Anyone with a functional brain (And even those without functional brains sef) and/or an internet connection knows that MMM has been one of the hottest topics in Nigeria in recent days – and for good reason. The peer-to-peer donation scheme is probably the next most mentioned thing besides recession in Nigeria this year. Much debate has been made in attack and defence of MMM since it started gaining traction in Nigeria. This is not one of them.

Since the management of what non-participators know as little more than a ponzi scheme decided to freeze accounts till early next year, the internet has been rife with reactions ranging from the hilarious to the truly spectacular. I’ve sat back and watched, as non-participators call participants greedy and those involved call the other party bad belle ne’er do wells. It’s all been good fun and I refrained from actually reacting till I saw someone’s post online in defence of MMM.

I paraphrase – “….even if MMM doesn’t return, so what? It’s the only thing that has put a smile on the faces of lots of Nigerians this. The government has failed us and does not provide us with our basic necessities for survival. MMM is one of the best things to happen to Nigerians this year….?

At that point I just had to stop and think – really? This was penned by a Nigerian with his fully functional faculties? Sure, I shouldn’t be surprised – we Nigerians are legendary for defending the indefensible. But pray tell, since when did MMM become a substitute for the government?

That particular reaction struck me as cowardly, self serving, short sighted and not thought out at all. Cowardly because sure, government has failed on many levels. What do you do when someone fails you – hold the person responsible or run away from the problem? This response shows exactly why we Nigerians are where we are today. Successive governments keep failing us and instead of holding them accountable for their failures, we keep chasing shadows for short term benefits in the name of “survival”. What good is today’s survival if tomorrow’s generations come around to still face the same problem? It is the approach of a coward who does not want to face realities and deal with it. To those whose money is currently frozen in MMM accounts, my heart goes out to you especially if you had made plans for that money for the yuletide celebrations. But if you see MMM as the good president that you’ve never had, better come back to your senses now. MMM may give you a little extra cash to buy food and clothes and spend on some other minor necessities. But MMM won’t provide good roads or clean water or affordable health care or human rights protection or security. The government that is still failing you while you’re chasing MMM should do all that and if you hold your leaders accountable, you won’t need to do MMM in the first place (note that I used the word need. Even if Nigeria’s government was the best in the world, some Nigerians would still do MMM).

That comment was evidently self serving because the writer was only thinking about what he stands to benefit from MMM, failing to look at the larger picture: should MMM fail to return in January, there would probably be more tears than we have recorded in this recession laden year. Besides, should it fail to return, where does all the money go? Who cashes it all out? How different would it then be from our politicians who get into power to enrich themselves off our sweat? Think well.

That comment is evidently short sighted in both directions – past and the future. I’ve not done that much research into the MMM system but it’s evident Nigeria is not the first country it ran in. How did it perform in the previous countries it was operated in and what was it’s eventual result and what was different about the Nigerian version that would have made it more sustainable? The thing is, things may be hard, but nothing beats good old bearing down and making smart investments and multi level marketing schemes are definitely not one of them. Let’s face it, schemes like MMM are like playing sports bet – the only difference being that when you play sports bet you always have it at your mind that there is a very good chance you would lose your money. But schemes like this give you assurances that you’ll make returns no matter what. Trust me, even with the knowledge that loss is a possibility, a sports better still feels pain when they lose money. How much more someone that’s been assured that returns will definitely be made no matter what.

I sincerely hope people can get their money in January, for the sake of the sanity and safety of some people. Above it though, I hope Nigerians learn from this whole saga (though obviously, the writer of that comment has not learnt jack). There is a reason banks don’t offer you 30% returns for your savings in your account – it’s just not sustainable. I’m not saying if MMM returns you shouldn’t participate – by all means do but please, this time, shine your eyes. Keep in mind that it might all crash and you might lose money.

And please, never, ever, ever, ever substitute MMM for your government. MMM came from nowhere and if it goes, you wouldn’t know where it’s gone to. You know your leaders, where they come from and what they do. Hold them responsible for the situation of things in the country and charge them to create a better, more rewarding society, instead of looking for free money that may end up with you losing the little you have.

Merry Christmas in advance.

https://completelytier./2016/12/18/of-all-the-terrible-excuses-in-defence-of-mmm/

.sports bet is still a lesser evil compare to mmm because you bet with amount you can afford to lose while mmm is like a big flood that sweeps everything at sight and leave bruises behind

while the old mmmites are smiling to the banks the new entrants have been strips all they had laboured for including those that secretly use community funds entrusted in their care, house rent, school fees, some took loans from their work place i know a guy that sold his car to PH hoping to buy a better one

Waiting for MMM loyalists to comment

E go beta

is it your MMM.... is it ur money... but wetin

Human beings ehn! Non participants worrying more than the participants. This is a mystery o

I only came to confirm if a blog link is attached to the OP. Voila, it's right there! Bloggers be squeezing out what ever juice is left of the MMM traffic!

to the fowl Above me

if we should laugh now you will call us haters
if we should keep quiet you will call us heartless
bro, your money don go

and to the OP, if there's anyway to see you and dash you my sister abeg try to find one, the worst part is that people still say it's the government that banned it? like wtf? y'all were trying to GH and no one wanted to pH and you want mmm to do blood money abi?

I will continue to do ntooor to every one that lost his money , cos it's not just stupid of you to invest in something that clearly says "you might loose all your money " but something that crashed in all previous countries it had been to, people saying south Africa is still active, all existing mavros were cleared and the whole thing started afresh

Them never see chin chon chun

Damfostopper:
is it your MMM.... is it ur money... but wetin

e pain his one

Damfostopper:
is it your MMM.... is it ur money... but wetin

e pain this one

TheMascot:
to the fowl Above me

if we should laugh now you will call us haters
if we should keep quiet you will call us heartless
bro, your money don go

and to the OP, if there's anyway to see you and dash you my sister abeg try to find one, the worst part is that people still say it's the government that banned it? like wtf? y'all were trying to GH and no one wanted to pH and you want mmm to do blood money abi?

I will continue to do ntooor to every one that lost his money , cos it's not just stupid of you to invest in something that clearly says "you might loose all your money " but something that crashed in all previous countries it had been to, people saying south Africa is still active, all existing mavros were cleared and the whole thing started afresh

When you import goods from. China or even another state in Nigeria..
Is there not always a possibility of loosing all the goods and so your money?

Why are people going into importing?

Stop using that "you might loose all your money" phrase
Just makes you look like a desk jockey who knows nothing about
How the business runs

TheMascot:
to the fowl Above me

if we should laugh now you will call us haters
if we should keep quiet you will call us heartless
bro, your money don go

lafinq in French

Damfostopper:
is it your MMM.... is it ur money... but wetin

My post was more about addressing a mentality than addressing the soundness of the MMM system. No need to get so defensive

RealityShot:

When you import goods from. China or even another state in Nigeria..
Is there not always a possibility of loosing all the goods and so your money?

Why are people going into importing?

Stop using that "you might loose all your money" phrase
Just makes you look like a desk jockey who knows nothing about
How the business runs

That's the thing - people are cognizant of the risks of all these businesses. There's a reason importers go to their churches or mosues or shrines to pray for the safe arrival of their goods from wherever they are being imported. The MMM guys (well maybe not the originators but the guiders and others that convinced people to join) sold people a promise that lots of people bought into wholesale and what I'm saying is that it's as risky as anything else. There's no assurance. Ask yourself why lots of Nigerians have not invested the kind of money they put into MMM in other businesses with less returns. It's because they feel like MMM is a sure bet - that they can't lose and that right there is the problem

What I know is that MMM-NIGERIA participants will double come 2017. Peace ✌

MMM is not coming back because.... MMM is HERE !!!
#MMMnoShaking!

RealityShot:

When you import goods from. China or even another state in Nigeria..
Is there not always a possibility of loosing all the goods and so your money?

Why are people going into importing?

Stop using that "you might loose all your money" phrase
Just makes you look like a desk jockey who knows nothing about
How the business runs

Wait. what are you even saying? how importing and mmm take relate? In importing you are buying and selling, here they are using ngozis money to pay Habib. I should stop using that phrase then tell mavrodi to stop lying on every government , mmm is a scam, nothing more, it has put smiles on the faces of Nigerians abi? so Na Kenyans dey cry here

RosaConsidine:


That's the thing - people are cognizant of the risks of all these businesses. There's a reason importers go to their churches or mosues or shrines to pray for the safe arrival of their goods from wherever they are being imported. The MMM guys (well maybe not the originators but the guiders and others that convinced people to join) sold people a promise that lots of people bought into wholesale and what I'm saying is that it's as risky as anything else. There's no assurance. Ask yourself why lots of Nigerians have not invested the kind of money they put into MMM in other businesses with less returns. It's because they feel like MMM is a sure bet - that they can't lose and that right there is the problem

you say "they feel like mmm is a sure bet-that they cant loose"?

i agree thats a problem. Because its clearly written all ove
the website "you may not get any money back"

thats why i advocate the removal of guiders!

TheMascot:
Wait. what are you even saying? how importing and mmm take relate? In importing you are buying and selling, here they are using ngozis money to pay Habib. I should stop using that phrase then tell mavrodi to stop lying on every government , mmm is a scam, nothing more, it has put smiles on the faces of Nigerians abi? so Na Kenyans dey cry here

you import ..u buy goods then sell..lol
are you there to make sure they get here?
what if ship sinks? What if customs seize them? All these are 100% risks are they not?

well in mmm, members buy mavro and sell mavro after it matures. The mavro is abroad too.

is that not similar to importing?

when your goods fail to arrive, do you laugh?

btw, which mmm participant have you seen crying?

RealityShot:

you import ..u buy goods then sell..lol
are you there to make sure they get here?
what if ship sinks? What if customs seize them? All these are 100% risks are they not?

well in mmm, members buy mavro and sell mavro after it matures. The mavro is abroad too.

is that not similar to importing?

when your goods fail to arrive, do you laugh?

btw, which mmm participant have you seen crying?

be there and be comparing and contrasting, your mavro is as blue as a tongue after taking rochi