₦airaland Forum

I make use of Nairaland at least once a day for my information needs. Often times, I'm left disappointed with the bulk of the news that seems to get people's attention - from divisive politics to religious zealotry, Sex and needless entertainment gossip, am often left unsatisfied with the basic news that usually grabs the headlines. Over time - my preference has shifted from General news to more specialized forums with business, agriculture, science and technology and finally religion topping my interest. It's an improvement over some of the front page garbage, but not entirely satisfactory. So I decided to appeal to the Nairaland administrators to include the following forums or sub forums to their list.
1. A forum where we can share our business stories - it's successes, failures, setbacks and comebacks cause everyone loves a good story.
2. A forum where we discuss the latest innovations in our Country specifically and the World generally. For instance Nigerian tech movers like Jason Njoku, Iyin Aboyeji, Mark Essien, Tayo Oviosu et all need to be discussed too along with their innovations
Am sure certain people are also of similar ideas and opinions, please feel free to share them

xolocious:
And that made it #500 per kg (#25,000 per 50kg) while foreign products goes for #16,000?

Story for the gods. Tell that to a kindergarten kid.
We're the architects of our problems (Imaging a commodity locally produced without importation duties/charges, tax, custom levies, importers Mark up price and some many other factors yet it goes for that amount).

Make you get small conscience abeg.

Bros.. If you've produced rice before you'd understand why local rice is more expensive. Cost of production alone is maddening. Add processing and packaging and you have this. Truth is, there's no way we can compete with foreign prices in a free market. If you can afford it, buy it. I prefer local rice anyways

Demmzy15:
You need serious lecturing!!!

-100 million people were killed by CHRISTIAN CHINESE REBELS!!!

-8 million people were killed when Christians fought among each other in Europe. It was Protestant vs Catholic war, there is still tension in Ireland till today!

-Millions were killed in South America when the Spanish and Portuguese spread Christianity!

This crimes by Christians supercedes all Muslim terrorists combined!

Bros please what year did Chinese Christian rebels kill 100million people? I didn't want to comment on this thread but I hate lies in order to fit your narrative. As for the CAR issue, please do thorough research about the history of the conflict till date as well as the casualties on both sides. I know your thread was meant to show us all that Christians also commit acts of violence, and maybe it's true. But anything stated here must be based on facts, not lies driven by hatred or passion.

Nigeria would stop importing petrol by 2019 not because of any sound government policies but because of our 'Lord saviour' Dangote having his refinery come on stream by then.

This topic is usually one avoided by eminent members in our society and even scholars owing to our religiously conservative cultures and traditions. Children are often seen as a blessing for both Christians and Muslim which increases fertility amongst the groups. Also, with high illiteracy levels in some parts of the Country, Uncontrolled births are sure to be the order of the day.
However, I feel we must be truthful to ourselves before it becomes too late. Nigeria is not necessarily a big country in terms of land mass, (13th biggest in Africa, 31st largest in the World) But we are one of the most populous (largest in Africa, 7th in world). What this means is that with increasing population, density becomes higher along with competition (as is presently happening today)
Land becomes more scarce, Per capita income decreases, Unemployment increases - and with a teeming youth population like ours could mean disaster. Our health care system becomes overstretched, local demand increases, causing an overexploitation of natural resources, Forests depleted Are just some of the vices associated with Uncontrolled population growth.
Before you give me the China and USA example of populations similar to ours, you might want to look at the facts critically. China, the world's most populous Country with about 1.3billion people is TEN times the size of Nigeria In terms of land mass. Even at that, the communist government had to place severe restrictions on population growth in order to forestall a population crisis. Today China is better for it as the Human developmental index remains the fastest growing in the world. The USA is also TEN times the size of Nigeria, but with a population of just 320million people. It is predicted that Nigeria would overtake the U.S in population by 2050.
We must learn from the Bangladesh and India population crisis examples before we repeat them.
Then again, maybe it's just me being paranoid. Your thoughts please.. .

T

Truth be told, this statement would never fly in the South. It'll only be seen for what it truly is - RUBBISH. However, in the core north where Poverty and illiteracy is mixed with religious conservatism and Islamism, I won't be surprised if we see an increase in attacks on so called fornicators.

kITATITA:
Subsidizing the Naira is a populist measure which serves political interests. How many Nigerians need the dollar in their everyday transaction. The Naira is being subsidized for the benefit of the already rich.

Hmm. I don't quite agree with you bro. A Country's currencies strength is an indication of its Macro economic Stability. A $1 to N1 ratio would definitely affect the masses as it means cheaper imports (which is fantastic for an import dependent nation like ours) and lower prices (deflation). However, I see your point - the vast majority of the populace that has switched to local alternatives would hardly feel any devaluation of our currency

saxy4c:
Any updates on your visit?

I purchased three sample packs of the 'calcium supplements' at N350 per pack, N4300 for a carton of 20. My snails seem to like it, so am currently studying their growth.
He was a bit reluctant to share information and show me his snail farm. He gave reasons for this as the need to pay for knowledge - he organises seminars, private lessons e.t.c. I also asked about purchasing Newly hatched achatina achatina breed's from him but he said they were unavailable for the time being. In all honesty am still skeptical after my visit but he seems legit enough. He also gave me a few tips on snail farming for free.
I guess the ultimate test of his genuineness for me would depend on the calcium supplements and how well my snails respond to them.
I'll keep you updated with pictures in the next four weeks of a before and after view of my snails.

If you are a Nigerian, am sure your ears would be awash with news of the Naira's appreciation. For the last three weeks, the CBN has pumped more than $1.5 billion into the market to boost liquidity, hence ending speculation and a supply glut. Depending on your viewpoint, this may be either news worth celebrating or one to be highly skeptical about because of the volatility in the Crude Oil market. However, am writing this article to bring your attention to a third perspective - The Ripple Effect.
A convergence between the official and parallel Market rates May not be such a good thing for our backward integration policies and in our quest to look inwards for local alternatives. With the Naira appreciating to, say, N320 to $1 (with the official rate being N307 to $1), what we may witness is an increased demand for imported goods due to cheaper dollars and costlier domestic alternatives.
Amongst the hardest hit would be the 41 items banned by the CBN from accessing FOREX from the official window for importation. We may see an upsurge in the importation of rice and palm oil, thus putting an end to the unprecedented growth experienced by domestic industries who have benefited from this ban. Without a dramatic change in our appetites for foreign goods, we may revert to square one once given the option of cheaper imports. As highly critical as I've been of this administrations policies, the made in Nigeria campaign is certainly a step in the right direction that would pay off in the medium to long term.
I predict that the Naira would stabilize around N350 to $1, because am sure the monetary policy makers must also be seeing this disaster waiting to happen. What do you think?

Am irreligious, but like I said, I've been heavily influenced by the Christian faith.

Am on my way to Imastek farms, Sapele road, Edo state. Going to see if it's genuine or not

This is crazy. You mean the Shiekh watches TV Joshua's channel for the sole purpose of discrediting him?? Crazy... If everyone paid attention to their own business, we'd have no issues in this country

Perhaps more often than not, I find my folks in the irreligious community constantly throwing pot shots at the people of faith. Since it's obviously not to proselytize (cause I don't think you can convince too many people) about the existence of a supreme being or beings, I feel most people do so as some kind of intellectual Penis measuring contest. It may start with an actual conversation but soon deteriorates into tossing of derogatory remarks. Personally I think it's unnecessary.
I'll admit that I've been heavily influenced by the Christian faith and still retain some of my core values and philosophies from the teachings of Jesus. Notwithstanding, I think it's often best to let sleeping dogs lie with theists. I come from a very religious family and I've learnt that trying to assert intellectual superiority or chiding people for their simplistic views on life and faith won't get you very far.
My own remedy for theists is to take the best of what their religion offers and discard the rest without being too arrogant about it. I mean, it's not all bad right? Religion has also done some good (anyone remember the nuns of the 60s that taught our parents?).
So while I admit am a lazy unbeliever, life is too short particularly when you have no expectations of a hereafter. YOLO

Definitely a LIKER

mfm04622:
The reactivation if rail line from Lagos to Kano was awarded by OBJ!

My brother anybody can award contracts. Just look at the mambila Power project awarded since the 80's. It takes strong political will to get the job done. So thank you GEJ and thank you Buhari

That may be true, but having watched this unravel like a bad Nollywood movie, am inclined to believe that there are some elements of truth in the allegations.

It's quite hypocritical of him though. Anyone remember the Agatu massacres, where more than 500 people were killed by the Fulani's, The Governor was apparently more concerned with pleasing the president than tackling the issue. Today it's his people and he's wailing. Anyone who sincerely believes in the sanctity of human lives would condemn these herdsmen for what they are - violent, arms bearing terrorists who have refused to embrace modernity. Today it's Christian Benue, Tomorrow it could be a Muslim state.

This is why a state police/ community policing structure fully run By indigens is necessary.

For a better Nigeria...

I agree. So are Atheists, Shinto, Buddhists, Hinduists e.t.c. Anyone that terrorizes humanity is simply a terrorist. Apparently your example failed to mention the atheist attack on a Canadian mosque earlier in the year or Thomas Bervick, an odinist who killed 93 people in Norway. While it may be more frequent among some religions, don't think we who subscribe to rationality don't have Psychos amongst us.

Prior to the 2015 general elections, I, as with many Nigerians had become disillusioned with the Jonathan administration. Top of my list for clamouring for change was his apparent incompetence and insensitivity in tackling the Boko Haram crisis. I also had major issues with the way the Niger delta situation was been handled. 'why should d mere criminals be given so much for being mere criminals', I wondered.
Although I didn't vote during the elections, I celebrated with wild jubilation when the APC came into power. Finally we would get things done, I imagined. It's been two years down the line and I must say I am utterly disappointed with the performances of some of these men in power. Not only has Nigeria become a more tribalistic and bigoted environment to live in ever since, I've been forced to ask myself what has really changed. Anyways, this is a list of my top 5 letdowns so far:
1. President Buhari - First of all I must commend him and the Armed Forces for their sustained efforts against Boko Haram and his war, albeit one sided against corruption. That said, President Buhari has to be my biggest disappointment from the elections. Since he came into power, he has displayed the same (or even worse) insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians. From the Agatu massacres, Killings by Fulani herdsmen, alleged extra judicial killings by security agencies and even the economic situation in the country, the president has remained apathetic to the situation. My most concerning issue though is that the president, who is supposed to be a uniting factor in the land, has done nothing but set us all down tribal, ethnic and religious paths either from his actions (such as appointments), or inactions. Free speech and sound economic decisions also seems to have gone with the Jonathan administration.
2. The 8th Assembly - From day One, the 8th assembly has been rife with internal disputes, incessant breaks, external disputes with the executive, tribal politics and slow legislation. Also, in terms of insensitivity, flamboyancy and corruption, the 8th assembly has been at the forefront.
3. DSS - During the obasanjo administration, the DSS was greatly feared as Obasanjos hound dog against dissenters. In what appeared to be a dignifying relief to Nigerians, the Dss was hardly seen meddling in political issues during the GEJ administration. However, that has all changed now. All in the name of protecting internal security, the Dss has conducted unconstitutional raids judges, politicians, citizens and even the controversial Apostle Suleiman yet has failed to address the proliferation of arms among herdsmen, attacks and sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria. Anyone who criticizes this administration is now a potential target of the DSS
4. Governor El-rufai - I have long been an admirer of Nasir Else rufai since I read his book 'the accidental public servant'. When he assumed office, he slashed the number of commisioners to 13, appointed technocrats from outside his state to heard various offices and was the first to do so - all the makings of a revolutionary. Since then however, the man I always felt was most likely to succeed Mr Buhari has abandoned progressiveness and delved into tribal politics. First accused of marginalization by the people of southern Kaduna, he proceeded with a dubious (in my view) religious regulation bill which set Christians against him in the state. He was also the first to Ban the processions of the Islamic movement of Nigeria (Shia's), all showing a subtle intolerance for other religions. Nothing however compares to his insensitive handling of the Southern Kaduna killings by Fulani herdsmen. From setting up 24 hour curfews on the victims, to arresting those that dare
Call for people to defend themselves, he leaves a lot to be desired.
Honourary mentions are Samuel Ortom, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa (delta State governor), and Ayodele Fayose.
Two years may be too soon to judge though, so I hope they prove me wrong.

It's funny. The same people who ignorantly criticised the GEJ administration are now defending this present one over the exact same issues. Power generation, while not rocket science is a complex and expensive process. It can be generated from nuclear, gas, hydro, coal, solar, wind and biofuels. Nigeria has comparative advantage in gas to power because it has the 9th largest gas reserves in the world. However, a major setback for our gas pipelines has been the endless state of sabotage/vandalism since time immemorial. I remember when Prof Chinedu Nebo constantly cried out that Vandalism is the major problem facing the sector which is almost impossible to tackle due to the vast areas pipelines cover and the random nature of attacks. It was however used as a cheap political gimmick to score points by the ruling party today.
Consequently, a look at our other energy sources show that the hydro dams in kainji, jebba and shiroro are the most stable sources of electricity for the country but they generate just about 1000mw of electricity combined. The mambila hydro power project, a massive project expected to generate more than 3000Mw of electricity from Taraba state has been proposed for more than 30 years but is still in its infancy due to Military dictatorships, corruption and lack of political will. That single project has the potential of solving 10% of Nigeria's total power demand for contact electricity. Till today, the project has been marred in bureaucracy and despite being 'revived'by this current administration, work is yet to commence.
Other renewable sources like solar and wind, while expensive to install (1MW of solar is about $1.2 million) , provide realistic and fast alternatives to solving our pathetic power issues. Particularly in the North, where they have competitive advantage. This is yet to be seen however as most investments are still few and far between. It must be stated though that the Bank of industry has been supportive in providing off grid solar power to remote areas in the country.
Issues with coal to power arise from lack of investments due to a global commitment to cleaner energy sources. However, being a relatively underdeveloped nation, we must find a means in exploiting this God given natural resources to solve our power problems either by encouraging local investors or providing massive incentives for foreigners with sufficient investment capital.

Finally, I personally feel it is unfair to criticize the GEJ administration over power because I have monitored the power sector closely and to little extent, understand it's dynamics. The GEJ administration expanded Nigeria's total power capacity to 11, 700MW (with 6900MW available for generation) Compared to the less than 5000 MW total he met (despite the reported $16billion sunk during Obasanjos terms)
It must however be stated that the GEJ much publicised 'privatization solution' was inefficiently done as they were sold to local investors, with little expertise and not a lot of capital for investments.
In conclusion, to get power right in Nigeria would mean a stable supply of gas (no more vandalism) , the completion of the Mambila power project and encouraging private investors to set up their own independent power plants (IPPs)

Nigeria is perhaps the most ethnically diverse nation in the World. With a population of 190million (NBS) , we are also the most populous nation in Africa as well as the seventh largest in the world. A quick look at our religious identities show that we are almost evenly split now between Islam (51%) And Christianity (48%). Statistics vary depending on where you look. From time immemorial, Religion has played a massive role in defining culture, tolerance, laws and economic direction. It has also played a divisive role in selecting leaders, dispensation of justice, Biased preferences for appointments and integration in society. Tensions have escalated over the years arising from religious identities.
Am sure students of history would not forget the Jos crises, Southern Kaduna riots, Agatu massacre, Boko harm, Bama pogrom, Sharia riots and the post election violence during the 2011 elections. We should also not fail to realize that our support for leadership usually aligns with our religious identities. Now to the issue at hand.
Nigeria has an average fertility of 5.7. However there are sharp discrepancies between the North and South. For instance, the North west and North east has a fertility rate of 6.7 and 6.8 while the south west and south east has a fertility rate of 3.7 and 3.6. What this means is that as a nation we are poised to cross the 250 million mark by 2050 and if current trends Persist, we would be at least 58% Muslim by then going by birth rates alone.
Once a certain group becomes the clear cut majority, especially with a teeming population of unemployed, uneducated youths, we may see an upsurge in conflicts like never witnessed before. Let's hope that day never comes and we iron out our differences before then.

In all fairness to the CBN, we are in an impossible situation. Lowering interest rates significantly may not compel Commercial banks to lower theirs or lend to the real sector of the economy. It would instead inject so much useless money into the system that would cause galloping inflation. The best policies right now is the lesser of two evils which is what they are currently doing. Even if we cut interest rates and lend to the real sector, the lack of critical infrastructure such as power and rail networks along with corruption would only ensure they cost of production remains eternally high, leading to higher cost of goods and hence, lower demand.

I read some comments and am simply astounded by the level of intellectual simplicity from a lot of our youths. We must take time to read, analyze and ponder before making utterances and not simply commenting based on blind loyalty or mere emotions. While our foreign earnings may have leaped in Q4, the fact remains that this can be attributed solely to increase in the prices of crude oil and relative stability in the Niger delta thereby increasing production. What we must not fail to realize though is that compared to our trade balances of the last 3 years, we are steering away from the so called diversification agenda of our economy. What this means is that another crash in the price of crude oil or bombing of pipelines would send sockwaves round the economy and could potentially bring it to its knees, again! The import substitution Agenda doesn't appear to be working either, or at least is very slow. Smh... Let's keep watching anyways...

I grew up in an inter-religious family where faith is very important. Though (was) a christian, having muslim relatives made me realise that were not all that different. Infact, I secretely admired muslims for their intense devotion to their faith. So much that I once read part of a cousins Koran and learned the salat. That mentality I carried into the university where some of my closest friends were (and still are) devout muslims. You would agree with me that the muslim faith has come under intense criticism since 9/11. Moreso in Nigeria where we just can't seem to hear the end of it - boko haram, fulani herdsmen, child marriage, abductions, misogyny, illiteracy and intolerance are some vices we've come to associate with islam. I've made it an unwritten law not to discuss criticisms of islam with my relatives so as not to hurt their sensibilities bv never have i felt such distrust towards muslims as i do now. Most times when we point out some of these injustices performed in the name of islam you get denial, victimization, and sometimes even arrogant justification from our muslim brothers. This is a call to those who firmly believe islam is a peaceful religion. You must be vocal in your condemnation of intolerance. Only with a united voice can we defeat those sowing the seeds of hatred and discord.

Anyone who thinks Islam is on a decline is obviously deluded. It is true anti-islam, anti-immigration populists movements are on the rise in Europe and around the World but the fact remains, Islam is growing, not declining. The religious demographics of the western World shows islam on a rapid rise due to immigration, high birth rate and yes, conversions. Take for example sharia law already exists on family matters in Britain and France on a family level. Am afraid it is too little, too late.

It is better economics to import raw materials and add value to the imports. CBN should ease the embargo they placed on accessing forex for some materials. Some people love to make unsubstantiated claims that we can be self sufficient in production of raw tomatoes, this is blatant falsehood. We may be among the largest tomato producers in the World but because of our population, we can barely meet local demand. Tomatoes is still being imported till today to keep up with local demand. Non-oil exports have been on a steady decline since 2015. So what sort of economy are we building?

TeamSimple:
Keep quayet Toad,somewhere in the Central Africa Republic the Anti-balakas are killing muslims all for their love of Christianity. The muslims are presently living as a refugee in their own country.

The news was all over CNN and BBC including channels last week,But you Idiotas won't see that. Hypocrites

The christian group only took up arms in response to violence by muslim selaka rebels, just to be clear. Let us stop this childish namecallings because of our beliefs. Faith is personal

Its been like this for a while now. Aside from persecution by Islamists, a lot more people are abandoning christianity. What's more, Islam is experiencing rapid growth due to high birth rate,apostasty laws and yes, conversions! We face a tidal demographic change in the World over the next Century. Persecution Isn't new to the christian Faith though, even the Bible tells us so.