On StartUpsNigeria, Family and Technology in Nigeria

I am not one to jump to conclusions on issues, especially when I am not in the show. As such, I wouldn’t chastize Vic or Loy except for their inability to settle things within themselves – afterall they are family. See the bashing.

http://www.loyokezie.com/startupsnigeria/

http://www.startupsnigeria.com/2009/09/startups-nigeria-editor-or-blogger-wanted/

Chei, I thought it was all settled o. Until I saw it this morning.

For me, I wouldn’t bash an enemy online, talk less of a brother. These dudes have done it and as someone commented here, they will laugh over it someday.

That’s not my business though, my concern is “Who will fill in the gap?” and other close questions as well. I have learnt a lot from the whole saga, and this is my take:

  1. StartUpsNigeria needs an outrightly new owner: Vic(CareersNigeria) will have to sell startupsnigeria.com outrightly to a whole new owner, as I do not percieve Nigerians as that forgiving (at least for them that know the story). Things might have been better if Vic hadn’t published the laptop story on the site. Next time do the bashing somewhere else and not on the site concerned. this way, startupsnigeria.com‘s integrity would have been kept intact.
  2. This is an opportunity for new people to step in: I am sure some chap will read this and say, if these guys are fighting, let me fill the gap. by all means, do so. This is Nigeria, and you can find your way to the top, if you keep at it.
  3. Attitude will keep us at the top: Ain’t pointing any fingers, here. All I am saying is both brothers have displayed behaviors that is obviously puerile and unbecoming of ‘men’.

My advice to Vic & Loy, forget about startupsnigeria.com! Vic, sell outrightly. Loy, lick the wounds. Forget the startupnigeria.org, move on. Start techchop.com (I had once referred to Loy as our own Michael Arrington a la www.techcrunch.com, and my opinion on that still remains the same) or keep the game up with your www.loyokezie.com.

For all of us, we will keep doing our stuff and supporting those who do their stuff well too. Nigeria is getting better for all of these, and soonest our 150 million population will start making sense as far as the web, internet and social media is concerned.

posted on Saturday, September 5th, 2009 by Opeawo in Mobile, Nigerian Politics, Startups, Technology

7 Comments

Hmm, nice piece:-)

posted by Loy • September 6, 2009

Oh…and by the way, Startups Nigeria is a brand name I created, founded and developed. I advice that you ask questions before writing your opinion, Ope.

posted by Loy • September 6, 2009

[...] now, I’m so sad about seeing a very promising blog run down like this. Like Ope Awo wrote in his blog post on this, Loy Okezie was really building a brand of the types of Michael Arrington with Techcrunch but [...]

Taking sides or not, this is outrageous and very pathetic.

I am going to say what I am about to say because this blog post was made available for the public to make judgements, hence I am going to make one.

1. Vic is the exact example of someone I would keep distance away from and would never ever want to have anything to do with, and anybody that thinks it is wise to buy this domain or take over this domain is making a very big mistake.

We should all thank our stars, that we don’t have brothers like him, and I find it very annoying that he is parading for the brother of the year award !!

Perhaps in some families, goodwill gestures are a luxury, and should be celebrated with trophies.

2. From All I have read Loy explain about the situation, I cant find anywhere where he blames his brother for stealing off his blog, other than explaining that it created a conflict of interest.

3. Everybody would agree that Loy has full intellectual rights to the site, so saying someone else should take over is just outrageous. I don’t understand what you were insinuating?

4. Assuming the brother (Vic) bought the domain name and hosted the hosting with his own money, he has every right to hold just that, but the content of the blog should have been released to the younger brother.

He has no justification in holding it, even if he bought Loy’s pampers during his childbirth.

5. Loy said his brother was jealous of the blog, and so what? Is that what warranted for this public humiliation of one’s own brother?

This is the most pathetic and unfortunate feud between blood brothers.

Nevertheless Vic made it quiet clear that when he says “The only request my family made to him was to fully apologize for all what he has done and said and move on – this he will not do and it is obvious he doesn’t intend to do.”

My family indeed, what happened to Our family, but then again, what do I know about family and love, when my expectations is so high?

I find it quiet disturbing that things like this are left without proper criticism. Lets call a spade a spade.

posted by Kayode Muyibi • September 15, 2009

In my view, the StartupsNigeria brand has been tarnished with all the drama. :(

posted by Oluniyi David Ajao • September 15, 2009

[...] who washed their dirty linen in public. Bad for technology in Nigeria , Original post:  StartUps Nigeria and her troubles. | Opeawo Share and [...]

I must say that the entire saga has been indeed a show of shame. I expect Vic to have handle the situation differently. Since he kept quite for so long while online friends of Loy criticise his action with hot words, he would have used wisdom in settlng the whole issue. Some facts cannot be swept under the carpet:
1. Startupsnigeria has come to be identified with Loy. In my humble opinion, anyone trying to take over the blog without getting Loy’s consent will be deemed a thief by the online community.
2. The materials presently on the blog technically belong to Loy. Even if the story of him stealing a laptop is true (I’m personally not convinced about that story the picture posted not withstanding). For example, I made a blog post on that blog and it was for Loy sake, not any other person. I gave it to him not Career Nigeria ;-)
3. Since Loy has started startupsnigeria.org, Vic will be wiser to let go of the startupnigeria.com blog irrespective of the offense he claimed Loy committed.

Like several people have said, it is stupid washing dirty linen in the public. I noted that Loy has been very tactical with his accusations while Vic has failed to avoid being reckless and brash with his accusations. Vic must be reminded that the internet does not forgive! Who knows, the things he wrote on that site about stolen laptop and all the rest may come back to hunt him two decades from now.

Kudo’s Opeawo, this is my first time here. You’ve got a lovely blog. Cheers. ;-)

posted by Nigerian Entrepreneur • October 13, 2009

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