NaijaPositive.com

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

The Stone Thrown Returns to Shatter the Glass House

Despite the fact that only a minute percentage of Nigerians perpetuate the fraud that has given Nigeria and Nigerians a bad name and a bad image, especially in business cycles, the impact continues to be felt worldwide.

Despite the fact that in business Nigerians are not the most fraudulent, the media, especially the American media has gravely affected the ability of Nigeria and Nigerians to do business with their foreign counterparts worldwide.

Current statistics for instance show that 72% of cyber drime, the fastest growing crime presently is committed in the US, while all other reported countries comprise of the balance, the second in line is so significantly low and that is Canada which has only about 3-4% before all other countries' lesser percentages.

It's a shame the racial profiling continues despite reports like this: Fraud: Visa Gives Nigeria Clean Bill http://naijapositive.myfastforum.org/about313.html

We Nigerians are to blame because we generally don't speak up when misinformation, negative assumptions and generalizations are made about Nigeria and Nigerians as a whole. http://naijapositive.myfastforum.org/forum92.php Besides we ourselves are our own worst enemies. We badmouth ourselves and our country publicly all the time (and the internet has definitely made this an easier task), forgetting that foreigners are observing us and watching how we denigrate our very own country and fellow citizens, then we wonder why others badmouth and blacklist us.

That is why it's easier to exploit us (we are a divisive people) and give us substandard services and products in exchange for our hard earned money. Regardless of whether it's used cars, planes, travel services, clothing, computers, electronic goods, vaccines, etc. http://naijapositive.myfastforum.org/about12.html

Besides a considerable number of us prefer to remain perpetual consumers rather than producers and manufacturers, and even then, rather than patronizing our own, we manifest the colonial mentality of believing that everything imported (even the substandard and used products) are superior, just by virtue of the fact that they are imported.

Until we begin to change our mindset and our behaviour, no one is going to respect us individually or collectively as a nation. http://naijapositive.myfastforum.org/about304.html Each and everyone of us can choose to be an ambassador http://naijapositive.myfastforum.org/about131.html or we can continue to contribute to the detriment of our nation. The choice is ultimately ours. I have made mine. http://naijapositive.myfastforum.org/about70.html

Cxsm
18th Nov. '05

© Cxsm 2005 All Rights Reserved

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Re: The Stone Thrown Returns to Shatter the Glass House

Cxsm,

I really like your piece on this issue and admire your optimism about the future of Nigeria, I really pray for that too, for my beloved country. However, I have few questions for you:

Below you wrote,

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Amechi,

Because of my field, I have significant experience in East and Southern Africa, and some in Francophone Africa (although you couldn't tell from my crappy French!)...Let me assure you that Nigeria int the only country facing these challenges.

I was talking to an IMF official who had been posted from the Lagos office to one of these ESARO (East and Southern African Region) countries. One that has a 'credible' reputation as a donor baby. He couldn't believe the amount of fraud he met on ground, in spite of the fact that there is a total black out of negative info on this country. And I know for a fact it must be true -- we are warned when we are travelling, in this particular country (as in many others in this region) not to carry credit cards, ATM cards, or cheque books on a day out on town.

I am in total agreement with what CXSM has said. Shouting up and down about the problem instead of actually sitting down to tackle it is not going to make matters better -- only worse. We tend to be overly dramatic in our responses as a people. I think Nigerians should borrow a page from this region of Africa, and realize that the image we sell abroad, both indirect and direct, is going to affect how we are able to relate with the rest of the world.

Trutalk
11/18/05

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Amechi,

I never said we shouldn't discuss problems we have within the Nigerian system that affect Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike, what I'm saying is that we continuously and effortlessly badmouth ourselves and our country indiscriminately. This is the equivalent of Naija-bashing without coming up with any solutions. When we call ourselves criminals, yet offer no solution to stopping those who amongst us are criminals, then the effort is wasted, and is tantamount to rumour milling. If I personally know I'm not a criminal then why would I get on a public forum calling all my fellow citizens criminals, would it not be foolish of me to forget that I myself I'm part of the collective citizens I'm denigrating?

A lot of times generalizations are spewed out carelessly, forming impressions that these are the norm for a general segment (or in this case) a nation of people, then when the same generalizations are thrown back at us, some of us crimp, while some shamelessly champion the badmouthing and denigration thrown at us. This is where those who are ashamed of Nigerians come into play. Some are totally defenseless and poor ambassadors of Nigeria, whenever generalizations are spewed out; not because they are handicapped, but because they are simply passive like the child whom a stranger calls a bastard, yet refuses to defend his/her parents.

This is why it is easy for non-Nigerians (as in the example Trutalk gave and some of us are already aware of), who commit atrocities and then pretend to be Nigerians whenever they are caught for committing crimes. Even some of those who put out the so-called bank-scam email, faxes and letters are Caucasians right here in America, but because that particular type of crime has been labelled "419" after the Nigerian code, everyone automatically assumes it's is solely Nigerians perpetuating the crimes. You may want to read the thread on 419 for some examples of these.

Criminals of all levels and caliber exist in every single nation on the face of this earth, but he who puts all his dirty laundry in public gets noticed the most, and becomes the scapegoat and butt of all jokes, as well as gets played for the benefit of those who desire no good for them.

For instance, very early this morning I listened to the news about the criminal Caucasian American who partook in bribes and all kinds of other criminal activities to divert money allotted for the rebuilding of Iraq for his own personal gain. First of all, this was someone with a criminal history, yet he was entrusted to control money for an important venture. Of course if he was Nigerian, his story would have been plastered all over the media (TV, newspapers and internet alike) and repeated every 5 minutes for us all to hear, and it would be called 419.

After all what he did, by diverting funds, taking and giving bribes, giving contracts to himself and others bribed, providing substandard products and services in place of quality products charged for are all 419 activities, but I don't see many Nigerians blowing wind over this, neither do I hear any Americans calling all Americans 419ers or criminals because of the criminal activities of this man and all the others involved. By tomorrow this will be history and so will other criminal tales about Americans and citizens of other countries, but should one Nigerian (real or fake) commit one single crime immeasurable to the likes of this, Enron, MCI, etc., the whole world has to come to a standstill and it has to be aired not just by non-Nigerians to again disgrace Nigeria, but by our own articulate experienced and expert bash club (aka Nigerians who bash without an equal effort to seek and produce solutions).

Why can't we while seeking solutions to combating and decreasing our negativity, simultaneously champion our positives? Every coin has a good and bad side, whichever we choose to display the most will be how we are perceived.

Like I said, I've made my own choice.

Cxsm
11/18/05

_________________
May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm