NaijaPositive.com

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

Why be Nigeria's Ambassador?

To clear any misconceptions I'm NOT a paid agent of the Nigerian Govt. neither do I ever intend to be one.

I seek to continue to respond to articles without being blinded, partial or biased in my presentation even when they aren't necessarily favorable to Nigeria, and I hope the forum will be used to discuss facts, even if and when they are contrary to popular views or expectations. So, I hope no one misconstrues my love for Nigeria as something which it clearly isn't (blind love).

I also have suffered as a result of some of the ills of Nigeria, but that does not stop me from loving my country and choosing to speak of the good in it, regardless of how much bad may exist in it at present.

If we choose only to see the bad in her, that would be myopic. There are enough people doing the deed of speaking of her ills, that some of us would like to not only hear of the good that does exist, but also bask in it sometimes.

When everything was good for Nigeria, everyone was too busy enjoying, that most failed to plan for our future hence our present position. Most of those who enjoyed the wealth and goodness of Nigeria and their offspring are the first to complain because they NO longer enjoy the privileges once enjoyed.

The Government alone is NOT responsible for the ills of Nigeria. We as a people, we the citizens all contributed to the ills of Nigeria, either by neglect, passivity, disconcern, greed, discontentment, nepotism, bribery, shortsightedness and all the other ills we presently complain about, because we voted incompetent and self-serving people into government.

It is our relatives who work in the ministries, other institutions and organizations that accept bribes and mismanage our resources. It is our relatives that wrangle their ways into high government offices for the opportunity to squander resources they eventually hide in their accounts abroad.
It is our relatives that obtain contracts and fail to adequate supply the services and products they were paid for, instead choosing to build mansions, buy exotic cars and wear expensive regalia and spray money at parties. Need I go on? Whether they are our direct relatives or not is irrelevant. They are Nigerians just like us.

We all know the stories and it is not my interest or intention to recite what we all know, but I know is that REGARDLESS of Nigeria's present disposition, there is good coming out of Nigeria, and whether some of us choose to recognize it or not, other nations are indeed aware of this and that is why they choose to contend with it.

You don't see President Bush, Queen Elizabeth or other prominent heads of nations visiting Malawi or some of the nations you mentioned. When a nation is valuable to others they make it a point to establish and maintain national ties. As impoverished as Mexico and Brazil and some other nations are, even with their own levels of corruption, and concern for safety, people fly there for their business purposes and to secure the national ties, etc., even if they have to travel in helicopters to get around. Nigeria has not gotten to a point where you have to fly around in helicopters to do business because of the concern for safety, and as unsafe as it may be deemed, foreigners still come there in droves to do business and to spend their holidays.

Nobody pays any attention to someone, some nation or some people who they do not deem important or consider irrelevant, and Yes, Nigeria is vital in the world, even though some of us may not realize it.

Apart from her resources which include her oil, natural gas, etc., which other nations depend on, her people who other nations recognize their ambition (discounting the no-gooders) usually excel in their fields and vocations in spite of existing racism. Nigerians are notable for excelling in their various careers abroad, hence the reason visas are constantly being extended to attain Nigerians who are in professions where western countries are lacking.

Nigeria is indeed a strong force in and out of Africa, and as disgruntled as some of we her citizens are, those countries who have benefited from her strength and position know what benefits they have derived.

Nigeria is known for sharing her natural resources; providing water, electricity, etc., to neighbouring countries; it provides military strength and support to nations that require it, has participated in, and provided peace making in not only in Africa, but as a member of the UN and other peace making organizations worldwide. Need I go on...

Yes, Nigeria has impoverished citizens, but in a nation of 130 million within a place only the size of Texas where everyone is fighting for the resources it has, considering the present infrastructure cannot sustain the population without years of efficient planning, etc., how much can we expect from it, if all we do is moan and groan, expecting others to fix the problems so it can be comfortable for us all to benefit.

It takes you and I to fix things albeit in little ways, even if it begins with repairing Nigeria's image by pronouncing her positive attributes over her negative ones.

America or any of the western nations did not become what they are today by BRAIN-DRAIN or self-bashing. Maybe some of us need to read or go back and reread their history and the sacrifices their citizens made in order to contribute to the building of these nations. Wars evolved out of lack and fights for resources and territories that seemed prosperous. IF the countries were so self-sufficient, why the need for importation of a workforce, even if it came as slavery an unpaid and forced workforce.

Nigeria may not be presently capable of providing for its large no. of citizens, and some may be casualties in her struggle to become a better nation, but at least we are not slaves being forced to work against our wills, and we do have choices and some have exercised that choice to leave and immigrate elsewhere, while those who are willing to stay the race choose to dwell there or support it from wherever they presently reside.

There was a time England expelled all her bad eggs to make her a better place, but are these not the same people that have contributed to what Australia and America is today.

Nigeria on the other hand has been losing a large amount of its good people, resourceful citizens and professionals who are seeking greener pastures elsewhere, yet we expect her to excel to great heights with all the braindrain and without our POSITIVE contribution.

We sit at our desk and grind the rumour mills ourselves, then we expect the world to see us in a positive light. We complain and moan and groan, never to speak of her good, yet expect others to respect us, or do to business with us. We ourselves do enough injustice by the unfairness of our assessments and our judgmental mentality and we then expect foreign investments. We're content to be consumers rather than taking pride in our own, no matter how small it may be, we spend dollars and pounds and invest abroad rather than investing in our own country then we complain that our currency is not strong.
Japan did not become strong by being a consumer nation and buying American, but worked hard and believed in perfecting their own goods, and even this took several years. America instills patriotism by encouraging you to buy American and her people out of LOVE, not obligation, CHOOSE to buy American to help America sustain its economy.

When negative events happen, Americans bind together as a nation out of PATRIOTISM, even if they disagree with some of their leaders policies and position, they don't go around bashing their president and their country in the eyes and presence of foreigners; that is what is called PATRIOTISM, regardless of whether one is poor, rich, employed or unemployed, benefiting from America's resources or not. That is a characteristic that many Nigerians lack. MONEY is not everything, and contentment, with hope for a better tomorrow are virtues that usually go a longer way.

Seeing good in spite of the bad that exists within the same person or nation is NOT delusional, but called PATRIOTISM and grows out of LOVE and LOYALTY. Having the ability to speak and choosing to do so is NOT propaganda but CONFIDENCE in speaking out VERIFIABLE FACTS even if I'm in the minority.

Yes, there are those Nigerians who deny their heritage and call themselves Jamaicans, etc., because they are ashamed to be recognized as Nigerians, but there are also those other Africans that commit atrocities and then claim to be Nigerians when they are apprehended.
There are also some foreigners including Caucasians who obtain Nigerian passports illegally just to reside in Nigeria or to avoid paying their due taxes while doing business there, as well as foreigners (including those right here in America) who sit behind their computers sending out 419 letters on the pretext that they are Nigerians.

All these contribute to the denigration of the name of Nigeria, and I have a right to speak about this occurrences because they are INDEED FACTS.

Wealth is NOT the factor that determines a nations STRENGTH or IMPORTANCE in the world, there are many more important factors and Nigeria does indeed possess some of those important enough to make her vital in the role it presently plays.
David was deemed inconsequential even by his own family members, until he used his little catapult to defeat Goliath; and as ridden as Nigeria is with its illnesses, (which some of its citizens such as you are very quick to point out and try to shoot it down with), it DOES possess the strengths that other nations recognize.

A man with many children will obviously have more difficulty coordinating and managing his household, and his children may remind him everyday that he is not a good provider, but that does NOT detract from the fact that he might be a strong warrior.

GLORY comes from the ability to be recognized for your positive qualities/characteristics in spite of what you think about yourself and what ill some others speak of you. I'm sure you've at least seen some people that exude brightness unbeknown to others that they are experiencing troubling times or have only had one meal. The ability to shine irrespective of ones real disposition is the kind of glory I'm talking about. I've been there so I know.

Yes, indeed Nigeria does take a bashing everyday, but she comes into the limelight for her positive achievements irrespective, because God has some plan for her.

I'm well aware that negative news does travel fast and that is why I have chosen to be ONE OF THOSE WHO WILL PROCLAIM NIGERIA's GOOD NEWS and other positive information FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE and WANT TO HEAR them.

I have chosen to be a BEARER of GOOD NEWS. FACTS I can back up I will provide and PATRIOTIC I will remain. I am not a people pleaser and I'm CONFIDENT enough to be in the minority, for greater impacts are made by those disregarded, deemed different and unpopular.

YES, I remain proud of NIGERIA, and we that take pride in her will continue to prove to foreigners that there are indeed good, honest, hardworking Nigerians, a majority who may have suffered but still remain loyal and have pride in her.

I started this forum to encourage others to reflect on the goodness that comes out of Nigeria, not to complain about its ills, and would appreciate the sharing of such, those with 'failures' to report can contribute to forums designated for such.

Cxsm
27th Dec. '03

© Cxsm 2003 All Rights Reserved

_________________
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

Why must we always subject ourselves to others standards? Is it a problem of a sense of national inferiority complex or rather because we dont know what is good for us Nigerians, collectively and as individuals.

Everywhere you turn there are good people and very terrible ones too, this is not a trait exclusive to Nigerians only.

On forums a lot of people have taken it upon themselves to be the Nigerian BASHERS, YOU NAME IT, THEY BASH IT! If it is Nigerian or has anything to do with Niaja these bashers will take their hammers to it, my question is why?

Good things are happenig in Nigeria and will continue to happen, regardless of what the crooks and shysters in the corridors of power are doing.

As a Nigerian I refuse to be apologise for others actions, I refuse to wear and shame tag, I have one life to live and I INTEND TO LIVE IT TO THE FULL.

Author unknown
Jan 2004

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

Re: Why be Nigeria's Ambassador?

Dear MacLeod Ighodalo,

Thanks for your feedback to "Why be Nigeria's Ambassador?" . Contrary to your conclusion, unlike the cluster of Nigerians whom you assume "do not get it," I DO get it. I'm well aware of the problems Nigeria has and I was definitely NOT singing of Nigeria's past glory. This particular piece was to address one of the on-going problems Nigeria has and how we can contribute to the solution rather than perpetrate the problem. In this case it's a problem with its IMAGE, and the article was specifically addressing that. If I wanted to sing of it's history, I would probably have written about Gowon's era.

I'm well aware that for as many problems Nigeria presently has, there obviously have to multiple solutions, the one regarding the image is only one of many. I've written other articles on how we can garner our resources, knowledge, expertise and experiences to help our country, and some of these address the issue of transporting and transferring our skills and expertise (technical included) to help improve our country. I believe this can be translated into how we can invest in our country. This is why I have written articles to encourage discussions about how we can come up with practical ways to reduce Brain-Drain and replace it with Brain-Gain.

You may visit the "Think Tank" section of www.NaijaPositive.com to read some of these.
The fact remains though, that regardless of how much investments we Nigerians ourselves contribute to our nation, until we begin to reverse our international image, we would still be seen in a negative light, and foreigners will continue to visit to tap our resources, depart and yet continue to denigrate us.

I for one do not have time for the moanings and groanings about Nigeria, that is why I have stepped up to contribute whatever I can to seek solutions rather than contribute to meaningless discussions that do nothing but further denigrate our nation.

Below are two excerpts from the article you responded to and if you reread them you will see that I am impressing that:
1] We Nigerians citizens ourselves need to step up and fix our own problems, rather than depending or waiting endlessly on the Government to aleviate all existing problems.
2] We need to turn within and try to solve our problems rather than bailing and then sitting on the outside waiting for when it would get better, before we return.

......Yes, Nigeria has impoverished citizens, but in a nation of 130 million within a place only the size of Texas where everyone is fighting for the resources it has, considering the present infrastructure cannot sustain the population without years of efficient planning, etc., how much can we expect from it, if all we do is moan and groan, expecting others to fix the problems so it can be comfortable for us all to benefit. .....

......Nigeria on the other hand has been losing a large amount of its good people, resourceful citizens and professionals who are seeking greener pastures elsewhere, yet we expect her to excel to great heights with all the braindrain and without our POSITIVE contribution. ...........

Other articles which also address our complacency and dependence on Govt. to fix Nigeria, include "Can Obasanjo and his Cabinet do Anything Right?" which you can equally persuse at this link: http://naijapositive.myfastforum.org/about141.html

For a better understanding of my disposition regarding Nigerian issues, you may want to peruse other articles I have written before directing inappropriate personal comments.

Thank you.
Cxsm
25th Oct. '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

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

Re: Why be Nigeria's Ambassador?

Hello All,
Patriots are scarce. Nigeria is in need of believers. People to believe and work for her tomorrow. Too much cynicism going on. We score points by rubbing our beloved country in the mud. Nigeria's ills are not peculiar. What's peculiar is Nigerians' attitude towards their country. And the refusal to accept responsibility. It is always "their" fault: the so-called leaders.

Leadership is more of influence than position. Everyone one of us, then, is a leader in our respective spheres of influence. Ditto our editors, opinion leaders, trade unionists etc. All too often we spend valuable time lamenting our situation or lambasting political office holders, in a know-it-all attitude. We need to go beyond that to engaging ourselves for solutions.

For example, Kanu Nwankwo gave us a Health Foundation rather than stop at lamenting the poor state of our health facilities. In contrast, everytime you hear Olubunmi Okogie's name mentioned you can be sure he's lambasting someone or something. I'm tired of that song. It's boring. For a change, I'll like to know how he's leveraged on his position as a leader in the Catholic Church to help the homeless children.

Ask the average youth corper. He's not interested or believe that he should serve his country. For God's sake, duties are the flipside to rights! Missionaries gave up comfortable lives in Europe to come to us in Africa! And it's the height of cynicism to dismiss the work of Mary Slessor and Co as self-serving arm of imperialism.

Ese Kagbare
10/11/05
[GodBlessNigeria]