I got this article on my WhatsApp and decided to share it here. It reinforced my belief that the problem of Nigeria is not necessarily government, political system or finance, it's Nigerians themselves. The average Nigerian is corrupt, embraces and celebrates corruption and looks for loopholes to cheat the system, be it in government officials, workers in private companies or even business men. Until we change and restructure our minds, we will continue to go down the abyss.



Read the article and ponder on it.

I run a manufacturing business and a trading business. 
The biggest challenge in my manufacturing business is not power, or infrastructure, the biggest challenge is getting honest staff. Everyone we hire is appears to be on a mission to steal as much as possible. Inflated invoices, recording less than the actual number of units produced. The worst part of it all is that all the fraud we've uncovered is not done by a single person, it's usually many staff who collude with each other, from production, to sales, to finance, even top management. There was a year I overhauled management 3 times in a year. But I've found a solution sha, I now use Indian management. So competent, so honest and so straightforward. I thought they were expensive at first with all the visa fees, accommodation, house staff, but now that losses due to staff theft have been reduced to a minimum, and efficiency increased, the Indian management has turned out to be cheaper than the previous Nigerian management. Now, all sensitive positions involving money go to Indians. Nigerians are only allowed in non-sensitive positions. I used to criticize companies like Dangote Group that hire so many Indians when there are many unemployed Nigerians, but now, I understand their decision. 

My biggest challenge in the trading business is the same, getting honest staff. The form of trading occurs in the open market, and involves staff having access to huge sums of money running into a few millions. I know how much I pay to security companies to provide escorts for the staff, not to prevent robbery, but to ensure that the staff go straight to the bank to deposit the money after the day's sales and not disappear with my money. This money spent on security companies is even enough to be declared as profit. We have to spend on CCTV, biometric scanners and other things that wouldn't not be needed if staff weren't looking for the slightest opportunity to steal. 

It got so bad at a point that my main criteria for employing staff was no longer conpaetency but honesty. At least, competency and skills can be learnt, but once you're dishonest, you're dishonest. 

We always complain of the economy and how they are no jobs. I know people abroad who would have loved to set up job creating businesses in Nigeria but they can't because they can't get any trustworthy person to run it. 

I know people in Nigeria with so much money, they want to start factories and other job-creating businesses but they can't because they are occupied elsewhere and can't get any trustworthy person to run the business. So instead of investing in the real sector and creating jobs, they'll just buy treasury bills, while the thieves are shouting no jobs. 

Many big businesses would have been born in Nigeria if we could engage in partnerships, but we cant because you can't trust anyone. This is one advantage the Indians and Lebanese have over us in Nigeria. They can pull resources together and do mega-business, unlike Nigerians that because only one person must do everything since we can't partner, end up with small, tiny businesses. 

Start a poultry and they will be stealing your eggs. Some will even go
ahead to be killing the chickens so that they'll be allowed to take them home.

Start an entertainment/viewing/game center and they'll be pocketing
your money. On the days you're around at the business, the money
realized will be x10 of the money realized when you're not around.
Because they're eating your money.

Lease out a vehicle to a driver to use and watch as he'll finish you.

Start a restaurant, the same thing will happen. More than half of the
total food ingredients will end up in their personal kitchens.

Even ordinary provisions shop, they will find a way to steal.

You'll see them with that their evil, wicked saying "na where person dey work, na there e dey chop, na e make dem dey callam workchop/workshop"...... Just imagine, justifying theft at work. 

And you'll see these people point their crooked fingers at politicians when they're not any different. I usually say the reason most Nigerians haven't stolen billions of government money, is simply lack of opportunity.

Nigerians are the problem of Nigeria.

Make I no talk

The nyanmiri's to be specific

Completely untrue! Nigerians do not control the courts, police, armed forces, etc., the government does. It's the government that can ensure that things work properly.

Point of correction: The bad governance and activities of the government leads the citizens to do what is unexpected of them.

Period!!!

Meaning the people in govt are foreigners..abi?

EdoFirstBorn

Yes you are right because those in govt are not English but Nigerians and they are our problem

.

Good and true talk my brother ,

Dishonesty is one of our major problems in this country. We can't trust our selves with money.
Dishonesty leads to corruption of the mind. If you like be collecting 1m per months as salary in Nigeria, dishonest people would never be contended they would still want the business to collapse due to their greed by being smart .

By and large Nigeria govt have their flaws by not providing enabling environment for businesses to be sustainable. Govt needs to look at this area critically in order for us to move forward.

Thank you

I will continue to also say it that Nigerians are the problem of Nigeria. Any body blaming government officials is only blaming them because he doesn't have the same opportunity to loot.

Where have I heard this before ?

Yes, I remember it was from Fela.

My people are useless
My people are indiscipline!

Eveeybody but Buhari is to be blamed.

Only Buhari is pious and all knowing .

Zombie Nation.

All The Politicians without previous Military Training are SCAVENGERS.

All The Politicians without previous Military Training, except, AZIKIWE, AWOLOWO AND AHMADU BELLO, are SCAVENGERS.

wirinet:
I got this article on my WhatsApp and decided to share it here. It reinforced my belief that the problem of Nigeria is not necessarily government, political system or finance, it's Nigerians themselves. The average Nigerian is corrupt, embraces and celebrates corruption and looks for loopholes to cheat the system, be it in government officials, workers in private companies or even business men. Until we change and restructure our minds, we will continue to go down the abyss.



Read the article and ponder on it.

But who is in the government?
Is it not Nigerians.
I think it is misleading to attempt to excuse the government from all the problems facing Nigeria.
Who make up the government?
Nigerians elected or appointed to the positions of LEADERSHIP.
What is leadership?
Leadership is about being in a position to organize, structure and lead the citizenry.
Without strong, dedicated and honest leadership, then the citizenry are left without a standard value system or direction.

Therefore, the Nigerian people described in that article are the Nigerian people who have suffered decades and decades of honest, dynamic and dedicated LEADERSHIP DEFICIT.

LEADERS lead, while the people follow.

So, to be corrected, the DEARTH of honest, dynamic, dedicated and progressive leadership , also known as the GOVERNMENT, is the problem with Nigeria, not the Nigerian people.

9jamustchange:
Completely untrue! Nigerians do not control the courts, police, armed forces, etc., the government does. It's the government that can ensure that things work properly.

Is that so? You mean it's Ghanians or Malians that control the courts, police, armed forces, etc.

Now answer this question, who is government. It's paradoxical to think that government is separate and isolated from the people.

plaetton:

But who is in the government?
Is it not Nigerians.

That's what I have been saying, Nigerians are the government.

I think it is misleading to attempt to excuse the government from all the problems facing Nigeria.
Who make up the government?

No one is excusing the government or rather governments. What I am saying is that the problem with government is the same problem with our families, clans, tribes, states, churches, mosques, associations. There is no difference between our churches whereby the leader appropriate all donations for his personal use and government where the head appropriate our common wealth for his personal use.

Ordinary rice and noodles that various leaders of the society including traditional rulers were asked to distribute to the public was hoarded and you are blaming government. Government is not manned by spirits or aliens but by Nigerians.

Nigerians elected or appointed to the positions of LEADERSHIP.
What is leadership?
Leadership is about being in a position to organize, structure and lead the citizenry.
Without strong, dedicated and honest leadership, then the citizenry are left without a standard value system or direction.

That's what this post is about. It's about the lack of understanding of Nigerians of what leadership and responsibility entails. We cheat in all circumstances, even when we don't need to. I run some businesses and I have lost close to 500,000 this year's alone due to dishonest staff. Ask anyone running a business in Nigeria what his greatest problem is. He will tell you power, government and staff(both in terms of competency and trustworthyness)

Therefore, the Nigerian people described in that article are the Nigerian people who have suffered decades and decades of honest, dynamic and dedicated LEADERSHIP DEFICIT.

LEADERS lead, while the people follow.

So, to be corrected, the DEARTH of honest, dynamic, dedicated and progressive leadership , also known as the GOVERNMENT, is the problem with Nigeria, not the Nigerian people.

There is a school of thought that believes that a people get the leaders they deserve. Don't you see the correlation between honest, dynamic and dedicated LEADERSHIP DEFICIT and honest, dynamic and dedicated FOLLOWERSHIP DEFICIT?

iamDrRhymes:
I will continue to also say it that Nigerians are the problem of Nigeria. Any body blaming government officials is only blaming them because he doesn't have the same opportunity to loot.

It's amazing Nigerians are refusing to see this fact. We are living in denial. You cannot survive in the Nigerian system if you are not corrupt and ready to cheat the system. I know a very upright police man, and I can tell you he loves the police job. He went for various training abroad that borders on forensic science. He had never received a bribe. When he was posted to a road block at the Lagos airport, he was unable to bring in "his target". He has since been transferred to do admin work at Abuja. Meanwhile officers that meet "targets" are given rapid promotions and given juicy postings.
Same for political careers. If you don't show stupendous wealth within a year of getting an elective or political appointment, your family will curse you, you pastor will do deliverance on you and your village will ostracise you.

Herkim:
Good and true talk my brother ,

Dishonesty is one of our major problems in this country. We can't trust our selves with money.
Dishonesty leads to corruption of the mind. If you like be collecting 1m per months as salary in Nigeria, dishonest people would never be contended they would still want the business to collapse due to their greed by being smart .

By and large Nigeria govt have their flaws by not providing enabling environment for businesses to be sustainable. Govt needs to look at this area critically in order for us to move forward.

Thank you

We all agree that Nigerian governments (emphasis governments) have their flaws, but no enabling environment the government can provide that Nigerians would not cheat.

Let me give you one example.
During the Uduaghan administration, he introduced an empowerment scheme whereby he attempted to provide employment for warri youths. The scheme was to provide N500,000 loan to about 1000 youths for fish farming business. He inaugurated a committee of I think 10 members to manage the programme. My cousin was a member of the committee. You know what they did? The committee called their people and distributed the forms to them. They provided fake names, addresses and details. In short they distributed the whole money without 1 fish farm being built. Uduaghan was so frustrated he cancelled the scheme. And someone would blame government for not providing the enabling environment. Most governors have complained that youths are not ready to work and most empowerment schemes they attempt always fails, because the youths just want free money.

wirinet:

That's what I have been saying, Nigerians are the government.


No one is excusing the government or rather governments. What I am saying is that the problem with government is the same problem with our families, clans, tribes, states, churches, mosques, associations. There is no difference between our churches whereby the leader appropriate all donations for his personal use and government where the head appropriate our common wealth for his personal use.

Ordinary rice and noodles that various leaders of the society including traditional rulers were asked to distribute to the public was hoarded and you are blaming government. Government is not manned by spirits or aliens but by Nigerians.


That's what this post is about. It's about the lack of understanding of Nigerians of what leadership and responsibility entails. We cheat in all circumstances, even when we don't need to. I run some businesses and I have lost close to 500,000 this year's alone due to dishonest staff. Ask anyone running a business in Nigeria what his greatest problem is. He will tell you power, government and staff(both in terms of competency and trustworthyness)




There is a school of thought that believes that a people get the leaders they deserve. Don't you see the correlation between honest, dynamic and dedicated LEADERSHIP DEFICIT and honest, dynamic and dedicated FOLLOWERSHIP DEFICIT?

My old friend,
How have you been ?
It's nice to discuss with you again after a long while.

I do get your points, and we agree on everything here, except one , the most important one.

Who determines direction ? The head or the tail ?

Just look back history . It has always taken the courage of extraordinary individuals or collection of individuals to stand up, organize a scattered population, establish the standard norms and rules , and then move the society in one direction or another.
I do agree that in the present Nigeria society, one has to take a lantern and search from house to house, looking for just a few honest people in all of Nigeria.

We all know that the human mind is very malleable, and that humans, by nature, are always hungry for someone to mold their minds for them , someone to protect or lead them in one direction or another. The proliferation of churches in every street corner in Nigeria is clear testament to that hunger. It is a very loud cry for leadership, sense of belonging and direction.
Look at the power that pastors , priests and Imams have over their flock.
A morally lofty pastor, priest or Imam will infect his flock with his moral loftiness. And conversely, the greedy and wicked ones will likewise infect their flock with their character deficits .
This is why leadership is a sacred
calling.

There are too many current and past examples to prove that leadership matters.

America today is a good example.
America produces the best in every area of human endeavor.

Now, can you say that the current American leadership under Donald Trump is reflective of the American society?
The answer is no.

Donald is an extraordinary leader in the worst possible ways, and look at what America has become in just 4years of his leadership. His incompetent response to the covid19 pandemic that has claimed 230,000 American lives is reflective of HIS OWN deficit of leadership qualities, and does not reflect the general character of the American citizenry.

The leadership provides the standard cues for moral and ethical conduct that trickles all the way down to the followership.
That's why the citizenry put their hope and trust in the hands of few individuals, to organize them, protect them, and establish higher standards of moral and ethical conduct. When those appointed or elected to leadership positions fail to rise up the calling, when they settle for the service of their personal interests, that character trait again becomes infectious, and trickles down to the citizenry . Nigeria is a typical example.

9jamustchange:
Completely untrue! Nigerians do not control the courts, police, armed forces, etc., the government does. It's the government that can ensure that things work properly.

Zombie Who is the Government? I guess Ghanaians control the courts, police, armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

Totally false.

NIGERIANS DELIBERATELY VOTED AN UNPATRIOTIC EX MILITARY.

Poor Justice system in the country is the reason.

9jamustchange:
Completely untrue! Nigerians do not control the courts, police, armed forces, etc., the government does. It's the government that can ensure that things work properly.

Who is the govt? people are he gkvt and when Nigerian complaining abt wrong enter the system they suddenly become disaster. The worst people on earth in terms of integrity are Nigerians.

stonemasonn:
Poor Justice system in the country is the reason.

How can you have good justice system when judges collect bribes to adjudicate a case and police collect bribes to investigate a case?

orisa37:
NIGERIANS DELIBERATELY VOTED AN UNPATRIOTIC EX MILITARY.

It's the unpatriotic military leader that decreed or forced Nigerians to start collecting bribes to perform basic civic and social services, to import and manufacture fake drugs and products that is killing people, to scam other Nigerians of their hard earned money, to defraud your place of employment.

Hmmmmm. Nigerians are not more terrible nor more different from any human being in other part of the world.

What's lacking in our system is check and balance. A place there is no check the most honest person will be corrupt.
Our system is not giving people who have tendencies to be honest to thrive.

Do you know why Foreigners thrive in Nigeria? I'll tell you, it is simply because they are among strangers. You think if I'm the only black in a white company, I'll be corrupt? I'll have more to prove and I'll be on my guard. I won't misbehave.

I know there is consequences when I collect money before voting. During the 2015 election, my brother was given money to bribed everyone who came to vote simply because the polling station was not far from our house. Did I collect my own share?

If our laws are active, l would have had a ground to convince him not to talkless of allowing it to get to the stage of being offer the money.

wirinet:

It's the unpatriotic military leader that decreed or forced Nigerians to start collecting bribes to perform basic civic and social services, to import and manufacture fake drugs and products that is killing people, to scam other Nigerians of their hard earned money, to defraud your place of employment.

The Military, The Police, The DSS, In KADUNA The Kastellas and The various Security Organizations in all the 36 CONSTITUTIONAL STATES of the Country are now harassing disturbing and collecting BRIBES AS STATES IGR everywhere.

Firstly, saying nigerians already included the political class, as they are not foreigners but nigerians as well.
.
Secondly, your whatsapp story was major on the management as no casual staff can be bigger than the management. So, if the casual staffs are corrupt, it's because the management instigated and benefited from it, the reason the company's director decided to change the management and not the meager workers.
#Now, who are the managers in nigeria? The political class.
.
Conclusion: there is no place in the whole wide world where (some) citizens are not corrupt or don't want to be, but because of the 'faithful' effective and efficient institutions to check mate the excesses of the masses, including themselves, we hear and see a good level of accountability in those places (countries), compared to our country, Nigeria. So, in essence, the political class is actually the nigerian/Nigeria problem. Thank you.