I don't even know where to start from because i am pretty pissed right now.I love my country to death but i hate my country to death. Everyday i come on NL ,i leave with a miserable feeling in my stomach.The reason being Nigeria is going from bad to worse.I am tired of the status quo as i am sure many of you are.Before i go any further i will like to re-introduce my self to NLanders.

My forum name is Playmode
I am a 30 something year old Nigerian Living In South Africa
I have been out of Nigeria for 9 years
I am a successful entrepreneur and owner of 3 thriving companies in Johannesburg
I am well traveled having visited several countries in the west and the east

It is important that i introduce myself because i want everyone that reads this piece to understand why my heart bleeds for my country.I am so successful and blessed that i can choose not to give a damn about Nigeria.

I am very much at home in South Africa because i am so used to the country now and i enjoy the easy lifestyle here.

Why ? because:

No worries about bad roads or electricity ( World class infrastructure)
Easy banking solutions
Easy methods of setting companies and running your business
Ease of buying a property or properties
Unlimited SUPER FAST (10 megabytes per second) broadband internet
Ample business and investment opportunities
Strong Currency
Ability to do cross border business and be trusted by foreign companies because of the SA's good reputation
Low levels of corruption in Government and the private sector
Rule of Law is actively upheld

I can go on and on but i am sure you get the picture.

As you can see in my opinion i am okay where i am but that does not mean that i am at home or that i should forget where i am from.I am a Nigerian born and bred.Being raised in Nigeria helped me to take advantage of the numerous opportunities SA had to offer and legally enrich myself through it.

After being overseas for 9 years and after conquering every obstacle i came across and getting to the top,my attention has turned back home,my true home : Nigeria.

It hurts me to know that i can not relocate home except i intend to impoverish myself because Nigeria is such a difficult place for any honest person to thrive.The country is in shambles with 4th wold infrastructure,non existent Government ,a poorly educated work force and a citizenry with a mentality of absolute corruption.

MY heart bleeds for my country.

I know there are many Nigerians in diaspora like myself who have made a success of themselves and will want to come back home but can hardly do so because they don't want to let go of their easy lifestyles.

We all know why Nigeria is the way it is today but why do we still allow the status quo to remain.

I studied the Tunisia revolution and i studied the Egyptian revolution trying to find out what make the citizens of these countries different from us.At first i thought they were better educated than us but i soon realized that we are more educated then them.I also examined the theory that blacks are backward thinkers but that theory was also a hoax.So i dwelt on the topic for a while but still cannot find an answer.

I looked at all the topics on the politics section and i shook my head when i realized we waste our time debating on irrelevant issues when we should be clamoring for freedom.What is happening in Nigeria today is a new form of Apartheid.The political class keeps all the money for themselves while the ordinary citizen are left to suffer.South Africans fought and died for their freedom that is why they are enjoying today and living a fulfilled life.

Do you know that Nigeria has more facebook members than Egypt and Tunisia combined?

Egypt's army is 468,000 strong with another 476,000 reserve

Nigeria's army is 80,000 and no reserves :  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_troops

Egypt's population is 80 million strong , Nigeria is 150 almost double that of egypt.

So how come a few men numbering less that 5,000 are holding us to ransom?

Just this morning on CNN ,citizens of Bahrain and Iran have started protesting.These may get their freedom while we as Nigerians continue to support backward leaders.Citizens of other countries are starting to free themselves while us Nigerian are continuing to sell ourselves into modern slavery.

We the youths have the power to effect change only if we cooperate.Some people here think it is impossible,i don't think it is.NL is Nigeria's most powerful tool at the moment and we can start the protest from here.We can tell our relatives and friends to start mini protests ,we can spread the word among the 10 million+ Nigerian facebook users as well as non Nigerian facebook users.Once the movement starts on the web ,we can move to the streets.The Army and the police cannot do anything because they have heard and seen what happened in Egypt.

Instead of settling for old leaders ,we should force Jonathan to step down,new parties should be formed and fresh elections held with fresh new candidates.The PDP in particular and it's members should be barred from contesting any elections in Nigeria.

We can achieve this if we join our voice together.We have the power to effect change,the internet is a powerful tool for us ,let us use it while we can.My people ,please i beg you do not let Jonathan rule this country otherwise we are doomed.We should should look for intelligent young leaders in our midst who have great ideas and who not corrupt to move Nigeria forward.All Jonathan is doing is talk , talk ,talk and steal.I am ready to give my life for Nigeria but i want to know that i am dying for a worthy cause not for cowards.We have to mobilize,spread the word on facebook,there are many and mean million of Nigerians who are tired and want change ,let us mobilize now.This is the time.

The upcoming elections are a waste of time .Jonathan will rig the elections.Let us kick the PDP out now and have them all arrested and their assets frozen.We have to do this now.NL is the place to start.The members of NL surpass the number of soldiers we have in Nigeria.My people the time is now.We don't need to choose from buhari ,Jonathan or Ribadu,non of them are capable.They are all birds of the same feather.We need young minds with great ideas and respect for the people.We need a leader who listens to the the people not share a billion dollars of state funds with his friends.The ball is in our court ,this is not the 80s or 90s ,this is 2011 .

Let us start now ,no more talk talk ,let us start with action ,mobilize and get on the streets,let us form an organization and have those on the ground in Nigeria start these rallies.Let those of us in diaspora fund this movement,i will pledge my own funds ,i will sponsor the movement as much as i can and i will my ask my friends to do the same.The time is now ,fight for true Independence your true freedom.


Free yourselves from the disease known as the PDP.

The time is now.

Young man, you don't even know the first thing about revolution.

Why don't you come live in Nigeria for 3 years first so you can have a real grip on things.

nex:

Young man, you don't even know the first thing about revolution.

Why don't you come live in Nigeria for 3 years first so you can have a real grip on things.

Bros ,this has got nothing to do with me living in Nigeria.I am asking Nairalanders to mobilize,a revolution starts from somewhere.You can not sit at home and expect others to fight for you.You have be ready to move along with other citizens to effect change.We need to change our lazy attitude towards change.If Obama was lazy and undetermined in his campaign ,he won't be president today.What will living in Nigeria for 3 years do to me except to further frustrate me.We are talking about changing people's mentality.I asked that you talk to your friends and relatives ,you are asking me to come back home 

This is why we are still slaves in our own country because we never heed the call ,instead ,we sit and makes excuses.When the young egyptian boy called for a revolution on Google,fellow Egyptians heeded his call ,they did not make excuses or ask egyptians in diapora to come back home ,they simply heed the call and followed the cause to the end.It took them only 3 weeks.The have a more wicked police than ours and a better trained army but they swallowed their fear and chased the depot out.Why can't we do that in Nigeria? A free Nigeria wqill benefit everyone and not just me.

I guarantee you ,if we can have the kind of crowd they had in Egypt protesting in lagos and Abuja,Jonathan will run into exile within 1 week.

You say i don't know the first thing about a revolution,do you? Is there a written manual somwhere depicting revolution techniques? Did the people in Egypt read a revolution manual before they took to the streets?

A revolution happens because of collective opinion by a group of people who belong to a sovereign nation or country and are tired of their rulers.They don't need to be educated ,rich or a specialist in warfare.They just need to be in agreement with each other and ready to mobilize.

You cannot hide outside the country and expect to lure others to their deaths. The Google executive you talked about was there in Tahrir Square leading the protest, not somewhere in South Africa.

By the way, with what data do you estimate ten million Nigerian Facebook users?

You forget that as Nigerians, our major rift is tribalism. Any form of revolution would turn into tribal war, and protesters would start killing one another.

I want you to come home and study the situation properly before sponsoring a revolution that is already fundamentally flawed. I'm a revolutionary myself, and I've studied and seen too many cracks.

We have not even talked about the general apathy of our people to their environment and situation.

nex:

You cannot hide outside the country and expect to lure others to their deaths. The Google executive you talked about was there in Tahrir Square leading the protest, not somewhere in South Africa.

By the way, with what data do you estimate ten million Nigerian Facebook users?

You forget that as Nigerians, our major rift is tribalism. Any form of revolution would turn into tribal war, and protesters would start killing one another.

I want you to come home and study the situation properly before sponsoring a revolution that is already fundamentally flawed. I'm a revolutionary myself, and I've studied and seen too many cracks.

We have not even talked about the general apathy of our people to their environment and situation.

What makes you think ,i am HIDING outside the country.I am bold and those in SA are aware of my presence and the noise i am making in Nigerian circles.My being in SA does not keep me safe from the Nigerian government.Just a few weeks ago a Nigerian was killed in SA by people believed to be working for the Nigerian Government.

You say i am luring others to their deaths,that is wrong.I said let us start mobilizing here on NL ,just like you and i are conversing now ,let others join us online and let us take it from there.A revolution is not 10 or 500 people marching the streets like SNG.A revolution occurs when everybody in the country has heard about what is going on ,the more people talk about it ,the more people will join.But if we are defeating ourselves by discouraging others we are just prolonging the problem.

I am asking you to talk to friends and relatives ,they in turn will talk to others and it will spread.It may not happen overnight with time ,more people will join the movement.No one person is courageous to face the government but in large numbers (i am talking 50 to 100,00 protesters) the armed forces cannot and will not open fire.

We cannot always look at the negative and give up.We have to try,our Independence from the British was fought for with blood.We need to think about our future first and worry less about the negatives.If we start talking to one another ,soon we will realize that we share the same opinion.Forget about tribalism,tribalism is only as strong as you make it to be.If you want to  effect change you cannot bother yourself with petty issues like tribalism.

You have not tried yet so you don't know what is going to happen.If we don't try then who is going to do it for us.

We need to start the conversation right now,we need to inform those close to us to think and ask themselves if what is going on is acceptable.

Fela was one man ,one man! He tried to wake us up but we refused to wake up.We can't give up ,we have to try.

Here is a fact for you: NIGERIA WILL NEVER BE A GREAT COUNTRY WITHOUT A REVOLUTION.

We will continue to have a 4th world country with corrupt leaders for the next 50 years without a revolution.

If you study what is going on you will see that Nigeria is on the path to destruction except it is freed from the clutches of the PDP.

This elections are a sham and you know it just like everybody else knows it.We can do better.

We have a huge population ,we can use that to our advantage but if we keep defeating ourselves like this then we might as well all migrate and leave the country to cabals to inhabit it alone.

Poster I support you,
Nigerians should be optimist, in my little way I will put in my 50 cents.
Forward Nigeria Forward

denitro:

Poster I support you,
Nigerians should be optimist, in my little way I will put in my 50 cents.
Forward Nigeria Forward

Thanks,that is the kind of response we are looking for .Collective optimism.

We need to stop commenting on non issues and start talking to each other to form a solid stand against the government.

I stopped reading when I got to this point:

Instead of settling for old leaders, we should force Jonathan to step down, new parties should be formed and fresh elections held with fresh new candidates. The PDP in particular and it's members should be barred from contesting any elections in Nigeria.

You are obviously a very young man with no experience of Nigerians. So you think barring PDP and creating[i] ''new parties and fresh elections with fresh candidates''[/i] is the solution? 

In fact I need to laugh some more - 


Bros, get this: That would be the worst mistake ever made in the history of Nigerian politics.

Opening the political arena to a new set of thieves, with empty pockets, JUST WAITING TO BE FILLED WITH ALL THAT SWEET OIL MONEY is not my idea of a ''revolution''.

The only thing we can do is pressurize the current crop of leaders to perform, and hope that at some point they begin to steal less and work more. There's proof of that happening already.

A lot of projects are coming on stream. The four refineries are now working again. Construction is booming. Several cities are building monorails and light rail systems. A contract for a national Supergrid has been awarded to the Chinese to eliminate power failure, a growing number of state governments are upgrading their infrastructure etc etc. We just need to stick at what we're doing, and see where it gets us. Starting again with a new band of empty pockets waiting to ''do the right thing for the nation'' is a thoroughly ill-advised step.

And one more thing. There has been NO revolution in Egypt. That nation is under MILITARY RULE. Meaning that politically, we are much more advanced than them, whether or not their people are marching on the streets. (We probably would as well if we'd been subjected to emergency rule and one man dictatorship for 30 years, with 30,000  political prisoners in jail.)

Also, please spare us this South Africa stuff. That nation has had its resources used for infrastructural development right from the 1840s by its colonial rulers. In Nigeria, it wasn't until 1960 that any sort of investment began to be made in education, infrastructure, health and so on. The British siphoned all the wealth from 1880s to 1960.

So Nigeria is playing catch up with South Africa today. It is nothing to be ashamed of. And it is certainly not worth destroying what we've accomplished so far, on account of demonstrations in Egypt.

Thanks.

if you're as well traveled and informed as you pose to be you shouldn't be posting with such a simplistic understanding of 'revolution'


egypts protest wasn't in attempt by egpytians to have a 'better country' it was to be free from dicatorship.

whether improvement comes out not in egypt their victory was in having the right to vote, not in having better roads or broadband.


these are things your can't protest for. The Nigerian government isn't God and is actually inefficient because it's providing and doing too much.


until recently i was providing telecoms and banking in the country. the PRIVATE SECTOR took control and things took off in both industries.

the nigerian government is still over burdened to provide goods and services for 150 million people on less oil money then Saudi Arabia (which has 1/4 the population of nigeria), and almost no tax revenue.

so what will we be protesting?
we can protest for more privatization so things will get better, but we can't just 'protest' for things to be 'better' because that's vague and embarrassingly simplistic.

if you have a SPECIFIC cause to speak up against then we'll listen, but just wanting a 'revolution' doesn't change anything.




also. [size=14pt]YOU DINK, THERE'S ELECTIONS IN APRIL, GO TO NIGERIA AND VOTE.[/size] instead of coming here to tell us about broadband internet. That very right to vote which you still haven't taken advantage of is the exact reason Egyptians are protesting. For that cause and only that cause.

anyone complaining about nigeria that isn't registered to vote is a hypocrite

I think the problem with nigeria isn't the 'government' the government, though they don't do it the best, is the only entity in Nigeria working for the betterment of nigeria in any aspect.


the PEOPLE in nigeria have many problems that they're want to scapegoat the government for, and they're not holding up to their end of the deal.

Most nigerians don't pay taxes, few vote, and few exercise civic responsibility.
few throw their trash in the garbage as opposed to the street, few follow ANY laws set by the government let alone care to learn them, too many resort to violence.

The nigerian government has marked roads and set regulations, Nigerians still drive on the lines and violate them brazenly.

the nigerian government is corrupt, but the nigerian people are as well, so were do we get off saying the government is the problem

i personally know of a contractor in Imo that got a government contract to build a village road. 100% nigerian man. He took the money and ran.
this happens over and over and over.

so enough of the blame game

Let's wait till after April then we will see.
Do we really have the right to vote when PDP rigs all elections?

Revolution will NEVER take place in niGERia . . . . . . . . . .Cos the tribes of the revolution leaders will always come to play, . . . . .

As for Me Sha, I have been telling all internet warriors that have been calling for REVOLUTION since what happened in Nort Africa One Thing; GO BURN YA SEF like the Egyptian and tunisian Dudes then we know you are serious

In fact, I support superboi. Go burn yourself in front of Aso Rock.

Your parents had the opportunity to free you and your kins 43 yrs ago but they chose otherwise. Mate we have to leave with it. Better change your nationality as i did, settle where ever you are and enjoy what their forefathers did for them. Only visit when u feel like.

Depending on where you come from ask your father why they did not free you when they had the opportunity. Thy caught their nose to spit on their face.

Channel your anger to those that fought to keep you in this mess not those that are messing the system now cos some people gave them the mandate then(43 yrs ago) without thinking of today and tommorrow.

its cool if you personally feel more comfortable somewhere other then Nigeria, many nigerians, most nigerians, are working hard to ensure and build a stronger nation and trends in nigeria's development are all overwhelmingly positive

a new generation is gradually taking over and it's a generation that refuses to life below the standards of anyone else in the world.

there's no sector in nigeria or aspect about nigeria that hasn't gotten exponentially better then it was when OBJ first came into office.

not to say the government did it, they're still not doing enough
the nigerian people and professionals on the other had have woken up and things are looking more and more positive by the day.





what's left for us as individuals is to find what aspect of this development we can be a part of. That or totally leave the country alone. Don't sit in south africa trying to start a revolution in a country you yourself claim you refuse to visit so that someone else can shed blood for your laziness and cowardice.

In fact, I support superboi. Go burn yourself in front of Aso Rock.

LOL

ogagusps said:

Let's wait till after April then we will see.
Do we really have the right to vote when PDP rigs all elections?

It is becoming more and more difficult for parties to rig outright. Many rigged results have been overturned by the courts where proven. In Egypt, Mubarak's own was all about ''95%'' winning margins. Recourse to the courts would land you in detention, or worse.

You simply cannot compare what goes on there with the Nigerian situation. In every respect we enjoy far more freedoms.

ShangoThor said:

Hey Playmode, I empathize with you – but you have to understand:

Nigeria is the most corrupt country on earth

You are WRONG.  At least 44 countries, including Russia, Venezuela, and Ivory Coast, are ridden with more corruption than Nigeria.

http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010/results

and the citizens are complicit in its fraudulent setup, check out these points:

1.   Babies get butchered weekly, chopped in their heads like they are chopping watermelons and the majority of the citizenry do not bat an eyelid.

I've no idea where you get your information. Suffice it to say that the overwhelming majority of Nigerians are not aware of  this weekly butchering of babies you allege. Your wild allegations and innuendo seem motivated by little more than spite, which leads one to conclude you have deep personal problems.

5.   Human rights for the citizenry is deemed as a privilege in a country where a granny is thrown out of a window (Fela’s mom); and Eco Activists (Saro Wiwa) are murdered extra judiciously and the majority of the citizenry did not bat an eyelid.

You must be short of recent incidents of human rights violations in Nigeria to be talking about Fela's mum's death in 1977 or 1976, or Saro Wiwa's execution in 1995, both under conditions of military dictatorship.

Isn't that because the TRUTH is that Nigerians have become MORE FREE TODAY, while a Nigeria-hating creep like you is still stuck in the 1970s? I bet you cannot even get yourself to admit there's been ANY progress in Nigeria.

It is YOUR type who are the problem. While you make a few credible observations, you frequently go overboard in your negativity.

You do not strike me as someone who loves his country one bit. If you got to power, I'm convinced you will rob the nation blind, because you have no faith in it.

.

@OP, I am with you BUT there are big problems why revolution wouldnt happen.

1. The naija army is different 4rm dat of the egypt. I bet you, with or without permission the naija army are ever ready to "shoot at sight". They dont care because of "high service" to the so called political looters.

2. (TRIBE) If revolution was to take place today. It will only lead to crisis because the southerners will see it as a plan to stop them 4rm leading the country or the xtians may say the muslims dont want them to rule. In the long run its going to be street battle between two groups.

If the time is ripe for us to have a revolution, nobody will have to tell us but we will surely do it.

@OP, I am with you BUT there are big problems why revolution wouldnt happen.

1. The naija army is different 4rm dat of the egypt. I bet you, with or without permission the naija army are ever ready to "shoot at sight". They dont care because of "high service" to the so called political looters.

2. (TRIBE) If revolution was to take place today. It will only lead to crisis because the southerners will see it as a plan to stop them 4rm leading the country or the xtians may say the muslims dont want them to rule. In the long run its going to be street battle between two groups.

If the time is ripe for us to have a revolution, nobody will have to tell us but we will surely do it.

@OP, I am with you BUT there are big problems why revolution wouldnt happen.

1. The naija army is different 4rm dat of the egypt. I bet you, with or without permission the naija army are ever ready to "shoot at sight". They dont care because of "high service" to the so called political looters.

2. (TRIBE) If revolution was to take place today. It will only lead to crisis because the southerners will see it as a plan to stop them 4rm leading the country or the xtians may say the muslims dont want them to rule. In the long run its going to be street battle between two groups.

If the time is ripe for us to have a revolution, nobody will have to tell us but we will surely do it.

@playmode

I'll seriously need some of your connection down in S.A to start something good in my life. Can we get in touch?

Only 3 companies you set up and own a fast broadband internet and you are there making noise? Many here in Nigeria can buy you and your 3 companies and they are not making noise. Nigeria is gettting better, slow but steady.
You have stayed in SA for 9 years, please stay on.

spyder880:

Only 3 companies you set up and own a fast broadband internet and you are there making noise? Many here in Nigeria can buy you and your 3 companies and they are not making noise. Nigeria is gettting better, slow but steady.
You have stayed in SA for 9 years, please stay on.

how many of these people get their money clean. Are you not talking about the same politicians that loot naija money?

maga1:

how many of these people get their money clean. Are you not talking about the same politicians that loot naija money?

There is more clean money to be made in naija. The people am talking about has never worked for any govt or done any govt contracts. They just found a societal need and improved their packages and are smiling to the banks.

im  happy 4 ya as u claim u made it.pls dnt be fool by the number of nigerian facebook user,because majorty of them re teenages from the wealthy families that are lootng the 9ja money.  dont forget also that many of the ngerans using internet are lvng abroad.

ShangoThor said:

Hey ROSSIKE, I admit I have personal problems, they stem from seeing graphic images of babies butchered posted all over FaceBook

link pasted below: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150098846208254&set=a.10150098846103254.285404.124165628253

Sure, those are disturbing, despicable images. And this happens weekly all over Nigeria according to you?

Who do you think you're fooling with that? I can easily post images of murder victims (including children) from as far afield as America, Mexico, Britain, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Egypt etc etc. Doesn't mean I'll start  wildly EXAGGERATING the situation in these nations or claiming they all ''sit tight and do nothing'' or whatever crap you wrote.

I think the problem with nigeria isn't the 'government' the government, though they don't do it the best, is the only entity in Nigeria working for the betterment of nigeria in any aspect.


the PEOPLE in nigeria have many problems that they're want to scapegoat the government for, and they're not holding up to their end of the deal.

Most nigerians don't pay taxes, few vote, and few exercise civic responsibility.
few throw their trash in the garbage as opposed to the street, few follow ANY laws set by the government let alone care to learn them, too many resort to violence.

The nigerian government has marked roads and set regulations, Nigerians still drive on the lines and violate them brazenly.

the nigerian government is corrupt, but the nigerian people are as well, so were do we get off saying the government is the problem

i personally know of a contractor in Imo that got a government contract to build a village road. 100% nigerian man. He took the money and ran.
this happens over and over and over.

so enough of the blame game
@bolded, u are so funny. Honestly, u made me laugh in Ota. How can u say that someone abandoned govt. Project and ran away with d money. Even if ur a baby, u don't Babalawo to tell u that the govt. that awarded that contract do share the money. Again u said that Nigerians drive with reckless abandon. Sincerely speaking, its like u are in SA with the poster. Drive stupidly in Lasgidi at ur own peril. So please, u guys should stop all these una bloody renaissance push. Why, because u are faint hearted, that's why u left ur mother land Canan land where everything is in order. While catapot urself back to Naija and invest ur rands. Then if u talk, we can respond in affirmative. Until then. U dey yarn porto-porto.