₦airaland Forum

I don't believe these figures.
At least a billion would have been expended by the state government on the pretentious bandits.
No bandit group will accept 30 million to disarm when they could make
more from kidnapping, arms trading, and highway robbery.

I guess it is time to grant amnesty to "repentant" bandits.
Buch of fools!

Noise makers.
You won't tell us when you finally accept the bribe.
The question remains as to where the deputy governor got 400 million Naira to be
given as bribe?
This is a man that is supposedly earning 10 million Naira per month.
Who knows how much he gave the party leadership.

CanadaOrBust:
I think I have solved it - those with both parents usually end up in the middle while those without fathers usually end up either at the bottom, in jail, or extremely successful

It is not that clear cut as some of those with both parents will end up at the top or the bottom too.
I suspect we will have more of them at the top than the other cohort.

In reality, parental wealth and education is more predictive of
children's future success than the absence of a father.

It turns out that a two-parent household is richer on average than the single-parent one.

Useless criminal.
See how he is blaming "bad government" for his decisions.
He is trying to rally the "poor" to his side with the same rhetorics used by politicians.

sexylassie2:
Most of the comments are biased, using poor blacks in the ghetto to judge all blacks.

First and foremost, it is a myth that 70% of black women are single.

in 2016 just under half or 48% of black women had never been married which is up from 44% in 2008 and 42.7% in 2005

15% percent of Black men were married to non-Black women which is up from 11% in 2010. About three-fifths of those non-Black women were WhiteWhite

25% of Black male newlyweds in 2013 married non-Black women compared to 12% of Black women who “married out.

Black women were the least likely to marry non-Black men at only 7% in 2017, and only 4/% were married to White men.

Have you got a source for your stats?
I instinctively suspected the 70% figure because I don't even know who is included
or excluded. Teens, Childless, those with kids or elderly?

Now back to the topic, Blacks during slavery had the family unit intact, even in the 50s, it was a shame for a black woman to have kids out of wedlock but then came the welfare society of the Democratic party and white liberals who brought out policies to destroy the black family.

No. Some blacks had families during slavery but most do not.
Those policies weren't designed to destroy black families.
They were supposed to fight poverty. Just like the clamor for UBI and "tax the rich"
rhetoric that is very common today.

Now single motherhood is a thing of pride, I see similar stuff going on in the carribean community in the UK and it is gradually coming into our society before you know it the crime rate will increase.

Single motherhood is likely the future in most "free" countries unless there are changes
to some laws.
The sexual revolution of the 50s and 60s already started the process.
Coupled with the financial ruin that can result from divorce, marriage isn't that
attractive anymore.

I can categorically say that a strong father is needed in every home, it help to instill discipline in the children.

You appear to be viewing modern times with the lens of the past.
There is no evidence that fathers discipline is better than mothers, at least not in a society where child abuse
laws are very strong and most people frown on the harsh treatment of children. The days of tough father's are almost over.
This suggests that the positive effects of a father's presence isn't about discipline.
In fact, fathers love and not discipline is associated with better behavior among the children irrespective of gender.

To end my case, a welfare society and a feminist oriented society will destroy our way of life and cause increase in crime and also rift between men and women.

You are conflating disparate issues.
There is nothing inherently wrong with a welfare society unless the results are bad.
America is hardly a welfare society or even "feminist oriented" when compared with other western nations with
more generous welfare. These countries should be swimming with criminals if your hypothesis is true.
Yet, they have some of the lowest poverty and crime rates in the world.

What you are neglecting is culture and the current personal wealth of different societies.
The wealth of a family(single parent or not) is a better predictor of children's success than other factors.

If feminism is inherently bad, the most feminist society should be worse off with extreme poverty and crimes.
White American women are more feminist than black women, yet they suffer
lesser social ills such as teenage pregnancy and even have a higher proportion
of children living with fathers and mothers.

A conclusion from this is that an inherited culture is a very strong predictor of societal trajectory.

A poor society should not institute welfare, especially the ones that incentivizes laziness and bad behaviors.
I agree with you that some government programs to fight poverty have actually had the opposite effects
on the black community but those programs are not inherently bad for all people at all times.

CanadaOrBust:
U totally make sense. But I have a question: if it were all due to lack of father, how come so many AA icons never had a father around - from Jesse Jackson to Sharpton to Obama and countless others?? Even Oprah had no father, neither did most of these billionaire and millionaire rappers and sports figures

Outliers always exist in a normal distribution.
Just take any group subjected to some extreme condition, you would find those who rose above it.

Those icons didn't have a father around because it is common not to have a father around.
When looking at icons, we fail to consider what is best for the most part of a society as opposed
to some few who can rise above the fold.

overdrive:
See as this woman put her husband for trouble.

They both tortured the child.

TOPCRUISE:
If his device of using Google to scam victims goes undetected, they will blame google. Now that it gets detected some people are shouting piracy infringement and advocate that Google should be sued.
If I am the owner of Google. I will ensure I arrest all those commenting against Google on this thread and ensure proper investigation by the FBI.
Awon ole jatijati

Those guys knows nothing.
Google does not give details of user's account unless forced by the court.
In fact, we don't know how the FBI got into his account.

Jumlek2411:
I am becoming very wary of Google getting into ones privacy.

There is no such thing as privacy even though this case has nothing to do with Google.
We have no evidence that the FBI got information from Google.
If they did, they would have to get a warrant from a court.
I remember a case where Apple refused to hack a terrorist phone for FBI only for them
to hire a security hacking group to crack the suspect's thief.

If anyone commits a serious crime, they are not really safe.

longetivity:
How can I get to Mauritius by land??

Are you skilled?

Those are Niger children beggars.
They often confuse their first-time clients.

TalkTalkTwins:
Lol

Only if I know someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who has the Coronavirus.
I'm not talking of the online celebrity Covid-19 issues, o, something real...

Couldn't you say the same thing about HIV for most people?

9gerian:
The government has the right to formulate policies in the interest of its citizens during a pandemic that shut down its economy. Dstv like other organizations shall adhere to such policies like others that continue to make sacrifices. Moreover, the government needs all communication channels to be open and accessible to its citizens at times like this. The alternative would be for Dstv to quit, but we all know that they will not quit.

It is no surprise that unscrupulous politicians win election with rubber of Garri.
Who could resist such a gift that is in the interest of the citizens?

No policy has been made to regulate the prices of goods and services of private company
anywhere in Nigeria. At least I didn't get any memo from the government telling me what I must charge for my services.
Even the price of essential food and drugs are not constrained by the government.

And if you haven't bought anything since the lockdown, then it is understandable that you think the government has been fixing prices.
It hasn't. Business people have been fixing their own prices based on production costs.

Over time, I will move away from Dstv and hope that more Nigerians explore other options. For all it’s worth, Cable and online tv recorded more patronage due to the covid 19 lockdown and the resulting boredom. This is the same trend that Dstv is currently exploiting.

This is what is expected from anyone who thinks a service price is too high and not encouraging
government to extort private companies.

On the other hand, increased patronage due to a fluke event should have no effect on pricing(upward or downward)
as long as production cost remains the same. In this case, production cost(Naira exchange rates) has gone up.
Since profit is more important than revenue, such changes are expected.

xjiggy:
Maybe u were too young to recall when MTN was claiming recharge cards could only be manufactured in S. Africa and they couldn't bill per second billing because it will cost them millions of Dollars to upgrade their systems. Then u had to pay #50 for a minute even if the call failed after 3sec. #20 for sms, minimum recharge card of #750 with one week validity and sim card for #34k. They even refuse interconnectivity with Econet in order to push their claim that they are "Every Where You Go".
Look at those prices compared to now and Factor in inflation and tell me that's not exploitation and that I'm lying. It was Glo that came all of a sudden and delivered per secon billing and #1 sim card (#10k sim card with #9,999 credit inclusive).

Your stories are irrelevant if not that it even buttress my point that it is none of
the government business to tell private businesses how much they should make.
You are too young to realize that MTN was not the first mobile telecom in Nigeria.
You also don't know the meaning of monopoly. You even bought sim too late as MTN cost #50,000
when I got one.

MTN could manufacture their cards in Jupiter or even refuse to make afternoon calls
and that doesn't make them a monopoly. And people weren't crying then that they
can't afford it.

At the end of the day, what brought down the cost of calls was the competition and not
blackmail and price-fixing by the government.
Even today, NCC is the one preventing further reduction in data cost.
That's to show you the power of the free market.

Anyone who can't afford DSTV shouldn't use it.
DSTV also has competitors, use them or not use at all.

suraaj:
That story is wrong, this is what I believe happened, the man caught or suspected his wife cheating,he confronted her which led to the wife stabbed the husband upon realizing what she has done,she then stab herself in the tight to cover up,

No.
The accuser is usually the stabber.
If the man is the accuser, then it happened exactly as stated.
But since the woman is the accuser, it means she stabbed her husband in revenge.

9gerian:
I believe my assertions where apt, and didn’t require any tantrum but facts, if any.

Any businessman that knows his onions should by now be aware that the Nigerian environment favors foreign companies who easily set up in Nigeria (thanks to their parent countries support) and engage in massive capital flights, no thanks to myopic and colluding public and private/banking officials.

More sentiments.
Is it illegal to repatriate profit?
If yes, sue the companies. No one cares about how you feel.
Make strong laws that bars company from engaging in "capital flight" if you don't
want them to. Don't come out after the fact to complain.

We won't even be talking about "capital flights" if the government was stable and run by
people with working brains. No one withdraws capital from a stable economy. The investors
are not stupid, they know what happens when the government changes hands and how sentiments
drive policy reversals.
When they sense a problem, they run which is normal reaction expected of a prudent person.
In other words, you and those who believe in using government power to extort foreign companies and even some local ones
are directly destroying our economy while feeling good about it as long as you get your short-term gain.

Btw, a good number of Nigerians (and their leaders) are some of the most unpatriotic nationals on the face of the earth (ask any well traveled expatriate). They consistently sabotage the country, and by extension, its people.

I agree. It is utter selfishness that will make some citizens want to destroy a company because
they want to be entertained. The proper way to punish a company is to use other providers, not arm-twisting.

Provide specific examples of how allowing foreign companies business freedom actually
sabotage the economy.

I definitely don't want my business to be singled out with price-fixing rules by foreign countries.

But no you are so educated that you don’t know all these

What revelation did you provide above?
I expect a high schooler to already understand those weak arguments and their variants above.
A smarter one would even know that most of them are non-sequitur.

but think people who have done, and managed businesses both locally and internationally, and know what obtains elsewhere lack education (according to your assertions here). Or are you a Dstv staff (please refer to assertion about lack of patriotism above).

Anyone who have actually managed an international business should already know that governmental
price control actually sabotages the economy in the long run. Unless of course, they don't believe in free
market for others while you enjoyed it yourselves.

Can you list some progressive countries(not some backward third world) where government force price reduction on cable subscription or blackmail companies into reducing the prices of their luxury services?

Price-fixing is generally bad but it is even more worrisome when the government is trying to satisfy some minority so they
can enjoy a luxury good.

A patriotic person wants what is best for their country and not their own pocket.
Just because a policy will benefit me doesn't mean I have to support it.
Are you really entitled to a cheap or free cable TV subscription?

Just awhile ago, Nigerians, and their businesses were being targeted by mobs FREELY in South Africa.

Can I assume your grudge against SA is why you want DSTV dealt with?
If it was owned by an American for example, would you have been okay with their prices?

Not much was done to stem the tide by the SA government. Instead, their government even went further to setup more laws to further protect their people’s jobs and interests (this was in order as long as the xenophobic attacks were stopped).

You are deviating from the topic.
This isn't about SA attacks but the myopic government blackmail on a service provider.

Conversely, a similar mob action against SA franchise stores in Nigeria met with stiff policing and prompt arrests that quickly turned the tide. A measure far better than the SA response by a wide margin.

Again, this is irrelevant.
Your beloved mob activists actually looted Nigerian businesses sending many innocent people into debt.
They attacked Nigerians going about their business and destroy valuable properties
while "fighting" against the supposed attack.
The Nigerian government took action because they know the mob were not actually after
SA business, they are unpredictable thugs capable of widespread violence.
Moreover, it is a bad image to be seen as a jungle where businesses are destroyed on whims.
Moreover, I have never met

But now that the government is trying to look at ways to protect the Nigerian public from monopolistic tendencies

Multichoice is not a monopoly any more than Tesla electric car is.
You are free to try other options or even free to air satellite channels

if price hike amidst the economic downturn (same way discos were asked to stand down on their price review), you feel empowered to throw shades because an SA company is affected?

That is the basic principle of demand and supply
Prices can be adjusted to cover costs and profit if economic conditions changes.
Many electronic products have increased in price(Naira) ranging from 30 to 80% since the
Coronavirus outbreak. Yet, I am yet to see anyone protest the "cheating".

Also, businesses don't arbitrarily set prices, there are calculations behind them.

I don't care about a company's nationality.
Never compare discos with other private companies as they are not operating in a free market.
Discos receive billions of Naira subsidy every year from the FG just so you and others can line your pocket
and feel good about politicians.
We are literarily eating our children's future in the form of cheap electricity.
But anyone who suggests it is automatically seen as an enemy.
A true patriot wants what is best for the nation and not just for their pocket.

I will repeat it here again, the spineless government should allow discos to set whatever price that will allow them to profit and
invest more in the industry. One thing is clear, they cannot charge higher than it cost to power diesel engines.
At the end of the day, the electric industry will progress and we will all be better for it.
No nation ever progress without tough decisions and sacrifices.

Put forward your arguments, if you have any?

You didn't really have a solid argument for price-fixing other than it makes you feel good.
If you do, you would be a strong contender for a Nobel price in economics and will become an
instant socialist hero.

No one is in danger by not using DSTV, so "protecting" the public isn't really a point.
It is a common saying that the role to hell is paved with "good intentions".
If someone can't afford DSTV, they should use the alternative.
Price-control(with or without subsidy) usually leads to stagnation or destroys a whole industry, this has
been an established fact for centuries.

Baawahala:
You are definitely the one without business sense here.

Spoken like a total ignoramus.

If not because of corruption,

Stop being mentally lazy.
Corruption has nothing to do with the pricing of a luxurious item.
How many times have you protested against the price of an iPhone

multi choice would have gotten zero patronage had there been other alternatives.

If you are looking for why your country is poor, that is it above.
A total lack of responsibility. Always blaming the government, our leaders, foreigners, neighbors, or even village people.
No one wants to take responsibility for their lives outcome.

The economy isn't run on sentiment but sensible logic.
If multichoice offers a channel that I like, nobody can tell me not to subscribe out of sentiments.
You have only one option, expel multichoice but I suspect the dumb politicians don't really
have the gut to do it.

Crying, wailing, and throwing tantrums are useless. No one goes into business to lose money.

Aduraworks:
Ending DStv Monopoly is good but do we have competent investors who can compete with them & offer such service? Let us remember HI TV dat failed

9gerian:
Wonder why it took this long.

Foreign companies should never be allowed any form of monopoly in Nigeria.

South Africa would equally not allow such!

Baawahala:
I hope this is not a decoy just to get multi choice to give them enough handouts, because I don't believe these guys that have share in multi choice will advertently remove that monopoly unless they are spell bound. I suspect so, since govt is looking for revenue left,right and center to fill up their babariga.

You guys need proper business education, DSTV is not a monopoly.
You or your government are free to set up a new cable TV as a competitor
but I guess you won't.

You want someone else to risk their capital to invest and at the same time
force them to lower prices for you. You can't eat your cake and have it.

Friendly advice, if you don't like the price, stop using DSTV, it is not food or air.

Ogbuu101:
HiTV was frustrated out of business by DSTV using Nigerians and Nigerian banks.

HiTV couldn't compete and failed.
That is the principle of the market system.
Thrive or die!

abobote:
With which alternative? DSTV remains the best in Nigeria and west Africa as whole. They should think of ending Dangote monopoly first

Don't mind the pseudo-communist.
They want the right to watch DSTV for free.

lagosrd:
Your analysis is baseless , selfish and also completely out of order without human feelings.

Human feelings?

Are you going to organize a protest for right to watch cable TV in a country where more than 80 million
struggle to feed.

Who is more selfish and callous than a man who wants to increase societal poverty as long as
he can watch DSTV for cheap?

SMH

kikero:
Yes o...I am seeing the lie that MTN was having a monopoly, as if Econet(later Celtel, then Zain, and Airtel now), Mtel and (after 2005) Glo did not exist.
Nitel also was still around for sometime. Then there were CDMA operators like Starcoms, Reltel, and Intercellular (sadly now all defunct).

COMPAQ:
Again shocking how uneducated people can be.
Thanks for educating them that MTN never had a monopoly.

People are just getting emotional as if cable TV is food.

Dakad:
This is not the first time we are hearing this and honestly we don't care. I'm sure nothing will be done by the time the DSTV drop some millions. To put an end to this monopoly, I believe we the subscribers have a lot to do. We could stop subscribing for a month to protest our displeasure to this endless increase in tariff. DSTV is so useless that even during the lockdown when service provider like MTN are giving 10 free SMS per day, DSTV can't even leave the basic Nigerian station like Channel and TVC when subscription expires. I believe we the subscribers are the only one who can break their monopoly and bend them to stop taken us for a ride. If we wait for the government that song will change when they are bribed, then we are in for long thing

Dream on!
You buy the phone you like, the car model you like, choose your own bank but you want others
to sacrifice their choice for you because you want to watch cable TV.
We aren't communist.

soullove1881:
Regardless, monopoly is a NO!
CTV is in the south South with a subscription of #3000 flat for complete channels. Premiership, Spanish league etc. That equals to #20,000 plus sub on DStv yet DStv is busy employing thugs to destroy their facilities at midnight.

Let government deregulate Cable network in the country.

DSTV is not a monopoly.
I like your last advice though, complete deregulation.
But I hope you are willing to pay a higher subs without crying exploitation once again.

xjiggy:
one third of their entire subscribers resides in Nigeria. It's not like they're not making Money. This was the same way MTN was exploiting Nigerians till their monopoly was broken

No need to lie.
MTN never had a monopoly.
They are not even the first in Nigeria.

yinkus6750:
Very welcome development
What they can't do in SA, they take us for granted and continue making so much money that they take back home.
Never knew Startines was owned by NTA, let's promote our own.
HITV came and we all switched, guess he could manage his success, and went off.
Not only them, mobile networks also, data is becoming so expensive

Sorry, we are not in a communist state.
You can't tell people what to buy.

If you are poor, you shouldn't be buying cable TV and begging the government to help you out.
Rather than throwing tantrums like kids every other 3 months, let those idiotic
government officials ban multichoice so you can enjoy your second-rate cables.

Useless government with no vision.
Even if they can afford the licensing fee, they can't run any business.
And if the government decide to prop up a company of its crony, it will fail spectacularly.

A government that can't provide adequate security and electricity has no
business concerning itself with an entertainment company that most Nigerians don't even use.

The crooked politicians understand the average Nigerians psyche, they use emotionally-charged word such as "cheat" even though using DSTV multichoice is 100% voluntary. This is the kind of inconsistent policy that scares away real investors.

The government knows that their pseudo-socialist position will adhere themselves
to the minds of the populace who don't know any better.

Their real aim is to attract bribe or deflect from their obvious failures.

Vyzz:
You think politic is an ancestors play....

No.
Politics is for those who can make the necessary sacrifice to progress.
It is not meant for entitled folk who think they deserve it.

Reason why ur country is like this... U can't man up and give the youth the power

What a joke.
Youths?
Tell me one thing that makes the average youth better than the ancestors with regard to
capacity to govern?
"It is the turn of the youth" or "give youth a chance" is actually a dumb argument.
What do you have to offer?

Good.
Competition is always good for consumers.
I see cement prices crashing soon as Dangote and BUA battle themselves.