₦airaland Forum

The Rooftop MCs are really good Gospel Music performers. I've been following them for some years now. I admire their creativity and they are really bold to have entered the industry as Gospel Hip-Hop Artistes. You might tempted to believe that they are not genuine Christians when you start listening to their Music, but you will soon discover that they've got deep messages embedded in their songs. I love 'Agbara Nla'. It is a solid track and I am looking forward to their new Mixtape which I hear is going to be very good. Luv ya, Guys.

I hope a blueprint has been drawn up to make this new NYSC Posting Policy work. I am happy that the FG has started to reason with my arguments. I don't see any sense in Corpers serving in Banks, Insurance Companies, Oil Companies etc. Are they serving the Nation or their Pockets? The NYSC Scheme ( Even though I want it to be scrapped and replaced with the National Volunteer Scheme ) should be about developmental work especially in our Research Institutes, Farming Settlements and Rural areas. I recommend that Graduates above 25 years old should be excluded from the NYSC Scheme and handed a one off payment of 250,000 Naira and told to do something with it. The remaining Graduates should then undertake the Youth Service and really contribute to the development of Nigeria. I have a lot of ideas on what should be done to make the NYSC a more useful scheme. The FG has taken the first steps and I commend the Presidency for this. Cheers.

@X-2-X

Thanks for the enlightening information. Cheers.

aribisala0

I have read on forums that if you've got a valid visa in your old Passport, you can still travel with it provided you've gotten the new E-Passport. The visa or Residence document in your old Passport was issued by another country and not the Nigerian Government. I feel that is why the sign 'Cancelled Without Prejudice' is stamped on your expired Passport. 'Cancelled Without Prejudice' means that any visa in the Passport issued by another Country can still be used for the purpose it was intended for provided it is still valid. I need to hear from someone who has traveled to Nigeria with a visa on a expired Passport MRP Passport and the new E-Passport. Thanks a Bunch.

I feel the Imo State Government should abandon plans for a State Airline and focus on creating jobs for Residents of the State. Rochas Okorocha should take things step by step so that he won't leave office with many abandoned Projects. He should focus on making Imo State very agrarian with an eye of exporting Food Produce to other Nigerian States and Countries in West Africa. A good idea is to set up Factories that can produce Food Products like Canned Fish, Fruit Juice, dried vegetable sauce etc. People cannot do without food, you know. By developing the Manufacturing base of Imo State, more indigenes will be employed in the process. An employed Nigerian is an asset for his State in the long run, because he or she will pay taxes and be responsible, obey the law and participate in the development of the environment around him or her. The Imo State Government should also take Recycling seriously. There is money to be made from Rubbish. If Okorocha can set up Recycling Centers in all the Local Government Areas of Imo State, many imolites will get employed in a very short time. The waste products that are being sorted out can then be sold on to Companies both inside and outside Nigeria who will reuse them in manufacturing goods and products.

Governor Rochas Okorocha, Bin the idea of a State Airline. That is not what you need for now

Nice Thread. The old Nigerian Passport is known as the MRP ( Machine Readable Passport ). It is being phased out gradually as the E-Passport is now to be used as our National Document. I need to clarify something. What happens if someone has a valid visa or Residence Documentation in the old Passport which has expired. The Visa in the old Passport is valid but the Passport has expired. Can the person travel to Nigeria and come back to Europe with both the new e-passport and the Old Passport which contains his Visa? I read someone that the visa ( issued by another country ) in your expired Passport is still valid because it was issued by another country. I need someone to explain this scenario to me. Thanks.

A Revolutrion will happen in Nigeria sooner or later. It is bound to happen with the way things are going. The best time for a Revolution in Nigeria is now. We have a weak President at the moment. Let us act on this opportunity. Thanks.

Why can't the FG just scrap the NYSC Scheme altogether for God's sake?   Let the damned scheme be scrapped once and for all. I'm tired of the stupidity of our leaders sef With the Boko Haram menace they are still sending Corpers from other parts of Nigeria to the North !!!  These mofos are surely high on weed or something. Na wa o. If any Southern Corper gets killed in the North once again, there could be a heavy retaliation by the people of the South West, South East or South South. Why are things so messed up in Nigeria? Haba

We all have different experiences in Europe and North America. Some Nigerians have good experiences while others have bad experiences. It is what we go through either good or bad that determines largely whether we want to remain abroad or head back to Nigeria. Some Nigerians started out as cleaners in London but today they own houses in Britain. There are people who are having spiritual problems and they've got to overcome the psychic forces tormenting their lives before they can break through abroad. Some Nigerians are also meant to succeed back home. I still see Nigeria as HOME but I know I have to stay in the UK to achieve my artistic dreams. I don't hold a British Passport or an European Passport but I'm always complimented about my good diction and fluent English Language skills. What I'm trying to say is that we hardly change from whom we are back in Nigeria and character is built over time. There are enough resources we can make use of here in Europe and North America but many Nigerians are mainly concerned about cash and material possessions. When you're good at something and you're focused, the money will come in an avalanche in due time. There are Africans in the UK earning millions of pounds in the creative industries but they're very reserved people. You just need to dig deeper into the internet archives to see their achievements. We are all cut out to succeed in life and Nigeria is not the only place where you can be respected as a Black Man or Woman. Cheers.

I feel it is time for me to properly comment on this type of threads that pop up on Nairaland frequently these days. There is nothing wrong in travelling abroad. The greatest thing that has happened to me is leaving the shores of Nigeria for Europe. I have really developed myself and my reasoning has changed. I also believe that travelling abroad guarantees a better future for those who can make lemonade out of stone. Exposure is very critical to the development of a Man. Before I traveled to Britain, I always thought white people were special people that cannot do any wrong. Today, I know Britain has dull, wasteful and unambitious white people. I have also discovered that if you're good at what you do, you will become successful abroad no matter the discrimination you might face. What would have happened if Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie had decided to stay back in Nigeria? Would she have found a safe haven in the USA to write her Prize Winning books 'Half of a A Yellow Sun' and 'Purple Hibiscus'? Mind you, Chimamanda also attended solid Universities in the States for her Undergraduate and Postgraduate Studies. What about Tunde Baiyewu ( The British-Nigerian ) who is the vocalist for the Lighthouse Family? Tunde Baiyewu spent his early years in Nigeria and even spent a year or two at a Nigerian Polytechnic before moving back to Britain ( Where he was born ). Would he have met Paul Tucker ( His Band  Mate ) if he had stayed back in Nigeria? Do Nigerians even appreciate the kind of music the Lighthouse Family perform? So I believe it is all about destiny, Nairalanders.

When people complain about taxes abroad, I just laugh  Taxes are the mainstay of Western Nations and it is an an offence to be evading taxes. Tax Cash is used to develop the infrastructure in the UK. Your rubbish is collected weekly because of the tax you pay. The roads are smooth because of the tax you're paying. That beautiful park near your home remains well maintained because you and loads of other workers and business people in Britain are paying their taxes. Someone was talking about Mortgages being expensive. There are different categories of houses you can move into and you can get some mortgages in different parts of Britain for about £750 per month. At the end of the day, the house will be yours.  Racism exists and I am not denying it. However, blacks also get good jobs in the UK. If you're skillful in something and you're educated, you can rise to the greatest heights with the help of God. Another reason why Nigerians have problems in Britain is that they don't have the right papers or get their documents very late. So many years would have been wasted trying to get documents that would help them take greater steps towards being successful abroad. Some Nigerians and Africans are also contented with doing menial jobs for a long time and do not take advantage of the educational system of Britain and Europe to get some qualifications. Because I am a creative person, being abroad is good for me for now. I still want to study and test the skilled job market here. I've got a lot of options before me at the moment and I want to get the best out of the European System. Traveling abroad means different things for different people. The problem arises when Nigerians equate being abroad with being able to earn substantial amounts of money and live large. I don't think like that though I know I'll be wealthy somehow. Lastly, you can't compare Nigeria to the Western World. Even the poor people in Britain are taken care of and they have access to quality healthcare. We all come from Africa to Europe, North America and Britain, but our destinies are different. We should all just strive to make the best out of life wherever we find ourselves. Cheers.

Hmn. I wish Clarion Chukwura the best. She was great as an actress and she has a good diction. Well, she might have misbehaved in the past but being Christ entails a new beginning. I really hope she is sincere about her calling. True Christianity is a serious matter o . For all those criticizing her, I feel you should also look at yourselves in the mirror. No one is perfect. Cheers.

It is easier to live in Nigeria without a job than in the UK. Things are tough in Britain at the moment and foreigners are are not looked positively upon these days ( Especially if you're Black or Asian ). If you don't have a job in Nigeria, you will at least have family and siblings to fall back on. In Britain, if you're legal, you can claim Job Seekers Allowance if you're jobless and get some other benefits. However, the money you'll be given is not enough to make you live comfortably. Many British lads and ladies spend their Job Seekers Allowance ( Paid out every 2 weeks ) on food and beer/clubbing. If you're illegal in the UK, you're at the mercy of people for you to survive. You won't be able to get a good job ( unless you use false documentation ) and even if you use forged documents to work, you would be found out sooner or later and deported. After all said and done, I believe God has plans for everyone. It is the God Factor that matters in life. People say a lot of negative things about Nigerians in the UK but I know it is possible to become a Millionaire or whatever you wish to become anywhere in the World. It will take a lot of hardwork and prayers, but things will come out well for those who believe in God. Cheers.

Nigeria is a country that is badly managed. The country does not have the infrastructure that can lift most of its citizens out of chronic poverty. There are a lot of problems that continue to keep Nigeria down and the current set of leaders we have are not tackling these problems thoroughly. I still find it hard to believe that things have not really gotten better under the Goodluck Jonathan government. There are individual achievers in Nigeria but 80% of the populace cannot afford the basic things that will enable them achieve a solid standard of living. The country is not organized and corruption is still rampant in the land. The Postal Service is in a comatose state and water is still not being piped into people's homes. When will our leaders wake up to the fact that a Revolution is in the offing in the near future if they don't buckle up and do the right thing? I'm pissed off.

I am shocked beyond words that this kind of incident is still happening in Nigeria and nothing concrete is being done about it. I wonder how the violated girls will be feeling by now. They have been scarred for life. If care is not taken, they may not recover from the psychological trauma of the incident for a long time. The Nigeria Police has to take this case very seriously and work hard to fish out the culprits. I am also disappointed with the Principal of St Annes Secondary School. Is she a leader at all? She should have done something radical to put fear into the hearts of miscreants intending to enter the school compound and rape female students after the first Violation incident occurred. She could have led a good number of her students to Media Houses in Ibadan with a stern warning that the school authorities will fight back anytime the rapists struck. I feel very bad about this incident.

@Chika98

A lot of factors come in to play when it comes to getting jobs in the UK. It is not as if Africans cannot get jobs in Britain. In the UK, Agencies have nearly taken over the Employment Market. You've got to go through Agencies if you want to get a job quickly. There are hundreds of Employment and Recruitment Agencies all over the UK. Their task is to get you a job and take a percentage of your wages. The minimum wage in Britain is now £6.08 per hour. Many immigrants also do not have the right combination of documents that can allow them to work. Using fake papers these days in Britain is very risky as there is a high chance that you would be found out by the UK Border Agency that has grown more aggressive in the last one year. Many employers nowadays request for valid Photo Identification such as Passports, Driving Licences and National ID Cards. For Africans and Asians, the Passport is what is requested for immediately. If you're not British ( With a British Accent ), presenting a UK Birth Certificate as your ID might raise some suspicions. You might get employed but your employer will always see you as a cheat even though you might be the owner of the UK Birth Certificate.  So the issue of not having the right papers has stopped many Nigerians from getting employment that pays them decent wages.

Another Factor is that employers need references from your former employers. Even if you're applying for a menial job, they will demand for good References and a sometimes a CRB ( A Disclosure to ascertain if you are on the Police Computer for any immigration or civil crime ). There is a also a lot of competition for jobs so your CV has to stand out. Your CV should be able to convince any employer within a minute that you're capable of doing the job you've applied for. Many Africans in the UK cannot write properly or sell themselves to employers. However, there are jobs in Britain. People should just keep applying and polishing up their CVs. It is better to accept any work given to you by Agencies so that you can have References and some experience when you get a better job. It does not matter if the Agency is giving you 4 hour shifts or 6 hour shifts. Just get the job done and learn new things that will be useful to you later on.  Above all, the favor of God is important. Don't forget to commit your job search into the hands of God. Cheers.

@Southwark, I know it is tough getting jobs in the UK but I know there are jobs out there. You need to start from somewhere like someone said. We are in a period where jobs are available due to the Christmas Season. I don't know you from Adam and I don't know the type of UK Work experience that you've got. If you don't have Work References in the UK, it will be very difficult to get a job. From the way I see it, you might not be interested in doing some categories of jobs in the Industrial and Hospitality Sectors. I am talking like Bar Work, Catering Assistant, Waiter, Warehouse and Recycling Work, Cleaning etc. Let me give you some links. Some Companies are recruiting extra staff for the Christmas Season and many of these positions become permanent after Christmas:

ARGOS ( 12,000 Staff to be recruited )

www.argoscareers.com/christmas

SAINSBURYS ( 15000 Christmas Staff to be recruited )

www.sainsburys.jobs

ASDA ( 7000 Staff to be recruited )

www.asda.jobs

ROYAL MAIL

www.royalmail.com/jobs-home-page/xmas

DEBENHAMS ( 6500 Staff to be recruited )

www.search.debenhams-jobs.com


@Southwark, here are some websites where you can get recruited easily:

www.gumtree.com
www.247recruit.com
www.caterer.com
www.hotjobs.com
www.totaljobs.com
www.jobrapido.com

There are lots of jobs advertised in Local Newspapers and on the Jobcentre Website. You will be spoilt for choice as time goes on. I know the Eastern Europeans are like ants out there in the job market but with God on your side, the sky is the limit. Cheers.

I don't believe the UK is the worst place to live in Europe. If this assertion is true, how come many people from other EU and EAA Countries always troop into Britain looking for work? Some people just talk without examining the issues on ground. The UK is one of the most tolerant countries in Europe. Just go to France as a black person and see the blatant racism you will face as soon as you step into the streets of Paris, Marseilles or Lyon. It is difficult to get a job as a Black person on France than in Britain. Nationals from other EU Countries swagger into the UK and help themselves to Benefits and other allowances. However, it is hard for Britons to collect benefits in Spain, Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia, Latvia etc.  Calling the UK a shithole is very wrong. Britain has a very efficient Transport System and the Underground in London is amazing with new structures being added on a weekly basis. There are many beautiful places in the UK. One thing I like about the country is that old structures and monuments are well taken care of.  Everyday, Westminster in Central London is filled with Tourists who keep taking pictures of the Houses of Parliament, River Thames, Buckingham Palace etc.

You will face cruel racism if you go and live in places like Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Latvia etc. I have observed that Eastern Europeans are more racist than the native Brits in the UK. Another thing is that the East Europeans believe Africans and Asians should be below them in the pecking order when it comes to getting jobs. It does not matter if their English is terrible. It is more about skin colour. Most times, people think I am British because of my diction and the tone of my voice. I speak naturally like someone who grew up in the UK but the truth is that I am 100% Nigerian. Go to France without being able to speak French and see if you will not be ignored by the French People. In England, even if you don't speak English, It is easy to access many services. I have been to places like Bristol, Brighton, Watford, Inner Essex ( South Ockendon, Tilbury, Aveley, Purfleet, Basildon etc ), Kent ( Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone etc ) and I must confess these places are beautiful and well organized. You won't know much about a place until you've lived there. London is expensive because it is the Capital City. It is cheaper to live in places like Coventry, Bristol, Manchester etc. It is all about how we organize ourselves with our finances. Germany is another country that I like and the Germans are becoming more open to living alongside other cultures.  The British Pound is still very strong and Britain made a wise decision in not joining the Euro. I don't agree that Britain is the worst place to live in Europe. Cheers.

I will pay the said amount for a Nigerian Branded Shoe if it is made of quality materials. I don't really care about the name of the designer. As long as the product is good, I will buy it. It is high time we start supporting our designers and entrepreneurs. Cheers.

Yeah, my Secondary School is on the list- Ijebu-Ode Grammar School. It was founded in 1913 by the Christ Missionary Society ( CMS ). It was originally named CMS Grammar School, Ijebu-ode, Ogun State. Along the way, The Anglican Communion took over and it assumed its present name. Ijebu-ode Grammar School is part of the AIONIAN Schools alongside Abeokuta Grammar School, Ibadan Grammar School, Remo Secondary School and Egbado College. Fela Anikulapo's father ( Reverend Kuti ) was one of the early Principals of the School. I am not happy about the dilapidated state of the School in the last 20 years. Things have even gotten worse in the last 6 years. I was a member of Odumosu House during my days there. Cheers.

@Ajanlekoko,

Thank you so much. I believe the NYSC Program should be a Boot Camp for Corpers so that they will know what they want to do with their lives after the Service Year. I don't see any reason why Corpers should be sent to schools to teach when there are many NCE Holders out there who can impart knowledge into our kids and teenagers. There are many Graduates with Education Degrees and Diplomas who love teaching, and who unfortunately get sidelined by School Proprietors and Owners who see Youth Corpers as a source of cheap labour. What is the meaning of the word 'Corper' itself? It seems our leaders do not really know what the NYSC stands for. A Corper should return from the 12 Months Service with a burning ambition to start a business or invent something that will make life easier for Nigerians. Corpers should be used to develop Nigeria properly when it comes to Data Collection and Processing. We don't even have Register Offices in the country where Births and Deaths can be registered as they happen. What about the a proper Recycling Industry? These are industries that could be nurtured by Corpers with the support of the Federal Government. We need to revive the Cocoa, Rubber, Timber and Oil Palm Plantations with a view to returning Nigeria to her Agricultural Might. Corpers can be used to revive these comatose Cash Crop Industries which are spread all over Nigeria. I have so much to say but I need to go to work. I live in the Western World and you've got to turn up at work if you want to get paid. I am also an entrepreneur. Cheers.

To me, the NYSC Scheme has no importance or significance to the Nigerian Labour Market. I am of the opinion that NYSC discharge certificates should not be requested for when graduates are seeking employment in Nigeria. I have seen many people that went for their youth service and returned worse than they were before the Service Year. The NYSC Scheme does not really add to the skills of Corpers nor does it make them more intelligent. I served in Ondo State and I came across a good number of Corpers who did not really know what they want to do with their lives after the Service Year. Many Youth Corpers serve in Ministries where they do not really do anything than to collect their token pay at the end of each month. Any Corper that learnt something during the Service Year must have done it through his or her own personal efforts. I learnt Desktop Publishing during my service year in Akure. I had to pay about 6,000 Naira for the Course. I came across Corpers who could not write their own CVs and who could not express themselves in good English.

I want a situation where the NYSC Scheme is transformed into a Program where Corpers are actually taught skills that will make them self employed after they complete the service year. Instead of posting Corpers to Schools ( There are many people out there already who have completed their service year and are looking for teaching jobs ) and Non Performing Ministries, I feel Corpers should be made to occupy Farm Settlements and taught how to farm on a small scale i.e Poultry Farming, Aquaculture, Vegetable Farming, Animal Husbandry etc. The Government should also assist them with small loans to kick off their ideas. Other Corpers can be assigened to Skill Acquisition centres where they can be taught how to make soaps, candles, chalk etc. We need more entrepreneurs in Nigeria and the NYSC Program can be used as a base for Entrepreneurial take offs in Nigeria. Corpers can learn how to make fruitr juice on a small scale during the service year. I know I might sound unrealistic but I believe Nigerians should be allowed to compete for jobs without the NYSC Discharge Certificate standing as a barrier before them. Cheers.

It is better to for someone to own his or her own house than to be driving a car. A house is asset that has a long lasting value while a Car only serves short time purposes. As soon as you drive a car out of the Auto Dealer's Place after purchasing, it immediately begins to lose its value. On the other hand, a House will continue to appreciate in value ( especially in Nigeria where we don't have a proper Mortgage Industry ). Though a car is good as a form of transportation, it is more of a liability in the long run. You will continue to spend more and more money to maintain it. It will not yield you any profit and its condition will continue to deteriorate over the years. Having a House is a good investment because you can rent some parts of it out and the area in which you built the House might become a Highbrow area which will lead to your property's value appreciating in the long run. Personally, I feel many Nigerians love seeing the outward display of wealth than the value of assets like Houses and land. Cheers.

Toshiba Laptops are durable and great. I use one some years ago and it had solid features and a sharp sound system. I sold it later on to a friend of mine. I don't use a laptop now for some reasons but I have a great Samsung Desktop PC. I will buy a laptop very soon because I need to commence work on a literary project. Cheers.

I have always said the Home office is a death trap for British Politicians. There seems to be a curse placed on the Home Office that humiliates its Secretaries and destroys their careers. Remember David Blunkett? Remember Jacqui Smith? I read recently of an embarrassing incident at the Home Office. Theresa May might go the same way as her predecessors. Scrapping Permanent Residence Permits for legal immigrants will not solve Britain's economic problems. The Conservative Party is toying with a wild fire that will consume it in the end. David Cameron and his cohorts are thinking up and implementing all kinds of ideas that will lead to the return of the Labour Party to Power during the next elections in Britain. Things seem to be falling apart in the UK as Scotland is planning to have a referendum towards becoming independent. I wonder whether people are talking through their buttocks when they say the UK is too populated Germany has a bigger population more than the UK with a large Turkish and Polish Migrant community.  To be honest, there are too many old people and pensioners in Britain.  Just try and go to Essex ( Beyond Barking and Dagenham ) and you'll be shocked by the number of old people you'll come across in places like Grays, Stifford, Purfleet, Tilbury, South Ockendon etc.

I have been considering moving to Canada for some time now. Canada has different routes that allows immigrants to become Permanent Residents. Besides, Canada is bigger than Britain more than 15 times if not more. To me, the Brits are just myopic. There are more EU Migrants in Britain than Non EU Migrants. Immigrants from Poland, Spain, Romania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Hungary etc come into the UK without visas and they're free to cross the borders easily. Immigrants from Africa and Asia find it very tough to even get Visas to the UK.  So they try to settle in Britain through Work Permits EEA Family Permits and Residence Cards. Education has become more expensive in Britain. I am looking at a brochure of a school I applied for ( Masters Degree ) and the fees are just so high. In Canada, the fees are half of what obtains in the UK. Britons themselves are emigrating to Australia and Canada. Axing the Permamnent Residence Permit will cause a lot of problems for the Home Office including classic court cases and judicial reviews. To me, it seems Asians and Africans are the ones being targeted by the fresh immigration policies coming out of that building in Croydon. I owe UK a lot for some things it has done for me, but Canada seems to be a better option for me and I won't hesitate moving across the Atlantic. I have been researching Canada deeply for some time now.  I'm getting irritated with the attitude of Britons towards immigrants nowadays . Have you also noticed that the UKBA has arrested a lot of illegal immigrants in the last 8 months? People are being deported on a daily basis with more arrests made every hour. I thank God for his favour on me. Cheers.

I am not celebrating Nigeria's Independence Day this year. Things have not improved to the standards I expected in Nigeria. The only thing I am happy about right now is the purchase of those trains from Canada by the Lagos State Government. I am glad that Rail Transport is about to take off in Lagos ( My State of Birth ). Governor Fashola is the only Governor I am going to celebrate today. Though he still has a lot to achieve, he has shown that he is progressive in thought and in his actions. To me, there is not much to be celebrated about Nigeria. Cheers.