One of the foremost things good education does for any individual is to make him/her more cultured and civil. Thus, decent individual don't resort to name calling and insultive comments. We may respect proff. Ayittey for his Professorship but when it comes to bridling his tongue and choosing his words, then the extent of his education should be called to question. It was the same Proff. Ayoittey that called Presiddent Goodluck Jonathan an insane person. We have notable Prof. in africa in the likes of Prof. Ali Mazrui; they have not resorted to name calling even on leaders and citizens of nations whose situation is far worse than that of Nigeria.

To say we are battered and broken is very funny. I dont know whether Proff. Ayittey have lived in any part of Nigeria. But one thing he should know that a nigerian is the most resilient Black person in the world. We have scaled through the darkest hours and murkiest waters. He should know that Nigeria is not a nation where one man would rule for 10 years unquestioned like other African nation. If he is in doubt he should ask the late Abacha, IBB and OBJ. Nigerians are creating new survival opportunities everyday with little or no government support.

We may be passing through difficult time; but to say we are battered and broken is statement inspired by satan/lucifer and ecause of this I may be tempted to forgive the professor

fucking deluded!why is so easy to know why nigeria is so f-ucked up?what have an idiota like you achieved in your miserable life to insult an acclaimed academic?and how did you 'bail out' Ghana?of course d whole world knows how your cursed nation 'bailed' out Ghana by deporting more than a milion of it citizens under very humiliating circumstances at a time Ghana was facing severe problems in d 80s.we also know how you bailed out Ghana during those difficult times by cutting off oil sales.we reacted positively and today we can be proud of what we've achieved. And now that we have an economy that is thriving you wicked people are rushing to Ghana. God go punish all of una. nigeria is heading straight for the dustbin n there's nothing anybody can do about it.your contry will end up worse than somalia n Iraq put together.

Mandelaguy: what we should no tolerate on this forum is some s.t.upid African with no history,whom we have bailed out economically and othewise say rubbish about our country. They are not worthy to tie our shoe laces! People without swag!

I think its high time we d youths take up arms against our selfish, pot-belle leaders.

Time out now because these people called Ghanian really infruriated me this afternoon they have really kindle my anger a lot today this descendant of lost generation for that matter??. Oh heaven, a Ghanian of all people haba this is making me boiling up seriously I need to leave before I say something else oh God Ghanians whom I knew very well open their mouth to rubbish Nigeria ohhhhhhhh I have to go before I say the "unsayable".

@maasoap, I'm not against criticism, calling someone a failure isn't criticism-not even negative criticism, its an insult. The guy didn't criticize, at first he said our president was a lunatic, then he said we're... Can't u get it, he should criticize and not insult.

Btw, comparing Nigeria to the US and the UK has never led us anywhere, we're already on a steep slope to nowhere, proffer solutions and not insults, who knows, maybe somedays they'll implement them otherwise one will be known to always proffer solutions unlike the prof whose talents lies in insulting people

bisiaet: @millehigh Quote"sit down there dey look for enemies while other countries dey progress".


That is your problem mr or miss millehigh or milleshort ok. If somalia, Sudaness, Yemenis, Vietnamess, Myamar, Mogolians, and so on and their citizen can still be defend their nation despite they are top corrupt,most dangerous to live on earth, so to you and your greasy empty head Ghanian idiots should be the one insulting us a nation and you are cool with that? I have no more word for orelse I will miss yarn...............................

I will say it a million time F U C K TO GHANIANS with no apology. I cant fold my arm for just a rag trash a s hole ghanians to open their stinky mouth and rubbish my own country never and never. They hate us and I hate them simple. F U C K YOU GHANIANS I say it one again f u c k you go to hell and mind your own business with your lazy jobless "Professor Gorilla".

We know ur heart is ful of hate,n hatred is part of ur fundermentals...go on!

the man talk truth na, but hin dey use style style abuse us na... no be us they do suffering and smiling? why people dey vex, but prof no dey fall our hand o, ur own don too much o, but na true u talk sha

We need a Nigerian Jerry Rawlings fast fast.

bisiaet: @millehigh Quote"sit down there dey look for enemies while other countries dey progress".


That is your problem mr or miss millehigh or milleshort ok. If somalia, Sudaness, Yemenis, Vietnamess, Myamar, Mogolians, and so on and their citizen can still be defend their nation despite they are top corrupt,most dangerous to live on earth, so to you and your greasy empty head Ghanian idiots should be the one insulting us a nation and you are cool with that? I have no more word for orelse I will miss yarn...............................

I will say it a million time F U C K TO GHANIANS with no apology. I cant fold my arm for just a rag trash a s hole ghanians to open their stinky mouth and rubbish my own country never and never. They hate us and I hate them simple. F U C K YOU GHANIANS I say it one again f u c k you go to hell and mind your own business with your lazy jobless "Professor Gorilla".

exact problem i say again with Nigeria.profer a solution to what you and I and every person on this forum knows to be our problems and not come here and call people names
go listen to fewla,he said worse,go see femi's documentaries and u will notice that they said worse things,are they ghanians and before you go on about dem smoking igbo,well,those 2 people have been the most vocal and honest minds we have ever had in Nigeria about our issues oh add gani to the list
its more annoying that it is coming fro a ghanian but lets face fact,whoever this man is,he would not have said same if we actually have our house in order

tpapi: u find it easy calin pple fools but wen same is now said 2 u,u find it difficult 2 accept,am sure u can now feel ow it seems like

if you can't see anything wrong with the way Nigeria is going.......you deserve to be called more than that

I believe your decision to publish a piece to defend your position that our dear President GOODLUCK Jonathan is a joke is a mere afterthought. If you didn't receive outright criticisms would have made this decision? Yet you said you taught your students to support criticisms with solutions. Did you also teach them to include insults while doing that? You simply insulted our president out of misinformation by some disgruntled elements that have seen nothing good in doing good. Same people are feuding political distrust in order to destabilise the government just because they don't like the 'face' of the President. As a learned person you should have checked your facts from both sides before making such damaging condemnation. You should have known that you can't judge the existence of Nigeria by only a 2 hour Presidential Media Chat. Your solution to the problems of Nigeria will never be taken serious unless you, as a matter of urgency, retract the insultive part of your statement and make an unreserved apology to our President and also Nigerians in general. Nigerians support freedom of speech not freedom to talk nonsense. I hope pride will not ride above your sense of judgement. Do the right thing Prof in order not to rubbish the reputation you might have earned over the years of your academic life.

^^ it doesn't matter dude he apologized.....there is no need for all that essay the simple fact is Nigeria sick and needs help but it is sad that most are cowards and they are afraid of injection

tevinsolt:
if you can't see anything wrong with the way Nigeria is going.......you deserve to be called more than that

wao so u r stil feelin it

deb: THE GUY IS NOT A PROFESSOR. HE IS A FOO OL!

Eyyyaaaa...is it too late for u?abi u r so intimidated dat u dnt even knw wat to write?SHAME ON YOU

Nairaland - Your forum seems to have been bombarded by government agents and apologists. What has the Ghanaian professor said that is wrong? There is too much despair in Nigeria today, north, south, east and west. The only cheerers are the rent seekers around Abuja who have become billionaires in 1 year of GEJ's rule (misrule)! BH itself is a product of that misrule. Now GEJ has fired the hardworking NSA. Let us see what the new person will do> Same way he fired Farida and Ribadu and sent EFCC into coma!

The professor is correct in his assessment. It isnt only Nigerians that are tired. GEJ himself looks tired and seems to find relief in constant trips outside Nigeria.

tevinsolt: ^^ it doesn't matter dude he apologized.....there is no need for all that essay the simple fact is Nigeria sick and needs help but it is sad that most are cowards and they are afraid of injection

more sad that most are getting ready to take their share of the national cake

Mandelaguy: This man is a swallat! Who is battered and broken? He ha opportunity 2 say this during the military mis rule of so man years,he failed! This professor really needs medical attention andrope examination upstairs. Without sounding arrogant, Nigerians are the most intelligent,ingenious,sagacious,hardworking and democratic citizens in Africa. People who cannot be controlled or intimidated. IBB,Abacha and co can tell you this. No man has the monopoly of power in this dynamic nation because we have never allowed it. Do not allow this f.o.o.l to play with us. It's time to shut him up.

Why can't you see or read his point before rubbishing him ?. He has a point and he has offered us solotion too. Nigerians should always welcome critisim cos it helps providing hidden soltions.

kawkab: One of the foremost things good education does for any individual is to make him/her more cultured and civil. Thus, decent individual don't resort to name calling and insultive comments. We may respect proff. Ayittey for his Professorship but when it comes to bridling his tongue and choosing his words, then the extent of his education should be called to question. It was the same Proff. Ayoittey that called Presiddent Goodluck Jonathan an insane person. We have notable Prof. in africa in the likes of Prof. Ali Mazrui; they have not resorted to name calling even on leaders and citizens of nations whose situation is far worse than that of Nigeria.

To say we are battered and broken is very funny. I dont know whether Proff. Ayittey have lived in any part of Nigeria. But one thing he should know that a nigerian is the most resilient Black person in the world. We have scaled through the darkest hours and murkiest waters. He should know that Nigeria is not a nation where one man would rule for 10 years unquestioned like other African nation. If he is in doubt he should ask the late Abacha, IBB and OBJ. Nigerians are creating new survival opportunities everyday with little or no government support.

We may be passing through difficult time; but to say we are battered and broken is statement inspired by satan/lucifer and ecause of this I may be tempted to forgive the professor

Our constitution describes Jona as insane and of unsound mind going by his actions and utterances. "I don't give a damn" says Jonathan, Nigerian president to the citizens. Did that sound sane to you?

Shymmex doesnt sound like someone who has never been to nigeria.

Actually, he seems like somebody who has never left nigeria.

Like, never been outside his village because even nigerians in nigeria can sometimes sound as if they're overseas.

Not so in his case.

Well, if he goes into the dating scam business, only a very f.oolish lady would be duped by him, imo.

He's not convincing at all.

Blind Nigerians, abusing a sombody wo has a light to show them the way, Those of u criticizing d prof. should go n google this topic "Nationalism in Nigeria" n check hw our great leaders then, fought the British colonization and how they conquered. They told me "The truth is bitter" now I belive.

@nairaland He's right. Shame to Nigerians who insulted the Prof'. Shame. We should be more sensible to read n understand his Point. Stop insulting an elderly man. Anyone that insulted the man is still a kid and should be considered as one.

tpapi: wao so u r stil feelin it

hahaha guy give me a break ......whatever stops the tears sha

One cannot over emphasize the criticism of Nigeria, When I was small they said "Nig is gonna b gud one day" OMG! i still hear the same today. Sometimes i wonder if Nig is going towards the good direction or from bad to worst!

milehigh06:
more sad that most are getting ready to take their share of the national cake

abi sir, Birds of a feather flock together.....what a shame.

sayso: Make thunder fire this yeye professor comot for dis world for call my beloved brothers and sisters battered souls.

Sorry to disappoint you man, that's what we are, battered souls. May be you need an explanation about the phrase the prof used. When both the federal govt and the state govts loot the money meant for development both physical and human devpmt for the past 51 years both under military and civilian rulers. And with no positive change in sight. Are you telling the souls of citizens of such country are not battered? Forget about ego, Nigerians not even respected outside our territory. Why is that? Ask yourself and answer it.

Dujardin: Blind Nigerians, abusing a sombody wo has a light to show them the way, Those of u criticizing d prof. should go n google this topic "Nationalism in Nigeria" n check hw our great leaders then, fought the British colonization and how they conquered. They told me "The truth is bitter" now I belive.

Good. I want you to kindly enlighten Blind n Proud Nigerians who insulted the Prof. They are still blind and will never know until they read and understand his pointed solutions. We should be Thankful he profer solutions.

I just don't know why these paid defenders of GEJ are crying blue murder cos an erudite professor made his observations about Nigeria's Leadership problems public. Is it not written that we should be our brothers keeper?. What did the professor say that is wrong and out of context or others especially Nigerians have not said? Or are u people crying just because he is not a Nigerian? If so, why did Nigeria go to waste billions of Dollars in PEACE MISSIONS AND ECOMOG IN Liberia, Sierra Leon etc when it is not our own cup of tea? Or are we saying other people are not watching us? Here we are, the PROFESSOR has only challenged us NIGERIANS to wake up to our collective responsibility in Managing our common wealth and affairs. Infact, this Present government of GEJ has remained the most bizar governement I have ever witnessed in the history of this country and the most embarrassing as they have never done one single thing right since it's inception......Imagine a few things......SIX YEARS SINGLE TENOR (first agenda), UNILAG TO MAULAG -just like that, MAIDUGURI AIRPORT is not functional (BY A SITTING PRESIDENT) who has all the powers to fix it, I will not declare my assets, FUEL subsidy removal overnight, giving free agricultural seed to farmers is revolutionalising agriculture, BOKO HARAM, FREE CHURCH DONATIONS by a BANKRUPT GITTO that has many abandoned projects in Nigeria, ELECTRICITY TARRIF increase when there is no single light anywhere in Nigeria, and very recently, trying to control Issuance of Chieftancy titles when he cannot even control NNPC where the oil wealth is rooted. Infact, the embarrassement is so much, they have reduced PRESIDENCY AND LEADERSHIP in this country to a tea PARTY. Nigeria has gone bankrupt and being looted by day and people are busy bringing in sentiments. OH...the president is from the south south and my brother, therefore, others who had been there before did not do anything, so let him do his own......ARRANT NONESENCE. Please, i think we Nigerians should have a deep reflection about the mess we are in, instead of crucifying a man who simply made the right observations. An adage in Igbo says....A THIEF DOES NOT GET ASHAMED BUT HIS BRETHREN AND RELATIONS DOES. Ghananians are our brothers and should be concerned when we are being ridiculed by the quality of leadership being offered to us and I 100% agree with the PROFESSOR that we deserve something better than what we have presently. Full....STOP.

shymmex:

They raise the bar everywhere else except in Nigeria - but how come they can't transfer all these qualities to Nigeria itself? I'm not here to argue about individual qualities of the average Nigerian (everyone needs these qualities to compete in a globalized world). This is about the collective qualities of Nigerians, and how battered and broken they're in regards to nationhood.



Patriotism isn't about being a blind follower of the status quo, and not being objective about what's attainable on the ground... We need to look at the man in the mirror and ask questions... I've analysed Prof. Ayittey's sentiments - and the guy is absolutely right...

This isn't about the messenger, but the message itself...

My guy, this is not about the messenger. I am the last person to ever make it about that. I am only correcting falsehood here. I keep telling you that not all the submissions of the Prof is wrong. Indeed I agree with many of them. What he said below however is totally incorrect and that is the point I keep making that you are avoiding.

In the past, according to Prof Ayittey, Nigerians were “bustling with energy, dynamism and entrepreneurship”, but a perpetual leadership crisis had transformed them into “broken spirits and battered souls” trapped in cocoons of fear, mistrust and despair.

There is nothing "in the past" about the dynamism and entrepreneurship of Nigerians. If anything, the presence of those qualities is even more obvious today than ever !!!! Nigerians remain "bustling with energy" even if the Prof want to indicate that this is not the case any more. Ayittey only needs to look at his native Ghana to see he is being shamelessly dishonest and moving ungraciously beyond what will keep the intellectual integrity of his criticism intact

Nigerians never like to listen to others even if they possess more factual on-ground knowledge than them. This is why we are one of the most self-hating Africans existing who are also highly prone to the ethos of "divide-and-conquer".

Ask those who truly know Ghana. They will tell you that what Ghanaians admire most, and even envy us for, is what Ayittey confesses he also found exemplary about Nigerians. There are some Ghanaians now very quick to say those qualities, for their own self-serving agenda, is no more because it suits their desire to feel better about themselves and their own perceived shortcomings in relations to others.

I repeat again that Ayittey and any Ghanaian for that matter need not look beyond Ghana itself to see that all the positive quality Ayittey ascribed to us is very much present and even amplified today because of opening trade/business and economic borders.

Ayittey should keep his argument purely academic, and many of us would support him in that instance, than taint it with submissions that is 100% false and an indicator that, like many Africans, and ultimately, he is not able to rise above sentiments.

The particular submission of Ayittey I have a problem with , because it sounds distinctly dishonest for those of us who know the on-the-ground truth, is an indication the Prof may be working with sectional bias precisely because, if he has visited home recently, he would appreciate how some Nigerians can feel he is being very dishonest.

I would love it if Nigerians , like yourself, travel more, thus seeing things for themselves, instead of engaging in blanket self-denigration based on the submissions of those who are being economical, for their own reason/agenda, with the truth. Ayittey is surely right that we have serious leadership problems but he is totally wrong to insinuate that we are now 'broken' because of that. His native Country is 100% proof of this.

Every Nigerian is under the spell of bad governance, their deception and corruption! Sorry bro, we are rilli battered souls, bone ego.

Nairaland has been hijacked by aso rock agents, all the reactions I've been hearing has only been attacking the person of Prof Ayittey not his statements, the Prof is obviously a more intelligent person that GEJ as TED Q&A no be yam, GEJ that couldn't speak well in a stage managed media chat, the fact is that is responses are not fit for a democratic leader, imagine a president being watched by both the old and young saying "I don't give a damn", giving a lame excuse as to why he hasn't visited maiduguri, there are better ways of answering questions as a public figure, its called diplomacy, from day 1 GEJ's problem has been public speaking, from calling people 'rascals' to "I don't give a damn" shows the level of his intellect

Ayittey should not cause Nigerians to hate Ghanaians, he is plying a very dangerous and id!otic route.
The fool sell's Africans to whites for a living, he is the very definition of traitor and backstabber; I have known him for about 14 years now.