The Story of Nigeria is marred with gloom, Lack and negatives, When you mention the county Nigeria the first thing that comes to peoples mind is chaos,Unemployment, corruption,decayed infrastructure,mismanagement,lack of govt. standard, ethinc and religious tension, etc..... and the list goes on and on.

When we dwell on these negatives too much we sometimes fail to appreciate the positives eg the Nigerian Economy had a growth rate of about 6.3% one on the best in africa during last cycle ,growing better than African biggest economy South Africa. according to the economist,"Nigeria is plainly the giant of a fast-growing continent. The GDP of Lagos alone exceeds that of Kenya, east Africa’s beefiest economy. When Nigeria’s GDP is reassessed (“rebased”, in IMF jargon) by new criteria that include earnings not on the official balance-sheet, its gap with South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, will narrow. Nigeria’s GDP may rise, according to its own bureau of statistics, by 40% to around $350 billion, not far off South Africa’s $400-plus billion. If Nigeria goes on growing by 7% a year (as it is expected to in 2013) against South Africa’s present 3%, it will become Africa’s biggest economy within a decade. Together, the two economies already account for a good half of the GDP of sub-Saharan Africa’s 49 countries" http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21576135-africas-giant-waking-up-it-still-looks-unsteady-its-feet-lurching-ahead

In Addition we have a sustained democracy for 14 years despite its ups and down.but it is better than the military rule where everything was stagnated and the peoples voices was stifled.

Though Nigerian democracy is showing signs of adolescent delinquency but if we strain our eyes really well there might be able to see somethings to be thankful for in Nigeria.
What do you think?

I feel Nigeria's democracy is maturing not necessarily because we have tangible dividends of democracy but because nigerians by virtue of the internet and social media in particular can now see their political leaders for who they really are, and not what they are being told. Information is power, and this is one area that fortunately Nigerian youths now have access to and subsequently base their opinions on, and in taking far-reaching political decisions. So though there are political fights here and there, corruption everywhere; the polity is being made wiser everyday and cannot be manipulated easily like before. Though I must admit, the democratic education of an average Nigerian is still lean and cannot yet sustain the weight of a complex country like Nigeria.

Peinstein: I feel Nigeria's democracy is maturing not necessarily because we have tangible dividends of democracy but because nigerians by virtue of the internet and social media in particular can now see their political leaders for who they really are, and not what they are being told. Information is power, and this is one area that fortunately Nigerian youths now have access to and subsequently base their opinions on, and in taking far-reaching political decisions. So though there are political fights here and there, corruption everywhere; the polity is being made wiser everyday and cannot be manipulated easily like before. Though I must admit, the democratic education of an average Nigerian is still lean and cannot yet sustain the weight of a complex country like Nigeria.

good point