91Èȱ¬

Should Nigerians be proud of what they've achieved in the last 50 years?

| Friday, 10 Oct. 2010 | 18:06 - 19:00 GMT

Energy powerhouse or corruption capital? Population overload or demographic advantage? Hungry giant or lazy dwarf? There are many ways to look at Nigeria as it turns 50 today, and lots of you on our Facebook page as well as Twitter, have asked to talk about them.

Your comments

  1. Comment sent via host

    That''s all today''s show. We''re back on Monday with your questions to the UK foreign secretary William Hague. Post here or on .

  2. Comment sent via Facebook

    James T Lebbie - While 'invasion of privacy' and 'cyber bullying' can be blamed for the young student’s tragedy, the incident also shows the potential/power of alternative media - media in the hands of ordinary people that are now transforming themselves into producers - especially with the breathtaking pace of technological advancements.

  3. Comment sent via BLOG

    buckaroobanzai - I just wonder how the people who decided to put a web-cam into that campus room and put it on the net were raised? It must have been devoid of any type of moral compass to do such a thing

  4. Comment sent via BLOG

    Jerry C on the blog - Being gay is just one aspect of this case. Would his roommate have filmed him if Tyler was caught being intimate with a female? The roommate had the webcam anyhow and he didn't care about Tyler's private life. This is just one part of the overlying issue of online bullying.

  5. Comment sent via Facebook

    Moses Atule - About gays and the media, it depends on the kind of the environment that the media is operating. For example there are countries that do not accept homosexuality and the media is also cautious and once you are exposed that you are gay you will earn all sort of negative publicity the recent instant is

  6. Comment sent via SMS

    It is somewhat difficult, but in the end it’s down to personal control. the clip shouldn’t have been posted. Exploiting hurts. Alex in Chicago USA

  7. Comment sent via Facebook

    Peter K. Elsesser on Facebook - Social media has what seems to be an intrinsic link to bullying in general that does not stop at young gays and lesbians. The issue for gay kids is not necessarily social media, but school teachers and administrators turning a blind eye to bullying and abuse suffered by gay kids.

  8. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Shannon in Ohio emailed - I am sickened and embarrassed by the way that openly homophobic groups are coddled in this country. I want some sort of productive legislation to come out of so many individual tragedies.

  9. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Ruth in Washington emailed - Many people do not know that composer Peter Tchaikovsky was gay. He lived in a time when this was very difficult, and even married a woman who was infatuated with him to prove he could live a normal married life. When the marriage failed, he contemplated suicide. It is sad to think of all the wonderful music that would not have been written had he given in to this despair.

  10. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Will McClain in Los Angeles emailed - I feel for humanity during this whole affair, but I don't believe the two students who made light of Clementi's sexuality and sexual exploration are monsters. Our society makes light of sexual and social activity constantly and I don't believe that the two students were doing anything that many people, from high school to adulthood, don't do all the time. They shouldn't be thrown in jail or banished from society - society needs more people with raw experiences of what actions like this can do, not buried in the prison system or exiled from society.

  11. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Jamey in Ohio emailed - Unfortunately in this day in age, it still is a huge issue for people dealing with issues of sex and sexuality. Here in America there is a mindset that not speaking of issues associated with sex and sexuality and that is not true. It has bred a culture of ignorance, self doubt and distrust among people. The fact that the relations taped were ones of a homosexual nature only made it all that more tragic for this young man not just because his privacy was invaded but because his sexuality was exploited.

  12. Comment sent via host

    We''re now moving on to discuss the case of Tyler Clementi, a student who killed himself after a video of him having sex with another man was posted online. Is social media making life harder for young and gay people?

  13. Comment sent via Facebook

    Yunus Ango - It is 50 years of independence and an average Nigerian lives below one dollar a day. I believe we should continue to set focus on our future until we have achieved at least one goal, then we can celebrate and say 'happy independence'.

  14. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Moses emailed - Nigeria is more of an ignorant giant than a sleepy one. I fear the nation isn't aware of the amount of influence she wields globally, and there doesn't seem to be a coordinated effort to utilize it. It appears no one sees the big picture.

  15. Comment sent via Facebook

    Afiniki Silas Bossan - Personally, i see nothing we Nigerians can be proud of. Our country is run by greedy corrupt men, nothing works in Nigeria, there is never peace of mind, and everyone is so selfish!

  16. Comment sent via Facebook

    Anumu-Mensah - Its not about what Nigeria has achieved or not done over the past five decades the question is is Nigeria prepared to learn from its mistakes and create a better future?

  17. Comment sent via Facebook

    Brian Nkolola - Nigeria must celebrate her achievement and continue to strive for improvement; human rights, equity, infrastructure,etc. In Africa we are yet to eliminate slave trade.

  18. Comment sent via Facebook

    Friday Osemeke - There is a lot to celebrate.our still being a united country is one

  19. Comment sent via Facebook

    Felix Ken-Kattah - Nigeria is a head ache. But there is hope. We pray that selfless guys one day take over the blessed land.

  20. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Oyekunle Oyediran in Senegal emailed the 91Èȱ¬ - Truly, there is hardly anything to celebrate in Nigeria at 50. Those who mean well for the nation never got to th leadership.

  21. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Ikenna in Abia in Nigeria emailed the 91Èȱ¬ - We need white men to come back and rule Nigeria for 20 years again,because we have tried for 50 years noting has been done well. what are we celebrating, hardship or good governance?

  22. Comment sent via Facebook

    Fatima Khaleefa Bernard - Yes i think they should be proud just because all the pain and suffering they had to go through even if it doesn't seem that they done that good through the past yeas

  23. Comment sent via Facebook

    Hopeson Cha - Yes they should be proud first and look where they failed and look for the bright future ahead,think of football and art

  24. Comment sent via host

    Our final day in Louisville, Kentucky today. We''re talking about Nigeria at the age of 50 - and the explosions that have occurred on the day of celebration. We will then move on to talk about the case of a student in the US who has killed himself following a video of him having sex with another man being posted on the internet.