G-20 summit: Where is Nigeria the giant of Africa ?

By Emeka Chiakwelu

By Emeka Chiakwelu - www.Afripol.Org

For a patriot it was a troubling and unfulfilling moment to look up at stage in London where G-20 leaders were taking pictures and found out that our beloved country was not represented. South Africa was at the summit, but Nigeria the natural leader of Africa, cannot meet the requirement for acceptance into G-20. Nigeria is not an ordinary nation but far from the truth, Nigeria is endowed with both natural and human resources. With optimization of this capital she will be making great waves in economic and scientific advancement rather Nigeria is bucked down and preoccupied with small talk and infantile susceptibility.



Nigeria is the most populated nation in Africa endowed with natural resources and talents. She has made over one trillion dollars from export and trading of crude oil since the discovery of oil in 1950. Such an enormous resource would have been used to transform the landscape of our great country Nigeria. In 2009 at the dawn of 21st century Nigeria cannot provide clean drinking water and electricity to her citizens. It is nearly impossible for arrays of foreign investors to choose Nigeria for investment if there is no electricity to power their industries and residential areas. Nigeria must wake up from her slumber and assert herself before she becomes a paper tiger.



As Nigeria parades herself as the true leader of Africa, she did forget an old saying that action speaks louder than words. Bestowing herself the giant of Africa must be matched with reciprocal achievement. Nigeria is almost losing herself in an intra and internal bickering; losing the affirmative direction she supposed to be pursuing for stability and greater good for a vibrant Nigeria.


While Nigeria is arguing and tearing herself apart on which hamlet and clan that will produce a president of the nation, other second tier countries including South Africa, Malaysia and others are busy flexing their financial and economic muscles on global arena. On the global stage and G-20 summit other countries will decide the destiny of Nigeria and Africa because she is not sitting at the table. At her absence many financial and economic decisions were made which has a perennial effect and ramification on Nigeria and Africa. The G-20 nations controlled about 80% of the world GDP and trade. Therefore Nigeria is becoming a nation without worth and respect.


Nigeria must take action
Nigeria is strategizing for her 2020 vision; which by the year 2020 she desires to become one of the largest economies in the world. This is a great vision and Afripol Organization has put forward a paper for the realization of the vision captioned "Nigeria's strategic plan: Steps to Economic Powerhouse by the Year 2020" (http://www.afripol.org/Nigeria14.htm).

Nigeria must take immediate steps that can turn around her country by implementing the rudimentary prescribed polices accordingly.


Re-engineer EFFC and streamline the polemic war on corruption.

Without doubt Nigeria has a problem of corruption and this is a fact. But all things being equal, the way she goes about fighting it has become detrimental to the image of the country. Nigeria has announced to the whole world that our most pressing priority is engaging in the fight against corruption. This might be good but now all that the world discusses about Nigeria is crime and corruption, which adversely is defeating the purpose. Nigeria's intention was virtuous but her tactics was lopsided. Now Nigeria is branded a 419 nation and nobody takes the country serious.


So with such a smashed image, no country desires to associate with Nigeria, even talk of inviting her to G-20 summit.


Nigeria has finally bought in to the mindset that only way to move forward is to eliminate corruption. Nigeria must be proactive and multitasking. For while it is noble to rid the nation of corruption the country must continue to do other things together with the project. The Nigeria's anti-corruption agency EFCC must be streamlined and integrated into the Ministry of Justice and must not be allowed to paint the whole country corrupt. The image is not good for Nigeria and this has the tendency to solidify an indelible stamp on the country as a nation of criminals. A country can still fight and defeat corruption by integrated and comprehensive strategy that connotes all the facets of the state bureaucracy without shouting on the top of her voice and annihilating the image of a nation.


Nigeria must make a giant leap forward to uphold the giant of Africa status; otherwise she runs the peril of becoming irrelevant and oblivion on the international stage.



Emeka Chiakwelu is the Principal Policy Strategist at Afripol Organization. http://www.afripol.org/


Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (Afripol) is foremost a public policy center whose fundamental objective is to broaden the parameters of public policy debates in Africa. To advocate, promote and encourage free enterprise, democracy, sustainable green environment, human rights, conflict resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa.