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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:

1 – 200 of 274   Newer›   Newest»
Anonymous said...

MOST PEOPLE WHO LIV DER HAVE STOLEN NIGERIA'S MONEY ALSO. OR DEY ARE WANNABE'S.. WHETHER THE LAND IS STOLEN OR NOT. CORRUPT COUNTRY. GOD HELP US.

Unknown said...

Madness is worrying them.

Anonymous said...

Insult....

Anonymous said...

Sad but very True!

ifeanyi osuji said...

later they wud say their twitter acct was hacked....

MY TURN said...

They won't say anything if they don't have fact. All i know is BBC WORLD just gained 1 new follower on twitter.

Anonymous said...

Not funny @ all

Anonymous said...

People of course!

DATSHAPIBOBOY said...

If actually d tweet came frm bbc. Bt if so I tink dis hs gottn 2 d height of it. D way diz foreign media denigrate our dearly beloved Naija. If its nt sahara reporters den its BBC. Diaz got to b an end to dis rubbish. Worst is dt some lumbering oafs hia nw wil join in d denigration of dia fada land
Comment Signed, Sealed and Delivered by DatShapIboBoy

Rough Diamond said...

Lol it's actually funny!
In all i still love 9ja!
4life!

Anonymous said...

Stolen from we d abj indegenes! D gbagyi natives!!!! Try 2 research more on dat!!

Anonymous said...

Naigeria will never stop making the headlines.A wonderful country i tell u.

Anonymous said...

na true naw

Unknown said...

What?

That African chic said...

I hate the way foreign protests Africa

Anonymous said...

Abuja wasn't built on stolen land,the indegenes are nigerians and the federal government compensated them for all the lands taken from indegenes. Fuck BBC! Very soon now,they'll say their account was hacked.mstchwwwwww

brenda said...

Whatz bbc's biz#seefinish#

ugo said...

Lol @ unfinished capital n stolen land!

Livvsreamblog said...

Just passing

Unknown said...

Evry 1 whu hav bin 2 abuja knws dis

Anonymous said...

Na wa o... It is well wif our country

Anonymous said...

Alex preston you must be on a cheap pills,land wasn't stolen from any one,pls get yur fact right fool...pls send his numba

Anonymous said...

......and that's the hard truth, bitter as it sounds but that's Nigeria's reality!! Our journalists are not soo brave to say so because they will end up jobless!!

Anonymous said...

Really? Sounds more like a fiction!

Anonymous said...

Very true!!Getting a degree in this land isn't a passport to a good life !!

Anonymous said...

this is serious anybody can say any thing about nigeria hmmm its well, stolely indeed

Anonymous said...

Very true and astute statment

Anonymous said...

I concure!

Anonymous said...

Hhhmmmm! Deep breath. pseudo Abuja.

Anonymous said...

Best to ask the idiot if we stole it from his father...When they decided to come colonize us, was it not stealing?

Not saying the government is right but neither does a self glorified author have the right to go demeaning another country based on 3 days visit. Did we beg you to come? stay in your country

Unknown said...

Choiiiii insult oooo*covers face in shame* this is a slap to d governmental body and its development arms

Anonymous said...

I can see a looming revolution.... We know where these people stay, where their children school. The likes of Oduah, allison, et all.

★★PRINCE CHARMING™★★ said...

Why wouldn't they ridicule us? We deserve it! The future looks bleak for Nigeria if our leaders don't start to do the right things and act competent enough!

Anonymous said...

I know we all don't wanna hear this, buh this can't be more true. It's the truth whether we wanna hear it or not.

Unknown said...

I like this article. Very good work. That's what journalism is about-telling the untold stories. I dont consider it an insult to Nigeria. Nigeria has insulted itself too much already.

Anonymous said...

the reporter got it prefectly ryt.its a psudo city even at 35yrs on.evidence of bad leadership.pls can any of dem come up to dispute dis?greedy leaders.

BONARIO NNAGS said...

Bitter truth.
I quite agree with them.
Abuja belongs to the Gbagyi people who are still clamouring for the return of their lands collected by FG.
Many beautiful mansions in Abuja without inhabitants. Quite an unfortunate situation.
lil wonder God has decided to reward us here with a scourging that can only be likened to hellfire.

~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310

Anonymous said...

Its sooo true..... May God help Nigeria...we have many heartless people here, and many of us suffer and Smile............ God we really need ya

Anonymous said...

This article is saying the unvarnished truth! Until we stop smiling n get angry nothing will change!

Anonymous said...

Owky

african barbie said...

Linda what is dis.what's our business with abuja dust and unfinished building...pls can u show us the bulet proof jeep bus with 225million.first to comment

Mich said...

Absolutely nothing new in what the reporter said.
Matter of fact,I totally agree...for every one building that's completed and inhabited in Abuja are five others that have been under construction for years and still don't look like they will be completed soon. This is evident in places like Apo,Asokoro,Utako and a host of other places...there's always a new buiiding getting constructed,many of which look like White Elephant projects.
Was Abuja built on stolen land? Stolen might be too harsh a word to use but it isn't far from the truth...the original land owners have not only been chased out but they have also been deprived of so many amenities in the "new lands" that they were sent to.
Why the idea of stolen lands may not hold water is because,the Gwaris at a point began to sell their own lands for peanuts to people,most of the lands where you have structures in Abuja were bought directly from the Gwaris hence,you can't say they were stolen. El Ruffai contributed in so small way to whatever messy or good state Abuja is today owing to his infamous "Abuja Masterplan" campaign.
In all,I still love it there whenvever I'm home...it may not be the best of capital cities right now but its definitely in the process,soon it will take its place in the list of cities with the best high-rise buildings in Africa.

Anonymous said...

These silly brits always feel they have an opinion.
Idiots, they chose to see the bad parts and they've seen it, so why the whailing. Same fools that gave power to northerners!

Anonymous said...

Wow!!!

Anonymous said...

BBC please ride on,our leaders both past and present have DEALT with nigerians,the worst is 90percent of fine houses(especially) estates in abuja are not occupied for years and d little ones available,d price is something else can you imagine self contain of 500k,850k even heard of 1 mil a year,oga baalllaaa, chei abeg help us. foreign leaders abbbeggg ooooo

Anonymous said...

They forgot the tell the dumb all land belong to the government in Nigeria. Land use act

Anonymous said...

I feel for them

Anonymous said...

God will help us sha!

Anonymous said...

Gbam... BBC said it all. Abuja is a sham n a disgrace cos of our stupid leaders.

Anonymous said...

its not everytime a foreigner takes a jibe at us that we get angry. is there any truth to what has been said? if there is, what r we doing to correct it?

if we must get angry,we must channel our anger well. if this article isn't a call for revolution, then what else can it be? Nigerians,lets change the way we live. IAI

Hajjo said...

I like this piece!

Anonymous said...

Na wa ooh!!! Truth is bitter but gwari land or not its for us all.

Anonymous said...

As insultive as this piece may sound, it's the truth. Lands are not only stolen by govt in Abuja, its everywhere. They'll buid expensive mansion that's not affordable by the common man, yet they won't live in it. 'Suffering and Smiling' but the couple of times Nigeirans got angry hasn't given even a better result e.g. Fuel subsidy protest, what came out of it? Many of them like that, what can we do? One day one day...

DireDayo

Nneka said...

It was as if I was reading a novel. How I so much wanted to continue so I can get to the nice end part were they will have better life and have what was taken from them returned!!
We really still have a long way to go Nigeria

Anonymous said...

Well... now I see the stolen land.. the land was stolen frm the gwarris. Alot is happening in that town buh the writer said it all wat I dnt like is ... does it av to b BBC to report these?.

FLOBERRY

Anonymous said...

...truth be told though. Lets see the blunt backlash from the Ministry of Misinformation, reporting from the capital Abuja,Nigeria.

PAVOUR said...

Seriously...lol

Anonymous said...

bare truth no one shpuld be pissed bcoz u r not doing anything abt it

Anonymous said...

I can't hate this article i'm sorry... All he's saying is true.. He didn't write what he didn't see.. But then Mr Alex, wherever ur from, i'm sure u have ur own share of slums and corrpt ppl in Government.... Every country has its share of Bad eggs, we all just need to ask for God's mercy

Anonymous said...

I'm not trying to b tribalistic but facing facts,that's a normal thing for government to evict people from their land
D oil producing communities in d south,do they think d people just walked away and gave them their acres of land...its all stolen land
But d difference is that its multinational companies that have taken d acres and polluted d environment for d poor owners so BBC and CNN won't come and do a documentary here cuz they'll also tarnish their image
So sorry to d gwari people but they should be grateful that d politicians leave behind no oil spills that will eventually damage their health
*linda don't waste my strenght,u better post this*

Anonymous said...

I leave in Abuja since I was born am 22,I must say abuja is nt a bad place to leave .Mak better thunder fire the bbc whatever that said the trash

Anonymous said...

hate him all u want,he's right.

Mischievous said...

Abuja is a sham, built on corruption and sustained by corruption.

I'd advice BBC to also focus on the land stolen from blacks in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia by whites.

Anonymous said...

My goodness! So terrible, yet so true! Where is Bonario? Bro I want to read your comment on this one ooo

Sly said...

Not suppose to be a Funny Headline Linda.
Who the heck is the Journalist from UK that insults a whole country and we have People Monitoring what is posted about our Country.

Land has always belonged to the Government,same applicable to UK/US and all developed countries,whereby u pay tax even after total acquisition.

Unknown said...

Its obvious that there's nothing good about this country nigeria is such a bad news cos of the so called leaders it takes a foreigner to come down here and tell us thins that we don't know what have we not said its either we stand up and fight or we remain the way we are or even worst

Anonymous said...

Woooow, the truth is bitter... But show me a country without poverty? Wonder why they can't see the good in Nigeria.. Why they make it their mission to pick the bad.no country is perfect! They should give us a break...

Anonymous said...

The only truth is that Abuja is charmless otherwise,this is just a Fine piece of nonsense.

Fela music came handy from frank who frankly is nonexistent

Aheadahead9ja

Anonymous said...

Bloody hypocrites!

Anonymous said...

Thank you Alex Preston for this observation..........trust our greedy and selfish leader,your observation wld be given due consideration.

Anonymous said...

As much as I LOVE Nigeria I can't but admit that the BBC reporter is quite on point..he was reporting based on what he saw on the ground along with locals narratives and historical facts to back it up and not on rumours...TRUTH is always BITTER..#THINKDIFFERENTLY#

chi nwa said...

Na true d guy talk na....

Anonymous said...

too bad

Tiana said...

One day we would be sleeping nd dis people will tell us dey ve sold 9ja! But any way hope dis will make d govnt seat up

Anonymous said...

Loll, eyaa our capital city #tounges out. After dis talk shame nor go still catch goodluck...nija wat a shame

ndoma said...

well it could be insult as you say, but is it the truth? Are people living in Gwari towns not poor? May be this is an invitation to look more closely at our development paradigms.

Anonymous said...

Well its all true cos i also noticed so many unfinished nd uninhabited buildings in abuja. The Government is just so selfish nd ungrateful.

Miracleboi said...

Whao..

Anonymous said...

Abuja!!! Hmmm

Anonymous said...

I love bold writers...

Anonymous said...

Wat abt america, no be stolen land dem build am after killing most of the natives. same goes to australia. This colourless r born liars, murderers n thieves.

Anonymous said...

NIGERIANS WILL START ABUSING THR BBC AND JOURNALIST,BECAUSE WE WOULD RATHER LIVE IN DENIAL THAN HEAR THE TRUTH. IN A FEWS YEARS TIME ABUJA WILL BE LIKE LAGOS. ALL THE BIG HOUSES,BUILT BY OUR CRIMINAL POLITICIANS ARE EMPTY COS NO ONE CAN AFFORD THR RENT. MONEY THEY COULD HAVE USED TO BETTER THE LIVES OF NIGERIANS THEY ARE USING THE MONEY TO BUILD ESTATES EVERYWHERE.ABUJA STREET LIGHTS DONT WORK ANYMORE.BEGGARS AND HAWKERS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE CITY, INSECURITY IS INCREASING DAILY

Unknown said...

what injustice

Adeballer said...

Hey Mr Anonymous, saying Alex should get his fact right. You need to pay attention to details. Stolen is in inverted commas. And for the record the Abuja Local indigenes were not properly relocated and compensated by the federal government for "taking" or " Stealing" their land.

Anonymous said...

Lol#mayb we stole it frm briton! Stolen korm

Anonymous said...

THIEF THIEF NIGEIRA GOVERNMENT, PLUS HER MASTER THE BRITISH ALL THE SAME.

Anonymous said...

Wow! This's actually sad. Life's truly unfair bt instead of d gwari pple running, mayb they truly need to get off their "dust" nd fight fr wht's theirs... ~Smart BARBIE~

Anonymous said...

...NOTHING WILL CHANGE UNTIL WE STOP SMILING.

Anonymous said...

I don't know d history of Abj but with all our corruption and abuse of power in Nig, it could be true what this reporter is saying ...

Unknown said...

what injustice

Eva me said...

Hmmmm,, stolen land ni..well I've nt been 2 abuja b4,till den i'll know wht 2 say..

Anonymous said...

Mtchewww true sha. Buh oyinbo too like to put mouth for wetin no concern them. Nd dats just d disadvantage of origins of capital cities. D government needs land! So they will definetely take their lands either by force or consent.

Anonymous said...

In all honesty,the bbc report is right, nigeria needs saving. The truth should be out there for the world to see.

Anonymous said...

The truth is always bitter...God should just see us through from the whole mess

Anonymous said...

For the first time am going to comment Abuja was clearly built on a stolen land the Gwari people, original inhabitatants and owners of Abuja was displaced and very minimal compensation if there was any even was given to them. Go to Garki village now known as Garki 11 till date the government have been trying all the can to move the remaining there out of the land of their fore-fathers!

Anonymous said...

You must be sick upstairs...is Alex not unleashing the hidden Truth..

Unknown said...

Grabs a seat nd sips on my sepe, fela blasting into my ears as I watch nd read comments as d̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣γ̲̣ unfold

Anonymous said...

If only the Alex Preston knew what was happening in other parts of the nation

Anonymous said...

This bbc reporter.....thank ur God I didn't catch u personally. I 4 send boko haram to use u do suya. Idiot! U had d silly nerves to cum pokenose n even took sum pics and who be d idiot that was showing him around? Betraying his pple. Gosh! Lindway pls post oh! Am so angry now! ArrrrGggrrrr!

Anonymous said...

What's the point to this story? Who asked him? Abi is it an Expose?... He should go find more news worthy stories and stop tarnishing a country's image.

Anonymous said...

Linda, Your headline isn't appropriate. There is nothing wrong with the BBC post and Nigeria was not attacked unjustly.

Anonymous said...

So now, every 2-penny "journalist" can come into the country just to come shit about it?? I am not happy with the state of things in this country but this is really insulting.

Anonymous said...

The writer should shut up and focus on his country! Is the UK that boring that he had to come all the way...mtscheww

Anonymous said...

Anony 4:33 what truth? What do u know? Ina ako shit......u can't side ur country abi? Aproko!

Anonymous said...

Abuja is lacking! There was no insult there

Anonymous said...

Wallahi dey ar right,one day d gwari wil stand 4 dem sef

Anonymous said...

Attah my ass! Atta gbakwaa gi dere. Fool!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

There are just too many good things about Abuja to talk about;this has to be another journalist trying so hard to be noticed!Its as if picking on Nigeria is the latest trend now.

Anonymous said...

I seriously need to leave this country.where i wud rather be is canada nd very soon i will be der.

Adanna said...

hmmm our mouthed capital has bin rubbished or rada unfinished capital. Sha wat do u xpect wen dis pple buy lands wiv dia life savings

Ginger said...

Well he write on the information given to him by the Gwari driver.I can not basically state the fact concering the orign of how Abuja became federal capital But one thing I know that these were given a settlement house at Apo or does it mean that not all of them get the opportunity?

Anonymous said...

The land was definitely stolen from the Gwari people. The BBC reporter is right and we as Nigerians have decided to be blind. We always criticize foreigners who say the truth about our country. Everything is not well in this country with corruption at the hem of our affairs. God Bless Nigeria. Follow me on Twitter @Trezhi

Anonymous said...

D way d niger delta did I pray God give d gwari strenght to fight 4 der right

Anonymous said...

bad belle... So wetin foreigners dey find der nah.

jbankzE said...

Naija wil b free frm painz wen God cumz 2 clean t.I weep fr ma country,is a shame hw a white man describ diz confuse nation

Anonymous said...

Thats one of the many reasons why all the different ethnic nationalities within this enclave called Nigeria,need2 sit down and talk frankly face2 face on how we are going2 continue living together....Hector writes in from Abuja.

Anonymous said...

Theres no more truth dan this...

ndabai princess said...

What a pity,I jes pray 1 day we wil put a stp.to this suffering nd smiling...nd oga bbc reporter mind ur bizness nxt time b4 liber's eat u raw#but d truth is bitter#SMH,9ja govt I hail thee

Anonymous said...

Ooooooh Nigeria# ooooooh Abuja# I weep 4 d state of our country, n d sooo called Abj where our politician hide dere lootd money,dirty money in magnificient mansions#SMH

WhiteDove fashion said...

Nawa oooo

Anonymous said...

Interesting.

Anonymous said...

How sad

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. Its an insult but basd on facts. Abj has confusd structures. Just sayin...D Curious1

Emmanuel said...

STFU, wht do u knw bt abuja? I stay nd grew up n abuja, he said notn bhu the fact

Anonymous said...

You dear anonymous are the one on cheap pills. Try and pick up α history book one of these days okay?

Anonymous said...

This writer is obviously biased, seriously must Nigeria legalize gay marriage. So Abuja is stolen so what, it is our country and anywhere can be capital, I believe your queen and all the tax you pay her for nothing should occupy your time and not MY NIGERIA. All this people concurring self nawa oh. How about you stand for your country with foreigners and yab it with your fellow country people and not yab with foreigners.

Anonymous said...

U already sound like a bigger fool for insulting someone u don't know. U can still make ur point without insulting. Bcos of pple like u, why won't the outside world talk bad abt Nigeria!

Anonymous said...

One of the various reasons why we need2 talk is this obnortiuos 'Land use act' where a piece of land passed down2 u by ur fathers does not realy belong2 u but the gorvernment...Hector writes in from Abuja..

Anonymous said...

Thats one of the many reasons why all the different ethnic nationalities within this enclave called Nigeria,need2 sit down and talk frankly face2 face on how we are going2 continue living together....Hector writes in from Abuja.

Anonymous said...

Dats d outskirt and not even d whole outskirt ..see as d mumu talk am like say na soo e bi every where....hav lived in abj b4 so I know ni, but we av dem locals in evry state of d country!!!! #mumu reporter

Anonymous said...

Linda, do you know what it means to put a word in quotes?

Anonymous said...

Dats d outskirt and not even d whole outskirt ..see as d mumu talk am like say na soo e bi every where....hav lived in abj b4 so I know ni, but we av dem locals in evry state of d country!!!! #mumu reporter

Anonymous said...

Before you talk mehn, read his report, he didn't say the land was stolen from another country, he said they were stolen from the Gwari people who are also Nigerians, that is how you fail exams

Anonymous said...

One thing I observe about this white pple is that they always present d bad and ulgy side of nigeria even in cnn. They don't c d good sides. Either 2 present a bad/ false image of d country. Tell Alex to go around abuja.

Anonymous said...

I. Am not. Ganna be negative yeah. Every thing that has a begining must have an. End. So. Some day Gods willing n. Soon. The city. Capital would be finished. The land was stolen from who? Have u. Forgoten that americans stole dias from d red. Indians, so what r u saying. Nigerian pls pray for ur country n bless ur leaders. Cos every political bullshit happening here. Is. Going. Outside, with a slight difference. As for. Ur. Friend atta. Forget say u be my tribe, u can as well as relocate if u follow dis. Prick of a guy.
Genie

Anonymous said...

Wow wat an interesting story piece I just enjoyed it. But wen will d story change? L̳̿Ö̤̣̇☺ː̗̀(=)))ː̖́☺Ö̤̣̇L̳̿. God help us.

Anonymous said...

Agreed though, but when u say the gwaris now live in poverty my question is : where they ever living in luxury??? I really want to know the history cos....

enny said...

God help us,Real suffering and smiling.Smh

esther said...

This is very true I have been in abuja for 15 years I say 80% of houses in maitama are empty and yes obj stole land from everyone using. The land use degree

Anonymous said...

Don't blame them. Its the truth. Our country deserves the insults. Many of the crimes abroad r committed by nigerins. Every country has some Nigerians in their prison. See all the measures we take to sleep safely at night. In America , ppl have glass doors without burgulary proof in their houses. Try it here

You can't even live in a log cabin in naija. Our crime rate is high. And foreigners know it. No matter how u lie n try to persuade dem that naija na good country.

Look at how our politicians r openly embezzling billions but they can't meet asuu demands. Imagine.

And they want oyibo to come here for tourism so dem go kidnap them for ransome?

I laff. Even me dey fear this country.



If you want to hear good comments about your country, repent from your sins!

Anonymous said...

My dear anonymous 4.33 true talk

Anonymous said...

Check your history people, Abuja was originally the land of the Gwari's and Nupawa people.
BBC is right, Abuja was built from scratch and should be an edifice; sadly its been badly executed and managed making it an eyesore.

Anonymous said...

Lindy wetia duuyu? Post me comment naa...........

Anonymous said...

U don't seem to understand the context of which the word stolen was used. When u take something from the people,there must be a compensation, this the government didn't give back. So u can say the land is stolen even when it all belong to the government.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @4:03 PM......are you a Nigerian?? everyone knows abuja land was taken/stolen (whatever you want to call it)from the Gwari people. You are definitely the one on cheap drugs......:P

Anonymous said...

My dear its the truth and the truth is bitter dats why if dey tell u to sit down and listen to those history lessons in secondry school u will refuse now see how u are showing how ignorant u are. Its a shame dat a foreginer has to tell u wat is happning in your country. Ok use your bb go to the net and find information u refuse and use it only to ping your boyfriend. Abuja land was forcefuly collected from these people and most of dem were not given any form of compenstion. Tank me and the bbc reporter later for bringing it to your notice

Anonymous said...

Anon 4:03 u be mumu. The reporter is so on point!

Anonymous said...

Is u.s not a stolen land;d original inhibitant of u.s are red indians i.e latin americans b4 it was invaded by d british n dis latin americans are still marginalize in u.s till date so who is deceiving who.my friend involve ur self in healthy criticism dat's my advice.

Unknown said...

The present land space called Abuja was definitely inhabited by the Gwari people before the Akinola Aguda Commission earmarked the place as the new Federal Capital Territory. Historically, the natives were compensated by the then military government of General Olusegun Obasanjo. Definitely, the issues of 'compensations' to the original landowners are never conclusive in any clime. Alex Preston should check his history books and tell us what his people (British) did to the Aborigines (the original owners of present day Australia) or what the present inhabitants of U.S. did to the Red Indians. He should get the speck in his out before coming here to ridicule my beloved country.

Anonymous said...

I live there and I totally agree with you. So many empty mansions, houses, estates, plazas built with our money! Kai its a serious issue!

Unknown said...

Stolen land? Are the Gwari not Nigerians..well most of his reports are true but saying Abuja is a stolen land and unfinished capital, he needs a dirty slap for that.

Unknown said...

Stolen land? Are the Gwari not Nigerians..well most of his reports are true but saying Abuja is a stolen land and unfinished capital, he needs a dirty slap for that.

Anonymous said...

Nigerians know that another name for Nigeria is INJUSTICE. It looms like a dark cloud over the nation, and the pepetrators mostly a gang of ill motivated ruling class are yet unfinished.

Anonymous said...

I think alex preston Is quite correct, basicly what we do is suffer nd smile nd den cover it up wif 'God will make a way',wot we really hv 2 do is get angry, nd actually wrk 2wrds a chnge n d country.....

Unknown said...

I honestly can't wait for the debate that follows this article. Shout-outs to Alex Preston. "Nigeria;the number one on list of countries that dont't give a hoot about its citizens" They'd rather spend millions of naira on #armoured vehicles than give #ASUU 1billion for the sake of education. I know this is like a huge-international-disgrace for us, but if it will make our leaders sit-up, then I'm calling on CNN and Aljazeera reporters to follow Alex's bandwagon. For goodness sake, our own media and reporters would hardly write articles like this! Why? I'm thinking it's the fear of being a public target. Can a country that's helpless against terrorism gurantee the safety of it average citizen? No! They've never been able to completely succeed at anything. Just when you think our leaders have repented of their selfish ways, things just keep getting ugly. Elections are around the corner... God help us.

Anonymous said...

LindA post my comment oooooh! I'l vex and discourage all my friends and ma 2 brodas 2 to stop commenting. Rubbish! Linda waka!

Anonymous said...

Linda, dis is very true. Dey just disperse this pple with there demeaning power in talks that dey are building nigeria... GWARI's owns Abuja..... PIN2997B154

Anonymous said...

That's the lie of the land-Nigeria. I would have thought the report a bit too hostile, but then, in Nigeria, nothing makes sense. I don't know anymore.

Anonymous said...

If u are a gwari person nd sm folks came to snatch ur papa's land, how will u feel?... Mtcheeew, shit

Anonymous said...

First of all it's Gbagyi people not Gwari people who are the true inhabitants of Abuja. They were told they would be compensated but till date they have not been adequately compensated. They take their lands and keep building. Their means of lively hood being taken from them has impoverished them

Anonymous said...

First of all it's Gbagyi people not Gwari people who are the true inhabitants of Abuja. They were told they would be compensated but till date they have not been adequately compensated. They take their lands and keep building. Their means of lively hood being taken from them has impoverished them

Oluwadamilola said...

Nigeria, ojo jumo len ji riya..
Well, someday our generation is gonna rule the population, that I know.. So I say we keep smiling, cos I don't think there's anything anybody can do about it for now..

Anonymous said...

So so so on point... Anon 4:03, u gat sleep nd re-think ur life. Put ursef in there shoes..

Anonymous said...

Hahahaha, true that......

Anonymous said...

Linda idiot.

Unknown said...

Please get your facts right. Its not an insult its a statement of fact. What you should do is not react by insulting the reporter or lashing out irrationally with your stereotypical views. What he said was based on observation. Its not like he sat down from afar and talked based on mere hearsay. Instead of arguing why don't you go and research on it and stop arguing without any reasonable points. Thank you

waxy said...

Linda! if you have read the article and not follow the headline, you will understand the point of the report. Of course it's a stolen land from Gwari people without right compensation.

Mims said...

Soo true. I live in abuja and I can 'categorically' say tht the one word that defines ths place is 'pseudo. ' fake ass city, fake ass people with fake ass jobs. Funny contracts flying up and down. Unfinished projects everywer. Bullshit city! Empty three bedroom flats going for 3.5 million rent. Even if say AK 47 no be my tool of trade. 70% of the houses in central areas are unoccupied, cos the ppl who need the houses can't afford it and the ones who can don't need them.

Anonymous said...

I share your sentiments. The writer is either a fool or high on dry camel shit.

Anonymous said...

U dnt xpet every street dea 2 look cute....Abuja is still a part of Nigeria so dnt be suprise wit wat u saw...niger is always lyk dat

Miss Nomic

Unknown said...

Which one be insult here naw? Does the truth now taste like bitter-leaf that much Linda?

Unknown said...

Its sad but true citizens of dubai proper dont pay for anything. Education elecricity water everything even housing we need d xposure there's never any bad press naija shld sit up.

kay kay said...

This guy is just a big Fool!! How is that abuja?? Moreover all the pictures posted there are at least 5years old or more..abuja is a developing city and is wayyyyyyy developed than wat the Fool is making it seem! And as 4 the Attah friend that had no where good to show him...well done..I'm sure na him type dey live 4 gwagwalada or 1 awful village on d outskirt of town! Anyway foreign reporters have been know 2 always potray our country's image badly..I don't blame dem...dey shud start banning ppl from posting any kinda article about our country in public. Especially when they don't have their facts right. I live in abuja..n I can say my neighbourhood is way better than most in the us n uk sef!

JJ said...

Who is the thief? Us or the British? The British are the ones stealing countries and continents from the natives and calling it their own. They tell you they founded a continent when there were already people living on it. At least we didn't take some one else's country.

Rough Diamond said...

Who shld research? Linda or bbc?

Anonymous said...

Honestly they really hit this hard on.

But well this same applies in all countries, #Be Honest




Click This Link! Your next paycheque is waiting.

That African chic said...

Projects

Rough Diamond said...

No be d same lazy gbagyi pple still sell their lands to government?
Gbagyi men lazy n depend on their wives income.
I know bcos i have lived in gbagyi b4!
Benue men, worst!!!

Anonymous said...

The Gwari people were resettled but out of greed, they sold their lands. During El-Rufai's time, he demolished a lot of people's buildings; those who bought from them because it is a resettlement land and they are not supposed to sell it.

Anonymous said...

The Gwari people were resettled but out of greed, they sold their lands. During El-Rufai's time, he demolished a lot of people's buildings; those who bought from them because it is a resettlement land and they are not supposed to sell it.

Anonymous said...

KETTLE CALLING POT BLACK.

Anonymous said...

they are just looking for more countries to go to WAR . AFRICA is rising Western world is failing. I live in Abuja some of these gwari people resold their lands out of greed or their leaders wont share the money given to them as told.!
CORRUPTION IS EVERY WHERE and we are all guilty of it not just the govt!

Nigeria is this and that yet they love to come to our country ,carry mgbeke girls enjoy life and do things they cant do in their country in ours

Anonymous said...

Is that not how Britain and its cohorts stole from civilizations world over! They should shut up and take several seats! Pot calling Kettle Black! Nonsense!!

Warri Boy said...

Abuja is a charade but Britain is the biggest violator of all. They killed, they stole from their colonies which they called the British Empire. Britain is built on slavery and stolen wealth of her colonies. They went to Australia and made the Aborigines, the owners of the second class citizens in their land. There is a long list of atrocities committed by the British.

Anonymous said...

Mumu,shattap! I know ur too dense to have even read d article.

Unknown said...

Miss Linda,pls post my comment

Guru said...

Linda, use your God given voice to respond to how we are portrayed in Western Media rather than remain quiet and add captions like "lol". Does it make sense to even you? Why can you not respond to this in your own words? Are you worried about how you will get visa to UK next time or how you will be looked at by the West (America, Britian, whatever)? Oh, I forgot you were once sponsored to the US with other people with America's money. No wonder you find it hard and difficult to write stuffs against their insensibility and bad portayal of us.

Anonymous said...

Which rubbish insult?!!! Better accept d truth ur being told

Anonymous said...

This is d truth whether u deceive urself or not... We Nigerians are always quick to insult pple wen dey say the truth dat we r afraid to speak... Better check our selves before u wreck our selves.....

Anonymous said...

Maybe the reporter got carried away, but the meat of the story is essentially true. Until we start accepting the clear obvious problems, no matter who points them out, nothing will get sorted out.

Unknown said...

Wow! I bow to this Preston guy. This is pure journalism without mincing words. And he is so correct.

Anonymous said...

Whether stolen or not, there are millions of people in Abuja living in poverty while the government officials get richer. Almost every institution in the country is a joke! I agree that Nigeria is a great country and I believe that we can rise up and make our mark but something has to change. Without change we are just gonna stay where we are.

Anonymous said...

These fools come here and act like they fell from some paradise and write all sorts about us just to make colourful and interesting award-winning write-ups. Technology has closed the gap between us punk, so even if we don't live in your cities and insecure streets we read and see all the shit going on down there sob, so don't come here and write about us like we are Apes! We'll take care of our own! So get the hell out of Nigeria!!! ~JJF~

Anonymous said...

Abuja is a concrete mess but to the ordinary eyes it is beautiful.

Anonymous said...

It beats me why nobody is thinking my way, even when it's d best way under the circumstance. SUFFERING and SMILING?hmmm how sad..!when will the youths do something to salvage our dear country? She's even crying for her children. Let's stop managing and hoping that things will improve. Let's do something and I will continue to tell us that REVOLUTION is the best Way out..!#doctorbobby

Jewel said...

My dear Linda i love and will always love you for at times you bring story of huge weight and importance. This is a nice piece of article, well researched and factual. I wish those lazy journalists in naijans could do the same,naija would have been better than she is now. Whether Abuja was stolen or not is a subject for debate,but the condition of the place is actually laughable considering the money allocated and said to have been spent on the state. obasanjo, el-rufai and co have questions to answer. This is an obvious reminder of the state of the economy in naija, ''when the center cannot hold,how will things not fall apart''.The writer rightly recollected and summised,''We suffer, but we smile. Nothing will change until we get angry, until we stop smiling. And this is a vivid reminder of my suggestion hitherto.

Angela Judy said...

BBC or woreva shud rememba they started dis fraud. The amalgamation 1914 was a big fraud!!!

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.

Anonymous said...

Na u sabi

Anonymous said...

If only all these ignorant people commenting were aware that the US, Canada and South America is stolen land too then they will just Ignore this BBC article. Europeans have colonized and stolen half of the world so who are they to comment on Africa. After all their leaders are the ones behind the suffering and plundering of the African continent. The natives of Abuja are still alive and not dead or decimated the way the Aztec led by Montezuma, the Inca, the Maya or the Red Indians (Apache, Comanche, Navajo, Iroquoian, Dakota...etc) were decimated by the European invaders on American soil.

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