₦airaland Forum

@Gasman58

I don't want to take the steam out of your cylinder. Chelsea Fc always rises to the occasion when they've been written off by everyone else. Lionel Messi will be caged tonight. By tomorrow morning, many of you Chelsea bashers will be eating your words. Watch out, mate. Cheers.

Chelsea is not going to lose today. I can feel it in my veins. All of you that think Lampard and co will be roasted at the Nou camp are in for a great shock tonight. You dont know what you're dealing with. Chelsea Fc is a rejuvenated side now. They wont go down to any team like a pack of cards.  Have you forgotten that their coach is Guus Hiddink? Hiddink is a coach that likes to pull off surprises. The same man that knocked out Spain and Italy from the 2002 World Cup with a bunch of determined South Korean players!!

Never ever rubbish a team that is coached by Guus Hiddink and captained by John Terry. You guys need to analyse properly. Don't make predictions out of sentiments. Hiddink has a plan he's taking to Spain. I'm a Chelsea supporter since age 5 and I know what the blues can do. Cheers.

Youths in Ekiti State have already started taking their destinies into their own hands. A good number of them are opposing the rigging of the current elections in the state powerfully. They are making their presence felt in different parts of the state. I have not heard or read of any Ekiti youth being killed by the Police or soldiers. I know youths in other states are watching events unfold in Ekiti State. Fellow Nairalanders, Nigerian youths are getting conscious these days. 2011 will be war against corrupt politicians. Just wait and see. Cheers.

CHANGE IS COMING TO NIGERIA.

The time is coming, and it is very near, when some of the people on this forum will start acting out their ideas in Nigeria. Every revolution that has happened in history started with concerned citizens bouncing off progressive ideas on each other. For all the naysayers, I want you to know that real change is coming to Nigeria very soon. I have my own plans which I'm keeping under wraps. The revolution that will take place in Nigeria will not be too bloody but a lot of changes will take place.

The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia [ read more about it on the net ] was hatched over some months in a room. Most of the guys that led the Russian Revolution were intellectuals i.e Lenin, Trotsky etc etc. They were just fed up with how the Russian Populace were being ruled by the Tsar and his cabinet. The good thing was that when Lenin and his men sparked off the revolution, they didnt need to do much. Ordinary Russians seized the initiative and took their destinies into their hands. Russian soldiers who had just returned from fighting in the French Revolution joined the civilians in fishing out the corrupt leaders.

The destiny of Nigeria lies in our hands. No Policeman or soldier will shoot you for airing your views when he knows you're fighting for his children's future. Information is the key to great changes in Nigeria. Nigerians need to be informed about the electoral process in the language they can understand. During the 2003 elections, I voted for the Justice Party and the NCP and many people voted for the Justice Party that day on my street. Nigerians know the kind of leaders they want. Nobody has the monopoly of violence in Nigeria. Very soon, some thugs will try to intimidate voters during elections and ordinary citizens will resist them. You will be surprised when that innocent looking guy on your street will suddenly bring out his gun and fire into the air to scare off the thugs. We need to start getting involved in the electoral process.

I have a lot to say but my ideas on how to change Nigeria are very deep and radical. When I was in Uni, I was a member of the press then. One day, I called a meeting of the Press club members and told them what to do about the neglect of the Hall by the Warden. The next morning, strong articles condemning the Hall Warden appeared on the Pressboard. Suddenly, fear and anger enveloped the hall. Before we knew it, some guys in the hall seized the initiative. They went to the gates of the hall and started singing and drumming there. The Warden was due to visit the Hall that morning. As he drove towards the Hall, he saw the aggrieved Zikites by the gates. The poor man abandoned his car and ran for his life.
That Afternoon, the Warden sent Electricians and Plumbers to come and start work on the Hall. Things changed in Zik Hall that week. What I'm saying is this: Things are not so difficult as they seem in Nigeria. We only need to tackle our problems with foresight and courage. Cheers.

Mr Lawal's Homepage idea for Nairaland is okay. I'm not saying Seun should adopt it but I think Nairaland needs some sort of redesign. Even Google adds new features to their services every now and then. Seun, let us see some changes on the Nairaland Homepage. Cheers.

@Kobojunkie

You're entitled to your opinions. We need to take this thread beyond the internet. One of the first obstacles to real development in Nigeria is the mentality of the Nigerian people. I know what I'm saying. We can discuss and proffer ideas on how to hold credible elections in Nigeria for ages, but nothing will be achieved if the way of thinking of most Nigerians is not changed. We need to work hard to ensure that credible elections are held in the country. The solution lies with all of us.

Let me give you an example of how we can change things in Nigeria if we can just try. Sometime in 2207, my church held its Annual Youth Weekend. I attend one of the Parishes of RCCG.  I had just come back from a trip to Britain. There was no substantive Youth leader on ground, and I was not willing to become the Youth President because I knew I would be travelling out again. Anyway, the onus fell on me to organize the program. I spent a lot of time developing ideas into reality. Many of the youths and teenagers were not willing to help out. I found out that they just did not know what to do. I had to type letters myself and take it to the Guest Speakers for the Seminar Program which was held on the Saturday of the Youth Weekend. My job was made easy because I had a Laptop. The church did not give us money for the Program. We had to raise money among ourselves and from the Matron of the Youths Fellowship. God helped us out gretaly. It was when it was clear that the 4 day event will be successful, that many youths started coming on board. I really taxed myself intellectually and financially to carry our plans out.  To cut the long story short, the program was hugely successful. You need to see the joy on the faces of the youths after the event. One of the outcomes of the 2007 Youth Weekend was that my Parish has become an Area Parish of RCCG.

If we can all take up the gauntlet and start taking the destiny of Nigeria into our hands, things will change. We need to stop being armchair critics. People will always follow the man who knows where he is going. Everybody is hailing Fashola because he decided to be different. I have been reading some copies of EBONY and ESSENCE Magazines over the weekend. African-Americans are not waiting for the Government to solve their problems for them. They are creating opportunities and opening up businesses for themselves. They know they are one of the minority groups in a country of mainly white folks. So they have decided to help themselves. Change in Nigeria starts with me and you!!! Cheers.

Fellow Nairalanders, I deeply believe free, fair and credible elections can be held in Nigeria. We don't have to give up hope. I just read read Reuben Abati's article about his trip through Northern Nigeria. It is on The Guardian website. Nigeria is a great country. It is the hatred of change by most citizens of the country that is holding our progress back. We need to change our mentality that always believes positive things cannot happen. Cheers.

@Proudly9ja

I have been waiting for this kind of topic on Nairaland. I have not given up on Nigeria. I love my country to bits. I strongly believe credible elctions can be held in Nigeria. Nigerians are not that gullible anymore. Gone are those days when a Godfather will raise the hands of his candidate up and expect people to vote for him or her.  Fellow Nairalanders, put on your thinking caps and reflect on the last elections in 2007. Though there was massive rigging in many states, some States, Local Government Areas and councils were exceptional. The people in those areas voted for their choice candidates in large numbers. Though the State INECS declared the corrupt candidates as winners, everyone knew something was not right. At the end of the day, the real winners of the elections got enthroned. The Rule of Law prevailed in the end. Examples of Governors who won their deserved thrones back are Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State.

I have 5 ideas that will aid the conduct of Credible Elections in Nigeria. They are:

1. Votes should be counted openly immediately after voting has ended. There is no need for the ballot boxes to be taken to a secret location.  The Agents and Representatives of different Parties, some number of voters, representatives of the community in which the election was held, and observers [ both Nigerians and Expatriate ] should be around when the votes are counted. After the counting of votes has been concluded, the winning candidate should be announced immediately for all to hear. This will let everyone know who actually won. Then the results can be forwarded to the State Headquarters.

2. During elections in Nigeria, intimidation and harrassment of voters is very rampant. Some Political Parties are guilty of hiring thugs and gangsters to help them in instiling fear in the minds of the electorate. These undesirable characters also assist the corrupt politicians in rigging the elections. It is really a sad situation. So what can we do about this? I posit that that drastic situations need drastic reactions. I would suggest that fraternities on our campuses should come to the rescue. Violence during elections is not the monopoly of any group of people. All the guys killing themselves on our campuses over mundane things can serve the nation better. I'm not a confra member but I think they can start doing some positive things in the society. I know some of the secret groups on campus have been registered by the Federal Government i.e The Pyrate Confraternity and The Bucaneers. All these tough guys can fly their colours on election day and help safeguard the ballot boxes and the populace from the hired thugs of the poilticians. Thery will start getting some respect from Nigerians if they can channel their energies into positive things. The Pyrates Confraternity saw to the peaceful conduct of elections on the UNIBADAN campus in the 70's and early 80's. They can take this approach into the larger society now.

3. The citizenry also has to be informed adequately about the electoral process. I wonder what kind of organization INEC is   I have observed that Nigerians are not adequately informed during elections. It is the duty of INEC  [ and if INEC continues to be lethargic, Private groups can come in ] to print leaflets and information packs that will tell people about the different Political Parties and their ideologies. The leaflets and information packs should also have the logo of the parties, pictures of the candidates and their plans should they be elected. What is INEC doing with all the billions of Naira given to it to conduct elections if it cannot print Leaflets and information packs? I believe that if Nigerians are well informed, they will vote in the right candidates. Information is key to a credible electoral process in Nigeria. Lest I forget, the leaflets and information packs should be printed in the major languages of Nigeria, including the official language, English.

4. It is getting clear that the PDP, ANPP and perhaps the AC are not capable of taking Nigeria to the promised land. This is where the smaller parties should come in. The Labour Party has gotten off to a good start. I'm waiting for the Justice Party, NCP and others to start making their presence felt in the vast field of Nigerian Politics. Barack Obama's victory in America should serve as an inspiration for our smaller parties. Our smaller parties need to connect with the populace. They don't need to have much money to achieve this. They can publicize themselves cheaply and also through the internet. I don't even remember what the Justice Party logo looks like  The smaller parties should focus on winning Local Government seats and councillorship seats at first. They can go for the bigger positions later after consolidating themselves.

5. Lastly, the Nigerian Media can help in ensuring that credible elections are held in Nigeria. Presently, our Newspapers, Magazines and Radio and TV stations are not doing enough to aid the good conduct of elections in Nigeria. What most of them are interested in is the publishing of scandalous stories about Politicians and their families. In America, if you are not interviewed and assessed by the media, you can as well forget about winning at any level of governance. The New York Times is good at picking out the wrong candidates and exposing them. The Western Media usually conduct searches on the background of Politicians with a view to letting their readers know more about them. The Nigerian Media needs to start getting proactive during elections. This brown enevelope syndrome must be nipped in the bud. LET US DO IT FOR THE SAKE  OF OUR NATION. Cheers.

@CyberG

I like your post. You've spoken well. For the social security scheme to work in Nigeria, we have to improve on our records keeping and data filing. The whole scheme also has to be computerized. Computerization will prevent people from collecting money in different states at the same time. Once an individual has collected his monthly benefit, his details will be entered into the computer and the file will be shared with other states. However, lets know the actual number of Nigerians first. Then let the hospitals and clinics submit details about deaths and births at their place to a central government agency which will collate and store the infiormation in a database.

The Federal Government should also open Register offices in each state and Local Government Area. There will be a General Register Office that controls the smaller register offices. The General Register Offices will have the powers to issue Birth, Death and Marriage certificates. They will also work hand in hand with the Nigerian Immigration Service. I believe the Register Offices can even handle the Nigerian ID card issue. We need to start from somewhere if the social security scheme will work in the future. The problems of Nigeria can really be solved with a lot of planning and creative thinking.

It is the negative mentality and greed of a lot of Nigerians that is stopping the nation from moving forward. We also find it difficult to acknowledge and support innovative minds in Nigeria. God help us. Cheers.

I'm happy Mourinho is coming to lecture Nigerian coaches. It is a good thing. One coach that I know will be jotting down Mourinho's ideas and thoughts is Samson Siasia. The guy loves learning. I met his son on an internet chat room 2 years ago. I was chatting with some Europeans on the net when the young boy logged in into the chat room. His ID made me ask who he was. He was making strong points about Nigerian football that night. His reply to my enquiry was- '' I'm the son of Samson Siasia. I'm in the United States''. LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON.

Samson Siasia is going to coach the Super Eagles one day, no matter how long the NFF delays his appointment. As for Jose Mourinho, I respect him as a coach. Cheers.

A social security scheme will not work in Nigeria until the Government improves on Records and Data keeping. I don't even know where any Register office in Nigeria is located. That's if Register offices exist in Nigeria. We are very bad at keeping data and maintaining records unlike advanced nations. I was shocked in 2005, when I saw NYSC forms that were dumped below a staircase in Ondo State. That goes to show how we value personal details in Nigeria. Can someone who served in 1997 be able to get hold of his NYSC records in 2020?

@ Eziachi

You have spoken well. God bless you. Cheers.

There are a lot of reasons why Nigerian Graduates can't get good jobs. The Nigerian environment itself is still largely negative in nature. In a negative environment, there will be no chance for effective information dissemination. That is why some good jobs that are advertised are not seen by graduates. It is not only about placing adverts in Newspapers and some online sites. Different avenues need to be used to advertise jobs. It is painful that the Nigerian government has not started making employment easy in the country. In Britain, the government has a website where job seekers can access and apply for all kinds of jobs. There are also Places called Jobcentres where one can walk in and use computer points to look for jobs. Phones have been made available for you at the place to call the companies advertising the vacancies immediately.

What efforts are our state governments making to enable graduates feel comfortable when searching for jobs? NONE. I also feel that Graduates should start looking inwardly. They could create jobs for others by starting small businesses. All the great companies started small. You can also get a lot of resources on the net about starting out on your own. It is all about passion and hardwork. There is also the need to promote your business cheaply through the web and leaflets. Facebook and Bebo is already being used to promote new businesses. Check out:

www.thejuicetimes.com

It is a creative news and features website being promoted by social networking in the USA. The site is run by two Nigerians. My advice to all Nigerian graduates is this: Develop your talent and you'll never worry about applying for jobs. Cheers.

Which way Nigeria? It is not only one man businesses that owe their workers in Nigeria. Some big companies are also guilty of exploiting their workers. The Nigerian Media is in a sorry state when it comes to paying salaries of staff. There was a time I worked for one guy who started a Magazine in Lagos. He had a public launch of the Magazine but as time went on, he could not pay his staff. He always made us sign in to work every morning. I tried to explain to him that Media practitioners are not confined to the office but are always on the beat to get stories. He never listened to me. It was also clear that Mr X was not really good at Publishing.

At the end of the day, I left his company without being paid for 3 months. I observed that he lived lavishly but always claimed that he was not making enough money. Anyway, I'm better off today. I believe some laws have to be passed concerning staff renumeration and working conditions in Nigeria. It is really an offence to make people work for you without paying them. Cheers.

We need to go back to the basics. We need to stop this culture of relying on players who are not committed. I still don't know why the NFF did not deem it fit to give Samson Siasia the job of coaching the Super Eagles. This is the only Nigerian coach with a website. Other coaches do not even have blogs, not to talk of websites. It shows Siasia has a fertile mind. The guy knows what he is doing. It is very bad that in Nigeria, we don't appreciate innovative people. We often make the mistake of seeing them as threats to our existence. Siaone is a coach that can bring up players from anywhere in the world. He knows how to track down players and he knows how to get the best of out of them. The skills gap betwwen Amodu Shuaibu and Samson Siasia is very wide. Siaone also has a natural intelligence that Amodu lacks.

Lets look at Samson Siasia and the 2 tournaments he has led Nigeria to so far. At Holland 2005, he took a team of lads to the WYC and came second behind Argentina. His boys in the Netherlands were hungry for success and they shone brightly that European clubs scrambled for their signatures. When Siaone was made coach of the Olympics Squad, he reached out to his boys again. Many of them heeded his call. The ones that could not come back due to different reasons were replaced by more hungrier players. Siasia qualified for the Olympics at the expense of Ghana and the rest of what happened is history. We all knew how he called the bluffs of Mikel Obi and Taiye Taiwo, and still performed well without them at Beijing. THIS IS THE KIND OF COACH WE NEED. Let us cast sentiments aside. Siasia is good to lead us in the rest of the campaign towards South Africa 2010.  We need a coach that can scout for fresh legs. We need a coach who knows what to do when the chips are down. We need a coach who is informed. We need a coach that can still dazzle his boys on the field. When you look at clips of Siasia and his boys in training, you will think the coach is also a player.

It took some cunning from Lionel Messi for Siasia's team to be beaten at the finals of the Men's Football event at the Olympics. The NFF need to swallow their pride and do the right thing. Tunisia is already planning how to defeat the Super Eagles. The way I'm seeing things, they might not play the match in Tunis. My radar is telling me that they could take the game to a grittier region of Tunisia where the Eagles will be dealt with. All what the Tunisians will be looking for is to beat Nigeria at home and get a draw in Abuja. Then they would try to win their games both home and away against the other countries in the group. They are perfecting their plans already. God help us. I must say that the Tunisians have some good players in their squad. All the other players are just committed and they play according to instructions.

The NFF should have done the right thing at the right time. There is not time for unrealistic goals and crass lethargy. The desire of 140 million Nigerians is at stake. Smell the coffee, Sani Lulu and Co. You will all be stoned if Nigeria does not qualify for SA 2010. Imagine a World Cup in Africa without Nigeria!!! And who says it will be so easy to beat Kenya? With this current set of players we have? Something is not just right, mates. Amodu needs to go.

The handwriting is on the wall. I think Amodu Shuaibu should be relieved of his job. All those who are clamouring for him to remain as Eagles coach should smell the coffee. Tunisia will beat us to the ticket if we don't do something fast. It will be very bad if Nigeria does not qualify for SA 2010. Tunisia is not Liberia or Sierra Leone that can just be shoved aside. The Carthage Eagles are compact and tough to defeat. I will come back to what the NFF must do later today. Cheers.

When a sick man is imposed upon 140 million people as their President, what do you think will happen?  Nigerians are living under a benevolent dictatorship. The problem with Nigeria is that of bad leaders. Unpopular leaders shoot or rig their way to power, and when they get into office, they steal the country blind. Is there any honest leader in Nigeria at all? The general attitude of Nigerians to life is another reason why the country is in a mess. Right from our churches to the Universities to Aso Rock, Independent thinking is hardly encouraged. You're not supposed to ask questions. Just follow the 'rules' and keep quiet. Vey stupid way of doing things. I have a lot to say about our way of life.

However, I love Nigeria. God will make a way where there seems to be no way. Cheers.

@joxiri

thanks for your comments. Please, I'm not trying to demean graduates from foreign universities. Some graduates from British and American universities are very good. Western Education is also very good. However, we live in a brand new world now. Even if you live in a village in Africa, once you've got a computer and internet connection, the world could lie at your feet. This is where creativity and innovation comes into play. Phillip Emeagwali, Bill Gates, Michael Dell and other information gurus have said it: INFORMATION IS KEY.

Many Nigerian students read to pass exams alone. They do not read for the purpose of gathering information that will change their lives. They do not study to acquire knowledge that can be used to make more money or better their communities. And what do you think will happen when they graduate and start working? They will not be able to put forward great ideas that will help their companies grow. Cheers.

@sagamite

I read e-books if you care to know. I'm in the UK. Making sweeping generalizations is something I don't like to do. And that is what you've done with your post. I respect your views about how it feels to hold a physical book. Physical books will be here for a long time but online content is taking over gradually. I am a researcher for some organizations I'm not allowed to mention here. People thought Hi5 and Myspace were the ultimate until Facebook and Bebo arrived on the scene. Now Zorpia and some new social networking sites are taking over. If you care to know, there are thousands of People in the UK already reading e-books. Do some research, mate.

I don't want to be drawn into a intellectual battle. I prefer to let my works speak these days. When people condemn Nigerian Universities, I just relax and laugh. Ignorance is a disease, you know. Many Nigerian Undergraduate and Postgraduate students are not that informed. And you don't need to travel out of Nigeria to be informed. I saw some of my course mates having low marks in some of our courses. They would often tell me that there are no books for them to read up on specific topics. However, there were books in the library at Unibadan that covered those topics, though the books were old. I took my time to search for those books on the dusty shelves and read them. So I scored high marks in those courses. The Dominican Institute Library at Samonda in Ibadan is a solid intellectual centre. As far back as 2001, the place had an advanced archival system with good books and educational materials. By 2002, they had internet facilities and e-books there. The place was located in a serene environment with trees and flowers. Yet , many students of unibadan did not use the Library.

As far back as 1994, the state library at Ijebu-Ode was having satellite transmission for educational and entertainment purposes. People hardly visited the library, but those amazing facilities were there. It was there that I first saw the Brazilian national team on a training tour of Australia as they prepared for the World Cup hosted by the United States. I saw everything on a huge screen at the end of the library. I was 16 yrs old then. I had to use earphones to listen to the commentary. The problem with Nigeria is that many Nigerians have not started to use information creatively. Information is key. Cheers.

I just finished watching one of the speeches of Bill Gates on YOUTUBE. All those who are placing their hopes on certificates or degrees will be in for a rude shock in a few years time. It is not as if Universities will not be relevant again. They will still be here for some time. However, have you noticed that many Universities are increasing their online presence daily? Bill Gates made some comments that set me thinking deeply. The legendary entrepreneur said that very soon all physical encyclopaedias will not be able to match their online versions. He says it would be easier to access books online than using them physically. Pages of books will be downloaded on mobile phones by next year. It is already happening in some countries. The daughter of Bill Gates does not carry physical boks to school again. Instead, she has a Palm computer that has all the books she needs loaded on it.

Amazing things are happening on the internet these days. Information is key and once it is available for everyone, there are no limitations to what one can achieve. Some Nigerian Universities are performing well these days even with the limited resources available to them. The e-library will change everything in Nigeria. When the British Universities come to recruit students in Nigeria, they don't always tell their prospective students that they would need to task their brains after getting their degrees. There is really a difference between perception and reality. Cheers.

and I forgot to add this:

Education is no longer limited to the four walls of a classroom. Knowledge can now be gotten at the speed of thought. I graduated from the University of Ibadan in 2005. I have not earned money with my degree. I have been earning money with my talents and I'm set to earn more. Information is the key these days.

The Internet is the best university in the world.

The internet changed everything, mates.

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.

www.toluihidero..com

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.