We need a successful not a failed state, region or country in Africa right now. The bottom line; it does not matter which state or country takes the leadership in Africa. Africans at home and in the Diaspora should be able to rely on opportunities to succeed at home. Western Region in Nigeria is the latest successful Region managed by Africans for Africans’ success. We know how it got to be and we can retrace our steps for future success.
All of us cannot depend on any failed state. There is no doubt that if foreigners seek opportunities and success anywhere in the world, Africa where there are abundant natural resources and the most arable land is the place to explore. There is no Superpower that is not involved in at least one country in Africa for sustenance. The Scramble and Amalgamation of Africa was not by accident.
Before Independence, the Western part of Nigeria progressed internally and became the First In Africa in many fields that surpassed some countries in Europe. The progressive development attracted those looking to Africa for opportunities from within, Europe, Asia and America. There were American Peace Corps and Canadian Service Corps jokingly labeled CUSO (Canadian Unemployed Shipped Overseas). Many Youths stayed after service.
The President of Ghana at Harvard lecture in Cambridge reminded the world that Nigeria was the place to be before the 80s, when Nigerians got red carpet treatment in the Western world. Unfortunately, after the Curse of Oil brought in unprecedented foreign income into Nigeria, Western Nigerians abandoned their Region to take part of the National Cake at the Federal level. The Curse was infectious, killing motivation.
This was the beginning of the slide to selfishness, greed and conspicuous spending like drunken sailors that were never seen before. Nigerians became notorious at home and outside as big spenders. African greed for foreign income was encouraged by the world powers Rush for Oil, Gold, Diamond, Uranium etc through illegal mining in villages. Ethnic African groups fought over the proceeds resulting in civil wars.
Kwame Nkrumah, the first African leader to foresee the power of the Cocoa Cartel, formed the Cocoa Producing Countries cartel but was betrayed by South America producers. This was well before the Arab Embargo when the Oil Cartel dictated their prices resulting in unprecedented foreign incomes. It was the same Cocoa Income Awolowo used to develop Western Nigeria into an attractive economic destination for Africans.
Migration within Nigeria and from outside into the Western Region propelled the economy because of the development of human capital with Cocoa Cooperative, industrial estates, free education, healthcare for everyone regardless of ethnic, race, creed or gender as long as you are in the Western Region.
Tolerance and accommodation was the pride of the Region. Western Nigeria was where world citizens got along. The expanded Free Education attracted teachers from neighboring countries and as far out as Asian countries apart from Europe and America. If you hold your leaders accountable, they produce desired results. Do not run or melt into the walls when backed up.
Unfortunately, today only foreigners still see these opportunities in Africa. So what makes their African countries they condemned so much for lack of instantaneous gratification so attractive to foreigners willing to make longer-term investments than African moneybags?
Why would any African want to become an Untouchable to succeed against all odds when you can work half as hard and succeed at home where you can be respected for your hard work and achievements. An African proverb says: Old age is respected in the village of Umofia but achievements are revered.
Instantaneous riches and greed have raised the expectations of Africans in general and Nigerians in particular. It has gone haywire. They are selling valuable properties in order to buy tickets and pay enormous school fees abroad in search of some better life they can never enjoy outside peacefully. The best education a country can provide is the one that advances the knowledge, science and culture of local industries.
They rely on the propaganda and wonderland stories of swindlers and agents of doom spread around to make money from gullible Africans. They believe they can survive the Sahara desert, Asma Boys the Organ sellers of Libya, thrown into sea to feed sharks in Greece and living in the migrant camps that cannot take anymore fake Refugees. Leaving a Nigerian to die in the cold.
If they survived all that, mass deportation has been promised by political candidates running for leadership. Regardless, another gullible son claimed the situation in the slave ships was worse than what they would pay a fortune for, to go through the desert and sea. So, they pay recruiters big fortunes to suffer for their greed and expectation hoping against hope for luck like praying for the lottery. Better than slave ship?
Since foreign education is used to drain the Central Bank by the politicians and their privileged cronies, where does an average or median income earner that groans at paying local tuition fees, get foreign school fees funds from? It is unfortunate that the funds that should be used to develop and equip schools and hospitals at home are being exported by the privileged to miseducate their children against African culture.
Believe it, many are willing to die poor outside than return home to work half as hard for a better living condition. They are too ashamed to return without the tag of Millionaires or Billionaires. Indeed, they had called home bragging that they are what they are not. It is a small world, we understand your situations. Make wherever you come from a better place than you met it.
Farouk Martins Aresa @oomaresa1
