Trifter

Nigeria is country that a lot has been said about. A lot of people have a number of things to say against Nigeria and Nigerians. Many of these things are unfounded and baseless, while some might be factual. Nigeria is a rich country with a lot of poor people trying to eke out a living. The country is not as developed as most of the western world but is gradually improving on a number of frontiers. Here is a list of 4 most common misconceptions about Nigeria and 4 facts about the country called Nigeria.

Nigeria is very unsafe

The general belief among many is that Nigeria is very unsafe with a very high crime rate. While it can not be denied that there is crime in Nigeria it is necessary to point out some facts. First, the crime rate in Nigeria is high mainly in the major cities such as Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Aba. Second the crime rate is far less with what you get at other major cities in the world. Cities such as New York and Johannesburg are good examples, while others in Brazil, Mexico and Columbia are noted as being very high in crime. The truth is that there is a higher rate of your getting mugged in Europe and elsewhere than in Nigeria.

Nigerians are all Corrupt

Now this is a classical example of fallacy of generalization. Recently Oprah Winfery in her show claimed that all Nigerians are fraudsters because an American was conned over the internet by some Nigerians. Truthfully a number of people have been duped over the web by Nigerians but it is still a fact that Nigeria is not the only country into fraud and does not even have the highest number of perpetuators of internet fraud. Countries such as the USA and India top the list. Besides every country has it own share of bad eggs. The US has a large number of serial killers and rapist, but no one was quick to generalize and call all Americans rapist or killers. There are a lot of hard working Nigerians and honest people in the country. A lot of them conduct legal successful business with a lot of foreigners.

Nigeria is too hot

Now that is a relative term and I would not be too quick to condemn the statement for what is too hot to one might just be okay to another. What I however want to point out is that there are some areas which are relatively much cooler. Areas such as Jos of Plateau State and Obudu of Calabar.

Nigeria is a country under Military dictatorship

Do you still think that Nigeria is being ruled by the Military? Well you are over 8 years behind. Nigeria had a lot of years under harsh military rule and frequent coups but that has changed as there is a democratically elected government in place and it is presently in its third term and running smoothly. These means that rule of law has been established and there has been a lot of improvement to the way things are run and practiced. The courts are working effectively and people are more accountable for their actions.

Here are now some true facts about the country called Nigeria.

Nigerians are happy people

Nigerians have many times been acclaimed as the happiest set of people. This is because no matter the condition they find themselves they always find a way to adjust and adapt and still look for ways to be merry. In Nigeria though cost of living is quite high there are still a lot of occasions which offer reasons and avenues for merriment. Occasion such as weddings, birth days, naming of a new child, completion of job training, school graduation, purchase of a new car or house and even burials are all occasion of merry making. Nigerians no matter how poor would always find a reason to smile. That is why though it is hard to earn a living suicide rates are very low.

Nigeria is heavily Populated

Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in the world and the most populated in Africa. In fact Nigeria is home of one third of all black people of the world. At last count Nigeria had over 150 million citizens. The country spans about 923,768.64 sq meters. The fact that Nigeria is so populated also is another reason why a few bad eggs should not be used to generalize the whole population. If a few have a particular vice it would represent a small percent of the total population. The size and significance of Nigeria makes it known as the giant of Africa.

Beautiful place

Nigeria is a richly endowed country and quite beautiful. It is a country of pretty beaches, hills and rocks. The north is covered by open guinea savannah while the south has thick forest. There are museums, game reserves and ranches. Beautiful hotels and resorts abound as well as some acclaimed tourist sites.

Nigerians are hardworking and creative people

You would easily attest to the fact that Nigerians are hard working. There is hardly a country in the world where you cannot fine a number of Nigerians working hard trying to earn a living. We have a Nobel award winner and winners of other international awards. Acclaimed as a strength in soccer and other sports. Nigerians even with the under developed resources are quite creative in music, literature and even technology.

Basic facts about Nigeria

• Capital: Abuja
• Area: 923,768.64 sq kilometers
• Population: Over 150 million
• Independence date: 1st October 1960
• Currency: Naira and kobo
• Time: GMT + 1 hour
• Climate: Humid Sub-Tropical
• Number of states: 36 plus Abuja (federal capital territory)