Comments on NIGERIAN CURIOSITY: I THINK NIGERIA NEEDS A 'REVOLUTION'

All big and good change bring by revoloution so it...

2009-12-21T04:12:37.587-05:00

All big and good change bring by revoloution so its good but not for all times. Its depend on civiliasation and people how they use this revoloution? so its the time to take right decession for Nigeria and its people

This article is good for both knowldge and informa...

2009-12-17T12:17:04.058-05:00

This article is good for both knowldge and information, all revoloution are bring a great chnage for every society and people. Hopes that Nigeria's people get favour of revolution.

Hi Just a question: Is the racism in Nigeria as b...

2009-07-03T08:55:24.539-04:00

Hi

Just a question: Is the racism in Nigeria as bad as for example in South Africa?? I just can't believe that so many people starve, but the government doesnt accept GMO food from America ect. (If I have my facts straight)...
But the fact of the matter is, violance will only decrease with the increase of oppertunities...

@ waffy, yes my job does do my cv the world of goo...

2008-01-28T11:56:00.000-05:00

@ waffy, yes my job does do my cv the world of good. However you dismissively say that skill transfer and corporate governance structures don't matter. I will direct you to the IFC Environmental Impact Assesment Report on Obajana Cement(google IFC and Obajana). Go read what the local villages in the area wanted in return for Dangote and co coming to set up shop in their neck of the woods.

With regards to the consultation, it's supposed to be free, otherwise it's not volunteer work. However the point is this, I believe that encouraging private investment is the most effective and sustainable way of trying to fix the poverty situation in Nigeria.

As someone who has been to at least 5 motivational speakers things courtesy of NYSC, I think they have caught on in Nigeria Speaking of the Niger Delta, there was this forum against violence motivational thing where Kanu and a bunch of other people attended. People are always exhorting other people in Nigeria.

The charity fashion shows actually affect the grass roots levels, because most of the money raised goes to grass roots level. Motherless babies, AIDS, unicef, and all that.

My point is that I feel that grassroots stuff like this does not address the source of the problem. To me it is like treating the symptoms but not the disease. I don't say people shouldn't do it, i just don't think it's long term sustainable. I think the lack of impact of aid in africa has gone a long way in support of my argument. To me helping someone start a business that employs 300 people which will likely have a sustaining effect on 3000 people is more sustainable and will have a greater effect in the long run. In the whole teach a man to fish kinda way.

@snazzy

”I’ll take the long term sustainab...

2008-01-26T07:35:00.000-05:00

@snazzy

”I’ll take the long term sustainability of my method over yours"

What method? You have not actually mentioned any sort of method. You basically "described" your job, very good for a CV and I am happy you are satisfied with your contribution to the Nigerian economy.

However, that still leaves millions of Nigerians that will never be able to afford your consultation fees or even hear of such a thing. For them, "skills transfer" and "corporate governance structures" are foreign words that mean nothing to them.

You say "movitvational concerts" is a standard meme, perhaps in other countries around the world, but certainly not in Nigeria and not in the Niger Delta where no one comes to except "I go die" and RMD. As for "charity fashion shows", I have not been priviledged to be on that side of society, we have no such events in Warri. I am very sure none of my previous comments suggested any such thing, instead, I wrote about doing things on the grassroots level, among the people who have it hardest in Nigeria.

However, I will respect the fact that you have found a sector you believe in and I wish you good luck.

@ waffy, well let's leave aside what i am willing ...

2008-01-26T04:07:00.000-05:00

@ waffy, well let's leave aside what i am willing to do, and talk about what i am actually doing. Well the standard salve of conscience charity given to local orphanages and less needy people works. Ultimately this doesn't change anything, but you do it any way because you want to be able to sleep at night. The second thing is that my job is to work with entrepreneurs to build successful companies (and make money for investors :D). The skills transfer and the job creation are supposed to come with the package. Granted the entrepreneur gets most of the benefit, but more people have jobs and become skilled and more marketable. For example, look at what happened to engineers in the telecoms sector once the revolution started.

Now let's talk about what I am willing to do. In my spare time i'm supposed to be doing consulting work with small businesses as to how to improve their budgeting and corporate governance structures, but I have been selfish with the little time I have after work and traffic take their cut. Who knows, this year may be the year it actually happens.

Now this doesn't get you publicity like movitvational concerts, or charity fashion shows or any of the standard memes that get reenacted for helping the less fortunate in Nigeria. But I think I'll take the long term sustainability of my method over yours.

@snazzy, we are on the same page here, I agree tha...

2008-01-26T00:19:00.000-05:00

@snazzy, we are on the same page here, I agree that it is "the little things" that count, but again, I ask, "WHAT LITTLE THINGS?", I too, do not like big speeches but would rather be practical and do something that can be implemented.

All those "little things" you mentioned, will all have in their turn, a list of liitle things that need to START them up.For example, you talk about "reform", everybody knows we need a reform in most of the sectors, but somebody better make a damn list of the practical things they wanna reform in any sector or we will be here saying the same thing ten years from now.

As I said earlier, one way I can contribute is in the information sector. I will be willing to go out and talk with people on the streets, markets, rural communities,etc which would be number 1 on my list. The next item would be distrubuting pamphlets and shirts with slogans on them, number three would be organising free concerts with motivational speakers, etc etc, you get my drift.

The point is, I have a list and I know what I am working towards and what my goal is.Someone else might be able to contribute in another sector, make your list and get on it. I will borrow your words: "It's about execution where we stand, not about speeches. We cannot afford the speeches anymore"

So I ask again, WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO?

Thanks for this post Solomonsydelle. I've hatched ...

2008-01-24T21:21:00.000-05:00

Thanks for this post Solomonsydelle. I've hatched out a post on Grandiose Parlor- Nigeria: Starting a Revolution Without a Bang.

Summary:

1. The Nigerian revolution will not start with a bang. The reason is straight forward: Nigerians hare become too apathetic and cynical to "make a bang" given the decades of abuse and disappointment they have endured and the huge sociocultural disparity in the nation.

2. The Nigerian revolution has started in a very subtle manner, and its full impact will slowly efface over time. The activities of the EFCC under Ribadu are revolutionary in every sense and purpose, just as the rulings of the Nigerian legal courts on the last elections. These are two examples of ground-changing transitions that were unimaginable a decade back.

3. There is a leadership vacuum in Nigeria - there is need for people in leadership positions that can inspire the masses. The real catalysts to fire the Nigerian revolution are those people with strong moral and high ethical standards, and strong social commitment. With the help of the masses, those people have to assume leadership positions. They need to be identified, supported, promoted or voted into leadership.

@ waffy, my point is that the somewhere you start ...

2008-01-24T11:53:00.000-05:00

@ waffy, my point is that the somewhere you start from is not revolution. It's little things. It's investors threatening to sue banks for keeping their money in public offers thereby sanitizing the process. It's refusing to pay bribes for property in lagos and demanding a transparent system that leads to a new licensing regime. It's paying taxes and demanding that the government be more accountable. It's figuring out what type of manufacturing businesses to start in this market that will make money despite the challenges and focusing on plastics and such. It is working to reform the sectors that are rife with corruption for example IT and insurance by working with ethical practitioners to build their businesses. It is Lagos State improving their court system by paying judges a lot more. I could go on, but I'll be long again. Don't for a second think that people aren't doing stuff. It's about execution where we stand, not about speeches. We cannot afford the speeches anymore.

@Snazzy, Another example of the example you gave, ...

2008-01-24T11:33:00.000-05:00

@Snazzy, Another example of the example you gave, would be like the patient who needs surgery. The first thing someone tells you is that you need a neuro surgeon. You realize that the hospital only has General practitioners, you say, it does not matter, we will pay to employ one from Europe, then you realise that we do not have an equipped theater, so you build one, then somebody says, "what if they take light?", so you get a generator, and then you realize after all this, we have not even determined the patient's blood type, so you need to send it to a lab...oh, but we do not have a lab....and so on and so forth. Your example can be used on so many levels, it is the basic Nigerian reality.

I assure you we are all aware of the almost impossible job it is. The point is we have to START from somewhere. What I want to know, is WHO is willing to do something and WHAT is it that you are willing to do.

I think Nigerians need to appreciate QUALITY of life. Why should I muddle along when I can walk upright?

First off let me apologize for this very very long...

2008-01-24T09:39:00.000-05:00

First off let me apologize for this very very long comment.

I didn't know you had moved, which is why i haven't been here for a while. Here is my two kobo. The problem with wishing for a revolution (non-violent or otherwise) is the same problem of wishing for quick solutions. Even if you waved a magic wand and made every Nigerian the living embodiment of altruism, and every policy mandate of the government a perfect one it will still take about ten to twenty years to half the poverty level and reduce it from some 70 million people to about 35 million people. Revolutions do not work, incremental change works. It is not glamorous, it doesn't come with slogans and fancy chants. It's not inspirational. It simply works. One year is better than the next, and those years add up over time. It's not marching to Abuja and then flying back to wherever you came from. It's not dropping trash in front of politicians houses or in related news kidnapping their fathers and mothers.

Let me give you an example of what i mean. So you come to power as this new enlightened leader in Nigeria after your revolution. One of your main planks is that you will fix the power situation immediately. The first thing someone tells you. Well we have 5,000 MW and we need 20,000 MW, what should we do? You say, build the power plants. (Notice it is about $1 million a MW and each will take about 2-3 years to build.) Then someone says, oh i forgot all these power plants need to be powered and since we are environmentally concious we cannot use coal. So we use gas. Then they tell you, there are no facilities for gas stripping in Nigeria in the quantities that we would need. Then you say lets build the gas strippers. Then someone says, there is no way to get the gas to the power plants. Then you say let them build pipes to transport the gas. Finally you have fixed the generation problem. Wait someone then says, our transmission network is too small to carry all this new power we have. You say improve the transmission network. So you do that. Wait someone says, the distribution network is also horrible, we cannot transmit power to the people without losing 50% of it. You say, fix it.

Because the people love you they believe you when you say after this five year plan you will have constant power supply. Then you announce your new tarrifs to enable your electricity system to work properly with proper incentives for mainteneance and capital expenditure. Wait someone says, this price is to high for the common man. No one will pay it. We should pay the old price. But you say that if we do that no one will do the power in Nigeria. We don't care the price has to remain the same. Government has to subsidise. All your contractors melt away because they are not trusting the recovery of billions of dollars of capital expenditure to a government subsidy.

How does your revolution fix this problem, the biggest bane of the Nigerian economy?

Oh and I also forgot to mention that in Nigeria currently you don't have even close to a third of the skilled people that you would need to execute a project of this nature. However I didn't throw that in because it might make it a bit too difficult for your revolution.

I suppose I was not as civil as I could have been, but living here and seeing how much of a struggle it is to do the little that we are doing, any calls for disruption however well meaning drive me up the wall.

I'm done, but i must say that Nigeria is not an easy fix. There is no magic wand to solve our problems. In spite of goverment, sometimes despite their best efforts to hold us back, we are muddling in the right direction. People forget that with all his nonsense, Obasanjo actually reduced the poverty rate in this country from 70% to 50% (or rather it reduced in his 8 years in power). I'll rather muddle in the right direction than try to walk in the right direction and end up in a civil war.

abeg, let me clarify before people begin to think ...

2008-01-24T02:58:00.000-05:00

abeg, let me clarify before people begin to think i am some kind of crazed armed robber mistress...my suggestion of organizing armed robbers to terrorize corrupt politicans is really a play on an idea/strategy, if you will, in several ways...it also represents my frustration with the state of things and the time and my feelings that we need something drastic...it is not the only way, nor one i am actually considering, afterall, isn't that how some of the armed robbers got the guns to begin with?...going to do the meme solomonsydelle...*runs to read pedagogy of revolution*...

We should be thinking of a systemic, institutional...

2008-01-23T15:52:00.000-05:00

We should be thinking of a systemic, institutionalized revolution because putting Nigerians out on the street is never going to effect any changes; people need to know that it will be a long, arduous task to reform Nigeria. However, we created the mess that is Nigeria, so now we've gotta fix it!
Our best bet is to start off with the judiciary; it seems to be the only institution of govt that is functioning at the moment. The courts are undoing the illegal elections of Governors and issuing arrest warrants on corrupt ex-government officials. Our laws and institutions such as the legislative, judiciary and the executive arms of govt must be so reformed and strengthened as to make them extremely difficult to be subverted by politicians and corrupt political leaders. We must institutionalize a system of checks and balances to assure that power would remain with the citizens of the land. We must strengthen the anti-corruption units in Nigeria so as to enable them join meaningfully in the anti-corruption war.

“It would include schemes as simple as people leav...

2008-01-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

“It would include schemes as simple as people leaving their trash at the residences of public officials.” So very true……saw this and knew ‘twill be as revolutionary scheme, simple yet, profound.

Strikes make people suffer….after a while (when hunger’s fully registered) government calls them, and the people say, let’s just accepts this one at least……& half loaf is better than none. Same thing on & on…..

A million man match, interesting but, only (probably) effective where true (& sincere) democracy works; where the intellect is acknowledged. You’ll march; they (government) will see you and just continue as if nothing happened.

Throw trash (dustbin, better expresses it) in front of public officials residences (wonder why ‘tis not being thot of before), religiously (& consistently) request for nothing……when the push comes to shove, ‘twill done on them (government) ha, this people are mad oh, ‘tis a revolution….let’s call them before they kill us oh. Whoa! Nothing as good as him you want to listen to you being the one to call you (saying, let’s reason together).

We sure need a revolution, but, definitely not the conventional one. My thots.

2008-01-23T11:46:00.000-05:00

This comment has been removed by the author.

I read ''revolution' and rather than seeing a guil...

2008-01-23T10:57:00.000-05:00

I read ''revolution' and rather than seeing a guillotine, I just saw machetes. I then began to ponder on whether a bloodless revolution (Not coup, o!!!) could actually work..

love da blog!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-01-23T10:20:00.000-05:00

love da blog!!!!!!!!!!!

@for the love of me: As it is today, the poor man ...

2008-01-23T07:08:00.000-05:00

@for the love of me: As it is today, the poor man is not ready for a revolution, but here is something you wrote that I think is a great starting point for the kind of revolution we need:

"they must be informed/psyched/educated/begged/ to understand that we will have to go through a bit of pain so we can have a better tomorrow".

This is indeed where we have to work on. The poor man does not have internet and so we, in the diaspora can not reach them. So how do we reach them?

Apart from radios, we should be able to form community outreach centers and employ young men and women who are willing to go out in their communities and educate the people.

Infact, we in the diaspora can form groups of volunteers that are willing to spend a part of their vacation educating people in their communities back home. I will be willing to do that. Any more suggestions?

very good blog, congratulations
regard from Cat...

2008-01-23T05:44:00.000-05:00

very good blog, congratulations
regard from Catalonia Spain
thank you

The most important man in this revolution is the p...

2008-01-23T04:42:00.000-05:00

The most important man in this revolution is the poor man, without him, we cannot succeed.That's why the strikes cannot last long cos the conductor/trader will say he's ready to pay whatever fuel price there is so he can continue to do business as he makes his money daily. i perfectly understand this, but's that's perhaps the problem, they must be informed/psyched/educated/begged/ to understand that we will have to go through a bit of pain so we can have a better tomorrow.If we decide to have a march for instance, i dont see a lot of the middle class coming out, how many are they anyway, but if the lower did come out en masse, we would most certainly be heard.
@ solo, thank you for this forum, I hope you would conclude and suggest how you think we can start a revolution, we all seem ready and will do the little we can.Whatever little drops we can put in will one day make a mighty ocean.

i think where nigerians have revolutionised the mo...

2008-01-22T22:49:00.000-05:00

i think where nigerians have revolutionised the most is in the private sector - independent of the government. they still have a long way to go, but nigerians in general are very resourceful with or without government aid. i think if the private sector continues in this trajectory, the government may one day follow. i have pretty much given up on the public sector on producing anything of worth and i am defintely for a revolution of nigeria that entails an expansion of our private sector. i mean wouldn't it be nice if we actually had a privatised electricity provider that could be held accoutable to the people (its clientele), or more privatised hospitals that provided quality treatment because the people refused to buy into large government hospitals, their bureaucracy and ineffectiveness. look at the many strides private universities are making within the past decade. we really need to support the efforts of our own people to better their own lot. so mad props to the our everyday revolutionaries - the business men (of course not all), the philanthropists, the idea generators and those who put these ideas into practice.

P.S: I know there are a lot of good people in Nige...

2008-01-22T18:26:00.000-05:00

P.S: I know there are a lot of good people in Nigeria, working for the good of the nation. Una do well!

@for the love of me: I am not bringing up a "diffe...

2008-01-22T18:09:00.000-05:00

@for the love of me: I am not bringing up a "difference", there is already a difference that is growing stronger everyday when compared to the common man in Nigeria. As Solomonsydelle rightly noted, how can I ask the common man to take to the streets when he has no food to eat? How do I tell him to pay for a ride to a demonstration location when he has no money for his children's school fees?

I will be more comfortable asking any other person whose belly is filled already, than asking one who is still fighting for survival and that is where the "diaspora" comes in. I totally agree with you that we should be "ONE NIGERIA" and that is why those of us that do not have to worry about our survival are using what we have to help our brothers and sisters even though we do not have to. That for me, is in the spirit of "ONE NIGERIA".

As for the people I know, they are of no consequence,(to talk true, na Solomsydelle and Omodudu I be wan name oh! plus some Ijaw militants wey I know from childhood), what matters is what they are willing to do for their country and how far they would be willing to go for the cause.

@ Solo, thanks for this thoughtful piece. We defin...

2008-01-22T14:32:00.000-05:00

@ Solo, thanks for this thoughtful piece. We definitely need a revolution, and it's good to start thinking of practical ways in which it could take shape.

@ for the love, pls drop me his/her contact info once you find this revolutionist who isn't afraid to risk it all for a people who will (may, for some more optimistic folk) be too quick to forget.

Here's Ken Wiwa's response when asked about living up to his father's legacy: "As the first-born child of my father, I am responsible for everyone in my family, including my eight brothers and sisters, my grand parents and numerous relatives. My first priority is taking care of my family."

@ Marin, i believe a revolution of the mind is possible, and it would help to start by calling out those friends/family who partake in the spoils of corruption, via contracts, etc (lol, @ the person's comment about being "raised up"). It definitely wouldn't cost us TOO much to go out of our way to start with small changes in our lifestyles (e.g. bribery to speed things up, pass through check points, etc)(easy for me to say). But when there's such a widespread breakdown of the system and so many things that don't work, it's really hard to do this across the board. But you're right, it starts with me. I just struggle with my part vs the part of those elected/paid to do right by the people. If i spend my entire life TRYING to do right and yet those in power do absolutely nothing, and i don't hold them accountable, how much of a pat of the back can i really give myself?

Are you? Am I? Is he/she?

2008-01-22T14:10:00.000-05:00

Are you? Am I? Is he/she?

Comments on NIGERIAN CURIOSITY: I THINK NIGERIA NEEDS A 'REVOLUTION'

All big and good change bring by revoloution so it...

This article is good for both knowldge and informa...

Hi Just a question: Is the racism in Nigeria as b...

@ waffy, yes my job does do my cv the world of goo...

@snazzy ”I’ll take the long term sustainab...

@ waffy, well let's leave aside what i am willing ...

@snazzy, we are on the same page here, I agree tha...

Thanks for this post Solomonsydelle. I've hatched ...

@ waffy, my point is that the somewhere you start ...

@Snazzy, Another example of the example you gave, ...

First off let me apologize for this very very long...

abeg, let me clarify before people begin to think ...

We should be thinking of a systemic, institutional...

“It would include schemes as simple as people leav...

I read ''revolution' and rather than seeing a guil...

love da blog!!!!!!!!!!!

@for the love of me: As it is today, the poor man ...

very good blog, congratulationsregard from Cat...

The most important man in this revolution is the p...

i think where nigerians have revolutionised the mo...

P.S: I know there are a lot of good people in Nige...

@for the love of me: I am not bringing up a "diffe...

@ Solo, thanks for this thoughtful piece. We defin...

Are you? Am I? Is he/she?

@snazzy

”I’ll take the long term sustainab...

very good blog, congratulations
regard from Cat...