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Friday 18 October 2013

Say what, BBC? Lol. BBC World News insults Nigeria on twitter

Sorry about the Lol, it's not funny I know but I just couldn't resist. The 'unfinished capital' cracked me up. So BBC says Abuja was built on stolen land, stolen from who? Continue to read the pic's accompanying article


Written by

When one of Nigeria's long line of military rulers, General Olusegun Obasanjo, seized the land on which Abuja was to be built in the late 1970s, he could hardly have imagined that the city would remain unfinished 35 years on.
Abuja has a makeshift, haphazard feel to it: A place of bureaucrats and building sites, its streets eerily empty after the buzz of Lagos or the enterprising bustle of Kano.
It is one of the most expensive cities in Africa, and one of the most charmless.
The skyline is dominated by the space-rocket spires of the National Christian Centre and the golden dome of the National Mosque, facing each other pugnaciously across a busy highway at the city's centre.
Its other striking landmark is the vast construction site of the Millennium Tower, which, if it is ever completed, will be Nigeria's tallest building.

The skyscraper was intended to mark Abuja's 20th birthday in 2011. Now delayed until who-knows-when, hugely over-budget and the subject of numerous official investigations.

The National Mosque, Abuja  
 The National Mosque stands at the side of a busy road in the city centre
 
All the people of Abuja have to show for the billions invested in the project are two stunted fingers of scaffold-clad concrete.
I had been in Abuja for three days - about two-and-a-half too many - when my friend, Atta, a sociologist, picked me up from my hotel.
We drove out towards Aso Rock, the monolith looming over the presidential palace.
On either side of the road there are complexes of bulky, imposing mansions, most of them unfinished.
Some had empty swimming pools; others had mock-Tudor timbering, but were windowless and often roofless.
Atta told me that 65% of the houses in these developments were uninhabited, put up only to launder Abuja's dirty money.
Like the Millennium Tower, these grandiose schemes are ruins before they are completed, bleak monuments to a city built by kleptocratic politicians on stolen land.
We pulled off the Murtala Mohammed Highway at Mpape Junction, and immediately the road deteriorated.

Aso Rock  
There are many uninhabited mansions near Aso Rock
 
"I am going to show you the real Abuja," Atta told me, as his car struggled up a deeply-rutted dirt track.
A warm wind from the desert to the north - the Harmattan - whipped clouds of red dust around us as we climbed through rocky scrubland into the hills.

“Start Quote

Life here is difficult. Often we can't see across the street because of the smoke and dust”
Mary
People began to appear on the streets - men carrying ancient Singer sewing machines, women balancing baskets on their heads.
We entered a vast shanty-town of shacks with corrugated iron roofs, slums stacking to the horizon.
Nissan minivans scuttled past - they are called "One Chance" buses, as they barely stop on their manic journeys through these uncharted streets.
Crowds thronged between skinny cows, beneath posters advertising beaming televangelists.
Dance music blared out, interrupted by a muezzin's call to prayer. Bright-eyed children kicked footballs about.
This was the home of the Gwari people, the original inhabitants of the land where the capital was built.
Hundreds of thousands of them were summarily evicted in the 1970s, and now scrape a living in the hills.

Gwari people crossing road  
Many of the original owners of the land around Abuja are now living in poverty
 
Abuja is itself a Gwari word and, although the city of generals and politicians below us had barely 700,000 inhabitants, two or three million people live in these shanty towns, many of them Gwari.
The Gwari people continue to fight for compensation for the land wrested from them by the Obasanjo government, land now worth more per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in Africa.
We got out and walked through the smoke and dust towards a row of shacks.
In one of them, a woman knelt on the ground plucking a chicken, a man above her leaning on a makeshift bar.
They were Frank and Mary, Gwari people in their thirties, children of one of the thousands of families originally evicted during the foundation of Abuja.
The four of us sat in the shack sipping Fantas, staring out at the swarming life of the shanty town: Motorbikes and cattle and people, all of them through a veil of reddish dust.
"I trained as an architect," Frank told me. "I have an education. But I do not have money, I don't know the right people. So I work here with my sister. In Abuja, money defines everything."
I ask him about the empty mansions lining the roads into the city.
"That is pseudo-Abuja, a false place. It's unjust - we should be living in those houses. Instead…" He gestured to the squalid lean-to that jutted from the back of the bar.
Mary looked up from her chicken. "Life here is difficult," she says.
"Often we can't see across the street because of the smoke and dust. If it rains, you can't move for the mud. But we pray hard."

Abuja street scene  
Thick dust and smoke often fill the streets 
 
Frank pulled out a CD. It was Fela Kuti's Suffering and Smiling.
"This," Frank said, as the music coiled out from an ancient hi-fi, "is the compressed statement of Nigerian society. We suffer, but we smile. Nothing will change until we get angry, until we stop smiling."
A storm was coming in, red clouds rolling overhead and thunder crackling down the valleys.
Frank and Mary stood waving to us, the music playing still, as we drove off down the hill, towards pseudo-Abuja.

274 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 274 of 274
Anonymous said...

O please shut up the gwari people were compensated, he should also write about how America stole land from the native Indians without compensation, he's just a big fool.

Anonymous said...

Ok since most of u believe d land belong 2 d Gbagis and u're clamouring 4 revolt by d Gbagis which will probably lead loss of lives.Pls donate ur state so we can use it as Nigeria's Capital or do u believe Nigeria doesn't deserve anythin good to a point it should't have a Capital. Things are not working in this country but I were her as a badge of honour coz she's my country thank u.

Nneoma NoCrap said...

As much as he has made some valid points which I agree with....
I find his tone too condescending for a journalist.
He speaks of Nigeria with spite and with this air of superiority.Like he is of a higher cadre sent by fate to teach the 'inferior' Nigerians the right way to live life in a country he just visited for two days.

His method of communication is crude.
It's either he is too naive or too arrogant to know better.
1) You don't refer to a country in that tone.Can he write this about France or Austria?
2) in a country where tribal sentiments are easily awakened, his article can cause an uproar.
The youths of that region who weren't even born when the land was ceded may start an uprising based on half baked facts.
A real journalist will not write on hear-say from the grief of the people alone but make research into issues by visiting the land registries, reading the history of the land and also talking with the municipal council officials to hear their part.
He works or a very influencial media outlet and once people hear this from the NBC, they take his poorly researched fiction-ridden work as gospel.

That being said, there is no country that wasn't built under questionable circumstances.England for instance, William the conqueror conquered and took over all the lands, ceding it to his frndz and soldiers whose families are the dukes and earls we know today.England itself took land originally belonging to Wales(the lands of the Marches) , killed their princes(equivalent to King) and installed the first on of the king as the ceremonial head of Wales, that is why till today, the first son of every king of England is the Prince of Wales........what about what they did o Scotland! How they maimed an harried them? Where those people compensated? The Aborigines of Australia and how they were slaughtered.The red Indian tribes were purposely infected with small pox filled blankets and millions died, by the same England. How were they compensated? I can go on nd on but there's no time. BBC should train their reporters

Nneoma NoCrap said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Thank you !

Stephanie said...

"Stolen land?"... That is true but coming from a race that enslaved a huge number of Africans? Linda do the needful and post my comment or else.....

Anonymous said...

i dnt hav to research it, what has been described is a true nigerian story, no doubt. typical of the way our government is, corrupt and wicked.

Anonymous said...

But its true now,why are y'all pained. I figured some one needs to speak out if Nigerians are too scared to speak for them selves.

Anonymous said...

See thats why we will be stuck forever "suffering and smilling" look around dummy!! Does anything in this country look well to you?? Hun??

Anonymous said...

sounded like a novel geared at defaming and ridiculing our country, the piece lacked direction and i think the author should look for something better to do with his time if this was all he saw during his visit to the capital

Diva said...

Even if What he ÈŠ̝̊̅Úª saying ÈŠ̝̊̅Úª true,he Has no right †☺ vomit all that rubbish....â„“̊ don't Blame him sha â„“̊ blame D̶̲̥̅̊ nigerian that carried him around ​Ãήϑ feed him with all D̶̲̥̅̊ Bullshit stories.

Iwari said...

Rubbish, your country is being attacked nd peopple are supporting them...What concerns BBC world with the infrastructure of Nigeria. How many other thing are in Nigeria that are news worthy that can bring about positive change for Nigeria. of all the things they could write on they write on how Nigeria was built. utter rubbish...Nigerians too are supporting them with insulting our Capital It's our duty to protect what's ours jealously, if your family was being attacked would you not protect it.

Nigerians should see themselves as family, We should protect each other.Protect your counrty

Anonymous said...

Anonymouse 4 0. 3 u must be a killal. Idoit like may be ur father sol land ther compand fool like u

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 4.19 , if the "silly brits" chose to see only the bad parts, pls can u point out the good parts of nigeria that they have refused to see?

Unknown said...

This is true, just because we the original inhabitants are not saying anything does not mean we don't know what we are doing, we have our facts and if u care to know , find out, before making conclusions ,
This is just the beginning , watch out for us and
THANK YOU! TO WHOMEVER WROTE THIS! Even if it's hacked, and THANK YOU Linda for reposting it

Unknown said...

This is true, just because we the original inhabitants are not saying anything does not mean we don't know what we are doing, we have our facts and if u care to know , find out, before making conclusions ,
This is just the beginning , watch out for us and
THANK YOU! TO WHOMEVER WROTE THIS! Even if it's hacked, and THANK YOU Linda for reposting it

Unknown said...

This is true, just because we the original inhabitants are not saying anything does not mean we don't know what we are doing, we have our facts and if u care to know , find out, before making conclusions ,
This is just the beginning , watch out for us and
THANK YOU! TO WHOMEVER WROTE THIS! Even if it's hacked, and THANK YOU Linda for reposting it

Barr T said...

Press! They can make and mar. I see why the Egyptian Govt wants 2 barr the press. Dey go around misinforming pple. Yes! D govt can acquire land for public purpose but occupants must be duly compensated. Some gullible pple wuld start quarrelling in abj.

Anonymous said...

I am so sick and tired of western media and their penchant for making derogatory reports about Nigeria in particular, and Africa in general. And I really can't for the life of me understand the mentality of the Nigerians who work with these foreign media guys to do the things they do. Pray, how many reports have this Preston(?) guy written or made about the atrocities committed in Nigeria by the British? How many reports has he made about the underbelly of crime and deviancy that exists in Britain? This is the same BBC (along with other western media) that made it their business to demonise Mugabe over the land that was 'taken' from white Zimbabweans and that showed such glee in reporting on how the economy and society degenerated thanks to the economic sanctions that the western countries put in place to support their white brothers. Today, Zimbabwe's land re-distribution program is a growing success and 245,000 black farmers are on land that was 'owned' previously by only 4,000 white farmers! Has the BBC reported anything about this positive change? No. What of the truth about the South African elections that resulted in the election of Mandela as the first black president of South Africa and the role the whites played in undermining the PAC to ensure that the ANC won. Which western media has reported on this? Since the aim of the UK, USA & the others was to ensure that the whites retained economic power post-apartheid, the western media kept mum about all the funny things that were done during that election. BBC and its ilk are only interested in portraying Nigeria and black Africa in the worst light possible as this serves their own interests better. The bottomline is that the BBCs of this world protect their home country's interests, hence, any international news stories on such stations should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Anonymous said...

I weep fr Nigeria

Anonymous said...

all of supportin BBC on d insult 2 ur father land are bunch of cowards nd hypocrites,sum1 was bold enof 2 insult ur own country nd u all are applaudin him...i saw 1 fool here sayin BBC jst gained 1 folower,chai...let me tel u,i tink u shud say dey jst gaind 1 fool...it is ur type dat support inter tribal war in nigeria...weda gud or bad,Nigeria stil remain d only country u kan call ur own...am in Nigeria till death...Sol sylva was here.

Anonymous said...

Serious mumu

Anonymous said...

No! IT IS NOT OKAY TO RUBBISH ANOTHER COUNTRY'S NAME STUPIDS! quit rubbing Nigeria's name in dirt! what do you gain from it?

Unknown said...

This is just a typical definition of the dangers of a single story...nothing's are always different when you look from the outside in.... BBC has no place to judge, who TF do they think they are????????? Kmt

Anonymous said...

I really wonder why people are upset. Somehow, patriotism means to support a slowly degrading country no matter what. What on EARTH!! The comments disappoint me. Instead of uniting against the true problem, we celebrate their mediocre achievements and eat the heads of those who expose them.

Journalism in Nigeria is certainly not the people's voice. over 60 billion Naira for two towers that we will be barely be able to afford.

Nigeria can't change without Nigerians changing first

Anonymous said...

Mumu! You are still in slumber!

Anonymous said...

Precious Oguamah, yes you can bow to him because you don't know history. Enlighten yourself here with informed opinion.

tima said...

Of cus, I still my my country. And won't trade it for none. Don't mind these pple. They all have a very terrible history. They should not try to make us worse. We know are problems we don't need their amebo here pls. Wat is news here there are slums every other place in the world. Development is a process, Rome was not built in a day. They take several seats abeg

Anonymous said...

America or wherever this Bastard thinks he is from wasn't it built on stolen land... From native americans! or should we talk about the colonialists who stole from us our natural resources. I am not saying Abuja is a city that is perfect and should be without its fair share of criticism, but if you lived here (like i do) you ll definitely admit there has been improvements. Good roads, electricity and clean water. Whatever this journalist hopes to achieve by writing this jargon is marred by the fact that even the most developed countries in the world has its own shanty or local towns (or cities so infested in crime, gunshots ringing are normative charcteristics). He is one to talk! After coming here, sleeping in the best hotels, using his over inflated currency which he's country coerced us with our naiveté to disvalue ours, he is one to talk indeed! He should get the hell outta my country!


Linda please post my comment. I really had to say something about this issue. Thanks

First Lady said...

Tskkkk and you are joining the insult to say it belongs to you Gbagyi people. You should be ashamed of yourself, isn't it your country NIGERIA, you are glad to have this foreigners insult us anyway they see fit.....disgusting!

almira said...

I don't like to take your comments with a grain of salt, but now i see all you have a big words but with no substance attached to them. Pls read up on history. Americans bloodied up the land u now call America by nearly eradicating the native indians who lived there, the united kingdom destroyed and stole pre existing civilizations to ve what the claim now as the united kingdom. There is no western civilization that has not been built on the blood and sweat of the black man,so when we talk about land, and who owns it... Pls do the math. Educate urself properly, the dictionary isn't the only form of informative research.

Anonymous said...

So why are we upset? Is this not the story of VI, Ikoyi and PHC? Tourists are only exposed to the exotic mansions but the remaining 90% of the area is pure village and slum? If we want to shut BBC up, how about we provide basic amenities for the villages around Abuja, pretty up these places, even make them tourist attractions and see what they have to say.

Anonymous said...

Perfectly said!

Anonymous said...

Tell them o!

SIMPLYCOCK said...

The fake-ness of Abuja is malodorous despite the apparent beauty of the inner city centre!
And the place is damn expensive!
Totally in synce with the BBC reporting..
An island for thieving politicians, Abuja municipality is bordered about by cesspool of poverty...
Here I'm reminded of the GWAGWALADAS, KUBWUAS, ZUBAS, ETC of this world...

SIMPLYCOCK said...

I disagree that the land Abuja was stolen...
For saying that, the BBC reporter is an exceptional idiot!
I also deplore the language of the reporting...
Bad journalism, to state the least!
Shows the reporter was poorly and badly trained either by a confused educational system or incompetent professional superiors...
Even before the enactment of the Land Use Act, government had the right to enter upon any land, the use of which was meant for public good...
The same thing happens in the UK where the shit reporter claims he comes from...
However, government is bound to pay adequate compensation where such land acquisition occurs...
Came in the Land Use Act in 1978...
And ever since all lands in Nigeria belongs to government (or the governor of a state) who holds in trust for the people...
So government cannot steal its own land...
Ever since, all that the people enjoy in Nigeria is right of occupancy...
That however did not obliterate customary land tenural system in the country...
The point is: the so-called BBC reporter was far from objective in his reporting...
He came with preconceived notions...
He came looking for sights and sounds to feed his prejudice...
Some truths in his reporting, though...
Yet I find it offensive that the fucked-up reporter was on a single-minded mission to scandalize and diminish the country in the eye of all and sundry...
His reporting verges on defamation...
So, for it was worth, the baggar of a cynical reporter saw nothing positive to say about Abuja???
Anything at all...
At least just to balance his reporting...
The bastard deserves insults meant only for common scoundrels!
Na him papa, the British colonizers, be the biggest thieves and plunderers!!
They plundered cultures, heritage, artifacts, lands, mineral resources, etc!!!
Cheap, common armed robbers deserving of Hiroshima and Nagasaki treatment!!!!

SIMPLYCOCK said...

I disagree that the land Abuja was stolen...
For saying that, the BBC reporter is an exceptional idiot!
I also deplore the language of the reporting...
Bad journalism, to state the least!
Shows the reporter was poorly and badly trained either by a confused educational system or incompetent professional superiors...
Even before the enactment of the Land Use Act, government had the right to enter upon any land, the use of which was meant for public good...
The same thing happens in the UK where the shit reporter claims he comes from...
However, government is bound to pay adequate compensation where such land acquisition occurs...
Came in the Land Use Act in 1978...
And ever since all lands in Nigeria belongs to government (or the governor of a state) who holds in trust for the people...
So government cannot steal its own land...
Ever since, all that the people enjoy in Nigeria is right of occupancy...
That however did not obliterate customary land tenural system in the country...
The point is: the so-called BBC reporter was far from objective in his reporting...
He came with preconceived notions...
He came looking for sights and sounds to feed his prejudice...
Some truths in his reporting, though...
Yet I find it offensive that the fucked-up reporter was on a single-minded mission to scandalize and diminish the country in the eye of all and sundry...
His reporting verges on defamation...
So, for it was worth, the baggar of a cynical reporter saw nothing positive to say about Abuja???
Anything at all...
At least just to balance his reporting...
The bastard deserves insults meant only for common scoundrels!
Na him papa, the British colonizers, be the biggest thieves and plunderers!!
They plundered cultures, heritage, artifacts, lands, mineral resources, etc!!!
Cheap, common armed robbers deserving of Hiroshima and Nagasaki treatment!!!!

ukeme said...

Linda iv never commented but this post i can't ignore, only an idiot would evaluate a whole country and it's capital city in 3days! The fumen USA got more slums and ghettos than any were in the world N his white skinny malnutrioned as can look from a car Window writing rubbish Show go and Amadiora fire his entire generation and family line! Mchew mboq stfk up!

Anonymous said...

It's a fact. Say the truth and shame the devil

Anonymous said...

Sorry datdumbiboboy! your lil mentality is part of Nija's problem. smh

Anonymous said...

I'm following too. About time someone opened our eyes to the bitter truth!

Anonymous said...

Foreigners

Unknown said...

The sting they say has its healing powers so I say more of this kind of sting from d outside world would somehow gradually heal Nigeria from the disease eating her up!

Anonymous said...

You've said it all,Sean. We all needed to hear this hard truth.

Unknown said...

that the bitter truth well said and well delivered

Anonymous said...

SO TRUE... WHEN I FIRST TRAVELED TO ABUJA I SWORE NEVER TO GO BACK THERE.

THE PLACE IS SCANTILY DEVELOPED AND JUST DOES NOT LOOK NICE TO ME.

Kokiri said...

Absolutely true, the indigenes have been banned from their own land with no compensation or chance of ever being developed... I believe the same thing holds in other parts of the country

MakeWeYarn said...

WELL NOW BBC JUST GOT A NEW FF ON TWITTER.... PLS STOP THE BEING BLIND TO FACTS PEOPLE THEY JUST SAID THE TRUTH... IT IS SO SAD HOW WE INDEED SUFFER AND SMILE... @mcmatwot

Anonymous said...

They should be sued for defamation.(i dont know why i bother, my comment never gets posted)

Igwilo Nnaemeka Brendan said...

Nawa o!!! Even an outsider (foreigner) has seen the hidden-ugly parts of us. Wetin man go do sha.... I still love 9ja sha.

Anonymous said...

IMO this post should open our eyes to the fact that the land use act is not for the benefit of the citizens but for the elites land should not just be taken because the gov can that ABUJA for you. it was stolen the posy only points out what the truth is i can't say its a lie bcos its happening all over nigeria. :(

Anonymous said...

Abuja is a sorry excuse for a capital ever in the history of capitals.... even botswana's capital is better than Abuja *** Just saying** so much for master plan LMAOOO

Nuffsaid said...

Did BBC say anything that's untrue? Stupid Nigerians..

Nuffsaid said...

What of the money laundering structures that dot Abuja's landscape? The empty estates with overpriced rents? The abandoned projects that litter Abuja from Bwari to Nyanya?

Priscilla said...

For everyone who found this post by the BBC funny or commended it,I say bow your head in shame. Instead of us calling on BBC to APOLOGISE for insulting our great Nation we are here saying all whats not? How can Nigeria steal its own land? where would Nigeria build its capital except in Nigeria in which case some people will still be displaced? When Lagos was the capital, were there no original Yoruba inhabitants? This is utter rubbish! Till date construction is still ongoing in major capital cities of the world that are even 5 times or more older than Abuja.So how come a city that is barely 30yrs old has been capped unfinished? If Lagos was still the capital of Nigeria, there will still be construction sites, empty lands and uninhabited buildings..this is arrant nonsense!

Anonymous said...

U belong to the group of people dat gradually destroy this country because of your myopic vision. What did he say that isnt d god awful truth. Dey say nigerians are d happiest people in d world bt lemme tell u, its a CURSE and not a gift.dt is y our people suffer in penury. Until we learn 2 GET ANGRY and change d state of affairs den dere is no hope for our children let alone our grandchildren. U r obviously a corrupt soul if u cannot see d sense in what dis person has stated.

Anonymous said...

@22 one would think you would have attained a higher level of maturity.well what do you expect from someone who can't spell "LIVE"

Anonymous said...

Stfu anu offiah.. idiot..it is d so called siding of this country and burying d truth dat has kept us in dis position and sadly pple like u r populous in Nigeria.

Anonymous said...

Dubai n Abuja which is a city and which is an excuse for a capital? It's a heartbreaking shame! Both were started at similar times both were built with oil money so why did Abuja have to still be in the production phase when Dubai is already milking the benefits of a profitable project !

Anonymous said...

I sorry for Nigerians.suffering and smiling.foreigners even have more concern for our future.all you guys know is skelewu and fake life.there comes a time that we have to be radical and revolt,it doesn't have to be violent.imagine if people dint stand up against slavery...I sorry for our people.we need knowledge!

Anonymous said...

I sorry for Nigerians.suffering and smiling.foreigners even have more concern for our future.all you guys know is skelewu and fake life.there comes a time that we have to be radical and revolt,it doesn't have to be violent.imagine if people dint stand up against slavery...I sorry for our people.we need knowledge!

Anonymous said...

Too bad many Nigerians are sentimentally deluded...We shun the message and attack the messenger...Well, what can anyone expect of a Nation where University education has been on hold for almost half a year.... Open your eyes to see. BBC has done a great job! They took a picture of poor Nigeria shit-ing in her pants. I sigh!

Anonymous said...

Una mata dey taya me sef..........AnD Linda wetin com make u tag "lol" 2 am?????...........d britons are far worst dan d africans........obnoxious laws in dia land and a host of shits.......an absolute monarch in guise of a constitutional 1.......Abi u tink say d queen of England get limitations.........False amalgamation in 1914......if u really know wat I mean......dey cosd our present day problems 1stly by merging northern nigeria wit d southern nigeria...wen we all knw d 2 parts can neva agree......I neva talk of how dem take exploit us.........I also stay in abuja too.....a close friend 2 d 1st son gbagyi monarch....let me tell u guys.....dis pipul get compensated...dia dubious leaders corner d money and d ordinary gbagyi man opens his mouth 2 say rubbish......please lemme ask u pipul.....are d indigines of d FCT not represented in d federal character commission????..........did d goveRnment leave dem out???........as 4 dat prexton of a Guy.......he's finally gotten d attention he wanted.......him tink say him fit handle any administrative work 4 naija ne? Lagos and calabar were once capital cities d pipul dem no complain........d annoying ting b say most pipul wey dey comment anyhow no offer history or government so how dem want take understand wetin dey hapun.However Linda if u see person wey fit carry go abroad abeg let me know.....Naija dey tiring........YES driver drop me...I don reach where I dey go

Anonymous said...

This is very wrong. It's really none of their business. Abuja is one city that Nigeria can be proud of. If they left the land with the Bwari people, Abuja would still be underdeveloped. Why are they acting like they don't have slums in London. Mpape, Lugbe, Nyanya and the likes are the slums of Abuja. It is perfectly normal. Not everyone can afford a luxurious lifestyle. This is an insult and the Nigerian government should not take it lightly. It's really none of the British peoples business...

Anonymous said...

haba you pepu should leave Abuja alone truth is all in all its a great place with a promising future....all you Lagosians na wa o!

Ofilispeaks.com said...

Quick bit of history. In Kenya in 1952 the Mau Mau tribe after losing their lands to the British staged an uprising in Kenya. The uprising lasted between 1952 and 1960, the Mau Mau tribe was persecuted and tortured during this time.

Examples:
“Numerous allegations of murder and rape by British military personnel are recorded in the files, including an incident where an African baby
was “burnt to death”, the “defilement of a young girl”, and a soldier in Royal Irish Fusiliers who killed “in cold blood two people who had been his captives for over 12 hours” via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mau_Mau_Uprising

Around 2000, the Kenyan government sent a letter to Hague insisting that the UK government was legally liable for the atrocities. The Foreign Office, however, reaffirmed its position that it was not, in fact, liable for colonial atrocities. British denial. It was not until 2012, 60 freaking years, that the British government allowed Kenya to sue for damages. So you are there forming voltron for the West, not knowing what they have done in the past. Why did the writer not go and right about that? How can you come from a land that stole masses of lands and come and accuse another land that you stole from about stealing land from themselves. The boldness, what an idiot. He should have tried that in Kenya and seen what happened.

Ofilispeaks.com said...

Quick bit of history. In Kenya in 1952 the Mau Mau tribe after losing their lands to the British staged an uprising in Kenya. The uprising lasted between 1952 and 1960, the Mau Mau tribe was persecuted and tortured during this time.

Examples:
“Numerous allegations of murder and rape by British military personnel are recorded in the files, including an incident where an African baby
was “burnt to death”, the “defilement of a young girl”, and a soldier in Royal Irish Fusiliers who killed “in cold blood two people who had been his captives for over 12 hours” via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mau_Mau_Uprising

Around 2000, the Kenyan government sent a letter to Hague insisting that the UK government was legally liable for the atrocities. The Foreign Office, however, reaffirmed its position that it was not, in fact, liable for colonial atrocities. British denial. It was not until 2012, 60 freaking years, that the British government allowed Kenya to sue for damages. So you are there forming voltron for the West, not knowing what they have done in the past. Why did the writer not go and right about that? How can you come from a land that stole masses of lands and come and accuse another land that you stole from about stealing land from themselves. The boldness, what an idiot. He should have tried that in Kenya and seen what happened.

Anonymous said...

Well he has a point. Its very true but he shouldnt just sit in a posh office in london and play holier than thou with his pen. Many great nations were established on stolen lands without compensating the original owners. Till date, I still havent heard of d word compensation used when referring to red indians whose lands were plundered to build our great world's superpower''USA'' or have the australian aborigines been compensated without my knowledge?. We are all students of history so please remove the speck in your eyes MR Alex before helping others.E.G Talk about a royal family that buys rolls royce with tax payers money.

Anonymous said...

Pls hear this loud and clear,Land use law in nigeria say dat all land 100% is held by the government plus d land in ur village oo. So until dat law is changed government can neva be said to have stolen any land.

Anonymous said...

lol..naija mehnn

Anonymous said...

Those gwari people dey madt abi. The govt gave them resettlement sites as compensation for taking their land and one of such sites is apo resettlement which they be sold off n leased out rather than live in the houses govt built forthem they prefer to live in squalor

Anonymous said...

Couldn't have said it any better. This talk about stealing of land is the kind of thinking that's still making Nigeria subject to ethnic and socio political unrest...

Anonymous said...

Please BBC shuld stop saying Abuja is built on stolen land,the America we knw today is also owned by the Red Indians according history.it s jst normal for a state to b developed and it indigenes will b isolated bcos dey r illiterates,i schooled there I fink d gwari pple now knw the value of education bcos sme of their children are now educated.

Anonymous said...

Whoever wrote this article must be high on something, the question on my mind right now is, are the Gbagyi's not Nigerians, or are they from another place, did Lagos complain that the land belonged to the Yoruba people when it was the nations capital.!!!, this whole Gbagyii rant makes no sense at all. And for the writter who was in Abuja for just three days and thinks its enough to conclude on what the city is and even write a comprehensive article on it, must understand that his thinking faculty must be out of place to think so, next time make sure u have gone properly round and made enough research before you open your mouth or pick your pen to say anything about it. Cos I really believe this is coming from an empty brain, and the main aim is to make Nigeria look like a place where nothing good can come out of, it's a sad thing that fellow Nigerians believe and even support this work of stupidity. I am an indigene of Abuja, and this whole article is just wrong, and it is a complete misconception.

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