vikiviko:


What role are you willing to play?

I guess this is a very valid question to ask. If we all do what we are supposed to do , when we are supposed to do them right . I guess we will get to the promise land lot quicker.

It been frustrating actually but the fact that is that we should see this as an oppurtunity rather than a burden. If this generation can make things work. It is for our good and for the generation coming behind us.

Nigeria is ??

bawomolo:

\
blind patriotism won't help u.

I am not talking about blind patriotism here
I have the option to leave, so as others, if things dont work out!
Would patriotism feed my family?
I am more rational than that!

Questions: Why do most of our leaders send their children to schools outside the country? Why do they go for periodic medical check ups out of the country? Why do foreign companies prefer to employ people who have foreign degrees over the local ones? Why do we have the incidence of 'Brain- Drain' within the country (afterall, these are the learned people who should contribute the most to the development of the country)? Why do most of the leaders open foreign accounts, after making so much out of corrupt deals etc?

Look lets face facts, things are not alright with the country and the people within. Countries we were at par with in the 60's have left us far, very far behind. I worked for a multinational that banned its staff (both local and foreign) from flying our local airlines (except Aero Contractors). The company refused to allow its expats visit certain parts of the country, etc etc.

People are suffering man! OF COURSE NIGERIA IS BAD - Much worse than many other countries (except such as Zimbabwe and other war torn zones)

Things can change, but i doubt it will be soon. It is much easier to tear down than to build up. It took so many years to tear us down and it will take much longer to pick us back up. Changing the psyche of the average citizen is not going to be easy and that is where the problems will continue to come from.

We should start now, anyway,

I have the option to leave, so as others, if things don't work out!

most people don't have this option. i think nigerians should be realistic. this country is bad and third world. with one of the reasons being too many mouths to feed and poor governance. little progress can be made unless there is an overhaul of the political process. the question, who is willing to challenge the nigerian government.

@ abbeyart.

You be correct man jare, took the words right out of my mouth.

NIGERIANS ARE EVEN RUNNING INTO GHANA NOW, HOW MANY GHANAIANS ARE RUNNING INTO NIGERIA?

Problems with Nigeria- Our beloved Nation
1. Corrupt and Uninsightful leaders

2. Bad and Filthy roads- A black American friend came to Nigeria only to say that some people were pissing on the streets(without shame). So there should be public bathrooms (clean)

3. Theft- It is only in Nigeria you find people stealing street lights and electric meters

4. Lack of honesty among citizens- Buy something for N7000 when it is actually sold for N3000.

5. Ingeniuty of products- I wish I have made in Nigeria products but I notice they're interior to the original even with the same brand name. I mean ordinary biscuits are completely different to what is in the Middle East, even when it is from the same company. I think our leaders have to stand up and say Nigerians don't want low quality . These guys(foreign companies) are really explioting.

6. No benefits for been a Nigerian citizen- Government have to render some services like fringe benefits to the less priveledged.

7. No Maintenance culture- Once the governor launches something e.g Tinapa. Use until it becomes scrap

8. Poverty!!!

Can we at least conquer electricity problem in this country?? its a terrible shame

frank sowo:

Can we at least conquer electricity problem in this country?? its a terrible shame

Sorry, please is it true that NEPA are going/have seized light for one month?

@ poster, we aint talking abt other countries, this is nairaland mehn!

Dude! whıch planet are you from agaın?? smell the roses Nıgerıas sıtutatıon ıs pathetıc! we have no regard for the law and are so engrossed ın thınkıng only about ourselves hence we try to manıpulate and wreck almost everythıng we come ın contact wıth! ıts sad!!! NO to blınd patrıotısm

bawomolo:

most people don't have this option. i think nigerians should be realistic. this country is bad and third world. with one of the reasons being too many mouths to feed and poor governance. little progress can be made unless there is an overhaul of the political process. the question, who is willing to challenge the nigerian government.

I am not here to defend, change or challenge the government
But from our own little contributions we can change the system
It is easy to stay afar and tell everybody how bad the system is, how stupid we are, how cowardly we are, how things dont work and so on, but I am here, and things are not as bad as some are making it. I will still repeat it here, you need to be a very good professional and stay focussed here (and I guess anywhere in the world) to realise what I am talking about.
We are all part of the system (whether at home or abroad)
We can change the orientation in our own little ways
Yes, there is no light, yes there are so many things that dont work as they should, but we returnee should not be castigated for making the best out of the bad situation, we are happy doing it!

@ poster, we aint talking abt other countries, this is nairaland mehn!, ok america is corrupt.murder blah  blah blah, but they still got something, let me put it this way

If a corrupt politician get 100 million dollars for a "pork" project, the dude might steal 20  million  using the remaining 80 for the project, but for NAIJA, the politician go chop everything , I mean everything 100%,

Corrupt politicians in developed countries stil got the love of their people at heart, dem' go even invest the money for the same country, but stupid ass naija politician go carry the money go oyinbo land, so tell me , who is stupid and who is fooling who ?

Bad roads, No electricity, No water, Poor health care - Na God dey help us.

I am not here to defend, change or challenge the government
But from our own little contributions we can change the system

piecemeal contributions have little benefits on a macroscale. u have to challenge the system at some point. read this

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804140679.html

We are all part of the system (whether at home or abroad)
We can change the orientation in our own little ways

at something, we have to work together as a collective, little ways won't cut it.

Yes, there is no light, yes there are so many things that don't work as they should, but we returnee should not be castigated for making the best out of the bad situation, we are happy doing it!

what makes u think others wouldn't like to return.

this is precisely my point, this resignation to hoplessness
Nigerians are quick to throw mud and condemn their country and are happy to continue doing so but no one wants to actually make a move and get anything done

bawomolo:

most people don't have this option. i think nigerians should be realistic. this country is bad and third world. with one of the reasons being too many mouths to feed and poor governance. little progress can be made unless there is an overhaul of the political process. the question, who is willing to challenge the nigerian government.

how about you for starters?
we know an overhaul is needed but who gets to do it if everyone is shouting overhaul.
i work with an NGO in the Niger-Delta and despite all the problems facing the area, I was shocked to fined that there are still people with hope, people who are willing to go that extra mile. I'm sure many more of such people exist around the country.
there will be no change if people (esp those abroad) keep singing about whats wrong, should learn to sing about what can be done.
we all need to go that extra step bacos beleive it or not the state of a counrty is determined by the mindset of the people (corrupt leaders or not)

how about you for starters?

did i say i was going to permanently reside abroad??

we know an overhaul is needed but who gets to do it if everyone is shouting overhaul.

someone has to take a lead .

there will be no change if people (esp those abroad) keep singing about whats wrong, should learn to sing about what can be done.

people abroad contribute to the economy. many people back home in nigeria are fed by people abroad. u have a right to complain when ur money is at stake.

we all need to go that extra step bacos beleive it or not the state of a counrty is determined by the mindset of the people (corrupt leaders or not)

i don't disagree, the question is what the extra-step is.

bawomolo:

piecemeal contributions have little benefits on a macroscale. u have to challenge the system at some point. read this

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804140679.html

at something, we have to work together as a collective, little ways won't cut it.

what makes u think others wouldn't like to return.

With the little we offer, we challenge the system everyday, believe me!
Little ways and efforts count and they count big!

I am encouraging people to come back!
But should not blame the government/system for their own failures and inadequacies when and if they come back

bawomolo:


i don't disagree, the question is what the extra-step is.

for starters, quit complaining
becos all u're achieving by doing so is discouraging those who otherwise might be willing to lead the way.
spreading the feeling of hopelessness and dispair isn't doing us much good.
many Nigerians abroad readily believe there is no hope, nothing good in Nigeria but i have seen first hand the strenght and determination waiting to be harnessed. I have seen people despite all the odds make a success of themselves, all becos they refused to believe Nigeria was a lost cause.
so i beg u, dont focus on the bad but on what might and can be.

With the little we offer, we challenge the system everyday, believe me!
Little ways and efforts count and they count big!

it would take an organized effort to challenge the system. see the NAACP

I am encouraging people to come back!

good

But should not blame the government/system for their own failures and inadequacies when and if they come back

what about when the government doesn't protect the welfare of it's citizens.

for starters, quit complaining
because all u're achieving by doing so is discouraging those who otherwise might be willing to lead the way.
spreading the feeling of hopelessness and dispair isn't doing us much good.

this is the problem with u guys, every criticism is seen as hating or complaining. i didn't complain. u have to state the problems before u find solutions.

so i beg u, don't focus on the bad but on what might and can be.

you have to focus on the problem and address. there is a difference between been a critic and a pessimist. no where did i say Nigeria is an hopeless state. people keep on pointing individual success. what about what's happening on the macroeconomic level

1.MANY ARM ROBBERS RULING THE COUNTRY
2. BECAUSE THIS ARM ROBBERS THAT BASE IN ASO ROCK GET PROFIT FROM GENERATOR IMPORTATION, THEY REFUSE TO GIVE US CONSTANT LIGHT.
3. OUR POLICE REMAIN THE BIGGEST ARM ROBBER

@HR.hotness

spreading the feeling of hopelessness and dispair isn't doing us much good

Well there is nothing much else to spread around! or is there?

In any country no matter how bad of course they will people who make it! but the % that make in Nigeria is very very low, if not we will not all be struggling to get out or somany of us will not be living abroad!!!

With no job and not a kobo in your pocket how are you meant to look at the bright side ? do not fool yourself.

We are not spread hopelessness but facing reality!!! it is better painting a true picture and letting people take their chances rather than painting a false one and misleading people

people keep on pointing individual success. what about what's happening on the macroeconomic leve

Thank you bawomolo  that is what I was trying to say.Not individual success story but the standard of living of Nigerians in general.This is what matters -macroeconomic leve

Do not keep your heads in the sand my people!!!

Do not be blind to reality-we are not pessimistic but facing reality!!!

Nigeria is jagajaga is it not true??

bawomolo:


this is the problem with u guys, every criticism is seen as hating or complaining. i didn't complain. u have to state the problems before u find solutions.

the problem is everyone is a critic, everyone seems happy to focus on the problem and not enough people are moving onto address the situation,,, I'm simply saying focusing too long on the problem is creating pessimists in the process.

people keep on pointing individual success. what about what's happening on the macroeconomic level

my Foundation works at the community level and that is what I'm talking about.
entire communities coming together to fight their way out of a near hopless situation, despite the poverty and crisis in that region they have managed to organise themselves into self sustaining communities, with great pride in their achievements.
how many such communities have taken such initiative? becos everyone else is doing so they too sit and criticise,
its all wrong!



_{*** gotta get back to work befor them go sack me ***}

@ HR.hotness

Personally the only thing i see that's good in naija is that we've got very hardworking people and the only reason y some of the people r like that is because they have no other choice than 2 work very hard 2 SURVIVE
Thats all, Nothing again.

Tell me one thing thats is good about Nigeria apart from what i've just mentioned

> Apart from private schools the education system in naija is a complete joke.
> The employment system is mainly who you know and also how lucky you are.Tell me how can someone who studied agriculture be a personal banker in a well respectable bank, while people that graduated with 1st class are still struggling to get one interview.
> The Electricity is the no1 thing and im not even going to speak on that.
> No security - You can't even drive on third mainland bridge(probably the busiest roads in lagos) in the middle of the night and if you do you have to be driving 120m/hr .Thats if you can see the road clearly (street lights) or the pot holes (bad road) does not finish your car. A friend of mine found out the hard way, his car messed up on TML bridge, less that 3 mins some guys walked up to him and beat the hell out of him-stole his all his stuff and told him 2 start walking home -Imagine walking bare footed from third mainland to gbagada.

You can't even stop in some police checkpoints in the middle of the night because you're not sure they are thieves or police and you risk getting shot at - that is what some people go through evry single day
> Corrupt Politicians and leaders- Can someone tell me why EFCC has not prosecuted and jailed 1 single former corrupt governor/senator/minister/honorable etc.  
I really wish i can help but i can't do anything until some of the issues above have been resolved or even the government is working towards resolving it.

Or if you tell me how i can positively help my country i really don't mind

CORRUPTION FOR NIGERIA NOR BE SMALL ONE OOO
NA CORRUPTION DEY KILL NIGERIA AS A WHOLE

Bertin Ahern, the prime minister of Ireland made a significant economic breakthrough in Ireland within the space of about 10 years, he was accused of curruption--------He has just resigned.

Iyabo Obasanjo was accused of corruption in the N300 million unspent budget of the Ministry of Health scandal, her father spoke to the senators and the senators gave her clean bill of health, they said she is not quilty of the offence. (This is a country where there is no free medical care, no good hospitals, people dying of deseases preventable by providing medical care and yet there is unspent budgetry allocation and some guys just shared it)

If Bertie provides free medical treament to the unemployed and yet was accused and he resigned what good song will i be singing about Nigeria where people are dying daily and the people 'eating' money meant for preventing these deaths walk the road free boasting?

If i live in another man's country and i am involved in an accident and in minutes i am taken to the hospital in an ambulance, treated and brought back to life without paying a dime until i am fine what good song will i be singing when i remember my brother died when he was taken to hospital after an accident and he was left on the hospital floor to die because he was not able to pay before treatment?

WHAT IS BAD ABOUT NIGERIA?
The people and their selfish mentality - Strange as it may sound, many Nigerians are accustomed to accepting anything bad as long as it does not have a direct effect on them.
Just like Fela said " My people self dey to fear, dey fear for the thing dey no see, dey fear for the thing dey no hear - we fear to fight for freedom, we fear to fight for justice, we fear to fight for liberty"  we fear to fight for everything. Many Nigerians wonder what makes the USA good its because Most Americans are ready to die for what they know they deserve.
" Give me Liberty or give me death" is what they live by.
Until Nigerians change their mentality, we will continue to bask in the pitiful third world era.

I'm simply saying focusing too long on the problem is creating pessimists in the process

well decades of millitary crackdowns have made most people pessimists or just succumb to pressure. can't blame them.

how many such communities have taken such initiative? because everyone else is doing so they too sit and criticise,
its all wrong!

people are bound to be paranoid. it's good u are being active in the community but i fear what is gained would be minute.

I don't think Nigerians are necessarily Persimmistic. I mean it is easy to try to push for people to be patriotic but I believe it is already made clear to us that if the country as a whole does not change, the efforts of the few continue to go for nothing in that country.

If you look at records in that country, we have had so many NGO's try to pump money and change into so many areas of Nigerian living but over and over we have watched as those changes have amounted to not much. We can go on and on demanding that people abroad go back and change things but it becomes clearer by the day that electricity issues and so many other issues are not going to fix themselves and not until government changes, will we have lasting change in that country. That or if people are able to come up with about 100 million dollars at least, to deal with issues

What I hate the most about Nigeria is the [b]security concern.[/b]You can  be kidnapped,robbed,molested,raped,maimed or even killed by a useless 16 year old agbero and that's the end of it.

The second worst thing is that [b]every square mile has about 25 churches and several mosques and yet the corruption has reached to high heavens.[/b]The same people in these religious oufits are the same people robbing us blind.
That one beats me.