During the last three or so days, BBC moderated a forum which asks people from all over the world to say what they think about Nigeria. While I am not opposed to public discussions of opinion or perception I cannot but wonder what is the whole purpose behind the forum.

With one in every four Africans coming from Nigeria, what do you think of Africa's most populous country and its people?
The BBC World Service is marking Nigeria day this Wednesday, dedicating a series of programmes to trying to understand what makes Nigeria tick.

Nigeria is in many ways a bundle of contradictions. The country's 128 million people belong to over 250 different ethnic groups. It is Africa's largest oil producer.

Its history is littered with political coups and upheaval. It is named as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.


And yet Nigerians are also said to be some of the most religious and happiest people in the world. And Nigeria has played a key role in the continent's peacekeeping, notably in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

What do you think of Nigeria and Nigerians? Has Nigeria lived up to its potential? If not, why not? How can we get the best out of Nigeria?

We all know that Nigeria already has a bad image abroad and that the current government has made considerable efforts to try to revamp that image. These efforts have, to varying degrees, been backed up by reforms at home.

I feel that to ask people to discuss so publicly what they feel about Nigeria could only generate more negative than positive responses, and readers who do not know anything about the positive things going on in Nigeria will just indiscriminately accept those negative perceptions. This will, in turn, detract from, rather than support the ongoing reforms in the country, perpetuating the portrayal of Nigeria in a very negative light. What then is the point, or shall we say agenda behind such a forum?"

Is it justifiable for a foreign media firm to host such a forum as on Nigeria or any country for that matter?

Is this another example of tactless journalism that doesnt contribute much to progress?

Or, is it perfectly rational to go ahead and ask the world "what do you think of Nigeria?"

Here is the url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/5072244.stm

Why not? We keep complaining that foreign media don't get Nigeria. This is your chance to let them know what you think. So take it.

Mariory, don't you think that those who dont really care much for Nigeria will also use the opportunity for more of their Naija bashing?

Maybe Nigeria deserves to bashed. The country is quick to boast about "Giant of Africa status", but it can't supply constant electricity. The smallest cartoon bashing Muhammed sets the country on a ethnic cleansing rampages. Nigeria is pathetic, it has always been, and it will always be. Hence, the reason why we should cut our losses.

Eeeehn, Afeni, everyone is already aware of Nigeria's woes. What I am wondering is what good will the bashing do? Certainly nothing positive if u ask me.

The bashing would increase agitation for secession. That alone is worth any amount of bad press.

Forget secession. It wont happen.

alarinjo, it will happen. Trust me, it will happen.

When do u think it will happen? Estimate, how many years from now?

If I had to put a time on it, I will say within the next 12 years. I say this because of several reasons.

1) Democracy will not lead to radical improvement in the economy. Because corruption is just as high as it was under the military regimes. The only difference now is that more people are in a position to steal, than in a military regime. This would stunt any economic miracle that might have taken place in the country.

2) Increased freedom of speech has led to more open hate speech between ethnic groups (particularly the Igbos and Hausas). This will continue to get more and more blatant as the economy fails to show huge signs of improvement.

3) Niger-Delta will be denied the Presidency in 2007. This in turn would boost the support for the secessionist militants in the region.

4) Lack of sovereign national conference creates a lot of hate aimed at the Hausas that everyone has, and will continue to blame for anything that goes wrong in the country.

5) Increased arms in the country. In the past, only the army had access to machine guns and small missiles. Now, poorly skilled Niger-Deltan millitants have access to these weapons. And, I am sure that the Ijaw militias are not the only ethnic militias that are heavily armed. With the amounts of arms in the country and, and the very likely prospect of increased weapon penetration, lets just say that once the sparks have been set, all we have to do is let the fire to do the rest.

6) Lastly, the most important factore. Declining fuel prices in the future and the depletion of current reserves. Think about it, if the price of oil, Nigeria's prime export, has risen by 700 percent in the last 8 or so years, and the Nigerian economy still has nothing to show for it. Just imagine what will happen when the prices go back down in the next 5 years or less.

Over the decades, Nigeria has proven to be a very resilient nation. The things which that country has been through would have broken up any other country years and years ago. Having come this far, it is not likely that we are going to breakup. You underestimate the desire of many Nigerians to stay together, as well as the fact that we are in such bad shape right now that things couldnt possible get worse, only better. You watch and see.

alarinjo, is the average Nigerian standing on the street in support of keeping Nigerian one? No, they are not.

The only reason Nigeria did not break up, was because army personnel were stationed in regions other than that of their origin. As has been seen in the civil war, once you allow Nigerian soldiers to unite in their region of origin, they will fight for secession.

And if you are wondering why Yorubas didn't fight for secession, well, the soldiers of South-Western origins were not relocated back to their bases. And Awolowo was too deluded to make use of what little he had to work with.

Now that guns are flooding into Nigeria through the southern Ports, the people no longer have to wait for soldiers to be returned to region of origins. They can stand up and take what belonged to their ancestors. No need to keep this British abomination alive.

alarinjo, is the average Nigerian standing on the street in support of keeping Nigerian one? No, they are not.

When last were u in Nigeria, and for how long? How can u know?

Thankfully, unlike I had expected, most of the posts on the BBC forum show more support for a Nigeria that rises up to its potentials than a failed polity. Indications of what the "average" Nigerian wants?

alarinjo, believe what you want. I hope you know that the posts on BBC are screened so only those that show the potential of the British creation are allowed to be viewed by the public.

If you go to France, the majority are French. If you go to England, the majority are English. If you go to Nigeria, there is no majority. Instead we have 3 minorities that barely make up 60 percent of the nations population. To make matters worse, Neither Christianity or Islam make up a majority of the countries population. So, we have a country with the two most popular religion that also happens to be an almost 50/50 split. This is just a recipe for disaster.

In short, what majority consensus can be drawn to use as a foundation for the creation of Nigeria? Nothing, thats the answer. This is the reason why there is so much corruption in the country. Due to the way the country was created, the vast majority of its population have no love for the country. People are merely living in the geographic boundaries of Nigeria. And maybe on a few occasions, they praise the Nigerian Eagles because that is the only thing that stands the chance of representing people from their ethnic group.

alarinjo, believe what you want. I hope you know that the posts on BBC are screened so only those that show the potential of the British creation are allowed to be viewed by the public.

Interesting that you say that. Of course the BBC screens their entires although stating that they do it to show the potential of the British creation may be going a little too far down the path of conspiracy, I think. In any case, you dont sound much different. Obviously you filter the information you draw on in your arguments (everyone does) to fit your personal vision for Nigeria. Not a very positive vision, I must add

Plus what does all of this have to do with what right of BBC has to host such a forum anyway? If Nigeria even wants to divide, have we hired them to help us facilitate that division? What is their point?

An article came out in today's gaurdian, discussing the same topic on this tread. It's quite intersting and should stimulate further discussion on this thread: http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial_opinion/article02

here's a quote from the article which I think Afeni and some other nairaland members might find interesting:

Some people said they know Nigeria for its oil and the arts. Fine, but the general impression is that this is a country of demons where nothing works, a country of contradictions and unfulfilled potentials. Nothing was ever more frustrating than the comments of Nigerians about their own country. So much pessimism and anger particularly from Nigerians in diaspora: One fellow called Sola, who confessed that he had changed his nationality, was very bitter. "Nigeria is like a bad marriage", he declaimed. "It will collapse", he added. He is obviously very happy with his new country. But I felt like asking him: does that change who he is? Does the mere change of colour in one's international passport change a man's true identity, background and heritage?

It is perhaps pointless to debate the various perceptions of Nigeria; there is a sense in which the BBC and CNN have offered useful service by letting Nigerians know what others think about them, and what Nigerians think about themselves. There are lessons to be learnt from the continuous negative representation of Nigeria in the international media. Patriotism overflowing with emotions may be an appropriate response from those of us who live in Nigeria and are actually putting up with so much and still managing to be happy in the midst of it all, what Jenny the BBC presenter called our "resilience", but a more useful response would be to deconstruct the content of local and international responses and seek to use that to re-examine Nigeria as a brand and a country. In the past few years, the Federal Government has been working on an image project through which it seeks to improve the country's international standing and turn it into an attractive destination for tourism, goodwill and investment. The import of the programmes on BBC and CNN is in part that this has not really worked. Nigeria as a brand is a failed brand. It is rejected by Nigerians themselves and treated with great suspicion by outsiders. If we have any strengths, we have not managed to market them as advantages.

The root of the problem is in part the crisis of citizenship. Nigeria works fantastically well as they say, at the individual level. Don't mind the Malawians, South Africans. Camerounians and Kenyans, this country has the greatest and the richest human resource in Africa. Nigerians have a natural gift for distinction. As private individuals, they want to excel; they want the best for themselves. They are expressive, eternally optimistic and fiercely independent. But unfortunately, we have not been able to pull all that energy together to create a country that works. We are in a real sense not yet a nation. We are all trapped in the private sphere, in individual and ethnic compartments. For us, Nigeria is an abstraction; it is a distant idea imposed through colonialism; and so we are faced with that original dilemma: can a nation be built without citizens, without that sense of commitment to the motherland?

The same Sola who dismissed Nigeria as a bad marriage would never have said the same thing about his Yoruba ethnic group. He may have changed his nationality, he may have given up on Nigeria, but he is not likely to ever give up on his identity as a Yoruba man. Similarly, the fellow who declared on CNN that he is corrupt because every other Nigerian is corrupt would never say the same thing, specifically about his ethnic origin. The task ahead remains how to turn Nigeria into a nation with citizens. The pessimism of the average Nigerian derives from frustrations with the leadership and governance process in the country, rather than the Nigerian character. International media often makes the mistake of assuming that it is the Nigerian character that is the problem. Professor Kole Omotoso contributing to the discussion from South Africa had tried to make this distinction when he noted that he may have given up on Nigeria as a brand, but that he will never give up on Nigerians as a people.

i think the points outlined by afeni are hurtful but true. now that may not be an excuse to be very negative about the country but tell me, is it easy to be positive about nigeria? tell me something about nigeria that we can see and be united and positive as a nation? even our beloved super eagles that used to do that is no longer performing. when u look at nigeria from outside u only feel embarrassed and angry. it is so bad that if u tell some nigerians that they have a nigerian accent here in the UK they get annoyed.

what,in that country is the good news that we can hold on to and be a little bit positive? what? health? education? infrastructure? economy? democracy? free and fair elections? water supply? power supply? jobs? transportation (aka good roads or safe local flights)? security? nigerians even feel like foreigners when they are in other parts of the country that is not their own origin. administration? we can't even count ourselves. where is the positive news.

so u see, let it not be as if some people are unnecessarily negative about the country. u may say what did i do to change the country. b4 u can do anything u need to be given the opportunity. who in that country will give any young person the opportunity to change things? a country where oldies like OBJ still want to continue ruling. the same names we read in history books in secondary school are still the ones ruling this country. HABA.

toshmann, you make a very good point. However, it seems that many others, (seun, maory and co) are hell bent on making Nigeria appear positive. In regardless of wheather what they say match the reality on the ground.

The sooner they learn that only pointing out the positive (or in this case, making up positive things that don't correlate with what is on the ground) promotes complacency in the minds of Nigerian. Afterall, what is the incentive to try something new when you are being told that you have the best country in the world? Or that Nigeria is the pride of Africa?

even if Nigeria became a second Singapore foreign media would continue to bash Nigeria constantly


Foreigners don´t want to see africa rise, it gives them heavy stomach ache


They enjoy trhowing shit on any African country for the next 2000 years to come

and what do we do with the "rubbish" they throw on us? we pick it up and throw on ourselves aint it? the west definitely played a role in africa's woes but my greatest annoyance comes from what we are doing to ourselves. why all our leaders have foreign accounts, foreign houses, foreign this and that. how many of our leaders children are in nigerian schools, how many of our leaders go to our own hospitals , even for a headache?

these leaders are our worst enemies.

and what do we do with the "rubbish" they throw on us? we pick it up and throw on ourselves aint it? the west definitely played a role in africa's woes but my greatest annoyance comes from what we are doing to ourselves.

One of the things we are good at doing to ourselves is the propagation of extreme negativity without offering any positive practical solutions. It is not that criticism is not useful, even needed, but then after that what next? Positive solutions require more than talk, they require action. Everything must change including the way we think about ourselves individually as well as collectively as a nation. However, a progressive collective ideology will not descend on on us like manna from heaven, it must begin with individuals who will in turn infect those around them with the same until a raging revolution begins. No matter how much we analyze and criticize, nothing will happen in Nigeria if all we do is talk and not act!

u may say what did i do to change the country. before u can do anything u need to be given the opportunity.

I disagree. Opportunities are seldom given, they are often seized! Sometimes I wonder if all Nigerians did not have the option of going abroad to escape the difficulties at home, would it force us to think/work our way out of the mess we are in?

why all our leaders have foreign accounts, foreign houses, foreign this and that. how many of our leaders children are in nigerian schools, how many of our leaders go to our own hospitals , even for a headache?

these leaders are our worst enemies.

I wholeheartedly agree. Who will out these leaders though? Certainly not some foreign power. Let us wake up and smell the champaigne. If we as Nigerians do not stand up for ourselves, nobody will!

The military will not give us a good leader

Politicians will not give us a good leader

Foreigners will not give us a good leader

Only we can give ourselves a good leader. Without collective mobilization by Nigerians, I am sorry to say, we will remain in the sad state that we are in for centuries to come.  When the world is tired of the stench of our disgrace, someone will simply come and colonize us again. This time, independence may never come!

alarinjo:

Over the decades, Nigeria has proven to be a very resilient nation. The things which that country has been through would have broken up any other country years and years ago. Having come this far, it is not likely that we are going to breakup. You underestimate the desire of many Nigerians to stay together, as well as the fact that we are in such bad shape right now that things couldnt possible get worse, only better. You watch and see.

Many would argue that Nigeria is "a very resilient nation that has survived civil wars and political turmoil that would have destroyed other nations. However it is obvious the reason Nigeria still exists today is because of it's diverse population, chronic citizen amnesia and the siddon look attitude of the average Nigerian. Only very few Nigerians have any hope in their nation and the few who do are in the corridors of power. Nigerians are too lazy to carry out the kind of public uprising that forced the King of Nepal to revert the nation from a monarchy to a democracy. Nigerians are so fickle minded it won't be a total impossibility for Abacha, where he to rise again, to contest and win the 2007 presidential elections.
Nigerians do not desire to stay together, infact millions would rather book their next flight out of Nigeria than stay back to defend a nation that does not offer them anything beyond mere political platitudes. Nigerians do not like their country, they are not interested in defending it nor do they wish to be a part of it any longer. They are only hanging on because they have no choice, those that have a choice have since fled the country. Gone are the days when education used to be the greatest legacy to leave for a child, now the greatest legacy you can give your child as a Nigerian is to grant him a foreign passport with which to "checkout" when things get rougher.

Many of our "leaders" today hold dual passports, many are foreign citizens who have their wives and children cocooned in foreign luxury provided by the impoverished Nigerian taxpayer. Once a "respected" commissioner in Ogun State and daugter to the president missed her inauguration because she had to settle the school fees of her children in the US. It is sad that we are ruled by people who have no faith in their nation.
Alhaji Galadima nearly brought soccer beyond her knees by stubbornly sticking to an alleged mandate to ruin Nigerian football for another 4 yrs. This is the same man who admitted ignorance of the CAF head-to-head rule, here is he same man who told us the world cup was not our birthright insisting on occupying the same position he performed so woefully.

Many Nigerians are of the oppinion that conditions are so bad they can only get better. I tend to disagree, Nigerians are still hanging on because of the high oil prices. Woe betide us if they should crash, we would have to find a better word to qualify "worse than worse".

davidylan, I think the oil prices will be on a steep decline within the next 5 years. That would coincide with the second term of the new President of Nigeria which, as we all know, will come from the North. I can't wait to see the looks on the faces of Nigerias as the economy is bombing under Northern rule.

Woot!! I have something to look forward. I would say, if things stabilize in Iraq, oil prices should be down to 20-30 dollars a barrel. That would be down by 40 dollars from todays levels. Hmmm. . . . I smell inflation in the upper 50s.

Nigerians have any hope in their nation and the few who do are in the corridors of power. Nigerians are too lazy to carry out the kind of public uprising that forced the King of Nepal to revert the nation from a monarchy to a democracy.

Thats a very narrow minded generalization if you ask me. It is also an insult to the efforts of many who have fought and continue to fight for good governance in Nigeria--some even loosing their lives in the process. These are not people in the corridors of power as you claim but activists in touch with the grassroots such as Ken Saro Wiwa etc etc. While many were "checking out" during the military regime, others like Soyinka, Enahoro and co. were going to the ends of the earth to ensure the reinstitution of democracy in Nigeria. These men continue to fight at the forefront of the battle. There are two ways to see a glass of water, half full or half empty. It is therefore no surprise that there are Nigerians on both sides of the divide. Like I said earlier, the only reason why many resign in defeat and see no good coming out of Naija is because they have the option of running away abroad. If those who built the American and European countries to which we run didnt persevere to build their countries, I wonder where we would be running to. If we didnt have anywhere to run to, I wonder what we would do!

alarinjo:

Thats a very narrow minded generalization if you ask me. It is also an insult to the efforts of many who have fought and continue to fight for good governance in Nigeria--some even loosing their lives in the process. These are not people in the corridors of power as you claim but activists in touch with the grassroots such as Ken Saro Wiwa etc etc. While many were "checking out" during the military regime, others like Soyinka, Enahoro and co. were going to the ends of the earth to ensure the reinstitution of democracy in Nigeria. These men continue to fight at the forefront of the battle. There are two ways to see a glass of water, half full or half empty. It is therefore no surprise that there are Nigerians on both sides of the divide. Like I said earlier, the only reason why many resign in defeat and see no good coming out of Naija is because they have the option of running away abroad. If those who built the American and European countries to which we run didnt persevere to build their countries, I wonder where we would be running to. If we didnt have anywhere to run to, I wonder what we would do!

What "patriotic" innuendoes! Sadly, empty patriotism did not get America to where it is today. The likes of Soyinka and Enahoro you cite may be "fighting" for good governance but their entire family is cocooned in the same America you live in. the same freedom fighters have several foreign passports to run away at short notice leaving poor hapless nigerians to face the wrong end of official brutality! If we are not amnesic as a people, should we ever be debating IBB as president in 2007? The same man that ruined our best chance at democracy?
As long as you keep seeing the cup as half full, you would never be interested in actually filling it! Americans don't sit down and view the cup as half full, they go to extra lengths to ensure the cup is ALWAYS full!
We are too lazy to lift a finger, all of us siddon look and "hope" e go beter!

The likes of Soyinka and Enahoro you cite may be "fighting" for good governance but their entire family is cocooned in the same America you live in. the same freedom fighters have several foreign passports to run away at short notice leaving poor hapless nigerians to face the wrong end of official brutality! If we are not amnesic as a people, should we ever be debating IBB as president in 2007? The same man that ruined our best chance at democracy?
As long as you keep seeing the cup as half full, you would never be interested in actually filling it! Americans don't sit down and view the cup as half full, they go to extra lengths to ensure the cup is ALWAYS full!
We are too lazy to lift a finger, all of us siddon look and "hope" e go beter!

1. During Abacha's regime, Soyinka left Nigeria under very extenuating circumstances: disguised as a hunter and foot trailing to the Benin border. Hardly luxurious. He continues to work IN Nigeria to foster good governance. He has suffered jail term, torture and exile for the Nigerian cause. I repeat, simply because you have carved out your own comfy little corner and chosen to be insulated from the happenings in Naija doesnt mean you should trivialize the work of those who have chosen a different path. It is insulting.

2. Americans go the extra length to see that the cup is ALWAYS full! And what do some Nigerians do? Sit back and say the cup can never be full! Why, because they CAN do so from the comfort of their foreign abodes. Do not be deluded not all Nigerians are suffering from amnesia or laziness as you claim. Let every man speak for himself o!

Seun,


Why was Afeni's name changed to DaHitler on all his posts?


Just wondering.

^^^^

Becomrichn is right after all

Seun changes his posts and that of so many others!

Why not? Nigerians seem to be so afraid of criticism. Let people say what they want. you're only afraid of this forum because ypu know the truth. If Nigeria was in a better state you'd love a forum all about Nigeria

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. We should learn to listen to criticism and heed good advise, there is absolutely nothing wrong in people telling us the truth, especially and we are not used to telling ourselves the truth

The recent toppled Tunisian government was more accountable that any nigerian government will ever dream of,yet the people saw the need for a change and it happened.

Jonathan has not made any reasonable reform in nigeria,the only reform is power shift from moslem to christian,north to south but still in the hands of criminals.He is a silent and deceitful representation of gross corruption and irresponsibilities that nigeria is all about.