NIGERIA A COUNTRY WITH GREAT POTENTIAL

Nigeria a vast area of land from the Atlantic coast to the Sahel region is a land full of potentials which unfortunately she has not used or refused to use. Nigeria has the highest collection of intellectuals in Africa and even surpasses some European countries, many of us are among the best in Europe and America contributing to the economies of those countries.

Nigeria is also endowed with arable land from tropical to low Savannah. Most of these land do not need to be fertilized as it is very fertile for different crops and plants. There are also too numerous minerals resources in different areas and regions enough to make the country great. Unfortunately these mineral resources have become a curse on the nation. From the Niger delta we have potential for fishing and fish farming which can actually bring enough wealth that can sustain the whole country. Unfortunately since discovery of oil in the late fifties, fishing died and the people of the region became jobless claiming oil pollution has destroyed their marine land. Presently most depend on govt directly or indirectly for sustainance. The youth have made agitation and pipeline vandalization a proffesion. NDDC and derivation fund have little impact as most end up in private pockets leaving the majority with no water, no good health care, bad roads, dilapidated schools. But I make bold to say these region can change their destiny by engaging in agro-industrial business and end to corrupt practices.

The Eastern Nigeria is an area of great entrepreneurs and technical know-how which if well organised can become tech hub for Africa. Two vehicles manufacturers and many spare parts fabrication can be focused on. The area has a lot of millionaires and billionaires who should focus more on production rather than importation from China. The land is also arable for both food crops and plantations of eg palm trees, cocoa, timber etc. These are enough to sustain a country.

Western Nigeria has tropical rain forest where food crops and plantations are viable option. The area has a lot of timber industries which if properly managed is enough for a small country. I sometimes cry when I see timber particles burnt instead of turning it into particles board. But we import particles board from other lands instead of exporting it. Let the west develop it's agricultural sector,human resources, scientific research (Ibadan alone has more eleven research institutes) products of which can be patented and make the country rich. The sea port from Badagry to Ilaje deep seaports is enough to generate enough revenue

The northern Nigeria has 74 million acres of arable land, less than 10% of it is cultivated, even though the area has many irrigation systems that can make them farm all year round. Animal husbandry is the major occupation of the northern people but it's at the primitive level just as crop farming is in southern, east and west of the country. I saw on CNN this morning beaf production in Namibia a country mostly of Kalahari desert. Namibia exports beaf to China and USA and earn enough to sustain their population. This is a country that has less number of cows than Nigeria.

What do I want to bring out of the all these? It is that petroleum has become a curse to this country. Each region depends on it and forgot to harness their different and complimentary potentials. Each region is afraid of standing on her products all depend on allocations from the center instead of paying to the center. There's no area that's not endowed with natural and human resources and we need to really seat down to discuss how to put our potentials to use and become a great power in Africa.

The federal government present and past always advocate diversification of economy but till date non had actually done anything concrete in that direction bcos we have petroleum resources. We only hear of diversification when income from petroleum is low only to forget one price increases. I therefore make bold to say Nigeria can only diversify and survive only if we stopped being afraid of restructuring and allow each region to explore and manage her human and material resources both natural and a products. Each region will look inwards see what she can make and export to generate income. Let each generate her electricity and build roads, irrigation, local rails and maintain security. We should stop saying restructuring is impossible or dissolution of the country is not negotiable as nothing is not negotiable. Nobody wants a war but to prosper we need to be able to manage our resources. As I wrote above the north can produce meat and export if properly managed, the north can feed West Africa with rice, beans, yams, tomatoes, peppers and onions. The east can produce palm oil, export vehicle, agromachinery and many things. West also can do same as east, food crops and timber, plantain, cocoa etc while south and coastal areas can produce Fish for export and of course they have petroleum resources. If this proposal is well discussed and agreed the country will prosper.

Opened for discussion, email - jolanre@live.com.