By Francis Ewherido
Last week, I mentioned in passing about some Nigerians who say: “May Nigeria not happen to you.” “Nigeria is finished,” “Nigeria can never be good.” It’s a free country and they have freedom of expression. A cup that is filled half way with water or any liquid is either half full or half empty, depending on your perspective. For me its always half-full. I have decided to see the positive sides of life. That doesn’t mean I don’t have personal challenges or Nigeria/Nigerians don’t have challenges. The negatives stare us in the face daily. But your cup can be half full or half empty. That’s your personal choice. However, you should also respect my choice. Some people have reached out to me to question my choice of celebrating and defending Nigeria. Please, stop it.
The first Nigerian head of state I was conscious of was Gen. Yakubu Gowon. Since then eight more have come and gone, two of them twice. Now we have President Bola Tinubu. I have a different opinions, positive or/and negative, about each of them. What has never changed is my love for Nigeria. Nigeria and Nigerian heads of state are separate entities. I have noticed that some people behave like chameleons. Their opinion of Nigeria depends on the president in power. I am different. I have been a Nigerian since birth and I remain a Nigerian till death or the name changes. You can be a chameleon, but let me remain what I have chosen to be. For me, “Soldier go, soldier come, barrack remains.” One head of state leaves the stage another one steps in, Nigeria remains.
Like many Nigerians, Nigeria has happened to me negatively and positively, but I celebrate positives and constructively criticise and proffer solutions for negatives. Nigeria happened to Aliko Dangote both ways, but he’s the richest black man in the world with a net-worth of $23. 9 billion. That is a monumental achievement. He became a billionaire by believing and investing in Nigeria. He was in the forefront of those who made Nigeria self-sufficient in cement production and now exports cement to other countries. He has diversified to other African countries. Dangote Refinery is the biggest single train refinery in the world. It is the only Nigerian refinery that supplies jet fuel to the United states and Saudi Arabia because it met America’s very high standards. They also export to several other countries. Dangote also exports fertiliser to Brazil and other countries. That was possible because Nigeria happened to him. Dangote Group is the biggest private employer of labour in Nigeria.
The obstacles Dangote has faced are enough to make many people quit. But not Dangote. He’s made of sterner stuff because Nigeria has happened to him both ways severally. Nigerians don’t quit because Nigeria has happened to them negatively. They are resilient until they achieve their results. Dangote’s fellow Kano-born billionaire, Abdul Samad Rabiu, is worth about $7.6b. He’s in the same line of business of cement, foods, etc., and his petroleum refinery is under construction. He made his money in Nigeria. He is resilient, and good at what he does. Nigeria happened to him. He’s grateful to Nigeria and continues to invest in Nigeria.
Chief Mike Adenuga is another Nigerian billionaire with a net-worth of about $6.3b. He is the first Nigerian to start a mobile phone company, Globacom. Until his entry into the sector, the two major early players were stiff-necked, billing per minute. Globacom started billing per second. It was a welcome relief. The other companies were forced to start billing per second. Although he comes from a fairly comfortable background, his own beginning, by his account, was humble. He started by driving taxis in America. Nigeria happened to him. Today, he is the third recognised richest Nigerian. He was a big player in the banking sector with two banks. He has been a big player in the oil sector. All these were possible because Nigeria happened to him.
Nigeria is the financial hub of West Africa and one of the financial hubs of Africa. Nigeria banks have subsidiaries in many African countries and Europe and America. Some of the driving forces of these banks are Mr. Jim Ovia, Mr. Tony Elumelu, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the late Mr. Herbert Wigwe, Mr. Fola Adeola, the late Mr. Tayo Aderinokun, Mr. Segun Agbaje, amongst others. These people grew up here, started their formal education and their banking careers here, rose through the ranks and got to where they are today or before they died. They got to the zenith of their craft because Nigeria happened to them. How can I forget Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, former Managing Director of World Bank and current Director General of World Trade Organistion, and Dr. Adesina Akinwunmi, immediate past President of African Development Bank. Their journeys started from here where they learnt resilience and overcoming obstacles. In terms of Fintech, Lagos is the main hub in Africa. It is being driven by young Nigerians in their 20s to 40s. Nigeria also happened to them.
In the entertainment world, Nigeria rules in Africa and is dominant worldwide, be it movies, music, skits, stand-up comedy and other forms of entertainment. Nigeria produces young talents like a factory produces new products. Those dominating now have to be on their toes because they can easy become yesterday people because I get am before nor be property. Nigeria’s grip on African entertainment is suffocating and that’s one of the reasons why other Africans hate us. Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy are global icons. Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Olumide, Rema and many others are internationally renowned. They are where they are partly because Nigeria happened to them. There are also Nigerian Hollywood stars. They were living in Nigeria at a time.
In academics, scholarship and literature, we have Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, the late Prof Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Adichie and many others too numerous to mention. They all started here. The other parts of the world might have contributed to their global acclaim, but they got there because Nigeria happened to them.
You would have noticed that I separated Nigeria from the Nigerian government because the Nigerian government had nothing to do with their success or sometimes only partly contributed. But Nigeria happened to all of them. The never-quit mentality, never- taking-no-for-an-answer disposition, our hard work and resilience are what have put us ahead of many other African countries in many sectors of life.
On a closing note, I don’t know the families of some Nigerian leaders before I was born and when I was a toddler, but look at the families of Gen Yakubu Gowon to date. They were either orphans or from humble backgrounds. Nigeria happened to them; that was how each of them rose to become head of state, military or civilian. How they performed is what is in contention, not that Nigeria didn’t happen to them.
Nigeria has happened to many Nigerians positively and negatively. Another good example is Victor Moses. He fled Nigeria after both parents were killed in one of the religious riots in the North. He came back play for Nigeria and has 37 international caps to his name. Like some others, he preferred to see a cup that was half-full. The choice is everybody’s to make.
