anywhere else in the world, and yes arguing politics, among a host of other things.

Having all of these and still being political conscious is not a bad thing. If anything, people need to be more involved in the political process and the task of governance for things to improve so things get better and we can find some other crap to argue about. Heck that is why I like the French. A political astute citizenry with political sophistication. That does not mean that is all there is to them either. This is one of those issues in which I am glad we are not like the Americans or the Brits.

P.S. I honestly do not know any family or friend that has ever said they respect Obasanjo et al, and would want to be like them. So I genuinely could not relate to what you were talking about there. I guess I have strange family and friends?