₦airaland Forum

Yeah, Foreign Universities are definately better than the ones in Nigeria. However, I don't concur with those that have the belief that nothing good can come out of Nigerian Universities. The person that wants to come and do his Postgraduate Studies in Naija has reasons for coming home. Some graduates of our Universities are really good and they are holding their own in companies all over the world. I have had intellectual discussions with white and african graduates of Universities in Britain and I'm pissed off with many of them.

You can get the foreign degrees, you can get those grades, but they aint gonna take you far in today's world. The world is a tabular rasa for anyone who can retrieve and process information creatively. Cheers.

I have this belief that any one or a consortium of companies, that can bring back all the programmes and shows mentioned on this thread will make a lot of money via adverts and public interest. We need to be very innovative in Nigeria. I hope some people will be inspired by this thread to start thinking about children's programming in Nigeria. NTA is now a caricature of its former self. A time is coming [ in the near future ] when many of the TV stations we have presently in Nigeria will begin to close shop, because of the emergence of new stations with innovative, educative and eye catching prohramming. We all know what Google did and is still doing to Yahoo, MSN, Altavista and the remaining search engines. I am someone that believes in fixing problems with deep thinking. Cheers.

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We could go on and on about the good old days. The simple truth is that creativity has departed from Nigerian TV stations. The graduates being employed these days in the Nigerian Media are not really innovative and deep thinkers like those of the 70's , 80's and early 90's. Many of them hustle for media jobs just to survive. I know what I'm saying. It is not as if they do not have books to read or materials that will stimulate them artistically. It is just that our value system has been thrown to the dogs. In Japan and South Korea, solid animations and cartoons that are eons ahead of Voltron are being created daily. Our Television Stations are not headed by great thinkers. Let me stop here. Cheers.

All the Universities in Nigeria have their strenghts and weaknesses. I attended the University of Ibadan for my Undergraduate studies. I make bold to say UI is one of the best when it comes to higher education in Nigeria. It has a good Postgraduate school. Delta State university is also good. I met graduates from DELSU who are really intelligent. You can attend any uni in Naija for your Postgraduate studies. Someone was bad mouthing State Universities on this thread. My brother finished from LASU and he's making waves today on FACEBOOK though he's based in Nigeria. He is also the editor of MADE, a solid Men's Magazine. Sound Sultan, one of my favourite Nigerian artists graduated from LASU. He is making a lot of impact in Nigeria today.

Mates, it is not about the Uni you attend. It all boils down to you. I'm not against anyone who wishes to attend a uni of his or her choice, but I know lectures and grades do not make the man. Talents, skills and focus can put you on the front cover of TIME Magazine. I have also seen graduates from British Universities who are so dull and uninspiring

Look inwardly to discover your pot of Gold. Cheers.

@Obodo999

I just checked The Dominican Library at Samonda, Ibadan, on the internet. The place has even gotten better. The Library is part of the Dominican Institute and seminary. There is always electricity at the place. I admire you for coming back to NAIJA. It takes courage for someone who has lived in an advanced nation to come back to settle in Nigeria. Please don't take a second wife below 21 years old. It is not worth it. Try and set up a business and use the skills you've gained in the States to build it and make more money. There are many returnees from foreign lands making it in Nigeria due to their exposure, hardwork and innovation.

Ibadan could be really exciting if you can take the time to discover the city. Cheers.

Nice move, mate. Ibadan is relatively cheaper to live in than Lagos. I also have plans to live in Ibadan in the near future. You can even survive on less than that amount in Ibadan monthly if you don't spend money unneccessarily. Get your food stuff from Bodija Market. Explore the ancient city very well and you'll get good bargains for everything you need. If you want a place to carry out research or to be able to read without distractions, go to the Dominican Library at the Dominican Seminary at Samonda, Ibadan, near UI. I wish you well. Cheers.

I started blogging because I love expressing myself creatively. I have a passion for the written word and for Nigerian children. Blogging allows me to communicate my feelings to the world at large. I started my blog early last year and it is becoming popular gradually. However, I will be having a website in the near future. Blogging could also turn awry, especially if you're uploading images from the net. Check my blog out:

www.toluihidero..com

Redman

@lucrabasi

I was at the university of Ibadan in late 2007. The VC of the university, Professor Bamiro, is really changing the face of the campus. The guy is really determined to restore the glory of the University back to when the whites were in charge of the place. The University was wearing a new look. Even the reading rooms of my hall were looking good with new air condition sets there. The floors had been re-tiled and new fans had been fixed. When you walk on the campuses of many Nigerian Universities, you will realize that they have a lot of potentials. Yet, I wonder why the Nigerian Media hardly reports the positive developments on our campuses. Negative journalism reigns supreme in Nigeria. One of our secondary school girls participated in a NASA programme some years ago, yet no Nigerian Newspaper or Magazine put her on their front cover. The key to Nigeria's development is quality information and passion for development on the part of Nigerians. We should also learn to celebrate innovation and creative minds among us. I have my plans and the good lord has given me the go ahead. Cheers.

@lucabrasi

thanks for your comments. I really appreciate them. I'm not one of the Nigerians that go home and flaunt money on short holidays. I'm a very simple young man with a passion for development. I have some projects I will be starting soon. You will know when I'll embark on them because ideas are easily stolen these days. I still hold on to the idea that Nigerians need a revolution of the mind. By the grace of God, I will play my part in bringing about that revolution.

Believe me, I've seen how a good number of Nigerians oppose progressive people Some of the good things I've achieved while doing my Uni in Naija were due to a strong determination and my passion. Many Nigerian undergraduates are not informed. I know how hard I worked to make the programmes successful. I would be the one to type letters, distribute them and ensure preparations were going on smoothly. Yet I had members of my press club that were supposed to do those things. Many Nigerian youths have a lackdaisical approach to life. They are too lethargic towards many things. I know the Nigerian environment could be tough, but my brother, I was able to get a lot of things done due to being passionate in all I do.

I will be coming home very soon to help in the development of Nigeria. Let all the naysayers laugh at me. I know I will have the last laugh. Thanks, Lucabrasi. Cheers.

@MrCrackles

I've been a Chelsea fan since I was four years old. Don't get things twisted. I'm not supporting Chelsea because they won last night. I've always been there for the Blues, trhough thick and thin. Cheers.

I'm a chelsea fan. I believe the blues can win the Champions League this season. It all boils down to good management. Guus Hiddink is a good coach. He knows how to get the best out of his players. He instils courage and the determination to play well under pressure into them. Luis Felipe Scolari was not a bad coach though. UP CHELSEA. NFF, Please Make Samson Siasia the Super Eagles coach before it is too late. Cheers.

The problem with Nigeria is that many of her citizens have a poverty mentality. Poverty of the mind, so to speak. I'm not saying it is not good to travel out. Travelling to Europe and other industrialized nations makes us exposed. We can learn how things are being done and how to be organized. I am of the belief that one of the factors behind Governor Fashola's drive to sanitize Lagos is the exposure he gained from travelling and living abroad. Small towns in England like South Ockendon, Tilbury and Purfleet are better than Nigeria when it comes to the provision of Public services and infrastructure. I was in the London Borough of Havering the other day and my bag got stolen. I went to the Havering Council Building and laid a complaint with one of the attendants there. She told me to hold on and right from her desk, she called the council's patrol team and asked if they had seen a bag on the streets or someone carrying my bag. She also told me to lodge a complaint at the Police Station. Though I have not seen the bag, I'm happy about the care and concern shown by the council workers. Can we say the same about council workers in Nigeria?

Our attitude and ways of doing things in Nigeria is bad. We really don't care about ourselves and mutual respect is not in our dictionary. In Nigeria, People delight in seeing the downfall of others. We love forming cabals that oppose progressive minds. We oppose people who are visionary in thinking in our schools, churches, homes , offices, Local Governments, States and in our country. We find it hard to acknowledge that someone is better than us. We are also not gracious when someone turns things around. WE NEED A REVOLUTION OF THE MIND IN NIGERIA. The mind of Nigerians is where the rebranding of our country should start. It is because of our bad attitude to life that Nigeria remains underdeveloped. Why do we find it so easy to blame our leaders when we ourselves are also playing a part in destroying the nation? Our leaders will continue to loot the country's financial and mineral resources until we change our mentality that the responsibilty of running Nigeria remains with the Governors and President alone.

Pastor Sam Adeyemi has continued to emphasize the need for Nigerians to change their mentality. We would keep running to other countries until we start to use our inner abilities to develop the country. I was watching Dr Ben Carson [ I hope you know him. If not, google his name ] give a speech through the internet last week. What he said nearly brought me to tears. As industrialized as America is, the country is still lagging behind in Mathematics. Dr Carson was calling on the American government to pump more money into education. Then I thought about Nigeria and nearly cried. We blame the Government for not investing in Education, but when the Government pumps money into our universities once in a while, the money gets mismanaged. Yet, the Professors will keep saying our universities are in a bad shape.

I could go on and on, but I have other things to do. For those that have travelled abroad, it is time to start thinking of Nigeria's development. Yeah, there will be challenges but we will surmount them if we are determined to change things. There is nothing like passion. Passion for change was what brought about the industrial revolution in Britain. We need loads of Passion to rebuild Nigeria. I want to add this- Quality Information is the key to Nigeria's development. Cheers.

@BabyGirl 1

You have spoken well. There is nowhere like home. We need to start thinking of how to fix Nigeria. I believe there is a set time for everything. This is the time for us to do something about our country's underdevelopment. Cheers.

I know how it feels to live abroad. I also know how it feels to live in Nigeria. Sincerely, it takes the grace of God to survive in Britain. With the current recession, a lot of Africans are having it rough in Europe. I am not about to bore you with tales of woe here. I'm okay and not doing badly. I have been able to observe how things work in the UK. It was until I travelled to Britain that I came to realize that many of the images we see on TV about this place are phantom. Don't get me wrong, Britain is an Industrialized nation. It is also one of the wealthiest nations in the world. However, there are a lot of things going on in the country. There are poor people in the United Kingdom too. Infact, official statistics state that about 1.4 milion children live in poverty in Britain. I have also come across many homeless people on the streets of London. That is why I laugh when many Nigerians thinks money can picked on the streets of London. You need to work hard for the money. That is the truth. Unless you want to do fraud. And God help you if the Anti Fraud -Unit of the Metropolitan Police comes after you.

I believe we can change the way things are done in Nigeria by putting our hearts to it. It is the responsibility of all of us to make things work in Nigeria. I hold this belief that anybody who has innate creative abilities can survive in Nigeria today. Innovation, creativity and hardwork is the way out of poverty in Nigeria. We have to walk the walk and do the hardwork of promoting our businesses. That is why I'm using my blog to give Nigerians all kinds of creative ideas and how to promote their business. I have my own personal business ideas and projects, but I'm keeping them to myself for now.  I will swing into action very soon.  There are a lot of business ideas flying in the air and we only need to catch the vision. When Nigerians start getting entrepreneurial, there will be no need for many of them to travel out of the country. However, if you're abroad right now, start saving some pounds, euros or dollars weekly. Start thinking of what you can do back home. By being abroad, you should have learnt one or two things about business and entrepreneurship. Don't be afraid of starting small in Nigeria. Nigeria is open for fresh ways of doing things now. Just look at Nairalist.com and Kerewa.com. These are two classified advert websites that are growing strongly in Nigeria. Think of what you can do too. Like I said earlier on, there is nowhere like home. Cheers.

There is no place like home. Though I'm not in Naija at the moment, I love my fatherland. I will be coming back to Nigeria when I'm through with what I'm doing here. I know many of us will give a lot of reasons why we should not stay in our country. I also agree that Living in Nigeria could be tough and daunting, but I've come to realize that the grass is not always greener on the other side. I just want to give this simple advice: If you're able to travel abroad, study how things are done in your country of abode, work hard [ hardwork does not kill and it pays in the end ], save up some money [ You can save money if you're determined ] , and come back to start a business in Nigeria. We cannot continue enjoying the infrastructure and facilities of other countries. We need to embark on the development of Nigeria after seeing how things are done in countries like Britain, USA, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Holland etc etc.

I was told of a lady from Ghana who came to the UK on a 2yr visa. This lady knew what she wanted to achieve from the onset. She did up to 4 different jobs and worked extremely hard for those two years. She did not allow herself to be distracted by what other ladies were doing in London. Many of her friends and relatives thought she was mad. She rented a small room and bought food and clothing at a bargain or on ebay. She was spartan in her lifestyle and frugal in her spending. At the end of the day, she packed her bags and returned to Ghana. She returned with more than 10,000 pounds. Today, she lives like a queen in her country.

The Development of Nigeria lies in our hands. No one will do it for us. This is the right time for us to start investing in our country. No matter how small the investment is. I don't want to say much but I know what I'm doing. If you're abroad right now, this is for you. Sit down and think of a biz or project you can carry out in Nigeria. Look around you and see what business models you can replicate back home. If you're determined and hardworking, I can assure you that you're on the path of really making it in life. Enjoy your stay abroad but have Nigeria at the back of your mind. Cheers.

Hi all, Ikokore is a yoruba meal [ Ijebu people love it so much ] and it also used for ceremonial purposes. It is made from water yam, palm oil [ loads of it ], shrimps, fish, spices etc etc. During the Ojude Oba celebrations in Ijebu-Ode, it is the food that is eaten for the day. It is very delicious and nourishing. I also want to add that the tuwo that is prepared in southern Nigeria is trash compared to the real tuwo that is eaten up north. I know what I'm saying because I was in Abuja for 3 months in 2002 and I was friendly with some Hausas. Cheers.

Haba, please take it easy with your hatred of ikokore now!! It is a nice ijebu dish and I really enjoy it. Its been a long time I tasted it though. My worst Nigerian soup is Okro Soup. I hate it with a passion. It is just tasteless. I also don't like cocoyams. Then there is this yoruba meal made from corn called egbo or some name I can't remember now. It is my worst Nigerian dish. The owner of the private hostel I lived in back in my days in high school in Naija used to serve us egbo as a meal. I pray God will forgive her. Cheers.

The old anthem is better than the one we currently use. I long for the day when Nigeria will start competing with the industrialized countries. We have got all it takes to beome a Superpower. We need to change our attitude to the way we see our country. I'm sharing President Umar YarAdua's pains. Our president is not happy that Nigeria was not invited to the G20 summit in London. Fellow Nairalanders, you need to read his emotional response to Nigeria's exclusion from the London event in The Guardian. That was the first time that I would see the president feeling concerned about the state of the nation.

I believe Yar'Adua and a couple of Governors are determined to turn things around in the country. However, we need to help them. They cannot do it alone. They need our support. As much as we love to criticize our leaders for their shortcomings, I feel it is high time for us to step into the battlefield and fight alongside them. It is not easy to lead. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Let us look at the movie, BRAVEHEART. Wiliams Wallace was able to conquer the English army because of the support he got from his men. He was not the only one on the battlefield o. One of his men, who was even Irish, saved him from being killed by an assassin. The Irish warrior was always watching the back of Wallace [ Mel Gibson ]. After Wallace was captured and killed by the English through treachery and betrayal, Robert the Bruce took over as leader of the Scottish army and the men of William Wallace. And what did Robert the Bruce do? At the next battle with the new English King and his Army, he told his men before charging at their enemies- '' You bled with Wallace, bleed with me!!! ''. What happened? The Scots were inspired by the words of their leader and they followed him into battle. They won a great victory that day.

Let us support our leaders as they strive to steer Nigeria towards development and economic recovery. Let us support Dora Akunyili and her Rebranding campaign. I have noticed respected Nigerians already criticizing her on the pages of Newspapers. They are saying she would fail even when she has not started her demanding work. When will we shed this negative mentality of ours? I know Yar'Adua has good intentions for Nigeria. He is only being sorrounded by saboteurs. If we can rally around our President by starting our own individual development oriented projects in our respective spheres of influence, the bad eggs in his cabinet will be destroyed. We need to be good followers too. Let the old anthem inspire us into believing in the manifest destiny of Nigeria. Cheers.

For me, I believe there are not many Nigerian artists that can be accepted globally. This is not because they are not creative enough or original in their approach to music. We need to understand that there is a lot of politics being played by all the big music recording companies. Africa is definately not their choice continent where they can draw music talent from. And it mostly bolis down to skin colour and nationality. I have listened to some CD's of the ' great' white musicians they promote and all I can say is that the music is trash. One of the best rappers in the 90's was Akinyele [ Check out his music on Youtube. He was a New York Rapper and most probably has a Nigerian father ], yet he was not really promoted by the music company that signed him. There is something going on which people with an african heritage or origin will never understand.

Also, music today has been comercialized. It is not about the message anymore. It is mostly about beats and rhythm. If it was about the message in the music, Asa should be number one on the world music charts by now. Bukola Elemide is good anyway. For Africa to start producing artists that will sell millions of album copies internationally, African record companies will have to set up shop in the Western world and market their artistes themselves. Dbanj, Tuface, Psquare, Mode 9, Nice and the rest of them are good but their music is mainly listened to by blacks and people of african origin.

The only Nigerian artiste that might break into the white market in the near future is Asa [ Bukola Elemide ]. She is unique and mysterious. Just listen two her track- ' Eiye Adaba' Her videos are also mind blowing. Cheers.

We need to realize that what Governor Raji Fashola is doing is good. There is no gain without pain. Lagos needs to be sanitized and made very organized. I'm sure BRF will find somewhere for the traders to sell their wares without them obstructing traffic and throwing so much waste around. I also think it is time for people to start thinking of settling down in other states. Lagos is not the only place where money can be made. Do you know how much money is made at Bodija Market in Ibadan daily? or the Oja- Oba market in Akure, Ondo State? What the Lagos State Government needs to do is to construct Modern Markets for traders that are far removed from areas where people live. Cheers.

hmn, I don't know what to say o. I am deeply shocked with this fresh information. I am not a member of CE but my sister is a strong member of the church. I have observed a lot of things about some of her female friends. I don't want to have anything to do with those ladies. I don't want to be a judge here, but why do some CE ladies who have been members for years suddenly leave the church and marry brothers from other churches? I have heard a lot of tales about CE young men and ladies, but it is not up to me to tell them on Nairaland. God will judge all the fake ministers of God before his throne. I wish CE well. Cheers.

Congrats to Nigerian women. Maybe it is time for a Female president in Nigeria.

@ Blacksta

I agree with you 100%

Cheers

Apart from being lethargic in their approach to work, many Nigerians have to take some pride in the kinds of jobs they do. Many Nigerian youths are too ' classy ' when they want to apply for jobs. The painful truth is that some of these dirty jobs pay more than some office jobs. I can remember way back in the early 90's when I was growing up in Nigeria. There were three young graduates who had just finished from one of the western polytechnics then. What amazed me was that the three of them did not apply for jobs after their youth service. One of them had a tipper and soon they started distributing drums to residents of my area. Before I knew it, they had written letters to the landlords of all the houses in the area. They announced that they wanted to start collecting household waste and rubbish for a small fee. That was how their business started. These guys were very good and in a matter of months, they had gotten an additional tipper and other streets were signing in. The last I heard of the guys was that two of them went to Germany for their Masters degrees, while the last one took over the business fully.

If only our current graduates can learn from the example I have given. There are a lot of business opportunities in Nigeria at the moment. My father's Lebanese friend told him some years ago- '' I don't know why Nigerian youths leave the country in droves for Europe. Why can't they see the gems in the gutters and the bushes around them? '

Mind you, this Lebanese Guy has a Mechanic Garage and a Restaurant in Nigeria. He's doing well for himself.

May the good lord give our youths wisdom. Amen.

I hate the Nigerian culture that most time believes that elder brothers must always do well than their younger ones, even when the younger sibling is talented and able to do well on his own. I also don't like the issue where it is believed that the elder sister must marry first before the younger sister. We need to change our mentality in Nigeria. Cheers.

@Naijaking1

You have spoken well. You have said it all. Nigerians need to understand the meaning of WORK. Many Nigerians don't want to work hard but they want to live comfortably. I have been to Government parastatals in Nigeria and words cannot express the lethargy I noticed there. You will see workers chatting as soon as they get to their desks. One Federal Parastatal in Akure, Ondo State, has workers that start playing the game of checkers [ Draughts ] as early as 9:00am in the morning. Meanwhile, the place is decrepit with nothing serious going on there. One of the workers even told me [ I was a corper attached to the Parastatal then ] I should not bother reporting for work. He told me he just comes to collect his salary at the end of the month.

I have been shown the light about WORK in Britain. You will not be paid if you don't work hard in the United Kingdom. If you're lazy, you will soon be found out and you'll get sacked. This work ethic also obtains in other European countries. The reason why the Western economies are advanced is that hardwork is encouraged in those countries. Citizens are made to give their best in all they do. If you're hardworking in Britain, you will be recognized and most times, there is a kind of reward for you. It does not matter if you're working for the minimum wage. The guys that clean my street are white English and they do their job graciously. The good thing is that some of them live well and have exotic cars. On the other hand however, a minimum wage must be set for the Private sector too. The Nigerian government has to see to that. A living wage has to be set and enforced by the government so that Nigerians can afford to have a good standard of living while working hard for their employers.

@ congohouse

I'm happy for you, mate. I'm also entrepreneurial in nature. However, like I said earlier on, it is not everyone that can manage his or her own business. It takes a deep intellect to become a successful entrepreneur. However, people can live well if they watch their spending habits and lifestyle. Cheers.

This is my honest reply to this post. It is not everyone that can become an entrepreneur. I also believe people should discover their natural gifts. It would go a long way in making them comfortable in life. People also need to take a look at their lifestyle and spending habits. When you spend so much money on drinks and other frivolities, there is no way you won't complain about being treated at your workplace like a slave. I have seen people who are not earning much in Nigeria but they are comfortable. They know how to get things at bargain prices and they save some money every month, no matter how small the amount is. I'm not against having some fun now and then, but what do you have to say about a man that earns 40,000 naira a month and takes 4 bottles of Gulder daily? or smokes packs of cigarettes everyday? Our spending habits also contribute to our standard of living. Cheers.

Nairaland is getting more and more interesting daily. I hope our leaders are on this site for ideas that will lift Nigeria out of the doldrums. The ferry service is a good idea. I believe private investors can come in and implement the idea. The development of Nigeria is in our hands. It should not be left to the government alone. Nigeria is a place [ despite the peculiar problems the country has ] where a innovative and determined entrepreneur can make loads of money if he or she can dare to activate the right ideas.

If the banks can invest in the transportation sector, they will make lots of money. In England, the Virgin group of companies has its imprints everywhere. Richard Branson is into all kinds of businesses ranging from Air and Rail Transport, Media [ TV and Broadband ], Health Clubs, Holiday Resorts, Telephone services [ Landline and Mobile ] and other innovative businesses. I'm waiting for peeps like Dangote, Otedola, Jimoh Ibrahim etc to start investing in the public infrastructure of the country. They will make more money in that way. I'm someone that believes in the manifest destiny of Nigeria. What I'm happy about is that the race to develop Nigeria has started. And Seun Osewa is playing a big part in it by creating a forum for Nigerians to vent their ideas and interact with one another. God bless Nigeria. One love. Cheers.

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