Originally Posted by Obariba

So back to the original concern ...why is Ob not excited by this news ???

Well its a little newspaper somewhere in Texas.Very few people will get a chance to read it. I guess it would have meant more to me if it was published in the New York times or featured on Cnn or Oprah.

Im thinking to myself ..what would the typical American reader think when they read that article ???

Maybe they would say ..."Wow how impressive ...these Nigerians are really ambitious and strive for academic heights" !!!

yeah right !!!

I just feel sad that the state of Nigerian affairs have gotten so low that we would read this article in some insignificant newspaper and get really excited.

Some of our people would say "Well at least we have some positive press this time" !!!

I pray that some day our expectations for ourselves and our country's image would rise above some patronizing comment about our evergreen educational status/achievements.

I hope that we would raise the bar and strive for the kind of respect and acknowledgment that is more significant and monumental .....and hopefully some day we would stop settling for crummy pats on the back from minute local newspapers !!

Originally Posted by Sola

Abi o. It also implies you can only contribute to Nigeria's development when you are PHYSICALLY present in Nigeria. How much of the money earned with those degrees abroad have been invested in Nigeria, pumped into businesses and personal development (school fees, daily upkeep, etc)? DIdn't a recent report indicate again that Diaspora Nigerians contribute billions of Naira to the economy via WU and MG? Make una celebrate the news abeg. Naijas abroad are doing great and it will only get better. Time is on our side, so says the song...

Originally Posted by vince

One could die trying."A beautiful death",it is called,if i can borrow that line from a hollywood movie.Dying without even trying to start that journey is a fate worse than hell,IMO.

Originally Posted by Irinajoeda

My dear Nigermerican, many thanks for your case studies, however, I have to let you know that your case studies were well wasted on me. Why?

Anyone who calls himself a Nigerian is well aware of these ills. Now, isn't it interesting that you see the herbalist as the "baddie" in your story? One that created this harsh environment? The way I see it is this, the herbalist was only ignorant and i'm sure Nigeria isn't the only country that has this, right? I'm sure some mothers do have 'em in that glorious America too, non? Whose responsibility is it to enlighten these illiterates? Isn't it a job for fellow Nigerian like you? Except you're like some who say they only acquired all these knowledge to better themselves...lol.

Well, the doctor, however good his intention, went by it the wrong way! You don't because you studied in the west and want to give back to your community expect to walk in without a hitch. This people do not know you for crying out loud! You have no rappor with the community. You expect to say you're a doctor and you're here to help and they are meant to pave your way with gold? No! The herbalist thought his livelyhood would be threatened and who wouldn't? These people need re-orientation! God knows that a lot of these so called educated Nigerians in the diaspora needs it too! I mean, how do you explain someone who's read so much still believing that the government(someone who seats atop Aso rock or who is a member of parliament) is to be blamed for all the ills of the soceity? The fact is the government is you and I and we are collectively corrupt! It is this same your or I that will in the future contest for governmental seat. When we get there, do we suddenly become saints? What sort of government do you expect a corrupt soceity to produce? The likes of Abacha, Babangida and the likes didn't attend a special corrupt school, they lived amongst you and I, the corrupt ones and just because you've left Nigeria doesn't avail you of this too.

In a nutshell, your doctor should have tried to integrate into the soceity, know their weaknesses, by so doing he would know that these people need some kind of rehabilitation first, before even embarking on any form of project. Like I said, don't go to Nigeria thinking you're doing it any favours, see it as you doing yourself a favour but the road isn't going to be smooth just like anything that's worth having at all.

Forget patriotism! Patrio-what!? Hahaha, you and I know that there is more to gain from Nigeria than what you can give it. The south Africans will tell you that, I mean look at it, they run the telecommunication industry, the chinese run the manufacturing sector in YOUR own country! They are making MONEY!. It's up to you to take your stake.

I'm not one to rejoice at the demise of others but I bet that Damilola Taylor's parents would have sworn that their lives would be better in the UK but what's happened now? The whole family has almost being wiped out in a country that has things in order the country were crime rate is low. I be the Dosunmu family who's child was shot point blank in bed thought they'd escaped gruesome murders in Nigeria. I bet a lot of Nigerians who have been killed in America thought it was better to be in a country that had steady water supply and regular electricity and good policing. I guess it's better to die in America than in Nigeria afterall, you get buried in a nice cemetry and get people to bring you flowers. Death in America is "chic" as opposed to Nigeria! Hellooooooooooo! Death is death and it can happen anywhere in the world! Only God guarantees safety! Didn't I read somewhere that South Africa is the most dangerous country to live in - in Africa? But guess what, our people go there nontheless because anywhere is better than Nigeria, right?

If America hadn't built it's country, would you be there? There are universities in your country, how come you chose the states? No, don't tell me, it's because the system work isn't it? Unlike your country where things are in shambles, where the government (that powerful man) disallowed you from dreaming big, right? I guess the government held Dangote down, I guess a lot of our mates who are still alive in Nigeria now were just so lucky because the armed robbers didn't have their address.

I am not asking for patriotism, it just kills me that we are allegedly intelligent, yet we get treated like shit by the western world, never minding that we contribute immensely to their economy! It just makes sense to me more that with these education, we can make Nigeria better and alleviate these crimes, these poverty back home. Money is good, sending money home is fine but giving time to impart this knowledge on the "babalawo" for instance would go a long way. Rather than give a man a fish, why not teach him to fish?

Originally Posted by Eee

Only if the cause is a worthy one and you're sure it's going somewhere.

Besides some of y'all need to quit generalizing.Just cos you don't see it happening or people don't go about broadcasting their good works doesn't mean it's not happening.All these cheap talks.Don't just talk the talk, walk it too.