You killed it.Well done jare

Which would you prefer, a reliable service that responds to your needs, in as much as it may be expensive (an exaggeration), or a cumbersome social service that is completely unreliable and exists as a joke.

I work hard to pay for my bills. The govt takes out taxes, and provides me with basic needs like electricity and water. As a citizen, I am obligated to call the cops if I am facing danger. In Nigeria, you are on your own.

The govt takes out taxes, and provides me with basic needs like electricity and water

Are you saying you don't pay electric bills or water bills?

Seun, you can live in a rental where electric and water bills are included in the rent. So, you are only required to pay the rent on the paperwork, irrespective of how much you consume electric and water bills. Now, that's a sweet deal.

However, my discourse highlighted the efficiency of the government in providing me with basic needs like water and electricity, even if it means I would have to pay for their use. Growing up in Nigeria, back home, water supply from the faucet was not reliable, even though, (I am sure) my parents paid the bills. And lets not even talk with electricity. I still remember my mother engaging in a heated exchange with one of Nepa officials in Calabar.

Seun, you can live in a rental where electric and water bills are included in the rent.

In Nigeria, you can rent a place where bore-hole bills and generator bills are included in the rent. No big deal.

However, my discourse highlighted the efficiency of the government in providing me with basic needs like water and electricity

The government takes most of your income in order to provide you with services you have to pay for? What a scam!

Yeah, the American government has 'scammed' us indeed. Thanks for reminding me. Now, if only all of us, living abroad, would realize of better services in Nigeria. Now is the right time to hop on a plane, and move to Nigeria for good, reside in a decent rental, that would provide us with unlimited water supply and constant electricity.

Phew!!!. What a deal.

Thanks Seun, for enlightening us.

You're welcome.

Both places have their good an bad points.

In the UK you pay through your nose in taxes but then they provide you with aminities you need. If your salary is over 40k pounds (not sure what it is now), you pay 40% tax. This is taken directly before you get your pay. You also pay

National insurance
Mortgage or rent
Council tax (you go to jail if you don't pay)
Road tax (If you have a car)
Content Insurance (not compolsory but adviceable)
Service charge (if you own a leasehold property)
Car Insurance
Water rates
Electricity charges
Gas Charges
TV licence (you are fined and get a criminal record if caught watching without one)
School meals charge (if you have children in school)
Childcare (if you have children and work)This is astronomical

to name some. You see why almost what you earn goes back in bills etc. Of course you can reduce this by not having a car but somebody with children needs to have a car.  On the other hand the transport system is clean and reliable but getting increasingly expensive. I usually advice people who ask me if they should relocate abroad not to as life can be very difficult and lonely. Worse for a single person, most people don't have time for you as they are busy looking for money and sometimes have to work for very long hours.  Most people who come either resort to fraud - benefit clams or working under the table. Now in the UK they have tighten up the marriage of convenience scam people use to get their immigration stay regularised.

The UK is also fast becoming a very dangerous place to live due to increasing crime and now a target for Islamist terrorists.

Life is not not rosey in the UK and the roads are not paved with gold contrary to popular myth but if you are hardworking enough and you have the the right to stay, you can make a decent life.

Once we find a way for our politicians back home to listen to us, and get our system off certificate and PHD mentalily and protect patented rights and make program available for young enterpeuers and inventors we will see how high the country will soar.

true talk. yep!

We have considered all the financial aspect of leaving abroad but yet we did not touch the most important one(Family Life). In the western world you don't have right(Authority) over ur kids regardless of their age. The freedom for kids is too much that you lost control over them and at the sametime the goverment or their school teacher don't have authority over them as well. They are just like sheep without sherphard. They can do anything hey like, anytime they wanna do it hence Gun everywhere corner, killing every minute and sentenceing in every news bulleting, still yet govt kept adamant of the whole issue may be cos its mostly black youths that are involved(Let them kill themselves and reduce their population, dia wahala too much).

Think about the above write up as well b4 you make ur decision to start a new life in canada. Mind u many are going back to nigeria even me soonest.

fromuk:

We have considered all the financial aspect of leaving abroad but yet we did not touch the most important one(Family Life). In the western world you don't have right(Authority) over your kids regardless of their age. The freedom for kids is too much that you lost control over them and at the sametime the goverment or their school teacher don't have authority over them as well. They are just like sheep without sherphard. They can do anything hey like, anytime they want to do it hence Gun everywhere corner, killing every minute and sentenceing in every news bulleting, still yet govt kept adamant of the whole issue may be because its mostly black youths that are involved(Let them kill themselves and reduce their population, dia wahala too much).

Think about the above write up as well before you make your decision to start a new life in canada. Mind u many are going back to nigeria even me soonest.

Nigerian kids are lot better?

To correct a response. The guy that wrote something about government taking your money for bills. The government does not have any utility company and therefore doesn't take your money. Those amenities are privatized. You pay utility companies which are private except in communist nations. What you pay the government are your taxes. One of the major reasons that Africans don't have money is because of bad money management, people at home mounting pressure on you if you don't properly educate them and more importantly people living above their means trying to be what they are not. That is not to say that it's that easy, but it's very workable you just have to be very prayerful, disciplined, hard working, or learn the hard way.

nosa101:

Nigerian kids are lot better?

Yes! theyve grown to become the OBJ,IBB, tafa baloguns and several other renowed business/political leaders of today!

I dont mind paying through the nose for good regular service as long as i get/use them

Yes! Life is really better abroad if you know what you are doing there! Club Freedom afforded me the opportunity to travel abroad for the first time and I saw socio-economic and plotical systems far better than what we have at home presently.

We can go abroad and learn how to better our own home then come back here and just DO IT!

Club Freedom has changed the way Nigerians look at Travel and Tourism. Membership affords free international travels plus an excellent business plan to earn over $6,000 every travel cycle at the board. Registration is simply by sending a request for more information to me through my email: travellingjobs@yahoo.com

ok

PLease whoever live abroad especially america and claim it's the best place to live should tell you what they do and how they archive it please.

First it's the matter of possibility-- anything is possible but before you get that comfortable in america it's either your parent are mightly rich to have accomodate you in which looking back at their past, they've suffered and dunt want you too, but even still it's every where. america is a very stressful place to live. and there is no where crime those not exist, there are thieves and assassins who come to your house and workplace and give you a friendly peck on your cheeks( yea right!!). so wot are we talking!!! things aren't just as bad as in nigeria but then its not any better. things are just as bad now that the economy is getting worse everyday.

so my dear to have an education abroad and dunt have a befitting JOb is really depressing just like in nigeria, america now get increase rates in Umployment. but better opportunities to explore options. no matter how hard it is you'll get aa job here in america yea!!!!--- cleaning shits and changing old woman diaper you'll be begging to do it nowadays nowadays.


And lastly some are just lucky to go through college and get a good job to start their lifes.

Guess i'm part if 'em -- dunt hate

Most people dnt know dt oh.If living better is by doing close to 3jobs and nt sleeping den am nt interested.

Lol at all the weird comments, all I can say is a lot of people are ill-informed. What I have learnt about Nigerians these past few months which might explain why we are still so backward is the inability to open their minds. They hear something from one person or see for themselves and conclude that is how it must be for everyone even when there is evidence to the contrary. Not everyone in the UK does three jobs and don't sleep to make a living. As I always say, people's circumstances are different. I live a very decent life in the UK and no I don't have three jobs and I sleep at night and by the way, I don't do odd jobs and never would. I can live a decent life whereever I choose, UK, Nigeria or USA. I have completed my education to the level that means that by God's grace, I can afford a decent life whether I live in Azerbaijan, Congo or UK (wherever). I think it is important for everone to assess their own personal situation and find what works best for them. A relative might be suffering in the UK does not mean you would have to do the same. Instead learn from other people's mistakes. Don't try living abroad illegally, don't relocate without properly researching your career options, don't leave a decent life in Nigeria to go looking for greener pastures because the grass isn't always greener on the other side. There is absolutely nothing wrong wth living in Nigeria if you can cope with the no light issue, armed robbers etc. Come on, even using the GSM during christmas was a nightmare for me. I plan to return home someday but I take serious exceptions to people suggesting that everyone abroad is suffering.

And someone already commented on the tax system in the Uk, it is not a straight 40% its a bit less than that when you take tax allowances and different thresholds into consideration.  Please people try and be informed before making all sorts of conclusions. Nigeria is not a bad place to live neither is UK but just make sure you are happy wherever you are and doing something worthwhile.

And who says the government takes most of your income, big lie. The internet is a very powerful tool, do your research before making ignorant comments.

@ somebody.
three gboza for u.

Life is nt better abroad.People can survive anywhere.

Somebody, your post reeks of pride. There is nothing wrong in doing odd jobs for survival purpose. Be it cleaner, washing dishes, doing security, etc, there is dignity in labor. People have to do this job, so if you feel that those jobs are beneath you, just be thankful that you are in a position to pick and choose. Others dont have the choice. And yeah, abroad, there are some people who work 2 or maybe 3 jobs, and at the same time, there are some who can live off their paycheck, acquired at one job, comfortably.

Some people complain about taxes, or express a mistaken opinion that taxes are what you pay for amenities.

Taxes are what you pay for living in a system that does work. If there are plenty of jobs in USA, UK and other countries and if the companies are able to deliver quality services, it is in large part thanks to good governance.

I've heard people from Western countries complain about their governments a lot, but I know how things look like when there's no government or bad government and I'm happy to pay my taxes to pay people who run a country and do a good job. They just deserve it.

I studied in the U.K for over 12 years and then returned to Nigeria for university then back to the UK for my Masters. My personal observation is that the daily grind and basic requirements for a peaceful life doesnot exist in Nigeria.

There is a breakdown of infrastructure-bad roads ,erratic electricity,appalling personal safety-I could continue. But the difference is that when I finished my Masters in the UK I got a job with a reputable financial institution-there is a limit to where you can reach(professionally)irrespective of our intelligent or hardworking you are-the British follow procedure(no double promotion etc) .
The pay was appalling and the taxes-backbreaking.Despite my "good" job I still held a second job which started at 7pm until 3am just to boost my savings.I did not pay rent as I lived at home but I paid my utility bills and travel expenses.

Presently the UK is borderline-racephobic-the entire country is being overrun by immigrants from the other European countries all with their various cultures e.g the Russians -they do not hesitate to bring their mafia money to drive up house prices;or the Somalians to whom violence is second nature in resolving a slight or an argument.

The bottom line is this -if you live in Nigeria and your back is against a very tight corner then I will tell you to flee abroad-not to Europe(extremely xenophobic) but to America where merit,hardwork and resilience can get you a better quality of life than in Nigeria.
But remember nothing beats Nigeria for family,parties and socialising- where even Church is a huge social outing.

FINALLY I WOULD RATHER BE A BIG FISH IN A SMALL POND(NIGERIA) THAN A TINY NON EXISTENT TADPOLE IN AN OCEAN(ABROAD)

@Ndipe, my post might reek of pride because I am very proud of what I have achieved and also very thankful to God for his mercies. There is absolutely nothing wrong in doing odd jobs, if I had to do that to survive then I would. My post was in reply to those bad belle Nigerians than think everyone that lives abroad is suffering. I take very STRONG exceptions to people saying that because I live abroad I must be cleaning toiltes and working through the night to make a living.

@ Somebody,

Please forgive 'em cos they know not what they say. . . . . . . . . . .
Majority of 'em don't know better and this is where IGNORANCE ain't BLISS.
How can u even begin to compare life abroad to life in Nigeria?
U shouldn't even sink low and argue this.
Life Abroad is 100000 times better than Nigeria.

Jackal:

@ Somebody,

Please forgive 'em because they know not what they say. . . . . . . . . . .
Majority of 'em don't know better and this is where IGNORANCE ain't BLISS.
How can u even begin to compare life abroad to life in Nigeria?
You shouldn't even sink low and argue this.
Life Abroad is 100000 times better than Nigeria.

Oh my GOSH! What? Life Abroad is more lonely, more depressing and definitely more frustrating. It's no wonder that Nigeria is rated higher on the happiness index than U.S. or U.K. Apart from Economy and Security, Nigeria to me is better. I've been more at peace at home than I've ever been in U.S. Not all happiness lies in money. Some lie in family and some lie in familiarity.

To me, Life is better in Naija.

Indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is better in Nigeria with:

Epileptic power supply.
Non-existing drinking water.
Dyslexic Public Transportation
Paralytic Communication System
Bad roads.
Menace of armed robbers.
Bribery and Corruption.
Lack of social security.
Untold hardship.
Mass Unemployment
Breaking of Law and Order
Gross Indiscipline.

If this is what u call a better life then Nigeria is within the premises of HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is better in Nigeria with:

Epileptic power supply - No wonder we didnt grow up addicted to computers, Tv and games.
Non-existing drinking water - Because of that Nigerians have one of the strongest immune systems. Just ask the oyinbos that are always coming down with every virus in the medical text book. Ever hear a nigerian complain of allergies before with all our firewood?
Dyslexic Public Transportation - We invented the molue
Paralytic Communication System - we learnt to flash and made real friends rather than hiding behind myspace and facebook.
Bad roads - if this didnt teach you to pray nothing else will.
Menace of armed robbers - er this one get as e be.
Bribery and Corruption - That is why we cannot be decieved by black paper and chemicals. Ask the oyinbos.
Lack of social security - Family security dey
Untold hardship - shuffering and shmiling
Mass Unemployment - Hawking pure water is a form of employment
Breaking of Law and Order - Laws are meant to be broken and spontaneous changes occur with an increase in entropy.

If this is what u call a better life then Nigeria is within the premises of HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Are the European countries and North America necessarily within the premises of heaven? Abeg Life is better in Nigeria!

@ Davidylan,

I fancy your SARCASM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Life is better in Nigeria?
Try HELL is better than Heaven

Jackal:

@ Davidylan,

I fancy your SARCASM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Life is better in Nigeria?
Try HELL is better than Heaven

If Nigeria = hell, are the western countries = heaven?