₦airaland Forum

This is a classic case of misplaced priorities. Efforts that could have gone into creating effective political institutions are being diverted to warfare while the economic life of their people remain impoverished. North korea should borrow a leaf from their neighbor south korea where greater attention is being paid to productivity and economic health. They should challenge and overthrow absolutist rule that neither brings nor promises more inclusive governance rather stifles innovation. They should learn to recognize and uphold property rights and begin to adopt some capitalist methods while making sure that power is more evenly distributed from a narrow and politically powerful group of elite to a broader section of the society. Today south korea has a place in the automotive industry boasting of powerful brands such as hyundai, kia daewoo. In the electronics industry they feature giants like samsumg and LG that compete fiercely with american powers .Unemployment rate is quite enviable and private property rights are incorporated into the fabrics of nationhood. The power sector is robust and technological inroads are being paved. The economic disparity between these two nations today is burgeoning and most surprising is the fact that the foundation for this difference was laid only in 1950 when the two nations were divided into spheres of influence at the 38th parallel where USA took over administration of south korea while the USSR took control of their northern neighbor. Before the 38th parallel both countries were one and the same, they shared one culture, shared one political and social history. Communist seed were sown by their masters the USSR and just like all communist nations where politics is nothing but extractive they headed for economic doom. Investment in millitary hardware is not the way out as the foundations of their politics remain shaky. Unless addressed, the end is predictable and most unlikely to come from the outside rather will result from infighting by discontented elements within the state which will seek to challenge, overthrow and have their fair share of the north korean pie. May this not be her case as she bears all the hallmarks of a polity primed to crumble to rubbles.

The regular laterite red brick

I'm not a pro but from the much I know about about red brick blocks they don't have the best thermal properties suitable for shelter in the tropics when baked to dryness since they have a very low heat capacity making them poor insulators of heat. Again brick blocks don't make for dynamism as our preferences and taste do change over time hence introducing new fittings in line with current trends and taste can prove to be somewhat difficult. Another controversial side of building with bricks is aesthetics. while some will argue that bricks bring superior aesthetics functions to buildings. I have a different opinion stemming from how homogeneous and plain structures built exclusively with bricks tend to appear. They leave us with a limited choice of wall finishing. On the pro side bricks have been shown to have superior strength when compared with cement blocks although this is a function of the moisture content of the brick. The lower the moisture content, the greater the strength and the lower its heat capacity, increasing its ability to retain heat which is undesirable in the tropics. Research efforts should then be directed towards the thermal and aesthetic implications of building structures with bricks. I strongly believe that building materials are distributed throughout the world by nature on the basis of geography of each part of the world. That deposits of the red earth material from which bricks are made occur in this part of the world is not some chance event and this necessitates that we take the responsibility of tailoring our shelter in line with our climate.

It's so unfortunate that we do not pay attention to the vital aspects of our economic life. I dont mean to disparage efforts aimed at providing entertainment for ourselves but we must never lose sight of the social cost of funding and encouraging certain programmes we think provide entertainment but in reality don't pave the way for growth through sustainable productivity. The black man is still in a phase comparable to those of the medieval societies of Europe and therefore efforts must be directed towards meaningful growth and not distractive schemes like BBN. Imagine the huge attention Efe is enjoying for emerging as winner of a reality tv show that doesn't promote genuine education nor does it promote innovation in any sector of national life crucial for our sustenance. Its high time we woke up.

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As unfortunate as it sounds, over three quarter of human souls dwelling on earth today have no business being here instead should be maturing under unspeakable torment in lower and darker regions. Things can only get worse before a new and more refined generation of humans can inhabit the earth once more. May we all strive to live in accordance with the sublime will of the almighty.

I would give it to troy. Brotherly love was exemplified by Hector even in the face indiscretion on the part of Paris. The death of Hector in the hands of Achilles left me so misty-eyed. That movie taught me the length a man can go in order to maintain exclusive rights to a womb.

Not until change begins at the level of the individual can any meaningful impact be made on national life. I shudder at the pettiness with which political issues are dealt with. National problems are a big burden that should be borne by each and every member of the citizenry irrespective of political orientation. At this point apportioning blames and engaging in clueless verbal fisticuffs should be seen as not only dissipative of our collective national energies but also indicate a shameful lack of direction in our national undertakings. In the final analysis what counts is how each person stands before the ultimate intelligence that we are all answerable to. May we live with greater consciousness and and strive to become more responsible human beings wherever we operate on and from. That way our purpose as humans existing in a human community would be actualised and a sense of the national project would be strengthened in us all.

Nice one. Though a bit Draconian.

kudoxs:
Graduates don't go to university or polytechnic to learn how to speak good english. This is pure african mentality, many indians guru out there went to the best Universities and can't even speak good English but they work in reputable organizations all over the world. You want to know why? It's because spoken language doesn't matter but how well you can contribute to an organization or the world at large.

who says spoken English doesn't matter? A good command of spoken and written English is extremely important knowing quite well that English is the official language of Nigeria. by this I don't mean that we should aim to speak at native speaker fluency but essentially to make our points and pass our messages across using appropriate expressions. thank u.

CaroLyner:
its a thoughtful gift.afterall a way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

Are u not aiming a few inches higher?