Nigeria@62 And Still Crawling Among The Comity Of Nations – By Abbati Bako,psc,bsis,UK

Nigeria@62 And Still Crawling Among The Comity Of Nations – By Abbati Bako,psc,bsis,UK

POLITICS DIGEST- In his address to the nation on Nigeria’s Independence day on 1/10/2017 President Muhammad Buhari said that “Nigeria’s number one enemy is corruption” . It’s indeed a bitter fact that if corruption is not properly tackle to be in peace in Nigeria will be a mirage. Corruption in a country is the root cause of any underdevelopment in any emerging nations.

Here are two perspectives (angles) that one can look at global or national economy. First, market economy and second political economy. I have no knowledge or idea I am not an accountant, a banker or financial expert on market economy. But I am a student of political economy. Therefore, this writing will look at the angle of political economy and my argument will be based on political economy only.

Experts asserts that 90% of global economy depend largely on “trade and services”. Second, no nation can have viable economy without Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Professor Tatah mentan (2007) observed that “The United States of America, The European Union, and Japan, have been the main FDI sources and destination over time (but in recent years China is greatly superceding other Nations of the world in which their investment in Africa reached about $300B). African continent has been receiving the lowest share of global FDI inflows over time. According to Bjorvarn (2000: 1), the whole of Africa receives less FDI than Singapore”.

One can imagine: how can 54 African nations (Africa has 17% of global population) could have viable economy with more than 1.4 billion population in comparison with Singapore that have less than 10m population? And imagine how can Nigeria be one of the largest economy in the world with less inflows of FDI? To ask more questions again, why is Nigeria not among the 20 or 30 largest economies or among the BRICKS nations? Professor Robert Gilpin (an expert on global political economy) says that “African Sub-Saharan Nations account to less than 1% to world economy”. How can Nigeria be among the 26 global economy?

What mostly attract investors in to a country for huge investments are peace, economic/political/security and stability, rules regarding entry and operation of FDI, stable policies on finances and market stability and privatization policy and so on. These are what use to attract investors in a country.

Are we at peace in Nigeria? Is there any constant and reliable electrical energy for industrial operations? Are there reliable road networks? What of water supplies? What of adequate security? How can we be convinced that Nigeria is among the largest economies in the world or within economic emerging nations?

Nigeria depends on oil revenues (90%) and it’s a known fact that no nation on earth planet that depends on oil revenues and be seen or considered among the largest economies; even Saudi Arabia.

USA is the number one largest economy in the world because 26% of global economic activities (GDP) take place there (George Friedman, 2009). What boost nation’s economies are mostly industrial productions, imports and exports and consistent economic policy by the nation’s leaders. China is the second largest global economy after USA. And they rely on industrial productions, imports and exports of trade and services and they have a low unemployment rate.

How much resources do we have (Nigeria) backed by gold at the World Bank that makes Nigeria the number one economy in Africa and 26th in the world? The United Nations Human Development Index 2018 placed Nigeria at the position of 147 poorest nation.

At age 62 Nigeria is still not amongst the industrial nations. Rather, among the top 100 under developed nations. This has been as a result of lack of patriotic, competent, prudent, meritorious and committed leadership right from the foundation level in 1914.

If we are to consider other nations from the southern part of the world; Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and so on, are all far ahead of Nigeria in terms of stable political, economic and social standard. We are still crawling among the comity of nations.

We should not allow ourselves be deceived by political rhetoric from western financial institutions. If Nigeria is economically strong; why must be borrowing Billions of Dollars to fight insurgency and other infrastructure? Why do the unemployment rates reach up to 73%? Why is Nigeria’s economy 90% dependent on oil revenues for foreign earnings?

Japan is the third largest global economy and they have about 50 refineries, but they don’t have oil in any part of their country.

If Nigeria must have a viable economy; there must be the need for good, consistent and stable democratic governance, resolve of all internal conflicts, good roads (including rails and ports close to the landlocked area of Northern Nigeria), network/big markets and provision of qualitative education to our teaming population. The strikes of the University’s lecturers is a plus to NIGERIA’s underdevelopment. Hence, Federal Government and University lecturers must find lasting solution to their standoff for the past 7 months that 5m students are not attending classes.

*The idea of restructuring of Nigeria is a mirage and pipe dream—–

The world is now “global village” (McLuhan) and the world is moving toward nations without boundaries in the near future. European Union is an excellent example having 24.9% of global GDP with 500.1m population or 5% of global population (with due respect to BREXIT of British).

British created boundaries and nations 500 years ago. And today the technology is making the world integrated politically, economically (democratically) and socially. So, we shall never allow anybody to create way that will break up Nigeria. Nigeria has come to stay forever. Nigeria must remain united. President Buhari must create strategic plan that will ensure Nigeria remain united so long as this planet exist.

If our leaders are now out of strategic thinking/planing and short of ideas and focus they must pave way and groom the younger ones to takeover Nigeria ASAP. Nigeria has been listed among the developed nation in Africa before the end of this century. Therefore, we shall continue as a united nation (Nigeria). We must stand and protect Nigeria forever. The problems with some of our leaders (today) is lack of digital knowledge and focusing the exact location the world moving; economically, socially and politically.

The examples given by Professor Ango Abdullahi sometimes a go is different from Nigeria’s scenario. Because the emergence of India, Pakistan and so on were all prior to the current globalization policy or call global order adopted by Nigeria and other nations of the world.

Also the Northern Ireland and Scotland as well as the IRA in Spain are all before the emergence of globalization in the early 1990s. Even the break up of Soviet Union was the prior of globalization era. The globalization policy is uniting the world economically, politically and socially; I doubt if the foreign/external economic and political stakeholders (those who do business with Nigeria) of Nigeria will support the break up of Nigerian nation. Nigeria is a huge market with 2 and 1/2% of global population.

And again, the issue of breaking Nigeria is a matter of political elites not among the common people. The world is now a global village due to economic integration, democratization and multi-culturalism. And all nations of the world are interested in Nigeria because of the strategic position of Nigerian nation between the northern and southern part of the world. Nigeria is economically huge market and very attractive to capitalists market economy.

Conclusively, this writing is confidence that the world and our leaders will not allow Nigeria to break up because the west African sub-region will experience the influx of refugees the world has ever seen. I opined that Ango Abdullahi Is wrong and Nigeria will stand still as a united nation. In reference; see the book written by Professor George Friedman titled ” The Next 100 Years, USA, 2009. If Nigeria beak up nobody will benefit; ask the Libyans, Egyptians, Syrians and other Arab spring nations. May God save Nigeria and Nigerians.

Abbati Bako,psc,bsis Kent,UK Political Strategy Consultant and Special Adviser to the Governor of Kano State on Public Affairs