₦airaland Forum

tanigororo:
■ Will you talk to your father like that?

Kobojunkie:
If I can speak to a child in this manner, I can equally speak one older than I in the same manner. Nobody deserves special treatment in my space.

tanigororo:
■ If you can't speak to your father like that, I'll implore you not to ever talk to me like that again.

Kobojunkie:
What are still rambling on about for Pete's sake? I literally explained that even one who claims to be my father does not get special treatment, and neither will you.

If you have nothing intelligent to add, I suggest you shoo to one side and let those who do engage abeg! Imagine coming online seeking to be specially respected by force. Are you OK at all?

tanigororo:
■ Oh, I see. Even if you have a useless father, you don't have to let us know.

Cousin9999:
.....

Kobojunkie:
All those folks are trying to sell their books to Africans such as yourself.

Kobojunkie:
Nah@ The useless one here is you for thinking you can demand respect from others simply because you are supposedly older. That is disgusting behavior!

My father does not do that because he knows and understands how utterly foolish such an act is.

tanigororo:
Don't worry, I understand. Charity begins at home! 😃 Ọmọ Abikọ́, tí òun fí kúnmọ̀ jí Bàbá rẹ̀!

Kingbharry:
This woman na goat. This colonial masters are shamless thieves. They came and disrupted our development, made us slaves, looted the continent dry, and now put their boys in charge to continue the looting on their behalf and this idiot looking to be a slave in their country is shaming us and saying we should not blame them? Who brought democracy, capitalism, their damned religion to brainwash us, destroyed our history and identity, all the institutions introduced to us is to milk us dry. France doesn't have a gold mine but has thousands of tonnes of gold. same as British masters. They steal from us to develop and put gate keepers working in their interest sabotage our chances and still expect us to develop rapidly like them. Una dey ment

razzydoo:
Even if she's right, it shouldn't come from her considering her ancestry. I think she's trying so hard to clinch that PM post in the nearest future.

Kobojunkie:
Nonsense! Ancestry na shackle? No be curse be that then?

Macphenson:
This foolish yoruba woman.

Petrallen:
I hear your passion, but let's reason this together with some facts and logic.
First, about those 'colonial masters being shameless thieves' - yes, colonialism was terrible and exploitative. No argument there. But here's where your logic starts to wobble like jollof rice made by Jamie Oliver:
You say they disrupted our development - but let's be honest, when Ghana's Ashanti Empire was at its peak in the 1800s, they were still using cowrie shells as currency while Europeans had already developed complex banking systems. Why didn't we independently develop these systems in the thousands of years before colonialism? This isn't about superiority - it's about asking hard questions.
You mention France's gold - but look at Botswana, which has managed its diamond wealth brilliantly post-independence. From one of Africa's poorest nations to an upper-middle-income country. Same colonialism, different outcome. How come?
You talk about democracy being forced on us - but my friend, are you suggesting we were better off with systems where one ethnic group could dominate others without checks and balances? Remember the Mali Empire? Great in many ways, but not exactly a beacon of democratic rights.
"They steal from us to develop" - but see Singapore. British-colonized, zero natural resources, gained independence in 1965 with a GDP per capita of $516. Today? Over $94,000. Same colonial history, different story. What did they do differently?
You mention gatekeepers and sabotage - but explain Rwanda. Colonized by Belgium (not exactly the gentlest colonizers), suffered a genocide, yet today is one of Africa's fastest-growing economies. They didn't sit around blaming Leopold II's ghost for their problems.
Look at Vietnam - colonized by France, bombed to bits by America, yet today they're an economic powerhouse. They focused on building, not blaming.
And speaking of 'their damned religion' - you do realize many of our traditional systems had their own problems too, right? Or should we go back to sacrificing twins because that's more 'authentically African'?
The truth is, colonialism was wrong, but it's been over 60 years since independence. Japan was literally nuclear-bombed, lost a war, was occupied - yet within 20 years became the world's second-largest economy. Meanwhile, we're still crying about what Queen Victoria did?
My friend, this victim mentality is like driving a car while only looking in the rearview mirror - you'll never move forward that way. Yes, they dealt us a bad hand, but it's still our responsibility to play it well.
Look at China - century of humiliation, Opium Wars, colonial concessions - yet they didn't spend 60 years saying "but but but the British!" They got to work.
The real colonialism happening now is in our minds - this belief that we can't succeed because of what happened in the past. That's the real chain we need to break.
Or should we wait another 60 years, still blaming colonialism while our children's children suffer under the corruption and mismanagement we refuse to address today?
The choice is ours, but remember: history explains our starting point - it doesn't dictate our destination.

Petrallen:
I hear your passion, but let's reason this together with some facts and logic.
First, about those 'colonial masters being shameless thieves' - yes, colonialism was terrible and exploitative. No argument there. But here's where your logic starts to wobble like jollof rice made by Jamie Oliver:
You say they disrupted our development - but let's be honest, when Ghana's Ashanti Empire was at its peak in the 1800s, they were still using cowrie shells as currency while Europeans had already developed complex banking systems. Why didn't we independently develop these systems in the thousands of years before colonialism?

This isn't about superiority - it's about asking hard questions.
You mention France's gold - but look at Botswana, which has managed its diamond wealth brilliantly post-independence. From one of Africa's poorest nations to an upper-middle-income country. Same colonialism, different outcome. How come?

You talk about democracy being forced on us - but my friend, are you suggesting we were better off with systems where one ethnic group could dominate others without checks and balances? Remember the Mali Empire? Great in many ways, but not exactly a beacon of democratic rights.

"They steal from us to develop" - but see Singapore. British-colonized, zero natural resources, gained independence in 1965 with a GDP per capita of $516. Today? Over $94,000. Same colonial history, different story. What did they do differently?

The truth is, colonialism was wrong, but it's been over 60 years since independence. Japan was literally nuclear-bombed, lost a war, was occupied - yet within 20 years became the world's second-largest economy. Meanwhile, we're still crying about what Queen Victoria did?
My friend, this victim mentality is like driving a car while only looking in the rearview mirror - you'll never move forward that way. Yes, they dealt us a bad hand, but it's still our responsibility to play it well.
Look at China - century of humiliation, Opium Wars, colonial concessions - yet they didn't spend 60 years saying "but but but the British!" They got to work.
The real colonialism happening now is in our minds - this belief that we can't succeed because of what happened in the past. That's the real chain we need to break.
Or should we wait another 60 years, still blaming colonialism while our children's children suffer under the corruption and mismanagement we refuse to address today?
The choice is ours, but remember: history explains our starting point - it doesn't dictate our destination.

Napata77:
BECAUSE WE HAD NO NEED FOR THEM. The ONLY reason you denigrate cowrie shells is because you've been programmed to have an inferiority complex about anything African.

Pre-colonial Intra-African trade PROSPERED GREATLY with the use of cowrie shells.

The ''complex banking systems'' you talk about actually DISRUPTED AFRICAN ECONOMIES, and are actually forms of FINANCIAL THEFT AND CHEATING...

WHO TOLD YOU THE MALI EMPIRE WAS OPPRESSIVE?

brain54:
People hate hearing the truth...

Especially when it's spoken bluntly.

She is right.

Isreal for instance has moved on from the holocaust.

No one or country should keep holding on to the past as reason for their underdevelopment!

justtoodark:
how is she right....??
you dont look down on your parents because they didnt managed to defeat the invaders....

atleast they didnt fail completly....they gave you the chance to do things yourself called nigeria....
to say nigeria completly failed is wrong too....

You Can Remove 'Kemi' From Your Name – VP Shettima Accuses UK Party Leader Badenoch Of Denigrating Nigeria

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December 10, 2024
News

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has accused the newly elected leader of the United Kingdom Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, of disparaging her country of origin, Nigeria.

He made the statement on Monday during the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the State House in Abuja.

Shettima said, "Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party. We are proud of her in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin."

He further added, "She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria."

The Vice President highlighted Nigeria’s significance on the world stage, stating, "One out of every three, four black men is a Nigerian and by 2050, Nigeria will support the United States, and will be the third most populous nation on earth."

In his address, Shettima also emphasised the key role of migrants in shaping society and contributing to economic growth.

He reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting migrant rights and celebrating their contributions to national development.

In 2022, Badenoch, a UK member of parliament of Nigerian descent, accused Nigerian politicians of misappropriating public funds.

Following her election as the UK Conservative Party leader in November 2024, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) reached out to her office but received no response, according to NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

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I Have Nothing In Common With 'Boko Haram' Northern Nigeria – UK Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch Replies Vice-President Shettima

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December 13, 2024
NEWS

Badenoch expressed that she feels little connection to northern Nigeria, which she described as a "haven for Islamism and Boko Haram."

Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the United Kingdom's Conservative Party, has stated that she identifies more with her Yoruba heritage than with Nigeria as a whole.

In an interview with The Spectator, Badenoch expressed that she feels little connection to northern Nigeria, which she described as a "haven for Islamism and Boko Haram."

“I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity (Yoruba),” she remarked.

“I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where Islamism is,” she added.

Her comments have drawn significant backlash from many Nigerians, including high-profile figures.

Among her critics is Nigeria’s vice-president, Kashim Shettima, who recently told Badenoch she could change her name if she wished to disassociate from Nigeria, calling it the “greatest black nation on earth.”

Despite the criticism, Badenoch has doubled down on her stance, asserting that her true identity lies in her Yoruba roots.

She added, "Somebody once told me when I was very young that my surname was a name for people who were warriors. They protected the crown, and that’s what I see myself as doing.”

She further emphasised, “I am here to protect and I will die protecting this country because I know what’s out there.”

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You Can Remove 'Kemi' From Your Name – VP Shettima Accuses UK Party Leader Badenoch Of Denigrating Nigeria

Meanwhile, Saharareporters earlier reported that Vice President, Kashim Shettima, accused Kemi of disparaging her country of origin, Nigeria.

He had made the statement on Monday during the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the State House in Abuja.

Shettima said, “Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party. We are proud of her in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin.”

He further added, “She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria.”

The Vice President highlighted Nigeria’s significance on the world stage, stating, “One out of every three, four black men is a Nigerian and by 2050, Nigeria will support the United States, and will be the third most populous nation on earth.”

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Kemi Badenoch Was Right: Nigerian Police Stole My Phone In 2019, By Elias Ozikpu

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December 18, 2024
Elias Ozikpu
OPINION

As for the Nigerian police, it has to be completely revamped, and then its officers retrained all over again, with heavy consequences in the event that ethical codes are violated.

British politician Kemi Badenoch recently became a subject of fierce attacks by officials of the Nigerian government for continuing her criticism of Nigeria’s crumbled and utterly corrupt system.

Part of what riled officials of the Nigerian government was her disclosure during her interview with The Free Press, when the Conservative Party leader said, ‘Nigeria is a very poor country’ where people do all sorts to survive. Kemi was right and wrong at the same time, depending on your perspective on this matter. Personally, my understanding is that Nigeria isn’t necessarily a poor country as she put it, but the pervasive poverty in the country is man-made—created and entrenched by political officeholders who have done nothing but privatise public wealth since independence in 1960. So, contrary to Kemi’s submission, Nigeria is a wealthy country, but that wealth appears to be the ‘birthright’ of the political class alone! Except you are a politician, you will never enjoy Nigeria’s immense wealth, nor will you enjoy the benefits of being a Nigerian citizen, if any exist. Even your fundamental human rights, which are inherent, are taken from you if you are not amongst the political class in Nigeria.

The second remark that irked Nigerian officials was her submission that the Nigerian police once stole her brother’s wristwatch and shoes. It is not clear why this should get officials worked up, especially with daily reports of the infamous activities of some officers of our police force. Whilst I know absolutely nothing about the theft of the shoes and wristwatch belonging to Kemi’s brother, I can tell authoritatively that I have been a victim of the robbery of officers of the Nigerian Police. During the #RevolutionNow protest in Lagos, which took place on August 5, 2019, I was arbitrarily arrested, and my phone, an HTC Desire 10 Pro, was snatched from me by a police officer. The press captured him holding the phone whilst dragging me to get locked up in a waiting Black Maria. All the police officers present at the scene saw him snatch the phone, but none of them asked him to return it. Whilst I was being prepared for detention, the police did not record the phone as part of my belongings despite my insistence that they do so.

Lawyer and human rights activist Inibehe Effiong took up the case at the time and petitioned the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, asking him to investigate the robbery of his officers and ensured my phone was recovered and returned to me. When we were invited in respect of the petition, the police told us that it was impossible for them to identify the officer who snatched my phone. They asked me to go and find out from the journalists who captured the officer holding the phone he had forcefully taken from me. That was how that case ended. They didn’t know their own officer, but they expected journalists to. Incredible!

So, it is a curious thing to me that government officials should be infuriated because someone talked about the notorious activities of officers of the Nigeria Police. The truth will always remain what it is; it never changes nor dies. Nigeria will never get better with its officials deliberately working to conceal a stinking decay already known throughout the world, nor will the country get better by expecting impoverished citizens to do false PR in the face of the economic oppression they have been subjected to for approximately 70 years as an independent nation. Nigeria will only get better if political officeholders respect citizens and ensure that the nation’s wealth is justly and equally distributed in a way that puts a permanent end to the monopolisation of public wealth by political officeholders.

As for the Nigerian police, it has to be completely revamped, and then its officers retrained all over again, with heavy consequences in the event that ethical codes are violated. This will avoid incidents such as the ones that led to the eruption of the #EndSARS protests in 2020. If Nigerian officials expect positive remarks about the system they preside over, these steps must be taken, along with the equal distribution of public wealth. Until then, international embarrassments about the true Nigerian situation will not cease. Of course, through their trigger-happy uniformed men and women, Nigerian officials are adept at silencing those within for criticising the chaotic system they have vehemently refused to fix. But what will they do to the Kemis who do so from several miles away? What will they do to the likes of David Cameron, who famously said, Nigeria is ‘fantastically corrupt’? In the end, it becomes clear that fixing the country is the only solution, not intimidating, arresting, and detaining critics and unarmed protesters and slamming them with laughable charges of treason.

Nigeria’s political officeholders must do what is right, or they will spend their tenure defending the indefensible, thereby making themselves a laughing stock locally and internationally. You cannot impose respect; you must earn it.

Elias Ozikpu is a novelist, dramatist, and journalist.

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