₦airaland Forum

kpankpangolo:
Space booked.

xxxx xxxxx xxxx

I wonder why Nigerians abroad always swear to never return. If you don’t live in an American state located in the south, cold must pursue you back. The time overseas tires people is in old age when children are already adults with no idea of their fatherland. That is when regret sets in. Many use their pensions to build Nigerian mansions set for their return. It’s best to build the abode while strong just in case.

Kanwulia:
I came up with a plan.
I had to pay my siblings N20m to give me the property.👍🏽 I did not want any wahala in the future amongst us. We came to an agreement. Now, the property is solely mine.✅

Kanwulia:
Your experiences? I have gone through safia pains.
Nigerian contractors are HIGHLY CRIMINAL!😱

Kanwulia:
What do we do with the grave?🤷🏾‍♀️

AllLovingGod:
How can you do this heavy nice project without digging a proper borehole? It wouldn't cost more than 2M.

Relying on well water, as in well water? in this age and time to water the building is mind boggling to me oo.

Please kindly dig a proper borehole for your peace of mind. Congrats.

kpankpangolo:
Space booked.

xxxx xxxxx xxxx

I wonder why Nigerians abroad always swear to never return. If you don’t live in an American state located in the south, cold must pursue you back. The time overseas tires people is in old age when children are already adults with no idea of their fatherland. That is when regret sets in. Many use their pensions to build Nigerian mansions set for their return. It’s best to build the abode while strong just in case.

anonimi:
If you have tenants that means the house is not in the village but in a small town, right?

Why have we allowed ourselves to be so focused on roads and bridges as democracy dividends, that our state governments no longer employ workers to make water available to all buildings?

What then is the point of saying we are modern people living in the 21st century, when we are clearly not

Kobicove:
This one na story, you just used your money to do bazaar for them.

In Igboland one sibling cannot claim sole ownership of family house that was build on ancestral land in the village!⁰

Capernum:
The question is, will the stress worth it at the end of the day? What happens to the house after you die? Will one of your children also buy and renovate it too? I would have preferred all of you sold the house and share the money.

Are the village people fine with you? Are you fine with them?

CaptainGo:
Bro, for once, just enjoy the thread without complaining. Abi, dem swear for you?

CaptainGo:
Bro, for once, just enjoy the thread without complaining.

Abi, dem swear for you?

sage:
http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28:the-vague-future-of-nigeria&catid=28:friday-column&Itemid=56

Lord Lugard, the former governor-general of Nigeria, in 1926, wrote his unfiltered thought about Nigerians. From his book, The Dual Mandates, come these excerpts: "In character and temperament, the typical African of this race-type is a happy, thriftless, excitable person, lacking in self-control, discipline, and foresight. Naturally courageous, and naturally courteous and polite, full of personal vanity, with little sense of veracity, fond of music and loving weapons as an oriental loves jewellery. His thoughts are concentrated on the events and feelings of the moment, and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future or grief for the past. His mind is far nearer to the animal world than that of the European or Asiatic, and exhibits something of the animals' placidity and want of desire to rise beyond the state he has reached.

"Through the ages, the African appears to have evolved no organised religious creed, and though some tribes appear to believe in a deity, the religious sense seldom rises above pantheistic animalism and seems more often to take the form of a vague dread of the supernatural. He lacks the power of organisation, and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or business. He loves the display of power, but fails to realize its responsibility - he will work hard with a less incentive than most races. He has the courage of the fighting animal, an instinct rather than a moral virtue. In brief, the virtues and defects of his race -type are those of attractive children, whose confidence when it is won is given ungrudgingly as to an older and wiser superior and without envy. Perhaps, the two traits which have impressed me as those most characteristic of the African native are his lack of apprehension and his lack of ability to visualize the future"

Guys lets discuss the thoughts of Lord Lugard. he had  a supremacist view obviously. But is he right in the way he describes Nigerians and Africans in general? How many of the issues that he raises are valid?

Letz get some responses

Kanwulia:
Thanks.🙏🏾

I thought the same thing o. Till I was advised against it due to the topographical concerns of the area. Erosion and landslide issues. It is not everywhere you can sink a borehole. Too many boreholes in one area can be a potential threat to the environment. Your whole septic system might just collapse. Besides, the well is more natural and eco-friendly.

I always get advice from engineers in the area before I do anything. Just my “yankee mind” at work. You know Nigerians love to do anything anyhow. My mind does not work like that. You can make may costly mistakes.

HacheNoire:
The problem with this village homes is that, when people are not active inside a house, it starts to deteriorate.

I don’t know the law or explanation about it. But leave a house for one year and things just falling apart automatically.

Midex88:
This is true and it has solid explanations in building science, materials behavior, and maintenance dynamics.
houses are designed to be lived in. When they aren’t, small protective processes stop, and deterioration accelerates.

Here’s why

1. Moisture is no longer controlled
Humans unintentionally manage moisture in a house.

When a house is occupied:
• Heating and cooking dry the air
• Windows get opened occasionally
• Bathrooms and kitchens get used (and ventilated)
• Small leaks are noticed early

When a house is empty:
• Humidity builds up
• Condensation forms on walls, ceilings, and pipes
• Mould, mildew, and rot start developing
• Wood swells, warps, or decays
• Metal parts corrode

Moisture is the number one enemy of buildings.


2. Temperature swings stress materials because Occupied homes have relatively stable temperatures.

Empty homes:
• Get very cold at night and very hot during the day
• Experience repeated expansion and contraction

This causes:
• Cracks in walls and ceilings
• Tile grout failure
• Paint peeling
• Sealants drying and splitting

Over time, these micro-failures add up.


3. Plumbing systems degrade when unused as Water systems are meant to move.

When water sits:
• Sediment settles in pipes
• Seals dry out
• Traps evaporate, letting sewer gases in
• Rubber components harden and crack

You often don’t notice until water is turned back on—and then leaks appear everywhere.


4. Electrical and mechanical systems stagnate

Unused systems fail faster than lightly used ones.

Examples:
• Contacts corrode
• Circuit breakers stiffen
• Fans seize
• Pumps fail due to inactivity

Regular use actually keeps these systems healthy.


5. Pests take over
Humans deter pests just by being present.

An empty house:
• Attracts rodents, termites, ants, and insects
• Becomes nesting ground for birds or bats
• Suffers unseen damage to wiring, insulation, and wood

Once pests settle, damage accelerates rapidly.


6. Small problems go unnoticed and become big ones
This is critical.

In an occupied house:
• A small leak is fixed
• A crack is sealed
• A blocked drain is cleared

In an empty house:
• A minor issue can run for months
• Water damage spreads
• Structural elements weaken
Buildings don’t usually “collapse suddenly”—they decay quietly.

7. Houses are systems, not static objects
A house is like a living system:
• It “breathes”
• It responds to use
• It relies on feedback (human attention). Remove the feedback loop, and entropy takes over.

This is why people say:
“A house that isn’t lived in starts to die.”
It’s not mystical—it’s physics, chemistry, biology, and neglect combined.


In summary

A house deteriorates when empty because:
• Moisture accumulates
• Temperature fluctuates
• Systems dry out or corrode
• Pests invade
• Minor issues become major damage

Human presence acts as maintenance.

Kobicove:
In Igboland one sibling cannot claim sole ownership of family house that was build on ancestral land in the village!⁰

mirrael68:
To everyone his own. How cold wan take drive you back home come face underdevelopment here that you are not used to?
Nowhere on earth is problem free. You choose the ones you can bear consciously or unconsciously.
Me I prefer that cold. Btw I ve experienced snow storms in NY !

ednut1:
what exactly will you be doing living in a village that lacks basic amenities and infrastructure at old age?.

Search for this story on TikTok. Her father went back to the village and was neglected/almost dead

Kanwulia:
Your experiences? I have gone through safia pains.
Nigerian contractors are HIGHLY CRIMINAL!😱

Kanwulia:
Thanks.🙏🏾

I thought the same thing o. Till I was advised against it due to the topographical concerns of the area. Erosion and landslide issues. It is not everywhere you can sink a borehole. Too many boreholes in one area can be a potential threat to the environment. Your whole septic system might just collapse. Besides, the well is more natural and eco-friendly.

I always get advice from engineers in the area before I do anything. Just my “yankee mind” at work. You know Nigerians love to do anything anyhow. My mind does not work like that. You can make may costly mistakes.

Midex88:
This is true and it has solid explanations in building science, materials behavior, and maintenance dynamics.
houses are designed to be lived in. When they aren’t, small protective processes stop, and deterioration accelerates.

Here’s why

1. Moisture is no longer controlled
Humans unintentionally manage moisture in a house.

When a house is occupied:
• Heating and cooking dry the air
• Windows get opened occasionally
• Bathrooms and kitchens get used (and ventilated)
• Small leaks are noticed early

When a house is empty:
• Humidity builds up
• Condensation forms on walls, ceilings, and pipes
• Mould, mildew, and rot start developing
• Wood swells, warps, or decays
• Metal parts corrode

Moisture is the number one enemy of buildings.


2. Temperature swings stress materials because Occupied homes have relatively stable temperatures.

Empty homes:
• Get very cold at night and very hot during the day
• Experience repeated expansion and contraction

This causes:
• Cracks in walls and ceilings
• Tile grout failure
• Paint peeling
• Sealants drying and splitting

Over time, these micro-failures add up.


3. Plumbing systems degrade when unused as Water systems are meant to move.

When water sits:
• Sediment settles in pipes
• Seals dry out
• Traps evaporate, letting sewer gases in
• Rubber components harden and crack

You often don’t notice until water is turned back on—and then leaks appear everywhere.


4. Electrical and mechanical systems stagnate

Unused systems fail faster than lightly used ones.

Examples:
• Contacts corrode
• Circuit breakers stiffen
• Fans seize
• Pumps fail due to inactivity

Regular use actually keeps these systems healthy.


5. Pests take over
Humans deter pests just by being present.

An empty house:
• Attracts rodents, termites, ants, and insects
• Becomes nesting ground for birds or bats
• Suffers unseen damage to wiring, insulation, and wood

Once pests settle, damage accelerates rapidly.


6. Small problems go unnoticed and become big ones
This is critical.

In an occupied house:
• A small leak is fixed
• A crack is sealed
• A blocked drain is cleared

In an empty house:
• A minor issue can run for months
• Water damage spreads
• Structural elements weaken
Buildings don’t usually “collapse suddenly”—they decay quietly.

7. Houses are systems, not static objects
A house is like a living system:
• It “breathes”
• It responds to use
• It relies on feedback (human attention). Remove the feedback loop, and entropy takes over.

This is why people say:
“A house that isn’t lived in starts to die.”
It’s not mystical—it’s physics, chemistry, biology, and neglect combined.


In summary

A house deteriorates when empty because:
• Moisture accumulates
• Temperature fluctuates
• Systems dry out or corrode
• Pests invade
• Minor issues become major damage

Human presence acts as maintenance.

Kanwulia:
I came up with a plan.
I had to pay my siblings N20m to give me the property.👍🏽 I did not want any wahala in the future amongst us. We came to an agreement. Now, the property is solely mine.✅

Kanwulia:
I came up with a plan.
I had to pay my siblings N20m to give me the property.👍🏽 I did not want any wahala in the future amongst us. We came to an agreement. Now, the property is solely mine.✅

Kanwulia:
Rule #1. NEVER ALLOW ANY CONTRACTOR TO BUY YOUR MATERIALS IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Kanwulia:
Your experiences? I have gone through safia pains.
Nigerian contractors are HIGHLY CRIMINAL!😱

jmoore:
Agreement is agreement.

REST