« Zimbabwe takes gold medal | Home | Afromatics I: Goals We Can Believe In »
Why The Nigerian Project Must Succeed
By afroman1 | October 20, 2008
As an avid soccer fan, I have always loved the use of the term “Project” when players and managers bloviate on the current incarnation of some famous FC (i.e., football club). It is much more impressive to have stars such as Didier Drogba proclaim their unyielding commitment to the project started by his new coach, Scolari. Very workmanlike!
So, why is it necessary for Nigeria to be great? Let me answer this from the point of view of a fellow African (Ghanaian). The answer may surprise you!
When Africans, including Ghanaians, dwell on Nigeria’s prospects, there is usually agreement on the need for Nigerian greatness. The oft cited reasons for such boosterism are as follows.
There are a lot of Nigerians! They dominate the African population charts. In fact, they make up a large percentage of the total black population worldwide. Going by the numbers then, in order for Africans and Africa to prosper, we need Nigerians to make good.
The other reason why Africans, especially those close geographically to Nigeria, fervently wish for prosperity and peace in Gide is the hope that Nigerians will be happy enough with their homeland and stay home. Given the numbers involved and the perceptions of the baggage that accompany Nigerian sojourners, most neighbors of Nigeria are uneasy at the thought of increased refugee flows across their borders.
Now it is all good and proper to militantly shout that Nigeria must prosper for Africa to prosper in order to Africa to progress. Such sloganeering has a nice idealistic ring to it and tickles my pan-African fancy. But then I sober up and a somewhat subversive feeling wells up in me. If Nigeria cannot find the will or ability to do the right thing by its own citizens, why should one dream or expect it to do the right thing by folks outside of its borders? As the saying goes, charity begins at home.
As for the politically incorrect feelings of wishing Nigeria and Nigerians stay home, one should never underestimate the instinct of self-preservation. When people feel swamped, they are apt to give into xenophobic feelings and there are no shortage of political leaders across the continent who see tapping into such ugly feelings as a surefire way to boost their careers. It is vitally important to manage inter-country flows of people so that we don’t get to the point where demagogues can find fertile ground for mischief. Again, you can dine with your neighbor but you will surely want to save your love for your own family.
To me the more positive reason for wishing success for Nigeria runs along less well traveled tracks. Nigeria is big in many respects: geographically, demographically, problematically etc. But what Nigeria has lacked to date is a big narrative or mythology that can be used to power the country forward in a united way. I believe fervently that such a “storyline” is essential in uniting the country together towards common goals and to achieve true broad-based development that significantly improves the lives of all citizens.
Given the intractability of the problems facing Nigeria, if it does manage to pull this project off, think about the inspiration it will provide to other African countries! Think about the possibilities for offering a proven mode of development for other African countries that is realistically grounded in the peculiarities of life in Mother Africa. That is why Nigeria must succeed in its own way and using its own vernacular. Success by “Big Brother” will illustrate the kind of mythology that should be kept in mind by other African countries who are looking to succeed too at the project of national development. Big country, big problems and now big results! That is what we need to invalidate the excuses offered by apologists trying to explain why so many years after independence, we are yet to see Africa taking care of Africans.
Net-net, if Gide can do it, then so can we and so shall we.
Topics: Ghana, Nigeria | No Comments »