Nig4Greatness:
.....
We are living in self denial if we continue to compare Nigeria with the likes of US and co.first we don't have the resources they have and no government can do much without adequate funding,take for an example, US proposed budget for infrastructures alone is in excess of $1trillion.most of these infrastructures are only in the transportation sector only(.road,airport,ports and railways) but Nigeria is struggling to spend mere $25billion on a whole budget.

Secondly,their citizens love themselves, they love their countries,they are patriotics but we are not,remember most of these services are run by private entities with no inputs from their governments,yet they give excellent services.for example my money is still stuck with Arik airline since last year from my mum aborted trip from new York,no apology no refund nothin.this can't happen in the US.the citizens need to help the government succeed else we would keep having same conversation from one generation to another. I love the bolded,that's the way to go.

MackyNaija:

I like that your are taking the 'unpopular' stand in this discussion..
Here is the angle from which I view our discussions: I disagree with you with respect to the saying that the country does not have adequate funds - Alamieyeseigha embezzled, Ibori, Diezani, Akpobolokemi, Dazuki and co, and Yakubu NNPC also illegally licked monies from their respective 'offices'.... all these are the from known embezzlers with known figures in the most recent years.
If these funds were put into positive uses, we would have made progress to make us (the 25-35 year olds) stay behind.
If our politicians make a conscious effort to start little by little - we would have have moved from non-developing to a developing nation. For now there is very little development, I'll close with Obasanjo's $16Billion poured into the power sector and there has been nothing to show for it.


No one can be more catholic than the Pope - how can we love our country in the midst of darkness, insecurity, zero human rights, pillaging and embezzlement by the caretakers, Nig4Greatness, the list is endless... Our government does not love us.

I came to the US for a graduate degree and was offered a scholarship in thousands of dollars.. I am yet to hear of any Nigerian school that offers even a 10% 'discount' to incoming students based on their academic performance. The academic sector does not love us.

Loans for SME's or credit facilities like mortgage?? Very few private ventures can survive in a hostile environment. Baba, the economists do not love us.

I personally showed so much love to the country but got none in return - the future was bleak though I could consider myself an average income earner. Our employers do not love us.

I pity our soldiers and policemen, their salary and welfare package is a disaster.

The system isn't built to work, government should fix infrastructures and enforce the laws then the citizens will take it up from there.

princfred:
So you know all these before then why were you talking as if you no know?

EMMAACHILE:
Passports are available in Lokoja and you get it same day. Maybe Lagos and Abuja, I don't know. It's not a general problem.
What I know is that if you apply online to get it, the immigration office will not recognise it.
I asked the officers why it is so the last time I went there and I was told to apply online and see the outcome.
Nigeria is still an analog country with most workers still in the analog years. The country needs to embrace technology to catch up with others.

I know of two students who returned back from Sweden and another two from Finland who couldn't survive there after graduation. No work apart from menial newspaper distribution jobs or cleaning (God forbid) and the only option was to port back to Nigeria.
Almost N10 million on each of them gone down the drain. I told them with a skill, they may not have returned.

Aim for self employment and the sky will be your limit. With technological skills, one can still survive even in expensive Zurich!

MackyNaija:

I like that your are taking the 'unpopular' stand in this discussion..
Here is the angle from which I view our discussions: I disagree with you with respect to the saying that the country does not have adequate funds - Alamieyeseigha embezzled, Ibori, Diezani, Akpobolokemi, Dazuki and co, and Yakubu NNPC also illegally licked monies from their respective 'offices'.... all these are from the known embezzlers with known figures in the most recent years.
If these funds were put into positive uses, we would have made progress to make us (the 25-35 year olds) stay behind.
If our politicians make a conscious effort to start little by little - we would have have moved from non-developing to a developing nation. For now there is very little development, I'll close with Obasanjo's $16Billion poured into the power sector and there has been nothing to show for it.


No one can be more catholic than the Pope - how can we love our country in the midst of darkness, insecurity, zero human rights, pillaging and embezzlement by the caretakers, Nig4Greatness, the list is endless... [b]Our government does not love us.
[/b]
I came to the US for a graduate degree and was offered a scholarship in thousands of dollars.. I am yet to hear of any Nigerian school that offers even a 10% 'discount' to incoming students based on their academic performance. The academic sector does not love us.

Loans for SME's or credit facilities like mortgage?? Very few private ventures can survive in a hostile environment. Baba, the economists do not love us.

I personally showed so much love to the country but got none in return - the future was bleak though I could consider myself an average income earner. Our employers do not love us.

I pity our soldiers and policemen, their salary and welfare package is a disaster.

The system isn't built to work, government should fix infrastructures and enforce the laws then the citizens will take it up from there.

Nig4Greatness:
....

Are you home based or foreign based?..

EMMAACHILE:

Nigeria

theamerican:
@MackyNaija

Nice write up. Enforcing laws and building infrastructures is a good way to start. Not just punishing the poor, punishing everyone who breaks laws. Equal justice. Nobody should be above the law.

You hit the nail on the head with all your points! Nothing I disagree with.

Nig4Greatness:
....
Nice write up Macky,I cant remember staying this long on a thread but what can i do now? Nigeria must be better,and it should be the project every citizen must signed up to.
I understand the system is messed up and need fixing... let every citizen be responsible one way or the other,do the right things right,may be the leaders who are also products of the society would begin to sit tight. it is a call to both the leaders and the followers.

You see we need to change our cultural orientations too, an average Nigerian want to live big,big cars,big houses and many wives-that's what the society consider achievements. that's selfish and greedy mentalities...

we still have a long way to go but we should be positive,persevere and ready to pay the price at all cost.

MackyNaija:

Thanks and keep writing, I am following...



I like this post of yours as it begins to show you also understand what the problems are and the ways to fix them.
It is only unfortunate that our 'rants' on this thread can only go as high as the ceiling.
Upgrading and Enforcement of existing laws will whip most people into line.

Thanks for your post, we can now say we agree on almost the same things.

Nig4Greatness:
...
wow!!,am just wondering,some of your posts seem you are getting ready to port out as well.its a good thing though cos i see you have the right mentality.
God will make your dreams come true.well done.

Nig4Greatness:
.......
whats your point my loverboy?

theamerican:

These are the things they won't tell you about life abroad. They will focus on the negatives and tell you how high tuition is, and how you can use that money to start fish farming in port harcourt instead... Smh.

justwise:


It's deceiving to talk about German student visa without talking about money involved, people hear free education in Germany but it's not free because you need €8,700 to start with.

Yes I will discourage anybody who wants to travel illegally or travel with the wrong visa with the hope to live and work.

It cost nothing to be honest with people when giving opinion about what is obtainable abroad.

_€8700, visa application fees plus flight money is almost 4m naira and I'm not sure many posting here have that figure resting in their bank accounts

theamerican:
It's past midnight, I'm here in bed, alone with my thoughts. I went through all the comments on here again about those who have been defending Nigeria and against moving abroad. I'm trying to see if I've been too harsh. Maybe there's hope and I should be optimistic.

I've been at it for over 30 minutes, I'm sorry. I just can't. Nigeria is rotten from top to bottom. I'll touch education for a bit. I came here for a Master's degree. I got my Bachelor's degree at the overhyped Unilag, completed my NYSC and left the country almost immediately.

After my first day in class here, I felt like sending an email to all my past professors in Unilag and cursing them out. I was really late because I could not find the class building as the jjc that I am. I opened the door, walked in and was expecting the professor to send me out or say something horrible. I walked in and everyone greeted me with a smile.

It was like one little family. You couldn't tell who the professor was among the students. Everybody sitting at a table like it was a meeting. There was one guy who had read the materials for the day and he was answering 80% of the questions. The Nigerian in me was getting slightly mad because I thought he was doing oversabi. The poor guy was just answering questions and doing his thing. As old and learned as the professor was, not once did he interrupt anyone while we were talking. We called him by his first name "Peter". It took me over a month to get comfortable calling the professors by their first names.

I got an email after a week from the H.O.D to meet him in his office. While I was there, he welcomed me officially, told me his wife was interested in hosting me for the weekend to welcome me to the town. I felt safe. They gave all grad students a big office with cubicles to study. Classmates interacted and talked, everyone was friendly. Snacks, drinks, coffee were always available in the students lounge and the professors doors were open most of the time. You can easily knock on a professor's door, ask him how he's doing. Talk for a bit and say goodbye.

After class, people would ask: "does anyone need a ride home?" and they would help whoever was interested without any nonsense strings attached. Professors do their jobs! Once you're failing, they know they're failing too and would try to help you to ensure you pass. If you don't understand a study material, just tell the professor. It's their job to help you pass the class! They'll provide solutions for you.

Nigerian professors feel like gods. You can't even make a mistake. A professor will open mouth and say "Nobody can get anything more than a C in my course" and the sadist will ensure it happens. Once a Nigerian prof says "see me in my office", you know you're doomed. I fear for my baby sister right now who's in Nigeria and I can't even imagine what she's going through in school.

No missing scripts, strikes, unexplained failures, poor living conditions, hopeless curriculum, terrible laboratories, pervert professors, ogbanje classmates... the list is endless. Learning is fun here, you have all the resources available to you if you ever wanna study and succeed. At the end of a semester, students are asked to evaluate professors and give comments on how they can improve. A professor who can't help students get better isn't fit to have the job.

These are the things they won't tell you about life abroad. They will focus on the negatives and tell you how high tuition is, and how you can use that money to start fish farming in port harcourt instead. Money, money, money is all Nigerians see. They worship money the wrong way. Call out an underperforming artiste and say something like "your music video was disappointing", you'll hear "hater, he's already making his millions and can feed your generation". I laugh when I hear such ridiculous things. Smh.

Ligxy:


Oga, I actually do, and was still thinking what to do with it, that I will not regret.
The young man hasn't said anything bad yet, in my opinion.

theamerican:
It's past midnight, I'm here in bed, alone with my thoughts. I went through all the comments on here again about those who have been defending Nigeria and against moving abroad. I'm trying to see if I've been too harsh. Maybe there's hope and I should be optimistic.

I've been at it for over 30 minutes, I'm sorry. I just can't. Nigeria is rotten from top to bottom. I'll touch education for a bit. I came here for a Master's degree. I got my Bachelor's degree at the overhyped Unilag, completed my NYSC and left the country almost immediately.

After my first day in class here, I felt like sending an email to all my past professors in Unilag and cursing them out. I was really late because I could not find the class building as the jjc that I am. I opened the door, walked in and was expecting the professor to send me out or say something horrible. I walked in and everyone greeted me with a smile.

It was like one little family. You couldn't tell who the professor was among the students. Everybody sitting at a table like it was a meeting. There was one guy who had read the materials for the day and he was answering 80% of the questions. The Nigerian in me was getting slightly mad because I thought he was doing oversabi. The poor guy was just answering questions and doing his thing. As old and learned as the professor was, not once did he interrupt anyone while we were talking. We called him by his first name "Peter". It took me over a month to get comfortable calling the professors by their first names.

I got an email after a week from the H.O.D to meet him in his office. While I was there, he welcomed me officially, told me his wife was interested in hosting me for the weekend to welcome me to the town. I felt safe. They gave all grad students a big office with cubicles to study. Classmates interacted and talked, everyone was friendly. Snacks, drinks, coffee were always available in the students lounge and the professors doors were open most of the time. You can easily knock on a professor's door, ask him how he's doing. Talk for a bit and say goodbye.

After class, people would ask: "does anyone need a ride home?" and they would help whoever was interested without any nonsense strings attached. Professors do their jobs! Once you're failing, they know they're too and would try to help you to ensure you pass. If you don't understand a study material, just tell the professor. It's their job to help you pass the class! They'll provide solutions for you.

Nigerian professors feel like gods. You can't even make a mistake. A professor will open mouth and say "Nobody can get anything more than a C in my course" and the sadist will ensure it happens. Once a Nigerian prof says "see me in my office", you know you're doomed. I fear for my baby sister right now who's in Nigeria and I can't even imagine what she's going through in school.

No missing scripts, strikes, unexplained failures, poor living conditions, hopeless curriculum, terrible laboratories, pervert professors, ogbanje classmates... the list is endless. Learning is fun here, you have all the resources available to you if you ever wanna study and succeed. At the end of a semester, students are asked to evaluate professors and give comments on how they can improve. A professor who can't help students get better isn't fit to have the job.

These are the things they won't tell you about life abroad. They will focus on the negatives and tell you how high tuition is, and how you can use that money to start fish farming in port harcourt instead. Money, money, money is all Nigerians see. They worship money the wrong way. Call out an underperforming artiste and say something like "your music video was disappointing", you'll hear "hater, he's already making his millions and can feed your generation". I laugh when I hear such ridiculous things. Smh.

philip0906:
Somebody will travel to America hustle, see and enjoy the good things of life (good health care, excellent education, good roads and excellent living conditions), live like a human, be treated with respect and dignity, enjoy First and world class infrastructure, See how smoothly a system works, even raise or plan to raise his family in that same sane society and even get the BLUE passport or GREEN card....

Then come here and tell me how to make money in Nigeria, how great the future is in here and as much as possible discourage me from travelling to see and enjoy same thing he enjoyed....If I headbutt you

peacengine:


Bro, if you are a hustler with nothing meaningful doing here, nobody will discourage you from trying your luck abroad. People will only advice you against it if you are established here, with a meaningful progressive life here.

philip0906:

I get you bro. But you have to understand that the words "established, meaningful progressive life" means different things to different people. Many just want to stay in a sane society that works and are ready to ditch their "well paying" jobs in here to get that in the western world.

No matter how we want to see it, Nigeria is not working and hence the quality of life of EVERYONE is affected. Even if you live in Lekki, you still don't have 24 hours electricity (you provide it yourself). Even if you drive a GLK 2018, you'll still drive it in the same unsafe and bad roads like everyone else,You are still protected by the same incompetent police force e.t.c .

Take a look at the WEALTHY political elite and the WEALTHY captains of Industry....I can bet you that not up to 1% of them had their children born and bred in Nigeria and schooled in Nigeria. A sizeable amount of them have foreign citizenship or passports(a ready made plan B for themselves)...the proverbial their wealth couldn't save them

If you want to stay in Nigeria "doing well" or not, your plate of beans. If you are disgusted with the Nigerian system, "doing well" or not, take the hike.

peacengine:


Bro, this is not true. I can sacrifice my left balls to say some places have constant light. This is why I said some people are comfortable. Do you know that some guys order custom made cars, some order direct from the manufacturers abroad, will such a person not provide constant electricity for himself or you think he will wait for government? Another thing is that those guys working in oil sector are making money. My friend working with NNPC has travelled twice to America this year, sponsored by the govt. I will never advice him to relocate because the guy is very comfort here. You speak of security, guy you don here say thief enter Banana Island before? Reason things na. You hear say robbers they enter Maitama or Aso villa? Try reason things na, even if e happen i no sure say such thief go survive am. I'm not saying it cant happen, but crime rate is low in rich areas. The rich ones try to provide all these things for themselves. No be Davido buy private Jet? Banky, Tiwa are all US citizens bro, yet them de make am here, dem no fit relocate to Yankee. As a hustler with nothing to lose, all man should try luck but if you are making it here, there's no point.

peacengine:

[s]
Op this one you are having sleepless night over Nigeria should give you and your parents or sponsors cause for concern. I asked you if you were working because I know that you wouldn't have such time on your hands to keep posting here. It's different for us here as we are not usually paid per hour, it's usually monthly but your productivity over there is measured hourly such that if you are not meeting up, it's easy for them to notice.
I believe they are still giving you school fees so you won't understand how the US system works, that's why we say if one is comfortable here there is no point of selling everything off and relocating because you will need to start all over again and it will take years to reach the level you were back home. Many educated Nigerians are driving taxis, working in burger king, washing plates and dead bodies abroad, if you don't believe me, ask people who are more experienced than you.
What is your solution regarding our professors? The highest ranking tertiary university we have is in Ibadan which should be around 1000th in the world but it's among the top ten African universities and Nigeria has up to 20 universities in the top hundred within Africa, so you should broaden your critism to Africa not just Nigeria. Another point is that this is Western education we are talking about, not African education so you shouldn't be surprised if the West is far ahead of us, it's theirs, we are only learning from them.
Read your books, you have been given the opportunity to get Western education from the source, which is also the foundation of survival there, pray that they look beyond your skin color and allow you to progress. Many cannot afford it, even US citizens have to apply for loans and scholarships to complete university and college.
Many Nigerian parent raise money for their kids to study abroad, all expense paid. Many US parents cannot afford to send their children through universities hence they have to seek for loans and scholarship, many still do student jobs to cope[/s]

peacengine:


Op this one you are having sleepless night over Nigeria should give you and your parents or sponsors cause for concern. I asked you if you were working because I know that you wouldn't have such time on your hands to keep posting here. It's different for us here as we are not usually paid per hour, it's usually monthly but your productivity over there is measured hourly such that if you are not meeting up, it's easy for them to notice.
I believe they are still giving you school fees so you won't understand how the US system works, that's why we say if one is comfortable here there is no point of selling everything off and relocating because you will need to start all over again and it will take years to reach the level you were back home. Many educated Nigerians are driving taxis, working in burger king, washing plates and dead bodies abroad, if you don't believe me, ask people who are more experienced than you.
What is your solution regarding our professors? The highest ranking tertiary university we have is in Ibadan which should be around 1000th in the world but it's among the top ten African universities and Nigeria has up to 20 universities in the top hundred within Africa, so you should broaden your critism to Africa not just Nigeria. Another point is that this is Western education we are talking about, not African education so you shouldn't be surprised if the West is far ahead of us, it's theirs, we are only learning from them.
Read your books, you have been given the opportunity to get Western education from the source, which is also the foundation of survival there, pray that they look beyond your skin color and allow you to progress. Many cannot afford it, even US citizens have to apply for loans and scholarships to complete university and college.
Many Nigerian parent raise money for their kids to study abroad, all expense paid. Many US parents cannot afford to send their children through universities hence they have to seek for loans and scholarship, many still do student jobs to cope

StackNerd:


Washing dead body , Lool. Educated Nigerians indeed!, well maybe illegal Immigrants,. Why am I even giving you a response

philip0906:

Brilliant piece.

What you have written is just a lifestyle that is enjoyed by not more than 1% of Nigerians. Ordering custom cars, Banana island, private jets, maitama e.t.c.

The country generates just under 6000 megawatts barely enough for Lagos and Port Harcourt . The places that have the so called 24 hours (I know of) are not more than 800k Nigerians. Should all Nigerians now relocate to these insignificant places to enjoy 24 hours electricity? Like I said, there is no 24 hours electricity in the country. 95% of Nigerians still provide their own power. In the west, EVERYBODY enjoys 24 hours electricity- Rich or poor.

How many people can be so fortunate to buy or own houses in Banana island, Maitama and some of the exclusive places in the country? Not more than 3% of Nigerians. Of course bandits don't jump fences in banana island, but at least you go commot house na? Abi will you lock yourself in banana island? Pray your windshield is not smashed in akpongbon or eko bridge. I know someone who lives in a 90 million+ naira home in an estate in Lekki, but you will see him on okada heading for meetings around Apapa(because of the horrible roads and gridlock). You can imagine the risk.

The Davidos and Tiwa Savage should not be used as examples. It doesn't fit. They are artists whose market is here and they choose to stay here and make money, their plate of beans.

My point still remains, if you don't like the system here, relocate. If you do like what you see here and wish to stay, fine.