this question is primarily for Nigerians living abroad.

i ask this as recently a very educated friend of mine came to the UK to study i took him out to meet friends black and white ,and at somepoint during the night he started going on about witches, witch craft etc he even went on to say that women who had cats were obviously EVIL!!!!!!  i was and remain shocked and very embarrassed , and do not get me started on his opinion on women. it occurred to me that this is not the first  time i have felt like this in the company of my fellow country men.

my friends did not know what to do or say but later when i met up with them again they just laughed at my backward friend from the dark ages.

so am i right to be ashamed of this behavior or have i just become to westernized ?

surely this cannot be common has anyone else experienced this

Alj, sadly the old saying that you can take the man out of the bush but not the bush out of the man is applicable to what one can only hope is a tiny minority of Nigerians living in the diaspora.

I haven't been through London's Gatwick Airport for some time, but when I was last there, the British Airways check-in desk handling flights to Nigeria had found it necessary to establish two lines of passengers for the Lagos flight.  One line of people was made up of a random mix of nationals that did not include any Nigerians.  This line, like all others but one in the airport terminal, was orderly and quiet, with nobody trying to butt into the head of the que, and with people respecting one another's personal space by standing about a foot apart.

The second line of passengers had been reserved for Nigerians alone, and the hysterical bellowing and jostling could be heard throughout the airport terminal.  Mountains of excess baggage were piled up on either side of the Nigerian passenger que, and the passengers both male and female were crammed against one another crotch to buttocks, precisely in the way the sweaty hordes stand glued together back in Lagos as they claw and shriek while boarding Lagos Transport's dilapidated buses.

Transfixed by the ignominious spectacle, I watched the Nigerian check-in  "line" with morbid fascination as que jumpers did battle with those already sweaty from the pandemonium in progress at the check-in desk, and I felt a slight wave of nausea as I realised that this mob were fully content to represent their country in such a crass and vulgar manner.

Ma experience with Nigerians has 2 be in 2004 on ma way 2 Nigeria and we had 2 stop at Amsterdam. Naturally, am a talkative but tend 2 be quiet in da when am around new ppl, as ma friends would say, I behave like a white person Well, on da fateful day, our flight was delayed so which made it worst 4 me cuz I was so tired. Finally, they asked us to start boarding. As usual, they have 2 go by other of class (1st class, business and economy which almost all 9erians in), Immediately they called ECONOMY and as usual, they ask parent(s) with child(ren) to enter first, but JESUS CHRIST, come and see Nigerians, every1 was just rushing in and i was so embrassed and white lady dat was in control just gave up and couldn't even get every1 2 get 2 theire senses. I quietly sat on ma sit and 4real, I was da last person to enter. At da time I was sitting down, I kept asking maself" why r diz ppl rushing when every1 is entitled 2 one sit?", when I came in, ma sit was beside da window and I was sooo happy but hmm dat was da beginning of da shamless Nigerians.

All different kind of languages was spoken dere and u have 2 come and see the way they were abusing the air hostesses, calling them all sorts of names. The kind of noise they made on da plane ehhhh, 3 much, i couldn't concentrate and sadly 4 me, da ppl at ma back gat like 5 children with dem so crying every now and den.They ask for diz diz sec., da next sec., they r asking again and in most cases, they won't eat it but package it, I was like" so diz kinda ppl still exist ehhh?", den come and see da floor. I had 2 start comparing da plane i used 4rom Toronto to Amsterdam and da current one I was in. The few foreigners in da economy were just quiet and observing. Instead of this people 2 wait for the air hostesses to come and take their garbage, they will just throw it on da floor and everywhere was sooooooo messy. Some started asking me if i was MIXED or from another country and am like nah, am Nigerian. Even when we landed in Nigeria, diz same rush started again and pilots and air hostesses started noding their heads. Really, it was sooo embrassing 4real. After all the runs, almost 85% was held cuz they came in with Nigerian passport so they needed 2 clear up things and "us" dat took our time, happened get in 1st.

Anyother wahala was at da lugage area. With da kind of heat dere and shouting and noise, ma brain wasn't functioning very well. I had 2 sit sumwhere and wait 4 da crowd 2 reduce and did ma own thing. I don't know why Nigerians have to rush everything. I came 2 da conclusion dat cuz of diz behave dat we don't get repect. Even when our flight was delayed, they were neva bothered. If I could a way 2 get 2 Nigeria without Nigerians being on it atleast not alot, I would love it. it was a bad experience.

What I'm most surprised is the number of Nigerians that believe in the powers of "remote control" (voodoo), without any proof of its efficacy. I guess it's like religion. You either believe or not. No questions asked. No proof needed.
A lot of educated and sophisticated Nigerians are guilty of this.

Speaking of superstitous beliefs, my all-time favourite has got to be the surprisingly widespread acceptance, among quite a few college-educated Nigerians I've spoken with,  that with the right incantations and smoke-dried rare animal parts it is physically possible for a "traditionally fortified" individual to disappear into thin air and simultaneously re-materialize at any specified location worldwide and without the need to purchase an air-ticket.  At Chicago's O'Hare Airport a few years ago, an intercepted Nigerian drug mule raised a few eyebrows during his hand-cuffing when he attempted to invoke the spirits of teleportation with a few spirited verses of juju incantations.  I would love to hear his reflections on that memorable day when he gets out of jail after his 5 to ten with good behavior. 

On a more serious note the Nigerian aviation industry would indeed be imperilled if some juju man did stir up the right magic potion needed to achieve Star Trek-style teleportation as many feel has already been accomplished, so I certainly hope that the laws of physics continue to hold just like Albert Einstein promised us they would.

Now this might shock a lot of people, and a lot of people will think it's blatant nonsense, it actually makes "sense" to me and untill another sound theory is given i will continue to hold onto what i am about to say. A book i read (2ce) just might give you the answer as to why nigerians/africans are the way we are. I'll try to explain it as simply as i can.

The book i read is called "The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception," and it is basically written by the Rosicrucian fellowship (lets just call them a religion for simplicity's sake.) Their theory basically goes thus: They believe in the doctrine of rebirth or life after death. They also posit that the reason for our being on the earth(all the numerous reincarnations) is to gain experience, i.e spirits gaining a physical experience. They say that after each life has been lived, the soul that has progressed in some measure is somewhat placed on a higher ladder on the scale than that which has not. They then say that the souls/spirits that dont progress are all kept together in subsequent reincarnations. An analogy is a normal school system(Not the university though). after each year you are graduated to the next class, on and on over the years. And as is almost always the case we have pupils who haven't learnt the lessons of that particular class, and so they must repeat that class untill they pass the exam. And the same way the school authorities don't allow any student who has failed that class to move to the next class with those who have passed, so also souls that don't progress after a lifetime (or certain lifetimes) are not allowed to "move on" with the souls who have, and at such are not placed in the same country/region of the world, for the reason that they would stunt the growth of those who are progressing. As the saying goes, bad apples spoil good apples. So ultimately the people in Africa are the souls who have not progressed on as they should. And i think that can also be expanded to mean the dark skinned race. So from all this, just maybe u can see a pattern here. why Nigerians are the way we are, why Africa is the way it is. Basically because we are not 'progressive' spiritually, which in my opinion accounts for why we are not particularly progressive on the physical plane.

This is as simple as i think i can make it. There is much more to it, and i'm not sure i'm in a position to expantiate, and even if i was i'm not sure i would wanna go into it.

Now tell me people, does this make sense or not? I know there will be a zillion questions and reasons why this theory cannot hold water, but i'm sure there as many reasons/answers to them. I don't know them all (i'm not a member of the fellowship), but i'm sure they do. But i can use a little logic to answer a few basic questions that could come up. I will try my utmost best to use the logic i speak of to answer any questions that any1 might have, and others i cannot answer, i'll just have 2 direct you to the fellowship (http://www.rosicrucian.com.) Many will say that the reincarnation theory is just about nonsense on it's own merit, how much more the whole thing i have said. But remember that the truth is the truth even if you and many poeple don't believe it. just as 2+2 will always be 4, even if some people think it is 3 and so on and so forth.

Well there it goes, hope you had a 'happy' reading.

K9, your opinion is by far the most blatantly racist writing I have ever enountered under any topic in the Nairaland forum, for it groups ALL Nigerians into one category of being dumb-ass coons because they haven't, in your estimation, transcended into as high a sphere of re-incarnated imortality as the rest of the globe's population.

Since I personally have not as yet had the opportunity to interview a re-animated dead person, I find little more than comical amusement in any theories propounded on the basis of such unprovable hocus pocus, whether they be set forth by a bare-assed juju man in an African jungle clearing or by a substance-addled Rosicrucian white man from some obscure church out in the Utah wilderness.   Put simply,  I can't see myself in a hurry to explore the subject of life after death any time soon, K9.

@K9
Are you from Africa? If you read this book 2Ce, then you must already be suffering from some inferiority complex to believe the content, free your mind and stop limiting yourself with such rubbish excuses for the problem we have in Africa.

@K9- thats just the ramblings of a cult, pls don,t give those ramblings any heed! saying things like that make you sound like one of the people i was speaking of in the first place!

@ ajadudu
I am from africa and the reason why i read the book 2ce is something you nor I would want to to happen to u in ur wildest dreams or nightmares.

@Jakumo
did i not say the theory is not mine and that i am NOT their member? I am just seeking an explanation to the subject matter and that is one that i have found. And trust me if u will, there are much more racist writings and opinions out there. And since u outrightly rubbish this theory, can you then give another?

k9:


@Oakum
did i not say the theory is not mine and that i am NOT their member? I am just seeking an explanation to the subject matter and that is one that i have found. And trust me if u will, there are much more racist writings and opinions out there. And since u outrightly rubbish this theory, can you then give another?

i can give you a theory- the social , economic, idealogical, environmental ,meteorological and political factors affecting our country produces unique and proud people who sometimes, just sometimes seem very rude, perhaps a little naive and yeah a little embarrassing when viewed with a cool eye. as i have already said i have been embarrassed by some of my country men but this is not because they possess "failing souls"

@k9

you just told us a fairy tale or folklore whatever they call it.

k9:

So ultimately the people in Africa are the souls who have not progressed on as they should. And i think that can also be expanded to mean the dark skinned race.[/b]So from all this, just maybe u can see a pattern here. [b]why Nigerians are the way we are, why Africa is the way it is. Basically because we are not 'progressive' spiritually, which in my opinion accounts for why we are not particularly progressive on the physical plane.

@ k9

i think you are searching for the "meaning of life" if not the meaning of life as we know if in africa. but, my brother, i'd be a liar if i did not say that those words you typed (& believe?) are racist. does the existence of other (more) racist material make it any better?

also, my soul & heart is very progressive. believing that africans are spiritually inferior, however is NOT a progressive thing. [/i]perhaps you should change your mind before you get recycled back to nigeria in your next life!

[i]take heart. your exploration is noble. your conclusions are not. back to the drawing board.

@ alj.
Well that is a theory, and that is how it is done. Gather up all reasons/theories/explanations, then seive the shaft from the grain by way of reason/logic or whatever it takes. untill you narrow down the list to the barest minimum. And while i can bring up certain arguments against your theory, just as you did the one i wrote(while not mine) i'd rather not. There are certain types of "arguments" i never get into as a matter of principle, and this toipic fits the bill.

@chinani
Yes you may be correct, I very well might have been looking for the meaning of (my) life, which may be one of the reasons i read the book. But i strongly disagree that what i wrote is racist. It may sound racist, but i doubt if it is, because i read the statements before and after. Just like you can never really tell a book by its cover you likewise cannot conclude that the statement is racist, because you only heard/read 1/10th of the book (which im sure you wouldn't even wanna look at.) I could say more, but i'd rather not, i just sought to contribute to the discussion and give food for thought. And i see there's a big possiblity of this turning into something "nasty" so i shall let sleeping dogs lie.

@K9 i will try to read this book as forwarded is forarmed . thank you for bring it to my attention.

@ k9

my dear i am NEVER nasty? & you're right. i can not judge the book w/o having read it. but if you can read that book then i suggest that you read OTHERS as well.

Chinani, i'm sorry but i didn't say you were nasty, i said chances are that the topic could turn into something nasty. And you can be rest assured that i read and have read many many books, some that weren't even worth my while more or less. And i will probably still keep reading, perhaps you can point me in the direction of a good book or two.

alj, feel free to look for and read the book, but be also warned that it is quite volumnous, and you will read many things that you will not be prepared for or will easily accept. But you can do as i do, take what you will from a book and throw away the rest. That method has always worked for me. Hope it does same for you.

yeah been embarassed everywhere,anyway my story is similar 2 dat of hotstepper but not to harsh cos i travelled in winter(notice how the ppl are calm cos most of them are students comin home)

Let the bad, ignorant ones be ashamed for themselves, there is no point feeling embarrassed for somebody else's actions. If so called Nigerians are ashamed of actions other Nigerians what do we expect from non-Nigerians.

.

i think that it is embarrassing to be in the company of nigerians. they are mafia's and crooks, most of them come to my country to invest in various types of business, but they are crooks and cannot be trusted, well most of them that have been.

In our local daily, they were cought dealing with drugs and diamonds, the highest confiscated large amount of drugs ever in Namibia, a young boy from our town was also involved and has been arrested, why do they come to our country with the intension of dealing dirty, Namibia is a clean safe crountry and we would like to live in peace of the nigerians, they are really dangerous!

@Jakumo, your post has me laughing so much my colleagues are begging to see "the joke"
I can just picture that scene, not pretty!
@K9, that isn’t even a theory…not even folklore…both of those have some roots in reality. Everyone has an opinion…there are as many ideologies as people so I won’t address your source but honestly do you expect us to agree with this severely flawed “theory” of yours? Maybe you believe yourself to be so inferior but please don’t insult us (or certainly me) by trying to post .
Ok…back to original question…I get embarrassed sometimes but very rarely, I've got a thick hide and besides, "everybody answer im papa name", you say your friend is very educated…but remember there is more to being educated than getting good grades in school. I have friends like that and at this stage they are just amusing….
Would like to point out though that belief in witchcraft and the like is not the preserve of Nigerians…you only need to look at how popular tarot readers and the like are…Look at the programmes like most haunted and the like…there is a vast audience that think along same lines in the western world…
That’s what your friend believes and he is entitled to it…maybe he’ll change his mind soon…maybe not…

i think that it is embarrassing to be in the company of nigerians. they are mafia's and crooks, most of them come to my country to invest in various types of business, but they are crooks and cannot be trusted, well most of them that have been.

In our local daily, they were cought dealing with drugs and diamonds, the highest confiscated large amount of drugs ever in Namibia, a young boy from our town was also involved and has been arrested, why do they come to our country with the intension of dealing dirty, Namibia is a clean safe crountry and we would like to live in peace of the nigerians, they are really dangerous!

tell me something i don't know my friend!! from the corrupt free nation of namibia. come on these bad nigerian business men bring drugs inside your country and they sell those drugs to themselves and consume it?? who the Bleep is buying those drugs from them and i can assure you they don't hawk this stuff on the streets themselves, someone else is doing that and they must be namibians. and i am ashamed of walking with southern african nationals because they hate people from western africa .

Dear Romeo boy,I think u misunderstood the point raised by venice,it is true that this Nigerians they don'nt sell this drugs among themselves but there are also some Namibians who are doing this dirty business with Nigerians,but the sources/ suppliers are Nigerians.and the other thing is the Southern zone we don'nt hate the east Africa at all they are all over our countries and we live together happily most of them are missionaries.but few of them are crooks and no body can deny that.Sory if u are offended.

Romeo

You don't have to hate the Southern Africans, we love nigerians, we support them in everyway we can, especially through soccer u'll talk about JJ Okocha and the Kanu's etc those are people i want or even people from my country are crazy over, and of couse, i respect the President very much, Mr. Abasanjo i met him at our 15th Indepence last year, cause i was among the VIP's

So Romeo, we don't hate you, western stop that negative thoughts about southern Africans, i'm from Namibia!

ahhhh Venice!! you met Mr. Abasanjo? and who is that man please? and besides you could have reported that issue to your VIP friend called Abasanjo and not to this forum (any way there is freedom of speech) what is the work of your countries judicial system? catching and punishing law offenders right? let them do their job and stop this name smearing of Nigerians going on in your part of the continent, if the Namibian police think that some Nigerians are breaking the countries laws, it is their duty to arrest them and charge them accordingly

I 2nd romeo's sentiments. But, man-oh-man is he making me laugh! "you met Mr. Abasanjo? and who is that man please?" ***Comedy. Pure Comedy***

@ Romeo & Chinani
U can lough all u want but its not funny she meant President Obasanjo,get it.wrong spelling, now both of u go fish.

@ reba
Aw, I meant no harm.

@Romeo and Chinani

1. Romeo Must Die
2. Chinani must live
3. i meant President Obasanjo
4. a plain human error? than u call urself nigerians, if somebody spelled my Pres name wrongly i would correct them not joke about it boys,

i don't think it's right wishing me death, but anyway i am not gonna die ya know!! talk to ur police and know what plans they have for my niggaland brothers.

I usually get along with Nigerians well in my neck of wood. But there is an incident I witnessed once on my trip to Nigeria. On a stopover at Gatwick/Heathrow airport, there was this lady who was crying hysterically. Her complaint was that her plane would not accomodate her excess luggage, unless she paid an extra fee. Now, common sense would dictate to any traveller that excess fee is required by pilots. And this lady had the money quite alright, but she was reluctant to part with it to these hostesses. I was pulled aside by my travelling mate to accomodate her luggages for a fee , I think it was ten pounds. I declined, so did he. I mean, why not pay the airline the required fee, instead of bribing someone else to take over your luggage? One of my homegirls did not buy her stance that she was genuine.


About the witchcraft saga, well, such discussion is usually limited to folks who believe that they exist. However, if you discuss such a controversial topic with a white man, hmmm, they might refer you to a close by mental hospital.