I saw this post on someone's blog, and I was so infuriated that I just had to reply. This was my response:

Okay, number one, I'm Nigerian, and just for your information, there ARE many HIGH PROFILE fashion events that go on in Nigeria. Nigeria has a large number of astounding designers that dominate many of your fashion weeks, particularly London Fashion Week, and have been featured numerous times in Vogue and other international fashion magazines. You're simply under the impression that they are British. They are not. They are Nigerian. Also, you really should not believe everything you hear. Nigerians are not the only people that perpetuate fraudulent internet scams, you simply hear more about us because those scams that do come from us possibly have a higher success rate than most. Nigerians are among some of the most intelligent people in the world, and our contribution to the world cannot be ignored. There are many big hollywood stars that are Nigerian. People like Caroline Chikezie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo, to mention a few. I bet you didn't know that the famous singer Seal, who is also the husband of international supermodel Heidi Klum is also a full blooded Nigerian. The famous singer Sade is also Nigerian. We have so many wonderful authors like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Chinua Achebe that have made great contributions to your literary world. The fastest computer in the world was invented by Dr. Emeagwali, a Nigerian. We produced the first African Nobel Laureate in Dr. Wole Soyinka. The Oluchi Onweagba Orlandi, the wife of fashion designer Luca Luca is Nigerian, as are so many other great, intelligent and positive people who are affecting great change in this world. It is unfair for 'alarm bells' to go off in your head the moment you see the word 'Nigeria". You have never been to Nigeria I am sure, and are just basing your judgments on the opinions of the paranoid people that you encounter. If you knew what a beautiful, vibrant, passionate, and productive place it was, you would not be so quick to vilify my country. Afterall, you get unsolicited mail in your Spam Folder in your email. They are all scams too, and you should therefore mete out equal blame to the scores of Americans, Europeans, Australians, etc that send you those unwanted emails that choke up your Junk Mail Folder. Nigerians are simply smarter than most, and therefore, if a Nigerian does create a scam, then it is more likely to be successful. Posts like this give Nigeria an undeserved bad image. We produce the oil that your countries are so dependent on. We are home to some of the most beautiful women in the world. Agabni Darego, L'Oreal model, and the winner of the Miss World beauty pageant, and the first black Miss World in history was Nigerian. Nigeria is home to some of the richest people on earth. It is probably the happiest place in the world, and I do not say this simply because it is my home country, I say it because it is true. It is a beautiful country, with an awesome people. We speak over 250 different and unique languages, and we possess some of the greatest academic achievements in the world. Maybe you should visit someday, and have your opinion changed. We are not a nation of starving potbellied children like you see on television. We are a proud people. Proud of our achievements and our homeland, and we do not take kindly to judgmental, prejudiced, and misinformed assumptions about us. Like I said, visit, meet the people. live the life, see the sights, enjoy yourself then form your own opinions.