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Does it beat your imagination just as mine how the foremost black Nigeria is beneath the third-world category despite its vast riches in minerals?
This is a thought-provoking question. It begs for answers and reflections. It's true, Africa's most popular country, Nigeria is blessed with abundant mineral resources, yet many of its citizens grapple with poverty. However, this is not peculiar to Nigeria but the entirety of African countries. To sRead more
This is a thought-provoking question. It begs for answers and reflections.
It’s true, Africa’s most popular country, Nigeria is blessed with abundant mineral resources, yet many of its citizens grapple with poverty. However, this is not peculiar to Nigeria but the entirety of African countries. To shed some light on this complex issue, I will draw insights from Walter Rodney’s seminal work, “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.”
Rodney argues that Africa’s impoverishment is not a result of its inherent lack of resources, but rather a consequence of historical exploitation and manipulation by external powers. It’s like having a treasure chest filled with jewels, but someone else holding the key and reaping the benefits.
During the era of European colonialism, Africa’s vast mineral wealth became a target for exploitation. European powers, driven by greed and the desire for economic dominance, extracted resources from Africa to fuel their industrial revolution. Africa, Nigeria mostly was the forest where they came to fetch firewood to light up their kitchens. They established intricate systems of extraction and trade, ensuring that Africa remained a source of raw materials rather than a hub of industrialization and self-sufficiency.
Through unequal trade relationships and forced labor, African nations were trapped in a web of economic dependency. The resources that should have been the foundation of Africa’s prosperity were siphoned off, leaving the continent deprived of the means to develop its industries, infrastructure, and human capital.
Moreover, the legacy of colonization created political and economic systems that perpetuated underdevelopment. Nigeria for example inherited borders that were arbitrarily drawn by colonial powers, resulting in artificial divisions and conflicts that hinder economic cooperation and stability. Corruption and mismanagement further exacerbated the problem, diverting resources away from the people and into the hands of a privileged few.
Now, my friend, imagine trying to build a solid house without a solid foundation. That’s the predicament Nigeria, and other African states find themselves in. The abundance of minerals alone cannot guarantee prosperity when the structures necessary for sustainable development have been weakened or dismantled.
However, it’s important to note that Africa is not a monolithic entity, and progress is being made in various countries. Efforts to reclaim economic sovereignty, promote regional integration, and invest in human capital are gaining momentum although there are success stories of African nations that have utilized their resources wisely, implemented sound governance, and diversified their economies.
So, my friend, the answer to your question lies in the historical context and the systemic challenges faced by Africa as a whole. It’s not a simple equation of resource abundance equating to wealth. But the story is not all doom and gloom. With continued efforts to rectify the imbalances, empower local communities, and promote sustainable development, Nigeria has the potential to rewrite its narrative and transform its mineral wealth into shared prosperity.
See lessTo add to the points I made earlier, Nigerian leaders are too inclined to misplaced priorities than the actual reason for being elected into office. It's in the news that a former governor of Zamfara State, Matawalle's impropriety was over the bar. He recklessly awarded contracts for the purchase ofRead more
To add to the points I made earlier, Nigerian leaders are too inclined to misplaced priorities than the actual reason for being elected into office.
It’s in the news that a former governor of Zamfara State, Matawalle’s impropriety was over the bar. He recklessly awarded contracts for the purchase of vehicles (liabilities, perishable assets) to be distributed to dignitaries and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) at the cost of N1,149,800,000. Is N1b not enough to set up a standard skill acquisition centre to gainfully empower natives of Zamfara State?
Look at this, “The money was meant for the purchase of a Toyota Lexus VIP Bullet Proof 2021 Model; Toyota Land Cruiser VIP Bullet Proof 2021 Model; Toyota Prado V6 2021 Model; Toyota Prado V4 2021 Model; Peugeot 2021 Model; Toyota Hilux 2021 Model; Toyota Land Cruiser Bullet Proof 2021; and Toyota Lexus 2021 Model,” the statement said
To what economic benefits are these to a country struggling for balance as a third-world country? 😢
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See lessI find this question very interesting. But I would rather rephrase it thus: why does Nigeria remain one of the poorest countries in the world amidst her huge wealth of natural and Human Resources? I stand to be corrected if I am wrong though, Nigeria remains one of the top two wealthy nations, if noRead more
I find this question very interesting. But I would rather rephrase it thus: why does Nigeria remain one of the poorest countries in the world amidst her huge wealth of natural and Human Resources? I stand to be corrected if I am wrong though, Nigeria remains one of the top two wealthy nations, if not the wealthiest, on the African continent, (yet, one of the most poverty ravaged countries in the world)
I have lived in Nigeria for over three decades so I will be writing purely on personal observations .
Wealth of Nigeria:
Human Resources. Nigeria is a population of presumably 200 million people. Smart, intelligent and hardworking people. The huge population is one of our major strengths. For instance, Nigeria has the highest numbers of medical doctors, engineers, ICT experts, lawyers and even farmers in Africa. I will quickly mention a few among Nigerians who have attained global recognitions. Prof. Woke Soyinka ( the first Noble laureate in Literature from Africa), Dr. Olurotimi John Badero, the first cardio-nephrologist (heart and kidney specialist) in the world, Prof. Ngozi Iweala, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye ( the first surgeon to ever operate on an unborn child (feotus) in the world). Nigerian world renowned artists/musicians are just too many to mention. This wealth of human Resources should ordinarily translate to a good source of foreign earning to the country through export of intellectual services to other countries of the world. However, with our great population comes a great poverty. More than two-third of the populace live below the international poverty line. They struggle to fulfill basic needs like good food, water, healthcare, education, etc.
Natural resources
Petroleum. Without doubts, Nigeria is one of the very few countries endowed with a huge deposit of petroleum resources in the world. Since its discovery in the early 1960s, petroleum has remained the mainstay of the Nigerian economy with several billions of dollars accruing annually to the country through sale of crude oil. Apart from, the country is abundantly blessed with ore, tin, zinc, coal, bitumen, and even limestones, to mention just few. God! We are so blessed in this country. Most wealthy developed countries of the world today don’t even have half as much as Nigeria has, yet they have greatly transformed.
Agriculture. Our lands are fertile. Before the advent of petroleum, cocoa, rubber, timber, and palm oil used to be our highest foreign earners and source of employment. Our weather is awesome with good rainfall and sunshine when due. Do I need to talk about arable crops and livestock such as tomatoes, yams, coco yam, cows, sheep, and goats which thrive well in this country and should all form revenue sources for the country through exports.
What has God not blessed us with in this country. Why have we remained so poor. How long shall we continue to suffer as a people amidst our abundant natural wealth? These are the basic questions on the lips of every Nigerians.
The bane:
Corruption and bad leadership. Pardon me for making you read this much when I should have just answered that the reason Nigeria remain one of the poorest countries of the world is CORRUPTION AND BAD LEADERSHIP. I just needed to let you see that Nigeria is rich, while Nigerians are poor because our leaders are corrupt and fraudulent. Our leaders make us poor. It may interest you to know that the same set of people have been ruling us since independence in 1960. Sometimes, it makes me wonder if we are not slaves in our independent country. In Nigeria, leaders are not elected but selected. Do not be confused, elections are held though, but results do not always reflect the choices of the electorates. So, what do you call that, election or selection? Corruption. Mostly every leader in Nigeria is corrupt. Public funds are siphoned for the selfish luxuries. Money meant for infrastructural amenities for a whole community are laundered to purchase private properties abroad. Just imagine! Or how can I explain to an Australian friend that my local government chairman ( a common public officer) has one house in Perth, Australia, and another in Ontario, Canada, yet people in our town have no portable water, and still openly defecate because there are no public toilets. Apart from this, ineffective policy formulation and implementation is another reason we are poor in this country. I can go on and on but I will just stop here
See lessThe immediate answer that will come to mind is corruption. But, how about looking at the intelligence of the elected officers and the voting public? Nigeria hasn't been lucky to have a well-read or economically and politically experienced president, even as her ministers are appointed based on the iRead more
The immediate answer that will come to mind is corruption. But, how about looking at the intelligence of the elected officers and the voting public? Nigeria hasn’t been lucky to have a well-read or economically and politically experienced president, even as her ministers are appointed based on the interest of the political party in power to garner votes to win elections in future. These ministers do not have any experience, formal or informal, in the ministries they represent. With this trend, there will be little or no plus to development because of misplaced priorities.
See lessYes, when a person who studied French is appointed as Minister of Agriculture, the fate of the citizens is dashed because the success of the minister with this portfolio is left in the ideas shared with him by his aides. That is if his aides are read in the field their advice on. It's a sad situatioRead more
Yes, when a person who studied French is appointed as Minister of Agriculture, the fate of the citizens is dashed because the success of the minister with this portfolio is left in the ideas shared with him by his aides. That is if his aides are read in the field their advice on. It’s a sad situation.
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