Global Economic Recession: a most recent blessing in disguise to Nigeria, if only…

By Ilobi Austin

Twice in the life of the Nigerian nation-first was under the Gen. Gowon military regime and then, under the Gen. Obasanjo recent democratic government- it has had the opportunity of joining the ranks of “most economically advanced nations” through the easy way-investing easily available funds from short lived astronomical rise in the prices of crude oil, in human capital and infrastructural development -and twice, it has refused determinedly to utilise such opportunity. And this is even discounting the surplus made during the six months period of the gulf war led by the United States against Iraq, during the live of the Gen. Babangida’ led junta.

What we were treated to during those periods of boom were largely statements about the government intentions to either diversify the economic base or invest in the educational and health sector; but all of which never went beyond mere tokenism, as the pull towards self aggrandisement was later discovered to be much more than that, towards altruistic national development efforts.

At the end of the day, the population of the country which could not be controlled by the government through child birth campaigns due largely to the high illiteracy level amongst the populace, increased in geometric progression while the critical economic and social infrastructures needed to support the growth and development of the economy grew at arithmetic progression.

The effect of this was multi-dimensional: the country’s reliance on importation to bridge the wide gap between demand and supply of essential goods and services and the scampering of the best brains to saner society to avoid the resultant depression, and its concomitant disillusionment which could easily lead to mental disorder. For the physically strong with a generous dose of the derring-do spirit, crime became the most attractive alternative to idleness and depravations.

Enter nature for the third time. This time, in the form of withholding the blessings from oil, so that we may see the entire picture of the abundance with which it has so wilfully blessed us as a nation; if only our leaders would seize the moment and the opportunities it avails us as a nation.

For many years, the Nigerian government had sought to use a combination of incentives like exclusive housing estates and high profile appointments to lure back some of the human assets that left when conditions back home became terrible but with the current mass retrenchment of essentially, immigrants in the developed and developing nations, the focus of the leadership should now be on how to provide some of the back things that these people take for granted in their adopted countries.

Amenities like at least, three stars, public schools at both lower and higher levels should be put in place to accommodate their wards, hospitals as distinct from healing homes, descent markets that fit into what they already know as such and recreational facilities. But more importantly, they must be able to perceive the security of their lives and property as been guaranteed and then, the constant supply of cheap and noiseless electricity to their homes. Unless these basic are met, they will only return and temporize with us for some time and then move over to Ghana.

For sure, the first batch of returnees will not include the “experts”. No. they will be largely their kids and then, others, in not so essential services but who all the same, interfaces with these experts. They more than any one else will be the eyes and ears of the experts and would provide information on which whether to return or not should be considered. And it is based on what they see and experience, that they will advice accordingly.

Should we get it right with the provisions of essential services and they start making a return journey, we should remember to diversify the job opportunities as they will all not be experts in oil explorations nor communication-GSM. Some will be experts in farming-cash crops, fisheries, animal husbandry etc-some in software development, transport, teaching, counselling, finance, electricity generation, auto making and many more not even known yet to one.

Let us remember as a people that beyond the global economic depressions that one of the highest buyers of our crude, the United States is now under a president who has vowed to give his nation an alternative to oil. And for this, he has promised to commit a whopping annual sum of $10b to research for alternative and for the auto makers who want to be in the good books of government not just in America but Europe and Asia, a shift to hybrid sources of energy for cars remains the keys. All this must not be lost on us.


But if at the end of this current heavy down pour of blessings, we still remain or retrogress, we would resign to fate and know that it is in our star to be hewers of wood and fetchers of water for mankind-the real beast of burden for the advancement of civilization.

Ilobi Austin writes from Warri.his articles on issues of national and international interest can bedownloaded free@ newsroom