tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1259678905729324935.post3245294739904360387..comments2008-04-06T22:15:57.018-04:00SOLOMONSYDELLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564768670896215900noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1259678905729324935.post-7663694649552267092008-04-06T22:15:00.000-04:002008-04-06T22:15:00.000-04:00my dear, i should really take a Saturday afternoon and go through all your archived posts - i have missed so much. just a random point before i comment on the meat of the post:<BR/><BR/>"Have you ever heard of Americans bringing Australians to fix a problem? I know I have not and don't envision ever hearing such in the future."<BR/><BR/>Americans do this all the time - Microsoft is petitioning the government to soften its immigration policies so that it can hire more skilled foreigners (namely Indians). Mexican immigrants are literally imported into the states to "fix" our problems - the need for cheap labor. But, this type of importation of talent is VERY different from what we are seeing in Nigeria because in Nigeria it is indeed an inferiority complex.<BR/><BR/>"we must remember that we can only rely on ourselves to improve our lot."<BR/><BR/>It's funny because my dad, brothers and I were talking about this in the car on our way to church today. My dad stated - "Only Africa can deliver Africa." <BR/><BR/>In regards to your personal commitment to making use of Nigerian services and products I applaud your efforts. I wish such thinking was popular (kind of how like people in the US feel patriotic when they were a Made in the US brand rather than Made in China). I think this could come from our Nollywood industry. I cringe when I read interviews of Nigerian stars who detail all the foreign designers and perfumes they patronise. I would even be more comfortable if they patronised a South African or Kenyan designer and made it cool to do such.<BR/><BR/>As to the mentality. I think we are slowly getting there. I'm incredibly proud when I see some of our politicians were traditional wears to foreign outings or in their job posts (the only problrm is that the material was probably manufactured in China...sigh). I think the more popular figures in Nigerian media embrace this idea of Afrocentrism (like Dakore, to some extent), the more people develop pride in home grown items. Another example is Nigerian furniture. Who in their right mind (except for those with an extreme inferiority complex) would import furniture from the white man when some of the most beautifully handicrafted pieces can be found on the streets of Umuahia or Aba (I'm sure there are other places in Naija, but these are the ones I am familiar with). I think there will be a time in which there is a preponderance of evidence that Nigerian made materials, ideas, and man power is just as good or even better than foreign ones and that people will slowly have to let go of their whiter is brighter mentality.<BR/><BR/>If we want to speed up that process I think that we all will have to do our part to over-advertise the Nigerian brand (whether products or people). If one person fails us and does a bad job or is corrupt, that is just one person down and 139,999,999 people left to make use of their services.<BR/><BR/>I know, long commentary, but since this is a post from 07, I don't think too many people will complain...nneomahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116013790446026291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1259678905729324935.post-40941138947988782532007-02-27T07:34:00.000-05:002007-02-27T07:34:00.000-05:00Well written, I am on this side of the fence. Thanks for coming by my blog.Omoduduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717886400763110903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1259678905729324935.post-63007404181259815452007-02-25T23:52:00.000-05:002007-02-25T23:52:00.000-05:00I guess its because we don't trust our own knowledge! we are used to someone else telling us what to do, taking the initiative is always a problem. I remember in secondary school, we were never rewarded for taking initiative, instead, the teachers asked:" who told you to do that?" "who sent you?" if you could not come up with a reasonable answer, you were punished.We need to rely on our knowledge more and stop waiting for others to make simple decisions for us.Waffarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06039619178621668954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1259678905729324935.post-24337122078811561482007-02-25T18:22:00.000-05:002007-02-25T18:22:00.000-05:00@ Dami: Molotov cocktail, keh? Abeg oh! Make you no vex too much!<BR/><BR/>Liked your note about the airports and hotels. Made me wonder whether having anti-prejudice laws on the books could make difference someday in curbing outright prejudice towards your own kind.<BR/><BR/>@ Nilla: I'm having a cold, snow packed weekend. The kids love it - playing in the snow. All I can think of is how soon it will melt. Enjoy your weekend as well.SOLOMONSYDELLEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564768670896215900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1259678905729324935.post-26988763476305822082007-02-24T22:19:00.000-05:002007-02-24T22:19:00.000-05:00Yeah, we really need to lose that "White Man's magic" mentality..<BR/><BR/>Nice one!<BR/><BR/>Hope you're having a great weekend.Nillahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07027946876144330047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1259678905729324935.post-18909192409972612242007-02-24T18:44:00.000-05:002007-02-24T18:44:00.000-05:00nice write-up!<BR/>it's so bad that you can notice it at our own airports,they frisk,shake u and question you until you bring out some cash, but the white boy even gets escorted to his car.same as the hotels<BR/><BR/>Anyway ive learnt how to make molotov cocktails.being second class in my own country is not it!Damihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11287304316354748811noreply@blogger.com