To understand the stakes in Nigeria 2023 elections, ask your neigbhour, co-worker, friend, associate, etc, one thing: tell me one thing Nigeria does well now at the global level. You may ask, have we ever done anything well? I respond YES and the constructs of comparative advantages have worked for Nigeria in the past.
A community’s well being is not defined by how much money the elders can stack in the general bank account. Rather, how well it can put most of the members of the community working and pursuing their missions.
If Nigeria has remained the #1 exporter of palm oil, that comparative advantage would have deepened light manufacturing in soap, cosmetics, and allied production. In short, products which depend on palm oil as a major raw material would have emerged at scale. So, examining the market of palm oil, you do not look at the $50 billion tag; you extrapolate. By the time you finish the model, the extended size could be $150 billion. That challenges having money in the bank, from oil, since the oil has not attracted refineries, petrochemicals, chemical manufacturing, etc because we’re not #1 in oil.
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In this world, you need to be #1 on something so that you can appear on the maps of major money movers. Since we cannot be #1or close on oil, the next president must choose another thing – digital skill, arts, palm oil, etc. So as you make your decision, ask yourself, among these men, who can help Nigeria become #1 or closer on something productive.
Our economy must be diversified towards evolution of potential synchronous regional growth sources across all states of our nation. This will drive an efficient, business-friendly regional system that will support the present effervescence in our economy. A system that will move us from potentially episodic and ephemeral achievements of the present capital markets to a diffused learning that will transform artisans, traders, sculptors and farmers and move them up to learn and apply at higher levels. We will support small and medium enterprises (SME) across our nation. I will engineer a vibrant economy.
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Comment #1: To become number one in a sector at a global stage needs time and lots of hard work from both the leaders and the citizens. I am apolitical, I dont support any presidential candidate, but I just want to make an example: Tinubu was mocked and trolled for saying that we should employ more people into the army and feed them with locally produced food like eba, plantain, garri, and beans. I think that itself can improve to an a certain the economy and the standard of living for millions of Nigerians.
Yes, it can be done, but it can only be started now for it to be built on over a period of time. You will also have to consider the appetite and affinity of the populace for a particular sector, industry, etc.
My Response: It was a gaffe by Senator Tinubu; he misspoke there. Certainly, you cannot hire 50 million youth into the military. Nigeria’s military total capacity is about 250k active men/women. Also, you do not feed people “cassava”, you feed people “garri” just like you cannot use crude oil for your car, you use petrol or diesel. While I understand that Senator misspoke on the 50 million number, people who corrected him on feeding “cassava” are within their rights. My posts, Tinubu’s comments, Buhari’s speeches, yours, etc are not protected – and should be pointed out/corrected/analyzed in a democracy.
#1 Follow up: Ndubuisi EkekweGood that we all understand that the number he mentioned was an exaggeration, but the idea of feeding our army with what we locally produced is very ok, my opinion.
We can’t ask the Chinese, Russians etc to come and eat our garri, right?
We have to feed our army with our own food, we will not feed them with Chinese or Indian food, should we??
My Response: You created a question and answered it yourself. I do not think anyone in Nigeria will dispute your point that our Army should eat local. So, you hammering it seems to make it an issue. A private soldier earns N50,000. Warrant officer about N92k. There is no record they are fed with foreign food when deployed; the rumour has been that they are not fed well. Senator Tinubu after that speech put out a statement and clarified things. He was clear: it was not really about the food but paying these soldiers well. The lowest paid civil defense staff earns N96k to follow politicians (they do nothing useful) while soldiers begin at N50k.
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It’s from Consumption to Production man joor, or do you need those who others will come to interpret and clarify what they intended to say?
A candidate said he would make Bank of Agriculture the biggest bank in Nigeria, do you know what that means? With that large balance sheet, you can unleash Agriculture Revolution. It’s different from wasting trillions on Agriculture interventions by the CBN, which nobody has been able to account for.
Your question is not a difficult one, and looking at the candidates, we know who has provided some sense of direction and belief.
It’s Peter Obi all the way. Let that sink!