Oh ha, Why do people sleep in the embassy just to get a month visa? life is hell in Nigeria but you just have to deal with it. and more so, when you start to think no other place exist aside nigeria then you wont be bothered about how messy the environment is or how good it is elsewhere but the truth still remains, if you have got the right finance and the right business, my people i would rather do business in nigeria than go abroad, and if i must go abroad, i would go for pleasure and not hustle. there is a million business opportunity in nigeria, the right business is the question. As for the crime rate in the country, for now we cant help that than to cage and lock ourselves behind iron bars at night and when it comes, it comes na ni, move on. its part of life you know.

Someone said we build mines and houses out of our penny and that is something i really love. I have seen nigerians after 25 years of stay abroad, they come back home empty handed and yet the people they left here still manage to own offices,businesses, properties and assests. Are you guys saying life is not safer here than abroad, aside robery and bulgar, you dont find dead people on the streets like you see abroad? anyone can own a gun and could take out anyone at any time.

Please make use of any where u find yourself ooo and you have no right to blame your environment for not succeeding in life!

well living abroad e.g America is great ad all wat not! u get ur good education and become a medical doctor if you want to but the problem is people in Africa have a misconception of wat goes on here. it aint all milk and honey babe! we need to HUSTLE!!!!!! it's hard. if you are in africa and you make big money u live well and everything please please please please stay there! people in their 40's who were bank managers in africa leave to come work at the gas stations in America! i'm like wat the f**k ? i know this man that used to work for the gov't back home and he tho't america would be better right now he is a security guard! if you are not well to do and it's hard for you and you are still young you need to relocate if you got the means to!

I had practically resigned from this thread and only joined after the last couple of threads.I encounter a lot of young Nigerians condenming this country and all.you hear words like 'hopeless' 'bleeped up' and all that . Most time, I assume that some of these people have been watching too much video.One day, I intend to travel to America on a visit but not to stay. But i do not worship any country and spend the better part of my life fantasizing about going there or belittling those who are not there.

Some of my uncles left progressive jobs back in the 90s to join the rush abroad.I see them when they come home now and something within me yells at younger generation of Nigerians who are bent on travelling at all cost. There is nothing wrong if you have an articulated plan and good professional skill to market but if you do not or you are foregoing a great job here and traveling abroad to hustle, I am sorry for you.

I have friends who are in london who will not come back home because thay are ashamed that the only thing they have going for them in comparison with their mates is the queen's english they pretend to speak. some of them are not doing badly but so many of them are in states that makes even their close friends ashamed. With the new trend of Nigerian workers traveling to london for vacation, there is no myth anymore.you can see them as they truly are.All those famed odd jobs are not really as avaialble as they used.the east europreans are in now and it is the survival of the fittest!

Is Nigeria the greatest place to live in? No! but people are giving their best and making some progress in spite of it all. everytime someone makes a certain degree of progress aginst the odds, dont blame it on luck or long leg,it is proof that we cant all live abroad.

To the question 'is life really better abarod?

I say life is better if you decide to make it so!

Life is wat u make it ,

exactly!!!

Ashiwaju

As for the crime rate in the country, for now we can't help that than to cage and lock ourselves behind iron bars at night and when it comes, it comes na ni, move on. its part of life you know.

how sad

gidig:


Some of my uncles left progressive jobs back in the 90s to join the rush abroad.I see them when they come home now and something within me yells at younger generation of Nigerians who are bent on travelling at all cost. There is nothing wrong if you have an articulated plan and good professional skill to market but if you do not or you are foregoing a great job here and traveling abroad to hustle, I am sorry for you.

I have friends who are in london who will not come back home because thay are ashamed that the only thing they have going for them in comparison with their mates is the queen's english they pretend to speak. some of them are not doing badly but so many of them are in states that makes even their close friends ashamed. With the new trend of Nigerian workers traveling to london for vacation, there is no myth anymore.you can see them as they truly are.All those famed odd jobs are not really as avaialble as they used.the east europreans are in now and it is the survival of the fittest!

Is Nigeria the greatest place to live in? No! but people are giving their best and making some progress in spite of it all. everytime someone makes a certain degree of progress aginst the odds, don't blame it on luck or long leg,it is proof that we can't all live abroad.

Exactly!

Ashiwaju:

Someone said we build mines and houses out of our penny and that is something i really love. I have seen nigerians after 25 years of stay abroad, they come back home empty handed and yet the people they left here still manage to own offices,businesses, properties and assests. Are you guys saying life is not safer here than abroad, aside robery and bulgar, you don't find dead people on the streets like you see abroad? anyone can own a gun and could take out anyone at any time.

25 years of nothing!

All the money spent on bills.

I prefer to live in a room in Ajegunle, successful in Nigeria than been Baba London or Baba America with nothing.

Of course there are dead bodies lying on the streets of Lagos state.

Where is KOKSCITY

Even though his comments are at times radical i still enjoy them.


@ Topic.

Make una leave talk joo. Naija is forked big time, and this is coming from somebody that has been on both sides of the great divide.

WOULD I GO THROUGH THE HUSTLES I WENT THROUGH TO GET A VISA AGAIN AFTER HAVING SPENT TIME IN THE WEST

HELL YEAH , YEAH AND YEAH. I don't know 4 others, but it has been a hundred times better 4 me.

PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY PAY THIS BILL AND THAT BILL

1 U DRIVE A LENGHT OF ROAD IN THE WEST THAT EQUALS THE DIST FROM SOKOTO TO LAGOS WITHOUT ENCOUNTERING ONE SINGLE POTHOLE.

24 HRS ELEC

3 U DIALL 911 AND U GET IMMEDIATE RESPONSE. SINCE I LEFT NAIJA, I SLEEP WITH MY DOORS OPEN. I DONT FEAR ARMED ROBBERS

4 NO CHILD CARRIES CANS TO GO AND FETCH WATER. 24 HRS HOT AND COLD WATER IN UR BEDROOM AND ALL PARTS OF UR HOUSE
 
DONT U GUYZ WANT TO PAY 4 SERVICES? WOULD U PREFER TO CARRY A GALLON AND COLLECT WATER RATHER THAN PAY 4 IT TO FLOW RIGHT INTO UR BATHTUB?

JUST CANT GO ON.   I AM A STRICT ADVOCATE OF LAW AND ORDER AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN LIFE. THE DEADS BODIES THAT LIE ON OUR STREETS IS A SHAME.

I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START

if u say no pot holes on the roads, they took their own time to suffer and sacrifice for the good roads, so many years ago, america and england has gone thru what we are going thru now. its normal you know, is it when america wants to gain its freedom from british in 1772 u want talk ni abi the number of people wey die around matin luther campaign for blacks. Lets stop pretending, this people worked for it. Dont ask me if nigeria would ever get there but oh ha, what do you think america was doing for 200 years? no be beans ooo.


And some one said there are dead people on the streets of lagos, yes there are but atleast you would know the person must have died from the economic saga, either na motor kill am, abi he no chop and he run mental den something happens but atleast the rate at which you see it here cannot be compared to what you see overthere. A man with a gun can just run into the street and kill as much as he wants. Where did you think america find the words serial killers? a whole tv station is dedicated on forensic science, There were an estimated 15517 murders in 2000 alone talkless of other years. Haba

I dont have anything against nigerians in the US but i still think life is better wherever you are. so far you are making good use of it, even if you have to work for a pack of pizza then its still something u know.

I really appreciate all the nigerians who have gone out there and made progress, i had really love nigerians to go abroad with at least a professional skill since our certificate is just a paper to them. why would a graduate nija man join the security? is it because it pays better or because he's got no professional skill? my adivice is, who ever is leaving naija should just please and please learn one skill, even if na tailoring abi na hair dressing. just learn something and you never can tell how far it can help. Kuddos 2 all naija out there!

Once again i dont have anything against nigerians out there.

Ashiwaju:

if u say no pot holes on the roads, they took their own time to suffer and sacrifice for the good roads, so many years ago, america and england has gone through what we are going through now. its normal you know, is it when america wants to gain its freedom from british in 1772 u want talk ni abi the number of people wey die around matin luther campaign for blacks. Lets stop pretending, this people worked for it. Dont ask me if nigeria would ever get there but oh ha, what do you think america was doing for 200 years? no be beans ooo.


And some one said there are dead people on the streets of lagos, yes there are but atleast you would know the person must have died from the economic saga, either na motor kill am, abi he no chop and he run mental den something happens but atleast the rate at which you see it here cannot be compared to what you see overthere. A man with a gun can just run into the street and kill as much as he wants. Where did you think america find the words serial killers? a whole tv station is dedicated on forensic science, There were an estimated 15517 murders in 2000 alone talkless of other years. Haba

I don't have anything against nigerians in the US but i still think life is better wherever you are. so far you are making good use of it, even if you have to work for a pack of pizza then its still something u know.

I really appreciate all the nigerians who have gone out there and made progress, i had really love nigerians to go abroad with at least a professional skill since our certificate is just a paper to them. why would a graduate nija man join the security? is it because it pays better or because he's got no professional skill? my adivice is, who ever is leaving naija should just please and please learn one skill, even if na tailoring abi na hair dressing. just learn something and you never can tell how far it can help. Kuddos 2 all naija out there!

Once again i don't have anything against nigerians out there.

1) My Friend which country did you travel to ?

2) Do you think any kind of visa allows you to work anywhere?

3) Pot Holes: Western world have a far far better roads than Nigeria but i have once saw pot holes in Paris.


Who says abroad is not better?

Good infastructures at what expense?

Life has been, and I hope will always be Good for me in Naija.
I have a generator, but rarely use it, I have water running 24/7, I don't have long traffic to deal with, Life is wonderfull for me in Abuja.

I know Lagosians can't say the same, but we are talking about Nigeria and not Lagos.

It all depends on what you want in life, and where you want it.

It appears as if there are people who try to convince you to feel bad about being in Nigeria.I see them everyday when I go to the vendors;they are the master analyst taking a lens to all our problems.If you have enough guts to stick to your dreams and not queue up at the embassy,something must be wrong with you.That is not a good attitude. There is nowhere on the surface of this earth that does not have their challenges.The measure of progress that people make is determined by the quality of minds that have decided to do something about it.

Is it not amazing that Nairaland is hosted from Ogun State using the same intelligence and skill that anyone could have deplored? The most remarkable people in the world today do not trade blames;they trade ideas!Ideas are responses to the challenges we see around us.

THe fact that things dont work very well in Naija means that we need people who can make things work well.It is the enteerprenur's paradise.We need people to come up with thoughts that will improve things and you can be paid for it.If however your dream is a good salary in pounds or dollars, you might just head for that embassy.

Whatevr choice you make, know that it is yours and it is only fiar if you respect the opinions of others.

I pray that God will keep us all and see in the coming years ,as our economy evolves, the people who will control the wealth of this great |Nation!

I rest my case!

consolation!!

NO NEED TO FIGHT OVA WAT IS CLEAR ENOUGH.

LIVE ABROAD IS BETTER CUZ EVERYTHING IS HERE EVEN IF U R A FACTORY WORKER, U HAVE GOOD FOOD, HEALTH, ELETRICITY 24/7 SO NOT ONLY DA WEALTHY CAN AFFORD THIS WHILE IN NIEGRIA, IT IS ONLY THE RICH WHO ENJOYS THERE.

i WOULD OPREFER TO LIVE IN NIGERIA THOUGH, PERSONAL INSIGHT THOUGH,

OUR LEADERS CAN MAKE NIGERIA GOOD OR EVEN BETA THAN ABROAD

I had left a lengthy comment ealier indicative of the fact that there is no one right answer and I still maintain that.
But I am suprised at how people have changed from the simple question asked on this thread and have had their opinions coloured by their situation and feelings rather thatn answering the simple question. From a lot of opinions on this thread you would think the question was "is it easier to make it abroad or nigeria"?

The simple fact of the matter from the thread - topic is that Life is better abroad tahn in nigeria. Even the rich send their kids to school here and come for medicals too. (read my previous thread before you reply to me, it is more comprhensive)

Concerning Success: I do not believe it is environmental (Abroad or nigeria), it depends on the individual.


Peace

@mrlawng
yeah right but if you read that topic it is more of controversial than a debate. so if you understand clearly what the topic says then you would see reason why you should choose your "NO" with reasons or say your "YES" with reasons. its based on personal experience and opinion and rather than interfere just leave a note or keep mute!

Safe

@Ashiwaju

This is my problem with nigerian education. From your reply to my comment it is obvious you didnt read my previous response. Analytical thinking is obviously not one of your strong points. Couldnt you diagree oobjectively without using derogatory words like telling someone to be "mute". I wasnt going to dignify you with a response but then, ?

People disagree on issues evryday and still maintain civility bearing in mind that there is both the rational and irrational schools of thought. I hope you are smart enough to catch my drift.

Peace

zionchic , well said, keep telling dem ohhhh, datz the thing i have been trying to preach here, i don't like living abroad, ma dream 2 work ad live in 9ja and come out and enjoy and head back, ppl dat enjoy here hmmmm ppl dat was suffering in 9ja per se which is understandable, even during da summer when am looking for a job, ma friends would tell me that factory and fast food resturants r dere and am looking 4 a job that am not serious and need money but is it all about money? am like, i need an office work dat gat no sress and eva since 18 i started working, it has been in an office including last week i started working, i need no stress or skin pain in da name of money, it will be well with us, if you are focused and don't mind about wat is going on in niegria or wat it was when u were dere, u can be wateva u wanna be by having goals and calling upon God.

all said and done, itz left 4 individuals, as for me, once am done skool, give diz place 2 yrs and am offfffff, good luck every1

@Zionchic

If it is so bad out here and people are doing all these lousy jobs for $10 per Hour, why don't you take that money you are spending on your education, and pay Igbenedion University or one of the other Universities in Nigeria? I think you are ranting because you probably are not allowed to work as a student. Save your dad's money, and school in Nigeria if all is so good out there for you. Not everyone has parents that can pay for them to school(Abroad) Many have to work and pay their own way. I wonder why you need a degree from the west, if life is better in Nigeria.

@everyone

A lot of you choose to see the glass half empty based on the cliche "foreigners do odd jobs in the west" I am a medical student here in the US with about a year to go. I didn't come on a student visa, i have an American citizenship by birth. I also did my primary and secondary school education in Nigeria which I will forever be grateful to my parents for.

There are thousands of Nigerians here that hold down meaningful jobs. The assistant dean of the graduate school in my college is a Nigerian. I have a lot of friends in the IT Field earning in the range of $72,000 - $98,000 dollars p/a. We have thousand of Nigerians doctors, pharmacists, and other professionals here. It will amaze you the number of accomplished rich Nigerian doctors we have here in the US. We also have a lot of Nigerian doctors in training here. I can attest because this is my field.
The problem is you choose to see the ones that do the odd jobs either because they are lazy or they are illegal immigrants or students.

One of my friends who only got here three years ago by winning the Visa lottery has a good Job with Equifax (Atlanta) that pays about $98,000 a year. He graduated in Nigeria with a degree in computer science and did some certifications  in programming Java etc. he lives in a $230,000 home. and after all his bills he still has enough for his building project in nNigeria (I hope he ddoesn'tread this)

You need to come to Atlanta, Maryland, Texas, Kentucky, Illinois (to mention the ones I have seen) and see the way professional Nigerians live. I am not at the level yet because I am in med school but i see the way nNigeriansthat have gotten there live. One doctor Eze that i met last year studied medicine in Nigeria I went to his house for Christmas and he is living the American dream. He said hes only been here 5 years. Dont be deceived Nigerians are very BRILLIANT people.

Dont get me wrong I don't believe success is environmental like I said in my earlier posts it depends on the individual. All i am saying is There are a lot of Nigerians here that are making it big. If you have a legal status and you have your stuff together. I don't see why you wouldn't make it. I can tell you  that none of my friends do odd jobs. Even if a student does odd jobs its temporary, they will not remain at the level once they graduate (assuming they have a legal status). Its all part of learning in life. In Nigeriaven the students that will like to do odd jobs for whatever reason don't have it available. Like one of my friends said Nigerian campuses are like brothels for economic reasons. Girls prostituting themselves for money. If they had part-time jobs, a sizeable amount of them wouldn't prostitute but the greedy ones will still.

Conclusion:

Is the quality of life here better than niNigeriaCapital YES.
Is it easier to make it here than in niNigeriaIt depends on the individual, success is not environmental, it depends on the individual.

@mrlawng , well said

you can make it anywhere as far as you got ur mind to it, abroad is very diffcult for foolish ones and good for goal minded ones, one thing I have learnt from this place is that they can make you be wat you want to be in life and as well help to destroy you if you pleases to do so.

Gat your goal together, put God 1st in everything you do then da location shouldn't matter and move with people that gat da same goal and mind with you.

Good luck everyone

@Hotstepper
you are rigth but in niaja there are people that kill dreams. If you are hard working they call you "a fool" and they make sure to bring you down. Ask any1 that ever worked in public service in niaja.If you are tranceperent they call you "enemy of progress".

true talk, "enemy of progress", Nkem owoh's favourite word in movies to his father

mrlawng:

@everyone
Dont get me wrong I don't believe success is environmental like I said in my earlier posts it depends on the individual. All i am saying is There are a lot of Nigerians here that are making it big. If you have a legal status and you have your stuff together. I don't see why you wouldn't make it.

Good job putting that out there.

i think africa is better

@ Old Glory

were you that in a rush to respond? calm down! you could have invested that much zeal into going over the view portrayed, 'cos you obviously didn't understand all that i wrote.

How in the world did you get the notion that my Dad pays my fees or how did you come to the conclusion that i didn't have a job? Bro I said "rather". Don't make mii believe you're in the same shoes with those that told Hotstepper she wasn't serious 'cos she wouldn't get a job in a factory. i'm a professional and i would not shove my certificate under the bed to work in the gas station, i know why i spent hard earned naira to get that degree.

Concerning those odd jobs i was referring to those who have really done professional jobs back home, i don't mean the struggling students, probably you need to go over the write up again. but sincerely, did your comment amaze mii? No!

Actually i don't mean that Nigeria is perfect, i know Naija has all it's ups and downs but my thing is this don't paint a picture of a stress free world to our buddies back home. Do u want to tell mii u're not aware that lots and lots of people desert steady lives, which most likely could have been better, to join in the rat chase abroad, if only these people were told the truth they probably would have worked harder back home and not run over here thinking dollars are found on the streets of New York, the same way you have to struggle to make Naira in naija is the same way you struggle over here to make dollars.


Very true, a great deal of naijas are living the American dream and i don't dispute that, but should they be the measuring stick? NO! like @ mrlawng said success is not enviromental, that's my point, don't rub it in on nobody saying Nigeria is so bad, like no one could make it out there, i struggled in naija and i made it!! i have family memebers who made it as well, at thesame time i have those who have never handled real money, why? b'cos they believe life has to come good and wouldn't go the extra mile to make it good for themselves.

watch this! why won't we work in a gas station in naija, tell mii bro, why won't we do odd jobs in naija ? don't tell mii b'cos naira is worthless, it's not true, we would not do it because we're too proud to, but abroad we don't care we do these same jobs and go back home acting like we're better off than those at home.

Plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!

@ mrlawng

i agree with you, quite a lot of naijas hold professional jobs out here, that is good and indeed success is not enviromental. like you i'm a med student, but have you taken time to consider the big time surgeon who had to mop floors in london b'cos no one would hire him, or the doctor who had to work as a carer (glorified maid) for 25 years 'cos he couldn't pass some exams in the US inorder to be employed and he was too proud to go back home to start over , or the first class Lawyer who had to wash cars for years all because there was no place for him in the US.

let's look beyond the food and the electricity, what could ever compare to self fulfilment? Buddies, NOTHING!!

Zionchic

If Nigeria is not so bad, then pack your stuff and go back home.Use your professional skills and degree to create Jobs for those "Suffering" in Nigeria. You cannot have it both ways Zionchic. If people are doing $10 per Hour Jobs, it may be just circumstance or just doing what the have to do to get by. I am sorry if i came to a quick conclusion, but you were ranting on how you can never do this or that and it really sounded like daddy was paying your fees and sponsoring you. I am still say asking, why are you here then? You know that Americans clean houses for $7per HR,d Drive Cabs round the clock, work at starbucks for $6.50per hr, work in the malls for minimum wage ETC are you any better? I am not sure what the difference is when a Nigerian does the same Job. Why this country (US) is great is because they have gotten away from your mentality. I know a friend that had a contract Job with the Veterans Affairs commision in Washington DC as a researcher, making close to $100,000 Annually and the government ended their project because of budget restraints and some politics, and he was immediately out of a job. His next job was as a manager of a Dunkin Donuts making $9.75 an Hour and had to be at work at 5.am every morning. He now owns his own Landscape business and cuts grass for $20 a pop.

Nobody cares if you were a bank Manager in Lagos, or if you were a systems analyst with Shell or Exxon in Nigeria. As long as you are able to take care of yourself and pay your bills, what is it to anyone else? Coming to think of it, the guy working in the Gas station is Living better than many Bank Managers in Nigeria. He works 40hrs+ a week and can pay his bills and live an OK Life. The Bank Managers in Nigeria works an average of 60-70Hrs a week just to keep his Job. No overtime, no health insurance, no Job security, and he does not get a severance pay when the bank closes or goes under. Do not discriminate Jobs people do.

I still want to know what you are doing here. I think you should not waste your time and money in the US and quickly go back home and invest in your country. Nobody is painting a glossy picture of the US, i am just saying that you have an option. If you do not get an office job, guess what you have to do what you have to do to make ends meet. In your case i guess you can always go back home as a fall back plan. Besides not everyone can get office jobs or even like office jobs. I work in the Auto Industry selling cars and i love what i do. If you locked me in an office I might lose my mind. If i lost my Job today and i will have to move on to the next thing. Zion please read you first post and correct yourself, you were dogging CNA, retail employees, and gas station attendants. Listen, if these jobs are beneath you, it is not for you. If the USA is so bad my sister, Virgin Airlines, BA, Alitalia, Lufthansa, KLM will be more than happy to do business with you. Tickets are sold "One-way" too you know.

@ old glory

i see we're going to go on and on over this for ever so i will rest my case at this because we're all entitled to our opinions but i think you still need to calm down.

i'm not trying to put down my bros and sis, what i'm saying is don't dump your future for uncertainty, if you have no choice do it, it's better than nothing but let us move beyond the facade and discuss in a realistic manner, will nigerians be sleeping in the embassy if they knew wat abroad entailed? would people be shipping my sisters abroad to prostitute them (unknowingly to these sisters) if they knew for sure what abroad was all about.

you really think i'm dissing my bros and sis, i'm not and i will never do that, all i'm saying is don't settle for less you can be better. professional jobs are not for everyone but why can't we act like those westerners and do these jobs back home or why do we treat those that do these jobs at home like their second class citizens? A great number of those that do these jobs are not legal immigrants, you know that, why get locked up in a foreign country when you could struggle as a free man in your country and make it happen for you. A brother broke his leg the other day because he was trying to avoid a false immigration alarm, today the leg was amputated and he's still going to be deported, WHY?

Well I'm a Programmer (because you really want to know) and i'm also a med student and i have done my quota to nigeria, (at least families are changing because i took the initiative).

And did you ask me if i'm better than that American, who is doing wateva jobs you said they do, well deduce that from this, "whatever name you choose to go by is what people call you", I lay the standards for my life.

let us not blow our tops unduely over this topic. i hope we're still kool.