Talking of white masters ...this is a comment from Lord Lugard ...Founder of Nigeria -
""In character and temperament" wrote Lord Lugard, "the typical African of this race-type - His thoughts are concentrated on the events and feelings of the moment, and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future or grief for the past.
He lacks the power of organisation, and is
conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of
men or business.

I hope u realize many Nigerians back home have a college degree and it is certainly not for show off it is almost a way of life.It is natural for a Nigerian immigrant to acquire a degree abroad so that they wont appear to be less educated than their counterparts back home in Nigeria.

Infact in Nigeria these days, most graduates also have a master's degree. In Naija education is a leveller whether we like it or not.
If you like show up with as much foreign exchange as you like .... ur educational level will definately matter the most.

Indeed people could get by in the US without a higher education ....a lot of realtors I know selling million dollar homes dont have those degrees.

Education among Nigerians abroad is tied to class distinction "among" Nigerians not necessary to impress fellow Americans.

Nice suggestion hope I will witness that exodus back home in my lifetime !

Wow thats awesome !

Outstanding !

Tell em boo !!

I cant wait to see that !!

Maybe paying the student loans are upsetting her who knows.

True dat, nice suggestion........................but only in theory .I like Sola's use of "WE"-more like he's waiting for reinforcement and doesn't want to be the first to make that difference.

And with threads like, "Is Naija expensive?" and the like, perhaps he is a bit hesitant about taking that first step.No?

It's very ok to weigh out the odds before taking a step, but if you look at the obstacle even before you get to it, chances are the obstacle is going to appear large & looming and that you'd never take that first step.

So perhaps it is the same for other Nigerians who mean well and have great thoughts & ideas in their minds but are hesitant to take that first crucial step.

So Sola, pray, go it alone and give feedback


P-S, I'm not picking on AF, his just caught my attention.

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*Pending*

Bro, I think you are looking at the situation wrong, because the view you're expressing is utterly superficial. To a passer by, it reads well and sounds important, but when you examine the facts and figures, you can quickly see the craters that make it look like swizz cheese. Your comments and write ups have been purporting some sort of collective awareness and effort on the part of all Nigerians, especially the "degree" holders in the diaspora, to aid the nation. This frame work does and will NOT work in the reality of our present society, and you know it. First of all, for that to happen, we have to get along...good luck there.

You asked about where our Bill Gates, Edisons, Graham Bells, Macintoshes, Xeroxes etc are right? You really want to know why we don't have as many because we do have some that are rising...like the Dangotes, Kasey Lawals and many more, soon they'll be global. But here is the reason why we don't have people of such caliber yet. See, their country provides and continues to provide for them, so yes, they eagerly contribute, because they're in an environment where they're fostered to explore, dream, search, invent, grow. If not the government, they support each other, we DO NOT. The truth is, Nigeria doesn't do diddly squart for her people, but rather expliot and demoralize them. The explanation is simple, we're still being ruled by those who grew up in the colonial era, and it's not too far fetched to claim that they still have that colonial mentality of exploitation. America seeks out her gifted citizens [and even foreigners-as long as they can get something out of you-like us in the diaspora, including you Vince. You can't blame them, we can employ the same tactics if we had sensible leaders] and give them what they need to grow; scholarships, grants loans,etc. Name one governmental scholarship program in Nigeria? Forget scholarships, how about a loan program for students, at least there's a chance of them getting their money back? Oh, I forgot, degrees are useless, so why should they help you get one but when you go out on your own and achieve it, you're automatically expected to give back to the country?

But really, let me not be facetious, tell me why, someone who went through hell to get out of there and get a better position in life through education should make Nigeria their top priority? Did Nigeria send them to school abroad? Did Nigeria give a shyt when Funke was forced to spread her legs so that a professor will give her a passing grade, even though she already earned it? Did Nigeria care that Obi has an IQ of 180, but because his father died from hard labor when he was 10 and his mom's akara sales isn't enough to pay for his schooling, his potentials are wasted? Were they there to step in when Ahmed and his boys stumped the life out of that Christian girl that designed those pikinis that made our jaws drop because they believe she's corrupting the muslim girls? How can anyone achieve anything in that environment?

Look at the ones trying their damnest to make something of that country, working tirelessly under grueling conditions, and the government doesn't pat an eye in their direction. How can you run an experiment in the lab when there's no light? How can you compute complex models and invent things when there are no computers, adequate libraries, archives, nor something as simple as the internet. Give me a freaking break? It's the education that our parents have that is in part inspiring us to do well, and in turn motivate us to make a change, not to mention the generations coming under us. What exactly do you think will happen if we all got on a plane and went knocking on Aso Rock? Do you really think that we'll be embraced with open arms and given offered positions that will maximize our collective skill sets? All they care about is that we come and invest in the money markets there, nothing about bringing your skills back. How can a doctor cure an entire sick village, when half the population is diabetic and there's no electricity to store the insulin he brought back with him. Is it that the money is not there to rebuild the infrastructures? We certainly have the money, and God knows we have engineers more than capable to take on the task, and people with great administrative skills to support and make it work the way they should, but will they give them the chance? No they won't. When the government has refused to tar the road leading to my house in the village, how is it my fault for wanting to stay in London, America, Canada etc where I can get paid for my skills and earn a bit extra to tar the road myself, which not only benefits me but the other villagers that utilize it. Isn't that contribution? A contribution that was brought about because of my "useless degree."

Countries are like snakes my brother, the body moves in the same direction as the head. If the head goes into fire, the body feels the pain as well, if the head finds food and eats it, the body flourishes, and if the head picks a fight, the body suffers. Our leaders are corrupt, nonchalant and unwavering, that attitude equally permeates through to her citizens, hence the reason why you think anyone that you introduce yourself to thinks of you that way. If our leaders are doing anything to show us that they care for the betterment of the country, believe me, we'll follow suit, but in the meantime, we all do the little we can. The key word being little, because while you're in the Europe it might be hard to see what impact Nigerians in the Americas are doing both here and home and it goes both ways. I know a lot of Nigerians here doing their bit to help those at home and the country in general, be it starting businesses at home, donating books, computers etc, medical missions, the list goes on. But I take it, you're speaking for yourself when you made your proclamation, but I don't agree with it because the logic doesn't hold up from my vantage point.

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2008 Miss Nigeria In America Beauty Pageant!
August 30th, 2008 [Labor Day weekend]
Redondon Beach Performing Arts Center

After all these degrees, these ever essential masters and the can't do without doctorate,s we still haven't transformed. Our mindsets still remain thesame.

The Government Must Be Blamed! Oh yes!

We go to college, yet our mindset remains thesame! We live in the countries that tells us to ask what we can do for the country and not what the country can do for us but when it comes to Naija, it's: Ask what the country can do for you and not the other way round.

Isn't education meant to be enlightenment? Isn't it to open your mind to things you never knew existed?

No, Nigeria doesn't deserve us because there is no constant supply of electricity or no, we didn't get scholarship or no, the environment isn't fostered to enable you dream and ...gosh! should I go on?

I guess America became America because there was a government from inception that put things in place, I guess Britain became great Britain from day one! Even after the war, it was the government that did everything, that built that beautiful country, isn't it?

And who are these government by the way? Isn't it the people? If the government failed, then it's the people that failed! Maybe when we start to see ourselves as the government, maybe then, things would start to shift but so long we keep seeing the government as these money grabbing Hausas who want to seat atop the Delta, we are doomed.

Maybe for a change, we should allow all these education we acquired to transform our mind and our thinking! No government would hand anything over to you on a platter! You are the government, so start doing something! God knows i'm fed up of Nigerians who moan about the government!

Emeka was your course mate, you went to Law school together and were called to bar in the same year. You graduated and years later, Emeka contested for the presidential seat of Nigeria. Emeka was elected, he becomes the president.

Now, Emeka is the government, he is meant to provide for you. Nevermind that Emeka is human but now he's the government. Couldn't you, Esosa have been president too? What happens if you had? You stop being human? You stop being part of the soceity?

My point is this, normal people become the government. We are the government, we should be held responsible for however a nation turns out. One tree doesn't a forest make! Little contribution from you and I is what makes the economy! You can't expect Yaradua to put things in place just because he sits in Aso Rock! He is one person and even with his aides, can't effectively run a nation of too many ethnic groups who would rather have their own country! A country where a Yoruba man thinks he had no business being part of Nigeria in the first place or an Igbo man feels he has nothing in common with the Hausa man? That country is too large to rest everything on the shoulder of one government! Until such a time comes when we are divided into regions and allowed to manage ours, we should help in whatever way we can to push the country forward if we still want to be an entity. Stop this Nigeria didn't do this for me mentality!

However, if you're also pleased to amass all these doctorates and still work as a taxi driver or at most an administrator in an office and get to wear suits and feel among at lunch time, then please go ahead. It's your funeral!

Nigerians are not unique! Don't kid yourself! We are not the most intelligent group of Africans! We are only talked about because we are large in population and the probability of fraudster being Nigerian is 1 to 4. Now if you add those 1s out of 4s together in say 50 million, the result you'll get is that Nigerians are majorly scammers. The same goes for education!

Anyway before I deviate from the point, i'll pause here.


Stop it already!

@bolded
You and me both!

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Celebrate Africa, the continent of beauty!

So what are you saying?

__________________
In Nigeria I trust.. Check out our work
http://www.mniapageant.com
http://www.nigerianwoman.blogspot.com
http://www.missnigeriainamerica.org

That write up wasn't meant for thick people.

For you, I would have thought it should be a piece of cake? Come on, you're a Phd aspirant.

NR Rule number 1


Do not criticize educated Diasporians or their lack of action towards Nigeria's development.

Only mediocre local Nigerian actors,filmakers ,marketers and Nigerian movies should be scrutinized/criticized on this great website.

Afterall, an enjoyable movie is better than basic things of life in Nigeria.

Diasporians are untouchable !!!

My dear, It was a simple question because that long thing you wrote did not make any sense to me.. So again I ask you.. "So what are you saying?" It can't be that hard to answer now right? This is a forum where we all express our views? My aspiring to do a PhD has nothing to do with the question or is there something I am missing???

I aint trying to be funny here and I expect that you know how to argue without using force force gira gira..

__________________
In Nigeria I trust.. Check out our work
http://www.mniapageant.com
http://www.nigerianwoman.blogspot.com
http://www.missnigeriainamerica.org

I agree with every word you have posted my dear .... but on the other hand ... in the last month I have three stories of people I know live

- husband was shot dead by robbers
- who's relative was kidnapped
- a relative visiting Naija killed in the village etc

The security situation is no longer just a story but becoming a real life situation.

Many folks I know have purchased their burial plots abroad ...they dont have plans of going back no matter what any one says.

Nigerians back home are going to have to figure this mess alone.When the defectors who ran away and abandoned Naija for good begin to show up when things improve..........they should continue treating them like aliens !

I will add a clipping to this post when I find it !!