₦airaland Forum

Good work Don Jazzy but u an arrowhead artist who gets d deals...ur men and woman dont yet look so commercially presentable. Dbanj beats dem to dat. Looking 4 a tall handsome gut who is also intelligent....guess u shud go 4 Kelly Handsome if Kenny's wud let him...or a noisemaker like Durella, just dat i dont trust his brain...they will help replace d almost perfect swag of DBanj

"...security is a CAPITAL intensive project. U don't HIDE money when fighting insecurity...u have to PUMP money into security...for equipment and PEOPLE, whon man d equipment..." ...Gov Theodore Orji of Abia State while receiving d Ag IGP.

Something still tells me dat dis current insecurity is an elite plot to share more money...I may b wrong

Thanks Yemmy...I have done all that and found just one whose decision i am eagerly expecting di May. Given d high number of applicants published for only 10 spaces, I want to broaden my scope...2 mayb increase my chances. Unfortunately, there is no bilateral agreement btw them n Nigeria on educational exchange and training. Now I can't get d visa with my account still...since my financial situation did not improve within d year. Their demand on financial guarantorship is quit strict! Just tired now....but praying n hoping God will turn d grant in my favour and make me one of d chosen 10. If not....

Wtf do u actually want mr sylva? If i got u right, u are accused of embezzlement and also treason. U are now hiding from prosecution but don't want to be held for contempt of court, so u now want d president to denounce d treason allegation so u can come out of hiding to answer to d embezzlement allegation. If u r so sure presindential high-handedness cannot nail u on d cross of corruption, y r u afraid it can kill u for treason....givem dat i claim to b innocent of both crimes? I used to think Niger Deltans were sharp....dis is one big-4-nothing Bayelsan! One advice 4u.....come back from Argentina and face our porous law. If not, u may have to ask cousin Ibori how tight UAE and UK laws are.

[quote author=yemmy_ma]What is the cost for tuition?[/quote]the tuition is so low....less than 700 euros and coming from a 3rd world country, I am entiled to a reduced tuition of 80 euros (if it's not reviewed...to exlude Nigeria...in July) . My issue is with d living expenses put at around 1000 euros a month. Thats y they refused me visa d last timeout.

T22, u r a kind man. I ran away frm NL cos majority here r fake....ur type is rare bro! God bless u.

Pls mine is on getting funds for an Msc in Geology in Belgium. I was refused visa last year on financial grounds so had to defer d admission till 2012/2013 session. Ever since, i have searched d whole internet and Nigerian ministries but got very few unlikely options.

Tired of going back to school for transcripts and reference letters. Any help/info on sourcing grants or scholarships for msc in belgium (Ghent) will b highly appreciated. School startsmid september. Thanks

Have u got d admission? If not, concentrate on applying for admission first...thats from arnd september to january. When u've got d admission letter by April/May, u rush and apply 4d visa...it takes time 4 nigerians living in Nigeria....say 3months, sumtimes less. Finance is a major issue so choose d right course dat may attract scholarships....u may b lucky i.e if u are not a silver-spoon person.

MrBrownjay...u did a marv job there. But OP, u fall hand oh! U sound like u have very low education.....firstly, u dupe people...either fully (by disappearin with money n passports) or partly (by gettin d job done n hiking ur price). Dis guy just met u when u had money and u let ur guard so down for him.

Sumtin tells me u only invested 160k to reap a million if d venture turned out to b true....or d guy planned to share d loot with u buh ended up eating both "thank u" and "very much" and now u r crying foul. I werent helping anybody out with visa or work permit. Ur clients were only lucky they neva trusted u wuth their money.

EFCC will only listen to u but will neva raise a finger to assist u...cos d money involved is so little, not up to what they investigate. Just talk to d police and embark on personal manhunt....try calling d fool with diff numbers and pple, including girls who know abuja well. Claim to have met him once or twice and that u want to c him about a job u need done....scammers love women, so use chics who live in abuja.

Having patiently read d first page, I can guage d mentality of d poster, her hubby and d army of advisers.

What are involved in a wedding?
1. From d lady- aso ebi for bridal train, wedding gown, her family uniform, her mum's aso ebi, hair and make up, bride's maid.
2. Frm d guy- his suit, bestman, drinks, food (which d lady often insists on d costliest), family dress n means of transportation. D guy mostly gets his committee of frnds to do d running arnd.
3. From both parties- venue, canopies, chairs, MC, live band/DJ, IV, sourvenirs...and number of guests. My list is not exhaustive anyways...jux general

Mostimes, d lady makes d choices in 1 and 3 above but wont pay 4dem so d guy pays but there had been an unstated agreement that d guy wud foot d bill 4dis wedding. Unfortunately, something happened and his resources went thin...and d wedding has to go ahead. What do we do?

I am stepping into Abuja from my friend's wedding in Enugu (last sat) and i was privy to d prepping. This guy did d running around and paid....without asking his girl 4money yet he cudnt av completely foot d bill without it affecting his means of livelihood. But what did dis sweet chic do? She took over items in 1 above plus sourvenirs in number 3....she organised and paid 4dem! That reduces d cost on my guy's head. Recall dat no one prompted her to take over doz. Again, she didnt ask for an elaborate display of wealth. She infact suggested a combined celebration of church and traditional weddings....where d traditional doubles as a wedding reception. So guests who cudnt make it to d church went straight to her father's compd where we didnt hav to rent a hall.

She also made sure there was food was food...my guy paid but she organised it and added some cash wen d vendor demanded some more...she also made d 3 diff cakes (wedding, igbankwu and her hubby's birthday)....she paid! And she is not desperate....she is young, has a good job plus a masters degree. Items in number 2 are chiefly a guy's thing....and d cost is reasonable if 1 and 3 are shared or taken out.

OP pls b reasonable....I tell my chic dat with her, I have no ego....no male pride again...shelve ur pride and take out some items from ur wedding plan and fund dem totally. U may not give him d cash...4get all dis "he is d man" u hear here. Most of dem will not mind paying a 100% (codedly)...just to keep d good man.

Still looking 4 where Dbanj accused Don Jazzy of betrayal...cant find it yet...guess d writer got d inspiration for d topic while watching London Bridge:/.

Again, Dbanj said dat Jazzy had already bn cheated by JJC...a fellow broda. Jazzy den pitched tents with a broda frm d same 419 squad of JJC....den after 9yrs, dat broda den feels dat d world was waitin n calling....wanted instant expansion 4 "d love of mother Africa"...and fell into d hands of master swindlers...who cud rob them of both dia hard earned reputaions and mayb dia salvation. Jazzy to me, is only bn cautious....u wudnt wanna be eaten 2wice....not wen u know u r doing so well. Once bitten 2wice shy, IMO.

They truly worked 4 each oda but there is nutin wrong with Jazzy choosin to b d poor village chief yle Dbanj becomes d rich yankee houseboy....it's dia choices to make.

For doz shouting "y lagos?...y not bayelsa?....y not SE?, etc," d question shud av bn "where else, if not Lagos?"

1. Lagos is very far frm BH stronholds....they will find it difficult attacking lag for d release of detainees...plus d OPC angle
2. Lagos is a big state where we hav d bedrock of our police intelligence apparatus...if its not Abuja, den it has to b Lag in terms of security
3. Lagos residents r more enlightened and as such more security conscious dan oda Nigerians...so d possibility of radicalisation and jailbreaks is reduced.

As a child, i ate moulded salty clay/chalk...nzu...so much. i used to buy it from kiosks as a snack then. I was a bit attached to it mostly due to its scent...especially when a little water touches d hard mould. I wud stupidly go to a poor compound under d hot sun, get water and poor on d unplastered mud walls then stand to fill my lungs with d scent of wet clay/chalk.

As n adult, i feel funny weneva rain falls after a long dry period...especially in d village...it gives me similar scent of my childhood nzu. But i cant fink of licking nzu again...just like d sweet smell

I may not know d structure and d ownership of mohits records buh i guess dis spells d end of the name "Mohits Records". As for who shines and who fails...I feel Donjazzy's success rests on his ability to spot talents that will promote him. Dbanj will not find another producer like Don. So to me...Donjazzy wins but he seems to be startin from scratch, given hs twitter comments

Interest-free bankin services? Good! But y those locations only? I mean, y not Lagos, atleast? Sounds more Northern Nigeria Bank.

He floated a foundation to fight guinea worm in Nigeria so as to show Ebonyi state that he's not anti-Igbo. He begun Nigeria Prays to flaunt his repentance. Now He's thinking of Nigerians Against State Creation. . .he is regretting being d first to sow d seed of division and disharmony in Nigeria. We will get to 50 states in the next 10 yrs Gowon. your borrowed divide-and -rule system will always haunt u. Borrboro!

^^^ I tot as much @Konnektions146. House helps must do d work for free but I see that aspect phasing out with improved std of living. Naija parents will be able to cater for their kids (send them all to school) and not send them out as helps in exchange for wrappers and bags of xmas/sallah rice.

Thanks all. Pls keep suggestions coming. . .I am serious abt dis.

There was heavy traffic gridlock in my area this morning and we later found out it was due to d police cordoning off some roads to stall the purported protest.
So it went ahead. Good!

Thanks guys.

My real fears were in terms of the market for home cleaning especially. I fear the demand for home cleaning is quite low in Nigeria and as @TokyoB opined, our communal life style and cheap labour found here means that people wud rather use family members and tip them than using call pros. I also think things are changing but mayb not very fast. I intend to do d stuff in Abuja.

@LagBlogger, I actually meant home maid service, housekeeping. . .if there are lawns, we can mow and maintain but I don't want to start talking abt making it look industrial just yet. D neighbourhood thing can be incorporated but I was like we needed to clean those rooms and toilets first before the client says "ah! Do u think my stairways are redeemable? D office thing, I know and it also needs a lot of marketing to displace those already there. Thanks bro,

We want to set up a home and office cleaning business in in Nigeria but somehow, we are kind of novices in the local industry and internet keeps giving answers based on US and Europe. Kindly help with the following issues:

1. Suitable name for the company
2. Average budget for start up
3. Market size and trends in Nigeria. . .do Nigerians pay to clean their homes?
4. Local big players. . .who cleans ur homes and offices?
5. Risks and challenges. . .like getting people to trust u in d home
6. Does it have a long gestation period?

Thank u
Donmeca

Fuel subsidy removal: Youths mobilise for hunger strike, demonstration

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/31026-fuel-subsidy-removal-youths-mobilise-for-hunger-strike-demonstration

Nigerian youths have advised President Goodluck Jonathan to tread softly on the plan to increase the pomp price of fuel in Nigeria by means of subsidy removal on petroleum product, stating that the action could set Nigeria ablaze.

The youth under the aegis of National Youths Council of Nigeria advised the government not to set a rigid date for its plan to remove the subsidy, but should rather weigh available options as a compelling alternative.

Vowing to resist the plan by the government, the youth said the government should start taking positive steps towards fighting corruption among public officials both at the federal and state levels, stressing that the amount being looted on a daily basis by these officials were sufficient enough to cushion the subsidy.

Already, the youth have started mobilising for  hunger strike which is to hold on November 11, this year  at Unity Fountain besides Transcorp Hilton, Abuja even as they have opened points of contact on Facebook and Twitter to that effect.

They noted that fuel subsidy removal without curbing the rapacious and corrupt instincts of some of  government officials, including ministers, heads of parastatals, state governors and local government chairmen would yield no positive results.

In a statement signed by the association’s National President, Olawale Ajani and made available to the Nigerian Tribune, the youth said they had scheduled a hunger strike to dissuade the government from proceeding on its action, following which they would mobilise across Nigeria to protest the fuel subsidy removal.

The statement read, “given the accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau, government officials no longer pay attention to accountability, while they freely engage in  looting, running into billions at the expense of innocent, hardworking and ever hopeful Nigerians.

“From the accounts by the EFCC, ICPC and others, ex-governors, ministers and heads of government agencies are billionaires without any known tangible personal businesses.”

The Youths asked President Jonathan to be wary of advise from his aides meant to force hardship on Nigerians through the planned subsidy removal even contrary to the initial promises he made to Nigerians on giving the citizens good lease of life.

“Our dear President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR had earlier promised, “As a democracy, we are constantly reminded that we serve the people only at their pleasure. Thus, when the people feel strongly about an issue, we have had to thread the path of caution and return to drawing board of consultation”

The statement by the youths read in part, “Why will government set an irrevocable terminal date of January 2012 for the total removal of this so-called fuel subsidy? Why must it happen next year? Why can’t they put the necessary infrastructures in place; modern day refineries that can at least refine the fuel needed by Nigerians in before thinking of the removal of the subsidy?

“They said when they remove the subsidy they will set up committee of eminent Nigerians to manage it.

Why can’t they set up the committee now to manage the subsidy?“It is a common saying that problem known is half solved, unlike Nigeria situation with our rulers, Problem known is to be suffered by every Nigerians except them. They said subsidy goes to the hand of few cabals, they can not mention the names of these cabal, if any. Rather the Government is so weak and ineffective to checkmate the ‘’cabals” so they want us to pay for it?

What is the reasonable justification behind the removal of fuel subsidy while there is excess crude account? Can the Government be trusted at all? Where is the Good governance they promised?

“Where is the adequate security for all that they promised? What have they practically done to fight corruption, what happen to the widely call for special court to handle economic and financial crimes? What have they done with the recovered loot from Abacha, Tafa Balogun and others.”

My problem is knowing who is who among Nigerian youths. . .we seem to have organisations that do not have known criteria for membership. Who are the members of Nigerian Youth Council? How do they hold conventions? To me these guys are just community mobilsers for politicians. I just wonder why the facebook page for 2moro's hunger strike has only one "like". . .maybe that of the creator. So did the NWC of NYC not meet to decide on d strike? Did they not agree on a means of mobilisation? Why are the members (who agreed on d match) reluctant in identifying with their cause? To me, if they all like d page, others will be motivated to join and d SSS will be at a loss as to how many guys to arrest in order to cripple d protest. We need to know who to follow b4 trouping out to be used for Boko Haram/police brutality experiment.

May I know the cost per unit (kilowatt) of electricity in Nigeria,

I just recharged my prepaid metre and I feel short-changed.
I paid 500 Naira and was credited as follows:
Units of electricity bought: 42.9.
Cost of electricity paid: N476.19.
VAT paid: N23.81
Total cash paid: N500.00
A little mathematics shows that if 42.9 units of elect cost N476.19, 1 unit (kw) of electricity will cost 476.19/42.9 = 11.1 (eleven naira, ten kobo only).

Now to my confusion, I was told that d cost of electricity was increased from N8.50k to N10.00 per kilo watt, how come I bought mine for N11.10k/kilo watt? Using N10.00/unit, N476.19 wud buy me 476.19/10 = 47.7 units, a difference of 4.7 units. That's like 3 days of electricity!!!

Is the PHCN unit more than the kilowatt? Who is extorting Nigerians? I truly need an explanation here.

Again, why can't one be allowed to do any legal business he like?

* The proposed venture does not entail the production and distribution of weapons, alcoholic beverages, tobacco or/and gambling, or any activities that is in contradiction with the Nigerian constitution

YouWin, good initiative. Not the best we can offer but a good step. The issue is, we have had stuff like Heir Apparent before now which I cannot tell how it ended after just one season. I think our problem as a country is HYPE we over-hype ideas into failure. We hyped NAPEP until Kpakol showed us how to empower d poor with KEKE. Let's not over hype this one and see what becomes of it.

If anyone meets d requirements, I guess he/she shud apply and tell us what transpired. Please if u know how one can participate, pls post here. The site can't open for me to even read anything.

Naija sucks just as nairaland

Please send me the stuff @Activist

donmecaworld@yahoo.com

We have seen them make good their threats. . .are they going to start targeting our schools?

Boko Haram Threatens To Bomb Ui, Other Varsities

By OLA AJAYI

THE authorities of the University of Ibadan have confirmed the threat by members suspected to be Boko Haram sect that they wanted to bomb the university between 12 and 17 September.

The rumour was confirmed, Monday by the  Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Pro. Elijah Afolabi Bamigboye.

The threat led to panic among staff and students of the institution as  there was heavy security presence at the main entrance to the university,  opposite Agbowo Shopping Complex.

Many staff and visitors going into the campus were subjected to thorough search by security operatives who were armed with AK 47 rifles and bullet proof jackets.

Prof. Bamigboye who said he too was subjected to the search said security beef-up was necessary to check any eventuality.

“We heard rumours that a group which detests education is likely to descend on institutions where education is being imparted. We heard that U.I is top on the list. When we heard the rumour of  the threat to bomb U.I, we did not want to take chances. We’ve heard of experiences in the past, especially the recent bombing of the UN house in Abuja as well as the Force headquarters which left several people dead”.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/boko-haram-threatens-to-bomb-ui-other-varsities/

If Nigeria were a functional society, Helen wud either av died or been in jail by now for mass murder of helpless innocent children but Nigeria isn't functional.

That said, if a witch/wizard cries at night and d child dies in d morning, do we need to ask who killed d child? just asking. . .there is 'sense' in every 'nonsense'.

Now, this article may have been overtaken by events in Libya but it sure adds a little pep to d debate on Gaddafi, democracy and Nigerian leaders.

A very offensive and utterly depressing scenario thrown up by the raging storm in North Africa is the unedifying sight of several Nigerian rulers thumbing their noses at the “sit-tight” dictators in that region being consumed by their people’s overflowing frustration and fury, while flaunting their “democratic” credentials to underline their cock-sureness that such popular uprising will never happen here to threaten their own hold on power.

Watching these mostly deficient rulers calling with self-righteous air on leaders of these countries still hanging on to power despite mounting opposition against their regimes to respect their people’s wishes for change and stand down can be very exasperating indeed.

Now, what can these Nigerians rulers show in character and leadership to embolden them to talk down on the embattled North African leaders most of whom have generously given their people quality life and enviable infrastructure that hapless, perennially shortchanged Nigerian citizens can only continue to day-dream about until a messiah emerges someday in these parts to clear the Augean stable? Indeed, it is quite in order to call for democratic rule in those countries, but Nigerian rulers (and former rulers) should hasten to disqualify themselves from joining the chorus.

The mere fact that Nigeria is stuck in a very iniquitous relay race that imposes on us (yes, they are mostly imposed through massive electoral fraud, not elected) every four years a gaggle of mostly treasury looters with another set far worse than their predecessors, or even recycling some clearly expired drugs that have done nothing in their entire public life to add any value to the lives of the citizenry should in no way embolden our rulers to suddenly forget that were there a reliable justice system in Nigeria, many of them should be rotting in jail for willfully turning a generously endowed country into Dante’s Inferno!

Just imagine the amount of public funds reportedly (and un-reportedly) being stolen and squandered daily under various guises with utmost impunity by too many public officers and their accomplices, and the great transformation that would happen to public infrastructure and the lives of the citizenry if this organized banditry can at least be reduced by fifty percent!

Indeed, were the various anti-corruption and security agencies in Nigeria to do their work with conscience and diligence, Nigerian prisons would today be brimming with ex-public officers who had helped themselves from the public till. Recent studies have shown that due to this boundless plundering of the public treasury, about 99% of the country’s resources are in the hands of just 1% of the population, and more than 85 per cent of Nigerians live below poverty level. How can any sane person explain this in a country earning plenty of money from oil exports?

Now, where is even the democracy we claim to have in Nigeria? Is it this severely discredited electoral system that has gradually degenerated from the culture of grossly manipulated elections to almost no elections at all, as we saw in the 2007, for instance? How many “elected” officials have the courts sent packing since then? How many have rigged themselves back into power by perpetrating far worse electoral fraud during the rerun elections ordered by the courts? How many Nigerians can happily and proudly affirm that majority of the characters ruling them today are in office by reason of the votes cast for them on Election Day? Please, Nigeria should never dare to mention among decent people that it is practicing democracy!

We have, most unfortunately, been labouring under a more subtle (and therefore more insidious and enduring) “sit-tightism” whereby we have been ruled by the same looters for several decades. What changes every “election” year are their faces and names, but the same characters remain – several sides of the same evil box! This is much more frustrating because they have succeeded in giving it a “democratic” hue! Imagine Nigeria’s worst Headache, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), assaulting our ears with the oppressive declaration that (whether we like it or not), it would continue to rig itself back into power for the next 200 years. What do you call that?

From Tunisia to Egypt and now Libya, a deep yearning for mass-participation in the process of making and enthroning leaders has indeed successfully dismantled once formidable regimes and brought some others under considerable threat.

It is Libya’s turn in the sun. Given the determination of the Allied Forces led by France, Britain and the United States to implement the “No-Fly-Zone” imposed on Libya a few days ago by the United Nations (UN), it is becoming increasingly clear that the Libyan strongman, Col Muammar Gaddafi (who prefers the title, “Brother Leader”), would eventually suffer the fate of his erstwhile colleagues like Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Ben Ali of Tunisia. The UN Resolution also stipulates the adoption of other measures to save the people from dying from the growing offensive by pro-Gaddafi forces and the genocide that would have most certainly followed had Benghazi, the opposition’s bastion, fallen to pro-Gaddafi forces. Allied forces had already carried out bombings aimed at crippling Gaddafi’s ability to flout the “No-Fly-Zone” resolution by the UN. Indeed, much of global attention drawn to somewhere else by the very devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan recently and immediately knocked Libya off the front pages across the world, has now returned to the North African country.

Indeed, Libya needs democracy. The people must have a say in the determination of who rules them. Gaddafi needs to quit power to make room fresh ideas in Libya and allow freedom to hold and express opinions that run counter to official thinking which have been gradually stifled in the country since opposition to his continued stay IN office began to emerge.

But as I ponder the enviable state of development in Libya under Gaddafi’s “dictatorship” and compare it with the boundless decay in our “democratic” Nigeria, and then observe the insufferably hypocritical reactions of our grossly deficient rulers to the Libyan crises, I am forced to wonder if what Nigeria direly needs now is not a Gaddafi who despite his authoritarian leadership style can effectively deploy the vast resources of Nigeria to enhance the quality of life of our people as he has successfully done in Libya?

Yes, for 42 years, he has ruled his country. He has no stomach for divergent views. Yet, the infrastructural development Libya has experienced despite suffering many years of economic blockade makes one wonder which is really to be preferred: A dictatorship that has been able to raise the quality of life or a so-called democracy whose only dividend is the replacement of mostly treasury looters with another band of treasury looters every four years – a ‘feat’ Professor Atahiru Jega, the current Chair of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), may yet again achieve for Nigeria at the cost of over 50 Billion Naira! Indeed, Nigeria remains a very bad advertisement for democracy!

As I write now, 1.2 Dinar (Libyan currency) exchanges for 1 US Dollar. Yet, one dollar is the equivalent 156 Naira! If Libya were to be Nigeria, 1.2 Dinar should be 1Naira.20 Kobo! Can you imagine that? At N156 per one Dollar, you can now calculate how much Naira is required to buy just one Libyan Dinar!

In Libya, uninterrupted power supply is taken for granted; but in Nigeria, the people are still groping in darkness despite the mind-breaking revelation that the Olusegun Obasanjo regime had squandered $16 billion pretending to fix the power sector. The last time I checked (and that was this morning), no one has been arraigned in any court for that alleged monumental act of profligacy and economic sabotage.

The other day, a friend and I arrived at the Nigerian-Benin border about 9.00 PM. The Nigerian Immigration Offices (like the country that owns it) was enveloped by pitch darkness and the officer who stamped our passports had to do it with the aid of a very weak torchlight. But just a stone-throw from there, the Benin Republic Immigration offices glowed brilliantly with full power supply. Given that Nigeria has the resources to buy up the entire Benin, what then can anyone make out of this sickening situation? Nigeria appears to be the only country in Africa that is still stuck in the long-forgotten and excruciating past of very poor energy supply, where people in an urban city like Lagos can live for several weeks and months without a flicker of light in the bulbs adorning their living rooms.

The cost of doing business in Nigeria, due to intractable energy crises, has forced several industries to close shop here and relocate to our well-managed neigbours where they would not have to spend millions of naira to operate their power generating sets in order to remain in business. Consequently, many Nigerians have in the process lost their jobs to the citizens of those countries where the companies have relocated. Yet, products of those companies are shipped back to Nigeria where a huge market exists and sold to us as exorbitant prices.

In Libya, there is clean water rushing from every tap; but Nigeria is generously adorned with perennially dry taps. Any day any liquid manages to gush out from those taps, only the irredeemably insane would dare to taste it. Any sane person that tries it would deserve to be arrested and charged for attempting suicide.

The roads in Libya are as good as any you can find anywhere in the world; Libya’s airline is world-class while Nigeria Airways is dead and buried; Libyan hospitals and schools can compare with the best anywhere in terms of the quality of services and infrastructure. But to obtain quality education, Nigerians are compelled to send their children to Ghana, Togo and even Benin Republic. There are even speculations now that very soon, Nigerians may start going to places like Liberia and Sierra Leone to get quality education.

In 1993, I met an America Professor of Economics who proudly announced to me that while he studied for his Masters Degree at the University College, Ibadan, (UCI) in 1958, he stayed at Kuti Hall. I wonder if he can advise any American child today to get near that same Kuti Hall he spoke so glowingly about, or encourage the child of his worst enemy to attend a Nigerian University. But while visiting Ghana the other day, I noticed that at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Americans, Britishers, Chinese and people from diverse nations of the world are proudly enrolled there as students.

One wonders how much Nigerians are spending looking for quality medical attention outside Nigeria, even in countries Nigeria can, under responsible leaders, fairly prosper better than, given the huge earnings that pour into the country from oil exports. Right now, the traffic to Indian hospitals is quite overwhelming.

Several Nigerian rulers may have sneered at Hosni Mubarak when he was being forced out power the other day, but for the quality hospitals he either built or maintained during his “sit-tights” years, many of them or their relatives would have since been buried and forgotten. Countless children of Nigerian public officers are enrolled in Egyptians schools, built or maintained by the same ousted “sit-tight” Egyptian leader, because they have lost confidence in Nigerian public schools and colleges devalued by years of wayward and bankrupt leadership.

There are hardly any reports of religion-inspired violent and mindless killings in Libya despite the country having a Christian minority population. In fact, so sick and fed-up with Nigeria’s crying inability to manage its differences, Gaddafi had to once ask this country to dismember itself along ethno-religious lines, eliciting angry but insufferably hypocritical reactions from our largely failed leaders who instead of burying their faces in shame called him names. Senate President, David Mark, called him a madman! He may probably be, but most Nigerians at that time wondered publicly who was mad between the two men.

I am not aware that refineries in Libya have since packed up and that Libya is importing fuel from mostly refineries built with mostly stolen funds by their nationals in other countries. The vehicles one sees on the streets of Libya are not like the moving coffins that slug it out on the deathtraps we call roads here.

Even with Libya being a desert place, food was still cheap, and life more promising there , so much so, that, before the present crises, Nigerians utterly frustrated beyond measure by worsening conditions in their country and eager to escape from the hell our leaders have turned this place into were trouping to Libya in droves, and remaining there despite clear signs of being less-than welcome. Today, Nigerians are being subjected to unimaginable indignities in several countries where they have escaped to and become economic exiles, and sometimes humiliated and deported from all sorts of places including even a place like Sudan!

Yes, I like democracy, no doubt. But if it only exists as a mere slogan to enrich a few and circulate only miseries among the larger population (as is the case in Nigeria), I won’t mind for now Gaddafi’s “dictatorship” which has improved the quality of life in Libya.

The common man on the streets of Nigeria bearing the excruciating pain of directionless leadership and mindless looting of the common wealth is only interested in who would provide his basic needs and give him hope to continue living again.

He would prefer a non-democratic Saudi Arabia where every ante-natal and post-natal medical care, including surgery and several other forms of medical treatment are free; where doctors don’t suddenly go on strike due to very poor working conditions, leaving patients to die; where quality healthcare is so pronounced to the extent of attracting the patronage of Nigeria’s late ruler, Umar Yar’Adua; where quality schools exist for the common man to send his children at affordable or even no costs at all.

To him debates on such issues as how long a particular person had ruled him or the system being operated are more of elite preoccupations, and may most of the time be borne out of less-than patriotic motives to acquire power, and so he feels less concerned. Leadership after all is defined by quality, selfless service and not its opposite. Where this is lacking, nothing else matters!

Indeed, democracy is good and desirable, especially, where it adds value to life. But those who have turned it into a religion seem to easily forget that Adolf Hitler was not a product of imposed leadership, but had emerged from one of the freest elections the world has ever witnessed.

So, if Libyans are tired of Gaddafi, and eventually succeed in pushing him out, he should hurry down to Nigeria where years of morally bankrupt and failed leadership seem to have enhanced his attraction.

By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye, March 22, 2011. http://www.nigeriaplus.com/wanted-president-gaddafi-of-nigeria-by-ugochukwu-ejinkeonye/

PointB:
This is one of the few occasions I have to agree with you.

The UN claim that they warned Nigeria of 'General Threat' is stewpid, silly, and very malicious if you asked me. What was the 'general' threat a month ago? Every Tom. Joystick and Harry, can conjure up 'general' threat.  Now let me conjure up some general [/b]threats:
[b]
-  Militants will attack a high profile target (person, building, government, clergy?) in the NW
-  Islamist fundamentalist are attempting to infiltrate very high profile government building (have they not been trying for ages)
-  Al Qeada linked terrorist are planning to hijack public transport in the country (airplane, buses, train, taxi, private jet, okadas, ferries, which one?)
-  Hackvist plan to attack a major online forum in Sub Sahara Africa (Nairaland, ghanaweb please take note)
- Al Shabab based terrorist group plan to attack a major target in Sub Sahara Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, ECOWAS)
- A new Libyan based terror group targets high profile target outside of Libya. (Africa, Middle East, Nigeria, US)

Friends, forumist, Nairalanders, the above are samples of 'general' threat - from my crystal ball  . You can see the nature of 'general' threat - they are non specific, non-actionable security information.  UN should have done better with the kind of resources they have, they should have provided a more specific threat if they think they know better. My opinion is that even the UN is as clueless as they come. They are just trying to cover their own intelligence failure, and blame it on the usual suspect  - Nigeria in general, GEJ specifically.

This is one hell of a time for Nigerians and GEJ. I wouldn't want to be president at this rate! 

Thank PointB for being that classy. Those blaming d govt can go ahead and do so. Nigerian security system has failed and as such must be blamed for what no man on earth can prevent. It's horrible d way we think!

armyofone:

too expensive, and[b] they aren't clean/fresh you know[/b].

Not a reason coz by d time u get to ur destination, urs will lose d freshness u tot it had

This is confusing! Some chic even advised/begged me to bring naija food on my way to europe from Nigeria. most posters here say "do not bring".