Hi guys

Good to see you around. Congratulations for your nephew.

I have a question: What religion does most people practice there? How commited are they to it?

See u around!

What've you done, not related to nigeria, in the last eight months?

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Original post by owl Good to see you around. Congratulations for your nephew.

Thanks and thanks. [smile]

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I have a question: What religion does most people practice there? How commited are they to it?

The "official" statistic is 49% Christian, 49% Muslim, 2% indigenous religions. It's obviously fudged to maintain perfect parity and prevent setting off religious conflict. The level of commitment is interesting; people are extremely religious (in terms of ritual), but it doesn't translate into more ethical behavior. It is also extremely common for people to nominally be Christians or Muslims (both monotheistic religions) but still worship traditional idols and/or consult with the medicine man/witch doctor/etc.

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Original post by Dragon88 What've you done, not related to nigeria, in the last eight months?

A bunch of freelancing, ironically almost all web development. (I hate web development.) I'm waiting to be paid for a site I built for a state government client. Once that happens, I'll have enough money to actually have to decide whether to stay or return to the US.

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Original post by Oluseyi It is also extremely common for people to nominally be Christians or Muslims (both monotheistic religions) but still worship traditional idols and/or consult with the medicine man/witch doctor/etc.

That's exactly what I wanted to corroborate. Most papers (I've read [not many actually]) on Nigeria don't reveal this aspect of it's society.

I personally belive it's a good thing.

Seen any good (local) movies lately?

And hi & congrats! :)

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Original post by owl Quote: Original post by Oluseyi It is also extremely common for people to nominally be Christians or Muslims (both monotheistic religions) but still worship traditional idols and/or consult with the medicine man/witch doctor/etc. ... I personally belive it's a good thing.

On some level, yes. Accretive polytheistic societies tend not to have religious conflict, which is a distinct advantage. Unfortunately, more fundamentalist forces are trying to leverage Islam in the north as well as ethnic resentments to generate violent flare ups in order to destabilize the polity. With strong leadership this could be addressed, but Africa isn't exactly known for strong leadership in the constructive sense...

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Original post by Oluseyi [...] but Africa isn't exactly known for strong leadership in the constructive sense...

Yet it survives through the ages, with it's culture essentially intact.

A remarcable thing.

Great to see you back man!

Congrats on taking such a risk to pursue your dreams. I've been thinking a lot lately about the trade-offs in following your passion versus compromising for the sake of stability. It can be a tough call when you're sober about the fact that even if you get your dream job it's still a job, with the negative elements that that word sometimes entails. Nevertheless, when the risk is worth the reward I say go for it.

Anyways, I look forward to your sometimes acerbic (:D) yet always cogent game design analysis.

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Original post by Wan Seen any good (local) movies lately?

No. In fact, I've been contracting the scope of things I do as a survival mechanism. Looking forward to movies and then finding the only way to get them is bootleg DVDs on the streets is... disheartening. I've largely stopped watching (new) movies, period. I should get keyed into the new breed of local content, though.

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And hi & congrats! :)

Thanks! [smile]

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Original post by Wavinator Great to see you back man!

Thanks, man.

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Congrats on taking such a risk to pursue your dreams. I've been thinking a lot lately about the trade-offs in following your passion versus compromising for the sake of stability. It can be a tough call when you're sober about the fact that even if you get your dream job it's still a job, with the negative elements that that word sometimes entails. Nevertheless, when the risk is worth the reward I say go for it.

Yeah. A quote I saw yesterday did encourage me, though: find a job you love and you add five days to your week. Idealistic, but still encouraging.

I'll either end up with a job I enjoy doing every day or a business of my own that does something I love. I consider that a win-win, even if it's tougher in the short term.

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Anyways, I look forward to your sometimes acerbic (:D) yet always cogent game design analysis.

That might take a little bit longer. I'm not gaming much at all right now (my PS3 is still in New York, no internet for access to Flash games or downloading - as another coping strategy I've decided to think of the internet as only useful for email, Google searches, light banking... think "internet circa 2000"), and my interest level is still ebbing. If/when I get back to the US I hope to re-immerse myself and rediscover the fun, but for now I just read art books and draw to cope with the entertainment vacuum. [smile]

Okay, internet access is about to run out. A demain, tous!

Glad to hear you're safe and doing well!

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Original post by Oluseyi * I'm an uncle! My sister had a baby boy (her first) two weeks ago. He's cute.

Congratulations!

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Original post by Oluseyi * The situation in Nigeria is stable, despite the Abdulmutallab attempted bombing in December, the intrigues around the health of the former president and his death this past Wednesday.

What about the sectarian violence? Wasn't there some Christian v. Muslim violence there recently? Was that just in a specific region out in the country or what? And wasn't there some oil related violence in the delta too? Africa news is really spotty here, but you already knew that.

As for Abdulmutallab and his flaming underpants... That was so blown out of proportion by the media over here. I'm glad his effort failed, but because it was a slow time of year for news the event got far more coverage than it deserved.

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Original post by Oluseyi * I'm looking at establishing my own animation studio locally, though I'm not 100% committed to staying yet. Infrastructure is poor, security is a concern from time to time, and I'm bored out of my mind when I'm not stuck in traffic or in yet another fruitless meeting.

I wish you well with your enterprise.

Just have to give you props. I am from Africa too, from Zimbabwe, I am not even brave enough to go back and visit. Been in USA longer than I have been in Zimbabwe, and I left way before things got bad. Part of it is I want to retain the fond memories and not have to deal with the shock of how terrible things are.

Welcome back! :)

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Original post by Tha_HoodRat [...]and not have to deal with the shock of how terrible things are.

Things are terrible everywere. The only difference is the comfort and the loneliness.

And no. I've not deal with "terrible everywere" but I'd pay for it right now.

Oh, no. I'll have two camps of people upset with me. Facebook users for taking Oluseyi away, and GDNet users for bringing him back ;)

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Original post by LessBread Glad to hear you're safe and doing well!

Thanks, LessBread [smile]

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What about the sectarian violence? Wasn't there some Christian v. Muslim violence there recently? Was that just in a specific region out in the country or what? And wasn't there some oil related violence in the delta too? Africa news is really spotty here, but you already knew that.

The recent "sectarian" violence was extremely bad, nearly destroying the city of Jos in the north. I say "sectarian" (with quotes) because it is really politically motivated, with religion (or, in one bizarre instance, cattle) being used as a cover/excuse. I can't say I understand the objective, but I suppose there are some who profit from instability in general...

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As for Abdulmutallab and his flaming underpants... That was so blown out of proportion by the media over here. I'm glad his effort failed, but because it was a slow time of year for news the event got far more coverage than it deserved.

Well, it was quite useful in crystallizing focus on the power vacuum in the country, since nobody knew what was happening with our then-incapacitated president at the time. (He died just last week.)

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I wish you well with your enterprise.

Thanks. There's obviously a significant market opportunity. The challenge lies in figuring out how to overcome the environmental shortcomings, as well as accepting a less fulfilling personal life - something I'm not sure is worth it, to be frank. Maybe for a few years, at most.

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Original post by Tha_HoodRat Just have to give you props. I am from Africa too, from Zimbabwe, I am not even brave enough to go back and visit. Been in USA longer than I have been in Zimbabwe, and I left way before things got bad. Part of it is I want to retain the fond memories and not have to deal with the shock of how terrible things are.

I feel you. Nigeria's situation isn't as bad as Zimbabwe's by a long shot. As with all of Africa, though, it's a crisis of leadership. Whenever we can get our butts in gear and sort that out, the continent will explode with realization of its long-untapped potential.

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Original post by PouyaCat Welcome back! :)

Thanks, PouyaCat! [smile]

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Original post by Silvermyst Oh, no. I'll have two camps of people upset with me. Facebook users for taking Oluseyi away, and GDNet users for bringing him back ;)

Heh. I may reconsider on Facebook. Still got about 10 days to think it over.

Welcome back! though I never knew you left since I have been kind of gone too. Congrats with your nephew! A baby always cheers people up just because how cute they can be :)

Good luck with your startup. I have been thinking about starting a startup too and also have not been 100% committed. Reading your posts, we are kind of in the same boat: quitting IT.

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Original post by alnite Reading your posts, we are kind of in the same boat: quitting IT.

Honestly, is anyone really planning to work in IT until they are 60? :O As far as I'm aware, almost everyone has an escape plan.

... even if the plan is 'retire at 50!' :P

(Me? I want to own my own stables. =) )

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Original post by PouyaCat Quote: Original post by alnite Reading your posts, we are kind of in the same boat: quitting IT. Honestly, is anyone really planning to work in IT until they are 60? :O As far as I'm aware, almost everyone has an escape plan. ... even if the plan is 'retire at 50!' :P (Me? I want to own my own stables. =) )

Forester seems to be a viable alternative for me. Not kidding.

On the FB thing, I've somewhat sanitized my profile back to things I don't mind anyone in general knowing. It's just not the special space for friends and family anymore. I had considered deleting it, but this is better because my mother spends so much time on it.

Good luck in Nigeria. Do you think it will be an issue to find quality employees? That was actually a huge motivator for me moving to Philadelphia from Nowheresburg, PA. Whenever I get my own company off the ground, I don't want to be hiring from a pool of cow pasture grazers. Quality IT workers are shockingly hard to come by and they seem to congregate in very few areas. Who knows if even Philly will be good enough, I might have to move to Boston (but I really don't want to move out to California).

As for the boredom issue, I doubt it will be that way for you very much longer. I'm sure you'll figure out your own fun to make :)