Seriously what is wrong with giving your country a nickname? How does it project us wrongly?
Isn't US called Uncle Sam or something like it?..:-)
What's your thoughts on this? Is calling Nigeria 'Naija' offensive?
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
"It is offensive to call Nigeria 'Naija' - Prof. Dora Akunyili
Seriously what is wrong with giving your country a nickname? How does it project us wrongly?
Isn't US called Uncle Sam or something like it?..:-)
What's your thoughts on this? Is calling Nigeria 'Naija' offensive?
what is offensive there?? it is just a nick name, she needs to relax
ReplyDeleteand i think you meant 'Dora' :)
I do think This is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteIs this a military regime?
We have other things to worry about not whether we refer to the country as Naija.
!
they have no work in the fed govt!! so they get involved into anything that can give them attention... very sad!!
ReplyDeleteIt's statements like this that projects us badly. ppl will think we don't have serious ppl in Government. How did she come up with this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Out of all our problems !!!! this non-problem is what she chooses to 'tackle'
ReplyDelete*sigh* I guess :-/
ReplyDeleteWhat's this woman's point? mtcheww
ReplyDeleteI think it's rather a good thing because nicknames are fun and will trigger more curiosity about the country. As in when I say "Nigeria" anyone knows that it is a country somewhere in Africa and that's it; when I say "Naija" they're most likely to ask questions about WHY it's called that way. And that is a very good conversation starter about the country. "Nigeria" makes the country known, but "Naija" makes people learn about the country.
Aunty Dora, always focusing on unimportant things. Naija is what is portraying us poorly? *Loud laughter* These leaders do not have their priorities together. You know who portrays us poorly to the world Aunty D? You and the rest of the "leaders" in NAIJA/Nigeria/"Giant" of Africa (lol). We are known everyone as a bunch of corrupt, untrustworthy people with corrupt, misled leaders and you worry about our country's nickname. Abeg commot.
ReplyDeleteMadam Re-Branding!
ReplyDeleteshebi na she want us to re-brand?
Why is she worried? Afterall this is our own way of Re-branding Nigeria lol Dora should just not fight a war she cannot win! This is not NAFDAC! You cant Re-Brand a counterfeit product.
This is extreme joblessness. There are much worse things going on in that country and this woman picks on the use of the word naija??? Bullocks!
ReplyDeleteI dey your back, Naija minister of (mis)information.
ReplyDeleteShe will be fine. She needs to find another project. After all, was the name Nigeria not coined by Lord lugard's mistress?
ReplyDeleteSo,
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly about 'Naija' projects us wrongly? I do not see reason in her standpoint.
This is not the only country with a nickname. Epele.
Abeg, this woman should go and sit down... What is wrong with Nigerians rejecting a remnant of colonialism, eh? I actually prefer the name Naija to Nigeria. Naija embodies who I am. It represents me. What is Nigeria? Gosh, what does it even mean? Why should we be proud of a name that some colonial mistress picked for us?
ReplyDeleteBiko, this woman should carry her load comot for road.
http://lookingglassofanimmigrant.blogspot.com/
This woman has come agin abi?!!!Respect urself aunty, there are lots of problems facing s country. Chillax and solve dem. NIAJA is not one.
ReplyDeleteI think Nigeria has more problems than being called 'Naija'. Abegi
ReplyDeleteProf, maybe you too should be called Dorothy not Dora anymore. Pls Naija has a lot of serious issues to address & this is not on the list.
ReplyDeleteMadam Information Minister abeg address pressing issues.
There are several other things responsible for tarnishing Naija's image (yeah I said) besides using the word that must not be named. does 419,yahoo yahoo, inadequate governance ring a bell ma'm??
ReplyDeleteNa foolish woman....
ReplyDeleteThe other day she wore wrapper on Golf Course to Tee Off.
EMPTY VESSELS ALWAYS MAKE THE LOUDEST NOISE!This woman should go find a mat, spread it on one mud floor, break out her garri, water, salt, pepper, dry fish and begin to fill her mouth!
ReplyDeleteWhat is projecting negativity on Nigeria is not the colloquial abbreviation of the country's name but the bank frauds by people like Cecelia Ibru, frauds perpetuated by Ibori and other government officials, the bribery, corruption and human rights violation of the men, women and children of Nigeria! The corrupt oil deals, the lack of social infrastructure, lack of good education! Suffer, suffer, thief!thief! Go and fight that one, abeg you. Fight the people's suffering and stop the looting!
Here are a few countries and their nicknames, Ms. Akunyili should do her research:
Vietnam: Nam
Jamaica: Jamrock
Greece: Hellas - this was the ancient name of the country and the people still use it. This is why things from Greece are usually refered to as "Hellenic"
India: The Jewel in the Crown - this what the British called India because it was lucrative for them.
Indonesia: The Emerald of the Equator
Ireland: The Emerald Isle
Italy: The Boot because of the shape of the country
Chad: The Dead Heart of Africa - the dry heat
New Zealand: God's Own Country
Taiwan: Formasa
United States of America
*Uncle Sam - America's national personification.
* Lady Liberty - another one of America's national personifications.
* Amerika - German spelling of 'America,' used to suggest Nazism/Fascism (note also Amerika (Kafka novel))
* Columbia - poetic name, now rarely used
* Great Satan - chiefly arab/muslim epithet alleging American imperialism and also dissoluteness
* Home of the Brave - from the national anthem 'The Star Spangled Banner'
* Land of the Free - from the national anthem 'The Star Spangled Banner,' often used sarcastically
* The States - a widely used colloquial name
* Uncle Sugar - used by University of Chicago political science and international relations professor John Mearsheimer to describe the United States' massive power and wealth during World War II
* Yankeeland - Aussie usage
* Global cancer - Referring to the ravaging and demoralizing impact of it's global economy.
* The World - Sometimes used by military personnel stationed in another country (mainly overseas).
* Gringolandia - Used by spansih-speaking latin americans
* 11th province (or 4th territory) - due to America's perceived similarity with Canada
* The Ungreatful Child/The Adolescent/The World's Children/Land of the Naïve - Derived from the fact that most of the population of United States of America are not Native Americans and are in fact the descendant of the people of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania.
Nigerians call their home Naija mostly in an affectionate manner and most folks use it with other fellow Nigerians more so than with people of other nations. I doubt very much that people are using "Naija" in OFFICIAL doouments across the senate, banks and other institutions in the country.
I love using Naija, it softens our image to world as far as I am concerned. I will continue to use Naija as far as this my mouth can move!
Can some1 pls advise her to retire or find something new and do with herself, she has been transfered from 1 ministry to another that's why she lacks focus. (Mis)information get a life.
ReplyDeleteshe should go and sit down somewere there better issue to tackle that that!!!!! Our leaders to dey slack for that country they worry about the wrong thing always f*king look up to ignorance
ReplyDeleteLOL at lack of more pressing issues to discuss. Nice work Dora!, she keeps getting duller as time goes on, i cant believe what she has become
ReplyDeleteI live here in the UK and we favour the word naija. Haaaaaaaha this is too funny infact LOL. What foolishness. We don't have light, no good roads, no hospitals, the education system is in shambles and the most important thing is the use of the word naija.
ReplyDeleteNonsense and let her go back and sort the other problems mentioned above before talking about the word naija. Rubbish
Seriously? This is the biggest problem Nigeria has?
ReplyDeleteAfter we're done getting the promised constant electricity, children have stopped dying from preventable diseases, we have safe roads, there is no fear of robbery, then maybe I will listen to you Prof Dora Akunyili! Don't get me started! This just errks me! Priority, priority!
Hey Linda... I love your blog, it certainly keeps me updated on NAIJA (ha ha) Entertainment.
visit my new blog http://lolliezsihouette.blogspot.com/.
she's not serious
ReplyDeletefollowing unimportant matters
instead of facing the mighty ones
Aunty Dora,...abeg go siddon..there a more important issues that need to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteHow is calling one's country a nickname offensive?
USA is called Yankee
London is nicknamed Ol'Blighty...
pscheeewwwww.......
This woman has been on cheap crack ever since Yar Adua left. Some psychiatric evaluation is desperately needed. Mscheeeew!
ReplyDeleteI used to respect this woman but she needs to shut the fuck up
ReplyDeleteDORA NKEM AKUNYILI (DNA)..I rest my case. DISMISS!!!
ReplyDeletehahahahaha... SMH @ Nigeria not 9ja or Naija...
ReplyDeleteSMH again...
Yep..she woke up this morning with nothing do to...
ReplyDeleteNAIJANAIJANAIJANAIJANAIJA!!!!THERE! IM SATISFIED NOW.....NEXT!!!
ReplyDeleteBesides, '9ja' is not alone. NAIJ OR 9J is what's in now. And like someone mentioned, Naija is used more affectionately and hardly in legal documents.
ReplyDeleteCommercials referring to the country as NAIJA are not that much of a problem either, we all know what's being talked about.
Naij/Naija/Nigeria/The-land-with-more-important-issues-to-discuss/the-land-of-happy-people-who-will-turn-everything-into-fun-to-survive-wahala/ SAME NO NI!
I don finish.
This woman has always been high on some cheap stuff.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why it is taking you guys this long to realise it?
She loves attention like mad.Just ignore her and she will come back with some more trash.
I do not use the word Naija but because of her, i will start using it relentlessly from now.
Silly,over hyped woman!!!
Has she finished importing dustbins?
this woman is very stupid...and apparently highly ignorant
ReplyDeleteshe needs to go sit down and shut her mouth. There are other more relevant issues to cry on.
ReplyDeletedora stop it. think b4 u open dat ur dirty corrupt mouth. abi isn't it also offensive to be stealling govt. money. u no well abi? respect urself oh. ehen jo, naija is a funny country sha! come beat me now!
ReplyDeleteLINDA UNCLE SAM IN THE US IS REFERRING TO TAXES (IRS)NOT US ITSELF...
ReplyDeleteseriously? is this a joke? she must be smoking something. how exactly is 'naija' tarnishing Nigeria's image?
ReplyDeleteDora Akunyili is talking trash.
ReplyDeleteNaija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija, Naija.
mmmsccheeewwwwww...i guess Madam Dor-dor has no job to do since the Umaru Yaradie saga..! Abeg she should enjoy her Nigeria with goodluck dem 4 Aso Rock..make we enjoy our Naija..!! As far as me sabi..ibe fulltyme NAija man..
ReplyDeleteDora go sleep...foolish!
The US isnt called Uncle Sam, bt Nija isnt bad at all
ReplyDeleteI be OMO NAIJJA/9ja..noting dey happen Dora...Free us mehn!!
ReplyDeleteBombs in Abuja Quiet..Unemployment..Quiet..Weapons found at the Ports..Zilch!!
Now she's found her tongue always picking on the man on the street..
Seriously, this woman should go and chop shit!
ReplyDeleteLike Eldee said on twitter today, her priorities are misplaced..like, how does that put food on the table for people, or provide good health care or constant electricity??
ReplyDeleteDONT MIND HER SHES AN IGNORANT FOOL..GETTING TOO BIG FOR HER BRITCHES..SHE SHLD GO AND SIT DOWN...TRYING HER TO STAY RELEVANT...WHO DOES SHE REALLY THINK SHE IS???IT IS AT TIMES LIKE THIS THAT WE WOMEN ARE SEEN AS BITCHES...SHE NEEDS TO FIND BIGGER FISH TO FRY..NIGGER IN CHARGE.....NAIJA NAIJA NAIJA NAIJA NAIJA NAIJA!! SO THERE GO AND JUMP INTO THE LAGOON....
ReplyDeleteUncle Sam- US Government AKA 'The Uncle'
ReplyDeleteDepending on where you go, the USA is known as "USA" or "America" or "the United States"...
So i guess she should start of with BELLA NAIJA - without her i wouldnt even have used the term Naija (and NO!!!! am not onyall - but I am getting used to the naija word too)
ReplyDeleteSo i guess she should start of with BELLA NAIJA - without her i wouldnt even have used the term Naija (and NO!!!! am not onyall - but I am getting used to the naija word too)
ReplyDeleteShe can like to arrest every1 she hears saying naija..kmt!!!!!
ReplyDeletemost stupid thing to come out of her mouth. seriously the name is a problem. she should chill abeg, Naija na the name o.
ReplyDeleteMy Sweetheart is at it again, but seriously baby I don't think anything is wrong in calling Nigeria 'Naija' afterall
ReplyDeleteMr. President is 'GEJ'(Goodluck Ebele Jonathan),
Obasanjo is 'OBJ',
Babangida is 'IBB',
Obafemi Awolowo is 'Awo'
Gbenga Daniel is 'OGD'
Bola Ahmed Tinubu is 'BAT' etc.
I hope you've not forgotten that the name Nigeria is derived from 'Niger Area' so we are still very much on the track to spell out 'Niger' in one of our major languages - Yoruba as 'Naija', leaving 'Area' out shouldn't be a sin 'cos Naija is just a shorten form of Nigeria just as in the examples given above & those ones by ChiChiLuv.
dora should go and it down, its like she no get anoda work to do. with all the problems naija has its the name that is her concern.she should behave herself o
ReplyDelete..haahahaha..just had a closer look at Dora's face...she really look NAija...!!
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell is wrong with this old fashioned Lady eh?
ReplyDeleteDORA HAS MISSED HER PILL AND NOW SHE IS MIS YARNING .....PLS HELP HER
ReplyDeleteWhy is Dora distracting us with irrelevant issues? She is not the school Principal of Nigeria. She has no right to tell us how to talk or which words we can or cannot use and she has no authority to tell independent, non-Government companies how to advertise.
ReplyDeleteAnd what does she mean by "it is catching up with the young"? This woman seriously is and has never been in circulation. I distinctly remember my cousins (who just turned 51, 50 and 49)referring to Nigeria as Naija way back in 1980-82 when we lived in London, especially when they were speaking in Yoruba.
Dora Akunyili is jobless, period.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous November 16, 2010 9:21 PM
ReplyDelete'LINDA UNCLE SAM IN THE US IS REFERRING TO TAXES (IRS)NOT US ITSELF...'
Please read up, Uncle Sam is a national personification of the United States and sometimes more specifically of the American government, with the first usage of the term dating from the War of 1812.
Linda was right.
i hope mrs Akunyili hadn't just smoked something cheap..this woman yapping is getting too much, she's beginning to lose all respect..
ReplyDeleteFYI, Mrs Information Minister, corruption in high places(which i am sure you are all very familiar with), 419, insecurity, police brutality, lack of basic infrastructure etc are e.gs of what is giving Naija a bad name...NOT calling it naija..r u for real?????
And yes, Seyigail henceforth, her name is DOROTHY! msctewwwww
Methinks this woman is loosing relevance; I even prefer the word Naija to Nigeria, have you noticed that the word just excites you and gives you hope...its pathetic that Dora has become an empty vessel...
ReplyDeleteSHE NEEDS TO GET HER PRIORITIES RIGHT!
ReplyDeletethis woman should go back t NAFDAC abi where was it she was working again?? she was soo much more effective then!
Silly woman instead of trying to sort out really serious issues such as electricity,corruption, welfare for the common man and reducing crime....."NAIJA" is the change she wants to make, they are all a bunch of jobless people in the Nigerian government.
ReplyDeleteDora Akunyili is JOBLESS with a capital JOBLESS@
ReplyDeleteOGA O... WHAT IS IN A NAME............I PLEDGE TO NAIJA MY COUNTRY.......O MINE,,,SORRY I PLEDGE TO NIGERIA,,,,,,PLEASE WE NEED LIGHT, WATER JOB ETC LETS LEAVE NAME ALONE.............
ReplyDeleteok we will stop calling you dora n start calling u dorathy!..omo naija to da bone!...jobless woman.
ReplyDeleteAunty Dora is jobless and had to be heard. There is no work to do in her ministry of mouth-piece. Haba!
ReplyDeleteIt is perfectly legal and recognisable for countries to have short forms as names e.g Ireland is 'Eire' and Germany is 'Deutsche'. This shows everyone the high level of poor exposure this minister has even though she is a graduate of a nigerian university!!!!! Why are we so unfortunate in this country to have people like this as ministers. Shame on her. If she has nothing to offer in her workplace she should please resign.
ReplyDeleteForget the Professor title before her name, this woman is an illiterate. She talks like one and reasons like one!
ReplyDeleteWhat is wrong with naija? It is so cool and denfinitely has no negative conotation. I think this is misplaced priority. Is this the kind of thing the minister should bother herself about? Gosh, this woman needs serious upgrade/download her job description fast cos the version she has is obsolete! Naija for life- Deal with it!
ReplyDeletei always respected Dora
ReplyDeletebut that respect just went down a couple of notches
Dorathy Nkemakonam akunyili...... Hw is dat huh? NAIJA NAIJA NIAJA I breath and live for NAIJA i be NWA NAIJA
ReplyDeletewww.reverbnation.com/prodigalangelo
oooh God,WTF is dis woman talking about.
ReplyDeleteif she does not have anything positive to add to us,she should please,free us.
Omo Naija ni mi for life
This woman needs to re-brand herself. What an embarrassment to NAIJA she is!
ReplyDeleteha ha @ Anon's disagreeing about Uncle Sam. I live in the US, and we don't go around saying Uncle Sam, like we do "Naija". Naija is a loving thing, and Uncle Sam usually has a negative connotation when talking about US. I personally often use it when I talk about taxes, but in the past people have used it to talk about the big brother attitude US has.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of "Naija" saying Yankee, most Americans especially in the sounth do not consider themselves Yankees, and it refers to a group of people not a place, but it doesn't stop me from using it w/ my fellow Naijas.
My point, is you can use anyword the way you want as long as we all understand each other.
This our so called Leader 're so full or shit....America call their country Uncle Sam so what bad in calling Nigerian naija....awon olodo oshi...
ReplyDeletethe USA refers to itself as yankee or states,,... tell me wot-D'fck is wrong wit referin to nigeria as naija....
ReplyDeletei can see your ministry is JOBLESS
the USA refers to itself as yankee or states,,... tell me wot-D'fck is wrong wit referin to nigeria as naija....
ReplyDeletei can see your ministry is JOBLESS
She needs to sit down abeg, Naija 4 lyfe (note the misspellings...hehehehe...) So it is unpatriotic to remix the name that colonizers forced on us??? SMDH
ReplyDeleteI think since she worked so hard in NAFDAC, she is getting tired. She needs to retire.
whether we call it naija, jaina or ajina, ...it is our customised name for our beloved country, rebranding or no rebranding, Dora and co. should get busy with something reasonable and stop making nothing out of something.
ReplyDeletePlease..Please my fellow Nijarians i beg u to please tender comments with mercy...Our Nija Minister of Information is old Skool and needs time to catch up..
ReplyDeleteaunty dora is taking things very personal..i guess she was minister for information..oops did i hear you say she still is..i think FG needs to draft a proper JD (job description) for her..otherwise she would soon say we should stop speaking pidgin english..
ReplyDeleteShe has a point though! NIGERIA :)
ReplyDeletewoman I think u need 2 relax, coz i dnt see any offensive there it jst a nick name & we Naija, we proud of it so go home n relax hehehe................
ReplyDelete"Madam Dora, I wish I could see you and actually tell u what is projecting us wrongly, please get serious leave the word alone and tell those criminals in our government to stop putting us in bad light, stealing from the national purse to feather the nest, running after young girls around the world(for the men and some women), don't just get me started this saturday morning, Naija is our creation and its very much original. Ur full name is not Dora but Obasanjo but u use that pls find the thief disgracing us and leave our swaggarcious name alone Naija for live. Sorry grace just pass dis on to madam minister, I still respect her,but she cannot win this war.naija no be fake drugs".....From Tokunbo Olorundami (London)
ReplyDeleteAunty dora, I think you are exceeding your boundaries. I had a lot of respect for you. But shit I don't anymore. So I'll say, dora, visit your toilet and eat shit. To all my NAIJA BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ONE LOVE. WE WOULD ALWAYS REMAIN TRUE TO OUR BELOVED COUNTRY.
ReplyDeleteUP NAIJA
PLS STAND TO YOUR FEET AND HAIL THE GIANT OF AFRICA.
LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM N..A..I..J..A!!!!!!!!!
Wow! In 83 comments, not one single comment agreeing with her. This lady can like to go and bury her head somewhere in embarassment. Clearly, everybody thinks she's daft. Lol. Naija for life!
ReplyDeleteU know who is jobless? Does of us spending our time commenting on what Dora said. obviously, she aint thinkg right. Just Mscewwww at her comment and move on.
ReplyDeletejoblessness is what i wrong with this woman.to think she's a "prof" and has no sense of whats imporant and whats not.Nigerians say naija cos we are proud to be and its not in anyway demeaning.naija for life o!.Prof Dorothy (sounds weird)should address the real problem and not trivial things like this *scoffs*
ReplyDeleteIs that such a big problem ?!?
ReplyDeleteAre there no other problems left to solve?
Naija is not offensive IMHO.
I stand to be corrected!