Ref: 'British woman leaves for Nigeria in fear and trembling'.

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Dear Adebowale Oriku,

I recently came across your article 'British woman leaves for Nigeria in fear and trembling'.

I am the said British midwife, and feel some what disappointed at the negativity that my trip seems to have provoked amongst your readers.

I would like to start by saying, I am certainly not coming in fear or trembling! I am certainly not being paid...thus taking away a salary from a national.

Newspapers in Britain as I am sure in all countries (even small local ones) like to 'make a story' and tease out and enlarge on comments. My view is that it my trip has been acknowledge and donations and support have come from that. Much of the support that I have received has been from Nigerians and also much of the concerns for my general safety and well being has also come from Nigerians!

My background is that I am a newly qualified midwife, working in the NHS. I am also coming as a Christian, and feel that I have a calling to do more than sit in my comfort zone, by travelling to areas that have got issues (whether some Nigerian what to acknowledge them or not).

The charity that I am visiting is very pro-active with the brain drain- brain gain theory and Dr Femi Olaleye (www.wishforafrica.org) is a Nigerian with a vision to improve health care in Nigeria and to make it affordable to those (many) that otherwise do not receive it.

My trip will not make some momentous difference and change to the health care system in Nigeria. What I do hope and pray is that by going to Nigeria I will have to opportunity to touch and bless a handful of people and surely that can not be seen as a negative thing?

I am very much looking forward to my trip to Lagos and hope that the people I meet will (as my experience to date has shown) be friendly and warm towards me and the reason I have decided to come to Nigeria!

Regards

Jo Watts

Robot  # 1 | 30.04.2009 08:39

Ref:'British woman leaves for Ni...'. _________________________ Dear Adebowale Oriku, I recently came across your article'British woman leaves for Ni...'. I am the said British midwife, and feel some what disappointed at the negativity that my trip seems to have provoked amongst your readers. I would like to start by saying, I am certainly not coming in fear or trembling! I am certainly not being paid...thus taking away a salary from a national. Newspapers in Britain as I am sure in all countries (even small local ones) like to 'make a story' and tease out and enlarge on comments. My view is that it my trip has been acknow...Read the full article.

LAN  # 2 | 30.04.2009 10:27

Dear Mrs Watts You will soon find out Nigeria is not as bad as you people think. And also don't be surprised if you end up learning one or two things from Nigerian Midwives. We may not have adequate infrastructures but we got the brains.

DeepThought  # 3 | 30.04.2009 10:51

Hi Jo, Thanks for your response, I didn't know people took seriously ,things like this. I haven't had midwife stew in a long time, so I'll be at the airport with my pots and pans to meet you. :D O.K, that was a bad joke. On a more serious note, one thing you will quickly find out is that taking Christianity to Nigeria is like taking coal to Newcastle. I won't explain. Don't worry, you'll find that out for yourself in good time. All the very best.

Danmeka  # 4 | 30.04.2009 11:53

Dear Jo, Please don,t let negative comments affect your decisions,there will be midwives in Nigeria who will benefit from your experience.The Good Lord will guide you during your stay in Nigeria.

Jo Watts  # 5 | 30.04.2009 12:15

Thank you those that are encouraging.... As for midwife stew, I was more looking forward to goats head stew rather than my own!! lol. And yes coals to Newcastle could be true.... but hey can you ever have too many Christians? I am certainly coming hoping to gain from those I work with, as a newly qualified midwife I have plenty to learn and hopefully take away with me!

valteena  # 6 | 30.04.2009 12:52

It is nice to know that the response mattered that much to you for you to respond and clarify your true view to us. I Hope you do appreciate that the responses from here were to the newspaper story which you have acknowledged misrepresented your comment. It would be nice too if you made a similar clarification to the newspaper like you've done here, so they can correct whatever misrepresentation they made in their story. I say this because there is no denying the fact that, that story had a very negative tilt to it that would have left every reader with a negative impression of Nigeria and hence the response it got from members of this village and justifiably so too. It is reassuring to know that those were not your views. It is natural to be a little bit apprehensive if you're embarking on a new experience in a strange country and I can understand your fears in that regard. I sincerely wish you well on your mission to Nigeria and hopefully you'll have a very enjoyable and rewarding experience in our country.

nallanah  # 7 | 30.04.2009 13:00

Dear Mrs Watts, I hope you have a great time in my Country, and achieve your objectives; which I must confess are very noble. ...all the very best wishes and God speed.

DeepThought  # 8 | 30.04.2009 13:04

@Val, Thanks for your comments. That may be, but the thing is even if Jo does all you say, there are people out there who will still believe what they want to belive. Don't worry. People like that will be eaten.They have cannibals like me to contend with.

TEchi  # 9 | 30.04.2009 13:40

My background is that I am a newly qualified midwife, working in the NHS. I am also coming as a Christian, and feel that I have a calling to do more than sit in my comfort zone, by travelling to areas that have got issues (whether some Nigerian what to acknowledge them or not). Jo Watts: It’s all good. But hey, there is hardly a country in the world that does not have issues including yours. The problem we have is some foreigners who have a way of magnifying and amplifying any small issues in our part of the world. The quintessential problems all over Europe are thruggery, armed robbery and often time murders but when it happens in Nigeria, we are nick named the god father of it. This is what irks many of us abroad and at home. We need people with solutions; people who will come because they love Nigerians and want the best for them regardless of what is being said about them. This type of mindset dispels negativity and rejuvenates the heart for greater good. Being a Christian as you said you are, should have vanish your fears because they are cast on the Lord…. The fear of man brings destruction. The Bible says: “When a man’s way pleases God, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” If this trip is something you have prayed for and settled with the Lord Jesus Christ, then you should be at peace but if it is for self-aggrandizement, your fears will remain with you throughout your service because your duty is not to the Lord.

ariteni  # 10 | 30.04.2009 17:01

Oh, so you took those comments serious? Please don't. They were not meant for your ears and the writers certainly don't mean most of the negatives. Our roads are death-traps, our cities are dangerous, our population is desease-infested, Nigeria has never had good leadership Militants are everywhere, religious disturbance occurs daily etc etc. We say those things to ourselves as well as abuse and condemn our leaders as vissionless corrupt murderous etc etc so as to prevent politicians from resting on their oars. e.g. If you acknowledge that Obasanjo did any good in 8 years then the PDP will be "gallivanting" all over the place.(but HE Rt Hon Dr orji Uzor Kalu, Reuben Abati & Co have dubbed the Party a "nest of killers") So therefore "Obasanjo did nothing, Yar'Adua stole "John Doe's" mandate Nigeria Police is useless, no water, no light, you cant even get a bottle of coke, everybody is corrupt etc etc (But Obasanjo's daughters and sons Okonjo Iweala and others achieved monumental success and they were spared)) I assure you, Nigerians are very hospitable people. Take the ordinary safety measures and you are guaranteed a very memorable and successful trip. Your hosts will take care of you (and of course the Good Lord will protect you) I admit, our country is not perfectly safe but please dont let some of these childish "rap" mislead or discourage you. As we are talking, foreigners like you are struggling for Nigerian VISA from all over the world.

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