Nigeria: The Creation of Europe – A Failed European Experiment [ “Nigger Area,” Flora Shaw's racism and the prevailing dehumanization of Africans in colonial thinking ?]

Nigeria: The Creation of Europe – A Failed European Experiment

Nigeria, often called the "Giant of Africa," was not created or born from the needs or wishes of the people who lived in that Landmass or real estate before the arrival of foreign invaders, but from the commercial ambitions of Europe—specifically Britain—in its intent to exploit African resources. What came out from the scramble for Africa was a haphazardly created country, juxtaposed together by colonial rulers with no regard for the inhabitants. Today, Nigeria stands as a failed experiment, ravished/ plagued by political instability, corruption, and ethnic division. This artificial entity was never meant to succeed, as its foundation was built on exploitation, not unity or governance.

The Origins of Nigeria and the "Nigger Area" Myth

One curious aspect of Nigeria's colonial origins is the story behind its name. Flora Shaw, a British journalist and colonial administrator, is often credited with coming up with this questionable name "Nigeria" in the late 19th century, supposedly inspired by the River Niger. However, some rumors suggest a more dodgy and sinister origin—that "Nigeria" was an evolution of “Nigger Area,” a reflection of Shaw's racial biases and the prevailing dehumanization of Africans in colonial thinking.

Shaw, born in 1852 to an affluent English family, was a significant figure in British colonial administration and worked closely with Frederick Lugard, the man who would later become Nigeria's first colonial governor. Whether or not "Nigger Area" is the true etymology, the mere existence of such rumors is a window into the dismissive, exploitative attitude of colonial powers towards African territories and peoples. It’s not far-fetched to suspect that someone from Shaw’s aristocratic, colonial background would harbor such views, given the pervasive racism of the time.

Colonialism’s Legacy: The Dysfunctional Creation of Nigeria

The creation of Nigeria brought together three major ethnic groups—the Hausa-Fulani in the north, the Yoruba in the southwest, and the Igbo in the southeast—each with distinct languages, cultures, and political systems. These groups, unique in every conceivable way, were merged not for the benefit of their people but for the convenience of the British Empire’s economic agenda. Worse still, within these large ethnic blocs are numerous subgroups, each with its own unique characteristics. For instance, among the Yoruba, there are cultural and dialectical distinctions that make certain regions almost culturally foreign to others within the same ethnic umbrella.

British colonial authorities, indifferent to these complexities, imposed a uniform governance structure that ignored these deep-seated differences. This "divide and rule" tactic bred ethnic distrust, a legacy that has persisted into modern Nigerian politics. The British ensured that the country’s different regions remained suspicious of one another, allowing them to maintain control. This calculated division is one reason Nigeria struggles with unity and political stability to this day.

Colonial Hangover: The Dysfunctional Modern Nigerian Parent

Today, many Nigerian parents are products of colonial social engineering, and the dysfunctions from that era continues. Religion in particular shows this well. In the southern regions,several homes with pictures of a white Jesus are still in existence even today, a lingering relic of colonial missionary influence. In the predominantly Muslim north, Islamic practices are heavily intertwined with Arab culture to the point that many Northerners have lost touch with their indigenous languages and customs. This mistaken belief that Arab culture is synonymous with Islam has eroded native traditions, creating a generation that is disconnected from their ancestral heritage.

Political Instability: Coups, Corruption, and Abandoned Projects

Since gaining independence on October 1, 1960, Nigeria has suffered a series of military coups, political instability, and systemic corruption. The Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), sparked by the southeastern region’s attempt to secede and form the Republic of Biafra, claimed millions of lives, many through starvation. The war’s aftermath continues to haunt the country, and Nigeria has never fully healed from the ethnic divisions that led to the conflict.

Corruption has been one of the most persistent issues in Nigerian governance. From embezzlement of public funds to outright theft of resources, the country’s political class has squandered its vast oil wealth. Infrastructure projects are routinely abandoned, and public services such as healthcare, education, and power supply are grossly underfunded. In 2020, it was estimated that over $582 billion had been stolen through corruption.

A particularly outrageous example of this dysfunction is how even basic necessities, such as food supplies, are stolen by corrupt officials. During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, warehouses full of hoarded relief food—including items like "Indomie" noodles—were discovered. These supplies, meant for the most vulnerable, were being stockpiled by political elites who already control the country’s vast wealth.

Detached and Uncharitable: Nigeria's Wealthy Elites

Despite being home to some of Africa’s richest individuals, Nigeria's wealthy elite are notoriously uncharitable towards their fellow citizens/ most have no other source of wealth besides extracting, exploiting and trading in Nigeria natural resources.

 Figures like Aliko Dangote, one of the wealthiest men in Africa, have done little to alleviate the country’s vast poverty or crumbling infrastructure. Unlike global philanthropists such as Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, who have pledged significant portions of their wealth to charity, Nigerian billionaires tend to invest in personal ventures abroad, leaving the country in its perpetual state of poverty and underdevelopment.

This detachment from the country's social problems is best illustrated by the behavior of Nigeria's elites. For example, Jimoh Ibrahim, a well-known Nigerian businessman, has been criticized for lavish spending while many of his companies collapsed, leaving workers unpaid. The elite’s lack of social responsibility has created a vast disconnect between Nigeria’s wealth and its development, further entrenching inequality.

Embarrassment and Disgrace: Nigerian Diplomacy Abroad

The dysfunction in Nigeria goes way beyond its borders, particularly in its foreign embassies. Nigerian embassies worldwide are notorious for their inefficiency and poor treatment of citizens. The embassies are often criticized for not functioning properly, with Nigerians abroad routinely recounting nightmare experiences when dealing with embassy staff. One infamous case occurred during the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022. Nigerians fleeing Ukraine were reportedly mistreated, with Nigerian diplomats accused of being indifferent to their plight, forcing some to navigate dangerous border crossings without proper assistance.

Another embarrassing case involved a Nigerian diplomat in Austria who was accused of maltreating Nigerian citizens seeking help at the embassy. These kinds of failures in diplomatic representation contribute to the disillusionment many Nigerians feel about their country. It’s no wonder that some Nigerians, upon obtaining citizenship elsewhere, reportedly throw their Nigerian passports into rivers or refuse to acknowledge their Nigerian origins out of sheer embarrassment.

Tinubu and the DEA: Rumors of Criminal Past

The current president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, carries his own baggage. There have long been rumors linking him to drug trafficking and connections with the DEA in the United States. Though these allegations have not been officially proven, they have cast a shadow over his political career, raising questions about potential vulnerabilities to foreign influences. If the rumors are true, Tinubu’s future is tainted and OWNED by foreign intelligence agencies, especially considering Nigeria’s strategic importance and vast natural resources.

The Nigerian Reality: A Nation in Perpetual Crisis

Nigeria, despite being an oil-producing country, is not a welfare state. Its citizens suffer from high levels of poverty, unemployment, and a lack of basic services, while the political elite continues to siphon off the nation’s wealth. Several coups, abandoned projects, and pointless public tribunals only add to the dysfunction. For instance, the Ajaokuta Steel Mill, once considered a cornerstone of Nigeria’s industrial future, remains incomplete after decades of mismanagement, corruption, and lack of political will.

The country’s inability to maintain infrastructure, foster national unity, or provide a reliable social safety net has left many Nigerians disillusioned. In a country blessed with abundant natural resources, the average citizen bears the brunt of poverty, while the elite remain untouchable, hoarding wealth and power.

The Tragedy of Biafra and Modern Ethnic Tensions

The Biafran War remains a remarkable moment in Nigerian history, a tragic episode that is evidence of the country’s deep ethnic divisions. Today, these tensions are still clearly there. In recent years, ethnic hate speech has made headlines, such as the chilling case of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has been accused of inciting violence against non-Igbo Nigerians. His rhetoric has been compared to that of the Hutu extremists who sparked the Rwandan genocide. Were such calls to violence made against Jewish people, there is little doubt Kanu would be swiftly arrested, but his case highlights Nigeria’s lack of accountability in addressing ethnic hate speech.

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Nigeria's Lack of National Pride and Dysfunctional Identity

One cannot blame average Nigerians for seeking better lives abroad or even discarding their national identity upon obtaining foreign citizenship. The dysfunction, corruption, and lack of accountability at every level of government make it difficult for many to feel a sense of pride in their Nigerian origins. Nigeria’s passport is often viewed more as a burden than a badge of identity, particularly when Nigerian citizens face humiliation and mistreatment from their own embassies abroad.

A Broken Legacy

Nigeria stands as no 1 numero uno evidence of the simpleton mindset/ failures of European colonialism, a nation created not for its people but for profit. The dysfunction seen today—rampant corruption, ethnic tension, a lack of infrastructure, and moral bankruptcy among its elites—can be traced back to its colonial origins. As long as the ruling class remains detached from the plight of ordinary Nigerians, and as long as the country’s deep ethnic divisions are exploited for political gain, the Nigerian experiment will remain a failure, evidence/ absolute solid proof of the mental instability of long since dead colonial exploiters [[ who were probably high on tropical opium ]] and the toxic legacy of colonialism.