How Lagos Can be a Dubai
THE ACT OF SELF PRESERVATION !!!*
What Lagos Can Learn From Dubai !!*
Lessons From Dubai For Hospitable, Liberal and Progressive Yorubas In Lagos.
Dubai Works Without Democracy.
This is a battle between functionality and idealism. Between what works and what we love to work.
Dubai is a Tribal Autocracy. More on this later.
Dubai is one of the Emirates in the United Arab Emirates. A very prosperous Monarchy within a country (UAE).
But more importantly, Dubai works.
An extremely hospitable Islamic State with very liberal and progressive policies, technologies and cultures. Everybody from everywhere lives in Dubai.
The indigenes or natives of Dubai also known as the “Emiratis” are a big MINORITY in the State.
They make up not more than 11% of the entire population of Dubai while foreigners make up approximately 89% of the population.
In other words, the indigenes/natives of Dubai are astronomically outnumbered by visitors, tourists, foreigners and other nationals on their own ancestral land.
What that means is that Dubai is actually being developed by foreigners and nationals of other countries. Without foreigners and tourists you could say that Dubai would be nothing in terms of development and prosperity. It is impossible to see how Dubai could be anything close to prosperous without the teeming foreigners within her borders.
Foreigners are the backbone of Dubai economy, science and technology.
Does this remind you of Lagos State in Nigeria? Yes it does.
And yet, the Emiratis are UNAPOLOGETICALLY TRIBAL. They are SELF-PRESERVATIVE. They operate a deeply rooted and well-oiled TRIBAL AUTOCRACY
How do I mean?
Political, Governmental and Public Offices in Dubai are RESERVED only for Natives, both men and women.
As hospitable, liberal and progressive as Dubai Natives are, they will never ever permit a Non-Native or Non-Emirati with no ancestral ties to them to occupy any political or public office.
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Their Ministers, Commissioners, Public Office-Holders, Policymakers MUST BE DUBAI NATIVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.
Their Male Ministers, Public Office-Holders and Policymakers always wear their traditional Kandura.
Their Female Ministers, Public Office-Holders and Policymakers always wear their traditional Burka or Hijab.
These Offices or roles are RESERVED EXCLUSIVELY for their sons and daughters whose ancestry is tied to the land.
Does this make them ethnic bigots and anti-progressive?
You might think so if you don’t understand history, social science and the value of culture and heritage.
Well, the Emiratis are self-aware and proud. They would open their doors to anyone without discrimination on race, language, religion or political persuasions whilst they draw the boundary lines that must not be crossed.
Their sons and daughters are strategically positioned in power to ensure that foreigners do not takeover their ancestral land.
Imagine 89% of your population being foreigners. You have to be smart to keep your identity and heritage from corruption and heist given such overwhelming number. And Dubai is smart.
Wanting to reserve public offices for natives of the land is not BIGOTRY. It is self-preservation and honour for your culture and heritage. Only fools think otherwise.
No amount of cosmopolitanism and progressivism can make Dubai appoint an American, Briton, Japanese, Indian, Mexican or Nigerian to their political or public office. It will never happen. And that is very okay. They are not bigots and there is nothing wrong with being tribal. Only those intent on emotional blackmail adopt such talking point.
This is one major reason why I think Democracy is weak. A foreigner comes to your ancestral land to rule over natives in the name of election.
Boundaries are necessary in life and guests must remain guests. The moment a guest starts eyeing my wife, there is a problem. But that is inevitable if you give the guest an impression of equal rights.
*May wisdom prevail….*
