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State
of Emergency and Foreign Investment Nemesis By Dr.
Chidi Uzoma Rome,
Italy It
is almost superfluous insisting on the obvious, as exemplified by the
above heading. But nevertheless, I am constrained to speak on the topic
“because I am (also) involved”. I am involved in contributing to
strengthen the cultural and economic relationship between Italy and
Nigeria. The other day, I went to a business meeting, arranged much earlier before the killings and manhunts in Plateau State and Kano State and the subsequent declaration of a state of emergency in the former. Before I could get sited and onto the business of our meeting, I was confronted with an Italian government statement on the crisis in Nigeria. The statement was seeking to put Italians wishing to travel to Nigeria on guard, on the strength on the Christian Moslem conflict in some parts of the land. On the one hand it is not so difficult to imagine my reaction, as I put on a spirited defence, insisting on the still conducive atmosphere in doing business in Nigeria. On the other hand, you could as well imagine the reaction of my interlocutors/associates, and the outcome of the day’s deliberation. Now,
I am certain that other governments around the globe, wary of the safety
of its citizens travelling to Nigeria on tourism or business trip, made
a similar statement to the Italian one mentioned above. I am also
certain that many concerned fellow citizens had or are having more or
less similar experience to mine. The
onus of the dilemma rests upon the fact that our government has been
investing a lot of resources in attracting foreign investments to
Nigeria, through the round the globe, President Obasanjo embarked upon
during his first or second tenure. And the many investments seminars and
conferences organized abroad during and after such presidential visits.
In Italy for example, we had a couple of such events. The many sector
reforms going on in the country can also be situated in the same
direction. On
the question of tenures, at a more opportune time, we have to come to
terms with a generally accepted formula on how to define Obasanjo’s
presidential tenure. Is this his second or third presidential term of
office? The same situation applies to Generals Buhari and Ibrahim
Badamasi Babangida. If anyone of them eventually wins the next
presidential elections, how would we refer to their tenure, second and
third tenures? There
is no doubt that the above efforts have helped to bring the
government’s message closer to the doorsteps of many industrial actors
in various countries and thus in whitewashing the country’s image.
Current government’s statistics also demonstrate that there has been
an improvement in the level of foreign investment into the country
compared to several years ago. From
the forgoing, one could easily guess what greater amount of foreign
investments due to the country under a more serene atmosphere. Hence
these incessant disturbances, culminating in a state of emergency does
not help the efforts of the government and those individuals and
organizations who are involved in business promotion to Nigeria. The
case of Italy is quite a latent one. But
above all, it does not help the citizenry and the image of a country
building to become a nation, a great nation among the comity of nations,
some would say. Whatever a great nation means in the light of the many
unfortunate horrors and the least insecurity of lives and property in
the land! It
is in this spirit that the action of the government, at least as a
prompt measure to nip in the bud, a situation that could easily
oscillate to greater heights is welcomed. On the other hand one does not
seem to understand the many thesis surrounding the technicalities of a
state of emergency advanced in some quarters. It would seem that many
people have different agendas, which certainly may not be in the
interest of the country. The
clear-cut point here is that the Federal government’s declaration of a
state of emergency is a failure of the government and institutions of
Plateau State. Certainly their prompt intervention with all the
instruments at their disposition would not have necessitated the
intervention of the federal government. While
we wish the situation in Plateau State to return to normalcy as soon as
possible, it is worth emphasising this federal action though unfortunate
should serve as a clarion call and a challenge to all our democratic
institutions both at the federal, state and local governments level to
sit up and abide by the solemn pledges they made to the governed on the
security of lives and property. It
is also a challenge to all our politicians to see Nigeria as part of an
ever-increasing global village whereby actions in the country translate
to reactions around the globe. Thus positive actions bring credibility,
investments and growth, while negative ones bring the contrary.
For a lesson, I would suggest compiling foreign headlines and
news reports for our politicians when these incidents occur and see how
they respond. This
is why often; one seems to be confused with what Nigerians problems are
and as to who are the real enemies of the state. At least, in some
countries they identify their enemies with terrorism. I
refuse to fall into the trap of a supposed Christian Moslem
confrontation in a country, where the late former Senate president Chuba
Okadigbo spent the better part of his Vice-presidential quest defending
the allegations of a religious bigot levelled against his party’s
presidential candidate, General Buhari; where the same General Buhari
has refuted such unwarranted allegations and has since been enjoying an
almost umbilical political relationship with Dim Emeka Ojukwu; where we
have a nationally acclaimed hero in General Murtala Muhammed; where in
1993, we had two presidential Moslem candidates, with neither the
Christians bothering and instead voted en masse for one of the
presidential candidates, M.K.O Abiola;
where almost every notable Christian and Moslem political leader
harps on the virtues of dialogue and peaceful co-existence. If
all these are anything to go by, then Nigeria and Nigerians should
better identify who are the other enemies of the state. We know for sure
that one enemy is poverty and underdevelopment. 01 June 2004 |