SapeleGuy:

Katsumoto - I take some issue on your polarisation of Nigerians based on  a Diaspora / Home based dichotomy. Being a Nigerian is not location dependent  neither do 'Diasporans' (I hate that word) have a monopoly on good ideas or brainpower. This sort of thinking serves to divide us even further.

However, I do agree with you and will go even further to say that the 'Leadership' is an evil, demonic and wicked entity, they are not driven to leave positive and lasting legacies for the people. Apart from Duke and Fashola (when he finishes his term) we really are struggling.

You throw stones at Mugabe but Robert can beat his chest and say he made his country one of the most educated in Africa with a literacy level of 90%.

I wasn't trying to state that Nigerians in diaspora are smarter than those at home; my point is that, it is a fact that there are Nigerians who are doing great things in the science and technology in the US. Can you say the same for science and technology in Nigeria?

I throw stones at Mugabe because he is a tyrant and he has turned Zimbabwe into a joke for selfish reasons. Where are you getting your 90% literacy levels from?

I wonder how this Mr Onno Ruhl became an expert in Nigerian affairs.
Anyway, it is quite predictable that he would not blame corruption for Nigeria's woes. That would draw the ire of his clients (the Nigerian government officials), who will call for his replacement if he does.
A man who is willing to take the risk to move public funds across security checks to a Swiss bank account does not lack the will to move forward.

Our leaders are corrupt, they stifle opposition and immerse the masses in poverty. In the midst of poverty, the lay man can only think of how to get his next meal, and will strive to achieve that even if he has to sell his conscience.

SOLUTION TO NIGERIA'S PROBLEM.

There should be a school of thought that goes with some serious punishment or a course offering that subject be introduced into the university syllabus, _{or even from primary school} that focuses on the sense of shame as a tool of curbing corruption in government.

The general belief is that corruption thrives in a country where the people have no sense of shame or a value system. When people have no sense of shame, no explanation about of the effect of corruption will be of use. If this is put in place and these so called leaders and every other person that find him/herself in public office find themselves doing something wrong and shameful, they will simply hide or commit suicide for fear of being punished.

Now the fear of being exposed or disgraced forces them to put in their best in whatever they do, even if they don't commit suicide, they would try to display their shame by resignation or accepting punishment.

Period. . . .  

Katsumoto:

I wasn't trying to state that Nigerians in diaspora are smarter than those at home; my point is that, it is a fact that there are Nigerians who are doing great things in the science and technology in the US. Can you say the same for science and technology in Nigeria?

I throw stones at Mugabe because he is a tyrant and he has turned Zimbabwe into a joke for selfish reasons. Where are you getting your 90% literacy levels from?

On Zimbabwe, you are swallowing the propaganda, you are sharper than that. You need to do some research on the terms of  the Lancaster House Agreement, whether or not this agreement was fulfilled, why Robert was made a Knight by the British Government and why the status quo changed in 1997.

As for the education, try UNESCO
http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=125&IF_Language=eng&BR_Fact=LTRAT&BR_Region=40540

SapeleGuy:

On Zimbabwe, you are swallowing the propaganda, you are sharper than that. You need to do some research on the terms of  the Lancaster House Agreement, whether or not this agreement was fulfilled, why Robert was made a Knight by the British Government and why the status quo changed in 1997.

As for the education, try UNESCO
http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=125&IF_Language=eng&BR_Fact=LTRAT&BR_Region=40540

What propaganda? Is it a lie that Zimbabwe has hyper-inflation? Is it a lie that people in Zimbabwe are starving? My conern is not what agreement was made by Mugabe and the British. I am more concerned about the effects of his policies on his people. African leaders are sit tight morafockers. They don't like to relinquish power and will do whatever it takes to hold on to power. Mugabe did not have a problem with the British until he was asked to step in 2001. Then he suddenly remembered that white farmers held a disproportionate percentage of futile lands; to gain an advantage against the opposition, he went on his land reclaimation program giving seized land to illitrate supporters.

Mugabe has been in power since 1980, shouldn't he have stepped down now? In that time the US has has Reagan, Bush Snr, Clinton, Bush Jnr and Obama; the UK has had Thatcher, Major, Blair, Brown and Cameron. Yet the old buffoon refuses to leave. I despise all sit-tight leaders.

desthan:

SOLUTION TO NIGERIA'S PROBLEM.

There should be a school of thought that goes with some serious punishment or a course offering that subject be introduced into the university syllabus, _{or even from primary school} that focuses on the sense of shame as a tool of curbing corruption in government.

The general belief is that corruption thrives in a country where the people have no sense of shame or a value system. When people have no sense of shame, no explanation about of the effect of corruption will be of use. If this is put in place and these so called leaders and every other person that find him/herself in public office find themselves doing something wrong and shameful, they will simply hide or commit suicide for fear of being punished.

Now the fear of being exposed or disgraced forces them to put in their best in whatever they do, even if they don't commit suicide, they would try to display their shame by resignation or accepting punishment.

Period. . . .  

GBAM

Katsumoto

On Mugabe please read the Lancaster House agreement, SA have got Mugabe to thank for not having the Zimbabwe situation on their hand. IMF and World Bank are saying corruption is not our problem in order to reduce the support for Buhari (who they see is gaining ground) and to bolster support for GEJ, they know Buhari will not stand for all of the rubbish they are doing in Nigeria, to those who say Idiagbon was the one acting in 1983 - 1985, go and find out why Danjuma did not make Buhari Obasanjo's deputy in 1976 and also read about his exploits in the north (how he dealt with Chad).

SapeleGuy:

On Zimbabwe, you are swallowing the propaganda, you are sharper than that. You need to do some research on the terms of  the Lancaster House Agreement, whether or not this agreement was fulfilled, why Robert was made a Knight by the British Government and why the status quo changed in 1997.

As for the education, try UNESCO
http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=125&IF_Language=eng&BR_Fact=LTRAT&BR_Region=40540

Mugabe is a racist who has allowed his bitterness and jealousy for whites to cloud his judgment hence plundering a country that was once a star in Africa to a laughing stock. It is also important to note that literacy (knowing how to read and write) without rational reasoning amounts to nothing after all the guys and babes destroying this country (Nigeria) are largely literate. How did a country with a 91% literate population allow one man’s vendetta to destroy the hopes and aspirations of their country? It is indeed a shame.

there are two types of people in the world viz; those with direct approach to issues and those with round about approach and the wpeaker here falls under the later.
even the dead, the lame, deaf and the dumb know and it is a proven fact that corruption is the number one problem of nigeria. nigeria is so corrupt that even the unborn nigerians are corrupt.
an average nigerian is not a lazy person and that can be seen in the way nigerians are scattered all over the world. it is one thing to make efforts and another to make the efforts on the right directions.
we have leaders who grow from zeronaires to billionaires and trillonaires within months of governance.
we have trillions of uncounted for dollars originating from sales of crude.
in fact, our second name is corruption.
we celebrate corruption in nigeria.
the more corrupt u are in nigeria, the more famous u are. steal N1 in nigeria and u cld face life in jail but steal N100b and u will go in for 2 yrs(bode george) steal N198b and u will face 6 months(cecilia Ibru). the bigger ur crime, the lesser ur punishment. u can graduate to an above the law status as we can see in the case of Tony annenih and obasanjo.
as i write, my greatest challange is to break the record of obasanjo in the stealing industry and i know my fellow criminals(so nigerians) are chasing the same record.
we(nigerians) are born to steal. an average nigerian is an international criminal.
our president(jonathan) said on his facebook page two days ago that nothing good comes easy and i asked him what abt looting of public funds in nigeria?
he was right just that he forgot that one of the exceptions to that rule lies in the case of govt officials stealing our funds with ease.

1025:

there are two types of people in the world viz; those with direct approach to issues and those with round about approach and the wpeaker here falls under the later.
even the dead, the lame, deaf and the dumb know and it is a proven fact that corruption is the number one problem of nigeria. nigeria is so corrupt that even the unborn nigerians are corrupt.
an average nigerian is not a lazy person and that can be seen in the way nigerians are scattered all over the world. it is one thing to make efforts and another to make the efforts on the right directions.
we have leaders who grow from zeronaires to billionaires and trillonaires within months of governance.
we have trillions of uncounted for dollars originating from sales of crude.
in fact, our second name is corruption.
we celebrate corruption in nigeria.
the more corrupt u are in nigeria, the more famous u are. steal N1 in nigeria and u cld face life in jail but steal N100b and u will go in for 2 yrs(bode george) steal N198b and u will face 6 months(cecilia Ibru). the bigger your crime, the lesser your punishment. u can graduate to an above the law status as we can see in the case of Tony annenih and obasanjo.
as i write, my greatest challange is to break the record of obasanjo in the stealing industry and i know my fellow criminals(so nigerians) are chasing the same record.
we(nigerians) are born to steal. an average nigerian is an international criminal.
our president(jonathan) said on his facebook page two days ago that nothing good comes easy and i asked him what abt looting of public funds in nigeria?
he was right just that he forgot that one of the exceptions to that rule lies in the case of govt officials stealing our funds with ease.

Guy, breathe slowly, count to ten, breathe deeply.

I understand the frustration, but your unborn children are not corrupt, at least not yet. Lets keep pushing, we will get there.

In as much as i detest World bank and IMF for their imperialistic functions in Africa, i have to agree with them on this one. We should stop thinking our problem (in Africa) is exclusive to corruption. corruption does not stop the young entrepreneur from excelling, neither does it stop the farmer from harvesting his products - the main problem with Africa is World Bank, IMF, Europe and America.

After independence Africa countries were moving faster that the west - with yearly growth rate of almost 10% until something happened.  I will focus on the hunger in Africa.

The UN estimates that a billion people in the world are going hungry with 200 million people extra added to the statistics over the past few years and Africans seems to hold the buck of the figures. It was never so even in the colonial period with no electricity and economic advancement Africans were identified to be good farmers – food was never a problem in Africa. So how did the freedom, GDP and all the nice economic instruments that Africans achieved reduced the food of the land?

Food crisis is usually blamed on population and backward technological rather than on a policy context.  IMF Structural adjustment, which led to a series of policy changes across West Africa in the 1980s and 1990s, privileged Asian exporters over West African producers. The removal of production subsidies in and moribund tariff barriers led to a flood of Asian goods on Africa local markets, disfavored local investments and led to the culture of import product reliance.

The persistence on free trade in the Agricultural sector is responsible for the lack of food in Africa – It was meant to spur economic growth, but instead weaken traditional agricultural systems that had worked for centuries, ultimately leading to a food crisis, which left millions hungry, led to food shortage when there is a shift in producing country.

Although market reforms were intended to improve food production, the net result was an increasing reliance on imported food and elimination of domestic producers.

A comparative study of rice production in Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria before and after liberalizing their economies shows the negative effect of opened economy on local rice producers.

Gambia Rice sector

Between 1966 and 1984, international development assistance sponsored pump irrigation rice projects on the Gambia River’s abundant alluvial swamps. The scheme intended to budge rice from seasonal to year-round farming, thus enabling two yearly harvests instead of one. One harvest was to protect domestic subsistence supplies, whereas the second offered a cash crop to lift farm incomes.

The program was however successful and Gambia before 1984 was able to supply home need and exported some for cash. Gambian rice production stood at 32,000 tons by 1971 and was enough to supply home demand.

The International Monetary Fund forced on the Gambian economy a series of Structural Adjustment Programs as conditions for loans in the mid 80s. Economic reforms eliminated subsidized inputs and the producer support price that had encouraged the domestic rice sector, hence, Market Reforms and Dependency on Imported Rice started in 1986.

The elimination of protective tariffs for domestic production well lowered the cost of imported rice. Within a period of 10 years, milled imports more than doubled, although the domestic rice sector stagnated and tried to survive. Today, only 10% of Gambian irrigated rice projects produce the two harvests originally conceived, and most of the rice remains in the region where it was harvested.

When Gambian government removed subsidies on their rice sector as imported by IMF, the country was receiving imports from countries were farmers receive subsidies. These people were asked to compete with some of the most efficient agricultural systems in the world, and they simply couldn't do it. Traditional poor African farmers simply couldn't compete in the global food market against heavily mechanized, subsidized, and corporate agricultural systems. Rather than aid Africa's farmers, the emphasis on free trade undercut local food production for a quarter of a decade.

Côte d’Ivoire Rice sector

Like The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire is a low-income nation where farming is central to the livelihoods of its populace and to state economy. Policies giving main concern to rice in state development go back to French colonial period. Even before Côte d’Ivoire’s independence, a system of price stabilization, a permanent price for producers, tariffs on imports, and the first savings in irrigation contributed to an import replacement program in food independence strategy. At independence in 1960, the country’s rice demand was met by producing 100,000 tons of rice and importing 30,000 tons, this was a good start for a new Nation.

With the creation of the state rice corporation (SODERIZ) after independence, Côte d’Ivoire reinforced its dedication to rice as central to national food policy. SODERIZ emphasized a Green Revolution approach, building dams for irrigation; training farmers; distributing high-yielding rice varieties; subsidizing; and providing credit, a permanent value for rice, and current manufacturing mills. In 1974, SODERIZ increased the price 132% for purchasing paddy. Farmers act in response with an enormous return, and imports dropped to their lowest level. This was a right part, though, because of mismanagement, SODERIZ failed in 1977. Succeeding its closure, SODERIZ remained for Ivorian farmers and policymakers an achievement of what is achievable for domestic rice self-reliance at the same time that its eventual crumple helped to sustain arguments for a neoliberal approach to national rice policy.

By the early 1980s after two decades of economic growth, world prices for Côte d’Ivoire’s exports had plunge. There were other economic problems and in 1981, Ivorian leaders responded to the economic troubles by obtaining a structural adjustment loan of US $150 million from the World Bank with the conditions that it stop government salaries, do away with some public enterprises, and take steps to reduce the state’s role in the economy. Over the next decade, a series of conditional loans led to reforms that very much changed the state’s relationship to rice, resulting in a steep increase in imports.

An economic examination of the Ivorian rice sector expressly recommended abandoning the goal of self-sufficiency and as an alternative paying for imports through revenue generated from crops with a comparative advantage, meaning cocoa, coffee, and cotton.

By the end of the 1990s, the 10 industrial rice mills built by SODERIZ with an estimated annual milling capacity of 550,000 tons of paddy were privatized. By 2002, none of those mills operated. Gone too were the fertilizer subsidy for irrigated rice, the state’s modern seed farms, the fixed price for rice, and controls on imports. Côte d’Ivoire rice industry has totally crumbled and the entire nation depended on imported rice.
SAP reforms sometimes abolish critical support systems for deprived farmers who had no car, no land security, made $1 a day and had their life savings of $600 hidden under a mattress, and end up supporting huge export companies to take over market of developing countries and wreck domestic production unit.

Nigeria Rice sector

Nigeria’s case is slightly from Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire, the Nigerian government has interfered in the rice sector over the past few decades. Public policy in this respect has neither been consistent nor fitting and domestic production has continued to lag behind demand when the policy does not protect them.

Nigeria has engaged in a variety of trade policy such as tariff, import restrictions, and outright ban on rice import at different times to check the activeness of local rice producer. Between 1961 and 1999, Nigeria had spent $4 billion on rice importation alone; the buck of the spending comes when there was an untied trade on rice import.

From a historical outlook, Nigeria’s rice policy can be discussed in allusion to three significant eras. These are the pre-ban period (i.e., 1971-1985), the ban period (i.e., 1986-1995), and post-ban periods (1995 – date). The pre-ban period is the era previous to the opening of complete restriction on rice imports. This changing rice policy by the Nigerian government has resulted to changing output performance of local rice farmers in Nigeria.
Before the liberalization of import policies with regards to rice, Nigeria was 99% reliance on home produced rice between 1961 and 1971, but during the pre-ban period (1971-1985) there was massive importation of rice between resulting in low price of domestically produced rice. The farmers couldn’t compete with importers, worst, Nigeria government’s involvement in the supply, selling of the imported rice with non-transfer of real costs of marketing to consumers but rather absorbed by government, was an issue of subsidizing foreign rice producers against home farmers – Nigeria rice farmers could not compete and simply went out of the market. Self-reliance ratio fell from 99% in the 70s to a merely 28% in early 80s.

Then came a policy shift in ban period (i.e., 1986-1995), it actually started 1985 when the importation of rice was banned. It was anticipated to stimulate domestic production through increases in the price of the commodity and this was seconded by the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) in 1986 toughened the ban previously placed on rice import. Under SAP, various trade policies were put in place. This was in addition to the reduction of the naira arising from exchange rate deregulation. The overvalued exchange rate had served as an implicit tax on rice producers as it cheapened imported rice comparatively. This was one case where SAP actually advantaged a sector in the economy.
I remember growing up with a plate of Nigeria grown rice, I remember this because there was a rice mill close to my school. The ban of rice came with a package of incentives for domestic farmers to leap up supply for home need. During the barn period, Self-reliance ratio climb to 80%, although the Nigeria government (military at the time) did not do much to improve the rice industry or try to seek market abroad which was suppose to be the case if development was an agenda. In the mid 90s there was a drastic urbanization and the demand for food increased – it was evident that the Nigeria local rice sector could not cater for the population because they were vulnerable and lack government assistance. At this time there was a test import, smuggled import and the Military government decided to liberalize the rice import from 1995 which stands liberalized until this moment.

Today, Nigeria is 98% reliance on exported rice; only 2% of the consumed rice is produced in Nigerian. Rice farmers could not compete with clean imported rice with sophisticated technology often lapping government companies. In the recent time, rice consumption in Nigeria has risen tremendously, at about 10% per annum due to changing consumer preferences. Domestic production has never been able to meet the demand, leading to considerable imports which today stand at about with 1.5 million tons yearly. The imports are procured on the world market with Nigeria spending annually over US$300 million on rice imports alone and listed as one of the world highest rice consumers.

If a Nigerian company would supply the nation her rice yearly we can imagine the improvement that would bring to the economy. Government can create incentive and place a rice embargo to get this done.

With tariff barriers removed, less expensive imported food flooded into countries, some of which at one point were nearly self-sufficient in agriculture. Many people quit farming and abandoned systems that had worked in their cultures for centuries. Traditional poor African farmers simply couldn't compete in the global food market against heavily mechanized, subsidized, and corporate agricultural systems. Rather than aid Africa's farmers, the emphasis on free trade undercut local food production for a quarter of a decade, according to the study, placing increased reliance on imported rice

It is obvious that getting back local rice production in Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire would require putting up tariff barriers on international trade to allow local producers to be competitive, better credit systems, improved roads, building local mills, and employing subsidies when appropriate.

America and Europe Farm Protectionism

In clarity of the present economic atmosphere, where the IMF, World Bank and WTO are clamoring for free trade - knocking on African’s door for the familiar Mantra, both by these international organization and western government are not signatories to this free trade agricultural terms.
Mark Malloch Brown, former head of the United Nations Development Program, estimated that farm subsidies cost poor countries about USD$50 billion a year in lost agricultural exports: "It is the extraordinary distortion of global trade, where the West spends $360 billion a year on protecting its agriculture with a network of subsidies and tariffs that costs developing countries about US$50 billion in potential lost agricultural exports. Fifty billion dollars is the equivalent of today's level of development assistance."

It is important to underline the hypocrisy of Europe and America giving lip service to free trade with respect to Agriculture while maintaining tariff barriers and paying subsidies to their farmers. The New York Times has once stated that African farmers are “rightfully outraged that a nation [the United States] that enjoys all the benefits of open markets for its industrial products keeps putting up walls around its farmers.” Some Africa countries are beginning to wake to this fact as South Africa played a lead role in recent WTO negotiations, with Uganda, Botswana, and Kenya also becoming vocal players. Four West African countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, and Benin—all called on the United States to cut the $1–3 billion it spends each year subsidizing American cotton growers. “The rich countries have a choice,” says Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni, “either let Africa have real access to your markets for products, especially agriculture, or acknowledge that you prefer to keep us dependent on your handouts.”

United State is in the forefront of free market promoters yet spends the highest amount of subsidy on farmers that any other country on earth. In fact, after introducing reforms to reduce subsidies in 1996, the United States has since increased its level of protectionism. The 2002 farm bill further increased federal subsidies—to some farmers by more than 80 percent. Across the Atlantic, France, Spain, Ireland, and Portugal have resisted changes to the European Union’s broad agreement on farmer payments, known as the common agricultural policy (CAP).

Agriculture and fisheries subsidies receive over 40% of European Union budget. As the EU budget is around €120 billion, this means that €48 billion is spent on these subsidies, or about 0.3% of the entire EU's GDP. Since 1992, the EU's Common Agricultural Policy has undergone major change as subsidies have been decoupled from production. About €30 billion is spent as direct support for farmers (the Single Farm Payment). The next major reform of the CAP is scheduled to run from 2013. The OECD estimates that EU market price supports in 2002 exceeded $57 billion. EU producer support costs (in cluding subsidies, tariffs, and other protectionist measures) in 2002 came to over $100 billion, compared to about $40 billion for the United States. Oxfam recently estimated that British taxpayers alone pay £3.9 billion ($7 billion) per year to maintain the CAP.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture paid out over $12 billion in subsidies in 2002. The OECD estimates that the cost of U.S. market price supports for agricultural products—which include tariffs, quotas,and price guarantees—amounted to over $15 billion in 2002.

Currently, the United States pays around $20 billion per year to farmers in direct subsidies as "farm income stabilization" via U.S. farm bills. These bills date back to the economic turmoil of the Great Depression with 1922 Grain Futures Act, the 1929 Agricultural Marketing Act and the 1933 Agricultural Adjustment Act creating a tradition of government support.

For every dollar U.S. farmers earn, 62 cents comes from some form of government, with total aid in 2009 from all levels of government adding up to $180.8 billion.

Top states for direct farm subsidies in US include Iowa ($501 million), Illinois ($454 million), and Texas ($397 million). Direct payments of subsidies are limited to $40,000 per person or $80,000 per couple.

America operates the highest Agricultural protectionism the world has ever known. In the 2002, Farm Bill for every bushel of wheat sold farmers were paid an extra 52 cents and guaranteed a price of 3.86 from 2002–03 and 3.92 from 2004–2007. That is, if the price of wheat in 2002 was 3.80 farmers would get an extra 58 cents per bushel (52 cents plus the $0.06 price difference).

Corn is the top crop for subsidy payments. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandates that billions of gallons of ethanol be blended into vehicle fuel each year, guaranteeing demand, but US corn ethanol subsidies are between $5.5 billion and $7.3 billion per year. Producers also benefit from a federal subsidy of 51 cents per gallon, additional state subsidies, and federal crop subsidies that can bring the total to 85 cents per gallon or more.
This is the type of Market Africa farmers with local equipment, no protectionism and few bucks tend to face if they are to compete in the global stage.

When the first Japanese attempt to export passenger cars failed, free-market economists argued that this is what happens when a country, whose biggest export item is silk, tries to defy the law of comparative advantage and export things like automobiles. Japan’s nominal tariff rate on automobile imports was 35.9 per cent just to promote their industry - this was govt. intervention and this is how you promote industries. Today take a look at Japan cars.

We have foolishly opened our market to dumping in the name of free trade competition . . This is why Africans can only export raw material

Katsumoto:

I agree with you that Nigerians are largely ignorant but the same can be said of people living in developed countries. ?

That being said, the problem is with Nigerians. Our cultural values are flawed. We place too much emphasis on material possessions and too little on living and enjoying life. There are many well to do people in Nigeria but how many are cultured? How come our artists (cultural arts) are poor? How come our writers are poor? How is it that Nigerians mainly visit US, UK, Dubai, Italy and other shopping destinations? Why don't we have many Nigerians back-packing in Asia or Latin America? I understand that these questions can start another debate but they are connected to fundamental problems in Nigeria.

Frankly, That is the debate I'm waiting for. . .

I agree with you, except that I'm not so sure the flaw is inherently in the values, I think it's in the translation of those vales to the world we got ourselves thrust into.

EX: The European incursion into Africa, the almost sudden (in historical context) subjugation of our religious, philosophical and social belief systems and the lack of strong emotional connections to this new euro-centric one -its systems, its beliefs and philosophies- is IMO, at the root of our problems.

I'm not against foreign ideas and religion, But I think History and chance blindsided us, We (Nigerias/Africans ) lost ourselves in translation/transition.

@Kilode and @Yeswecan, I do not agree with your 'blame the west' arguments. India went through colonisation, same for Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. All these countries are ahead of us in all aspects of human endeavor. We need to take responsibility for our actions. It is our ignorance that has kept this nation in her pitiable situation. If our leaders are not coconut heads, they will not agree to every World Bank and IMF programme but push their own agurement, which I am sure IMF and World bank would have agreed to if it made sense. You can not criticize another person’s suggestion if you can not offer anything better. So, I still maintain that ignorance is our major problem. Coruption is a problem, but it is only an effect of a bigger problem of ignorance.

Kilode?!:

Frankly, That is the debate I'm waiting for. . .

I agree with you, except that I'm not so sure the flaw is inherently in the values, I think it's in the translation of those vales to the world we got ourselves thrust into.

EX: The European incursion into Africa, the almost sudden (in historical context) subjugation of our religious, philosophical and social belief systems and the lack of strong emotional connections to this new euro-centric one -its systems, its beliefs and philosophies- is IMO, at the root of our problems.

I'm not against foreign ideas and religion, But I think History and chance blindsided us, We (Nigerias/Africans ) lost ourselves in translation/transition.

Succinct, poignant, incisive, comprehensive and absolutely correct!

5 Gbozas for you

May the more than 400 Irunmoles inhabiting the four corners of this world continue to increase your knowledge

Wao! Ten pages and Nigerians are still looking for the elephant in the room!  

The man was RIGHT.  

What can you achieve in life without DETERMINATION?  

What CAN'T you achieve in life without DETERMINATION?  

In Nigeria, tribalism obfuscates the search for truth.

Fear and hate is Nigeria's biggest problem.

Corruption is an effect not a cause!  

Think and embrace the facts.

Let me state that I completely agree with the assessment of Mr. Onno  Ruhl, the World Bank’s Country Director in Nigeria who stated: “I Don’t think it (corruption) is Nigeria ’s problem. I think corruption is important but I really don’t think it is the only thing or may be not the decisive thing” . How could anyone disagree with the statement. Many who are arguing that corruption is or is not the bane of Nigeria did not read the OP’s initial post and are probably responding to the deceptive title of the thread.

Now, you people have succeeded in identifying some causes of our backwardness including the items below:

[list]

[li]An inappropriate system of government. (democracy cannot work where over 50million electorates cannot read or write. 1bad of rice = 50votes e.t.c)[/li]
[li]Corruption[/li]
[li]Ignorance due to lack of basis education of the masses[/li]
[li]Flawed cultural values[/li]
[li]Brain drain – Most of our intellectuals are abroad[/li]
[li]Oil curse[/li]
[li]Foreign Intervention [/li]
[li]Lack of Determination [/li]
[li]Unpatriotic Citizens[/li]
[li][s]Nigeria not copying the Igbo spirit and trying to suppress it.(courtesy onye ara Onlytruth)[/s][/li] [/list]

Incredible value would be added to this thread, if our highly esteemed forumites who by definition are brighter and more intelligent than their ruler, or so they claim, proposed practical solutions to the said items.

Take you pick and lets hear your solutions.

Posted by: ndu_chucks

Let me state that I completely agree with the assessment of Mr. Onno  Ruhl, the World Bank’s Country Director in Nigeria who stated: “I Don’t think it (corruption) is Nigeria ’s problem. I think corruption is important but I really don’t think it is the only thing or may be not the decisive thing” . How could anyone disagree with the statement. Many who are arguing that corruption is or is not the bane of Nigeria did not read the OP’s initial post and are probably responding to the deceptive title of the thread.

Now, you people have succeeded in identifying some causes of our backwardness including the items below:

    * An inappropriate system of government. (democracy cannot work where over 50million electorates cannot read or write. 1bad of rice = 50votes e.t.c)
    * Corruption
    * Ignorance due to lack of basis education of the masses
    * Flawed cultural values
    * Brain drain – Most of our intellectuals are abroad
    * Oil curse
    * Foreign Intervention
    * Lack of Determination
    * Unpatriotic Citizens
    * Nigeria not copying the Igbo spirit and trying to suppress it.(courtesy onye ara Onlytruth) 


Incredible value would be added to this thread, if our highly esteemed forumites who by definition are brighter and more intelligent than their ruler, or so they claim, proposed practical solutions to the said items.

Take you pick and lets hear your solutions.

hehehe! lmao! 

So what is YOUR pick? 

passyjango:

@Kilode and @Yeswecan, I do not agree with your 'blame the west' arguments. India went through colonisation, same for Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. All these countries are ahead of us in all aspects of human endeavor. We need to take responsibility for our actions. It is our ignorance that has kept this nation in her pitiable situation. If our leaders are not coconut heads, they will not agree to every World Bank and IMF programme but push their own agurement, which I am sure IMF and World bank would have agreed to if it made sense. You can not criticize another person’s suggestion if you can not offer anything better. So, I still maintain that ignorance is our major problem. Coruption is a problem, but it is only an effect of a bigger problem of ignorance.

You are right about ignorance.

I don't do "blame the west" arguements of the type I think you are referring to.

For example, I don't blame the west for seeking an expansion, I do not blame the west for seeking cheap resources, I do not blame the west for spreading their ideas and their religion, I do not blame the west for negotiating in their own interests. I will probably do the same. That was not a "blame the west" post, it is an "Africa shine your eye" post

I'm not blaming the victims either, This is not a blame game scenario, that is too simple for me.

I essentially gave my thoughts on the reasons why we seem so far back and disconnected from the principles that drives the world we inhabit.

We have little to do with the production and development of the ideas and processes that we currently use, we lack that philosophical and emotional connection to them, not because we lack emotions or good philosophies [I believe we have them in ample supplies] but because we are not leveraging them.

Western democracy, Western capitalism, Western human right laws, Magna carta, Due process, representative governance, even the languages we speak. all these principles and more are based on imported western, philosophical thoughts. We had to learn them, translate them then try to practice them within the context of African society.

I believe all that placed us at a disadvantage, We could have developed ours, even evolve new ones, because I believe we had parallel ideas, we still do. EX: in Nigeria we will easily kill N20 thieves in our marketplaces probably because we are repulsed by their act, but we seem clueless or reluctant to deal with those who steal Billions from public government accounts. We even praise and hail them as our sons and daughters.

Do I blame the west for all that? heck no? I don't even blame our ancestors for it. They did what they could. it is what it is, poo happens. The question is what are we going to do?

Now, You mentioned India, Malaysia and Singapore, I'm glad you used those examples, what languages do they speak? What are their national cultures like? I will put india and Malaysia on the same scale and separate Singapore.

I'll skim the surface;

India: No national language, but they have a national culture. Despite their colonial history, we cannot ignore the impact of Hindi culture and Indian philosophy on their Country. From the Indian caste system to their own unique brand of parliamentary democracy, to their high usage of Hindi language, -for primary educational instruction to daily communication- Despite the presence of various languages and sub cultures, India can be called a country with a national culture.

Look at Gandhi's history, he read Thoreau alright, But his principle of peaceful civil disobedience borrowed heavily from the hagavad-Gita and some of the sacred Hindu Upanishads, that was his chief anchor, His satyagraha was based on the Ahimsa principle's of his Indian culture and religion. He influenced Martin Luther King, he eventually influenced Nelson Mandela. Did Ghandi borrow, yes, a bit, but it was based ultimately on his cultural and religious beliefs and he changed the world and liberated his people.

Like Nigeria, they assimilated a lot of British processes, but you cannot compare the depth of their cultural usage and the impact of their culture and philosophies on governance to what we have in Nigeria, not because we lack culture, but because we failed to translate it better to the institutions we got from the British. Nigeria is better than a lot of other African countries in this regard. But we are far behind other nations and this is killing us, we lack the emotional connection to the ideas that drives the world we were forced into. The Indian example is one reason I have a love-hate relationship with Nollywood, I don't like the quality but I like the cultural significance [another topic].

Malaysia: Speaks mainly Malay, they gave themselves a national culture policy in the 70's. It was a deliberate attempt to create that connection I'm speaking of, I may not agree with their subjugation of smaller cultures and languages, but it made their lives easier, they even retained their "king" to boot, albeit ceremoniously. Check the British too. That connection and translation of ideas into familiar cultures and philosophy that we can emotionally connect to is very necessary if we want to address our problems in Nigeria.

Singapore: Glad you brought it up. An interesting example, a mix bag of cultures, Foreigners make up about 40-42% of Singapore's population. You cannot compare their history and circumstances to our's at all. I think Singapore is referred to as the most globalized country in the world. it is a prime candidate for assimilation, and successfully borrowed philosophies.

I read that two out of every three people in Singapore is not Singaporean LOL. . . Nigeria is not at that stage yet.  Malaysian Chinese, Indians, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Indonesians, Australians, Americans, Europeans, they have it all, we do not.

We can't compare Singapore to us in the context I'm speaking of. The national language is English and it better be. The culture thing will not affect them like i believe it affects Nigeria because they have completed the cycle, It's a global culture country. Singapore is a market, not a "home"


Now, note that none of these countries are in the G8, it is not a mistake. I believe it is hard for a country that depends too much on borrowed philosophies with little emotional connection to their own ideas to attain that level, It takes more than brains, guns and geography. History cheated us, we need to correct it, that is one reason I will vote for a Cultural revolution and it does not have to be bloody.

maybe [img]http://2.s07.flagcounter.com/count/DymW/bg=ffffff/txt=ffffff/border=ffffff/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/[/img]
[img]http://s07.flagcounter.com/count/DymW/bg=ffffff/txt=ffffff/border=ffffff/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/[/img]

Kilode?!:

You are right about ignorance.

I don't do "blame the west" arguements of the type I think you are referring to.

For example, I don't blame the west for seeking an expansion, I do not blame the west for seeking cheap resources, I do not blame the west for spreading their ideas and their religion, I do not blame the west for negotiating in their own interests. I will probably do the same. That was not a "blame the west" post, it is an "Africa shine your eye" post

I'm not blaming the victims either, This is not a blame game scenario, that is too simple for me.

I essentially gave my thoughts on the reasons why we seem so far back and disconnected from the principles that drives the world we inhabit.

We have little to do with the production and development of the ideas and processes that we currently use, we lack that philosophical and emotional connection to them, not because we lack emotions or good philosophies [I believe we have them in ample supplies] but because we are not leveraging them.

Western democracy, Western capitalism, Western human right laws, Magna carta, Due process, representative governance, even the languages we speak. all these principles and more are based on imported western, philosophical thoughts. We had to learn them, translate them then try to practice them within the context of African society.

I believe all that placed us at a disadvantage, We could have developed ours, even evolve new ones, because I believe we had parallel ideas, we still do. EX: in Nigeria we will easily kill N20 thieves in our marketplaces probably because we are repulsed by their act, but we seem clueless or reluctant to deal with those who steal Billions from public government accounts. We even praise and hail them as our sons and daughters.

Do I blame the west for all that? heck no? I don't even blame our ancestors for it. They did what they could. it is what it is, poo happens. The question is what are we going to do?

Now, You mentioned India, Malaysia and Singapore, I'm glad you used those examples, what languages do they speak? What are their national cultures like? I will put india and Malaysia on the same scale and separate Singapore.

I'll skim the surface;

India: No national language, but they have a national culture. Despite their colonial history, we cannot ignore the impact of Hindi culture and Indian philosophy on their Country. From the Indian caste system to their own unique brand of parliamentary democracy, to their high usage of Hindi language, -for primary educational instruction to daily communication- Despite the presence of various languages and sub cultures, India can be called a country with a national culture.

Look at Gandhi's history, he read Thoreau alright, But his principle of peaceful civil disobedience borrowed heavily from the hagavad-Gita and some of the sacred Hindu Upanishads, that was his chief anchor, His satyagraha was based on the Ahimsa principle's of his Indian culture and religion. He influenced Martin Luther King, he eventually influenced Nelson Mandela. Did Ghandi borrow, yes, a bit, but it was based ultimately on his cultural and religious beliefs and he changed the world and liberated his people.

Like Nigeria, they assimilated a lot of British processes, but you cannot compare the depth of their cultural usage and the impact of their culture and philosophies on governance to what we have in Nigeria, not because we lack culture, but because we failed to translate it better to the institutions we got from the British. Nigeria is better than a lot of other African countries in this regard. But we are far behind other nations and this is killing us, we lack the emotional connection to the ideas that drives the world we were forced into. The Indian example is one reason I have a love-hate relationship with Nollywood, I don't like the quality but I like the cultural significance [another topic].

Malaysia: Speaks mainly Malay, they gave themselves a national culture policy in the 70's. It was a deliberate attempt to create that connection I'm speaking of, I may not agree with their subjugation of smaller cultures and languages, but it made their lives easier, they even retained their "king" to boot, albeit ceremoniously. Check the British too. That connection and translation of ideas into familiar cultures and philosophy that we can emotionally connect to is very necessary if we want to address our problems in Nigeria.

Singapore: Glad you brought it up. An interesting example, a mix bag of cultures, Foreigners make up about 40-42% of Singapore's population. You cannot compare their history and circumstances to our's at all. I think Singapore is referred to as the most globalized country in the world. it is a prime candidate for assimilation, and successfully borrowed philosophies.

I read that two out of every three people in Singapore is not Singaporean LOL. . . Nigeria is not at that stage yet. Malaysian Chinese, Indians, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Indonesians, Australians, Americans, Europeans, they have it all, we do not.

We can't compare Singapore to us in the context I'm speaking of. The national language is English and it better be. The culture thing will not affect them like i believe it affects Nigeria because they have completed the cycle, It's a global culture country. Singapore is a market, not a "home"


Now, note that none of these countries are in the G8, it is not a mistake. I believe it is hard for a country that depends too much on borrowed philosophies with little emotional connection to their own ideas to attain that level, It takes more than brains, guns and geography. History cheated us, we need to correct it, that is one reason I will vote for a Cultural revolution and it does not have to be bloody.

[Topic kinda drained me ]

Thank you. You too much

Kilode?!:

You are right about ignorance.

I don't do "blame the west" arguements of the type I think you are referring to.

For example, I don't blame the west for seeking an expansion, I do not blame the west for seeking cheap resources, I do not blame the west for spreading their ideas and their religion, I do not blame the west for negotiating in their own interests. I will probably do the same. That was not a "blame the west" post, it is an "Africa shine your eye" post

I'm not blaming the victims either, This is not a blame game scenario, that is too simple for me.

I essentially gave my thoughts on the reasons why we seem so far back and disconnected from the principles that drives the world we inhabit.

We have little to do with the production and development of the ideas and processes that we currently use, we lack that philosophical and emotional connection to them, not because we lack emotions or good philosophies [I believe we have them in ample supplies] but because we are not leveraging them.

Western democracy, Western capitalism, Western human right laws, Magna carta, Due process, representative governance, even the languages we speak. all these principles and more are based on imported western, philosophical thoughts. We had to learn them, translate them then try to practice them within the context of African society.

I believe all that placed us at a disadvantage, We could have developed ours, even evolve new ones, because I believe we had parallel ideas, we still do. EX: in Nigeria we will easily kill N20 thieves in our marketplaces probably because we are repulsed by their act, but we seem clueless or reluctant to deal with those who steal Billions from public government accounts. We even praise and hail them as our sons and daughters.

Do I blame the west for all that? heck no? I don't even blame our ancestors for it. They did what they could. it is what it is, poo happens. The question is what are we going to do?

Now, You mentioned India, Malaysia and Singapore, I'm glad you used those examples, what languages do they speak? What are their national cultures like? I will put india and Malaysia on the same scale and separate Singapore.

I'll skim the surface;

India: No national language, but they have a national culture. Despite their colonial history, we cannot ignore the impact of Hindi culture and Indian philosophy on their Country. From the Indian caste system to their own unique brand of parliamentary democracy, to their high usage of Hindi language, -for primary educational instruction to daily communication- Despite the presence of various languages and sub cultures, India can be called a country with a national culture.

Look at Gandhi's history, he read Thoreau alright, But his principle of peaceful civil disobedience borrowed heavily from the hagavad-Gita and some of the sacred Hindu Upanishads, that was his chief anchor, His satyagraha was based on the Ahimsa principle's of his Indian culture and religion. He influenced Martin Luther King, he eventually influenced Nelson Mandela. Did Ghandi borrow, yes, a bit, but it was based ultimately on his cultural and religious beliefs and he changed the world and liberated his people.

Like Nigeria, they assimilated a lot of British processes, but you cannot compare the depth of their cultural usage and the impact of their culture and philosophies on governance to what we have in Nigeria, not because we lack culture, but because we failed to translate it better to the institutions we got from the British. Nigeria is better than a lot of other African countries in this regard. But we are far behind other nations and this is killing us, we lack the emotional connection to the ideas that drives the world we were forced into. The Indian example is one reason I have a love-hate relationship with Nollywood, I don't like the quality but I like the cultural significance [another topic].

Malaysia: Speaks mainly Malay, they gave themselves a national culture policy in the 70's. It was a deliberate attempt to create that connection I'm speaking of, I may not agree with their subjugation of smaller cultures and languages, but it made their lives easier, they even retained their "king" to boot, albeit ceremoniously. Check the British too. That connection and translation of ideas into familiar cultures and philosophy that we can emotionally connect to is very necessary if we want to address our problems in Nigeria.

Singapore: Glad you brought it up. An interesting example, a mix bag of cultures, Foreigners make up about 40-42% of Singapore's population. You cannot compare their history and circumstances to our's at all. I think Singapore is referred to as the most globalized country in the world. it is a prime candidate for assimilation, and successfully borrowed philosophies.

I read that two out of every three people in Singapore is not Singaporean LOL. . . Nigeria is not at that stage yet.  Malaysian Chinese, Indians, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Indonesians, Australians, Americans, Europeans, they have it all, we do not.

We can't compare Singapore to us in the context I'm speaking of. The national language is English and it better be. The culture thing will not affect them like i believe it affects Nigeria because they have completed the cycle, It's a global culture country. Singapore is a market, not a "home"


Now, note that none of these countries are in the G8, it is not a mistake. I believe it is hard for a country that depends too much on borrowed philosophies with little emotional connection to their own ideas to attain that level, It takes more than brains, guns and geography. History cheated us, we need to correct it, that is one reason I will vote for a Cultural revolution and it does not have to be bloody.

[Topic kinda drained me ]  

Now I think you are the smartest person on NL.  [size=4pt]prolly second to the one and only, Aare becomrichn, your mentor[/size]

Glad we see things the same way.

But your in-depth knowledge and creativity shone through this write-up

Your best essay yet on this ever evolving topic!

I am still waiting for proposals and/or solutions to the problems that are responsible for our backwardness, as stated by posters.

@Kilode?! I like your last post, but it comes short of providing solutions to the issues below, just like Chicago bears will come short on Sunday:

* An inappropriate system of government. (democracy cannot work where over 50million electorates cannot read or write. 1bad of rice = 50votes e.t.c)
* Corruption
* Ignorance due to lack of basis education of the masses
* Flawed cultural values
* Brain drain – Most of our intellectuals are abroad
* Oil curse
* Foreign Intervention
* Lack of Determination
* Unpatriotic Citizens

Your comments are anticipated.

The solutions of the problems are in the problems themselves. For example ignorance can be solved first through enlightenment. Nigerians need to be made to appreciate the importance of education and scholarship. Today money means everything. Through enlightenment Nigerians must be thought that money does not solve problems, people do. Money is only a tool and even the best tool still needs a skilled craftsman who knows how to use it.

Then there should be massive investment in education with focus on equipping students. Students and their welfare should be the focal point of the new education system. We must define a minimum standard of what a school should be. A building or compound without laboratories, workshops, libraries, sports facilities, and well educated and motivated teachers cannot be called a school in the new Nigeria.

The curriculum should also be changed to encourage reasoning and thinking so as to produce intelligent citizens. Today our education involves a lot of memorisation. Most of the people we claim to be intelligent in our current education system are not actually intelligent. They just have good memory and hence memorise the lectures and write it down in the exam for good grades. However, good memory is not intelligence, if so computers would have been said to be intelligent. Like the computer, most Nigerians memorise knowledge, but lack the thinking faculty to make use of it. Intelligence is the ability to use knowledge stored in memory to solve everyday problems.

So we need an education system that will teach Nigerians how to effectively use their brains. Teaching should be discussion based, so that students will start using their thinking faculty at an early age. Our current education system locks our thinking faculty by encouraging cramming. All you need to pass exams in Nigeria today is to cram. That is also why it is easy for people to cheat and why we produce graduates who do not know their left from their right.

However, for all these to happen we must restore federalism in Nigeria as for me that is the short term solution. Let every state develop at its own pace rather than stunting the growth of others. It is foolish for anyone to think that he can sit in Abuja and solve the problem of education in Nigeria. The problem of education may not be the same for every state, so states should be allowed to analyse their unique situations and implement home grown policies.

fstranger1:


Now I think you are the smartest person on NL.  [size=4pt]prolly second to the one and only, Aare becomrichn, your mentor[/size]

Glad we see things the same way.

But your in-depth knowledge and creativity shone through this write-up

Your best essay yet on this ever evolving topic!

Lol funny guy.


Nah there are too many smart people here, have you read PhysicsQED and Katsumoto? Or pastorAIO and one deepsometing guy? Of course I give it to Bashorun Becomrich he's outta this world, I'm not even close to those people, I be small boy o.

passyjango:

@Kilode and @Yeswecan, I do not agree with your 'blame the west' arguments. India went through colonisation, same for Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. All these countries are ahead of us in all aspects of human endeavor. We need to take responsibility for our actions. It is our ignorance that has kept this nation in her pitiable situation. If our leaders are not coconut heads, they will not agree to every World Bank and IMF programme but push their own agurement, which I am sure IMF and World bank would have agreed to if it made sense. You can not criticize another person’s suggestion if you can not offer anything better. So, I still maintain that ignorance is our major problem. Coruption is a problem, but it is only an effect of a bigger problem of ignorance.

I wasn't playing the blame game- my point was to explain how western led-Africa policies was inimical to our growth hence we need to stop looking up to anyone be it IMF/ World bank or the entire west . To support this point i explained how the west and IMF created huge problems for us in the pretext of making us better. My point further explains why we have to follow an independent patter of development.

Economic is like warfare, a zero sum / selfish game . One should not expect another to teach him the tricks or show him the path - it is never that way hence we should debate the market rhetorics of the west like free market which obviously is not to our favor. One will always mantra free market is he prevails in the order.

ndu_chucks:

I am still waiting for proposals and/or solutions to the problems that are responsible for our backwardness, as stated by posters.

@Kilode?! I like your last post, but it comes short of providing solutions to the issues below, just like Chicago bears will come short on Sunday:  

* An inappropriate system of government. (democracy cannot work where over 50million electorates cannot read or write. 1bad of rice = 50votes e.t.c)
   * Corruption
   * Ignorance due to lack of basis education of the masses
   * Flawed cultural values
   * Brain drain – Most of our intellectuals are abroad
   * Oil curse
   * Foreign Intervention
   * Lack of Determination
   * Unpatriotic Citizens

Your comments are anticipated.

I know it fell short, though I recommended a Cultural Revolution,

Seriously, I cannot provide solutions to all of those specific issues, I believe experts in those areas will have to do that. But, I think each solution will need to address the issue of culture, national identity and collective national ideology, everything cannot be reduced to mathematical theorems, Maybe it can

Don't we have homegrown ideas rooted in African philosophies that can address the issues of resource control or revenue sharing? Public corruption and Education? Punishment and due process, I believe we do.

On corruption: I will refer to an idea expressed my Prof Sophie Oluwole of The University of Ibadan or Lagos I think?, I read and saved this from the Nigerian Guardian papers few years ago, I cannot get a web-link right now;

"In African tradition when you steal and you are identified, you will be punished because you’ve done something wrong and we believe that the act would even prevent our ancestors from being interested in our affairs and also to make it a deterrent, But when oyinbo man came they started looking for scientific proof, the suspect will go to court and the complainant will be asked to prove it "beyond reasonable doubt". But in the original African culture we taught our children that that when you steal, even without anybody seeing you, you will be punished by the gods and it became a part of our system. But when the oyinbo people came, they told our people that, "Sango cannot kill you, you can continue to sin. Just say in the name of Jesus your sins are forgiven. "Why will a society not be corrupt? Especially when it’s not used to such graces!"  -Sophie Oluwole is a retired professor of African philosophy [Italics, my emphasis]

Will that solve our problem? can we find solutions based on our culture and the our worldview? or is she just a crazy old professor? I don't think she's crazy.



Packers have nothing on the Bears but I don't know too much about American football so go figure

@Kilode?

I do not know how possible your cultural revolution would be . Remember we are in a highly mixed nation that can not be characterized as one in any context be it language, religion or ethnicity. I know hybridity to be a problem but i doubt if it is as profound as you suggest.

ndu_chucks:

I am still waiting for proposals and/or solutions to the problems that are responsible for our backwardness, as stated by posters.

@Kilode?! I like your last post, but it comes short of providing solutions to the issues below, just like Chicago bears will come short on Sunday:  

* An inappropriate system of government. (democracy cannot work where over 50million electorates cannot read or write. 1bad of rice = 50votes e.t.c)
   * Corruption
   * Ignorance due to lack of basis education of the masses
   * Flawed cultural values
   * Brain drain – Most of our intellectuals are abroad
   * Oil curse
   * Foreign Intervention
   * Lack of Determination
   * Unpatriotic Citizens

Your comments are anticipated.

All of the reasons you listed are linked to corruption. For instance, brain drain of experts and the non- returning of western trained Nigerians is linked with corruption. A lot of Indians, Chinese, and arabian students return home after study in the West. Foreign intervention is linked to corruption. The West seeks to obtain material resources at cheap prices. The latest suitor in Africa is China. Oil curse is heavily linked to corruption. If I can steal what is readily available, why do I need to be innovative so that i can steal later on? Unitary system of government encourages corruption.

Solutions (Assuming visionary and well-meaning leadership)

Short Term
1. Re-introduction of WAI
2. Appointment of corruption CZAR
3. Place the onus on government officials (past and present) to proof income when it is obvious they are living above their means
4. Seize the assets of all corrupt govt. officials and their cronies and fronts
5. Short jail sentences for all corrupt officials; they shouldn't have to feed of our resources. This has the added advantage punishing them as no rich man wants to be poor. It also serves as a deterrent for those that think about stealing in the future. No condition is permanent; you may steal today when you 40 but someone else may come to power when you are 75, who seizes your assets living you to live out the rest of your years in penury
6. Sign extradition treaties with all countries so that all Nigerian looters together with their foreign assets can be repatriated home

Mid-term
1. A SNC. This is mid-term because you can not use the current leadership in the NASS for this; they are far too corrupt. At the SNC, let us discuss once and for all, how we are to come together. The original unification was done by the British. This time let us agree to stay together and on what basis or separate.
2. Nigeria must become a secular country like France or Turkey. There is no room for religious intolerance; there should be jail time for all wann be zealots
3. Develop the police force by gradually weeding out illetrate policemen and those with multiple wives and children. A policeman with more than 2 kids is going to be corrupt. The new police force should be empowered and incentivised. The policeman should be one of the best paid civil servant.
4. Develop a pension fund for all civil servant

Long term
1. Introduction of Social studies, African history, government into curriculum in primary schools. The children should be taught patriotism. These subjects will have the same weighting as other major subjects
2. Every Nigerian child in primary school must learn another Nigerian language and one foreign language. For example, a yoruba boy must choose another Nigerian language other than Yoruba as well as a foreign language.
3. Encourage children to learn trades; there must be less emphasis on formal education. Not everyone has the ability or wants to succeed in university but the society has caused this problem.
4. Hiring credible Nigerians and expatriates alike to form the nucleus of faculty in universities and secondary schools.
5. Government should make provisions for each child to complete secondary education and fund a selection of public universities in every region.
6. Abolish quota system if unitary form of government remains

Some of the ideas are dependent on system of government adopted but can be easily adopted in each region or constituency. For instance, there should be no states that are 100% dependent on the federal government. Such states should be merged with bigger and more sustainable states. There are other ideas I have but I leave you with these for now. Apologies for any typos