The Guyanese born Pan-African writer, Walter Rodney,
indentified that formation of what is known as “Third world countries” didn’t come
about by chance – it is as a direct result of occupation on their land by
countries referred to as “First worlds”. Meaning modernisation in the “West” is
directly proportional to underdevelopment in the world’s lowly rated countries. As it
pertains to Africa, he extensively discusses it in his book, which I like to
consider as the African Bible – How
Europe Under Developed Africa – published in 1972. An excerpt from the book,
which I want to dwell on, is: “What was a
marginal difference (in terms of development) when the Portuguese sailed into
West Africa in 1444, became a huge gap...440 years later”. Referring to the
Berlin Conference, 1884, a period when innovative technology advancements had
clearly given the West a superior edge over Africa. Industrialising their
societies with the labour of athletic built healthy African youths; taken in
their millions as slaves, in exchange for guns and mirrors. Britain quelled its
participation in this exploitive act in 1833. The Islamic caliphate end didn’t
stop till 1970.
To present day, almost a century and a half later, has the activity changed? Voyages arrive in Africa daily – this time as “expatriates” and “foreign investors” – by air not by sea. Even the Asians have got a wind of what is described as an investors dream. You're guaranteed a profit doing business in Nigeria: A place where “anything goes”.
There’s a plastic producing company along Oshodi/Apapa Expressway – Peridot – owned by an Indian family whose children speak Yoruba (the local dialect) more than I do. Each time I see their plastic products in the market place or as party souvenirs, I can’t help but remember the number of fingers I had seen damaged by what they call “blowing machine”. A few deaths were recorded in their too in the turn of the millennium. Yes accidents are bound to occur in a production factory. But for this, they had a scheme going. Thanks to few Nigerians on their management staff, they’d hire desperate youths as “casual workers” paying them by the hour. Most times they make them work day and night shifts on same day by use of monetary incentives, and when the inevitable happens, these hapless boys and girls who aren't on the company’s insurance policy receive paltry sums as compensation, which they or their families (if fatal) are happy with. In a civilised society, organised labour would have made sure this factory is shut down for gross misconduct endangering lives of Nigerians or at least ensure all their products are boycotted by wholesalers, retailers and end-users. But not in Nigeria, it’s business [not] as usual.
Another is the Dana Group (Jack of all trades – master of none) whose airline recently killed 159 people at a go. In fact, any witch or wizard that can master the death of 50 people in one night of operation would go down into the Guinness book of world records. Yet, the foreign owners have been allowed to escape, leaving behind the Nigerians on their team and their country's emissary to clear the mess – business [not] as usual.
I grew up to the sight of Julius Berger’s tractors and blonde haired engineers with walkie-talkie in back pockets and yellow helmet on, developing one major road or the other all around Lagos. Engineers in the day, playboys at night. You’ll forgive me when while waiting for a connecting flight to London at Brussels Airport, I met a nicely dressed German guy and over a pint of Leffe we got talking. He told me he works for the biggest construction firm in Germany, and I said let me guess…“Julius Berger?” Looking rather bemused he said for the past 25 years he had been into construction he hasn’t for once heard that name. I began pronouncing the name in different accents, thinking maybe it’s my tongue that confused him – even if not an engineer, "how will a German say he doesn’t know almighty JULIUS BERGER?!!" He works for HOCHTIEF – Germany, a world class construction firm. Meanwhile, Julius Berger, since independence in Nigeria, has been moving from one over-invoiced delayed project to other, delivering suboptimal jobs. Now made a Nigerian Public Limited Company, it was discovered in 2006 by Dora Akunyili’s NAFDAC, that their expatriates use standard drugs when unwell, while their Nigerian colleagues are given Chinese drugs that don’t have NAFDAC approval. Also, allegedly, they usually got paid in crude oil by the junta regime when short on forex. Again business [not] as usual; and the list go on.
Look I’m not Xenophobic, I get international trade. No one travels thousands of miles away from their country, away from their family, culture and food, to come and play “fair” with locals in a foreign land. Of course they are out to make “profits” and if you can’t negotiate your end of the deal properly; as capitalists, they’ll walk away with 100% and leave you with nothing but a handshake. For many years they’ve done it and the pattern won’t change. Right now in America, celebrity and business guru, Donald Trump, is furious with Obama. According to him, the US President is allowing China take their dominating place in world business. We must learn to bargain as equals, not as needy to helper. A business partner goes into a venture protecting his or her own interest, not necessarily caring about the partner. "Zoning to regions" political and administrative Federal offices only replicates the corrupt and confused Chiefs who sold their youths for pomade and toothbrush in the primitive years. We’re educated now. We must allow qualifications and know-how determine people who get the government jobs and not federal quota – so they can bargain better deals for Nigerians. Tax exemption and other almost pleading incentives we give to foreigners who invest in Nigeria needs reviewing. Despite identifying West Africa as “the white man’s grave” in 1800s, they kept on coming in their ships even in larger numbers and finally got the cure for malaria (we had our herbs). No matter the state of the country, as long as you have what they need, they won’t stop coming, it’s the “capitalist’s mentality” – the worse your situation the better for them. Because, through hungry, religious and ethnic eyes you’re unable to see clearly, while they pillage the country and leave.
To present day, almost a century and a half later, has the activity changed? Voyages arrive in Africa daily – this time as “expatriates” and “foreign investors” – by air not by sea. Even the Asians have got a wind of what is described as an investors dream. You're guaranteed a profit doing business in Nigeria: A place where “anything goes”.
There’s a plastic producing company along Oshodi/Apapa Expressway – Peridot – owned by an Indian family whose children speak Yoruba (the local dialect) more than I do. Each time I see their plastic products in the market place or as party souvenirs, I can’t help but remember the number of fingers I had seen damaged by what they call “blowing machine”. A few deaths were recorded in their too in the turn of the millennium. Yes accidents are bound to occur in a production factory. But for this, they had a scheme going. Thanks to few Nigerians on their management staff, they’d hire desperate youths as “casual workers” paying them by the hour. Most times they make them work day and night shifts on same day by use of monetary incentives, and when the inevitable happens, these hapless boys and girls who aren't on the company’s insurance policy receive paltry sums as compensation, which they or their families (if fatal) are happy with. In a civilised society, organised labour would have made sure this factory is shut down for gross misconduct endangering lives of Nigerians or at least ensure all their products are boycotted by wholesalers, retailers and end-users. But not in Nigeria, it’s business [not] as usual.
Another is the Dana Group (Jack of all trades – master of none) whose airline recently killed 159 people at a go. In fact, any witch or wizard that can master the death of 50 people in one night of operation would go down into the Guinness book of world records. Yet, the foreign owners have been allowed to escape, leaving behind the Nigerians on their team and their country's emissary to clear the mess – business [not] as usual.
I grew up to the sight of Julius Berger’s tractors and blonde haired engineers with walkie-talkie in back pockets and yellow helmet on, developing one major road or the other all around Lagos. Engineers in the day, playboys at night. You’ll forgive me when while waiting for a connecting flight to London at Brussels Airport, I met a nicely dressed German guy and over a pint of Leffe we got talking. He told me he works for the biggest construction firm in Germany, and I said let me guess…“Julius Berger?” Looking rather bemused he said for the past 25 years he had been into construction he hasn’t for once heard that name. I began pronouncing the name in different accents, thinking maybe it’s my tongue that confused him – even if not an engineer, "how will a German say he doesn’t know almighty JULIUS BERGER?!!" He works for HOCHTIEF – Germany, a world class construction firm. Meanwhile, Julius Berger, since independence in Nigeria, has been moving from one over-invoiced delayed project to other, delivering suboptimal jobs. Now made a Nigerian Public Limited Company, it was discovered in 2006 by Dora Akunyili’s NAFDAC, that their expatriates use standard drugs when unwell, while their Nigerian colleagues are given Chinese drugs that don’t have NAFDAC approval. Also, allegedly, they usually got paid in crude oil by the junta regime when short on forex. Again business [not] as usual; and the list go on.
Look I’m not Xenophobic, I get international trade. No one travels thousands of miles away from their country, away from their family, culture and food, to come and play “fair” with locals in a foreign land. Of course they are out to make “profits” and if you can’t negotiate your end of the deal properly; as capitalists, they’ll walk away with 100% and leave you with nothing but a handshake. For many years they’ve done it and the pattern won’t change. Right now in America, celebrity and business guru, Donald Trump, is furious with Obama. According to him, the US President is allowing China take their dominating place in world business. We must learn to bargain as equals, not as needy to helper. A business partner goes into a venture protecting his or her own interest, not necessarily caring about the partner. "Zoning to regions" political and administrative Federal offices only replicates the corrupt and confused Chiefs who sold their youths for pomade and toothbrush in the primitive years. We’re educated now. We must allow qualifications and know-how determine people who get the government jobs and not federal quota – so they can bargain better deals for Nigerians. Tax exemption and other almost pleading incentives we give to foreigners who invest in Nigeria needs reviewing. Despite identifying West Africa as “the white man’s grave” in 1800s, they kept on coming in their ships even in larger numbers and finally got the cure for malaria (we had our herbs). No matter the state of the country, as long as you have what they need, they won’t stop coming, it’s the “capitalist’s mentality” – the worse your situation the better for them. Because, through hungry, religious and ethnic eyes you’re unable to see clearly, while they pillage the country and leave.
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