Here’s a write up I did originally April 2008, publishing it now .
To start with, stop by www.scamorama.com.
Hopefully, at this point, you have an idea of what will be discussed here. Actually, you don’t I’m going to be economically defending this cause of crime (and mock you for being greedy if you’ve ever being scammed).
I was born in Lagos, and as a Lagosion, everyday living is a struggle. To this end, I reflect on the popularity of Internet scams, I found the cause almost in my face — poverty. And, like it or hate it, crime as it’s advantages. Join me as I present the lads from Lagos.
Keeping the idle hands busy
In a third world country like Nigeria, most of the guys and girls involved in scamming are most often pushed into it by the extremely high rate of unemployment in this country. In fact, while most would prefer to do something tangible they find themselves left with a government that doesn’t care about their well-being save only the officials and their acquaintances. Don’t let’s forget the saying: the devil employs the idle hand. Bad as it may seem, the devil hasn’t necessarily only employed this idle hand for mischief, but has given them a livelihood and a comfort from a harsh governing. In response, the governments have noticed the effect but don’t see the cause. It set up a body – Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to combat this issue but has failed in dealing with the root – unemployment.
I would rather see guys/girls defrauding than having hungry, angry and idle youths holding a gun to my head (or perhaps, yours!).
Bring on the talents
Unlike what the media might want to portray, when one thinks about it – this lads (scammers in Nigeria) are quite talented. A few of them have been able to successfully trick even those with sophisticated formal knowledge considering how little formal education these folks have.
Obviously, this is not the best use of talent or an ideal one to possess, its sure beats the alternative. At least, they are better at something than nothing at all. Maybe, this kind of skills can be redirected to something more positive if the government cared more, but till then, they must eat.
Meanwhile, let’s put in some economics to action.
GDP?
Believe it or not, the money this folks are making is being spent or even those being saved are all done within the country. Good news for the economy, compared to if everyone was poor and no one can afford anything (except the select few). And then though illegal, there’s a boost in consumption spending which in turn gives a higher GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and in the short run, everyone [seems] better of.
Obviously, I would prefer scam not count as part of a nation’s income but, I have intended to argue in a little way that the method Nigeria has employed in fighting this situation is in the least, ineffective. And more interestingly, crime is functional.
Related posts:
- fixing the Lads from Lagos Read here is the justification I gave crime (scammers); I refuse...
- Presenting: the Lads from Lagos Usually I would love to wait to see where this...
- the not-so-serious Seriousness. Are you? seriousness, joke, humor, poetry, dele's poem...
- thinking [painfully] on Hometown Thinking about life many times is interesting, even more interesting...
- the African non-Africans After we’ve spent many months together practicing African dancing and...
crime is functional
When u have no other option, n u have to feed urself n ur family…who cares abt rite or wrong. U gota eat. When the world,n ur government doesn’t care abt u, y wud u care abt the world,ur government, or other ppl..u gota do wat u gota do.
[...] Originally posted here: Presenting the Lads from Lagos [blast from the past] [...]