Nairaland is not just a website with a hosting package that displays news. It is a community with a lot of activities that make it resemble a real country. Let’s look at a few similarities between the Nairaland community and real life countries.
1. It Has An Economy: Every day, people come to buy and sell on Nairaland, ad some have turned Nairaland into a venue for their virtual office and are smiling home to the bank. Go and ask those that buy and sell cars in the Auto Section. In fact, I make it bold to say that Seun, with all his ads may not be the richest Nairalander, as millions are made everyday by some dons in the Auto Section, some of whose businesses have expanded outside Nairaland.
Think it’s a myth? It’s is real. I once bought a car from Nairaland.
2. Nairaland Community Has An NGO: Yes, the Nairaland community has its own NGO that has semi-official status. The NGO is called the E Helpers Network, and over the years, they have helped many less privileged Nigerians.
3. Nairaland Has An Inter-school Debate: Nairaland has an inter-school debate that has universities participate in it. This year’s winner is the University of Ilorin.
4. Nairaland Has A Sizable Population: At more than one million registered members, the Nairaland community has more population that many cities in Nigeria and several countries in the world.
5. Nairaland Has A Prison (Ban) & People Are Sent To ‘Jail’, ie., Banned From Posting: Yes has an active ‘prison’system where people are banned for infringing on the rules of the forum. Peoplnormallyly recieve sentences of about a week ban, but some monikers have been known to recieve ban of up to 150 years! Imagine. Haha.
6. It Has E-Militant Groups That Sometimes Challenge The Seun Osewa Administration: I remember a few years ago when a group called the Garri Crew arose. They were known for derailing threads they didn’t like with a simple,funny but effective question. They would ask: “How does this news affect the price of garri in the market?”
Seun got annoyed with them and banned the use of that phrase in threads. The group, led by Garri BB Preye responded by going on the rampage. They started an e insurgency where they would invade threads and sections and ask the famous question. It is not known how exactly the insurgrncey ended – whether there were ‘peace talks’lol. But for several days the Garri Crew invaded threads and before Seun and his Mods ‘got on top of the situation’.
7. It Has Its Own Eze Ndigbo Institution: Some Igbos in the Politics Section used to organize Eze Ndigbo elections that saw the election of Igbo monikers to the title every year.I can remember the days of Only Truth, who was the second Eze Ndigbo.
Not much is being heard of the institution now though. But Seun has not followed some real life trends by banning it.
8. It has Beauty Pageants: Just as you have Miss Nigeria and Miss USA, there is also a Miss Nairaland beauty competition, and some people campaign seriously to win it.
9. Nairaland Has A ‘Monarch’: Well, Seun did not specifically declare himself a monarch. But come on, folks, doesn’t Seun of Nairaland sound a little like Soun of Ogbomosho? And, doesn’t the name Nairaland sound a lot like England, Oniru Land and the Netherlands. I know what you are thinking, so let me quickly jump to my next point.
10. Nairaland Community Has Its Own Tribal Warlords, And Experiences Inter Ethnic Clashes: Just like in Nigeria, there are e-clashes between members of different ethnic groups that visit Nairaland. Not good to hear, but that is the reality. And the Mods, who are a bit like governors have to go in to restore peace on the affected threads, deleting very ugly comments and banning culprits. The sh*t is real, even on Nairaland.
Do I miss something? please feel free to add.
True!
Such a powerful and versatile community