vikel2104: Much as I have a lot of things that I dislike about Nigeria, I do not agree with the common notion that it is the worst country on earth. Many persons would want to stone me at this point because there are obvious and glaring reasons why we should curse the country.
Is it epileptic power supply (even the unborn child already knows how to say NEPA from the constant use of the word by his pregnant mother) or is it the high unemployment rate or the poverty amidst abundant resources or the rampant corruption? There are a plethora of reasons to hate being Nigerian.
But the question is, are we really the worst nation on the planet as we are made to believe?

My intention is not to try to paint black white or to make us comfortable with our problems.

But for us to face our problems we have to define them correctly so that we don’t get consumed by the thought that our problems are out of this world and hence the only thing we can do is to run away from or live with them with the mentality of fatalism.

It is not all woes for Nigeria. Despite our challenges we have been able compete to a great extent with other nations. We have musicians who are well known beyond the shores of our land, we have vibrant businesses, and hardworking people. Time will not permit me to mention other things but for those who look out for the good about Nigeria, you will find many things for which to be proud of.
I believe every country has her own challenges and I also believe that for every major success in life, there is always a time of crisis. A crisis that will test your resolve on the path you've chosen. Nigeria is passing through such times and it is indeed very unpleasant. But one step at a time, we shall get there. This is not just blind patriotism! It is believing in a prospect that is certain.

This is not the time to compare ourselves with others. It is time for us to build a country that we will all be proud of. We can look to other countries who are ahead of us and borrow a thing or two that will help us on our nation building journey. But let us not fall into the temptation of comparison for such breeds despair when we see how far we have to go to meet up. Let us rather build a nation that we can sell to the world and be proud of any time.

What will really make us the worst country on earth is not our present bad circumstances but our lack of will to stand up and make things right - to keep on fighting for a better tomorrow. A sick man who believes he is dead while still alive is bound to die very soon. Let us not condemn ourselves while there is still much hope and let us not close our eyes to hope when there is indeed one. If we work towards it, we will achieve it. It is not time to resign ourselves to fate. Let us not magnify our problems beyond proportion such that we dread tackling them.

We are known as resilient people. Rather than using our resilience as a pill for "suffering and smiling" let us use it to build this country to the height we desire. God Bless Nigeria.


©Vikel2104


Say your opinion on this.

op, this post is long na

calebo101:

Ordinarily i would have ignored you but to clarify something i would only tell you that if all the ex presidents has been able to do only HALF of what Jonathan has done then Nigeria would have been better off.

Please stop personalizing the issue.

In your post you said that "That region (the North) produces nothing and if truth must be told that region should bear the brunt for Nigeria's under development! That region has produced more presidents than the other parts of the nation combined and all they do is just increase the population of Nigeria and not the wealth". I am only trying to let you know that the problem of Nigeria cannot be attributed to only the Northern region but to all regions.

I can as well say that if Jonathan had done fewer damages than other ex-presidents then Nigeria would have been better.

School children who performed woefully in exams could as well ask whether they came last. A parent who had spent so much for fees wouldn't rack his brain much to spare such child an instructive slap. Nigeria isn't beyond repairs. Just that those in control probably prefer the its present state.

School children who performed woefully in exams could as well ask whether they came last. A parent who had spent so much for fees wouldn't rack his brain much to spare such a child an instructive slap. Nigeria isn't beyond repairs. Just that those in control probably prefer the its present state.

Peppyluv: And he is from 'that region' according to calebo101

most definitely...
he sounds like...one of em

PassingShot:

Please stop personalizing the issue.

In your post you said that "That region (the North) produces nothing and if truth must be told that region should bear the brunt for Nigeria's under development! That region has produced more presidents than the other parts of the nation combined and all they do is just increase the population of Nigeria and not the wealth". I am only trying to let you know that the problem of Nigeria cannot be attributed to only the Northern region but to all regions.

I can as well say that if Jonathan had done fewer damages than other ex-presidents then Nigeria would have been better.

Let is slide, i know your type.

I love ma country 9ja but am not proud to be identify as a nigerian. Nija is not da worst nor among da best but we can still be Ok if we decide... our main and only problem is bad leadership.

Mary da mother of God pray for us.
JESUS hv mercy on us
GOD have mercy on us

One day Americans will fight to get a Nigerian Visa.

Peppyluv: What do you mean by 'that region' Say it loud.... The Northern Region!!!

Befor nkor , na the North destroy Nigeria na.They left their agriculture to plunder "oyel". You know of Abacha and "Maradona" na, only wetin those 2 thief alone fit build new country from scratch to finish, . And that na personal stealing oooo

I honestly suggest the topic should be changed to Nigerian's not nigeria. Cos the problem of this country is Nigerians. Its u nd we. We are all corrupt. Even in our small schools we rig elections. In our small organizations we offer nd take bribe. We blame our government yet wed even do worse wen we attain these position's in the nearest future. . Its jst like a recursive algorithm. Let be realistic nd hit the nail on the head. Cos av lost hope. Its saddening. God wld obviously nt come down to help Nigeria. It starts wif u nd me nd ur 4yr old siblings at home. May God help u nd me. Amen

Unless we own up that we are collectively responsible for our mess,we will never forge ahead.Enough of d blaming.Where were we when d deterioration began?It is a collective guilt.

Lucasbalo: From my vintage point of view for a guy that left Nigeria in his teenage year and a constant visitor to the country, the number one problem is leadership. That's what is lacking in Nigeria. The people can only get themselves out of this bondage if they are ready for bloody revolution . This so called thieflicians are not ready to do anything positive for the people . Hence , they should be eliminated by any means necessary. If not, the country is perpetually doomed.

In addition to bad leadership, add ignorance. Until the populace know their worth and fight for it with bias and sentiments, this country will continue to nosedive in gloom. Imagine people still posing with some grains of rice - just to cast a vote!

Imagine our youths delighting in taking sides with corrupt systems due to sentiments rather than charting a new course.

Imagine market women rolling out the drums to dance just because a governor commissioned an inferior road with billions alloted for it.


Imagine our number one citizen saying corruption is not the number one problem of our country - all these in the 21st century.


There are so much more but as long as you and I turn a blind eye to these issues, there is NO hope for a better Nigeria

In addition to bad leadership, add corruption and ignorance. Until the populace know their worth and fight for it with bias and sentiments, this country will continue to nosedive in gloom. Imagine people still posing with some grains of rice - just to cast a vote!

Imagine our youths delighting in taking sides with corrupt systems due to sentiments rather than charting a new course.

Imagine market women rolling out the drums to dance just because a governor commissioned an inferior road with billions alloted for it.


Imagine our number one citizen saying corruption is not the number one problem of our country - all these in the 21st century.


There are so much more but as long as you and I turn a blind eye to these issues, there is NO hope for a better Nigeria

ghostofsparta: The problem we have in Nigeria is not tribalism as everyone erroneously tend to believe but TRIBAL DISCRIMINATION which all our problems seems to be borne out of, everyone keep mentioning "tribalistic" and or "tribalism" as a bad thing when in fact every tribal containing nations/countries of the world are tribalistic! To be tribalistic is to acknowledge the existence of ones own tribe by identifying with its culture and customs through it indigenous name bearing, greeting styles, dressing code, food peculiarity, dance types etc just as we have the Scottish tribe in Scotland who wear what may seem hilarious to some Nigerians as a female skirt, but it's their culture just as the Japanese still wear their Wafuku among which is the popular 'Kimono', the Yorubas 'Ankara, Agbada' amongst other several indigenous attire, the Chinese uses chop stick, etc As a matter of the fact, the central figures in the Abrahamic religions of Christianity and Islam; Jesus and Mohammed clearly acknowledged and identified with their respective tribes, Mohammed who is from the Quraysh tribe and Jesus of Judah tribe, both of which belong to the Semitic race. It unbecoming to hear many Nigerians who get lots of things twisted, things they don't bother to really understand as soon as it is reigning aloud, and it is what eats at us amongst other. An Bendel Christian convert may in one instance quote "...sent to the 12 tribes of Judah" wherin some Bible replaced the tribes with "lost" while in another instance castigate an Igbo man as been tribalistic for chirping "Igbo Kwenu", it may be unknown to a Yoruba who bears Gbenga and enjoys eating Amala/Gbegiri that he's been tribalistic and yet shouts down on anyone attempting to portray a unique feature of where he/she hails from. These and several of reaction stems from the unfortunate forceful union otherwise known as the Amalgamated Ethnicities of Nigeria where it has been anti-tribal exhibition, Nigeria as an entity has always downplayed the glorification of its various tribes in elevation of a false sense of patriotism sustained by the the dissemination of the same "tribalism" that Zik said should be "A Pragmatic Instrument for National Unity" as a frightful disintegrator. We have the Gaulish tribes in France, infact Europeans are proudly tribalistic in numerous ways, for instance note the 'land' in Scotland, Ireland, Deutschland, England, Netherlands, Finland etc, they are all to indicate this lands belongs to some particular tribes. How many of Nigerian youths who are addicted to Europeans football, specifically the EPL/Barclay realizes those clubs, well may technically be representing their respective cities/towns but are actually representing their ancient tribes, even the tribalistic Romans despite their conquest of Britania in 43 A.D. did acknowledged all the tribes of the Celtic ethnic inhabitants by making records of the distinctive tribes they met there in then Britania. Ever since, in England till tomorrow, their country's military institutions forever still acknowledges various of these tribes in respect to the Manchester Brigade, Liverpool Battalion etc in order to express gratitude for those respective tribe to have given their member to the service of the nation, various of their tribe are also acknowledge, distinguished and identified through their emblem, insignia, badge, idiosyncrasies, tribal dialectical distinctiveness and the continuous celebration of cultural festivities which they observe not only in England but all over tribal Europe. Check [url]here[/url] to view popular tribes throughout the world.

The Nigerian problem is TRIBAL/ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION which is entirely different from TRIBALISM/TRIBALISTIC as explained above. To be tribally discriminate is to favor one own's tribe in every respect, it is to consider first one's own ethnicity when sworn into a public post, and due to the way Nigeria was forged out of a colonial experiment, that is, the forceful union of incompatible ethnic groups, I am afraid tribal/ethnic discrimination can never stop, unless we either do what is done in countries who have adopted some elements of western form of government and adapted to their traditional native ways of government such as in China and Japan. What I am saying is for everyone to clamor for the so-called and any would-be leader, be it, a minister, commissioner, senator, LCG chairman, governor, president to be made to swear an oath under the presence of 32 different indigenous deities never to embezzle, launder, loot public funds in whatsoever way such that if any means is taken to appease just one of these 32 sworn-over deities, let so, so and so wrath be met upon his family and those who he cherish. This will be done under not under closed doors but in the public such that it will be televised for all to see, and also the priests officiating this incentive conditions are sourced by independent people and not those of their chosen which will definitely be a fake one. This measure will not only allow true leaders to emerge and rule us, but will transform our nation and change our long suffering course and onto a higher ground such that the whole world will be in disbelieve seeing how far we've transformed given such few years. It cost less, it does more. I know some Nigerians know this will work as proven here but are either afraid to admit it or somehow benefit from the status-quo while other Nigerians think it would/may not work given their level of understanding of the ways of our tribal ancestors. Our tribal ancestors governed their lands to a somewhat stable far back beyond period when even the tribal Brits (Celts), Saxons, Angles etc where still living in caves and wearing animal hides. It is either we do this or Nigeria should peacefully de-amalgamate to its respective ethnically owned regions wherein I hope the State would be created and named as per tribe that time around. If any of this two compromise can't be reached, then as Fela sang...."Suffering and smiling". With these few points, I hope I am not only able to convince some Nigerian youths to see reason but allowed to opined that despite the trend of things in this country to which it seems some are fully or quite ready to split off to have their own country, it is ironical that it is the Yorubas that are agitating most for the preservation of one Nigeria and are obviously cementing it together with their blood. Yorubas are approximately 40million in population, and almost are the Igbos, both of which are fit alone to determine their fate in a nation of their creating, go to the Olympics on their common tribal identity and sit at the UN summit like the following country(population) does:
Vatican City 839
Dominica 1,293
Iceland 325,671
Cyprus 838,897
Liechtenstein 37,132
Monaco 36,371
Andorra 78,115
Seychelles 92,000
Iceland 325,671
UAE/Dubai 9,205,651
Estonia 1,315,819
Latvia 1,997,500
Kuwait 3,965,000
Uruguay 3,324,460
Lebanon 4,822,000
Canada 35,427,52
Belgium 11,198,638
Hungary 9,879,000
Poland 38,186,860
Cuba 11,167,325
Greece 10,816,286
Costa-Rica 4,586,353
Switzerland 8,014,000




Celtic native tribes of ancient Britania awaiting their fate from their Roman conquerors in ships, same Brits who gave us Nigeria and re-wrote our history textbooks as our forefathers wore leaves for cover and sold themselves for mirror whereas the Yorubas already developed the jigi amongst other technologies since ancient times no matter how crude.

This is exactly my point. The Gods Bless You.

words are not even enough again to express the problems of this country called Nigeria. I feel like shouting, really. It think the issues are way beyond bizarre, I can't imagine it.

Well, to cap it all, I went to PHCN office at Okota road this morning to recharge my electricity prepaid card, guess what, I was told they don't take cash anymore, that I need to pay at some bank and then bring back the teller for crediting, or I could pay through the point of sale terminal POS.
Ok, good, no problems with that, since today is Saturday the banks are not working, can I then pay with our ATM cards. Guess what, the staff there said the POS terminal is equally down and will never work until Monday when it will be rectified by the bank IT staffs.

There are over 20 people waiting to recharge their cards, and many more should be on their way.

Now tell me, if the leadership of PHCN is sane, shouldn't they have made adequate provision for payments knowing fully well that payments have to be compulsorily made through the banks now? It is obvious that POS do have down time sometimes, this should have been envisaged, and adequate steps taken to ensure that customers are still able to make payments over the weekend. Now we all went back home obviously back to hopeless situation because once the units run out, that is it for the weekend.

So my opinion, I think we have a very long way to go, I don't think we are moving forward in any way. I see that people in leadership know the right things to do, but they simply refuse to do it. They only get it right when it is time to extort money from Nigerians, that is when they will use references of projects done abroad and people are paying for it via toll gates, extra levies, rate, and taxes etc.

It is only in Nigeria that levies and fees are increased just so that foreign investors can come in.

It is just tiring and exhaustive living in Nigeria. You'll suffer to make money and yet you'll suffer to enjoy it, only in Nigeria.

I sign out.

NB: If there are typo errors, please pardon me, I tire.

EagleScribes:



In addition to bad leadership, add ignorance. Until the populace know their worth and fight for it with bias and sentiments, this country will continue to nosedive in gloom. Imagine people still posing with some grains of rice - just to cast a vote!

Imagine our youths delighting in taking sides with corrupt systems due to sentiments rather than charting a new course.

Imagine market women rolling out the drums to dance just because a governor commissioned an inferior road with billions alloted for it.


Imagine our number one citizen saying corruption is not the number one problem of our country - all these in the 21st century.


There are so much more but as long as you and I turn a blind eye to these issues, there is NO hope for a better Nigeria

Gbam.

[quote author=collins125]
This kind conversations. Na Nairaland e dey start and na for Nairaland e dey end too.
[/quote Yes ]talk, talk no action.

acorntree:
This kind conversations. Na Nairaland e dey start and na for Nairaland e dey end too.

collins125: Yes talk talk no action

It means you have not gotten what people have been saying on this thread. It starts with you and me in our little corners. If you are waiting for a big revolution somewhere, you might as well wait your entire life time.

hydeka: It means you have not gotten what people have been saying on this thread. It starts with you and me in our little corners. If you are waiting for a big revolution somewhere, you might as well wait your entire life time.

Sick people everywhere.

hydeka: There is a fundamental flaw in our value system. We are quick to say that our leaders are bad but we forget that they were not imported from elsewhere, they are from among us. If we want to change the country, we have to start with ourselves. The average worker goes to work late, the public office worker won't do his job unless you apply some grease (bribe), parents encourage their kids to cheat in exams, business owners only employ family members, etc and yet all these people are quick to point accusing fingers at the government.

Tnk u! I was reading down about to comment wen i saw dis. You took d words out of my mouth.
Pple talked abt change wtout realizing dat they are d change they desired. People shud look inward and ask themselves "if everyone is like me in every endeavour" will dere b a change. Live d change you desire let it start frm ur family, ur neighborhood, dat child dat has nt eaten, dat man dat woman dat need help. Corruption is not d govt problem but d pple's problem bcus govt was once part of the pple. ( a lizard in Ghana can never change to aligator In America) Lets live d change we desire. Shalom

Ekundayo7:
Do you live in Nigeria? Just what exactly constitutes "war torn" in your vocabulary? Nigeria is indeed a war torn country. FG robbing pigs at war with Nigerian citizens, Muslim at war versus Christian, Christian versus Ifa traditionalist, Northern versus Southern, Boko Haram terrorist versus anything that moves and breathes, Governor against Governor, APC versus PDP, OPC versus OPC, Oba versus Oba, Man against Woman, Man versus Man, Woman versus Woman, Friend versus Friend, Madam against house help and anyone who doesn't do her bidding, Ritual Killer against Unlucky Passerby, Employers against Employee, everyone in Nigeria takes out their frustration on those they deem beneath them. Nigeria has no emergency services to speak of, no sanitation to speak of, no electricity to speak of, no sewage processing to speak of, no clean water to speak of, no public health education and clinics to speak of, no decent education to speak of, no employment opportunities to speak of, the list goes on and on. This is indeed a "poor nation" as the FG and private sector have NOT invested and done their duty to create and run proper ministries that give what every nation needs as a basic bedrock and foundation for her citizens to thrive. Corruption is the death of Nigeria, and ignorance is a close second.

calebo101:
Bro do you know whats happening in Iraq, Libya, Israel/palestine, Ukraine? Do you watch the news and follow global events? If you do believe me sometimes you would be glad that all we have to tackle is Boko Haram.

AND ARE YOU NOT AWARE THAT NIGERIA IS IN WHAT IS CALLED A "FLUID" STATE RIGHT NOW?? Are you with malaria?? You think we are "STABLE"? Are you another of those who says "Boko Haram is in d North now" when dismissing any possibility of violence in Yorubaland. (which has already happened, I have police friends who know things media does not report) Good God man, we are sitting on tinderbox with the devil pouring more fuel on day after day, JUST AS IRAQ, LIBYA, ISRAEL, PALESTINE AND UKRAINE. AND YOU THINK BEING HIT WITH EBOLA IS NOTHING?? YOU THINK BOKO JUST KIDNAPPING ANOTHER 90 ODD YOUNG MEN IS STABLE?? YOU THINK THEY ARE STOPPING? Nigerian and their head in the sand sefs. I'm not bothering to answer you again until you wake up from your fever.

Ekundayo7:

AND ARE YOU NOT AWARE THAT NIGERIA IS IN WHAT IS CALLED A "FLUID" STATE RIGHT NOW?? Are you with malaria?? You think we are "STABLE"? Are you another of those who says "Boko Haram is in d North now" when dismissing any possibility of violence in Yorubaland. (which has already happened, I have police friends who know things media does not report) Good God man, we are sitting on tinderbox with the devil pouring more fuel on day after day, JUST AS IRAQ, LIBYA, ISRAEL, PALESTINE AND UKRAINE. AND YOU THINK BEING HIT WITH EBOLA IS NOTHING?? YOU THINK BOKO JUST KIDNAPPING ANOTHER 90 ODD YOUNG MEN IS STABLE?? YOU THINK THEY ARE STOPPING? Nigerian and their head in the sand sefs. I'm not bothering to answer you again until you wake up from your fever.

Sorry, but who are you?

Who ask you to answer me before? I be like who wan follow you reason? Abi you nor know when person nor dey your level? Better keep your stupid opinions to yourself and don't quote me again. reasoning with someone like you is detrimental to my brain.

With the way you talk self i am 90% sure you bath with salt and water some days back. Na only you get police friend

collins125:

Sick people everywhere.

I can only laugh at this. Doctor sir, you still did not get the point. If you don't mind, scroll up a bit and read the comment of the poster below this (your) post I quoted. You can get a clue from there.

calebo101:
Sorry, but who are you?
Who ask you to answer me before? I be like who wan follow you reason? Abi you nor know when person nor dey your level? Better keep your stupid opinions to yourself and don't quote me again. reasoning with someone like you is detrimental to my brain.
With the way you talk self i am 90% sure you bath with salt and water some days back. Na only you get police friend

very funny the man is trying to make himself sound important, and here you are cramping his style, talking about bathing with salt water you know? my mother even phoned me from nigeria comanding me to go and bath with salt water immdeately, i could not help laughing, how are you 90& sure he bath with salt water? did you watch him bath?

otiigba1: very funny the man is trying to make himself sound important, and here you are cramping his style, talking about bathing with salt water you know? my mother even phoned me from nigeria comanding me to go and bath with salt water immdeately, i could not help laughing, how are you 90& sure he bath with salt water? did you watch him bath?

, Believe me I know people like them. They actually think they're intelligent and have made lots of sense not knowing they just displayed their foolishness for the world. He go don even go synagogue now go watch TB Joshua. Believe me, their ways are predictable

I wish i was nigerian

skasski: I wish i was nigerian

pardon me, but what country are you from? Why do you wish to be nigerian?

9ja will get better but not soon...

We are not bad per se but Nigerians like to deceive themselves. First of all no matter who rules Nigeria in 2015, Nigeria may still be way it is. You may think I’m being a pessimist, but the truth has to be said. Why did I say so? Because things like tribalism(tribal discrimination like someone mentioned here), nepotism, sexism and the father of all corruption still exist. Not to mention other things like the poor standard of education and living, high rate of unemployment especially youth unemployment, deaths and massacre killings.

We have three major ethnic groups always at neck with each other,then to add insult to injury religious intolerance, outta this three ethnic groups most of the northerners are Muslims, most of the people in the east are either Catholics or Anglican. while most of those in the west are either protestants or are traditional worshipers. Do i need to explain the relationship between this three group?

Anyways those are the major things bringing the country into the state it is now. But what do ‘we’ the people of Nigeria do? Just seat down, fold our arms and wait for the government to solve our problems. To the extent that when the people at the top start to squander money, people seat down again and start to reign abuses on them and call them corrupt. Like insulting them will return back the money? People die, we do the same thing. People get kidnapped, we do the same thing. Insult! Blame! Blame!
But who put this corrupt people there? Who gave them the power? The government in power is as a result of ‘we’ the people. Though some people won’t agree with me completely (probably because of rigging), it is raw fact.
The people themselves are very self centered, 'as long as i have food on my table,clothes to wear, a shelter on my head. let BH keep bombing as long as it not my area i don't give a f.uck'

Imagine? you would see it for yourself the way some people comment here on NL. You don't have to think twice to know that the people here need a re-orientation. where did corruption start from? who started it?

If you want a change, you start from yourself and then change others. Till Nigerians push their selfishness and blaming aside and change their ways. By the following:stop bribery, fight for their right, encourage our own,stop discrimination of all kinds etc.


Nigeria will remain a disease that has no cure...

#myopinion