i watched with tears in my heart,how the current Australian prime minister ,carefully guided his words when he was making a public and unreserved apology to the black Aborigines of Australia for the many years of torture and neglect they have suffered in the hands of the whites,even though it may not look like much,it was a monumental gesture and i cant wait for GREAT BRITAIN and AMERICA (USA) to take the bold step of doing the same and making necessary repatriation of all the diamond and gold(material and intellectual) they took from Africa.one day i know,we have a date with history with them.the pound can not be strong forever because its the blood and gold of Africa that holds it.

If anything, You Nigerians should thank them.

White people completely took over Australia. At least, they left Nigeria for us. In Australia, white people dont even consider the aborigenes as humans. Every joke at every party is directed at aborigenes. The aborigenes can never rise up in their own country again as a result of the degradation they have suffered for several years.

South Africans are luckier because they had not been completely wiped off before the whites allowed for truely representative democracy. But South Africans still suffer for the many years of oppression because they now do not have the basic skills to take advantage of any opportunities. They were not allowed to get any education for several years. The black south africans who attend school now will not have any great effect for several decades because the whites already have several years' head start.

D-reloaded:

If anything, You Nigerians should thank them.

you should go and thank them because you now have access to water dispensers

I've already thanked them and they're going to reward me back with a nice tax refund in a few weeks. Woo! 

when they finally left, what happened to Nigeria, yea exactly

Anyway, Instead of looking for my trouble as usual as I havent never done anything to your wack self, perhaps we and others can have a sane discussion on why Nigeria didnt go through the bullshit SA is going/went through.

D-reloaded:

when they finally left, what happened to Nigeria, yea exactly

the question is what structures did they leave behind? Did they leave us with a viable nation that could develop or did they deliberately leave us with a skewed "federation" that ensures we always take 5 steps backward for every forward step?

D-reloaded:

I've already thanked them and they're going to reward me back with a nice tax refund in a few weeks. Woo!

when they finally left, what happened to Nigeria, yea exactly

Anyway, Instead of looking for my trouble as usual as I havent never done anything to your wack self, perhaps we and others can have a sane discussion on why Nigeria didnt go through the bullshit SA is going/went through.

I see what your problem is. A tax refund is what makes a big difference to your existence. Shallowness of mind.

White colonialists did not stay long in Nigeria as Nigeria did not have anything they considered viable enough for them to stay and face all the trouble of nationalists.

UK has a lot to answer for.

Their divide and rule has caused the deaths and hardships of many millions which till today persist.They ensure warring tribes were kept together in a nation and same tribes divided over different nations.

The kurds are a large tribe yet they have no homeland and were kept together with rival tribes.

It amazes me that now they see Iraq as a lawless land which they help create and then invaded with the americans and made it more lawless now.

The yorubas were divided also .The list goes on and on.

4Him:

the question is what structures did they leave behind? Did they leave us with a viable nation that could develop or did they deliberately leave us with a skewed "federation" that ensures we always take 5 steps backward for every forward step?

Thank you.

They left a contraption which was never going to work as a unit. A contraption which they kept together with deception and twisted guile. They now expect the same contraption to work with democracy.

D-reloaded:

I've already thanked them and they're going to reward me back with a nice tax refund in a few weeks. Woo!  

they are giving you a tax refund because as a US citizen you qualify for it out of the many millions of others. Its not because they want to reward you as an individual.

@ topic: we really dont need an appology from them . . . we live in times when blacks are so used to kowtowing to white supremacy (albeit unconsciously) that i wont be surprised that the bulk of the "dont appologise crowd" will be black.

The reason Nigeria is not developing is essentially the reason Iraq is today in tatters. When men with no knowledge of indigenous aspirations come around drawing arbitrary lines on the map . . . the result is Africa.

4Him:

the question is what structures did they leave behind? Did they leave us with a viable nation that could develop or did they deliberately leave us with a skewed "federation" that ensures we always take 5 steps backward for every forward step?

They left us with a viable nation that could develop actually. If you look at the current state of the country today compared to where we were in the 60's and 70's, you would see that what happened to us was of our own doing. When muritala was in office, Nigeria was actually doing great but something happened and we have ourselves to blame for it. I remember when my mum and my uncles tell me of their youth. I mean it was almost as if they lived in some cool country. Able to get good jobs as young 20 somthings  both in the south and in the north. Living was easier for them. For a while we did well after the british left but then things went horribly wrong.

I had this discussion with my dad yesterday night. He thinks the Brits should have stayed for a few more years. Obviously he knows more about that time than I would

However even though I've heard of how grand life was when they were around, part of me wonders whether Nigeria too would have gone thru apartheid and such had they stayed longer than they did

Anyway I think Nigeria WAS on the path of becoming a great nation. This is the same country Ghanaians and co used to claim when they would travel outside of the continent. Of course along the line things started to go down. I dont agree that they had Nigeria in a way that only benefited them though.

I am more than open to hear other opinions on this however.

4Him:

they are giving you a tax refund because as a US citizen you qualify for it out of the many millions of others. Its not because they want to reward you as an individual.

David, I made that sarcastic comment to reply Blatant's juvenile remark. Ok? Now let it go. Thanks.

D-reloaded:

David, I made that sarcastic comment to reply Blatant's snide remark. Ok? Now let it go. Thanks.

Excellento!

Kobojunkie:

For a while we did well after the british left but then things went horribly wrong.

everything didnt go wrong . . . it went as planned. Contraptions never last, nations do . . . look at Iraq, USSR, Yogoslavia.

We had a skewed federation from day 1 . . . the army in the back pockets of the north, the north heavily disadvantaged in terms of education, resources and opportunities. It was only a matter of time before the "good ol days" ground to a halt.

When men with no knowledge of indigenous aspirations come around drawing arbitrary lines on the map . . . the result is Africa.

This really made me laugh and it is so true

4Him:

Excellento!

everything didnt go wrong . . . it went as planned. Contraptions never last, nations do . . . look at Iraq, USSR, Yogoslavia.

We had a skewed federation from day 1 . . . the army in the back pockets of the north, the north heavily disadvantaged in terms of education, resources and opportunities. It was only a matter of time before the "good ol days" ground to a halt.

Here is my take on things. Like I mentioned in my post, Anyone who grew up in that time will tell you, if they lived anytime in the north that they were equally able to get a good education up north as they could down south. I do not believe the education problem always existed. Many from the south actually lived up north and helped run things there back then but when tribalism became the focus, that was when trouble came to Nigeria in the form of tribalism which today we still deal with. I do not have an issue with Northerners being in charge as long as the right people are in charge. The Army could have easily been removed if the tribal issue did not rare it's head.

kobo dont decieve urself. Tribalism is not something we can wish away . . . it is a part of us forever.

Let me ask you a hypothetical question - assume there was a nation in Europe with 40% Jews, 35% German, 7% arab and 20% Russian - do you think that nation would be successful today?

4Him:

kobo don't decieve yourself. Tribalism is not something we can wish away . . . it is a part of us forever.

Let me ask you a hypothetical question - assume there was a nation in Europe with 40% Jews, 35% German, 7% arab and 20% Russian - do you think that nation would be successful today?

I am not advocating for Tribalism being abolished. I happen to accept it is a part of who we are and I do not see it as a problem but it can be a problem in some cases and we can work around it. When I said tribalism became the issue, I meant instead of accepting it existed and work around it, we made it the focus and that was when the problems started. Take Europe for instance, even in countries such as Norway, racism exists but instead of making it an issue, we see people focusing on other things and less on racism which exists no matter what level you go and look at situations out there compared to what we have in Nigeria??

For your question, I completely believe the nation would be successful if people would not make an issue out of their differences and accept it is there and focus more on other things. It is like a black man working in a company filled with some racists and a woman working in a company filled with sexists. We have seen case after case where these people have been able to overcome these problems to excel and do great even in the same place with the same group of people.

There was no way Nigeria was going to work!!!

A contraption of completely different people and cultures was never going to be able to achieve anything in togetherness.

Kobojunkie:

I am not advocating for Tribalism being abolished. I happen to accept it is a part of who we are and I do not see it as a problem but it can be a problem in some cases and we can work around it. When I said tribalism became the issue, I meant instead of accepting it existed and work around it, we made it the focus and that was when the problems started. Take Europe for instance, even in countries such as Norway, racism exists but instead of making it an issue, we see people focusing on other things and less on racism which exists no matter what level you go and look at situations out there compared to what we have in Nigeria??

For your question, I completely believe the nation would be successful if people would not make an issue out of their differences and accept it is there and focus more on other things. It is like a black man working in a company filled with some racists and a woman working in a company filled with sexists. We have seen case after case where these people have been able to overcome these problems to excel and do great even in the same place with the same group of people.

You cant even wish tribalism away anywhere in the world.

the reason Nigerians seemed to focus on it was because it had brought down the economy and people had to look for the root cause of the economic ruin - it was found entrenched in the tribal set up of the contraption.

Blatant:

You can't even wish tribalism away anywhere in the world.

the reason Nigerians seemed to focus on it was because it had brought down the economy and people had to look for the root cause of the economic ruin - it was found entrenched in the tribal set up of the contraption.

Tribalism has always existed even before the white man came into the picture. Even before religion came in the picture. No one is wishing it away. I happen to be tribalistic myself but I do not make it an issue as I accept that the next man has a right to be tribalistic and I focus more on other issues. I can easily work with an hausa man, a yoruba man, an ibo man, an edo man and even an efik man even with my tribalistic beliefs. Is it is then an issue in my case??

Kobojunkie:

For your question, I completely believe the nation would be successful if people would not make an issue out of their differences and accept it is there and focus more on other things. It is like a black man working in a company filled with some racists and a woman working in a company filled with sexists. We have seen case after case where these people have been able to overcome these problems to excel and do great even in the same place with the same group of people.

That hypothetical nation would NEVER have worked. The arabs will not sit at a table with the jews and nazi germany would have decimated the jews anywhere in a bloody long civil war.

Face it, you cant wish away differences. That is what makes us unique. Its like telling us not to focus on the fact that we cant see and focus more on the fact that we can at least hear.

4Him:

That hypothetical nation would NEVER have worked. The arabs will not sit at a table with the jews and nazi germany would have decimated the jews anywhere in a bloody long civil war.

Face it, you can't wish away differences. That is what makes us unique. Its like telling us not to focus on the fact that we can't see and focus more on the fact that we can at least hear.

But wait, There are jews living today in Saudi arabia and even in Iran. There a Jews in Germany and even in Russia today, Please look at the reality of things.

Kobojunkie:

But wait, There are jews living today in Saudi arabia and even in Iran. There a Jews in Germany and even in Russia today, Please look at the reality of things.

that is no reality. It is one thing to be a tiny minority and another to be a large ethnic group in a nation. If Nigeria was 90% yoruba and only 1% hausa or igbo things would be markedly different.

Isnt it time WE try to right the wrongs of the colonialists?  

4Him:

that is no reality. It is one thing to be a tiny minority and another to be a large ethnic group in a nation. If Nigeria was 90% yoruba and only 1% hausa or igbo things would be markedly different.

WHo is to say the population of Jews in Iran will not rise to about 20% in the next 10 years and do we really think that the only way things will go is down( as in Iranians will revolt and what not)?? What if it goes the other way and the people continue living their lives as they do today?? I still stand strong on my opinion that Tribalism and Racism can exist in countries and communities withoutt them posing problems of any kind. Only that people have to choose to decide to make them an issue to accept they exist and move on. I have met a couple of racists in my time, I have lived in racists areas, even here in America and I have successfully seen people decide to put away their racist ideas to the side to build a community. Are they no longer racists?? NO, will they always be racists?? More likely, Should the community focus on extinguishing racist ideologies?? HECK NO!! Can racists/tribalist co exist in peace?? definitely.

Should we just break up like the USSR if that's really the case for Nigeria's failure or what exactly is the solution

The thing is i don't believe Nigerians would want Nigeria to seperate if it worked. It really is a multi cultural society and that has added a lot to what makes Nigeria so special. Even pidgin English borrows a lot of words from different Nigerian languages. But the simple problem is this, we hold the interest of tribes far greater than the interest of the nation. I really do believe that this is more pronounced in people that are older and lived through the biafra war. If Nigerians held the interest of Nigeria to even half the same level of importance they held the interest of their tribes then Nigeria would work. Then we will vote for the candidate because we think he will make a better president and not because we think it should belong to a particular tribe. Then the president will focus on developing the nation and not a particular region. If Nigerians invested their trust and priority in Nigeria as a nation as much as they invest such trust and priority in their different tribes, then Nigeria will excel. Colonialism happened, it is very unfortunate but it did. Some prime minister saying sorry might be seen as healing to some, but frankly it will not improve the electricity problem in the country, it will not put food on the table, it will not improve the economy, Nigerians would have to do that. Are we really saying we are waiting for this before we move on? We are better than that so we would have to look at building the nation together as brothers if it is to work. And honestly, what a great nation it could turn out to be. That is what makes it so frustrating when i see the potential of the nation squandered by selfishness, dishonesty and greed.

D-reloaded:

Should we just break up like the USSR if that's really the case for Nigeria's failure or what exactly is the solution

Why in the world would dividing Nigeria solve anything?? How many parts do we then divide the country into?? 250 pieces??

Are you sincerely asking me? It's not what I believe.

Since some claim it's cos people of various tribes were forced to be together that Nigeria is the way it is, Im asking what they think should be the solution

@ poster, it will never happen. The British now would say that it wasn't their fault but their forefathers' faults. They would also never apologize because what we have with the British and the Americans has gone beyond what apology can repair. They have screwed us over so deeply that we can never recover until generations to come.