Russian energy giant Gazprom has walked blindly into a racism debate with the announcement of its new joint venture in Nigeria - Nigaz.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Nigerian counterpart last week agreed the $2.5billion venture to build refineries, pipelines and gas power stations in Africa's most populous nation.

The name is meant to be an amalgamation of 'Nigeria' and 'Gazprom', pronounced 'nye-gaz'.

However its phonetic reading has sparked offence.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1196811/Racism-debate-Russian-Nigerian-gas-companies-combine-form-Nigaz.html

I just died laughing!

http://eternalremont..com/2009/06/gazprom-invests-in-nigaz.html

This is one blogger's take on this branding nightmare.

shiii my bizzles, yous nizzles tain't know nuthin bout the russkizzles or gazizzle. putizzle and sechizzle got mad respect fo the nizzle's gazizzle from nigerizzle. tem boys knows wha ton the dizzle. tain't nuthin but a punkais bitchizzle that cain't understand why they call us, the NIGAZ!

Very funny!

That blogger response is hilarious. LMAO!!

dont blame them at all! next trime, another country will come and set up a company named "slavegeria" in the name of almalgamation.

phu.ck\

Marketing team? Someone from NNPC and Gazprom sat together on the evening and cobbled the name together.  

FOOLS! BIGGOTS! IDIOTS! I DON TIRE SEF UNA 4 DIS COUNTRY.

debosky:

Marketing team? Someone from NNPC and Gazprom sat together on the evening and cobbled the name together.

lmao. This is what you call real 'unity' to the highest level.

debosky:

Marketing team? Someone from NNPC and Gazprom sat together on the evening and cobbled the name together.  

LMAO.

When I first heard read the story sometime last week or so, I had mixed emotions. I was laughing and get angry at the same time.

I think all the excitement and outburst of emotion is either unnecessary or misplaced.

The word nigaz or even nigger historically has no place either in Nigerian or russian contemporary/ancient history or culture. Agreed it may have touched on a sore point in certain aspects of American subculture or history it is not a reason to disregard an acronym that so succinctly captures this merger.

What Nigerians want is gas they can use to power their automobiles and generate electricity that will get their economy going and certainly not irrelevant and unnecessary sensibility to words that no longer have real value/meaning even where they originated.

And it is certainly undeserving an issue to be in the front page of a serious networking website.It should be removed.

OMG

Too bad. The venture is already taking off on the wrong foot

Y wont russia come. They know 9ja is full of frivolities. So they felt they can manipulate us. We should send them packing cos russia is one of the most racist country in the world. Blacks in russia can testify from this. We should treat them like leba^nise

dem need the money
Rusgeria

debosky:

Marketing team? Someone from NNPC and Gazprom sat together on the evening and cobbled the name together.  

maybe the PA here get her jeeep for this deal.  na oil coy she say she dey work.  how dem no go come up with bad name like this.

"NIGAZ"    their fathers!

Too bad. The venture is already taking off on the wrong foot

how? dont be deceived?
all these are just some misplaced aggro from people
nothin do NIGAZ

All those guys at the helms of affairs do not think before they act thats why things like this happen. Who noticed that the logo of the EFCC features a BALD EAGLE- a symbol of the United States. This bird doesn't even venture to Africa,it is only found in North America yet we have it on EFCC's logo. Furthermore we have hundreds of terrifying native creatures to use. If we suggest now that the CIA runs EFCC some people will cry foul even with this 'subtle' indiscretion.
Why can't we tailor our things to ourselves and in a proper way?
What is wrong with 'NIGERGAZ' for Gods' sake.
Doesn't affect us much but how many countries would want to deal with NIGAZ? Pun intended jare!

tkb417:


how? dont be deceived?
all these are just some misplaced aggro from people
nothin do NIGAZ

Exactly! Now read this headline news:

NIGAZ REFUSE TO SUPPLY GAS. What first comes to mind? Let me help you:
You'd think some notorious blackmarketeers( blacks of course) have taken over the industry.
How about this: NIGAZ TO DISTRIBUTE GAS TO ALL HOUSEHOLDS. What comes to mind? Once again I'd help-
You'd think some arsonists are setting the stage for some major op. We'd get used to it soon as we always do but its still bad image and bad for business!
Let them 're-brand' it.

MUZBO:

All those guys at the helms of affairs do not think before they act thats why things like this happen. Who noticed that the logo of the EFCC features a BALD EAGLE- a symbol of the United States. This bird doesn't even venture to Africa,it is only found in North America yet we have it on EFCC's logo.

The EFCC logo intended to pass the idea of an " Eagle eye" it's symbolic."we are watching you, even from the farthest distance, " however, it seems the logo sef should be scrapped and substituted with the face OF JACK SPARROW the famous Pirate with one eye open and one Covered. The covered eye for friends of the Government and the Open eye for others. this would be more symbolic to the present EFCC.

There is nothing the country will gain from the JIBITI alliance.
EFCC is dead with the exit of the original boss
NAFDAC is dead with the exit of the original boss
Today business partnership with China]
Tomorrow with USA
Now is Russia]
Russians are the only people that can hanlle well our so called leaders

They will regret the deal very soon

Overtake don overtake overtake
Come to think of it,was the acronym a harmless error or those Russians had meant something else

Letwatch and see wat the Nigaz is all about,but i pray they never regret doin that.

Let watch and see what Nigaz is all about.but i pray yhey dont regret this act.

mahal:

The EFCC logo intended to pass the idea of an " Eagle eye" it's symbolic."we are watching you, even from the farthest distance,"

Yes, I knew that but we have native eagles in Nigeria and they are completely brown with yellow talons.Small details like that are important to organised organisations

mahal:
  however, it seems the logo sef should be scrapped and substituted with the face OF JACK SPARROW the famous Pirate with one eye open and one Covered. The covered eye for friends of the Government and the Open eye for others. this would be more symbolic to the present EFCC.

I'm totally laughing at this now. Wazero Waziri hope you dey hear o!

This is much ado about nothing.
We should really be asking if this will work or will it be another corrupt and inefficient monster that will steal us blind?
If you like call it monkeyz just MAKE IT WORK

[url=http://click here]click here[/url]www.iyanaipaja.com [email][/email][flash=200,200]http://[/flash][flash=200,200][/flash]

couldn't understand

Why are we  arguing about a tiny nomanclaturie like this. All we want is gas; even if they call Ni-arse.
OK lets face it: even if they pronounce it niggers: so bloody what ? Are our so-called leaders any better?