Is it not the case that Naija has its origins in pidgin English? Naija as the pidgin name for Nigeria? If so, that adds another dimension to the debate, I think.
Bode
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Eke, Maureen Ngozi
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 1:29 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - RE: Akunyili Condemns Use of 'Naija' in Place of Nigeria
My goodness! Is there no end to the stupidity of the leadership? It is the case of too much time for contemplating ways of politicizing their foolishness. Does she desperately need that much attention, public praise, self re-authentication? The house is burning down under our noses and we are busy worrying about who called us what names or what we have been calling ourselves?
Are they using Naija as the official name or informally? The implications of the two usage are different ofcourse. I suppose she can run around the country and censor everyone who uses it in their homes. hmm! So, now what? ARREST! YOU SAID “NAIJA?”
It would be productive if she could address the negative posters standing in my banks warning people to report when they have received invitations from Nigeria or Nigerians for bank transfers, funds, etc. I also want her to do something to ask those idlers claiming to lead us, including her, to return or funds from oversea banks. They are responsible for the bad image. Guilt! They give me more headaches than the use of “Naija” by Nigerians for that matter. Since she is so bent on rebranding Nigeria, it would help me if she could do something to clean up the internal and external images of Nigeria—airport madness in Nigeria, being asked to open up my suitcase when the foreigner or “money madam or baba” who came on the same flight with me walks past the screening, undisturbed. Who cares that you are a Professor. Professor my foot! Go chop your books ke! And, what has she been doing to improve our national sense of self, besides talking about it? All talk and no bite. Abeg, make she go rest! It is the hour of political maneuvering and she is at it, all to obfuscate the issues and distract us. Don’t buy this hype! She needs something new.
Maureen
Maureen N. Eke, Ph.D
Professor of English
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
989-774-1087 (direct line)
989-774- 3171(main office)
989-774-1271 (fax)
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Igietseme, Joseph (CDC/OID/NCEZID)
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 8:45 AM
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Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - RE: Akunyili Condemns Use of 'Naija' in Place of Nigeria
This is ABSOLUTE Executive Idleness! Why would a SERIOUS American leader bother about the nicknames Americans and others call America (Yankees, God's Own Country) when there a serious national challenges? There is no City in Nigeria that can boast of a Mass transit system, safe pipe-borne water and regular electricity, which are now taken for granted in serious nation and form the bedrock for national development and advances in comfortable modern living, stimulation of vigorous private and public entrepreneurship, industralization, telecommunication, commerce and tourism. Some Jokes in Naija are quering the use of Naija (possibly believing that it is a detestable slur), but I believe it is well applicable to some practises in the nation. Yeye people! JUI (PISSED! because some of these people in Nigerian leadership dont have the moral authority to frown at what happens to Naija, since they are RESPONSIBLE for the bad name: they MISRULE Nigeria!)
From: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com on behalf of ericayoola@aol.co.uk
Sent: Tue 16-Nov-10 2:31 AM
To: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; Fridayclub-international@yahoogroups.com; AnambraForum@yahoogroups.com; asa-usa@yahoogroups.com; 'matador'
Cc: asachicago@yahoo.com; ENUMBRAFOUNDATION@yahoogroups.com; IgboWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; IgboEvents@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] Akunyili Condemns Use of ‘Naija’ in Place of Nigeria
Chineke, Nigeria rulers go kill man o!!! Now Dora, whom I respected a great deal on account of her work at NAFDAC is also losing the plot big big time. For God sake, why and how will the lot of the country be impaired by the use of the word Naija! And how will our lot be improved by the banning of the word Naija??
New York is proud of being called "The Big Apple", Australians are happy to refer to their country as "Oz", the Chileans patriotic chant of Chi Chi Chi, Le Le Le is done with passion. Ingerland Ingerland Ingerland rings out of the stand from English fans when England is playing, Blighty, is another variation on Britain. And there are so many other endearing terms coined by the citizens of various countries or places to refer to their countries and provided that it is not a derogatory term, why in God's name will any sane person waste time, money and effort fighting it.
Dora, had you asked me, I would have, free of charge, coined a jingle for you on your rebranding mission using the various terms used nowadays to refer to Nigeria. What about-
"Wether you call am Naija,
Or na 9ja,
Nigeria na our own.
Let's pull it together, e ma je ko ja." (Don't let it break)m
Dora, please do something better for God's sakes.
Sent from my BlackBerry smartphone from Virgin Media
From: eousoh@sololaakpana.com
Sender: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:05:42 +0000
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Subject: Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] Akunyili Condemns Use of ‘Naija’ in Place of Nigeria
Somebody remind me again; how exactly again did this woman become a professor?
I can understand how she became a minister. After all, being smart is not a requirement for the job.
How is it offensive to refer to Nigeria as Naija? Now, she wants to write to companies to stop using the word. Great idea! While you are it Prof, try reading that portion of the Constitution on freedom of speech.
Apparently, she is the only one who still believes in her rebranding project. We all can see what positive impact it has had on Naija's(oops, I meant Nigeria's) image. Good people, great nation and goofball public office holders!
EOU.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone from Zain Nigeria
From: "Kalajine" <aganaba@globalkal.com>
Sender: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:15:40 -0600
To: <Fridayclub-international@yahoogroups.com>; <AnambraForum@yahoogroups.com>; <asa-usa@yahoogroups.com>; <NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com>; 'matador'<matador_community_forum@yahoogroups.com>
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Subject: [NIgerianWorldForum] Akunyili Condemns Use of ‘Naija’ in Place of Nigeria
Akunyili Condemns Use of ‘Naija’ in Place of Nigeria
From Paul Obi in Abuja, 11.15.2010
The Federal Government has condemned in strong terms the use of “Naija” in place of Nigeria, saying that such usage is “very uncharitable and unpatriotic”.
Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili, made the remarks while receiving the participants of Heir Apparent Reality Show in her office in Abuja yesterday.
Akunyili, who frowned on the continuous misrepresentation of the country's official name in place of a “corrupt” version, said: "It is very offensive to call Nigeria ‘Naija’. We are making plans to write companies to stop using the word Naija. I have heard that name Naija in adverts. I want them to go back and remove that word.
"If anybody says this is Naija, ask the person, 'Where is Naija?' We have to stop this word because it is catching up with the young. If we don't put a stop to its usage now, it will continue to project us wrongly.”
The minister's condemnation was prompted by a sentence in the presentation of the visiting group where “our world is Naija” was inserted.
Akunyili, who fervently spoke against the use of the word, ordered that the sentence be removed from the programme and changed to “our world is Nigeria”.
“Naija” is obviously a Nigerianised form of Niger, from where Nigeria derived its name.
The word is popularly used by musicians, artistes, advert managers and corporate companies and it could be positive or negative, although it is being used more positively in recent times.
It is believed to be trendier and is used by the younger generation.
Though no official condemnation of the word has been made, several reports have warned of the consequence of the usage of such words among the youths.
Earlier, the minister commended the group for what she called patriotic creativity in their new jingles, saying: "This is the greatest success we have recorded in the rebranding Nigeria project."
She further assured the participants that the ministry would ensure that its jingles on rebranding project were replaced with the ones on Heir Apparent once the correction on the Naija word was effected.
Also speaking, Bonat Tagwi, who represented the Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Idi Farouk, sponsors of the reality show, said the programme was meant to replicate government's effort towards the young, whereby the ideals of leadership would be inculcated on them
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