₦airaland Forum

How did this man get to become the Central Bank Governor? From his statements, he is clearly a Boko Haram sympathizer and a very dangerous man to be in that position. I can't wait for him to finish his tenure and leave.

I saw this coming. Back in January or was it February when he launched the arise.tv news site, I remember having a conversation with a friend. I told him that I thought that Nduka Obaigbena was over stretching himself. My thinking at the time was why can't he start locally? He already has a recognized brand in the Nigerian market and the TV project would have been an extension of this brand. If you grow organically and people like what they see and hear, they will come for more. Nollywood didn't grow by making movies overseas. They made movies for the home grown market and today people in other countries watch Nollywood movies.

My take is that he diverted funds meant for Thisday to get his global TV project off the ground. Unfortunately, it may end up being his Achilles heel. If the public senses trouble, they may stop buying his newspapers and that would be the death knell of his media empire. This is like the proverbial "killing the goose that lays the golden egg." He neglected his primary source of income (Thisday and his employees) because he felt he could get away with it. For one, he knew his his cronies in government won't do anything. What he forgot is that without Thisday, there will be no "Arise" and the other dreams.

I can only hope they are saving their money for a rainy day. I'm not sure why he would leave Nigeria and go and buy a home in expensive San Francisco. He has to maintain the house and pay taxes every year or they will take it away from him. I'm tired of hearing about another Nollywood actor or singer, who is sick and needs donation to get to India for medical help.

If anyone spits on your face, they obviously hate your guts and don't think much of you. I live in the US and have seen it sometimes in ball games, where a player spits on another player for saying something derogatory. So the person spitting is usually trying to re-assert their dominance. When a husband spits on their wife in the heat of an argument, it means they think the woman is evil and does not deserve respect.

What the writer didn't tell us is what she does or says to the husband to get him in such a rage. I can bet she is no innocent flower. Many Nigerian women have such filthy mouth that can make a man suffer temporary insanity. My advice is that she move out and file for divorce before he kills her in a rage. It's only a matter of time. We've seen incidents like this in the America.

I joined this board some months ago and I find the topics and conversations stimulating and engaging. I find myself visiting the site a few times a day. I think some of the smartest people in Nigeria can be found on Nairaland. With that said, it's nice that the folks at SunNews were able to provide us with a list of the danger zones (Bus Stops) in Lagos. But what does that do for the average commuter? Nothing. Do we live with the statusquo? One still needs to move around daily and pray you do not fall victim to this criminality.

For Nairalanders, I think the challenge for us as Nigerians is to brainstorm and come up with lasting solutions so that commuters are not subjected to such danger daily. I say this because anybody, who leaves outside of Lagos reading this story would have second thoughts about visiting. I would also like to add that the government does not have solutions to every problem. If they did, this won't be a topic of discussion. So let's get some ideas out here. Hopefully, the government is listening.

I have some ideas of my own.

a) I think that bus stops should be moved away from highways into towns. There should be on-and-off ramps in every town along a highway. It would free up the daily traffic jam on our highways, reduce road accidents, make it easy for emergency vehicles (Police, Ambulatory Service, Fire service) to reach people who need help and make it harder for criminals to stop traffic. So a town that has a bus stop will have a fully functioning bus station, where buses pull in to drop off and pick up passengers. The bus stations can be managed by the government or a private company. The station should be organized along the lines of what you would find in a bus or train station in Europe, parts of Asia or North America. There should be bus schedules listed in print, at the stations and on the internet for the public to see. The little yellow "danfo" buses which in my opinion constitute a nuisance should be banned. In its place should be bigger buses like the BRTs. The government can concession this to a few private contractors, who have the capacity to move large numbers of commuters from one location to another. So for example, a few bus contractors could get the contract to transport all commuters along the Lagos Badagry Expressway say from Mile-2 to Okokomaiko. Then another group can pick up from there. The buses should run frequently (10 to 15 minutes) and on schedule.

b) The Government should fix and maintain the roads on a regular basis. Criminals find solace in our bad roads as we all know.

c) The Government should install Solar powered street lights on our roads. Criminals enjoy free reign on our roads because of our government's inability to provide adequate electricity to the population. As we all know, criminals find it easy to operate in the dark.

d) Operating any kind of business on our highways or street hawking should be banned. The owners should be forced to relocate inside towns.

e) Security should be beefed up 24/7 both at the bus stations and on our highways.

I think these are achievable goals that would improve the quality of life of the average Lagosian. I read somewhere that the average life expectancy of a Nigerian or was it a Lagosian is about 47 years. I feel that a lot of the reason for this short life span is because of the daily difficulties people experience trying to get around. Spending 4 to 6 hours each day just trying to get to work will shorten anybody's life. There are people with life threatening illnesses (Hypertension, diabetes, etc), who have to endure this everyday. We deserve better.

While I am aware that the government is working on a lot of projects to alleviate the daily suffering of the masses (Building of the rail line and the 10-lane highway along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway), I think more can be done.

I liked the advice given by @joangirl. A man does not need to wait until they have a job or lots of money to get married. I know it is easier said than done. A man needs to prepare themselves for life (education, etc). But more importantly, a man needs to find a willing partner, who loves them, sees their potential and can look beyond today (your present circumstance). Unfortunately, a lot of women cannot see beyond a man's present condition. No money = no love. Like joangirl said, your present condition can change anytime. The nice job you have today could be gone tomorrow. And what if that job you were waiting for doesn't come quickly, does that mean you will stay single forever? Marriage based on money is bound to experience difficulties. You are essentially trading money for love. What's the difference between that and a prostitute? Many of the rich people we hear about today came from poor and humble backgrounds. At some point, they were able to change their fortune. And for the girl out there searching for a life partner, but confusing money for love, it would probably be easier if you pick a man with prospects and work with them to get where you want to go. They will respect and appreciate you more.

When a woman says she just wants to be friends after she has shown an interest, it means that when she got closer to you, you just didn't have what she wanted. What she is looking for is almost always more money and material possessions than she has. If she finds out that she has more than you or on the same level, that's enough to kill the relationship. Remember, women are always looking for the best deal in town. It's all about who will offer them the most. Don't be fooled by their wishy-washy. Instead of trying to convince her to see the good in you, it's best you cut her loose and move on. That's because nothing good will come of it. The only time she could change her mind is if you suddenly hit it big. But then, do you want a girl like that.

Look at our own population.