Does Nigerian Culture Glorify Scamming?

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 77

I'm sure these videos have been posted before here, but I just came across them.

Crazy how much nigerians glorify scammers

And check out the COMMENTS on these videos, so many people SUPPORT the scammers and say 'f*ck the white man' etc.

Olu Maintain's Yahooze
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBP2RkKsryg
This ones not completely in english, but from the video and the comments I think this song is about romance scammers, and laughing at the innocent people they fool? If anybody can translate, that'd be cool

Nkem Owoh's I go chop you dollar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktz7vc70hZ8

Maga Don Pay by Kelly Hansome
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0N_eFUUslM

ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I will give these guys credit for making this ANTI-SCAMMING song to persuade nigerians to not scam

Maga No Need Pay - Anti Scamming Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM7IuD0t_f0&
(On another note, THIS song is actually quite good - no joke - nicely produced and catchy!)

I love this - "I don't need no maga, just work hard..." LOL

Is it just me, or is scamming there like drug use to us?

just say NO to scamming

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:39 pm

Well first of all, a few video's dont speak for the whole population.
However these songs are written out of pride for their scamming deeds, a way of insulting the "maga". And it is disgusting that any record company would allow it to be produced.

As for Maga don't need pay, it pleases me theres still some sanity left, and pleases me that people are willing to stand up against them

Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 77

Apparently the two artists promoting scamming are rather popular artists and well known....

It's quite unfortunate, as they're putting it in Nigerians heads that they need to scam in order to be successful, etc etc

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 7:44 pm

The best known of those songs, Nkem Owo's "I Go Chop Your Dolla", was from the movie "The Master." The song is actually meant to be satirical, not to actually encourage scamming (although it's very easy to understand how the song could be misinterpreted). The movie tells the story of a lad who is scammed by one of his own countrymen, and ultimately ends up going to work for the scammer/oga as a gang member scamming westerners. If you see the movie the basic moral of the film is crystal clear: scamming is immoral, and ultimately does not pay. The lad in the film finds out the hard way.

Master Baiter Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 106

The culture does not glorify scamming (this is generalisation) the videos are meant to make fun of victims of scams (which is of course wrong)

Master Baiter Joined: 11 Jul 2011 Posts: 229

Read Olu Maintain lyrics and I don't see anything wrong with the song except they are singing about money.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 77

Juan Freizwidatt wrote:

The best known of those songs, Nkem Owo's "I Go Chop Your Dolla", was from the movie "The Master." The song is actually meant to be satirical, not to actually encourage scamming (although it's very easy to understand how the song could be misinterpreted). The movie tells the story of a lad who is scammed by one of his own countrymen, and ultimately ends up going to work for the scammer/oga as a gang member scamming westerners. If you see the movie the basic moral of the film is crystal clear: scamming is immoral, and ultimately does not pay. The lad in the film finds out the hard way.

This is good to know, thanks!

419Eater is my life Joined: 08 Apr 2009 Posts: 375

I second that "Maga No Need Pay" is actually a pretty good song. Not only is the message good, the song is good. It also drives home the point that not all Nigerians are into scamming and dirty money. Without giving myself away, I always make it a point in my baits to try and send a message to the scammers to make them rethink what they are doing. This has not worked as of yet but, I still do it. Razz

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:40 pm

The side effect of the reputation of the country is nobody will ship stuff overseas to Africa from small business on up. Many companies simply blacklist the country due to the reputation and the high probability that the payment will be bogus. A company I worked for had this as company policy. No payments from Africa and no shipments to Africa.

Having a reputation of
Lying
Con Artists
Corrupt government and police
Fraud (419)

This can not be helpful to their economy.

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 2:39 am

Nope... does not represent the rest of the population as others said.

We have rap music that encourages guns, drugs, sex, hate, etc... that does not mean that everyone in the country is in on it too.

Baiting Guru Joined: 10 Oct 2003 Posts: 4747

I would say overall no, it does not, at least more than we in the “west” like gang shootings, drunken driving, and etc. In fact, of the Nigerians I have met in real life it’s (419) an EXTREMELY sore point with them.

The “west” also has big time supporters of the scam (419 and others). I have mentioned this before, but supporters (419) include web site hosters. Some don’t kill the blatantly fake sites. Some kill them and make no effort to keep them from returning, others kill only domain but keep accounts open.

The Nigerians who do 419, defile their motherland, their God, and anyone who is from African descent, all in the name of greed. The biggest improvement to Nigeria that could happen would be for all the scammers to be driven into the ocean.

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 5:08 am

Hi,
Just considering Olly3008's, Sagat's and Anti-419's points. Its true that not the whole country is scamming but a large enough proportion are. This minority has and is causing a great deal of damage to the reputation of the country.
I have in the past mentioned that I suspected what Agent 1002 posted.
That it must be bad for the national economy.

I kind of get a mind picture of scammers. The successful ones, in particular, appear to flaunt their wealth. They wear gold chains and loud clothes. Making their image unmistakable. They want to be thought of as better than everyone else.

Interesting viewing Eljeffe. Obviously you're doing some homework on the subject.

Google up internet cafes in Nigeria. That leads to some eye-openers.

Cheers

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 6:10 am

As somebody else said, how many of our songs glorify drug or alcohol abuse, violence or just crime in General. My teenage son is in the other room playing Grand Theft Auto FFS!!

Doesnt mean we are all criminals though!

Baiting Guru Joined: 10 Oct 2003 Posts: 4747

Grand theft auto?? I love that game!

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 12:47 pm

Nigerian culture certainly values wealth, and in the current state of the country, scamming is the quickest way to wealth.

People generally don't care how the money is made, and oppose efforts by the authorities to clamp down on scamming (anyone got a link to the video of that police raid on scammers in Festac, where the local people basically started attacking the police?).

There are several neighbouring countries which are equally poor, but which don't get involved in scamming to anything like the same extent.

So, yes, there is something unique about Nigerian (or more specifically, Igbo) culture, which condones and perpetuates scamming.

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:06 pm

Companies can refuse to deal with West Africa because they know the origins of the 'customer'

When location is hidden, or concealed innocent people get hooked.

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