₦airaland Forum

@fayahsoul

I know who I am and where I'm going. I respect your views concerning this thread but it is very uncouth to generalize that Nigerians are stupid. Yeah, the Europeans and Asians have contributed to our failures in one way or the other but it is because we allowed it. There is no fire without some smoke. Lizards will have nowhere to live if our walls are not cracked. Inter-Group relations has been ongoing for centuries and it is still in place.

You're free to advocate for the implementation of your ideas. This is a free world, mate. Just dont come to a hasty conclusion that Nigerians are generally stupid. Cheers.

@fayahsoul

Retract your words, mate. We are not stupid. Nigeria is not the only country that was administered and ruled by the British. Canada, Australia, India, Botswana and others were also governed by the brits but these countries have progressed since they got their independence. Japan copied American technology and improved on it so much that Americans now use a lot of Japanese products. Dont come here and insult Nigerians There is nothing bad in learning from others. Civilizations have been learning from other civilizations over the centuries. I dont want to go into too much details. Cheers.

@Becomrich

Yeah, I know Northern Nigeria is not as densely populated as we are made to believe. The Governors in the North love manipulating the results of the census so that they can get huge financial allocations from Abuja. They have perfected their manipulative skills that they also bring in people from Niger Republic and Chad to participate in elections. However, there is a lot of movement of people between Nigerian and neighbouring countries and the government has not been able to count out and count in people. Infact, no country has been able to do this accurately. That is why America's population is increasing and the US Government has to keep playing catchup to know the number of people in the states. Record keeping is a tough task, bruv. Cheers.

@Becomrich

I was serving in Ondo State during the last census program. I know of some people that were not counted in the state. A Nigerian Professor also wrote in The Guardian that he and his family were not counted, though they waited for the Enumerators to come to their house. They waited in vain   Anyone who believes that Nigeria has 120-130 million citizens is joking. The wars in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Rwanda, Congo et al has decimated the population of these countries while Nigeria's population continued to increase. Lots of factors come into play when a nation's population is to be determined. Back in 1994-1995, America's population was 240 miliion. I saw this figure in the USIS published year book. Today, the population of the USA is 300 miliion plus. Do your research.

The truth is Nigeria does not have the technology to conduct a very accurate headcount of her citizens. Cheers.

@Becomrich, I did not say the Yoruba People in Benin Republic have Nigerian Passports. What I'm saying is that we have a good number of Nigerians in Benin Republic who live and trade there. I hold a degree in History and I schooled in Ibadan. Maps are not sufficient enough to tell you the population of a country Are you aware that a trade route still exists between Ibadan and Benin Republic? My Aunt's housemaid in Ibadan back in 2001/2002 was from Benin Republic. I was shocked when she told me of a road that connects Ibadan to Benin Republic. Some of the outermost parts of Benin Republic are very close to towns in Oyo and Ogun States. People form towns in Oyo and Ogun states live in Benin Republic. It is just that our government is not good in data capture and management.

We need to work on our birth and death records to know our true population. With all the baby dedication in our churches, I know we've grown so much in population. Are you also aware that  many Nigerians work on the cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast? I dont want to say much again, lest I be accused of being arrogant. Do your research. It is very true that 1 out of every 4 Africans is a Nigerian. Cheers.

@ Becomrich

There are even more than 100,000 Nigerians in Benin Republic. They are mainly of the Yoruba stock. They live in the Southeastern part of the country. Apart form the migration of Yoruba people there in the 12th century, many Yorubas from Oyo and Ogun State live in Benin Republic as traders and merchants. Nigeria and Benin Republic have historical bonds which remain till today. The place names in yorubaland in Nigeria are almost the same in Benin Republic. An example is Mokola in Ibadan, Oyo State which is called Makola in Benin Republic. The population of Benin Republic is 8, 791, 832 [ Source: CIA website ]. The Yorubas constitute 12.3% of Benin Republic's population. The proximity of the two countries makes it easy for Nigerians to live in Benin Republic. I dont want to go into too much details, mate. Yoruba is also widely spoken in Benin Republic.

Even Angelique Kidjo has roots in Nigeria. Her mum lived in Nigeria for many years. She has cousins and relatives in Nigeria. And she speaks a variant of yoruba language called fon. My parents had househelps when I was young. They were from Benin Republic and Togo and their names were Yoruba e.g Wale, Dejo etc . We don't need to relocate to Benin Republic. We are already there in large numbers. 1 out of every 4 Africans is a Nigerian. Cheers.

Nigeria is not the Giant of Africa as we are being made to believe. A lot of things are wrong with the country and these problems have to be sorted out before we can begin to make progress. It seems we are not ready to become an industrialized nation. Personally, I believe Nigerian leaders have mortgaged the destiny of the country. There are some moves that are being made behind the curtains to undermine the greatness of Nigeria. Right from our independence in 1960, these anti-development forces have been at work. They have continued to work relentlessly in their bid to keep Nigeria underdeveloped. Call me a mad man if you want, but I know what I'm saying. I have studied history deeply and have found out a lot of things.

If Nigeria gets its acts together, the Western World will start having problems. The Powers that be in America and Europe are happy that we have not come to our senses. They want us to remain perpertually underdeveloped. Some external governments and organizations are working hand in hand with some of our Politicians to hold us down. You need to realize that there is a conspiracy against Nigeria. Nigeria has all it takes to become a superpower on this earth. The Europeans and Americans are scared of our country's potential  Now let me start giving you the facts you need to believe what I'm saying.

1. Nigeria remains a country that has not had leaders spending up to 20-30 years in power. That has not happened in Nigeria. IBB and Abacha tried to prolong their stay in Aso Rock but they did not succeed. Cameroun. Togo, Benin Republic, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Libya, Egypt and so many African countries have had dictators that spent ages in power. Why did the Western Powers not remove these mostly corrupt leaders? Why were progressive and visionary leaders like Thomas Sankara and Patrice Lumumba killed? Lumumba was done away with because America and Belgium wanted to control the mineral resources of Cogo and central Africa.
2. The Western Powers are still shocked about the way we keep doing our things. They are really surprised that we have not had a second civil war. God is at work in Nigeria. God has a hand in the destiny of Nigeria.
3. It is a fact that Nigerians are the most intelligent africans on earth. We don't have any serious competition from other African countries. One of my friends works with a powerful Publishing House and he tells me that he is amazed with the number of Nigerian Professors, Doctors, scholars and Phd holders whose works are cited in the books his company publishes. There is no top company in the world where you won't find Nigerians. A Nigerian girl [ She is the daughter of the sister of one of my lecturers at the University of Ibadan, Kingta Princewwill ]  Shattered the records of the Medical School at Cambridge University in England. She got a 6.9 out of 7 points. She was the first to do that and it was all in the news.

4. Now, with all the intelligence we have shown and all the egg heads we have, why is it that we have characters like OBJ and Yar'Adua leading us? Why is it that we can not solve our energy problems? Why is it that we cannot tar all our roads and have a functional railway system? Let me tell you one thing- The west will feel very uncomfortable if a 100% black nation rises and becomes a superpower It will look like a challenge to them. We keep talking about Ghana and South Africa. Yeah, they are making progress, but they can't rival the might of Europe and America. Besides, South Africa is really run by the whites there As long as we keep having fools as leaders, the western powers will be happy. If Europe and America are really sincere about our development, why don't they come in and install a good leader? With this recession, many nations are finding outlets for their manufactured goods. One of their major markets is Nigeria. This should get you thinking.

5. We also have the Asian countries to contend with.  Asian countries like China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia are also looking for markets for their goods. Nigeria remains a huge and juicy market for them. They will also not be happy if we start manufacturing and baring our fangs. Nigeria is like a succulent virgin that is being raped to death by the rest of the world No one really wants us to realize our folly and come to our senses I salute Governor Fashola for the great work he is doing in Lagos State. We need more Governors like him.

6. We can overcome our problems by getting involved actively in the political process. Our leaders know how powerful our votes are and that is why they use INEC to get themselves into power against our wishes. What Nigeria needs now is a movement that will get the right people into power. That movement will have to make good use of the internet and mass media. The right information needs to be put into the hands of Nigerians. A serious and progressive candidate needs to be raised and etched into the minds of Nigerians. It is going to be a long process but the change we need will eventually come. We need to start from somewhere.

The only thing I'm afraid of is the attitude of Nigerians. We don't seem to care about what happens to our country. As long as we are comfortable with our jobs [ I wonder how many of you are feeding properly and living a really decent life with your 'great' jobs ] , we are not bothered about creating a solid economy for the generations unborn We don't really accord respect to one another. We are not fond of achnowledging that others are intelligent more than us. We have not harnessed our culture and heritage with a view to using them as an inspiration for our development. We are too non chalant about what becomes of Nigeria. I'm breatheless We have remained docile for so long.

In conclusion, we are not the giants of Africa. We are a nation that makes God weep daily

We need to have an accurate record of the births and deaths in Nigeria to get an idea of the number of people residing in the country. Cheers.

Nigeria's population cannot really be estimated. However, it should be around 130-200 million. We should remember that there are many Nigerians who live in other countries, and they are not usually counted during the census programs. In Benin Republic, we have almost 100,000 Nigerians there. Not to talk of Nigerians in Ghana, Cote Di Voire and other African countries. Then we have Nigerians in Europe and North America. Not all of them carry European, Canadian or American Passports. And like someone said, the Census program has been politicised in Nigeria. Figures are manipulated at will to suit Governors and other Politicians. God help us

Hmmn, the thread is getting interesting by the hour. I believe there are some good churches in Nigeria but they're very hard to locate, due to the large number of churches in the country. What I don't like is when people condemn other christian denominations and think their church is the best. It is the deep attachment to a certain church that has led to people getting disappointed at the end of the day.

I've never believed one church is better than the other

I don't care what church you belong to, for as long as your Jesus is mine

I'm a Pentecostal christian though I work for a catholic magazine

I make bold to say the Catholic church in Nigeria is the most proactive and caring of all Nigerian churches

I've come across a lot of youths in Nigerian churches who attend church regularly but still dont know what to do with their lives

I believe Jesus is the son of God and calling upon his name should really make us get focused in life. If he walks into most of our churches today, I know he will pick up a whip and chase many people out of the auditoriums.

It is good to go to church, but at the end of the day, we will not be judged based on the number of services we atended or money we gave as tithes and offerings. We will be judged based on how we lived our lives on earth and whether we really accepted Jesus as our lord and personal saviour.

This is a nice thread. So where do I start from? Okay, here we go:

Tunwase Nursery and Primary School, Ikeja, Lagos: For some funny reason, my parents decided to place me in the boarding house immediately I started schooling. Tunwase had a boarding house back in the early 8o's. Dunno if the school still operates the boarding house system. One of my brothers joined me there, though he came in when he started Primary 1. I remember the house mistress that loved beating us as young as we were. I remember one of my Aunts, Aunty Ope bringing Provisions for me every 2 weeks. I used to wet my bed then and I was also very withdrawn from the other children. I loved playing by myself. This led to many of my seniors [ Primary 4 and 5 pupils ] thinking I was a wizard. There was one day they sorrounded me and started calling me an Ogbanje. The incident caused a lot of problems for me and I was placed under close observation by the authorities. However, a new headmaster came and after observing me for a day, he took me to his office and started giving me books to read during the break periods.He developed my intellect in a great way and he gave me meals which made my mates envious of me. His name was Mr Caulcrick. Anyway, I later left Tunwase and attended Flora Nursery and Primary School as a day student. Tunwase'e boarding house system was good and we were well fed and taken care of.

Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State: Hmn, my adventures in the boarding house at JOGS was wonderful. I can't forget those days. I was a member of Odumosu House. Odumosu House always won the Inter-House Sports festivals and we had chips on our shoulders as a result of that. I remember the Gari, sugar and groundnut meals [ Garium Sulphate ]. I remember how boys scaled the fence at night to buy Moimoi on Ibadan Road. The moimoi was so sweet that some guys turned it into a business. They would head to Ibadan Road with  big bags and come back with loads of moimoi packs. How they scaled the fence of the school with those heavy bags still beats my imagination They would then proceed to sell the moimoi to us at outrageous prices We still bought the sweet stuff though I remember how the seniors used us like slaves. You would be given 50 kobo [ yes o, this was before IBB changed the currency ] to buy snacks and the wicked seniors would expect you to come back with snacks worth 2 Naira. God help you if you dont come back with the extra snacks.

There was also this culture of boarders night at JOGS. It was an event which was held on the night of the last day of every term. Boarders Night was always a night of mischief, pranks and utter wickedness No one was spared!! As soon as the light outs was announced and the bulbs and flourescent lights were switched off, the madness would commence. This was the night when juniors settled old scores with seniors and their housemates. Many students got injured and some fatal incidents happened. Aluminium buckets and shoes would be converted into missles and they would be thrown at you by students. If you made the mistake of falling asleep, woe would descend on you. You would either get whipped by unseen students or drenched with soapy water or water from the gutters. Students urinated on each other and painted those who slept with poster colour and tooth paste. Some habitual deep sleepers would be carried into the toilets or the open fields and left there till morning. Some students left their Houses to settle scores in other houses. I saw students who would go to sleep in the classrooms so as to avoid the war going on in the hostels. I was told the authorities knew about the Boarders Night but they saw it as a tradition of the school. JOGS was a boys only school.

I also remember how the Kitchen store was raided one night and lots of foodstuff was stolen. Then I cant forget the locker smashers who would break your locker during school hours and steal your provisions. They were hardly caught and operated like spirits. They were fellow students, though. So much to say about my secondary school hostel experience.


University of Ibadan: I was a Zikite as an undergraduate at UI. Zikites were residents of the great Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall. The hall was viewed as a Notorious place by the school authorities. The hall developed my independent spirit. Zikites lived like brothers and I never starved while living in the Hall. You never walked alone as a Zikite. All you had to do was to enter a room and tell the guys there that you were hungry. The worst you can get from them is a plate of beans and a cup of garri. We were also full of mischief as residents of Zik Hall. Most of the girls on campus dreaded the hall because of the taunts they received whenever they passed through the hall to Idia, Indy and Awo Halls. Zik Hall made me very vocal. You can't be a Zikite and be quiet. There was always an issue to talk and shout about. Zikites also led most of the demonstrations on campus. I recall how we used to head to the maintenance department to beat up the technicians when ever power was switched off and we wanted to cook our beans. Can't forget those days, men. We were sometimes a law unto ourselves in Zik Hall. We had our own traditions and culture which were strictly observed. I remember the ewa nights and carnivals with Zikites masquerading into all sorts of things. Thats enough for now. Would come back to say more. Cheers.

I prefer Nokia. Cutting edge technology and deep innovation.

I promised to come back and give a piece of my mind on what I feel about christianity and the Nigerian church these days. I started going to church from age 4 when My dad took me and my other siblings to his white garment church somewhere in Surulere, Lagos. Perhaps I had been going to church before then, but I was not conscious of what was going on because I was too young to understand. Yeah, we attended a white garment church and I attended sunday school with my contemporaries. The book we used was- MY BOOK OF BIBLE STORIES, which was published by the Jehovah Witnesses. My church then was the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement [ Ayo Ni O ]. After Secondary School, I joined RCCG. I got baptized in the church and became born again [ whatever that means these days ]. While I was in the University, I had a friend who was Catholic. He introduced me to his Irish missionary friends. Today, I'm a staff writer and rersearcher for their International Magazine. I am still a member of RCCG though.  What I'm trying to say is that I have an idea of how most of the churches in Nigeria operate and their different doctrines.

Personally, I'm disappointed in the way many Pentescostal churches in Nigeria operate. There seems to be this emphasis on the outward man and not the inner man. Many of the programmes being organized have become jamborees and many attendees are not really growing in their faith. All kinds of money are collected from church members through their ministers, but there is no investment being made in the lives of the congregation. When I'm talking about investment, I'm not talking about money alone. How many schemes have been developed by Nigerian churches to add value to the lives of their members, especially the youths? It is a shame that all the cash being raised through offerings, tithes [ I believe in paying tithes and offerings ] , vows, appeals etc is used in building mind boggling edifices and not used to improve the lives of the members. The disciples of Jesus took care of themselves but that hardly happens in the modern church.

Immorality is threatening to destroy the church these days. A lot of things are going on in our churches. I'm not a saint but I have always maintained my dignity by not engaging in the debauchery that is being practised in some of our churches. I've heard of Pastors impregnating female choir members, and married women indulging in extra marital affairs in the church. Some Parish pastors cannot account for church money in their possesion, while others use the tithes collected to do business before remitting the money to the church headquarters. Poverty is also contributing to the moral degradation taking place in the Nigerian Church. This has led to many people going into ministry just to be comfortable. They're not really interested in leading people to Heaven, which is the ultimate reason for being christians.

I could go on and on, but I guess we all know the problems of the Nigerian church. What one needs is to have a revelation from God himself. Then one will be free from the grasp of the charlatans who are holding the reins today. There are a few good churches around though. Just pray that God should help you in your search for a true church. What should be noted is that human beings are naturally selfish and church founders are human beings. It is only the men of God that are truly chosen that will do the work placed in their hands without looking for material gains. Cheers.

@debosky

I dont agree with your view that Nigerian pastors, bishops, General Overseeers et al, should have their faces printed on promotional materials concerning Christian events. What most of them are engaging in is self-adulation. Yeah, we might not have a complete picture of what Jesus looked like but it is clear that he was semitic in build and physique. Most images of Jesus Christ that I've seen are almost the same. It could just be his hair that has different shades of colour. I don't want to start listing the names of some Christian bodies that only use the images of christ on their promotional materials. Surprisingly, these christian groups are doing well and they study the bible deeply than most pentecostal churches. True christianity is not about man, but about the risen christ

This is a well thought out thread

I agree with the poster on many things concerning the state of the church today, especially in Nigeria. I will come back and speak my mind later in the day. However I want to ask this question before I head to the shopping mall:

Why is it that when Nigerian Churches print posters, leaflets and make banners for christian revivals and events, it is the face of the pastor, evangelists, bishops and arch-bishops that is on the face of the promotional materials? Are they not supposed to put the picture of Jesus on the promotional materials? Who are we promoting here, mates?

Food for thought.

I'll come back later to this thread. Cheers.

I am not interested in this Promo. Those behind it need to know that Nigeria is not a Fools Paradise

I'll be happy if Orange buys Zain Nigeria. Orange is a big player in Global Telecommunications. Cheers.

One thing we need to realize is this: Nigeria is not that bad as we sometimes paint it. The problem with us is simply that too many people are not thinking deeply enough in our country. It is what we keep professing with our mouths that will manifest physically in Nigeria. It is really disheartening that many Nigerians don't see anything good about their country. Though we have a crop of largely corrupt leaders, we also have a good number of citizens who are doing well in their different spheres of influence. NIPOST is not as bad as we think it is. I still get letters [ including those coming from Europe ] being brought to my house by NIPOST staff. NIPOST has some agencies scattered in our neighbourhoods, if you care to know. I have sent important documents through EMS Speedpost in the past and they got to their respective destinations

I've also been lucky to travel to the western countries. I want to let you know that sometimes letters go missing in Britain. In the States, Parcels are sometimes not delivered promptly and are stolen sometimes. These are facts and incidents that the Britons and Americans will not put on the pages of their Newspapers and Magazines. We need to work on our psyche as Nigerians. We need to change the way we perceive our country. I agree that things are not going on smoothly, but the challenge before us is that we should strive to come up with solutions to our problems, instead of being critics all the time.

@ Poster

You'll be amazed at how many honest courier companies you'll come across as time goes on. Cheers.

I'm speechless

I have heard about the EMS Speedpost delivery systems, but I'm not sure if they are reliable. DHL is good but very expensive.

@ Poster

There are many courier companies in Nigeria. Some are registered while others are not. The Luxury Bus Companies also offer parcel and goods delivery services. It will be very hard to point out the best courier company in Nigeria. Some of the well established Courier companies in Nigeria sometimes lose parcels and have their own issues. Conduct an online search and call them up for their locations and prices. Cheers.

It is a good move by Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) authorities. KSA is going to impart some knowledge into students of music at the university. I have always advocated for this kind of knowledge transfer. It should not always be about theories, but deep practicality of skills. Many Nigerian don't know what to do with their degrees because they just read to pass exams. They never had the opportunity to put what they were taught into practice before graduating. Cheers.

Hi all, I just heard GT's single- 'Osima Gbomi' ( You'll listen to me ) some minutes ago. The guy is hot o. Try and conduct an online search of his songs. Cheers.

I'll go for GT. He has a bright future ahead of him. Wande Coal is good too, but something tells me GT will soon blow up. Cheers.

@Lawyer

You're too good. Thanks for enlightening me more on te Mortgage System In Nigeria. I have always had this idea of living in Oyo State and building my house there. I don't have to live in Lagos or Abuja to be successful in life and add value to the lives of Nigerians. Once I have internet connection, telephones and can power my office myself, I can run my business from Ibadan. I dont need to be in debt to Nigerian banks. I can only operate bank accounts with them. Cheers.

I feel the State Police idea is good. However, the State Police should be able to work hand in hand with the existing Police Force. It is not as if our current Police officers are all corrupt. I've come across a lot of honest and dedicated officers in different states of the country. What we need do is to reorientate the present crop of officers in the country and pay them respectable wages. Their take home pay is too low for comfort. As for the Lagos State Police, I know Fashola will invest huge sums of money in the scheme. Fshola is setting the pace for other State Governors in the country. There is hope for Nigeria.

The North can do without the oil from the Niger-Delta if only they can convert their Agricultural produce into finished products. What obtains now is that the people of the North do not have the intellectual know how of plunging into Industrialization. Dangote is only interested in doing things for himself and not the whole North. The Northern elite will continue to depend on oil grants because they don't want the commoners to be liberated. Industrialization and Modernity fosters deep thinking and the Northern elite dont want their people to start asking questions.

People can be funny at times

I must admit the boys played well. They fought for the ball and had a quick recovery rate whenever the lost the ball to the French players. Though I am not a fan of Amodu Shuaibu, I am happy for him. He still has to prove he is capable of the taking the Eagles to the World Cup next year. Vincent Enyeama was amazing. No wonder he received a lot of accolades in Israel. The French team was not that bad. Our boys were just determined to win. That is the kind of spirit we need to carry into the game against Kenya this coming weekend. Cheers All.

Our true coach will come and collect what was stolen from him by the NFF after Egypt 2009. I hope our chances of qualifying for SA 2010 would not have been blown by then. I know Samson Siasia will be somewhere watching this match and thoughtfully.

You've all spoken my mind. However, I would ask him these 5 questions. Here we go-

1. Mr President, why did you agree to be President, knowing fully well that you did not win the elections, and that your health is suspect. Do you know that you can die in office?

2. What is really stopping you from solving Nigeria's electricity problem? Are you scared of the Generator-Merchant Cabals in the country?

3. I hope you've not taken an oath at a shrine with your Godfathers [ whoever they may be ], not to let Nigeria develop?

4. How much have you spent in treating yourself? I'm talking about all the flights to and treatments in Germany. Are your expenses drawn from taxpayers money or the National treasury?

5. Please can you leave office in 2011? It will do you a lot of good. Are you gunning for a 2nd term in office? I hope you don't. A lot of Nigerians think you should vacate Aso Rock for Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State. Thank you sir for the audience.

@Truthonly

Wow, you've made my day. Thanks for your insightful analysis. I guess you've been reading EUROMONEY or other International Financial Magazines. Banking in Nigeria is a huge joke. I don't have anything against people taking up banking jobs, but there is so much work to be done in our banking system. A good bank should be able to support new viable businesses and start-ups that will in turn generate money for them. Our bank managers are not futuristic in their thinking. They only think of today I don't want to say much here lest my ideas are lifted off Nairaland by some opportunists who will use them for seminars and Annual General Meetings without giving me credit. Ideas and Intellectual theft is getting rampant in Nigeria Cheers.

With the coming of Sanusi as CBN boss, I hope the Nigerian Banking Industry will become very professional. Our banks need to start competing internationally. Sanusi has to match his words with action. I don't like the '' No Business As Usual '' catchphrase. OBJ used it and did not achieve much. We need ' less talk, more action ' leaders in Nigeria. Cheers.