Most Nigerian Webmasters and Nigerians in general are not creative enough and lack ideas. Not just ideas, but innovative ideas and creativity.
When I say lack of innovative and creative ideas, I will like to use Seun, the owner of Nairaland as an example.
I read his interview here; http://www.cp-africa.com/2011/03/17/cpafrica-interview-interview-seun-osewa-founder-nairaland-2/ long time ago and i was highly disappointed towards the end of the interview when he was asked "Are you looking to outside investors to further scale the service? Why or why not?" and his answer was "not really"

Why should you say not really? If you were an American, by now, you will be thinking of how to put Nairaland on the stock exchange Yes! Stock Exchange. That means that you must bring at least 50 hands.
You don't know you got a great company.

Any business you start and only you still managed after many years without thinking bringing more hands, its means such person lack ideas and can be referred to as failure!

He was also asked "Do you intend to include other features, such as evolving Nairaland to become a social networking hub? Why or why not?" his answer was

,  You can’t beat Facebook. even if your website is perfect.   Social networks benefit from ‘network effects’, which means the bigger they are, the better the experience.  Facebook has grown so big that the only thing other social networks can do is die.  MySpace, Hi5, and even Google’s social network (Orkut), and Microsoft’s Live Spaces have been beaten and are still losing members every day.  If Google and Microsoft can’t beat them, I don’t think I should waste my time.

I was angry at the end of the interview because Seun see himself as someone that cannot make it there cos of lack of innovative ideas and creativity.

I will not say I am more creative, but i believe Facebook can be taken off the spot with innovative ideas that they don't offer. How did facebook got there? They brought in creativity and ideas that MySpace, Hi5, Google, Microsoft never have.

When I was in Secondary School, I discovered that the best and acceptable Definition of Economics till now is from Pro. C. Robbins which says “Economics is the science which studies human behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses"

Other Economist like Adam Smith did defined Economics, but that of Pro C. Robbins was widely accepted as the best definition.

Why was it accepted as the best definition?
What my Teacher told me is that, Prof. C. Robbins studied other definitions from Adam Smith and others and find what was not there. He picked the best point from their definitions and added what was not there and hup! His definition was widely accepted as the best definition till now.

What am trying to point out here is that Facebook is absolutely beatable with great ideas and creativity. Collection of ideas matters a lot. No one is a monopoly of knowledge.

No wonder why Seun does not add new features to Nairaland or redesign it after so many years and with the kind of traffics he is getting. He is so happy with the few dollars he is getting.

I remembered in the past when I was reading his profile, he said anyone who want to buy Nairaland must be ready to cough out 40 Billion Naira or there about. How do you expect one to invest such amount when you don't even want to attract investors?

I have to stop here and I hope you won't ban me.

Seun is the laid back type. He doesn't want to be richer than Zuckerberg.He's comfortable with what he has. So he wants to play safe.

Is a Forum a company?

If you are the owner of Nairaland - how will you make it to beat Facebook? You must be dreaming @OP

How can Seun re design NairaLand or add new features to it? You dont seem to really know much about what you are talking about.

Nairaland is created from a free software which Seun didnt lay claim to developing. So, how can he add new features to it when he is not the developer?

Abeg- talk something else or leave Seun alone.

werepeLeri:

Is a Forum a company?

If you are the owner of Nairaland - how will you make it to beat Facebook? You must be dreaming @OP

How can Seun re design NairaLand or add new features to it? You dont seem to really know much about what you are talking about.

Nairaland is created from a free software which Seun didnt lay claim to developing. So, how can he add new features to it when he is not the developer?

Abeg- talk something else or leave Seun alone.

Lemme ask you a simple question before i let it rain.

Are you a techie/coder/programmer/developer ?

werepeLeri:

Is a Forum a company?

If you are the owner of Nairaland - how will you make it to beat Facebook? You must be dreaming @OP

How can Seun re design NairaLand or add new features to it? You dont seem to really know much about what you are talking about.

Nairaland is created from a free software which Seun didnt lay claim to developing. So, how can he add new features to it when he is not the developer?

Abeg- talk something else or leave Seun alone.

Unlike slyr0x I don't give people the benefit of the doubt when they themselves are doubt personified.
You see the way you used to get inside here? Use that same way to get out. Coming back here is not an option for your myopic mind.

As for the rest of the thread. No comments.

Slyr0x:

Lemme ask you a simple question before i let it rain.

Are you a techie/coder/programmer/developer ?

That's the disadvantage we faced, of being a mod. You no fit freestyle anyhow

werepeLeri:

Is a Forum a company?

Nairaland is created from a free software which Seun didnt lay claim to developing. So, how can he add new features to it when he is not the developer?

Abeg- talk something else or leave Seun alone.

Forum could be a company depends on how you run and manage it.

Using a free software doesn't mean u are not allowed to customize the theme, My Problem with nairaland is that Seun should redesign the look and keep the feel.
Using a Free Software gives you the opportunity to

1) Create Plugins
2) Work with other developer
3) Focus more on template design.
4) Better Security(Depends on the software ohh)
and Many more.

And also i read the Blog.
Seun pls don't compare yourself with Mark.

My Question is if you were seun and you were offered 1M$ will you accept.

werepeLeri:

Is a Forum a company?

If you are the owner of Nairaland - how will you make it to beat Facebook? You must be dreaming @OP

How can Seun re design NairaLand or add new features to it? You dont seem to really know much about what you are talking about.

Nairaland is created from a free software which Seun didnt lay claim to developing. So, how can he add new features to it when he is not the developer?

Abeg- talk something else or leave Seun alone.

You said is Forum a company?
I will ask you is Facebook or Twitter a social network only or a company (Quoted on the stock exchange)
How many people started Facebook and where did they start from?

What about Google? A company or Search Engine?
You are one of the many Nigerians with no ideas and a failure because from your post, you lack ideas.

If you are the owner of Nairaland - how will you make it to beat Facebook? You must be dreaming @OP

Like I said before, nobody has a monopoly of knowledge. I am not the best but bring more people will definitely bring more ideas.

Some sites are created with free software, but has they grow, they get better programmer to redesign and make it premium.

Seun is a good programmer for that matter so why not redesign or bring in more hands.

You have problem!

Well, I come to a thread like this to learn, thank you guys.

Dual Core:

Unlike slyr0x I don't give people the benefit of the doubt when they themselves are doubt personified.
You see the way you used to get inside here? Use that same way to get out. Coming back here is not an option for your myopic mind.

As for the rest of the thread. No comments.

Honestly speaking. What have you added to this thread? I honestly wonder what kind of person you are outside NairaLand.

utimatedes:

You said is Forum a company?
I will ask you is Facebook or Twitter a social network only or a company (Quoted on the stock exchange)
How many people started Facebook and where did they start from?

What about Google? A company or Search Engine?
You are one of the many Nigerians with no ideas and a failure because from your post, you lack ideas.
Like I said before, nobody has a monopoly of knowledge. I am not the best but bring more people will definitely bring more ideas.

Some sites are created with free software, but has they grow, they get better programmer to redesign and make it premium.

Seun is a good programmer for that matter so why not redesign or bring in more hands.

You have problem!

Honestly speaking, you are just one of those who make so much noise and attempting to use part of their brain. If you know SMF and how it works, you will not make these assumptions.

I lack ideas- , you really make me laugh. IF you know what number of stuffs going on in Nigeria that has my name on it as the First- you will smoothly retract that talk.

Have you seen a Sat Nav for Nigeria before? It came out from this brain which you said has no ideas- and by His Grace, I have made millions out of selling it. Tell me you dont care, rain curses, it doesnt matter. I dont care if you now know who I am, but it is good not to talk without really knowing about who you talking to, and if that bothers others and want to rant against me, i tell them to keep it.

Now, I run one of the fora around using SMF and I know how SMF works, what you can add to it - how you can do it, etc.

You said Seun should do something, yet, you said you cant say what he should do. LOL

Slyr0x:

Lemme ask you a simple question before i let it rain.

Are you a techie/coder/programmer/developer ?

Yes I am, and I have worked in Nigeria and outside Nigeria and I havent seen more than five people who do what I do and they are not based in Naija. And I am not talking about people like the above who make so much noise on the internet just because you write a few line of codes copied from somewhere.

My personal company works for companies like GOOGLE, ESRI, NAVTEQ, TELEATLAS, USGS, and so many that I cant mention here. So, whats the rain you want to rain?

I believe werepeLeri is quite correct - he sure knows precisely what he is talking about. . .

Why not you guys just go ahead and enjoy this forum while it is still there?

I have got a lof of webhosting customers from this nairaland and I don't care whether it is redesign, redevelop or whatever.

Enjoy Yourself!

This ez all partof el enjoyment.

Feliz domingos to all my amigos y amigas

werepeLeri:

Yes I am, and I have worked in Nigeria and outside Nigeria and I havent seen more than five people who do what I do and they are not based in Naija. And I am not talking about people like the above who make so much noise on the internet just because you write a few line of codes copied from somewhere.

My personal company works for companies like GOOGLE, ESRI, NAVTEQ, TELEATLAS, USGS, and so many that I cant mention here. So, whats the rain you want to rain?

If you are what you claim to be then such statement as this shouldn't have dropped from you.

Is a Forum a company?

Whaddyu call an investment that brings in more than #450,000 monthly?

If you are the owner of Nairaland - how will you make it to beat Facebook? You must be dreaming @OP

Bringing in more hands will bring a solution to this.

Nairaland is created from a free software which Seun didnt lay claim to developing. So, how can he add new features to it when he is not the developer?

iAsked you that question mainly 'cos of this. .As a developer, codes are your toytools. .You can make them WHATEVER you want 'em to be. .eff it mhen. .If you're what you claim to be, then iShouldn't be answering this question.
[size=2pt]
mhen, dis mod thing dey restrict person o0. .chai[/size]

lagoshost:

Why not you guys just go ahead and enjoy this forum while it is still there?

I have got a lof of webhosting customers from this nairaland and I don't care whether it is redesign, redevelop or whatever.

Enjoy Yourself!

How about giving back to the community? Getting MOST of your contracts here on NL doesn't still stop you from giving the Site owner a feedback.

Seun might put Ultimades suggestion into consideration.

Eating popcorn and sippin pure water. . .

werepeLeri:

Honestly speaking, you are just one of those who make so much noise and attempting to use part of their brain. If you know SMF and how it works, you will not make these assumptions.

I lack ideas- , you really make me laugh. IF you know what number of stuffs going on in Nigeria that has my name on it as the First- you will smoothly retract that talk.

Have you seen a Sat Nav for Nigeria before? It came out from this brain which you said has no ideas- and by His Grace, I have made millions out of selling it. Tell me you dont care, rain curses, it doesnt matter. I dont care if you now know who I am, but it is good not to talk without really knowing about who you talking to, and if that bothers others and want to rant against me, i tell them to keep it.

Now, I run one of the fora around using SMF and I know how SMF works, what you can add to it - how you can do it, etc.

You said Seun should do something, yet, you said you cant say what he should do. LOL

By their fruits we shall know them! Yes, you are a very good specimen for my explanation, you surely have no idea.

Those great Philosophers who says two heads are better than one are not fool.
Working with some team that are in partners with Google and co does not make u the arrow head. If you are somebody who has unique ideas and has create somehing, you won't be talking like this.

When the Federal Government make NITEL as the the soled provider of telecommunication services, the sector was downed, immediately the opened the door and bring in more operators, you and I can see the changes. Definitely, more hands are better than one.

@Slyr0x, leave this guy alone. He his crazy!

I have got a lof of webhosting customers from this nairaland and I don't care whether it is redesign, redevelop or whatever.

I know you have gained a lot from Nairaland likewise me and other top contributors in this forum.
Nairaland is like a Church where we go to receive blessing and contribute positively by paying our tithes.

It is the positive posts and reply we post here that makes Nairaland the top forum in Nigeria, Africa and even in the world as a whole.

Any idea that will make Naija own things rank high is highly welcome.

God Says he gave different people with different gifts (1 Coritnthians 12 Vs 8-12) Some are given the word of wisdom, some the word of knowledge, some faith, another gift of healings, another gift of miracles, another gift of prophecy, another gift of coding, another gift of graphic design, another gift of repairing things without even learning it etc.

What am I trying to say here is that, Seun might be a very good programmer, but that doesn't make him a good manager, a good marketer, a good graphic designer etc.

Opening the door and bringing more people with diverse skills will surely put Nairaland or any other business to where you don't even dream of.

Figuring out what to do is easy. I myself often spend time telling Google and Facebook what to do.  
Doing is the hard part.  For me anyway.  I've just not been able to combine any sort of advanced
innovation with the daily running of Nairaland.  Just keeping the site open is a monumental effort.

Pues, next speaker por favor, well said senyor seun

@nl
Talking about what Seun will do or won't do will not solve the problem because he has every reason for his action.
Well, if you know that you or more creative than Seun, why not use your time wisely to become a product of your idea, rather than debating on nl.

CHEERS.

Outstanding guru, +2 for you ([s]some of these guys dont even have a website self and them dey yab seun - smh[/s]). . . .Next!

Pls specify who you are referring to here.


With regards the issue at hand, hmmm,  Is not like Seun himself is not trying to bring in one or two changes. I can swear it that in the past say 2 years now, there have been plans as to what to do and not do in order to keep things way up. I communicate with Seun and know what goes around his mind but in all, it's not easy. You ever thought about the SPAM thing? In order to keep away our spammers, he brought in the issue of the automatic spam bot which controlled things automated although it still needs more improvements so as not to make people so pissed and vexed. The forum going offline most times at about 7:00 AM daily was another hard issue that even led to losing some backups. I don't know if anyone noticed that in the past. SMF is a one way kind of thing that all can install and use but just install mods and make things better. Depending on the terms of use, I don't think someone can actually pick and re-develop the  entire project expect by approaching the owners and joining the SMF Team develop an entire new range of product. Once made public then,  What I think can be done ACTUALLY here is developing a new interface with good GUI. He (Seun) can then ask peeps to drop in their plugins personally developed. Tests can be ran and then get them used. Owners can still get to submit to SMF and still cheap in their "contribute to my plugin development" link so as to earn some 1kobo in return. Outside these, I think there is one other alternative.

GET A TEAM AND DEVELOP A NIGERIAN MADE FORUM. It will be tailored to set/mapped plans. With it, you have a lot of flexibilities to do as you want. We can do it. It will take time and reviews and all but the end point is what matters.

I believe everyone can be beaten no matter who he/she is. Now check out Google+ and tell me if with their tour you are not thinking they have beaten Facebook and others. I can still tell you something here. Even the Google+ still lack some features. Yes, someone can still come up and get at all their features, mixed with those of other social networks then add in new features not yet included anywhere and that's a new swing for all.

Accepted, Seun is contented by the stress he is receiving at present with the forum but I think he still can move way forward.

DON'T BELIEVE YOU ARE STOPPABLE. THE LIMIT YOU PLACE BECOMES YOUR LIMIT.


►►► nExT ♫♫♫♫♫

Honestly, if na me get this site, i for don pack features. 

Nigerians don't think outside the box! Just lazy.

Take ths case.

Seun posted on twitter/facebook

Seun :: DealFish has managed to kill nairalist".
Me :: If it has, its because of your lazyness.
Seun :: LOL, You're funny.

WTf is funny about that? Isn't it the truth? meh. Lazy.

Who / what tf is dealfish? Sorry, i though it was like some kinda Eja PANLA OR KOTE.

Dealfish has really gained grounds. They are always on the go 24/7.

you can never beat facebook, at least not in the next 50 years

Dealfish's publicity was crazyyyyyy.