Investing in Nigeria
(and Africa):
The security question
By Oliver O.
Mbamara
Shelter,
food, and clothing may be the basic necessities of life, but without
security, none of the aforementioned necessities could possibly be well
enjoyed by those who have labored for them. As in the primitive days, a
stronger person could snatch your food from you and leave you to die of
hunger. He could strip you of your clothing or force you out of shelter
and leave you to suffer the harshness of the elements or be killed by
predators that roam the night. The existence of security therefore
becomes important for the subsistence of man and society on earth. Any
society that ignores this fact is simply setting itself up for a
collapse.
Many African countries have been calling for help from the world, but
they have failed to back up their call with the encouragement the world
would need to help. Contrary to the propaganda that Africa is generally
torn with civil strife and poverty, Africa is indeed still rich with
natural resources and manpower. This is the honest fact, though many
Africans continue to exhibit the need to depend on others. Mere begging
has not, and will not solve the socio-economic problems of the African
continent. We cannot remain beggars in perpetuity. Some African leaders
today seem to have come to this realization, and are therefore scouting
for foreign investments. This would provide jobs, occupation, and the
development of indigenous Africans as well as the African environment.
Unfortunately, the efforts of these leaders to attract foreign
investments have continued fail. Many reasons could be considered.
Political instability, corruption and unequal enrichment of individuals
(particularly leaders), western media impression of disease and a war
torn continent, and the list goes on, but a single factor runs through -
lack of security. The security of life and property is a major
determinant factor as to whether a foreign investor would allow his
wealth, time, and effort to be invested in any African society. Poor
security means poor business, which further means little or no profit,
and the inevitable option to withdraw any profit eventually made rather
than reinvest it.
I could write a thousand thesis on the issue, you could read all the
relevant materials on the subject, our leaders could conduct innumerable
face-saving or image-building trips all over the world, we could expel
all foreign reporters who dwell on negative reporting of our countries,
we could fight for top ceremonial positions in international
organizations like the UNO and OAU, but if we fail to address the
security factor at home in our various countries, we will be far from
dealing with the problem.
I obtained my higher education and started my adult and professional
life in Nigeria, hence I came to identify with the society, and I still
have great respect and love for it. I have always argued that regardless
of the promises in the Diaspora, home is home. There is a sense of pride
and satisfaction in walking shoulder high across the street where almost
everyone is like you (regardless of tribalism). A place where you are
not accused of having an accent, or asked to 'go back to you country.' A
place where you can comfortably bite away at a peeled orange or enjoy a
mixture of banana and peanut with nobody thinking you are insane. A
place where a mother with her baby strapped on her back will jump
comfortably into a 'molue' bus with you, and you wouldn't mind riding
the packed bus even in your suit and tie. How about the villages? Green
vegetation everywhere, with people donning all sorts of dresses from the
cultural to the contemporary. Where in the evening, elders would gather
to joke and laugh over bottles of raw palm wine undiluted by chemicals.
Children innocently chased after edible rodents and shared stories with
each other by the fireside as their mothers cooked wonderful meals with
firewood. These memories remain indelible in me, and I want to go back
to Nigeria, but what am I doing just writing about my country from a
foreign land?
Millions of Africans in the Diaspora yearn for home. Yet, apart from
those who cannot travel because of immigration predicaments, many
Africans would not venture an African trip today. True, there are those
who have become so comfortable in the Diaspora (or believe that they
will not survive a day in today's Africa). Be that as it may, there are
Africans who still want to go back or visit their country but they would
not because of poor security and the danger to their lives.
Presently, a few African countries have some sort of ongoing strife, but
there are others like Nigeria that are relatively calm except for
occasional upheavals across the country. However, stories about the
break down of law and order coupled with recent experiences of many who
recently took trips to Nigeria are hardly encouraging. For instance, a
lady who went to Nigeria for her wedding was robbed the same day of her
money and luggage including her wedding gown. She fled, I mean, she left
the next day back to her foreign station. A gentleman returning to
Nigeria the first time in many years after he left, was robed and killed
with his own brother in the car that picked him up from the airport.
Today, the hardship in the country has robbed some Nigerians of their
conscience that they even sell information to robbers on how to attack
returning relatives. Many Nigerians now protect their arrival dates like
some top-secret intelligence information. I will not 'wash the dirty
linen' of our police force here. I will only say that many Nigerians in
the Diaspora will not travel to Nigeria today simply because they fear
that they may loose their lives or their hard won foreign currencies and
immigration papers not just to robbers, but to members of the police
force who mount road blocks to extort the people rather than protect
them. How would one expect such Nigerians to come and invest in the
country? Also, if Nigerians shy away from investing in Nigeria, how then
would one expect foreigners to invest in Nigeria (Africa)? These are
serious questions that must be addressed.
The fact that there are suspicions of terrorist networks in the African
continent does not help the matter. Exhibitions of blatant fanaticism
such as the decision of some fundamentalists in Northern Nigeria to
publicly rejoice and celebrate the terrorist killing of over 3000
unarmed civilians in the United States only send a public statement to
investors to stay off. Which foreign investor would want to invest in a
country or city where he knows he could be stoned to death or lynched
for not believing in or practicing some religious tenets?
I have always encouraged Nigerians to go to (or visit) Nigeria so as to
see how they can invest time, attention, and money in the country.
However, since the heinous murder of Chief Bola Ige, the former Minister
of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, I have ceased
offering my little advice. The line has been drawn, at least until the
state of the nation's security becomes encouraging.
Yes, there have been several killings in Nigerian that perhaps remain
equally shocking and unsolved as the murder of Chief Bola Ige. We have
heard of robbers carrying out their operations unperturbed for several
hours and in many cases at daylight. Nevertheless, to just walk into the
bedroom of the number one law keeper in the country and kill him so
easily with such deadly precision is indeed a cause for great concern.
Regardless of how patriotic one wants to be about the image of Nigeria
(or Africa), three issues must be fearlessly raised and dealt with. (1)
The obvious collapse of security in the society. (2) The callous
disregard for the dignity of human life. (3) The people's loss of
confidence in the police and the court system, which has led people to
resort to violence as a means of settling disputes (the absence of an
effective non-violent mechanism to resolve conflicts).
In today's world of quick electronic communication, these events are
observed worldwide, and the average investor is more likely to be
discouraged when his preliminary investigation turns up the fact that
the concerned African society is dominated by the above highlighted
factors.
I carried out a casual survey of whether Nigerians would want to invest
in Nigeria, and if not, why? The result? Many Nigerians would honestly
want to go back to or visit Nigeria to live or invest, however, they
will not invest a dime in the country 'for now.' "How can you invest in
a place you are afraid to visit?" One Nigerian said. "Even though there
is the promise of no more coup, what about the violence? I don't want to
set up something and some fanatic will burn it during a riot." Another
Nigerian added.
The recent and unprecedented strike by some police officers across the
country in Nigeria could have been the call needed by the government to
restructure the police force and turn it into a an effective agency.
While calling the strike a mutiny, the authorities in Nigeria have
promised to release substantial sums of money for police back-pay and
overdue promotions. These could be signs of better things to come for
the police and incidentally for the security of the Nigerian people, but
more could be done.
It is only upon a solid foundation of peace and security of life and
property that economic and political stability can be built to last. I
look forward to the day our leaders would make safety and security their
utmost priority for their country (not just around the leaders
themselves). Employ more policemen, arm and train them better, but above
all pay them well to attract more recruits and discourage bribery -
there are many young men and women wasting away, yet willing and able to
grab a police job anytime. It is said, 'the idle mind is the devils
workshop.' When the youths have no jobs after their education, they
easily accept an offer of a token fee to carry out violence and mayhem.
Our leaders have continued to ignore this obvious equation.
A comfortable state of security (not necessarily a perfect state, for
that cannot be obtained on earth) will encourage the millions of
Africans abroad to find the confidence to come home and to invest in the
African economy. If we Africans can get to such level on our own, a lot
of improvement will follow. Other investors will find the confidence to
invest in Africa. That will provide more jobs, good roads,
infrastructures, and sustenance. And once again, the continent that once
led civilization will be on its feet.
March 2002
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR: Oliver O. Mbamara is an Admin Judge of New York State.
He is also a filmmaker, writer, poet, and playwright. For
more on Oliver Mbamara, please visit www.OliverMbamara.com
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