When I saw the headline I was deeply lost in thought, it’s a sad one to me and a heart burning. India and Nigeria started the struggle almost in the same era, just 13years different 1947 and 1960 respectively, they both gained independent from Britain and they remained British Colony. It was a very tough and difficult one for India prior to their independent and after independent in fact compare to Nigeria as history made it known.
But here they are today, as if the far above scheduled to the extent that, they wish to borrow African countries $10 billion. Their health sector is presently one of the best in the world. Technology has come to stay in it real sense in a land called desolate. However, in infrastructure aspect, they are improving everyday by day a sector which includes power, bridges, dams, roads and urban infrastructure development.
In 2018, India ranked 44th out of 167 countries in World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2018. Moreso, Security which stands as the pillar of a nation, post no major treat to the government who think ahead of time through the application of scientific method I.e technology.
But here we are in Nigeria in a stagnant position after several years of independent, is it that we don’t have what it takes to survive, flourish and develop? Well, that is just to show how poor leadership have ruin Nigeria as a country. No single sector is working perfectly fine, except the Salary of the Government officials, which is going on fine and steady.
Thus, this has made many people to forfeit their profession in order to eat from the “National cake”, you see a farmer who want to be the Local Government chairman, you see a teacher who forget about his desire and the passion for his profession to be the Governor, and you see a pastor who want to be the President, and this affect every profession in Nigeria.
An externalist like a friend of mine will want to argue that it was because Nigeria was being exploited by their Colonial masters, but I want you to know that India too was exploited and tortured just like Nigeria and, it was a difficult one for the them too, and now they able to survive to the extent that we are to borrow from their wealth, which signify that they are far better than Us, because no one can give what he doesn’t have.
The giant of Africa of an epoch, is no longer the giant of ordinary “West Africa”. 41 years ago, Aba and Kaduna in Nigeria, just to mention but few in Africa, were hub of leather and textile business in west Africa and were on their way to integrating to the all important global industrial value chain that gives a country a significant niche in global business. But because of the failure of Government to prioritise the investment people had laboured for, the place loses its value and you hear people saying “Aba made” (fake product).
The poor performances of our leaders, embezzlement of public funds, Injustice, selfishness has brought us to where we are today. Those who have Economic power, seek for political power to protect their economy, and those with Political power are seeking for economic power in order to have large number of the masses as their labour, Godfatherism is at the increase side. The future of the country is of no interest to the Government.
Ask Yourself, When is Nigeria Going To Borrow a demoralised Country $50m?
Comr. Taiwo Israel Zosu
President National Association of Philosophy Students, Lagos State University Chapter.
