Author: Albert Okwudiba Nnoli

Copycat development in Nigeria is a historical evil, which must be exorcised from its political economy. It is self- enslaving. Its method of knowledge acquisition is a focus on ideas rather than local practical experience. It looks across time and space for what it deems good ideas and tries to replicate them in the country. Its practical expression in development is the transfer of artifacts from advanced countries into Nigeria. These artifacts are forced to exist in a hodgepodge mosaic that does not have an organic character. They do not work in tandem with the local artifacts, habitual consumption pattern,…

Read More

The historical enemies of Nigerian progress and, therefore, the Nigerian people are all those who advise the country to copy the actions, policies and life style of the advanced countries. And all those who support copying them. The refrain is everywhere, ubiquitous. It’s deafening. “In America it’s done like this”. “Why can’t we do it as is done in America?” “This is the way it’s done in civilized countries.”  “It does not conform to international best practices” China and the so-called Asian Tigers have also become models for copying. “As is done in China” is now bandied around everywhere. This…

Read More

If and when the fight against corruption is won, its benefits will be very significant for national development. They include: 1. It will expose the massive corruption in the country. 2. Such corruption will show its pervasiveness not only in the public sector but also the private sector. 3. A vast amount of money will have been liberated for national development. 4. The absence of corruption will show that Nigeria is not a rich country. People will be able to see the stark poverty of the country in its nakedness. Above all, what will be uppermost in the mind of…

Read More

Since 1951, the Nigerian petty bourgeois politicians and their fellow travelers at all levels have increasingly manipulated sectional chauvinism of all sorts, including but not limited to ethnic, regional and religious chauvinism. The objective is to obtain, by hook or crook, a disproportionate share of the wealth of the nation than is possible by the role of the petty bourgeoisie in production. In the process, they are making lots and lots of money. But, also, they are daily increasing and reinforcing sectional consciousness and chauvinism among their constituents, the consequences of which they are unable to control. In the North…

Read More