₦airaland Forum

@EzeUche
If you can't see my point that is okay. Everyone has prejudice of some sort - but you and some others on this forum carry it to another level. You don't think it is not tribalism when you commend somebody for a positive achievement and the first thing that came to your mind was how you are a fan of "those zulus". When someone automatically associates tribe with the success or failure of an individual it is called tribalism. It is not whether you are portraying them in a negative or positive light that matters. It is the same mentality that judges a person good today, making sure to identify them by tribe, even in passing, that tomorrow castigates a tribe because of one or few persons. The common factor is that your basis for judgement is tribe.

So Jacob Zuma is a Zulu, what does that have to do with anything - does that mean Zulus make good presidents, who know how to spend money well, or that Jacob Zuma is doing his job well. Perhaps you are trying to be clever by half, since we know who you and the others here use as your ping-pong ball in this forum. Yeah, you guessed right, OBJ. Here you are replying to a thread in which OBJ was compared to another person and your first thought is how you are a fan of dem Zulus - see the connection. Be a fan of Jacob Zuma because he is a "right-acting" president, but his Zulu-ness has nothing to do with it, except in a tribalistic mind.

Yes, you should respect the Asante, Malinke, Yoruba and whatever - that doesn't require a reason, since there is no reason to disrespect any tribe for that matter! This was not about respect for a tribe, but about whether a particular Zulu-man in a particular country spent money wisely vs. a particular Yoruba-man in a particular country. Any introduction of tribal affliation in the case is tribal-jaundicism.

I am not suggesting that anybody stop being proud of their tribe. No. What I am suggesting is to take out the part where it is portrayed as if what somebody does is "because of their tribe", good or bad. That would be similar to pointing out what a Nigerian is doing well or not well, but refraining from suggesting that it is BECAUSE he/she is "Nigerian". We all know who Jacob Zuma is, but you had to point out your love for his tribe for some unexplainable reason.

South Africa can be likened to Japan with its advance technology on the continent just like Japan is advanced in Asia, while Nigeria can be likened to India or China due to our population, but our governance is questionable.

Well now, you are talking. Population, technology, governance - spell out your metric . Blanket Japan-South Africa, China-Nigeria comparison means zilch.

EzeUche:
So me saying that I am a big fan of the Zulus make ma tribalist? Me giving praise to another tribe makes me a tribalist? ha ha ha Stop using a word so loosely. I respect the Fulani, I respect the Zulu, I respect the Asante, I respect the Mandinka, I even respect Yoruba history so shut up with your nonsense. I am biased to African warrior tribes though. If I am a tribalist in that sense, then you are right. But me giving praise to other groups that are not my own does not make me a tribalist. Jacob Zuma is a proud Zulu and a proud South African. Can't people respect that a person's ethnicity means a lot to people.

Daaammmn Nigerians use tribalism just as much as whites now use reverse racism in America. Too loosely.

And what is wrong with making a comparison of two nations with nations on another continent. It is call comparative politics which is actually taught in schools. South Africa can be likened to Japan with its advance technology on the continent just like Japan is advanced in Asia, while Nigeria can be likened to India or China due to our population, but our governance is questionable.

@EzeUche
Even in this innocuous matter the first thought that came to your head is you are a "big fan of the zulus" Don't you see how infected you are with tribalism?

South Africa is like Japan and Nigeria is like China - what does that even mean, man? Why can't South Africa be like South Africa and Nigeria like Nigeria? If you must compare please use clear metrics e.g. GDP, population, etc. Otherwise, the merits of your comparison remains only in your mind.

By the way, the OP's arithmetic is based on conjecture - not real at all. I am more amazed by the angle from which you jumped on the train!

EzeUche:
Jacob Zuma is the man! I am big fan of the zulus. Those South Africans no how to get work done.

South Africa is like Japan and Nigeria is like China.

So, you 'd rather he keep quiet and continue "enjoying" his insider knowledge to the detriment of Nigerians.

Surely, the better option is to enlighten groups, such as the SNG, that are trying to ensure free and fair elections in 2011 on the challenges they face. Or am I missing something here?

You should thank Donald Duke for willing to speak up. And if you are truely looking for change in Nigeria let him know he has your vote, since he is surely to lose the vote of those who benefit from the crooked system. Don't show yourself to be one.

Tmoni:
I used to respect and admire Donald Duke alot but that is on a downward tangential now

This was the same process that got him 8yrs in government, so now he is in the opposition he bares it all

OK, lets assume he was allowed to run for presidency (in 2007), he will have wiilingly allowed the same "opaque" process put him in power??

I wish him well but he is not at the same pedestal as before

Do you not see the good in pointing out Nigeria's positives, in spite of all the mess?  For one, it highlights the possibilities. That is the message I take from these videos. Dwelling on the negative too long leads to self-fulfiling prophecies and defeatism.  We have to realize that Nigeria is not going to be perfect, ever. We are not even close to where we need to be, but these highlights say it is possible - what we ought to do are: 1) Orchestrate good ideas, programs, etc - the Hygeia idea is very interesting, for example. 2) Identify our barriers to greater progress and dwell on coming up with ideas to deal with them.

It is another thing for a government to close its eyes to what ought to be addressed in the name of "rebranding", but another for a citizen to highlight the good in Nigeria. Nobody need shy away from highlighting the shortcomings as well, and believe me there will be many. Both have the right of place as we "celebrate".

philip0906:
@xavier
its a pity seeing Nigerians deceiving themselves.Instead of us telling ourselves d truth,we just delight in day dreaming.Probably,they r among d "priviledged few" and so,r out of touch with reality

This is what happens when government tells unarmed civilians, community leaders and kings to "act" police. They have no resources and are unprotected, but somehow according the "eastern governor's association" they are to be "held responsible" for crime in their areas.

How about state and local policing with well-defined juridictions to monitor, go after and deal with crime in our communities. Is that asking too much?

@paddy_lo

On the contrary, his skeptism is justified at some level, but like I said we cannot be negative all the time. Your collection is a great way to celebrate Nigeria, while keeping in mind that we face enormous issues. If we do not see the positive even in our most dire circumstances we cannot summon the courage to go out there and confront our negatives.

You may be right or wrong about your assessment of murder rates in the black community, but your right to point it out is the same as his right to point out Nigeria's shortcoming. Motivation is important first of all, then the merits of a perspective second. He is certainly interested in what happens in Nigeria, and, I may be wrong, in seeing us live up to our potentials.

paddy_lo:
U cannot let an African American whose black on black murder rates in their black community here is approaching genocidal proportions, to tell u
what is wrong or not in your country of birth

Let him go fix the log in his eyes first

@MandingoII
I think paddy_lo knows fully well that there is a lot wrong with Nigeria, and he probably has some blind spots in his love for Nigeria. For example, Julius Berger and all the other multinationals we rely on to do our work for us are good for the short-term and to show case "finished works". In the long-term, such reliance is one of the fundamental factors that bedevil an economy. Everything can be improved, and certaily extra effort is needed over the next few months to prevent our house of cards in Nigeria from collapsing.

Still I say carry-go jare paddy_lo - your motivation is noble.

MandingoII:
so u want to show us the sanitized version of nigeria

DOOD, we not buying it.

you might as well go into politics, because you have a MIND for the continued oppressing of your people.

[size=14pt]NIGERIA[/size]
Blessed with fertile soil, an abundance of oil, and a huge, energetic, talented population, [size=14pt]Nigeria should be a picture of Africa’s success[/size]. Instead it is one of the poorer countries and teeters on the edge of ethnic and religious conflict while the state plunders resources completely unchecked.

Oil supports and destroys Nigeria. Nigeria supplies 10 percent of the oil consumed in the United States –slightly less than countries like Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Canada- making it also important to U.S. interests. Since 1970, Nigeria has received US$280 billion in oil revenues. Through economic mismanagement, graft, and theft, this vast fortune has been squandered. Like many African countries, Nigeria borrowed billions against future commodities revenues, putting itself deeply in debt. Nigerians are, on average, poorer today than when oil was discovered. The effects of oil money and poor governance have undermined domestic industries, making Nigeria almost completely (95 percent) dependent on oil.

Nigerian society is complex with ethnic, religious, and political groups competing for wealth, land, and power. The country is home to at least 250 ethnic groups, many of whom clash regularly. Getting rich however, is a uniting goal. Most Nigerians lack a sense of national identity or civic pride. Even Nigerians don’t trust one another. Harsh economic realities have turned Nigerian cities into labyrinths of overcrowded streets affected by crime, disease, pollution, and ethnic violence. Resulting corruption and overcrowding have crippled municipal services. Firms wanting to set up in Nigeria must bring their own infrastructure. Despite all this, Nigeria has become an essential regional power. Its military is an effective peacekeeping force, having deployed soldiers to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan. Developments in Nigeria, whether good or bad, political or economic, will echo throughout the region. Nigeria plays a lead role in increasingly important African regional organizations such as Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU). Nigeria will continue to be a concern to the United States over the next decade as its economic significance, social problems, and regional influence increase. The country will continue to gradually deteriorate from the within. As the state decays, Islamic extremism will gain more of a foothold. However, its strong, somewhat democratic, federal government, in partnership with its capable military, should keep the country moving forward.


Marine Corps Midrange Threat Estimate: 2005-2015 - http://file.wikileaks.org/file/us-marines-mid-range-threat-assessment-2005.pdf

I see. However, you commented on a thread in which Abacha was being glorified and OBJ criminalized.

Security? Abacha? These are two incompatible words, IMHO, with the way his goons ran the country like a killing ground.

We, in Nigeria, are either "blessed" or "cursed" with short memories. The stunt by IBB/Abacha over June 12 represented a fundamental shift in the nature of Nigeria - regardless of how bad the country was before that time. The fruits are what you see today. The groups that were preparing for war over Abacha's plans to convert himself to life president are today's militants, armed robbers and kidnappers.  Each day that passes seems to suggest that our 50th independence anniversary will see the outbreak of war that will not just reshape Nigeria, but the entire West African region, if nothing is done really fast!

GenBuhari:
don't get me wrong, I detest Abacha and wish he had never come to power, but the simple fact is:

that during Abacha's leadership, there was more security / less crime, than during Obj.
Life expectancy was higher.

I detest Abacha because he looted our country, but Obj was far worst!

Obj was is a disgrace!
It was common knowledge amongst reliable sources and knowledgable commentators that IBB pulled the strings behind the scenes to release Obj from prison. Obj and IBB are life long friends and both are thieving western stooges.

Wonders shall never end!

Are we talking about the same Abacha and the same OBJ. Obviously you don't know your history, otherwise how did IBB release OBJ?

Your political angle is obvious - your mentor, the real Gen. Buhari, can be help partly responsible for Abacha's sins against the Nigerian people. In his desperation for some political power he agreed to work for the dark-goggled, bat-like (i.e. only comes out at night) general. That is where you are coming from, so no surprise.

Also, come back and tell us how much electricity Abacha left behind.

GenBuhari:
Obj is criminal.

We need to stop seeing things in terms of tribes.

Obj is the most responsible of all ex-leaders for the state we find ourselves today.

He is the leader that has led the country for the longest time in Nigerian history and lead us during sustained high oil prices.

He left Nigeria after 8 un-interrupted years with no elecricity.
decaying infrastructure.
out-of-control corruption.
High crime and  no security.
Falling life expectancy

Disgraceful!!
Nigeria would have been better if Obj was never released from prison.

Who released him? The other western stooge - IBB.

I am begining to realise that Abacha although very corrupt out performed Obj very well.

Obj put us back 30years
IBB put us back 30yrs
both are western stooges, we need to open our eyes. Both must cough up our billions they have looted.

mikeansy:
But the honest truth is that other candidates are [size=14pt]making him look thick [/size] because he seems to be the only person discussing policies and vissions for Nigeria.

Tell me you are promoting political comedy here - _ibb has certainly provided a lot of material over the last few weeks.

Nobody is making him thick. He is thick - thicker than an Iroko tree.

Aigbofa:
I'm not surprised you cannot see the connection between the type  of hatred being spewed daily on this website by ibos and the type of carnage going on in the north.
Why are you all feigning outrage!! Talk of hypocrisy.

@Aigbofa
Remember the saying: "It is had to tell between a madman and the sane man that argues with him". Along those lines, if you must respond to people who promote tribal hate on this forum don't do it in kind i.e. don't start abusing Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa or any other people as a group.

The appropriate thing to do is to "attack" the individual with as much severity as you care, but leave out their ethnic group out of it - these imbeciles speak for no one, but themselves. Otherwise you will be rolling in the gutter with them in no time!

Wily+Wily:
The greatest failure of abacha as a creature was his failure to kill many Yorubas

Cursed be the day when that egg rolled than the womb from whence you came. It should have suffered a bump and be discarded as monthly fluid - your psychological composition is nothing more than that 

China will not say anything because action is louder than words. Nigeria's case is that of empty drums making the loudest noise.

The other day someone here suggested Nigeria should copy China's policy of keeping a close eye on international news about China. In other words, Nigeria should start censoring international news about Nigeria. However, nothing more was heard from that guy once it was suggested we should also follow China's policy on corruption. Why? If we did, half of our government officials would be in jail and another quarter would be dispacthed to the great beyond!

What the minister needs to tell Nigerians is what President GJ's administration will do about corruption in Nigeria. And we are all ears.

nex:
I don't know why our government officials always take it as a national duty when citizens of other countries air their personal views on us.

Does this Aganga feel like any government agency will take it up if the Rennaisance Group in Nigeria mentions the USA as the most corrupt country in the world?

China doesn't bother itself with this kind of talk, and see where they are today.

Oba Adeyemi stated that rather than carry out the plot, [size=14pt]the police officer reported the murder plot to him[/size], and that after his (the monarch’s) personal investigation showed that the plot was real, he decided to write the petition to the President.
The monarch further stated that when the plotters found that their plan had leaked to him and eventually failed, they enlisted the intervention of some prominent South-west traditional rulers and leaders of thought to pacify him.

Something stinks in this story. There are two possibilities:
1. The allegation is false.
2. We have a police farce and not police force. If the SARS commander knew his left from his right, all this should have come out when police investigators handcuff both the businessman and the governor!