Since the advent of the Russian-Ukrainian war, a lot of things have become apparent to me about the Nigerian mindset using nairaland as a case study. And I believe it has become pertinent to address this growing monster before it gets out of hand.

The first issue is ignorance.
The internet is a highly resourceful platform with predatory and authentic articles depending on your research skills.
A lot of nairaland users have displayed a wide array of ignorance in terms of history, politics, and foreign policy.
Eg. Ukrainian and Russians are the same people, they were not. Ukrainians are Kyivan Rus. “The newly acquired Ruthenian lands, including the proverbial “mother of all the Rus cities” Kyiv, had initially no symbolical value for Muscovites, and their rulers considered, quite seriously, the possibility of exchanging them for rather more attractive landholdings (Kohut, 2011, 305). https://dl1.cuni.cz/pluginfile.php/438220/mod_resource/content/1/Ukrainians%20as%20Russias%20negative%20‘other’%20History%20comes%20full%20circle.pdf

For those who will to purge themselves from this ignorance.
In addition, it’s been expressed repeatedly on this platform that sovereignty is meaningless in the Ukrainian context and it begs the question are they neofascists? Only one wouldn’t understand what sovereignty and statehood imply.

Ukraine is a democracy. It’s is anti-democratic for self proclaimed pro-democrats to wish a president to go against the will of his people. They have a legislative arm that would have subverted the presidency if they weren’t in tandem with him. The military could have staged a coup as well.

Users of this platform have to acquaint themselves with the ideology of self-determination. Ukrainians have pursued this since the 18th century. They have always bled for this.

Russia as a big brother is a farce. The simple answer to this is holodomor. Look this up.

Foreign policy: Every country reserves the right to set its foreign policy and align with nations that support it. Ukraine believes the west respects it foreign policy and chooses to have stronger diplomatic ties with them, it is their prerogative.
People wishing them evil for this choice is the height of wickedness and it disappoints me that I’ve read the vilest of things on this platform.

The Ukrainian President started the war. Ukraine has never expressed interest to invade Russia. (Unlike North Korea that threatens its neighbors and the world), Neither has Poland or other NATO countries. They only wish to defend their territory. The epoch of the USSR was horrible, to put it mildly for the concerned nations, one they’ll forever abhor.
For those who don’t see the benefits that NATO and the EU offers their members, read up on ASEAN. There was a coup in Myanmar with mindless killing of civilians last year. China as the leader of the organization stood by and watched.

The second issue is the ignorant anti-west campaign.
This is a rudderless quest coming from native English speakers/colonies.
We are western by history, colonization, and association. The foundation of our modern civilization is formed by its pillars. Our system of government, alphabets, certificates, everything, is western. A simple way to put it, your alphabets determine your faction.

It’s sad that people’s mischief have no limits in this day and age. In 2020, the Nigerian government carried out inhumane crimes against its protesting citizens, several Nigerians begged leaders of the free world to intervene. There were also mindless killings of an Islamic sect and IPOB. At this point, I’m glad no one came to our aid, because history would have remembered it as how Americans invaded Nigeria because of oil. Libyans wanted a regime change, Venezuelans wanted the same but for Trump that held back. Taliban is supported and praised today, I urge everyone to read Malala Yousafzai’s ordeal with the Taliban.

The West isn’t perfect but they stand true to their foreign policy of human rights. Hence their calculated interference wherever this infringement occurs. Having been the oppressor themselves they recognize why everyone should have the chance to dream and live not just exist. The East has highly segregated and marginalized societies to the extent that castes still exist in some places.

This been said, I’ll like to highlight a couple of reasons we can’t do without the west.

History: through the regrettable events of the slave trade, blacks found themselves in a foreign land, but ever since, they have increasingly laid claim to the land as their own. Hence the term black Americans. You would not find this expression in eastern countries.

Careers: many blacks have risen to hold sway at leadership in western nations to the point of becoming the president of one. You’ll never find this in eastern countries.

Education: our citizens easily find schools and white-collar jobs in western countries due to our integrated educational system. Nigerians write SAT, USMLE, PLAB, NCLEX, ISLET, etc.

Anti-racism: the struggle is still on but it is recognized, frowned upon and there is an active sense of inclusiveness in the west that is not found in the east.

Entertainment: our musicians sell-out O2 arena, Maddison square, etc easterners are not fans of African music. Maybe due to comprehension. African actors rank as A list in the west and our movies also make it big on western rental and stream platforms.

Business: google ads, Facebook ads, etc get your business to places your feet may never touch. Also, Paystack founders are multimillionaires today thanks to the west.

Sports: From Serena and Venus William to the black boys in shorts in Italy. Nigerians as well as Africans have always had a place in the western sports industry.

Health: the HIV and TB campaign in Africa is spearheaded by the west. Same as vaccination. There’s so much to write on this but please do your findings.

The list goes on and on.

Seun, I ask this, nairaland needs to add a verification tag to its members. This should be based on people who use the platform as it should and have supported and upheld the rights and the provision availed them and others on the platform in a respectful manner.

People should also have badges(filters) attached to their alias based on their level of expertise, especially on issues of economy and politics. These badges will make some readers and others contributors to certain topics as set by the thread’s poster. An expert informed opinion should lead to some fact-finding or sensitive discourses and not arbitrariness, sentiments, and sycophancy. Visitors of this platform should leave more informed than misinformed. These badges are not tied to academic qualifications only but to posters/posts that have distinguished themselves in time past in terms of content and thought process. Put your moderators to work.

Of course, this suggestion can be fine-tuned.

Nairaland is stifled with mediocrity and has become a den for ill-bred ignorant chauvinists that have replaced knowledge with arrogance.

Use your platform as an instrument of change, for the sane Nigeria we desire. It is your moral obligation to do something about this.
@Seun

I feel this platform has become and liability this Nigeria as a nation and religion of Christianity as a whole.

Seun should shut down this platform if he can't moderate it properly because dangerous elements have taken over this forum and are using it to drive their narratives

Simple and aptly put...

Your view .....

Trash go Ukraine and join her army fight Russia. Also if you think Nairaland is not doing well because the owner not banned those who criticize Ukraine create your own forum.

You are just talking nonsense with emotion without knowing the genesis of the war even many world leaders still studying what lead to the war but here you are concluded that Russia is wicked.

Esama:
Trash go Ukraine and join her army fight Russia. Also if you think Nairaland is not doing well because the owner not banned those who criticize Ukraine create your own forum.

You are just talking nonsense with emotion without knowing the genesis of the war even many world leaders still studying what lead to the war but here you are concluded that Russia is wicked.

He was only addressing the misinformation and ignorance going on around here...why was that too hard for you to understand?

Looks like you are the one talking nonsense tho...

Esama:
Trash go Ukraine and join her army fight Russia. Also if you think Nairaland is not doing well because the owner not banned those who criticize Ukraine create your own forum.

You are just talking nonsense with emotion without knowing the genesis of the war even many world leaders still studying what lead to the war but here you are concluded that Russia is wicked.

Lost in the wilderness

Go back and read carefully

It's just ironic that this same set of people that carry Ukraine matter for head care less about the insecurity in their own country.

It's a pity

Thrash post. Not even about nigeria security

Moral obligations
Moral obligation my asss. Nobody owes you stupid fvck anything. Your westerner fvckers want to Africans into a western fight that could become a world war.

Have you said anything about the war in nearby Cameroon that's been raging on for more than three years? Or have you made any comments about Tigrayans? Have made any moral obligations to Southern Kadunas that are being wiped out?

Stupid otelectual. You fvckers don't deserve to live. Subhuman. Better go and donate your whole blood. House niggeer