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Globlization And De-Nigerianization Of Nigerian Economy: A Corporate Takeover By Carlisle U. O. Umunnah
Globalization is a mechanism whereby nations-states and multinational entities and groups develop a strong affiliations with, international socio-economic-political capacity that has global reach; that has military presence and technological reach that is faster or rapid in speed, accurate and comprehensive in specificity more than any other time in human history. This mechanism is savvy structured with its interconnectedness as dissected in today’s cyberspace digitization and individuation of industries with its interfaces albeit, found and controlled by a few nations-states which in part, are mostly motivated to forge a global economic-alliance for its strategic interests premised on the caveat of a strong structured new world order. The continent and Nigeria-state seem[s] to be lacking in these premises irrespective of the latter’s claims – as the giant of the continent. Furthermore, Nigeria ’s explanations came short, as domestic bottlenecks expressed in its unreliable electricity, lack of basic infrastructures, poorly-equipped military departments, lack of a standardized school systems, decaying-roads, lack of fundamental sustainable environ for the new networks via global-digital-divide with global reach [DGR] are contradictions on Nigerian standing on technologically digitized economy as premised in the new order. No nation can effectively hook up to the digital-grid-lock without, local fundamentals – local ingenuity as its hallmark. Sustainability and or capacity retentions and support for local industries with state-of-the-art, remains the strongest prerequisites to hook-up with the new digital-divide with global reach beyond wishful fiefdom. In order to formulate an effective information gathering mechanism, effective analytical measuring bank, effective monitoring-indexes for effective results and effective and efficient evaluative capacity that can measure the successes and failures of a program, followed with effective and professional recommendations of the aforementioned prerequisites ought to be met. This new contour-fixation on global reach and other capacities including communication frameworks, were felt side-by-side in one example – the collapsed of the former Soviet Union. The outcome of the latter is not only a tragic investment on its military complexes alone but its failure and lack of foresight toward diversifications. This collapse is now a trajectory for scholarly work and other investigations. It is also an assets for other nations-states to make intelligent observations to and accelerate its works toward best practices, including program-reviews, readable experiments/data, and other intelligence investigative analysis for professional adjustments that would harness its economic take- off, both on long-term and short-term frameworks. The above would assist her be on schedule, meet set goals for effective planning and implementations at all level.
With the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 90s, one anticipated a military melt down or slow-down across atlantics. But those predictions came crashing as reverse is the case. There has been a tremendous continuality in military build-up around the world led by the United States: the world’s only superpower closely followed by China and others. The US is currently building mini-nukes in its military industrial complexes for its military preparedness and readiness to face future global and domestic uncertainties. Regardless of the assumptions above over what tomorrow holds, one wonders why the build ups. What war do US expect in the near future that triggered these staggering preparations of this magnitude found in mini-nukes; mini-nukes caved-off of congealed depleted uranium and other military components? What are the relationships between militarism, global politics vis-à-vis global-economic resource control[s] and global dominance? Who makes decisions and or takes the first shot/call in this new arrangement and who are in all intents and purposes by application would attend the holistic losership of the said arrangement? Who controls what and what is the responsibility of the central controllers of this new order, who are the beneficiaries and who are the victims?
This new world order is sketched, skewed and driven by the global imperialistic tendencies via the thirst for imperialistic-economic-expansionism by the west led by US backed by its intelligence agencies, CIA for example. This should be worthy of our interests to monitor and observe; it is important that savvy new methods via international monitoring, deterrence applications, international law and its compliance-codes and code of conduct be devised under the watchful eyes of the International atomic energy agency [IAEA] as it relates to armament and arms proliferations. Furthermore, allowing areas of stability that allows area with some flexibility for updating global-trends as they arise is equally important. Iran, North Korean isn’t walking away from its nuclear ambitions as both nations have accused United States and Israel of stockpiling thousands of nuclear war heads and its precursors to scare away opponents and other international competitors in the global market-economy. As it were, this economic-expansionism is being pursued ideologically, diplomatically and militarily, hopefully promising military-actions as a last resort they say. Global resource control and political ideologies is at the center of the current crisis. The question however is, where do we place the continent and Nigeria in these new developments? Does Nigeria have the military-capacity, preparedness and readiness to defend its economy and resources?
Nigerian born Adediji et al, [1965], based in London, in His Book: The New World Economic Order & Its Impact on Africa, explained further on these issues. Globalization has its positive and negative impacts. Globalization is fundamentally influenced by bigger powers to protect its strategic interests globally. These interests are usually driven and expressed in the latter’s tendency and hunger for control of global-economic-political theaters as it is highly influenced and exploited intensively through, more often than not through secrete and sometimes open manipulations of global policies. Policymakers at the General Assembly UN; NATO, EU, AU and other international platforms are not left out, they are collaborators as they are either intimidated into it or controlled via resource control and dominance through sheer force. Remember because of this new order and competition, EU was born. We will briefly discuss them further as possibly as we can. In this paper, we have explained the speed and reach of new-digital-divide that it assist us reach each other faster and quicker in communication and other communicational platforms. E-advertising, e-bay, and e-commerce are niceties of the new digital-divide, this has increased over time. Others, trading and marketing merchandize, other high-tech-advertising on the webs without physical present of a trading partner are additional benefits of the new communication tunnel. These and other high-speed gridlock provisions of the new-communication powered capacity in the finger tips of global elites of which some of you are privileged to is enviable thus, the struggle for its control. Mathematically, some observers have estimated that about 0.01% of world’s people’s accessibility to the digital-divide which to this writer is questionable percentage, triggering the concern that the rest of the world’s peoples have been left behind with little or no accessibility to the new order. What can be done to intensively and extensively expand its circulations and reach to larger world’s population in order to maintain a balanced, informed and intelligent global populace keeping in mind the danger and possibility of exploitation and digital monopoly in the hand of few?
From the aforementioned trajectory, Nigeria is economically central and proxy to these possibilities if she explores it. Western powers anticipate her cooperation and have shown interest in her, which interest is traceable to its oil and gas deposits. This interest our surprise is not interest toward its peoples’ development as displayed in their actions over the years predicated on the presence of these multinationals [Exxon, shell, Elf and more] oil drilling firms. These massive drillings is taking place in towns and villages such as Ogoni-land, Odioma- Obioku-land, Egbema-land, Omoku, Bonny-land, Nembe-land and other lands. The emission and environmental destructions and spillages on the land, its toxics and emissions on the seas, the land, and the air have caused billions and zillions of dollar worth of untold damage on the host country’s environs. The emission is high and very toxic as it adds to the global warming and other green houses related concerns, which, disappointingly threatens earthly inhabitants, especially pretty much so, sometimes in areas with high population density living near these drilling sites as the most vulnerable.
On the brighter note for Nigeria, its oil and gas could be used as a strong bargaining chips at the comity of nations if its has a savvy effective and honest leadership to champion such cause. Unfortunately, Nigeria lacks nationalistic and patriotic leaders at the helm of its affairs to champion its causes at the domestic and international arenas. For this reason, this stupendous inconsistency and lacking pushes her into domestic power-struggle found within its frontiers. This challenge forces her to settle for political-mediocrity found in regionalism and tribalism. An expression found in a long engrained suspicion amongst its major tribal clans: Hausa/Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba et al. This suspicion has diminished its strengths thus predicts her vulnerability as a global competitor and thusly its survival is at the mercy of multinationals tape its mineral resources with easy, which, this writer calls a corporate takeover. Obasanjo and his administration have sold Nigeria to these multinationals and its western allies. This administration also seeks technical and economic advisement from these institutions that in all intents and purposes do not have Nigeria and Nigerians interest at heart. Nigeria has showcased many inconsistencies overtime: from Parliamentary system to Presidential system; departmental ministerial positions have tinkered as well. Today heads of ministries are for example Minister of Finance, tomorrow is it can become Secretary of Finance et al for no particular reason. That could be trivial. But psychologically in the psyche of the citizenry and nation, these inconsistencies and other inconsistencies are troubling. The only consistent practice in Nigerian frontiers is corruption. Corruption and looting by its leadership is almost grace privatized, Particularly during Babangida 8 year rule. Its leaders are corrupt and Obasanjo might even be afraid to relinquish power come 2007 because he faces similar probes by any incoming administration, since indicators point to him and others as colluding with strangers of past and present leadership as collaborators with foreign multinational corporations to siphon Nigeria wealth. It is looting bravado at the national, states and local government level. Our treasuries are laundered into overseas banks by one despot after another. Nigeria claims it is a sovereign nation experiencing and capitalizing on democratic experiment recently. As devastating as it, some columnist calls for caution and patience with nations as it goes through these passage of challenges. We hope for and wish Nigeria and Nigerians a better tomorrow.
Nigeria has local ingenuity and engineering found east of the Niger to liberate her from current corporate takeover by foreign powers in collaboration with domestic elites through privatization and liberalization policies imposed on Nigeria by the Fund/Bank influenced by US, its founder and controller. Additionally, after the civil war [1967-70], the feds rolled out containment policies against its eastern-plate; its bedrock of science and technology. This containment policy has made it impossible for her to attend and meet the new digital-divide ambitions and other technological goals and heights which its eastern-plate can provide. This divisive containment policy has been discovered and exploited by Nigerian enemies domestically and internationally, including nations-states it calls friends and international-trading-partners. For example US, has no friends when it comes to its strategic interests.
America is a friend to America and a world to itself. From this hypothesis, Nigeria therefore is within reach and targeted by foreign powers via imperial dominance, economic policies and interventionism because of its mineral deposits.
As information has it, at the UN circles and other circles, it is believed that over 110 billion looted Nigerian petrodollars this past 35 years or so of oil boom is in circulation in European banks and banks in North America. The said 110 billion petrodollar in these banks as it were, are in effective operational use: as loans, grants, collaterals and other internal remittances and more to service these nations-states economy for life better enjoyment for its citizenry, while Nigerian economy and its peoples are in ruins and misery. What a disservice to the enterprise- Nigeria by its acclaimed leaders – military and civilians alike.
There are three [triad] layers of globalization today. I] At the apex is globalization found and controlled within the praxis of North-America, Western Europe and Japan: including controllership of IMF/World-Bank’s financial benchmarks and policies in partnership with other market players as I explained in my previous articles; II] The second tier is globalization emanating from and within the comity of nations-states – on the axiomatic and or auspices of the United Nations [UN]. This also includes non-for-profits organizations [NGOs], donor entities, partners and its other collaborators that serve as clearing houses doing clearing jobs operations after dirty wars, found in big power-players found in almost any global conflicts. This is implemented via the 3RS: rehabilitation, reconstruction and redevelopment, while, funds for these projects comes from the Fund; III] finally, we have globalization at the grass-root level also known as mobilization gridlocks. This grouping is also known as a social-movement: that includes students’ unions, labor unions and others unionisms. These entities influence and prepare itself toward the struggle for political takeover including policymaking and resource-distribution/control when its leadership takes over power. There are also legislators with similar ideologies that sometimes serve as its representatives at all level. This group makes demands, insists on its demands repeatedly and perseveres until their demands are met. At the center of it all is controversy over resource accessibility, distributions and resource control. Central is issue here also includes – social theory, critical thinkers, pragmatists, and those leaning toward existentialism. Best practices can be found within these layers of theories and applications as mentioned above could be found within its rank and file. Sometimes these concepts are practically fluid. A fluidity that makes in difficult to maneuver around agendas as records show that these social movements experience from time to time ideological and political-economic shifts. These shifts are historically traceable to anthropological and technological praxis; including a review ad revisit, of methods, use of information and tactics use by those that led the groups from one generation to generation and opine options on modifications and modernization.
GLOBALIZATION AT THE APEX
Still at the International arena, globalization in the marketplace is centrally controlled by North America [United States & Canada], Western Europe [France, Britain, Germany, Italy et al] and Japan as here-to-for reconstructed by the US and its allies after the WWII, 1945. Its operations are equally backed up by FBI, CIA and other intelligence apparatuses. According to Adediji’s documents: over 18 to 19 billion dollars hover and circulate within this axis of business partnership and international trade in North America, western Europe and Japan alone not to talk of tariffs, interests and other trade remittances. For the continent, only a meager 0.02 percent of the aforementioned global trade and remittances trickle down into its shores. The question then is why this meager amount trickles down into the continent why not more?
Some explanations have been articulated by some writers including western writers on this topic.
Some western columnists have over the years written that African is economically backward, a liability and a nuisance to the global development especially as the world gravitates toward the new world order [NOW] found in the current global-digital-divide [GDD]. In their communications, they claim Africa lacks technical know how, and digital-gridlock to hook her up with. It is therefore subtly suggested by these writers that it might be appropriate to get rid of Africa to speedy up and advance the progress made in modernization of global economy. They claim the foregoing as the only option and possible way to speedy up the global-networks and developments in the world. But no-body is paying attention to these remarks nor questions these scholars. Where did Plato, Socrates and other great scholars studied? Where did technology started? Who thought them what has been, what is and is to come? Is it not the same continent that they now through their writings and their simulations seek to and continue to ridicule? There is another hypothesis: that getting rid of the continent is a way to relief her and its peoples from its misery. To this group of thinkers it is the right thing to do, they say. This form of demagoguery chauvinism has circulated among some western or white scholars according to Adediji et al in his works. As questionable as this hypothesis is, it has gained prominent and have prescribed in certain circles as a fair hypothetical analysis and has remained so ever since. But the continent and Nigerians need be alert as theories and applications have thin-lineal commonality with little variables in terms of practical implications. Theories usually turn into actionabilities.
To collaborate that, some African-Americans in the 40s, 50s and 60s were used for laboratory investigative experience on elephantiasis research to find out why the black man or African-American has strong immune system when compared to their white counterparts by the American medical researchers. These secrete researches were actually conducted without the consent of the individuals used for this research neither were their relatives consulted, however.
Business conversations and secrete conversations have similar paradigms. Markedly, in business conversation with international financial houses as cordial and professional this professionalism ends when it does not favor the bigger partner. Thus negotiation of certain framework is also found in internally businesses, whether, it is in Paris Club, IMF/Bank and or any other entity. Their strategic interest remains paramount in these discussions. World Trade Organization is also an element of these outfits and international trade. The only open skirmish between members of IMF/Bank founders was the Iraq war was sharing of its loots – Oil. These groups control the UN body through its dues and policies. It annually or quarterly present to the UN body new benchmarks, advisements and implore her to abide by it using Security Council. Currently, China is using its bargaining chips: technological know- how and blooming economy effectively, to confront and or rather to negotiate with other trading partners at the international marketplace. The said group also controls the digital divide and dictates what standard works and what standards are deemed aberrational. This group in partnership with multilateral corporations dictates to the second tier [UN] when it is in her best interest. For example, UN Resolution 1441 for Iraq invasion speaks volume in this light. Even though today there is no weapons of mass destruction [WMD] found in Iraq. International law and other international statutory instruments had to be twisted to make it somewhat susceptible and plausible to it, for her strategic interests. Otherwise, it will go at any length to break international laws which, by application contravene the said international law. Such actions, shows its disregard and disrespect for other member-states when it comes to international law or Geneva Convention and its protocols. It also uses her economic and military powers to commandeer and coerce non-cooperative states into compliance but places itself above the UN institution. Sometimes it accomplishes its goals through multilateral means at the UN Security Council or use unilateral means as we saw in Iraq and elsewhere. Its fallouts and through other manipulation and intimidation it, subsequently labeled opponents as rogues member-states – for example Iraq and Afghanistan, Cuba, Libya and others. This is especially so, when it becomes clear that its strategic interest [oil mainly] is at stake. This group is heavily influenced by the only world’s superpower today, the United States. I have to take the pain explaining this farce to showcase that Nigerian’s oil and gas could be a curse to her as it might as well face future invasion in the their future. After-all its entire people in Delta Niger are the most pauperized in Nigeria-state today. How else do you explain it.
US actions with the crisis in the gulf peninsula brought to light its concerns, its desperation in its search for possible alternatives for its energy – [oil] supply to service its domestic –economy. One of the alternative options is Nigeria including Guinea peninsula with its oil and gas deposits. Nigeria in particular is the focus here as it is within the territory. As US struggles to take down the leftist-nationalist-leadership in Venezuela led by Hugo Chavez, and faces insurgencies in the gulf, it is in her best interest to keep other options open waiting for the best moment to act. Remember that Venezuela is US‘s second or third largest supplier of crude oil. In the meantime, US corporations are busying and positioning its machineries including deployment of its warships in Guinea peninsular to make sure its interest in Nigeria is not tampered with crisis or no crisis. This relevance was the case in the 60s under elected Congolese Premier, nationalist leader – Patrick Lumumba. It is important to recall that as Congo got its Independence from Belgium in the 60s, Patrick et al decided that its country must be free from foreign control and dominance and ordered that all foreign troops and multinationals entities withdraw from Congo. CIA and UN and other foreign powers then decided to orchestrate destabilization scheme, kidnapped and executed Patrick Lumumba of great memory. Today Congo is in ruins due to corporate takeover and foreign dominance in its landscape. What about Sierra Leone, Rwanda, South-Africa and more.
Currently, foreign corporations in Nigeria are doing their dirty jobs through bribery and corruption. A case in point is the 180 million dollar bribe by Halliburton Inc., to Nigeria government officials in 90s to secure multi-billion dollar [12 billion] worth of gas contract in Bonny Gas Plant [BGP]. The same company also invaded 5 million tax payments, by bribing discredited tax officials in Nigeria for its operations. This was later discovered by Internal Revenue personals or whistle blower involved in that scandal as identified. Halliburton is a former company of US Vice President, Dick Cheney. Cheney served as its chairman in 2001. In addition to the incalculable damage of these corporate takeovers in the de-Nigerianization of the Nigerian economy, we also found that this privatization and liberalization seems to have been rushed. Nigerian officials to impress their western patrons, launched into unplanned privatization and liberalization. This agenda of Obasanjo administration has made matters worst for all Nigerians.
China for example is approaching its economic liberalization and privatization of State Corporations in phases and at its pace. It has altogether rejected pressure from IMF/Bank or US in its policies. That is called statehood and defense of their national pride. There is also the new irresponsible lopsided military-pact signed by Obasanjo administration recently with the United States government. This military-pact is a suspect as it is not in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. In the good old days, specifically 1963, Britain sort military-pact with Nigeria because of its oil, but patriotic Nigerians at home and in Diaspora rose up and fought against it. The war against the military-pact was championed by National Union of Nigerian Students Organization [NUNS] now NANS through massive street protests. The above mobilization and mass protests worked. It still can work today.
But where are the patriots and NANS these days? General Malu, Head of ECOMOG regional force in 90s refused and fought against Nigeria submitting its military command to US military advisers and was relieved of his post by the Obasanjo administration. We must remember General Malu for his patriotic act of standing up in defense of our sovereignty and the national pride our Nigeria.
President Obasanjo and his administration serve the interests of the west and not the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. He serves, consults and worships them in all his economic agenda. His policy for the most part, is anti-Nigerians as showcased in the staggering 19 billion petrodollar his administration handed over to the Paris Club. This financial activity was orchestrated by Ngozi and Soludo and others months ago in the name of debts relief package. Buhari in an interview with Pini Jackson of Chinua Achebe Foundation, remarked that Nigeria has already paid 27 billion dollars of the loan from IMF/Bank debt servicing alone and additional 19 billion dollars handover to the west is not only criminal it is part of neo-colonialization of our people and thus irresponsible.
This apex globalization entity uses its IMF/Bank connections which it founded and controlled, mainly to reconstruct war torn Europe and Japan via grants. Today this entity is destroying other developing economies such Jamaica, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania and South African countries to mention but a few example, through these foreign pre-packaged program[s] found in SAP, Poverty Eradication Program [PEP] to its Poverty Reduction Program [PRP] and other failed programs at the behest of the Bank. To countries in the Southern-plate, the Fund/Bank loaned-out funds to them is a plan to mortgage these developing countries rather than get them off of poverty. The impossibility of getting off these loans with stringent conditionalities keeps these nations-states in check and on its kneel pleading for debt forgiveness year in year out. By application, these loans render them powerless and oblivion with little or no bargaining power or chips. The above facts and hypothesis presented is a disturbing revelation as it showcases a paradigm of total control of global resources through this stratagem. Prepackaged programs and other interventionists’ schemes and methodologies are currently being experimented in these countries through SAP, Poverty Elimination [PEP] Program and now Poverty Reduction Program [PRP], including Nigeria. On the other hand, what this implies is that if – Nigerian resources are not allotted freed with little regulations and trade laws to benefit the west, eventually it prepare itself sanctions and embargo and maybe no-fly zone in the near future. US warships have been deployed in Niger-Delta area already under this irresponsible military partnership with the US by Obasanjo administration in order to protect US interests in Nigerian shores and pauperize Nigerians. Welcome to corporate takeover.
In summation if Nigerian oil and gas do not make her it will leave her tittering toward its former regional blocs or tribal-lines and other pieces because today it has no identity and no direction. She is a puppet to foreign powers at home and abroad and today Nigeria is home to foreign takeover and imperialistic dominance.
Globalization at the Middle
At the UN, the influence of the apex globalization group is pretty much traumatizing at this level in its operations. Its branches include UN and its other agencies. Its global policies, monitory, implementations of economic developments in developing countries is influenced by big powers that lacks fundamental basic knowledge of the cultural and geopolitics of these countries. By application, they use the same pre-packages agenda experiment in all stages of development in all the countries visited by these UN agencies and their western non-profit allies to expend its budgets for every year and do not have interest of this countries. The result is catastrophe and the people are poorer, weaker than they found them.
As explained above the apex international group led by the United States dictates the direction of the UN if not US will withhold its annual dues [over 25 percent of UN funds comes from US] to the entity which, apparently will push UN into financial crisis. Other UN working instrument, its agencies and affiliated agencies private or public could be brought to a stand still if and when US chooses due to its financial contributions to the UN agency. So UN is pretty much a talk-shop and a puppet to US financial donors and dues. Nigeria contribute meager amount to the international body and has little or insignificant influence to the agency’s decisions. Nigeria international partnerships with other nations-states cannot really compete at the UN as a global or regional power. Her lack of national identity due to its domestic challenges at home leaves her inept, faced with mediocrity and a dysfunctional disposition found in its leadership at home is a case for further investigation. Whatever it is, Nigeria oil and gas would have been a good bargaining chip to negotiate its place in the comity of nations. But corruption, corporatization and foreign dominance have stifled her to a point of confusion. The corporatization of Nigerian economy and its control by foreign powers through its privatization mechanism[s] which, in all intents and purposes appeared rushed into without plans, lacked evaluative indexes and overviews appears very troubling for her than she acknowledges and a replica of 1975 to 1985 money borrowing from IMF/Bank that she collected from Paris Club was also initiated by Obasanjo administration during his first time in power as a military despot. He was advised against commencing a failed Ajeokuta Steel Complex at this time as we did not have necessary technical expertise for its completion of such a gigantic project, but he stubbornly rejected the advice of experts and took the loan anyway. That is when our troubles started and has remained with us till today. Either it is IMF/Bank, Paris Club, or money laundry by these leaders is shameful to discuss, because Nigerians protested these borrowing by each administration. See: remark by Olisa H. Osita & Bolaji Aluko et al [2005] on first loan by Obasanjo‘s first administration. There are arguments for and against as represented here with the tables: justify;direction:rtl;.
TABLE A (Bolaji Aluko) “It is self-explanatory. It represents loans taken by President Obasanjo from 1975-1979. When converted to dollars it will be around $4 billion. These loans were subject to market interest rates. During Ronald Reagan’s administration from 1981-1989, interest rates hovered around as high as 24% and later dropped to 14%. When you take loan you are given moratorium and those loans taken during Obasanjo’s era fell due during Babangida's era. Per 2.3 million barrels of oil being produced a day in 1979, it fell down to 1.6 million barrels during Babangida’s era. Nigerian problem was her inability to service the loans taken by President Obasanjo and the high price Nigerian paid in investing in that madness call steel projects Obasanjo committed the country into. President Obasanjo foolishly wanted Nigeria to build the biggest iron and steel complex in the world, even though Nigeria did not have the personnel and technical know-how.”
TABLE B-1 TO TABLE B-4 http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ipsr/supply.html When you go to the above site, please click at 4.1a and you can extrapolate the figures. This shows the source of my information on barrels of oil produced a day by Nigeria.
TABLE C This is from the same source as above. It is to show that there were months Nigeria was producing less than 1.0 million barrels of oil per day during Babangida’s era.
STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM (SAP) Going to IMF to reschedule Nigerian loans during Babangida’s era was highly inevitable. When Nigeria signed contract for steel projects, the size and magnitude was supposed to be the biggest in the world. Because the West warned Nigeria that Steel Project at the time was not in Nigerian interest, no country accepted to partner with Nigeria. Please read the two excerpts below and you can use the link to read the full information on the mess Obasanjo created for Nigeria.
http://www.idrc.ca/fr/ev-30807-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html “Between 1961 and 1965, several firms were invited to submit proposals for the construction of an integrated iron and steel complex in Nigeria. These firms, all of Western origin, were of the opinion that available raw materials could not economically support an integrated steel work with the available technology. A proposal, which was seriously examined, was to build a plant using the "strategic Udy process," which was then at the pilot-plant stage, under development in the United States. The government founded the Nigerian Steel Associates, a joint venture with Westinghouse and Koppers. The project did not, however, take off, as the process did not pass commercial-scale testing.” Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka and O. Adeloye
http://www.idrc.ca/fr/ev-30807-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html Steel development demands a high level of skills, technical and organizational capability, and systematic sophistication (supply of capital goods and technical services). These components are available (partially or wholly) in most of the Asian nations, whereas they must be imported by African countries and paid for in foreign currency. Lack of financing, therefore, is a sign of more fundamental problems. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka and O. Adeloye
In summary, l have presented you with hard facts, l would appreciate if you provide your source of information. It is my submission that President Obasanjo committed Nigeria to a gigantic project the country was not prepared for and it sucked all oxygen out of Nigerian economic life. Without SAP Nigerian economy would have crashed in the 80's and caused untold political upheavals.
I very well understand your prejudices against the Northerners but you always fail to substantiate your many wild claims. It is foolishness on your side to say that SAP cost Nigeria $34 billion in external debt. Nigerian external debt ballooned because of penalties and high interest rates caused by Reagan administration. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s Nigeria did not have enough income to service the loans but was only paying part of accumulated interests on the loans without ever touching the principals. We are only discussing empirical issues and you are better advised to keep your hatred of the Northerners in check. Olisa H. Osita [2005].
NB: PLEASE SEE THE TABLES BELOW TABLE A http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlukoArchives/message/12
www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mer/pdf/mer.pdf - TABLE B-1
TABLE-B2
TABLE-B3
TABLE-B4
TABLE-C
"The first time Nigeria took such loans from Paris Club was in 1978. From 1975-79, Obasanjo took such loans to the tune of nearly $4 billion dollars. President Obasanjo committed Nigeria to Iron and Steel Projects of which country was ill prepared for in terms of pre-requisite necessary infrastructures, technical manpower and management. Most of the loans Shagari took were to finance all these already committed steel projects. If you really want to know who destroyed Nigerian economy, it is President Obasanjo." Olisa H. Osita
Nigerian economy was crippled because of debt incurred from unwise investments by Nigerian leaders. I am not referring to loans from International Development Association (IDA) or International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) but from Paris Club and similar institutions. Loans from Paris Club are subject to prevailing market interest rates.
The first time Nigeria took such loans from Paris Club was in 1978. From 1975-79, Obasanjo took such loans to the tune of nearly $4 billion dollars. President Obasanjo committed Nigeria to Iron and Steel Projects of which country was ill prepared for in terms of pre-requisite necessary infrastructures, technical manpower and management. Most of the loans Shagari took were to finance all these already committed steel projects. If you really want to know who destroyed Nigerian economy, it is President Obasanjo. Olisa H. Osita [2005].
At the UN, Nigeria is like a paper tiger – it lacks mission and vision just directionless entity. UN policymakers at its national General Assembly are powerless because it cannot perform without the endorsement of the Security Council members as dominated by the members of the apex globalization machines. Therefore, with all the beauty to UN policy-blueprints or paper-works and benchmarks, it is appropriate to declare that UN General Assembly is a talk shops, no more no less. The UN bureaucracy is a bureaucracy without working implements if not backed up the bigger powers which resides with the shapers of new world order – found in apex globalization expansionists controllers. UN can deliberate, pass resolutions, write policy papers but if not financed and endorsed by the apex machinery it’s worthless.
UN, Nigeria and others have been taken-over by the multinational corporations through its agencies, agents and planners in collaboration with many of its elites and its western allies, plus other stakeholders in these countries. This corporatization and de-Nigerianization as collaborated above and witnessed by all of us is what this writer called a corporate takeover. This will eventually expand and increase over time. If the masses continue to show passivity, toothless without any form of reawakening and re-engineering of its organizational mass -mobilization against these entities from its base then the whole societal construct is in total jeopardy.
Globalization at the Grass Root level
At this level, some scholars and researchers say that this group is a dangerous party – and a no nonsense entity on global issues. To them it doesn’t matter where the World Trade Organization [WTO] is hosting their anal meetings. This grass-root groups will find the location mobilize and reach them through mass-protests with their global response mechanism with global reach. If WTO or IMF/Bank are holding meeting in Washington D.C., in New Mexico City, Toronto Canada, Paris or London, anywhere in the world they will be there to remind these unelected global officials that they can run but that they cannot hide from their global criminal agendas which this group see as crime against humanity.
According to Tilly, C. [1980], globalization and social movement are intertwined. This grouping is also known as social-movement-campaigners for social justice. They include activists, students’ unions, labor unions and others unionisms. They influence world policies and world agendas. And, they prepare themselves toward the struggle for political takeover of leadership around the world for what they call a better world for world’s peoples. They detest injustices and corporate takeovers and or monopoly of global resources by multinational entities and their collaborators. They also believe that the better method to pursue social justice is through the community-base organizing and – reform at the grass root[s]. They agitate for better policymaking and resource-distribution mechanism. They insist and influence legislators that have similar political ideologies at local, regional and national legislatures. This group makes demands, insists on its demands repeatedly and perseveres until their demands are met. Central to their demands include resource accessibility, distributions and resource control. Centrally here also includes – social theorist, critical thinkers, pragmatists, and those leaning toward existentialism. Best practices can be found within these layers of theories and applications as mentioned above. Sometimes the applications of these concepts are fluid. This fluidity makes in difficult to maneuver effectively as records show that these social movements experience ideological-political-economic shifts due to trade-offs from time to time. These shifts could be historically traceable to anthropological and technological past by looking at methods, techniques and use of information, tactics deployed by past leaderships from generation to generation. Revolution is usually orchestrated at this level. Including those experienced during industrial revolution in Europe, French revolution, Russian revolution, British revolution, Chinese revolution, Cuban revolution and other revolutions. Many of its members are poor and have nothing to lose and thus are committed. If this group existent in Nigeria, and is effective and organized in the said aforementioned entity they could make a different in Nigerian politics especially if they are committed.
Nigerianization of Nigerian economy is the way forward
Other observers and intelligent thinkers believe that Nigeria still has a chance to be restored to higher and better ground for effective and for good governance to occur – if better and honest individuals are at the helms of its affairs then fairness, equity and egalitarian society is possible and admissible in Nigeria-state. Totally, our predicament will remain with us as long as world IMF/Bank sponsored programs with, individuals with perspective of western views are running our economy aground at the detriment of the suffering and depraved masses of Nigeria. Nigerianization of Nigerian economy is better and stronger than De-Nigerianization of Nigerian economy dominated by foreign powers found in Elf, Exxon, Shell BP and other multinationals that found pleasure in destroying our lands. This destruction is extensive, intensive and expensive to the point that our waters, land and air in Niger Delta Areas and other areas that have already been mentioned in this paper have become and should be declared Ecological Disaster Areas. This off-shore and on-shore oil –drilling criminality without recourse is very disturbing and part of corporate-takeover of Nigeria resources by foreign imperialists. Nigeria has sons and daughters that can turn things around for the good and enjoyment of its peoples. Permit me to suggest these names for your considerations. Yes, if given the chance these individuals can champion the cause of Nigerianization of Nigerian economy for all Nigerians. They include, Mazi Nwanunu, Wole Soyinka, Alozie Ogugbuaja, Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, Joe Achuzie, N.O. Ene, Ben Nwabueze, Dim Ojukwu, Ebitu Ukiwe, Cornel Abu-Bakr Omar, Ralph Obioha and a host of others. Please note that your additional lists are welcome in this arrangement.
In any case, it is important to admit that Obasanjo’s administration all its shortcomings have been able to accomplished one thing: de-oligarchization of the Nigerian military from the northern element and dominance these 45 years. For this writer the de-northernization of the Nigerian military is one of the best achievements of his administration. The northerners destroyed Nigeria economy, ran it aground through military activities using its intelligences and other military apparatuses.
In conclusions At the end of the day one would assume that the extensive, intensive and expensive arrangement found in globalization and de-Nigerianization of Nigerian economy and corporate takeover of our land, our resources by strangers in collaboration with Nigerian-elites across the land is already exemplified in the visual entrenchments of these multinationals over the control of gas and oil in the current arrangement is not only tragic, but aberrational and a mockery to our national pride. These foreign interventionists’ controls over us give the impression that Nigerians do not have the capacity or brains for drilling, building and refining its produce in these sectors by itself. We know that this impression is false. Nigerians right personalities who do not believe in “Ranka-dede, do not believe in Kabiasse, neither do they believe in Eze-gadindu, rue-mgbebighiebi when they are corrupted. So these individuals if given the chance they left alone capitalizing and using its endowed local industries/capacities rather than rely on foreign industries they perform wonders.
From the assumptions of 19 billion petrodollar debt relief that went to Parish Club, to IMF/Bank structural adjustment programs [SAP], poverty eradication, to poverty reduction and other IMF/Bank programs which failed woefully around the world [see previous articles on this] and in Nigerian, that IMF/Bank’s intended goals is kill our local industries in the name of open market economy. It is important that turn to our local industries for the country’s industrial, technological and economic survival.
Any initiatives – be it technological, scientific, research, cyberspace and other digitization networking that is not built to benefit the people on a ubiquitous expanded scale ought to be jettisoned. Such initiative in all intents and purposes will be detriment al to Nigerian population. As empirical evidence and other evidences point at basic fundamentals – not until our country provides its citizenry with reliable electricity, tarred roads, decent drinking-water, reliable-aviation, standardized educational system with measurable indexes and other measuring indicators, readable data analysis to update for assessments of successes and failures of a particular project; sustainable capacities and capacity retentions, standardized evaluative metrics and other standardized measuring barometer in all industries running in all cylinders, Nigeria will find a hard time moving into globalization without the aforementioned capacities and capacity retentions. A rushed privatization and liberalization; globalization and De-Nigerianization of Nigerian economy based on the illusions of “they know better than us mentality” is shortsightedness and a recipe to catastrophe and collapse. Diversification of our economy rather than comprehensive reliance on oil and gas will better our economy and restore work-ethics in the workplace that seemed to have disappeared, or that is in serious decline in our society is a greater prerequisite for self-reliance and self-actualization. China, Cuba and Venezuela who are strongly pursuing and building their economies through its local capacities are performing very well when compared to Nigerian economic performance.
Nigerianization of Nigerian economy devoid of corporate takeover, including its oil and gas sectors, solidification and diversification of its local industries, strongly controlled by its citizenry rather than controlled by the foreign-multinationals will better and strengthen its economy from its challenges and constraints, especially it will assist to extricate her from the feared looming predictions or almost total collapse of its nationhood which threatens her today. Globalization and digitization of Nigerian economy will remain a charade if fundamental basic infrastructures aforementioned are not in place for its take off. In short, such adventure will be a recipe to its pitfall. It is important to note that globalization will be sane, sensible and balanced, only if such digital-divide with its gridlock-mobility is built around the idea of bettering and empowering Nigerian-population rather than built to enslave its citizenry to impress foreigners-interest.
Carlisle U.O.Umunnah Is a Freelance writer Based in New York Contact address at:cuu1_liberties@yahoo.com January 1, 2006
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