NIGERIA HAS MEN AND MEANS, BUT NO MAGIC?
An event organized by a friend took me to the city of Atlanta a few years ago. The host protocol team had been at the airport 30 minutes before my arrival. I didn’t have to wait to be driven to my hotel. Two young people, a man and a woman, were my chaperons. The guy behind the wheel was a 33 year old medical doctor, so was the 29 year old young woman who accompanied him. They were both Nigerians.
The Men
Venue
of the event was packed with about 300 people. Attendees were mostly young
Nigerian professionals. A few of them were in the US military running big
global operations for the government. Upon their doggedly dependable and broad
shoulders, the present and future of a nation were seated.
By the time my host got through introducing me
to about 20 of the guests who were mainly medical doctors, surgeons,
anesthesiologists, researchers, computer scientists, lawyers and all manner of
engineers who were behind the construction of many of the big bridges and roads
stretching around America, my heart began to bleed for Nigeria. Some of them
were brought into the US by their parents at very tender ages; and others are
natural-born US citizens. But all of their hearts yearned for motherland; a
place they may never recognize or call home.
This is
the story of Nigeria and Nigerians abroad. Young and old doing great exploits
in their careers and scattered all over major cities all over the world. Presidents
of foreign nations count on them; so do governors of states. Multi-billion
dollar corporations desire them; so do small upcoming businesses. These men and
women come from all ethnic backgrounds; and their hearts pant for Nigeria; a
nation blessed with men and endowed with means.
Recently,
a Houston hospital witnessed a handful of Nigerian doctors successfully
separating 10-month-old conjoined twins in a 26 hour surgery that is now making
waves among American media and the global medical world. The 12-man medical
team comprised of Professor Oluyinka Olutoye, his anesthesiologist wife, Dr.
Toyin, and one Dr. Mrs. Oluyemisi Adeyemi-Fowode, a paediatric gynecology
fellow in the hospital. Don’t tell me Nigeria doesn’t have men.
A Nigerian
engineer, Jude Igwemezie, who lives in Canada, was commissioned by the Iraqi
government to design and construct a $500m Iraqi rail system. The project
includes the construction of what is described as a viable rail transport
network for the city of Njaf. Men who build roads, tunnels and bridges for
other nations have been chased away from their homeland by something or
someone. Jelani Aliyu from Sokoto State is the talented mind behind the design
of the Chevrolet Volt automobile, one of the most admired American
specifications globally. Aliyu is a senior creative designer with General
Motors in Detroit. This Nigerian just made history.
I also read about the exploits of one Dr.
Osato Osemwengie from Benin, Edo State. Osato specializes in counter-terrorism
and counter-insurgence with drones he built for the US Army. His ingenuity makes
surveillance and information gathering against terrorists and insurgents easier
for the government. Osato lives in the US; and what was a loss to Nigeria
became a gain for America.
Amidst
all manner of challenges in Nigeria, some Nigerians resident in Nigeria have
always towered up in the world. Aliko Dangote, worth $11.7bn, is the richest
black man on the face of the earth. The richest black woman on earth is a
Nigerian. She is Folorunsho Alakija who is worth almost $2bn. Largest black-owned
Communication installation in the world, GLO, is owned by Mike Adenuga, a
Nigerian whose net worth is $6.3bn. Nigerians around the world are creators of
solutions to world’s problems; not designers of problems. There are millions of
Nigerians all around the world who have become stand-out achievers and
accomplishers of big dreams. Many of them chose to be quiet. We are further
convinced that Nigeria is blessed with men.
The Means
The country
also has the means to kick-start life worth living for all. Nigeria’s present
GDP is $416bn. “Prophets” in Economics have told us that by 2030, the GDP will
jump to around $1tn! This is a sign of means. Between 1999 and 2007, former
President Olusegn Obasanjo’s administration earned N17tn from crude oil sales
within eight years and left behind $45bn external reserves and $3.348bn
external debt. Umaru Yar’Adua made N9tn from crude oil sales within the short period
he reigned. He grew the crude oil sales within the short period he reigned. He grew
the reserves to $64bn within just one year.
Goodluck Jonathan’s administration
witnessed an oil boom when Brent crude sold for over $100/barrel, with the regime
earning N51tn within a period of five years. The Treasury Single Account policy
which was started in February 2015 has reportedly helped save over some N3tn. The
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has also
reportedly saved N1.4tn since removing the subsidy on petrol. By year-end 2015,
the Customs mopped up almost N1tn from duties and levies. In the month of
August this year alone, it generated N95bn. Nigeria is a nation with means
The Magic?
Many
of us are just perturbed that talents, abilities and means that Nigeria and
Nigerians exhibit have not translated into good roads, functional hospitals, uninterrupted
power supplies, cutting-edge educational system, and plenteous and affordable
food supply in our markets. With these blessings, why are we not better than
this?
In
the latest United Nations Human Development Index 2015 Notice, Nigeria ranked
152 out of 188 and adjudged among Low Human Development countries. According to
the CBN, between 2014 and 2015, Nigeria spent a total of N1.18tn (about $7.4bn)
on the importation of toothpicks, fish, milk, textiles, rice and
furniture. Fish imports gulped 1.39bn
while milk and rice imports accounted for $1.33bn and $51m respectively. It is
obvious that we have the means that are heedlessly frittered away in waste.
Very few
Nigerians should go to bed hungry; unfortunately, 120 million people probably
will tonight. Chinese teacher and philosopher, Confucius once said, “In a country well-governed, poverty is
something to be ashamed of”. Nelson Mandella, ascending the saddle as head
of the South Africa Government, made a vow to his people; “we pledge ourselves to liberate our people from the bondage of poverty,
deprivation, suffering…” Poverty is bondage.
I am
hoping that the coming year in Nigeria will be better and fairer for Nigerians
now living under the present harsh economic realities. I hope that all the figures
and puzzles strung together by President Buhari will eventually translate into
sweet dreams for the people now in a nightmare. Although pain and suffering are
dominant in the air, I am still hopeful that this administration in the next
two and a half years will be able to dig the country out of the hole she has
found herself. Nigeria has the requisite men and means to get it done.
Author: Fola Ojo
Author: Fola Ojo
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