There's something off about the way we speak about Nigeria
When you devalue the country, you are in turn devaluing the people. This is partly in response to the now highly upvoted post of the young woman detailing how she hates Nigeria. I feel for the young woman, gender bias in Nigeria is beyond horrible, and there is a need for a new Nigerian mind. Corruption is in every sector you can think of.
However, her post and the comments under it made me think about the way in which we speak about Nigeria. When you make a statement such as "this stupid country," there are people who live in that country, and if the country is stupid, the people in it must be stupid as well.
When you say something like "my children will never see Nigeria," you are implying that there is something wrong with the country, and you don't want your children to go there; however, you are of the country, so there must be something wrong with you as well.
My point is whether you like it or not, you, as a Nigerian, are Nigeria. What you say and believe about the country must, to some extent, apply to yourself as well.
Many of us who live abroad should be especially careful in how we address Nigeria; something about it seems malicious. You can criticize Nigeria without devaluing the people. There is nothing inherently wrong with our people; we are like everyone else.
Furthermore, a less important side note, the way we speak about ourselves informs others on how they should speak about us. Under that post is a non-Nigerian who affirms it and says Nigeria is entirely filled with scammers. We all know this isn't true, but this blanket way of speaking about our country, and in turn ourselves, does more harm than good.