Uniting The Nigerian Community Is Our Goal To Enable Growth. My Honest Review On The Nigeirian Community
This post might be short or long but either way, I hope I can pass my message across to the Nigerian community.
I just need to get somewhere to start from.
Nigerians are known to be brilliant, and full of action. We are known to colonize all the social media even though we don't own them. You wonder why I say so, then go check out facebook, twitter, Instagram and also coming down to steemit. It is a good thing we have the population and the will to do things, this has actually helped us find ourselves on various social media.
THE STEEMIT NIGERIA COMMUNITY
Nigerians have been on steemit for a while, but with a little or no good relationship with one another, as there was no umbrella or means of identifying with one another on the platform. A few months ago, @donkeypong (Tom) saw something special in Nigeria (I do not know but I'm very sure he loves Nigeria) and wanted to grow a united community. He started by gathering community leaders whom he soon empowered to become curators for the community, in other to help the community grow. This was the beginning of the Nigerian community on steemit.
Soon after that, the #nigeria tag was introduced and adopted and soon every one of us now identifies with Nigeria (although, there are thousands who are not still identifying themselves with the Nigeria tag)
UNITY ON STEEMIT GOES BEYOND THE USING THE TAG
Truthfully, there are so many people who aren't using the #nigeria tag either because they haven't heard of it or they feel they do not want to identify with the community, but one question I ask myself is "does the tag actually unites us, or it just makes it easier for posts to be curated by the curators who don't find pleasure in sleeping?". What difference does it make if we call ourselves a nation yet we are divided? It takes only people with two naked eyes to know that the community needs unity.
PROJECTS ARE MEANT TO UNITE AND NOT SCATTER US
I noticed some things I the community, and I think I have to spill it.
Prior to the creation of the steemit Nigeria community and the use of the Nigeria tag, there was only a few project (probably 2 or 3) with the aim of uniting and growing the community but after inaugurating the community Nigerians started doing various projects. Doing project is a good thing, I cannot stand against any project but one thing I'm against is using the project to cause disunity. Every project leader believes his project is superior and should be regarded as such. It is no more a news that most Nigerian projects now compete rather than working together to attain a certain goal. If we start counting Nigerian projects in the community, you will realise that 15 is just a number and a starting number.
This issue is not the project, but the individuals behind the project. All my life, I know people come together to get things work but in the Nigerian community, it is totally different. The various project/community leaders now see it as a competition, they want to get power, upvotes and fame. I realize that the project leaders in Nigeria fight with one another for no just cause. This is appalling and discouraging when growth is concerned. What are we fighting for?
At a point, I looked at the Nigerian community and I said, we are united by a tag but divided as individuals. Why will project A see themselves as rivals to project B, also project B see themselves as rivals to A and C, and as such start looking for errors and mistakes made by the other project group which eventually becomes a sub-community. Instead of correcting with the aim of helping out, we now start ill criticism.
Let me make something clear, no sub-community in Nigeria is superior to the other, and the earlier we start working together, the better because you can not do it alone. Life itself is all about networking (I know someone that knows someone, that knows someone) so if you decide not to connect and interact, then you will be losing the networking spirit. You will be the only tree in an empty space yet claiming to be a forest, a forest is a combination of trees coming together and growing together (Little wonder the trees are almost the same height)
THE EVERLY CONTEST WINNING NIGERIANS THAT DO NOT VOTE THEMSELVES
I did a survey on the contest won recently, and I realised that most vote-to-win contest of recent times has been won by Nigerians from the @aggroed contest, down to spotlight contest and so on, yet this same Nigerians never vote on posts written by Nigerians.
One thing @surpassinggoggle always said to me then was "if you have 100 people with 100SP, trust me, you have a whale in disguise" and I totally agree with him.
In my little time as a Nigerian curator, which I'm still, I get complains about post reward reducing and post-payout no longer valuable but one question I will like to ask is this "how many Nigerians vote themselves?" we don't spend the time to curate posts written by Nigerians, rather we just write and expect the miracle upvote.
Nobody will grow you if you will not grow yourself
Like I always say "Nothing lasts forever", it is either progressing or regressing. If we do not start upvoting ourselves and showing support to indigenous authors, then we might not grow ourselves.
Never believe someone will come and grow you, there is a little to which they can do for you, you have to take responsibility for yourself.
If we can vote ourselves to be winners of contests, then we can vote ourselves to earn something tangible.
We are one community, legendary hustlers, continuous fighters and risk takers, we do not have to be enemies of ourselves, finding unnecessary faults. We can work together to get things happen in the community.
One Nigeria, One Peace and Unity.
REGARDS FROM @gbenga
Thanks to @elyaque for my first badge
Hello @gbenga, I am really happy you as Nigerian just like myself could really observe this issue of disunity amongst Nigerians. I believe in your leadership because I as one have also tried to go around sub communities and I found out even when you try upvoting your Nigerians work giving them your small piece of cents, they still believe you are nothing compared to their unknown whales who are not Nigerians which ought not to be so.
I really do appreciate when my fellow Nigerians upvote my post even if it is giving me nothing but atleast they still show some level of love and unity...
About the fight between the sub community leaders...I am speechless because I have witnessed one just of recent and I was like "is steemit meant to be a competition or a joint efforts thing?" I am fed up of hearing one quarrel today and another tomorrow so I decided to be alone.
I was discussing with one of my steemian friends, and I drew her attention to one Dutch Community I bumped in on discord, I found out all Dutch speaking steemians are in just a group and felt "waoh! How I wish this could be my Nigerian Community coming together as one, how sweet would it have been?"
I am so so happy you helped bring up this issue because it is really eating us up. I also found lately that there are certain Nigerians who do not go with "collaboration" to get a project done but instead they wish to take all the praises and I believe that is greediness due to the payout they get from it.
@gbenga I will just drop my pen here because if I am allowed to continue, I will move out of the right lane which I really do not.
I am therefore using this medium to appeal to every Nigerians to please let the tag unite us and we should also works together not compete with one another.
Thanks, its that your naija lady @bekky...
This is a really long comment. You just poured out what you expect from the Nigerian community and we hope to work on that.
I believe in a united community.
Hey @gbenga, thanks for this reply
Would really be glad if there are changes through the work
Lets work to make Nigeria 'one'
You are very correct my brother @gbenga.
We all have to stick together like gum. We have to share a bond not just because of our common heritage but also because we are steemians and thats the spirit here. Fighting and quarrelling amongst ourselves won't do us good. We are all equal in the sight of God and man.
On the other hand, I want to personally urge all Nigerians to stand for quality. Let the name "Nigeria" be synonymous with the word "quality". We have to strive to upload contents that will uplift down-trodden spirits and support each other towards a beneficial goal for all.
Also we should try and be friendly. Some Nigerians can be snubs even when they see their brethren somewhere they just carry face/mouse (as the case may be). If you meet a Nigerian anywhere online or physically, greet. Introduce yourself. Noone knows where his angel may come from.
If we can do this, I believe it will come naturally to all of us to upvote, comment on and even resteem our works. Let's keep steeming unto greater glory and also get more newbies to join us.
Nigeria to the moon!
#Hug-Challenge!
Gum is the best word to use... We need to come together and make a great community, we have the number so we can use it to our advantage.
One thing we need to learn is networking with one another and I hope we start networking with ourselves
you are right as always my mentor, united we stand and divided we fall
Thanks a lot dear
Thank you @gbenga. I see this embarrasing situation coming to an end soon. The first point is what you have taken. Identifying the division and its effect. I hope we will all work to make this community united.
Hello @gbenga
I must say this really touched me,i read the whole article and i will say everything you put down is the whole truth,It pains me to see nigerians just scroll past other nigerians post and go ahead to vote whales who don't even need their biscuit votes i am not saying they cannot vote for a post they like but all i am saying is we should support ourselves.
If can all start working together, saying hi to one another, voting posts will not be a big deal. We need to grow a strong relationship
Well said boss,relationship is the key.
You are saying my mind right i have been looking for a way to get in contact with you, because right now i will say i still have more to learn, despite doing my possible best to create good and unique content, i still end up at times with low pay out, please can you introduce me to any other platform you are either whatsapp or discords i will like to get in touch with you, thank you in advance.
You need to keep being consistent. Don't overpour your best content into steemit just yet until you have a large enough following.
I know how discouraging it can be that your best content may hardly get any reasonable payout. This is the result of a poorly designed reward pool distribution but the platform is growing and in the future, this will change for the better. Your work will pay off!
I can be reached in discord at my current user name. Send me some of your best content which I will resteem to 3000+ followers. Hope this will help in boosting your visibility!
Like Ryunosuke Satoro Says
One Love Naija 🙌
One Nigeria
God bless you, @gbenga for this. Maybe I can share my experience. I once decided to become a member of a particular steemit project here in PH, I even met with their representative and discussed their vision. The guy tried to discourage me from my own project at #promo-nigeria, so as a gentleman I pushed my project aside and opted to join theirs as an individual because I love team work. Everything was arranged and he said he'll include me in their group for a fee of 20 SBD per month, which I agreed. After then I did not hear from him again, so I talked to their leader on discord. Immediately I mentioned that I'm the one that talkedto their representative, he blanked me, saying " everyone want to join us but they don't support our vision". It was now dawn on me that supporting their vision means abandoning mine, so I laughed and left him. Personally, it amazes me to see Nigerians trying to be the only whales and dolphins in this boundless ocean called steemit. I don't know what to call it, greed or selfishness when someone feel your success will hinder his and will not want to tap into the wealth of your knowlyedge because your vision intimidate them. It's interesting to note that the guy no longer notice my blog since then and I don't care because I'm excelling more daily. Nigerians should stop being intimidated by other Nigerians' success, that's the way out if we will form a big bond. Trying to pull others down and be the only one to succeed is witcraft and must be discouraged.
So sad dear friend, sorry for such experience....Something Big is coming that require us all to unite
Thanks. I'm fine, actually. Thanks for your response
This is not how I know this story but carry on...
Interesting to know you are aware, please tell us the version you heard.
This is not the story i know also. But its all good.
@greatness96, your story sold you out as regards poping up projects that @gbenga talked about on this post. Next time try to understand the undertone of your words before you make them public.
I agree with you in totality. Divided we fall, united we stand. There's more to be gained and achieved united than divided. I am a 100% Nigerian who believes that Nigeria is for all of us. We are Nigerians and we really do not have to engage in acts capable of splitting us. You are right in your observation, but the good news is that it is still very much redeemable. I believe in Nigeria. Heck, I am 100% Nigerian. Let's us all unite and stop fanning the embers of disunity. Keep hope alive. Keep steeming. Gracias.
I agree with what you said. Nigerians are not really kind to one another here. When I first joined steemit, I came across 2 Nigerians, I was so happy. They were the first Nigerians I met here, I tried to reach out to them because I didn't really know much about the site. Both snubbed me, I later got to learn more from someone who was not Nigerian, I really felt sad. I don't think unity of Nigeria is possible here. Nigerians at the top who should be mentors, care more of their rewards than listening to another Nigerian.