A Nigerian Perspective on Nigeria and the World

Hello all! I'm nigerdude a 22 year old Nigerian student studying law in England. I am honestly supposed to be studying for my exams but thought what they hell I might as well add blogging to one of my other sad hobbies and ramble out my views about current events, especially my country Nigeria, an African country in transition from a frightful past to a consitutional democracy. As you must have noticed on CNN, BBC and Sky, but not fox or Al Jazeera, Nigeria sits in a corner of the world noted for nothing but abject poverty, corruption and disease. While I personally have been blessed (read libero-conservative catholic) to be born into a more comfortable standard of living, I am desperately mindful of the need to dispel this notion that Africans, especially Black Africans need or deserve the constant pity and patronage of the world, or that Africans are inherently underdeveloped or corrupt. I pride myself as a pragmatist and a realist and will endeavour to be as frank as possible in any debate I pitch myself in. My country, Nigeria has no excuse being one of the poorest countries in the world neither do we have any reason to allow ourselves to be compared with banana republics in the continent with whom we share nothing by way of economic potential or human resource other than the colour of our skin. I hope also, based on the advise and (definately) criticism i receive from whoever reads this blog, to comment on events on the international scene including everybody's favourite scapegoat, G.W Bush, his war on terror (which I support), the war in Iraq (which i dont support), democracy in Africa and the Middle-east, Religion (don't worry I'm not dogmatic) and women's rights (I'm dude by the way) . I would also and possibly more importantly want to show you in the outside world, a view of Nigeria and Africa you will not see on television. A country of One and Twenty million people, drawn from ancient empires, kingdoms and peusdo-nationalities comprising two hundred and fifty ethnic groups, even shared into muslims and christians (both generally entrenched and conservative) AFRICA'S LARGEST DEMOCRACY, the largest economy in West Africa, and of course, one of the most corrupt nations on Earth. (just being honest) Nigeria has come far since 1999, when we returned to democratic rule and I think it's important that the stereotype of the ne'er do-well African State be dispelled and utterly rebutted. I will not be patronising, so dont expect me to be soft on issues like poverty, disease and corruption. I'm also thinking of buying a book of jokes to add a little humour to my writing.....i'm just worried about the copyright issues. If you have read through all this and think I'm worth your time please leave a comment (ok, criticism) and come again.

One Nigeria.