We are all damned stupid. Stupendously stupid. Stupid to the point of stupor. Stinking stupid swine. That’s what we all are. Not what we had always, been though. Not until 1979 anyway when this columnist cried out in the Nigerian Tribune that Nigeria harboured the largest collection of stupid men and women in the world.

And that stupid sting had stayed with us ever since. I mean ever since some stupid men imposed some stupid men on all the stupid people of this country in 1979. If you want to remember, it was that year that the leader of the stupid men announced to the larger community of stupid men that the best man would not be fit enough to lead the nation of Africa ’s most enlightened people. And the best man was rigged out of contest and was made to bow at the feet of the cabal of stupid men.

That idiocy which captured the body and soul of the nation has refused to go, and I am told it will never go voluntarily.

You wonder how a nation can continue to stomach the horrible things that assail it every day. How a people have become so helpless that they allow themselves to be bedraggled by less than 3,000 heartless men. Those who hold this country by the jugular are less than 3000 nationwide. All former political [mis]rulers and their collaborators. And the present crop of day light robbers who have infected Abuja with a plague.

Every day, newspapers and television screens and radio airwaves are awash with news of billions of Naira ‘missing’, ‘misappropriated’, ‘embezzled’, ‘stolen’, and so on and so forth. At the end of the day, all of us idiots merely leave our mouths ajar, mumble some curses at beer parlour joints and resign ourselves to suffering unending.

Roads were meant to be built, contracts were awarded, adequate fees paid, and all we get in return are the death traps on Ibadan-Lagos expressway, Lagos-Benin human body-parts supermarket, gorges on motor ways across the land. In some cases whole vehicles are swallowed up by deep gaps in the middle of the road.

And how do the idiots who populate the country react? They rain curses and move on. And their tormentors are grinning from ear to ear in their ill-gotten military contraption called Hummer.

You see councillors who were mere truck pushers yesterday now donating brand new jeeps to their wives or girl friends as birthday gifts and no questions are asked. Why? In a nation of idiots, everything goes. Idiots all over the world are known to be timid people. Nigerian brand of idiots are worse than timid. They are zombies made worse by collective spell heaped on them by the day-light robbers who have imposed themselves on them.

But this nation had not always been like this. This had been a country of brave men and women who fought the colonial masters to a standstill. This was the country of Queen Amina. This was the land of Jaja of Opobo. This was the territory of Bashorun Ogunmola Olodogbo-keri-keri. The land of Lisabi Ogbongbo-akala. The land of Queen Orisamuro Eriwo . This was the country of Herbert Macaulay. The land of Raji Abdllah . The land of Aminu Kano . This was the country of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka. The land of Isaac Adaka Boro . The land of fiery Josiah Olawoyin. This land produced the great Nnamdi Azikiwe. The legendary Sir Ahmadu Bello came, saw and conquered. The Kiniwun Onibudo, the Olumoko, Agbola’ya bi aara Obafemi Awolowo was a nationalist of this same country now overgrown with timid weeds.

Perhaps all of us idiots now suffering in inexplicable silence are waiting for the one-man suicide squad Tai Solarin, Bala Usman, Omorogie Ohonbamu, Bros Kanmi Ishola Osobu, SLB Labanji Bolaji, Comrade Ola Oni, Comrade Niyi Oniororo, Wahab Goodluck, Pa Imoudu, Genius Ayodele Awojobi to come from their current places of abode to free us from this suffocating slavery on our soil.

It was in this country that the inimitable Fela Anikulapo Kuti carried coffin to harass Obasanjo at Dodan Barracks. The same Fela carried loads of ‘shit’ to block MKO Abiola’s house to protest ‘unfair treatment’ by Decca. Dr Beko Ransom Kuti led hundreds of thousands in protest to confront the fierce military tanks of Abacha in protest against the annulment of June 12 elections.

Now the generation suffering the most are still waiting for Ebenezer Babatope, Yemi Farounmbi, Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, Felix Adenaike, Arthur Nwankwo, Haroun Adamu, Tola Adeniyi, Rasheed Gbadamosi, our revered Dr Frederick Fasehun, our respected Gani Fawehimi, literary icons Soyinka and Achebe….men in their late sixties and mid seventies already shopping for travel agents for the best ticket out of planet earth, to fight for them.

I should remind the people in their 20s and 30s that they are the ones whose present and future are being trampled upon. It is they, more than any other idiots in the idiots’ country, that are having their lives and the lives of their children ruined by the massive stealing going on in the country today. And they should know that throughout history it is only people under age 35 who initiate and lead revolutions.

How is a country the size of Nigeria with all her resources not able to supply ordinary electricity to her citizens? Imagine the billions of Naira lost daily because of lack of power. Imagine the number of industries that have closed down. Imagine the multiplying effects of lack of electricity on the nation’s security and social/economic well being. How is a country with all God has given her unable to provide drinking water? Why should Nigeria fail in providing gainful employment to her teeming population? Why should over 20 million children be out of school nationwide?

And yet all of us idiots watch in helpless resignation the men who led us into this mess living in vulgar opulence, feeding fat on our stolen money, sentencing our daughters to prostitution, and we do nothing.

This nonsense cannot continue.

Imprisonment is not the answer. Imprisonment did not work in Ghana . It did not work in China . It did not solve the problem in Louis X1V’s France . It did not solve the problem in Russia before the Bolsheviks came with their chopping axe. No, Romania did not yield to imprisonment. Ask them in Ethiopia ; Meriam Mengistu led all to the chopping block.

If I am one of the 3,000 men who have brought Nigeria into this mess, come for me today, take me to the Bar Beach and chop my head off!
Sad

I feel like an idiot already but i am totally helpless Is it possible to change this country with a revolution with all the greed and corrupt practices being practised by our youths today?
http://www.NL.com/nigeria/topic-279645.0.html#msg3972521

What Type of Heading did the journalist use very bad, I'm a Nigerian and i'm proud

idiots? don't think so. we are too wise. that's the problem.

Enquirer:

idiots? don't think so. we are too wise. that's the problem.

Define "wise" (wisdom)?

@poster
you are the IDIOT!

Enquirer:

idiots? don't think so. we are too wise. that's the problem.

Wow i've never thought of our problem as being one of to much wisdom, and come to think of it that makes absolute sense,

enziga:

Wow i've never thought of our problem as being one of to much wisdom, and come to think of it that makes absolute sense,

Hmm? How?
Define wisdom please?

@ poster
We are not idiots o, we are simply wise young people who are wearied out,
All these heroes u mentioned, where are they now? They are dead as dead can be.
There is a sayin that goes, "show me a hero, and i'll show you a dead corpse"
There is a dude on here on NL or was it naijaryders, that has a quote that goes as follows,
if If mugu fall, guy man still go wak
It has come to our attention that the mugus are the only one takin direct action and protesting, when they end up dead we shed some very few tears and move on. Now the smart thing to do is make your money, enjoy your life and maintain the one honest motto still alive today "every asshole for himself"

nuzo:

Hmm? How?
Define wisdom please?

Wisdom in the sense that we have come to realise that "heroes" end up deaddddd or bitter/miserable.
Everybody now has to shine eye and fend for his or herself. Nigerians are people with a mentality of survival, strife and struggles do not suit us @ all. So for all those people in the olden days who were able to galvanise people to action, I bow for them. But right now in this day and age, cynicism has destroyed our nation.

show me one Nigerian who is not an idiot on NairaLand, to start with.

enziga:

Wisdom in the sense that we have come to realise that "heroes" end up deaddddd or bitter/miserable.
Everybody now has to shine eye and fend for his or herself. Nigerians are people with a mentality of survival, strife and struggles do not suit us @ all. So for all those people in the olden days who were able to galvanise people to action, I bow for them. But right now in this day and age, cynicism has destroyed our nation.

If this is all you understand as nigerians being wise, then am afraid to say that the writer of this article takes home the trophy.

nuzo:

If this is all you understand as nigerians being wise, then am afraid to say that the writer of this article takes home the trophy.

By wisdom, i feel that nigerians are one of the few nations on earth to grasp the common sense of life.
A man's first duty is to keep himself alive, Simple and short, if u can't keep yourself alive and you go and die a senseless death born out of your overeagerness to fight for more rights for people who'll neither appreciate your efforts or remember you. Then you are a FOOL FOOL FOOL
Fela is dead and to me he's the only real hero naija ever had. The man boasted that he had death in his pouch, e be like say death escaped one day and came knockin @ his door, Show me a hero and i'll show you a dead corpse

enziga:

By wisdom, i feel that nigerians are one of the few nations on earth to grasp the common sense of life.
A man's first duty is to keep himself alive, Simple and short, if u can't keep yourself alive and you go and die a senseless death born out of your overeagerness to fight for more rights for people who'll neither appreciate your efforts or remember you. Then you are a FOOL FOOL FOOL
Fela is dead and to me he's the only real hero naija ever had. The man boasted that he had death in his pouch, e be like say death escaped one day and came knockin @ his door, Show me a hero and i'll show you a dead corpse

Unless wisdom has been redefined; I have nothing to debate with you. All you did was to define cowardice, hypocrisy, sycophancy and selfishness. Any wonder why the writer plainly stated that nigerians, especially the younger ones are Idiots.

Have a good day.

nuzo:

Unless wisdom has been redefined; I have nothing to debate with you. All you did was to define cowardice, hypocrisy, sycophancy and selfishness. Any wonder why the writer plainly stated that nigerians, especially the younger ones are Idiots.

Have a good day.

I see where cowardice, selfishness and sycophancy could come in with ur rebuttal but hypocrisy ke?
Anywayz Great Puba, please bless us younger ones with your unlimited wisdom, so that we may work miracles in your name for our motherland.
I love how nigerians of every stripe are able to look down their noses @ each other, but when it comes to simple solution none of us have it. Am sure if they ask u now for ur opinion on the matter, u will write a book. But solution na wahala for our country. Maybe we should agree with poster, but instead of being idiots, we are lazy fools.

enziga:

I see where cowardice, selfishness and sycophancy could come in with ur rebuttal but hypocrisy ke?
Anywayz Great Puba, please bless us younger ones with your unlimited wisdom, so that we may work miracles in your name for our motherland.
I love how nigerians of every stripe are able to look down their noses @ each other, but when it comes to simple solution none of us have it. Am sure if they ask u now for ur opinion on the matter, u will write a book. But solution na wahala for our country. Maybe we should agree with poster, but instead of being idiots, we are lazy fools.

If you really read the article, you will find out that the writer has already proffered solutions to our problem. However, one of them is not waiting for some god to come down and do miracles.

On the other hand, nigerians are not and have never been lazy.

It baffles me that your own solution was this;

enziga:

By wisdom, i feel that nigerians are one of the few nations on earth to grasp the common sense of life.
A man's first duty is to keep himself alive,  Simple and short, if u can't keep yourself alive and you go and die a senseless death born out of your overeagerness to fight for more rights for people who'll neither appreciate your efforts or remember you. Then you are a FOOL FOOL FOOL
Fela is dead and to me he's the only real hero naija ever had. The man boasted that he had death in his pouch, e be like say death escaped one day and came knockin @ his door,  Show me a hero and i'll show you a dead corpse

. . . and you had the gut to attack other people typing this;

enziga:

I see where cowardice, selfishness and sycophancy could come in with ur rebuttal but hypocrisy ke?
Anywayz Great Puba, please bless us younger ones with your unlimited wisdom, so that we may work miracles in your name for our motherland.
I love how nigerians of every stripe are able to look down their noses @ each other, but when it comes to simple solution none of us have it. Am sure if they ask u now for ur opinion on the matter, u will write a book. But solution na wahala for our country. Maybe we should agree with poster, but instead of being idiots, we are lazy fools.

nuzo:

If you really read the article, you will find out that the writer has already proffered solutions to our problem. However, one of them is not waiting for some god to come down and do miracles.

On the other hand, nigerians are not and have never been lazy.

Haha lol everybody has solutions my broda.
The question is who is willin to die in other that their solution be implemented, But it's funny though, almost every nigerian i know has a solution for that country. When will we realise that words really don't do anything to penetrate the wall most nigerians have thrown up? It's like we talk, talk, talk, talk but action is nonexistant.

I think I agree with the poster. Our land unfortunately is filled with Idiots as defined by him.

Let us all remember that nowhere in history has freedom from shackles come without a price paid. I am totally awed that people can talk so cheaply about people who have sacrificed their lives for freedom in Nigeria. If this is the way we Nigerians treat our heroes, we are worse than idiots!

Il also like to remind those who think that staying alive and making money is wisdom that at the rate we are going, there will be no Nigeria to stay alive and make money in.

enziga:

Haha lol everybody has solutions my broda.
The question is who is willin to die in other that their solution be implemented,  But it's funny though, almost every nigerian i know has a solution for that country. When will we realise that words really don't do anything to penetrate the wall most nigerians have thrown up? It's like we talk, talk, talk, talk but action is nonexistant.

What exactly do you want?
Weren't you the same person that was laughing about Fela sacrificing his life for a better nigeria only to turn around and say that nobody is willing to do so.
FYI, so many people are actually willing to sacrifice their lives for a better nigeria as we speak.
Now, we have to first start by getting the "spirit' of selfishness, cowardice, get rich quick, hypocrisy, materialism out of our system. To me, that is enough sacrifice. Then encourage those who wish to sacrifice more by questioning our corrupt rulers.

d average 419ner thinks its wisdom, not being straight forward in dealings is seen as wisdom.
COUNTRY OF IDIOTS!

i understand,you're really angry about the way things are currently. . . .

Come up with solutions instead,your seemingly justified anger counts for nothing. . . .

A man wetin? You must think everyone in Nigeria thinks like an average uninformed man on NairaLand- where are the Fawehinmis, the Falanas, the Sotinkas, etc etc. Why havent they think it worthwhile to organise what you are suggesting? Go to Nigeria and lead the march or organise it rathr than writting on the pages of the web. It taks nothing to talk, but it takes a lot to turn it into action. I am sure if something like that is organised, you will not even partake in it.

A man wetin? You must think everyone in Nigeria thinks like an average uninformed man on NairaLand- where are the Fawehinmis, the Falanas, the Sotinkas, etc etc. Why havent they think it worthwhile to organise what you are suggesting? Go to Nigeria and lead the march or organise it rathr than writting on the pages of the web. It taks nothing to talk, but it takes a lot to turn it into action. I am sure if something like that is organised, you will not even partake in it.


The oppositon is already coming together to establish a mega party. Suggestions like the million man march will filter through to whoever is organise this mega party and it is up to them to either take the suggestion and implement it or discard it as unworkable in Nigeria. But it will be a de-service to me, the country, and other progressive if I keep such a brilliant idea to myself. why do we have freedom of speech if every idea gets discarded even b4 people debate it.

Why is a mega party needed? Do you think that will discourage the riggers from rigging elections? That is assuming that the ruling party is popular to begin with and has actually won elections fairly.

I couldn't even read the whole thread for its stupid reading a stupid work, isn't it folks?

every country have its own natural dissaster
nigeria natural dissaster is our LEADERS

MIGERIANS HAVE COME TO REALISE THIS
THAT IS WHY WE ALL SIT-DOWN-AND-LOOK LIKE MUMU

I once had a friend who told me a little story. According to him " , in the beginning, after The Almighty has finished creating the nations, He then started calling out, one after the other, each people (or Nation),
"America!, Sir!!, Your startup capital, superpower, even the colonialist will in the end bow at your feet.
"England!, Colonies, you shall conquer the whole world
"Spain!, explorers, you shall open new frontiers
"Italy, Technology, show the world what the meaning of applied science is.
"Ghana!, Gold, shine in the eyes of the world.
"India!, Mystical, hold them all in awe, aura till the end
"China!, resourcefulness, do whatever they did with such ease and few
"Arabia!, Hydrocarbons, flowing in abundance to drown their insatiable lust for power "
"Brazil, Samba!
, and so on until its gets to the turn of Nigeria (Nigerians), alas, the Almighty gave every single thing He has given all the others so that Nigeria ended up having it all! It was so much startup capital Nigeria was stumbling trying to gain a balance right there before the Almighty (perhaps till today?). All the other became jealous (rightfully so since the Almighty has said and promised them He is the just equitable God. But here they are, right before their very eyes and on the very first day of creation, He is singling out Nigeria (and Nigerians) for all His blessings. Protest! It has to be, they chorused, and so they selected a delegation amongst themselves and proceeded to ask the Almighty why He is reneging on His promise right there on the very first day. "To each of us", they said, " you gave a unique gift. But to Nigeria, you gave every single thing you have given us and some more things you have given nobody." they queried.
The Almighty then looked down at them and said, pitifully, " But did you see me give them people? For everything I have given Nigeria is in stock for you. Nigeria shall hold forth all your riches and growth and wealth. It is but a warehouse for you. You shall go there anytime you have the need and take whatever that you desire and you shall be obliged till kingdom comes!

Alas, the story and reason for the idiocy of Nigeria (Nigerians)!
Good piece my brother unfortunately, as in all things in this climes, it is lost on the idiotic lot you attempt to sensitise. The comments here in this thread is justification!