Next!

And rereading the first couple of pages in this thread, it hit me how elitist Nigerians in Diaspora really are. There are people in Nigeria 100 times smarter than me, that choose to stay in Nigeria and struggle through living daily life in Naija. It seems most people that find their way to the West, have a "better than thou" attitude like somehow being in the West puts you at an advantage or makes you smarter than your brethren still in the motherland. Again I will argue it requires more smarts and strength of character to carve out a living in Nigeria and some may argue coming to the West is actually taking the easy way out (some not I though). You guys like me here in the States or other Western countries, please, stop the looking down of those back home. They are not stupid or lesser than us and you are not a genius or smart alek for finding your way to the West. Even Mexican Laborers with no education can make it to the USA and carve a living and make enough money to get a lease on that Benz or Audi that you snap pictures of and send back home to give the illusion that you are living it up in the states.

shango your argument is baseless and shallow as a deep sea. did you graduate from college? are you familiar with immigration law? do you know what DUAL CITIZENSHIP means? don't just wake up after drinking OGOGORO and start yabis.

I suppose when you assumed i was in Naija such a comment was perfectly ok to make. My brother has Dual Citizenship having been born in the States. So thanks for the pointless insults and pointing out the obvious.

are you surprised? we have been submerged by members of the "i love Nigeria" brigade of hypocrites.
Their moto seems to be - defending the indefensible.

I do love Nigeria. Obviously you have disdain for her. Its ok though. I mean its ovbious you long abandonded your home country.

@doyin and lovemajek - I know, it just upsets me, people tar every diasporan with the same brush and I want to know what would possess them. I hope its not jealousy?

Jealousy, haha, because Nigerians in Diaspora are living like Kings right? Way to look down on your fellow Nigerians. Elitism is a terrible thing.

They may single handedly be responsible for the lack of progress Nigeria may make if the diasporans feel they can't return or invest without returning. I jsut don't know, it saddens me, it shouldn't but it does. It's like going home and your brother saying 'get out of our fathers house, your sister insulted the new carpet and u don't live here either so you are no longer part of this family'. Is that not painful?

Sorry but I am infact a Nigerian in diaspora and unlike you I chose to see reality for what it is. Mexicans send money by the boatload back to Mexico while working here in the states as laborers for the most part. Yet Mexico is poorer and less developed than Nigeria. And we as Nigerians send even less money than they do so where is this magic dvelopment or reinvestment of Nigerians in diaspora's money coming from. Its bullcrap. Nigeria will only develop and fly from within, NOT FROM THE OUTSIDE. No country has ever developed from the outside, it has never happened AND IT NEVER WILL. So the myth that Nigerians in diaspora will use their supposed new found knowledge and enlightment gotten from the West to better Nigeria is A MYTH.

All I know is that the people who speak the worst about Nigeria in my presence are those who live there. I suppose if you secretly want to leave your country, but can't, it is painful for others who have managed to do so to turn around and tell you how rubbish the place u currently stay is. So I understand the bitterness,

Man, this guy really thinks being able to come to the West is like winning the lottery! Man, good job for you oh, you where able to make it the land of the free and home of the brave all by your own. Want a cookie now?

Hmmmm. Next!

@Shango - please don't ever make the mistake of twisting what I have said on this post or any other post.

I was in no way subscribing to a thought that NIDs are elitist. To the contrary I even said I HOPE its not jealousy as I personally believe there is nothing to be jealous of. I never look down on my feloow Nigerians and in fact you may be surprised to know I have always defended Nigerians in Nigeria against every1 including those in Nigeria.

I just thought for someone to make such a comment about every person who has foreign citizenship regardless of circumstances or even how patriotic they were was hard to explain - what other explanations can you provide beside jealousy. Since it is not based on the persons actions against Nigeria but on a piece of paper that says they can have treatment if they fall ill, or be protected from crime for the money they pay tax for etc etc the only differences between work permit and citizenship - there was no other explanation but jealousy.

My dear, there is not much to be jealous of, I even want to come to Nigeria. The amount of posts there are for people to LEAVE NIGERIA and come overseas is astronomical and people go out of there way to help people go there. Yet someone posted a topic on how a uk graduate could come to Nigeria to work, which I joined in, in saying I wanted to come and work in nigeria also and only two people have responded and I bet not many more will.

You insult me indirectly and expect me to be happy right. I did not leave Nigeria to come here, I was born and raised here, I even went through the pains of getting a Naija passport because to me home is always home. So check yourself before you make outlandish comments, you really need to stop doing this! You are the one looking down on NIDs!

Next!

I don't even know why you would quote me on something said before you even apologised to me, acknowledging you were wrong in the way you expressed yourself!

uh-hmm! Over to you_{!---increasing my postages with style!}

Babeelove how you dey jare?

ell77:

Babeelove how you dey jare?

Never felt better my dear! No let them wound your fine body oh! We are dealing with viscious creatures here!

Abi oh! It just pains me to see Nigerians attacking eachother, from whichever direction. I think I understand why he was angry with some NIDs but it is not for him to go condemneing every NID. Anyway they wont wound my fine Ajebota self! lol.

I mean I am seeing a few threads in here talking about Nigerians in Diaspora and how they bad mouth Nigeria. And it is sad because most Naija people in Diaspora have actually become British or American citizens.

why is it sad?
this is just your opinion, you think it's sad.

Such an act should automatically disqualify you for even criticizing your home country.

All nations receive their fair share of fair and unfair criticisms, what's the big deal?
the issue with you is you think NIDs have no rights to offer any critique since they're no longer based in Nigeria.
Do you need me to tell you that there are plenty NIDs who know more about Nigeria's current economy, politics, woes, bright spots,  than students in Nigeria (SINs) or NINs in general? 
Distance doesn't utterly seclude or separate NIDs from Nigeria.

Its one thing to work and live in another country but once you take up citizenship there you should not even be considered a Nigerian anymore.

opinion


This is the very reason why your entire thesis is baseless.  It would have been helpful to your cause, if you had brought up some strong reasons why you feel those who adopt foreign citizenships can no longer be considered "nigerian", because all it is right now is "one man's opinion."

A trip to antarctica doesn't take being Nigerian away from you.

When Italians and Polish and Greeks moved en masse to the USA in the early 19th century once they became citizens they became AMERICANS. An Italian American is an American of Italian Descent. He is no longer an ITALIAN.

you have trouble understanding basic concepts.
if he's no longer "italian" why bother with the label "american of italian descent"
I mean think about it, he still has the italian genes, the italian blood running through his veins.  he's not living in italy but he's still very much italian, and especially so since there are so many different ways to be italian.
how italian he is depends on him: he might be a die-hard italian who follows current events in italy everyday, travels back to italy every week, cooks italian food, watches italian films, listens to italian music, speaks italian, things of that nature.  his physical absence in italy is just a mileage barrier, it isn't a heritage stripping barrier.

You do not see Italians making comments about Italians in Italy or Italy. Why?

if you're closely associated with them in their various communities, you will know that they very much do.
For example, don't you see mexicans making comments about mexico, or mexicans in mexico?  They very much do.  Citizenship or Relocation to a different country doesn't mean you should completely sever ties with your country of birth.
your attitude is leading you to an unacceptable "all or nothing" perspective and it shouldn't be that way.

Because they have adopted a new country so their focus is and should be on their newly adopted country.

another opinion on what "you" feel they should do.  there are uncountables who don't dismiss the other country.
here's an example of what you just said: since you have adopted soccer as your new favorite sport you should focus only on soccer and forget about other sports. do you see how ridiculous that is? even if you are in love with soccer you can love various other sports.

Its one thing to have been forced out of Africa through slavery for example or warfare or conflict and you are looking to reconnect with your motherland. But to voluntarily leave and take up citizenship elsewhere then start talking about your abandoned homeland with disdain and criticism from the shores of another country while contributing nothing is borderline insanity.

claims and opinions.  I know many NIDs who praise and glorify Nigeria whenever they can.  The criticism outweights the joys and songs of praise because of the country's condition.

So Africans in diaspora with foreign citizenship. FOCUS ON YOUR ADOPTED COUNTRY AND BE THE BEST CITIZEN OF YOUR NEW COUNTRY YOU CAN BE

advice.

shango:

its funny, the English and other Western Europeans are the most guilty when it comes to this. And Mr. Colton was no exception. Who but an American for example, epitomizes the last part of that quote. A white American is the last person to visit a country and NOT go to the local macdonalds or starbucks looking for the same enclaves that existed in his home country.

I went to a Catholic jesuit highschool here in Maryland and one of our priests has spent his sabbatical in Nigeria, and you know how he summed up his experience there, "the food was lousy, I couldnt wait to get back to the states."

There goes your Traveled bodies but untravelled minds.
We Nigerians, we try all sorts of foods here in the States, we put on coats and ties and read Western Newspapers and experience everything uniquely American. Attend American colleges and schools which teach the most xenophobic foms of topics form history to political science from a wholly Eurocentric perspective. If anyone is guilty of being a traveled body but n untravelled mind, it is NOT a Nigerian in diaspora.

sango, Sure Colton may not have practice what he preached, and while you make some very good points in your response to the quote, you didn't wholistically highlight the most important aspect of it that I would like you to understand.

The essence of the quote is hidden in its content. Pay careful attention to "travelled bodies, but untravelled minds."


You certainly agree it is better to travel both by body, and by mind, which as you say, many NIDs do, but you have a hard time understanding that a travelled mind does not cost you the ties to your country of birth, nor does a travelled body.

and thousands of Americans celebrate St. Patrick's day as proud individuals of Irish descent even when more than 90% of them cant point to Ireland on the world map. Which parallel universe does Shango come from?

wetin dey naija wey i go dey carry the pali all about, I Love My American Pass-port, Can travel anywhere i wish with ease. but still yet i love 9ja,and have help over 100 of people to enter yankee with advice only =please people pray for me.

this jayon boy is fishy, somebody with 'American Passport' is asking people how to write 'letter of sponsorship' to go to school in the UK!

na wa for nairaland sha.

@ debosky,
my brother abeg leave these people to decieve themselves.

is that not the idiot who said lying is his hobby, hes a psycho oo

Who is a psycho?

@ poster , u should travel to the UK or America , live there for some years and see y nigerians adopt foreign citiaenship

omogenaija:

@ poster , u should travel to the UK or America , live there for some years and see y nigerians adopt foreign citiaenship

being a united citizen jeopadises the opportunity of u becoming a role leader in ur country

No, that is not correct.

lovemajek:

No, that is not correct.

tell me what u know about being a citizen of a different country?

lovemajek , i like ur answer girl

shakira do u know wat is like to live aboard ? r u correctly living aboard with ur nigerian passport ?

omogenaija:

lovemajek , i like your answer girl

shakira do u know what is like to live aboard ? r u correctly living aboard with your nigerian passport ?

am a resident of united states, well i never tot of becoming a role leader in nigeria, so thats pave way for my citizenship

Nigeria constituition agrees with dual citizenship.

lovemajek:

Nigeria constituition agrees meet dual citizenship.

what the heck is this?, NIGERIA CONSTITUTION AGREES MEET DUAL CITIZENSHIP, is that a right statement?

No, I was talking to somebdy and posting at the same time. with not meet

lovemajek:

No, I was talking to somebdy and posting at the same time. with not meet

yea yea yea, matter of fact, u are a dude why u claiming FEMALE status?

can you prove am dude?

pardon me

pardon you for what? you have'nt seen shehe before.

whatsup with what, i said foolish nigerians,i told ya all already that i like advicing ppl,so most post i put on thread is to advice ppl,eg, Lying is my Hobby,Pastor Dancing Yahoozey,2face stole My song, someone told me to advice him then i post the thread to get comment so as to reply them,African Monkies
@aloib, u be proper mumu(Olu-Monkey Ade-Gorilla)