₦airaland Forum

kildran:
@Topic
Not is support aor against the idea, but I remember Reuben Abati (Whose insight on issues is revered in Nigeria) made a similar statement some months back. I am of the opinion that the people making this allusions should school us better as to why they have this opinion. Not in support of it!

Yes I respect a lot of Abati's take on NAIJA issues but, If you were referring to his rather condescending article about some new NAIJA songs and the stage names[b] NAIJA[/b] artistes give themselves, I think he went over the top with that one.

BANKY W replied him so impressively I had to go buy his album

read here --> https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-287512.0.html

oriname:
in reply to oyb. i guess u r lost. what do new yorkers call dem selves? yankees. calling nigeria naija doest make politicians to steal money and stash them abroad. how come u r just *****. u cant make fashola to stop us from callin lagos lasgidi. if u want cheap pub u can do dt anyway. naija for life. stop calling web bloggers criminals. go kiss transformer if u cant find better things to do. rubbish

ever heard of , erm SARCASM?

There are too many ways to describe the stupi.dity of this pronouncement, don't know where to start from.

SMH at Dora, she's getting senile at such a young age.

BTW, this is not to say this is true for ALL countries or all Muslim peoples. Turkey is for example a great counterexample showing that Islam and modern democracies are not incompatible. I also think that Yoruba Muslims (for example) are people you can build a healthy democracy and society with (or at least, I really, really, really pray that this is true. . . )

It is true, and we will continue to make it so.

Thank our Irunmoles for that. They neither hate nor care about your religion as long as you respect Orunmila.

Decent apology/clarifications BTW. . .

experience:
Can you or anyone for that matter list the precise steps or possible scenario in which the country will "explode"? Because the population thinks that everything is going fine.

Just a few miscreants here and there. No one is bothered as long as you don't steal the pot after draining the soup from it. Their only dream is to be put in position to do the same to others.

"This kontry no dey explode!!!"

I can bet an arm and a leg that some dreamer made those same comments before Sierra Leone and Liberia exploded.

mikeansy:
Some people are just playing with fire. MEND whether Fake or Real is in nobody's interest.

I grew up in Borikiri area of PH. In those days Bayelsa had not been created and PH was the capital city of the old River State.

The main militant leaders who form the core of militancy in the Niger-Delta were simply pick pockets, panickers, thugs and thieves of yesteryears. I can not stress this fact enough. I never believed that somehow these group of boys can truly transform into freedom fighters and never believed the story of militancy in ND will end well. Because when you arm illiterates and untrained militia they usually turn around to hunt their own people.

While I will be ready to bear witness anytime anyday that may be these boys would have had a different future if we lived in a different country with a different responsible Government; the fact remains that there were other youths who as well had difficult up bringing but made different choices.

Some are saying militancy has ended because there is nothing these boys are fight for anymore. Nothing can be further from the truth. These boys are fighting for what they have always fought for. "Their pockets".  This is what they believed in 20years ago, this is what they believed in 10 or 5years ago and this is what the thugs trained under these boys will continue to believe in.

While Ateke Tom, Fara, Boyloaf and co may have been settled. Their boys have not been settled and the boys of their boys are yet to be settled. So this amnesty programme was never going to work.

If I was a junior militant with the ambition to be as rich as Ateke someday tell me why I will drop my arms and embrace some ridiculous amnesty programme when there are simply no consequences of me continuing kidnap-for-cash programmes, bunkering or at worst being at the centre of the next peace negotiations when I must have created more trouble and where I will then part with huge cash sums?

So we are simply creating a very dangerous loop here. As a Niger-Delta citizen with most of my family still in PH, I think it is time to call these criminals bluff. Anybody blowing up pipelines or kidnapping anyone should be captured and dealt with severely.

I am in support of 100% resource control for the Niger-Delta, I am in support of True Federalism. I believe the answer or route to these things is politics rather than making my homeland unsafe for all law abiding citizens.
True federalism or Resource Countrol will be achieved in the NASS by passing laws not through bombings in the creeks.

The quiet and calm PH I grew up as a boys going to school no longer exists. In those days our role models were Finidi George, Furo Iyenemi, Emmanuel Ebiede etc. These days the celebrities and folks kids hear about are now Fara Dagogo and Ateke Tom.

Who wants to live in a society like that?

+1

I just wish more of our folks will listen to people like you. Not just in the ND, but all over Nigeria.

People like Mikeansy, Mike oscar, Ibime and  other folks have posted several times about the criminal activities of these murderers masquerading as freedom fighters in their communities.

My take is that they are all just pawns used by those who control Nigeria ---> Big oil and their criminal Nigerian Partners.

EX: If pipeline attacks can affect the rise and fall of oil prices on the world market, I can only imagine the calculations going on in the minds of foreign and local Oil speculators who have access to these young men.

Lets not even talk about Oil bunkering and the millions of dollars they can make from that.

An analysis by Patrick Naagbanton was posted here ---> https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=506848.msg6685538#msg6685538


We have a conspiracy of murderous fools situation going on in Nigeria, the ND is a good example of that.  Liberia, Somalia, Sierra Leone did not happen overnight.

I hope sensible people in the corridors of power will listen and act before it's too late for my people.

@4llerbuntu & Muzbo,

Comparing lawyers and doctors won't solve the problem, both professions are vital to the well being of any sensible society and they are both poorly paid in Nigeria. The leaders we throw up do not care about us, we need to force them to. The only crop of people who get paid in Nigeria are political jobbers and their thieving friends. If you've ever tried to do any honest business in Nigeria you'll know.

A society where leaders are above the law cannot value lawyers, likewise they cannot respect doctors because public health policy is really none of their business since the best hospitals are just a plane flight away. We need to make it their business as much as we can. So let the strikes continue, lawyers should join too.

If my people don't die in the waiting room they will die awaiting trial anyway.

Don't agonize, organize.

I do not need an oyinbo prize to accept the fact that Baba Achebe is probably the best writer ever IMO. I'm an African and I read and judged his writings from that perspective. We don't need Conrad's kinsmen to tell us the obvious. If Tolstoy has not won it, then Baba Achebe is not in bad company.

MUZBO:
lmao! I get your drift and u r quite right as usual. I should come for holidays ASAP and see things for me self then hopefully take the great migration! U know I won't stand 4 for some beaded waist-banded type-happy pranksters talkin crap!

Leave our Ileke-Idi alone jo!

Everyone has a right to get the Nigerian madness wrong sometimes, Nigeria is complex and she proves that we don't engage in groupthink on NL 

Now, We reportedly have about 1100 Doctors serving 8 million people and Fashola still dey form hard negotiator( Probably 1099,  since Muzbo is planning to leave)

Muzbo, abeg no leave your patients o  

We need all the doctors we can get, continue the strike though, Fashola should do the needful and pay these doctors better.

tsubodai:
Kilode, i am not acting like it isn't a big deal,  i was just responding to the thread. I am back in Nigeria, and I do understand the bigger picture, i spent 2 years in lagos and abuja trying to grow a company 2 of my friends and I setup (putting the western education to good use), we believed we did everything right, we just didn't bank on how effed up the system was, they didn't want to see anything just how much we were dropping, for bank loans the finance officer will tell you straight if i get the bank to approve Nxxx.00  for you this will be my cut. I couldn't deal will that, so dusted up my degrees and applied for a job. What i am saying is at the end of the day this is the only country  we have, even more so for "corrupt politicians children" i have been to the other side and the only difference between them and us, is the education of their populace,the world is truly becoming global for us to succeed we need at least 70% efficient leadership agree to setup infrastructure, implementation of law and order, pretty much do what a Government is suppose to do,and actually give the country a chance.
About Mohd Abacha, in kano the abachas are practically royalty, its other nigerians that hate them (i'm not from kano).  The whole family still live there, the theory being sold by his people is that compared to others if he comes to power wealth woudln't be his major priority (albeit his was stolen) so he might be inclined to actually do a bit of work, pull a fashola, "a looter who actually works" (again importance of educated populace). hmm wsnt that bukola's argument too .

kilode, those "friends", trust me when i say this, the ones that brag and are very in your face, are the ones that suffer the most when the tide turns. cos it ALWAYS  does "i get am before, no be property", obviously they will be a few outliers, but those ones are still a bit effed (drugs,depression, etc).

I hear you brother. I will like to point out the parts in bold, especially this: "What i am saying is at the end of the day this is the only country  we have, even more so for "corrupt politicians children"

I recently read a thread here on NL where Ajanlekoko and some other posters were talking about the theory of interdependence, I've not read the 7 habits book by Stephen Covey, but I've read Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto -he spoke about that same principle of interdependence, albeit on a Macro scale -We are all connected and no matter how rich and detached you are, you cannot be completely removed from the effects of our societal rot. On the flip side, I believe that when it works for the majority, the possibility of it working in your favour increases dramatically.


Bill Clinton(I'm not a big fan) recently spoke about a similar principle on a Fareed Zakaria CNN interview. I do not have the exact quote but, he mentioned that America is a great nation because the leaders and people believe that tomorrow can be better than today and that every American has a personal moral responsibility to make it so.  I think he called it "future perspective" Clinton went on to say that he feels America is now losing that belief.

I believe Nigeria has never practiced it.

Until we have enough people/leaders who see the benefits of giving up a bit of our selfish impulse, we will not build the kind of society we seek. Obviously, you tasted a bit of what the lower class experience daily, even though your own father was a part of the rot as you alluded to. I hope those following this thread are taking lessons from your honest stories,  I am.

I do not want to preach or moralize, but I do see the point in your last paragraph, I will just add that those who suffered the side effects of empty, gluttonous living by falling into depression and drug addiction are getting off easily.

I'm more worried about the cyclical nature of human history, a country of 150million people cannot continue with this kind of cultural and political madness, Eventually, there will be blood, then maybe some calm after.

We'll all have something to lose.

Edited : link to Ajanlekoko's comment--> https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=548303.msg7114727#msg7114727

Sagamite:
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-376162.32.html#msg6956697

Haha ohmilord, you annoy o!

And here I was thinking it will be better for folks to listen to you than to e-warriors like us, Seriously though, something has to change, I refuse to believe we are that benighted, unfortunately some of our elites are cashing in on the lack of enlightenment.

Check the links below to read several reports of how much we pay lazy, retarded political jobbers who contribute more to the daily suffering and deaths of My people than any striking doctor can.


On another note; The the links I posted are not Government websites, That to me is shameful!! and it speaks volumes -these lechees have wasted hundreds of billions of dollars since oil was discovered at Oloibiri in 1956 and they till can't afford to spend money on decent transparent record keeping.  Go figure

what will it cost the ministry in charge of state and Federal pay to have this--->
http://www.opm.gov/oca/10tables/index.asp 

No, they won't do that, they will rather compete with Americans by sending their kids to Oxford and Imperial college. All they do is watch DSTV during office hours while plotting how to steal the next stash of public funds.



Links detailing how much looters earn officially

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/nigeria%E2%80%99s-federal-legislator-earns-more-obama-prof-itse-sagay


http://community.234next.com/content/democracy-profligacy-and-outright-treasury-looting

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-276078.0.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVL-G7vcF0I


Direct your anger and outrage at the right people!

tsubodai:
My Dad use to be in the civil service got up to the pinnacle in his ministry (trust me politicians have nothing on civil servants, estacode etc) and i found out quite early we were leaving above our legal means. To answer the poster about the effects, at first in Sec Sch ( K.C. lagos) i kind of felt bad only when i was being made fun off (cityfon is rite, the rich corporate kids do look down) and the only reason was just justification ; "even if your popsie is rich he stole his money unlike mine" (childish stuff really,nothing serious). Went to school in DC, met nigerians and ill tell you this once they heard the last name first thing they asked wasnt arent u ashamed? but ahn ahn big boy how far can we get contracts, or can you hook me up.
I currently work and earn a salary in Abuja, living pretty comfortably (not bishop avenue crazy) i can not deny the fact that yes my education n all was brought about by stolen wealth, am i going to ever return this wealth? honestly? No. I think i am a good person, i abhor corruption and know the effect it has on our society. i know contradictory as per old man, I still like the guy. (but with the poor naughty person, :it was an "everyone is doing it syndrome", "my share of the national cake"

I appreciate the honesty, if you can get more of your "friends" to read this thread and respond even anonymously I will appreciate that too. I hope it's been cathartic for you.

After spending 4 unnecessary extra years in an underfunded university system, riddled with corruption, poorly trained and poorly remunerated lecturers while some folks were getting a free ride through decent foreign schools with stolen public funds, the least I can expect from those members of our generation who benefited from their parents contribution to the rot in our country is to come to places like these and at least purge and let us know what they think about it too.

Sagamite is painfully right, we have a lot of work to do on our minds, it's like we have a collective Stockholm syndrome shytte going on with the way some of us justify the corruption that has crippled our country and our national psyche.

I can try to understand looters, but when victims act like it's no big deal, then yawa don gas for our brains be that.

AjanleKoko:
In Nigeria the corruption in the private sector sometimes dwarfs the government by far. Imagine a manager level in a telco boasting to have made more than N400m in under 5 years. I kid you not.

Right!

Like Bunmi Oni ex CEO of Cadbury was indicted for padding the books, he was not a politician, he went to top schools, he's considered brilliant, and of course he would have wined, dined and contracted deals with the same crop of oppressors keeping my people down.

Granted, corruption is everywhere, to deny that is to be disingenuous but, the scale of it and the effect it has on our people is just beyond sad. All through this thread my mind keeps going back to the story of Maroko residents and the little to no notice or compensation they got for the forcible take over of their lands- Raji Rasaki and his friends successfully banished a generation of hard working but oppressed Nigerians into further poverty and despair.

I know people who were affected by that. I will like to know what Raji's family or IBB's kids think about that act too. Of course they are enjoying their Lekki and Ajah homes, while tailors, bricklayers, teachers and other hardworking artisans had to start again from square one.

Corrupt Politician's conscientious pikins can read more here --> http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5595044-146/maroko_eviction_20_painful_years_after.csp

cityofsin:
Long time reader first time poster

I am the child of wealthy parents. Father was/is the head of a huge multinational firm in Nigeria. Fortunately/unfortunately, 99% of my friends come from wealthy families (children of businessmen, ceos, politicians etc). Even amongst the wealthy, there is a clear divide between corporate rich and political rich. kids of corporate folks usually have parents who have worked hard their entire careers, smart and went to top schools while on the political side, its mostly the opposite.

Face reality people. This is how it is all over the world. less than 1% of a countrys population usually controls 99% of the wealth and that is how its going to be. I do have to say it is rather disgusting and shows jealousy if you feel all of us are clueless about the state of Nigeria (especially thoser of us that grew up in Nigeria) and things that go on. Yes I do have my fair share of friends who are clueless but a vast majority of my people are very intelligent and very good people. Its funny because I am friends with most of the people you guys mention and they are good people. Yes I do have a few friends who are not wealthy and while we do get along well, at the end the day, human beings like being around and socializing with people who are like them.

To my last point, anyone who doesnt make use of their connections to move up in life is a clear . success in life is not necessarily being smart or hardworking. Its luck, knowing people and being in the right place at the right time.

My Robespierre sword was out until I saw your last paragraph.

I will add that not everyone can make use of their connections though and everything is not about amassing wealth and status, it is not about jealousy and not everyone cares nor should care about money, and that should not place them in a lower oppressed class.

The oppression in our society is too much, the lack of little to no social safety net is unfair and disgusting. That is the issue. A lot of it has to do with culture and sheer un-enlightenment. I appreciate your candor though, if you can get more of your political-rich friends( I know you are corporate rich not political-rich) to share their views, I believe it will further enrich the discussion here.

Sagamite:
As much as your offer of abundant supply of morons for my slaughter blocks has got me secreting saliva out of anticipation,  I still stand by the need of classes.

1) Classism is a natural evolution of animals in natural societal interactions. Any attempt at social engineering to eliminate it will destroy//reduce/minimise value in a society.

2) People are not the equal, we need to let the talented get to top and handle affairs. The keyword is talented, so it should be on merit, not on genes.

I agree, we need to let the talented rise to the top based on merit, but they too will probably not legislate against their own self interests or against the "animal instinct" you alluded to, that is where social engineers like myself will come in, That is; -to check the excesses of the "elite 5%" . Especially those who take so much joy in showing the "lower class" their place for good and for bad.

I will take the arguement off this good thread.

Sagamite:
That is what I expected.

The person I know too was quite bothered. (S)he and other siblings have disconnected from the father now and are working hard on their own and decided to stay outside Nigeria. The father was pissed for years before the disconnect as he was telling them to return home so he can set them up, but they have no interest in Nigeria, not a single one of them. These kids ALL attended the top unis in the West and are well read about the issues and suffering that face Africans and have a conscience that one of theirs is a contributor

Obviously there is another class of kids that just ride on the money and really do not care.

Brave thread! and good job on the anecdotal personal experience bits

Saga, Will you now consider classism as an evil we need to destroy? or at least weaken as much as we can? Or all these vulgar despicable leeches are simply classless morons?

I'm kinda holding out hope that we might be able to recruit you to the destroy classism side, we will feed you as many morons as you want But let's weaken class. It will not completely stop the Rot but it will leave these disgusting parasites less room to roam and less excuses to latch on to.

I know it sounds like sheer idealism, but it will keep me from vomiting.

Sagamite:
Examples of how Nigerians are flenjouring in Bishop's Avenue.

Here are a Nigerian Couple that bought a £3m house on the Avenue and abandoned it. Maybe the EFCC was on their case:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/propertynews/5835557/Squatters-occupy-3m-home-on-millionaires-row.html


Crooks like Abacha and IBB also have houses there:

http://thewillnigeria.com/opinion/5470-SANI-ABACHA-THE-LESSON-ALL-FAIL-LEARN.html


Otedola has one too:

http://www.zimbio.com/President+Olusegun+Obasanjo/articles/puhyitE5sa_/Meet+Roguish+Nigerian+Billionaire+Femi+Otedola


And they do not even live there. It is empty most of the time:

http://us.ft.com/ftgateway/superpage.ft?news_id=fto062320070743141364&page=1

I'm trying hard not to retch.

Sagamite:
the kind of situation you can let go and let them know they are a thief's offspring.

My friend said the girl regaled to him how when she was dating the guy and used to visit him in their Bishop's Avenue apartment, (let me just introduce you guys to this avenue first):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop%27s_Avenue,_The

She used to see a cheque in his name for £2m just lying on top of a table, not even hidden. It was on the table for 3 weeks without the guy even bothering to cash it. Which is somewhat indicative of how insignificant the sum is to the guy. And the house? Don't even bother commenting. There is a reason it is on Bishop's Avenue.

I puked.

**scratches head** Wondering exactly why Sagamite and Cap28 are arguing.

They both seem to dislike Capitalism as it is being practiced by the USA and a few other cut throat imperialists.

I guess their argument and the education we get from it is further INDICATIVE of and not necessarily a QUALITATIVE proof of the benefits of a free online forum 

Now I'm learning!


[EDITED] Ok, they disagree on specific details of Cuban Socialism, The Economic Blockade and US health care policy . . .

Why is that most of Lagos governors are muslims and christains are not doing anything about it.

Because my Yoruba people do not roll like that, we don't fret over religion.

You are permitted to be Christian or Muslim as long as you respect the Irunmoles.

ola olabiy:
Have you been there? Nigerians sha. They have some cars (bettles) you won't even find in a Volkswagen museum.

As Nigerians, you would complain again that your automobiles and developmental infrastructure are so last century.

that's funny

But, don't you think that is a better alternative to what I'll call Wombia Consumerism? the type of chop till you quench economy that capitalist corporations love to encourage. It is sadder that we love it in Nigeria too(another topic entirely)

At least they(Cubans) were forced to live within their means and conserve their resources. That is something I will recommend for My country and $12billion deficit America!!


Seriously though, I do not support the kind of heavy handed Communism practiced by Castro and his brigades over the years.

The oppression and victimization of the opposition as practiced by Castro and his regime I believe did rob Cuba of essential alternative ideas even in the face of Imperialist enemies IMO.

But, I'm not wearing Castro's shoes and internet radicalism is not the same as guerrilla warfare. So I will let Castro be for now.

Back to Nigeria; I think we need to destroy class as much as we can and raise reason above silly emotions and cultural practices in our quest to develop an economic system that will fit our environment.

Walahi, I love aspects of our culture and our beliefs but, some things will have to give way if we want to get it right


"Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." - Denis Diderot

ola olabiy:
Human beings are by nature selfish. No matter the gender, colour, creed or race. I used 'NIGERIA' because we are discussing, our fatherland.

No offence intended!

Point accepted, No offence taken My Brotha!

ola olabiy:
What they have in Denmark, for example, is a mixed market capitalist economy and a large welfare state. Try that system where you have a lot of ethnic minorities and your welfare measures will get bigger than the State.
They will simply refuse to work.
Remember, Nokia is from Finland.

http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/510

Are you suggesting that Ethnic Minorities are by nature lazy and unproductive?

Nigerians (many) are stubborn by nature--greedy and oppressive!

That can apply to any people. Stop playing into the hands of greedy, racist imperialists.

Any people can have a lot (many) of greedy oppressive people in their population. We do not have to call a dog a bad name just because we want to kill it.

Our people, all of our people. (Yes Hausa's and Northerners inclusive)got enveloped and overwhelmed by cultures and economic systems they did not choose or create. We are still trying to crawl our way out of it. it's a process.

My people are not greedier than anybody else.

ola olabiy:
You are right. Socalism will never work. And, by nature, we are not equal.

L[b]et me give a good example here. The North of Nigeria has tried without any enduring results to bring the North at par with Southners, it has not worked.[/b]

They have tried to slow down the wheel of progress down south but it has not worked, either. Human beings need to compete. A blanket measure to support a region will only result in laziness and over-dependency on the State. This is why northerners look up to the State while Southerners are doing well, especially in the East, despite total negligence of the region by the State.
Human beings should not be spoonfed (at least, not always). Nobody would want to be creative, innovative or daring in a situation like that. How many families in th UK who have historically survived on benefits have 'escaped' poverty. Or attended unis.
Idle hands, they say, . . . . . ,

I disagree with that example. I don't think the North or any part of Nigeria for that matter has tried anything whatsoever, I actually think Nigeria(the area now called Nigeria) had a more capitalist, survival-of-the-fittest system of commerce and governance before contact with Arabs and Europeans.

By the way, although I think this should not be an either-or argument, I believe we are not comparing Capitalism with other Economic systems per se, Rather we are looking at the inadequacies of Capitalism but, I will indulge for a moment to counter some of the assumptions of it's die hard proponents. i.e wealth creation, Innovation and all the other mambo jumbo Capitalist jargon's.

Capitalism has failed to create diversified wealth even in countries where it's being practiced in the strictest sense(at least that is their claim)i.e the top 1% control about 40% of all wealth in the USA while the bottom 40% have just 1% of the wealth. Effing-unacceptable!!

A Scandinavian country like Finland in not bereft of innovation, Finland's per ca pita output is about equal to that of other European countries such as France, Germany, Belgium or the UK. Nokia took the mobile world by storm with innovative products and still leads in so many areas of that industry. Nokia is Finnish. Some of the best standards of living around the world (which I believe should be the goal of any sensible human society or Economic system) can be found in the Scandinavians with their mixed almost socialist economic systems. Lets not even mention Sweden or Norway.

Those facts, to my mind, tells me Capitalism as practiced at it's Mecca(USA) has got issues that needs to be addressed.

And everything should not be dissected and slaughtered on the altar of innovation and big business. Innovation that benefits only a small percentage of humans while impoverishing the rest is only fit for the dustbin IMHO.

Ask Congolese Villagers how wonderful their lives had been since the 1800s when Leopold and his Mercantilist friends(old school Capitalism) discovered they sat on one of the best real estate in the world.

Brutish, forceful, unbridled Capitalism is not fit for Civilized, evolved human beings. Don't believe the hype!

Katsumoto:
In my opinion, giving the huge resources held by most African countries and the unpreparedness of the populace, State Capitalism would suit most African countries. The model should be quite similar to what obtains in China and Angola. However that should be a short to medium term philosophy. Natural resources get depleted and as such while an African country can start with socialist ideals it should inculcate Capitalist ideology for the long term. When resources get depleted and it does not have a free market system that promotes efficiency, innovation,and leanness, it will suffer. It can pursue one of two solutions

1. Develop a sovereign fund that will invest cash reserves in viable ventures similar to what Qatar, Libya, Saudi and other oil middle-eastern countries have done
2. Encourage innovation and efficiency similar to what obtains in China but which is being implemented wrongly. In China, employees of State parastatals are encouraged to submit patents and they get paid just for doing that. The problem with this model in China is that citizens are submitting patents that are very inferior because compensation is not on viability of patents. What should happen is that inventors should be paid a percentage of future earnings or something similar. Bottomline, there should be an incentive or motivation for people to submit good ideas and not just any idea. This compensation will spur competition and innovation.

In essence, an African country should start with the Chinese model and then transform into the model adopted by most Scandinavian countries. With the rewards of state Capitalism, the governments can proceed with welfarist programs and development of infrastructure which is lacking in most African countries. When African countries attain development levels that are similar to most European nations, then they should gradually wean their citizens of welfare. That may be difficult if they have been used to government providing everything; case in point - France.

Good post!

I grudgingly agree with state Capitalism on the short term.

Like you expressed, I will rather we adopt the type of mixed economic systems they have in the Scandinavians than state capitalism. Having said that, I do believe ours should take aspects of our culture and the reality of our environment into account. Now, I do see some of the merits of state capitalism and I think the Almighty Capitalist USA practices it to a considerable albeit stealthy extent with their protectionist tariffs, state support for the global expansion of American multinationals and massive Military budgets.

But I'm afraid that if we do not address the cultural/social inequalities we have in Nigeria, state Capitalism will create a new level of sanctioned oppression.

Katsumoto:
Can you think of one field that humans are engaged in that is perfect? The imperfection in the system can be found in man.

Right. That is the reason why Man needs to try as much he can to regulate and control it. We cannot allow our greed to run amok. The proponents of uncontrolled capitalism believe that greed will self correct itself, well the evidences suggest otherwise.

The capitalist sky is not big enough for every bird.

Beaf is on point on so many levels. Unfortunately, the negative effect of capitalism, especially the pure unbridled kind, is like the elephant in the room that no one wants to address, -at least the powers that control the world system we currently live under don't want it addressed.

I also agree with Kobojunkie, I will rather we focus on discussing the problems of capitalism, we've heard enough about its great benefits IMO, maybe the Economics, and Philosophy egg heads here will lend us their minds and demystify this "amazing system" that has failed to solve world poverty or conquer hunger even in countries where they worship it like a god.

My opinion is that a Capitalist system where the top 1% controls over 40% of the wealth while the bottom 40% own just about 1% is just plain unfair, be it in Nigeria, USA or China.

Obertan!! Goal!!