Oluchi Samuel is a 20 year old girl from Imo State. She alongside her 7-month-old baby boy are amongst over 500 homeless residents of a slum community just behind luxury global hotel chain, The Sheraton in Ikeja, Lagos. Watch the video to know more about her...
This is really sad. It is the responsibility of any sensible government to provide council flats and apartments for people like Oluchi. I am really ashamed of Nigeria as a country , I mean its leaders. If government says it cannot afford to build reasonable homeless shelters or council houses, they can ask the public to help or contribute and give them awards for this as well as provide free land. If the cost of a 2 bedroom apartment would be N 250,000, I would surely like to sponsor one!!
I watched this documentary and was so touched by the life story of such a beautiful young girl. So eloquent and well spoken young girl. Her sister should not have taken her from the village without her completing her education first and then to bring her to such a dump that is Lagos. But the reporter gave her a useful piece of advice- she needs to learn a skill that will bring her an income rather than petty trading alone. Also, where is the father of her children? These children need a father to help with their upbringing too.
No Uche, it is not the government's responsibility to provide council flats and apartments for people like Oluchi- in Europe and especially in Britain, the government is moving away from the ideal of a welfare state because the system is expensive and not sustainable in the long run. What the government ought to do however, is to create an environment where people can create opportunities for themselves and people around them- this means improving the education system, the healthcare system, increasing the system of infrastructure including better roads, better public transport, reliable water and energy as well as an efficient post and telecommunication system. If the government can provide these basic needs, it will be of benefit to people like Oluchi who would be able to provide a better life for herself and her children and will not need to resort to the government for money. Our government and people should learn from the example of Brazil- it took Brazil more than 100 years to get to where it is now and it is becoming the country of the future- there is hope for Nigeria- we are 50 years old and in time, things will improve.
Well Anonymous, governments like the U.K and Ireland are reforming their welfare system but STILL provide council homes for the less fortunate as well as rent supplements. What does Nigeria do for its citizens or less fortunate? someone said that oluchi's sister should have allowed her to finish her education but forgot to note that Oluchi said she left school because her father died which is a very common cliche in Nigeria.What does the education system in nigeria have in place for people who find themselves in such a situation? Is Education supposed to be a fundamental human right or priviledge just like freedom of worship? We do not run a knowledge based economy and this would affect Nigeria in the long run.Look at India and china and see the emphasis in the sciences and the subsides provided by their governments to enhance education in the sciences. Finland recently made it a right for everyone to have accessibility to the internet and not a priviledge and that is why any nigerian with a student visa in this country or sweden would not pay tuition fees till today as I write this. Nigerian Government has slowly removed subsides in oil and education and we do not know where these monies have gone to. The United states as capitalist as it is even pays unemployment benefits. Look we have to have some form of welfare system no matter how small. Opportunities do not materialise in a day , moreover we do not run a competitive economy that is why politicians kill themselves in order to get into their positions of freaking leadership or why should illiterates like chris ubah or the late Adedibu have the guts to want to control the helms of government. What do they know about fiscal policies or monetary policies and the union of these to increase GDP or expanding the Gross National product? What do they know about GDP per capita or the Human development Index? What do they know about making a country economically viable and running an export based economy? I can go on and on. The list is endless...Improving the healthcare and education system in the country are important but the stability of a country is paramount to achieving these things, hence the chaos in the niger delta, the mindless killings in jos and so on. Nigeria is worse now than when it was in 1981. I would be glad if you could look up Marslow's hierarchy of needs to have a better sense of where the country stands at the moment. I rest my case
Well Anonymous, governments like the U.K and Ireland are reforming their welfare system but STILL provide council homes for the less fortunate as well as rent supplements. What does Nigeria do for its citizens or less fortunate? someone said that oluchi's sister should have allowed her to finish her education but forgot to note that Oluchi said she left school because her father died which is a very common cliche in Nigeria.What does the education system in nigeria have in place for people who find themselves in such a situation? Is Education supposed to be a fundamental human right or priviledge just like freedom of worship? We do not run a knowledge based economy and this would affect Nigeria in the long run. (continue below)
Look at India and china and see the emphasis in the sciences and the subsides provided by their governments to enhance education in the sciences. Finland recently made it a right for everyone to have accessibility to the internet and not a priviledge and that is why any nigerian with a student visa in this country or sweden would not pay tuition fees till today as I write this. Nigerian Government has slowly removed subsides in oil and education and we do not know where these monies have gone to. The United states as capitalist as it is even pays unemployment benefits. Look we have to have some form of welfare system no matter how small. Opportunities do not materialise in a day , moreover we do not run a competitive economy that is why politicians kill themselves in order to get into their positions of freaking leadership or why should illiterates like chris ubah or the late Adedibu have the guts to want to control the helms of government. What do they know about fiscal policies or monetary policies and the union of these to increase GDP or expanding the Gross National product? What do they know about GDP per capita or the Human development Index? What do they know about making a country economically viable and running an export based economy? I can go on and on. The list is endless...Improving the healthcare and education system in the country are important but the stability of a country is paramount to achieving these things, hence the chaos in the niger delta, the mindless killings in jos and so on. Nigeria is worse now than when it was in 1981. I would be glad if you could look up Marslow's hierarchy of needs to have a better sense of where the country stands at the moment. I rest my case
Uche well said,very well said.God bless you as you enlighten people on your strong views. The point is why must people say everyone must get an education before they can live decently. Education is not the end of the world, people can become tradesmen but in Nigeria all they say is EDUCATION.There are no other oppurtunities
Haba Uche, I think you have said enough! You have actually repeated some of my points in a different way but the main point I tried to make was that the government ought to create an enabling environment for people to better themselves even if it cannot provide houses for the people- let us beg to differ. Anyway, I get the points you have made and encourage you to seek political office to better the lives of people in your constituency
Hey Anonymous, I am not against your own views in any way, however I just hurt when I see mole hills made to look like mountains. I do not intend to seek political office, all I want is a little bit of sanity in our dear country.I miss the likes of late Beko Kuti, and wole soyinka who is elderly and has tried in his own way. We should all rise with one voice. The Nigerian government is not fully accountable to its people.We should all speak out and make sure that those in government who are serving us are accountable to us just like some people who have homehelps in their homes have them accountable to them.These government folks are Public SERVANTS, hence are supposed to be serving us I guess. Cheers mate
This is really sad. It is the responsibility of any sensible government to provide council flats and apartments for people like Oluchi. I am really ashamed of Nigeria as a country , I mean its leaders. If government says it cannot afford to build reasonable homeless shelters or council houses, they can ask the public to help or contribute and give them awards for this as well as provide free land. If the cost of a 2 bedroom apartment would be N 250,000, I would surely like to sponsor one!!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. Thanks for posting, Linda! I will check out his blog.
ReplyDeletePoverty Porno. Why?!
ReplyDeleteI watched this documentary and was so touched by the life story of such a beautiful young girl. So eloquent and well spoken young girl. Her sister should not have taken her from the village without her completing her education first and then to bring her to such a dump that is Lagos. But the reporter gave her a useful piece of advice- she needs to learn a skill that will bring her an income rather than petty trading alone. Also, where is the father of her children? These children need a father to help with their upbringing too.
ReplyDeleteNo Uche, it is not the government's responsibility to provide council flats and apartments for people like Oluchi- in Europe and especially in Britain, the government is moving away from the ideal of a welfare state because the system is expensive and not sustainable in the long run. What the government ought to do however, is to create an environment where people can create opportunities for themselves and people around them- this means improving the education system, the healthcare system, increasing the system of infrastructure including better roads, better public transport, reliable water and energy as well as an efficient post and telecommunication system. If the government can provide these basic needs, it will be of benefit to people like Oluchi who would be able to provide a better life for herself and her children and will not need to resort to the government for money. Our government and people should learn from the example of Brazil- it took Brazil more than 100 years to get to where it is now and it is becoming the country of the future- there is hope for Nigeria- we are 50 years old and in time, things will improve.
ReplyDeleteWell Anonymous, governments like the U.K and Ireland are reforming their welfare system but STILL provide council homes for the less fortunate as well as rent supplements. What does Nigeria do for its citizens or less fortunate? someone said that oluchi's sister should have allowed her to finish her education but forgot to note that Oluchi said she left school because her father died which is a very common cliche in Nigeria.What does the education system in nigeria have in place for people who find themselves in such a situation? Is Education supposed to be a fundamental human right or priviledge just like freedom of worship? We do not run a knowledge based economy and this would affect Nigeria in the long run.Look at India and china and see the emphasis in the sciences and the subsides provided by their governments to enhance education in the sciences. Finland recently made it a right for everyone to have accessibility to the internet and not a priviledge and that is why any nigerian with a student visa in this country or sweden would not pay tuition fees till today as I write this. Nigerian Government has slowly removed subsides in oil and education and we do not know where these monies have gone to. The United states as capitalist as it is even pays unemployment benefits. Look we have to have some form of welfare system no matter how small. Opportunities do not materialise in a day , moreover we do not run a competitive economy that is why politicians kill themselves in order to get into their positions of freaking leadership or why should illiterates like chris ubah or the late Adedibu have the guts to want to control the helms of government. What do they know about fiscal policies or monetary policies and the union of these to increase GDP or expanding the Gross National product? What do they know about GDP per capita or the Human development Index? What do they know about making a country economically viable and running an export based economy? I can go on and on. The list is endless...Improving the healthcare and education system in the country are important but the stability of a country is paramount to achieving these things, hence the chaos in the niger delta, the mindless killings in jos and so on. Nigeria is worse now than when it was in 1981. I would be glad if you could look up Marslow's hierarchy of needs to have a better sense of where the country stands at the moment. I rest my case
ReplyDeleteWell Anonymous, governments like the U.K and Ireland are reforming their welfare system but STILL provide council homes for the less fortunate as well as rent supplements. What does Nigeria do for its citizens or less fortunate? someone said that oluchi's sister should have allowed her to finish her education but forgot to note that Oluchi said she left school because her father died which is a very common cliche in Nigeria.What does the education system in nigeria have in place for people who find themselves in such a situation? Is Education supposed to be a fundamental human right or priviledge just like freedom of worship? We do not run a knowledge based economy and this would affect Nigeria in the long run. (continue below)
ReplyDeleteLook at India and china and see the emphasis in the sciences and the subsides provided by their governments to enhance education in the sciences. Finland recently made it a right for everyone to have accessibility to the internet and not a priviledge and that is why any nigerian with a student visa in this country or sweden would not pay tuition fees till today as I write this. Nigerian Government has slowly removed subsides in oil and education and we do not know where these monies have gone to. The United states as capitalist as it is even pays unemployment benefits. Look we have to have some form of welfare system no matter how small. Opportunities do not materialise in a day , moreover we do not run a competitive economy that is why politicians kill themselves in order to get into their positions of freaking leadership or why should illiterates like chris ubah or the late Adedibu have the guts to want to control the helms of government. What do they know about fiscal policies or monetary policies and the union of these to increase GDP or expanding the Gross National product? What do they know about GDP per capita or the Human development Index? What do they know about making a country economically viable and running an export based economy? I can go on and on. The list is endless...Improving the healthcare and education system in the country are important but the stability of a country is paramount to achieving these things, hence the chaos in the niger delta, the mindless killings in jos and so on. Nigeria is worse now than when it was in 1981. I would be glad if you could look up Marslow's hierarchy of needs to have a better sense of where the country stands at the moment. I rest my case
ReplyDeleteUche well said,very well said.God bless you as you enlighten people on your strong views.
ReplyDeleteThe point is why must people say everyone must get an education before they can live decently.
Education is not the end of the world, people can become tradesmen but in Nigeria all they say is EDUCATION.There are no other oppurtunities
Haba Uche, I think you have said enough! You have actually repeated some of my points in a different way but the main point I tried to make was that the government ought to create an enabling environment for people to better themselves even if it cannot provide houses for the people- let us beg to differ. Anyway, I get the points you have made and encourage you to seek political office to better the lives of people in your constituency
ReplyDeleteHey Anonymous, I am not against your own views in any way, however I just hurt when I see mole hills made to look like mountains. I do not intend to seek political office, all I want is a little bit of sanity in our dear country.I miss the likes of late Beko Kuti, and wole soyinka who is elderly and has tried in his own way. We should all rise with one voice. The Nigerian government is not fully accountable to its people.We should all speak out and make sure that those in government who are serving us are accountable to us just like some people who have homehelps in their homes have them accountable to them.These government folks are Public SERVANTS, hence are supposed to be serving us I guess. Cheers mate
ReplyDelete