[size=18pt]Nigeria: The happiest place on earth[/size]

Nigeria is beset by poverty, corruption and violence – but a poll says it is the world's most optimistic nation

The arrivals hall at Murtala Mohammed international airport in Lagos has the kind of humidity that feels like a warm towel. The minute you shake that off, you notice the massive board that proudly welcomes you to Nigeria. Underneath the greeting, written in cheery, cursive script, is the tagline: "The happiest place in the world!"

When I last visited Nigeria, that poster made me laugh like a drain. But now a global survey has confirmed it: in a 53-country Gallup poll, Nigerians were rated at 70 points for optimism. By contrast, Britain scored a deeply pessimistic -44. Why so glum, Britain? And what in the world makes Nigerians so happy?

At first glance it's hard to see: Nigeria is seen as place where corruption thrives. The newspapers are filled with sensational allegations of crooked officials, and mind-boggling hauls – the former CEO of Oceanic Bank, Cecilia Ibru, is said to be just one of the worst. Sectarian violence is steadily on the up, most recently with the Christmas Eve bombs in the northern city of Jos. Nor are Nigerians strangers to civil war and unrest, the most terrible being the three-year Biafran war. Then there is the grinding poverty.

To cap it all there are the advance-fee "419" scams (named for a clause in the Nigerian criminal code) – all those "princes" seeking to clear their millions in your bank account – who have embarrassingly become one of Nigeria's most famous exports.

But look harder and the optimism seems less misplaced. Nigeria has the third-largest economy in Africa – and it's still growing. There's the oft-repeated statistic that one in every 20 Africans is Nigerian. The UN estimates the population at 154,729,000 – astonishing for a nation about twice the size of California.

Nigeria has always punched above its weight artistically, too – from the music of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen, to the literary works of Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi and Ola Rotimi – as well as Nobel prize winner Wole Soyinka. Nok, Yoruba and Benin art is celebrated worldwide for its intricacy and beautye. And there is the crude oil making the country the 12th largest petroleum producer in the world.

I'm British by birth, but got dual nationality in 2009, having lived with my Nigerian parents in the country for a large chunk of the 1990s. I had a comfortable life, and could avoid the abject poverty, crime, social inequality and the legacy of political instability. It seems natural to conclude that all these factors would put a damper on Nigerian cheerfulness. Instead, the optimism is an almost tangible thing, the joie de vivre obvious.

Daily life is hardly one glorious Technicolor dance sequence, but I have never lived in such a happy place – and I once lived in hippyville California. I can't give a definite answer, but I think the joy comes from seeing and living through the worst that life can offer; it is an optimism born of hope. Nigeria is a nation of Del Boy Trotters ("this time next year, we'll be millionaires!" – while the rest of the world believes they've got a book in them, most Nigerians believe they've got a million quid in them, too.

There's a spirit of entrepreneurship – people seem bewildered if you admit a lack of ambition. Nigerians want to go places and believe – rightly or wrongly – that they can. That drive and ambition fuels their optimism; they're working towards happiness, so they're happy.

I am living proof of this: in the years I lived and learned in Lagos, I saw some pretty awful stuff – the state-sanctioned execution of freedom fighter and environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa, the military rule of the IBB era, the annulment of the democratic 12 June elections to name but a few – and managed to come out the other side laughing.

And why shouldn't we laugh? We are firm believers in the New Labour theme tune: things can only get better. There's a Yoruba saying that my father often uses: "Jimoh to ma l'oyin, Alamisi le yan ma ti mo." It translates roughly as: "If a Friday is to be sweet, you'll know by Thursday." It might not seem like Nigerians have much to be happy about, but perhaps they've already seen what Friday holds, and what they see makes them rejoice.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2011/jan/04/nigerians-top-optimism-poll

Yes oh!!!

Na true sha. Anytime I travel to Ekiti state, am always happier and more festive.

God bless Ekiti state

The article was written by a Nigerian

hmmm

But the poll was not processed by a NIgerian

Ileke-idi I need something urgently from you

Ileke-IdI:

Yes oh!!!

Na true sha. Anytime I travel to Ekiti state, am always happier and more festive.

God bless Ekiti state

Ekiti!!! Paradise on earth for Ileke,
Find me some Ekiti water to drink abeg

SEFAGO:

Ileke-idi I need something urgently from you

And that would be?

naijababe:

Ekiti!!! Paradise on earth for Ileke,
Find me some Ekiti water to drink abeg

My sis, you no dey lie
Will do!

And that would be?

Picshurrrreee

^^^


ROFLMAO

fstranger6:

^^^


ROFLMAO

Why are you laughing ? I by-passed the middle man, and buying from the producer

There's no happiness in being Nigerian, period. Nigerians (many) are noted for speaking from both sides of their mouths. If only those people meant what they said - which ofcourse, I very much doubt.

dem_people:

There's no happiness in being Nigerian, period. Nigerians (many) are noted for speaking from both sides of their mouths. If only those people meant what they said - which ofcourse, I very much doubt.

Take it easy. Indeed We have a lot of problems but if you look at how religious we are as a nation and how numerous religions harmfully indoctrinate Nigerians to be thankful for their "existence" since others are "worse off" then you can understand , to an extent, why Nigerians are "happy".

It is happiness based on a total ignorance of what obtains worldwide . Thankfully , Nigerians are becoming wiser because they can now go online to see that , in comparison to most nations, we have nothing to celebrate. We all must do our bit to raise the standards so that Nigerians who are not as priviledged as we are can gain enough knowledge to resist disenfranchisement. Nigerians, for example , need to know that most nations worldwide , with far less natural endowment than we are blessed with , dont rely on generator power to give them a good night sleep.

I am sorry I do not share in that false sense of security.  How can we be the happiest when we have nothing going for us?!!

shotster50:

I am sorry for I do share in that false sense of security. How can we be the happiest when we have nothing going for us?!!

When you have nothing going for 'you' . Dont answer for everyone.

spyder880:

When you have nothing going for 'you' . Dont answer for everyone.

By all means enjoy your pseudo-happiness.

shotster50:

By all means enjoy your pseudo-happiness.

While you can mourn your real-sadness?

The truth is a bitter pill to swallow . Here have a dose of that.

shotster50:

The truth is a bitter pill to swallow . Here have a dose of that.

If I want truth, I know where to look, the topic is about happiness and we have it in abundance, now if you have a problem about that, you can go jump into the lagoon, but make sure you come out happy!

THis is what you do when you are scrapping thebottom of the barrell trying to find something good to say ,   Happiest in the world  indeed,  take that to the bank.

shotster50:

THis is what you do when you are scrapping thebottom of the barrell trying to find something good to say ,   Happiest in the world  indeed,  take that to the bank.

Unfortunately, my account in the bank is full! My bank manager called yesterday and asked me not to deposit anything again as they have no space in my account!

smh

^^^ Look at my happy Nigerians

I bet the ones oversea wish they were home

We are so happy it's sad.

@ ileke my dearie, when next you are in Enugu, call me so I could take you out and spoil you a little. Thats if your man is not a soldier o!

Kilode?!:

We are so happy it's sad.

While abroad, they are so sad it's depressing!

I admit that anytime I see Nigerian kids I get connected to some of the few good things about Nigeria.

Nigerians are generally more innocent IMHO than most citizens of developed countries.

Innocence leads to happiness.

Just tell me how you can get mad after seeing these. . .

Onlytruth:

I admit that anytime I see Nigerian kids I get connected to some of the few good things about Nigeria.

Nigerians are generally more innocent IMHO than most citizens of developed countries.

Innocence leads to happiness.

Right, just looking at my little nephews unwrapping their xmas gifts made me want to cry with joy. The young adult in Nigerian is mostly untainted by drug and other vices. Its only when they start looking for money that acts of corruption start to take effect.

kay-money:

This article is just a consolation to make Nigerians forget their problems
They are much more Angry and not happy with alot of issues bordering them

If it was meant to make us happy, well its working!
Your first picture is an understatement when placed side by side with UK students rioting for school fees increases recently, even beeating up the royal couple?
Your second picture must be a crime suspect, and judging from that vest he is putting on, I feel it must be the mug shot of an American criminal, most probably yourself! Hehehehehahahahhohoho!

spyder880:

Right, just looking at my little nephews unwrapping their xmas gifts made me want to cry with joy. The young adult in Nigerian is mostly untainted by drug and other vices. Its only when they start looking for money that acts of corruption start to take effect.

Yea tell that to the victims of the Jos and Abuja bombings,