Nigeria is one of the outstanding countries in Africa. It has the potential to be a superpower in Western Africa as it is the case for South Africa which is the dominant force in Southern Africa. The bad image Nigeria has is that it is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, giving little confidence to international investors. Public money is burnt in the same way as oil wells are abandoned sending their fumes in the air, as well as the dripping oil pipes while the poor Nigerians are left to eke out a living from dismal sources.
Nigeria is the first exporter of oil in Africa. But the striking facts about Nigerians is that despite their problems, a survey has found out that they are the happiest people. Maybe they should export the secret of their happiness to the rest of the world, especially to affluent countries where the rate of happiness is very low.
I still remember a BBC WHYS show presented by Ros Atkins in a Nigerian restaurants in London. The Nigerian participants were audibly foaming with anger at one another. They left the listeners with the impressions that the Nigerians can’t live in peace as they can’t disagree without getting angry. The following day Ros announced that after the show the participants became jovial and shared a merry Nigerian meal. I wonder if the British can get angry at one another and in no time forget about it.
Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world, but it may also be the most populated with happy people. They surely joke at what looks distressful which drives serious pedantic thinkers mad with rage.
listen to part of the show on BBC WHYS
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