XENOPHOBIA OR NO XENOPHOBIA: WHY IT MAKES SENSE TO MIGRATE AS A PROFESSIONAL

In the new spate of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and Somalians in Pretoria this week, intolerant (as we may call it) indigenous South Africans came out to fight against the immigration of these 2 nationals to South Africa. Strangely in the history of Xenophobia in South Africa, Nigerians fought back this time, not as criminals but as law-abiding legal immigrants who has broken no law.  Perhaps unknown to South Africans, the agitations going on in Nigeria is more than all xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in the last 30 years put together.  To avoid needless digression, I would narrow down my analysis to the entrance of one group of Nigerians into South Africa. That group is the conglomeration of medical doctors practising in South Africa.

Xenophobic attacks in South Africa

Nigeria has trained more than 90,000 doctors since 1948 when the premier University of Ibadan took off even though it needs 237,000 doctors currently.  Of the 90,000 Nigerian-trained medics, less than 40,000 works in Nigeria as at 2017 while the remaining 50,000 or more are scattered all over the globe.  The brain drain is so massive that despite training over 90,000 doctors already, the ratio of doctors to patient still stands at about 1:6000+  considering 170m as Nigerian population. This is not surprising though in a country that allocates only 1.5% of her budget to healthcare instead of 15% in line with WHO standards. This is not even the issue for now.

The issue is that of the 90,000 Nigerian-trained doctors scattered across the globe,  a few thousands of them are in south Africa. On arrival in Cape Town, Johannesburg or Pretoria, they settle alarmingly fast having gone through mad rigors at OAUTH, LUTH, UCH, UNNTH ABUTH etc. Statistics has shown above 85% excellent performance of Nigerian doctors who go write post graduate medical exams in South Africa.  Infact, the remaining 15% performance is shared by all other African nationals put together! Having survived in a country where the government is not even aware of all her first class graduates not to talk of awarding them scholarships, these young doctors arrive in a place where the government is ready to support you in planning your life. In such a circumstance, it will be extremely difficult for a young Nigerian professional not to succeed!

The world is looking for doctors, farmers, problem-solving scientists, leaders and planners. The world is not looking for illiterates who are not willing to go to school.  The world is looking for great parents that will raise good children who will make the world a better place. The world is not looking for militants, almajiris, area boys, omo oniles, 419ers or racists. The world is not looking for illiterates!!! It has enough of them! The world is looking for skilled artisans and professionals to meet critical societal needs, not religious vampires or baby machines. So if you are one of such professors or professionals, why stay in a country where the 40,000 underpaid doctors are at the mercy of tummy-bloating politicians who took only a short course after SSCE, keeps his kids in oxford or Yale and does not care about any WHO standards.  He could even use the doctors’ salaries as collateral for a loan and veto his point on you with an argument similar to that of a “constituted authority”. Don’t laugh please.

While I would have joined that resistance against xenophobia if I was there too, I will have loved to call my Nigerian friends thereafter and say “we are fighting South Africans that are killing Nigerians in South Africa. When are we Nigerians going to fight a Nigerian that stole the N195bn pensions fund of more than 4 million people? When are we going to fight those gambling with the Nigerian economy?  When are we going to fix our hospitals, pay our doctors well so that we can treat our ailing president? When are we Nigerians going to fight Nigerians killing Nigerians?” When are we going to fix our own country?

Doctors and most professionals will most likely continue to leave Nigeria in droves to the point that, if we are not careful, there will be less than 10,000 doctors nationwide. Infact, if those upcountry ever get to know the opportunities before them outside this country, they will never wait one day after graduation. Until we fight what is making our professionals disappear in droves and triggering brain drain, we are not ready for development.  South Africa today, is reaping the dividends of having a great leader. When will we get our Mandela that will stop these failures?

INDIAN GAARI: BUT WHAT WERE WE EXPECTING?

Imported Indian Gaari found its way onto the shelves of Nigerian supermarkets with a massive outrage across the nation this month. For a country of 170m people with the largest production of cassava in the world, the entry of imported Gaari remains an insult to our genius, economy, leadership and mostly our people. But please was there something better we were really expecting?

Candidly speaking, what were we expecting when the Nigerian Leadership failed to protect the “Made in Nigeria” brand? What were we expecting when the government does no know her people not to talk of their needs? What were we expecting when a few men are testing the waters and oceans with the Nigerian economy? What were you expecting from a country that does not know that for every importation, jobs have been sold already to foreigners?  What was it we were expecting when government systems play Ludo with smugglers? What were we expecting when government does not care about Nigerian manufacturers who scream daily “give us electric power?” What were we expecting when foreign companies are anointed above their Nigerian competitors? What did you expect  when Innoson is not considered a car by the Nigerian government who end up treating foreign models as if imported cars dont crash?

Gaari

Please what were you expecting from a system where herdsmen enter into a city to wipe out families while the state governor goes on to tip such killer herdsmen? What were you expecting from a country that never believes in her people but rests her existence on foreign economies?  What do you expect with a country whose virtues are sold for a token? Please stop fighting the customs guys alone. This is a systemic problem. What do you expect in a country where money can buy a court judgment, electoral votes, justice and value system? Why worry yourself about a system where obedience to the rule of law is more of moral suasion? You have heard of imported Jollof rice, imported toothpicks, imported fishes and imported clothes. I believe there will soon be imported houses and maybe one day imported Nigerians. How did we develop taste for what we do not have the capacity to produce? This is the billion dollar question!

US Dollar continues to push the naira beyond the N500 mark to join the list of the weakest currencies in Africa. Why?  Because the demand for forex continues to grow geometrically. No matter how much you try to rebrand, the taste buds of 90% of Nigerians has been replaced with the foreign upon which all Nigerian products taste bland. Knowing fully well what Mahatma Gandhi did in India, I insist that when it comes to change of taste, force, through public policy, sandwiched with public awareness is the way. Smuggling is harming this country more than the government ever knows. Soldiers should partner with the Nigerian Customs Service while the government strengthens the rule of law and support businesses.

Smugglers have invaded our territorial boundaries and destroyed our economy. The Nigerian government must fight smuggling to a standstill. If Gaari with all the cassava abundance here could still get  imported, any product of which we have comparative advantage can still get imported without remorse. It is time to fight illegal importation.

WHERE WE CANNOT BE BANNED

Despite his lifting it, American President Donald Trump’s travel ban remains a critical cause for debates all over the world. Why should Libya, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Somalia and Yemen be the only countries in the world listed for ban? Is it American enough to do so? Will you punish the innocent citizens of these countries that are simple easy-going Muslims travelling in and out of the United States for the wrongs of a few? Why was Nigeria not on the list when it also had a Farouk Abdulmutallab who also attempted bombing a plane in the US? Now to the greedy me- if Nigeria was on that list, does that mean that no Nigerian will fly into the US in those 90 days? Are there really implications? What are the lessons?

I have read Professor Wole Soyinka’s posts on his refusal to fly to countries like Australia, South Africa etc at a time and also, how at the victory of Trump, he gave up the hopes of residing again in the US. For the Nobel Laureate, Trump won over a larger group of Americans with words that shows racism, promoting white supremacy and black inferiority. Before this travel ban, Professor Wole Soyinka had decided to peg his visits to the United States insisting that Trump rode to victory on the wings of racism. The poet left to create a final home for himself where he cannot be banned.

I find it very difficult to say that Trump was wrong in banning the entries of these foreign citizens. I have 4 reasons for this. First, the war against terrorism is a global war not an American war yet, America has being paying the highest price for it. Terrorists bomb everyone and anyone including moderate muslims without remorse and America appears like lead targets for terrorists in the last 16 years. Third, no country in the world has spent and is spending as much on terrorism like the United States, hence the most threatened must be the most reactive. Fourth, America will not protect the interests of others at the detriment of herself as long as it can involve attacks and the loss of lives of Americans too.

Yet the unanswered questions for Trump is “Will America continue to own the top 4 companies in the world like Apple, Microsoft, Google etc with this kind of ban? Why also should Libyan Christians and other moderate muslims from these nations suffer this ban? Are we saying Americans cannot be radicalized to commit acts of terrorism too? Is Trump sure that this will not lead to the economic fall of the American nation and the emergence of Putin or China? Won’t this grow anti-Americanism in climes where this never existed?

Comparing the 2 arguments, I could just see clearly that one is talking of safety of lives of American residents while the other is emphasizing economic gains and protection of non-Americans. With that, the position of the passionate American president and realist is clear. I hate to accept Trump’s scientific “stop the growth, find and kill the cancer” approach- but the truth is “you don’t speak English to cancer”. You attack it. Terrorism is cancer! Some good non-carcinogenic human cells around the cancer cells may have to lose their lives for the whole human body to survive. The loss of a breast is better than the loss of a life!

Today, Trump must have complied with the court order but he has made his point knowing fully well that China and Putin won’t wait for 16 years for full cleansing if 9/11 happened to them. From now, we won’t hold America’s security network responsible alone anymore. America will hold the judiciary also. There may be more intensified efforts also to think and curb racism, terrorism and anti-Americanism in the Middle East as this will trigger caution. Attempts to attack American embassies in Libya, Iraq etc might not generate positive executive decisions within the United States in favor of those countries. Right within ISIL right now, there will be serious caution and realignments too.

Ban lifted or not, the question we must ask ourselves as Nigerians is straight forward. America banned some countries and the whole world is protesting. What has America done to herself that makes her the choice of nations? Will an American ever live her country to come stay with Tutsis or Fulani except on business or marital grounds? An American president revoked a valid travel ban because of the order of a judge when in Africa less than 3 months ago, a president decided to ignore the electoral wishes of 1.8 million people and never stopped until he saw warships! In my country Nigeria, the judge could even be ignored. When will Nigeria create an atmosphere where we cannot be banned? The learning point for Nigeria and Africa is that the world is happy to live in a country free of Al-Shabaab, ISIS, Al Qaeda and Boko Haram.

In the far corners of the Middle East, you will continue to hear till eternity, “I hate America but I love her products”. Even Osama Bin Laden loved Whitney Houston. A country that is run by democracy, good governance and the rule of law will continue to be the choice of all nations. A country that ignores education, rule of law and good governance to tolerate illiteracy, unemployment and corruption will soon have citizens working and bombing for ISIS International Nigeria Limited.

THINKING OSINBAJO

As the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari proceeds on an indefinite medical vacation to ensure resounding health, I wish him quick recovery. Illness is an exception even in the business world and taking care of ourselves is our personal responsibility. Not everyone will be like President Olusegun Obasanjo who, as president, despite been in his 70s then, could go on holding meetings here and there for 72 hours or more without sleep, to sleep later only on the plane. Ebora Owu is his nickname so you can never tell what powers bring him energy either from cloud nine or the fourth realm.
While this vacation continues a little longer, I am compelled to Think Osinbajo, the acting president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Never in Nigeria’s history has a well-equipped professor of law had the opportunity to lead Nigeria. As a respected academic, public speaker, pastor and direct son-in-law of the nationalist and Yoruba leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Osinbajo’s desire for quality leadership, hardwork, rule of law, anticorruption and scientific reward system strikes beyond the ordinary. This, he does not hide, though in humility on Poju Oyemade’s leadership conferences titled The Platform every 1st of October before he became vice president. 
Going by these antecedents, it is glaring we are having a 21st century Awoist and strategist with lots of bias for the moral code. We are in for an acting president who knows all the lies used to perpetuate corruption in Nigeria from contrasting court injunctions, senseless stay of proceedings, cooked adjournments to immoral plea bargain that are all used to clog the wheel of justice in Nigeria. We are in for a man better equipped to fight corruption. 
I see an ordered script of events within Nigeria’s leadership. As Buhari has used all his experience within the military to fight Boko Haram to a remarkable state, Osinbajo’s knowledge and brilliance at law must stand between the bar and bench to speak for the common man by fighting corruption. For this, he will be eternally remembered. No Nigerian will ever forget him for fighting the tools for designed lies, manipulation of evidence, deliberate delays and threats of witnesses that are used by corrupt politicians to step down justice in Nigeria. Unless he does something about these, Buhari’s anticorruption will be fully simmered. Infact, it will become tales by moonlight.
Despite Buhari’s inner will to ground corruption in Nigeria, there are 3 concerns that could clearly stop Osinbajo in actualizing this feat- a moral burden from a wide range of politicians, a possible continued desire to allow party loyalty to rule over expertise and lastly, the possible resistance of the cabals against An Osinbajo Presidency. Osinbajo was part of that first budding Action Congress winning team that transformed Lagos. He knows quite well that a team of harmonized experts smells like the highly synergetic Barcelona FC.(Chelsea/Arsenal/Man U fans, no vex o). Every touch is golden!! It will also be ignoring the obvious to say there is no cabal in this country that is above the law who do their things their way and account to no one.
However, the most critical thing for Osinbajo now is to ensure he stays alive! He is definitely not the anointed desired successor of the cabal as he shares same mindset with Buhari on anticorruption and there might be continued pressure to compel him to resign. If he refuses, other options might be tried. Like Professor Wole Soyinka believed during the Abacha era, Nobel Prize may be good but it is not a bullet proof. Staying alive is Osinbajo’s core responsibility.
But really in contrast, I am compelled to inquire. Osinbajo was in this government when our economic policy makers were directing the economy like a UFO. What did he do? Salaries, jobs, infrastructure, healthcare is what Nigerians need and not brooms or what wrong one Goodluck Jonathan did. I hope these truths will hit him like a thunderbolt! If he acts on it, only then can he leave his name on the sands of time.

WHO SAID CORRUPTION IS NIGERIA'S BIGGEST PROBLEM?

Corruption is not the biggest problem in Nigeria. For me, it is LEADERSHIP. Look around and you will see that bad leadership, weak leadership, human relations leadership, undemocratic leadership, dictatorial leadership, lawless leadership and the scarcity of leaders are the major problems of Nigeria. Absence of good leadership in the executive, legislature and judiciary are the reasons why it is difficult for Nigeria to move forward.
We all know the reasons why we voted Jonathan out- weak leadership, padipadi politics, the disappearance of 200 schoolgirls, insecurity and Boko Haram attacks, ignored corruption and illegal diversions such as the $20bn embezzlement etc. Only the poor gets punished here. The corrupt leader can plea-bargain himself out of a genocide case he incited, funded from the same ill-wealth.
I listened today to a story of a primary 4 pupil of a public school in south western Nigeria who refused promotion to primary 5 despite his good performance. Remember that FG still feed kids from primaries 1-3 while some states feed primary 4 from the state purse. The boy insisted he is staying in primary 4 because there is no food to eat in primary 5. This is how failed parenting sets the grassroots for a generation of insensitive leaders who sleep in GRAs and thumbs-up residents of the wretched waterside. 
The insensitivity to steal public funds and get away is the reason why hardwork appears stupid. It is the reason why Ponzi schemes make sense than doing business and creating value. It is this kind of insensitivity that makes a legislator presents a grazing bill that will respect the fundamental rights of cows in Nigeria but ignore the fundamental rights to life in Southern Kaduna. It is the same insensitivity that makes a governor give funds to murderers, sorry herdsmen but beg their victims to ignore self defence. What else can make a man steal the N195bn pensions of 10m old people or $2.1bn arms fund needed to keep millions of people alive? Only total numbness can make a president simplify corruption as stealing in public.
But come to think of it. Why did we vote M. Buhari in the first place? Was it not to cripple corruption, recover looted funds and enforce a political will that will stimulate positive growth for every Nigerian? Was he not to reverse the trend, put thieves on auto-vomit and enforce rule of law? Wasteful spending is gradually being halted by the Nigerian president but is there a fear in him to enforce the rule of law in Nigeria? Till today, is it wise yet to be concerned about the genuine long-term aspirations of your people as an elected and ignore your pocket for the time being? NO! 
Please note that we already have all the numb leaders of tomorrow that will lead this country for the next 50 years! They are already wealthier and can make louder noise. Corruption is already defined as ordinary stealing to them and is not worth imprisonments. They are already insensitive to the needs of the people but have the skills to win elections. They are already god-fathered by agelong corrupt leaders and have emotional sentiments for the corrupt. You can hardly hear the voice of that incorruptible leader. He does not have the media hype, enough lies, sufficient funds or any law-protected godfather that can help him win elections in Nigeria. Scarcity of concerned leaders who share the people’s aspirations and have the political will to make the country develop fast without greed is the greatest problem of Nigeria. It is not corruption!

ONTARIO MD IMPRISONMENT: THE CRIME AND THE COST OF IT

For the first time, Ontario MD indicted in the 6bn fuel subsidy scam was finally convicted and sent to 10 years imprisonment. Save the efforts of her lawyer, the jail term was meant to be 69 years! Upon reading through the judgment, I was compelled to ask myself if such laws still exist in this country. Sincerely speaking, the judge must be quite courageous to push in such a judgment for one reason. It is not easy to jail a wealthy person in Nigeria!

There are scams in Nigeria that you need to pull over to hear them to avoid a car crash - N195bn Maina pension scam, N123bn Oronsanye Fraud, N32.8bn police pension fund fraud, $20bn oil fund diversion, N446bn Mohammed Abacha Fund, $2.1bn arms acquisition scam, 2.6bn Akpolokemi NIMASA fund and this N6bn fuel subsidy fraud that has finally triggered one conviction. None of these has led to any conviction until this judgment!

Looking at systemic corruption in Nigeria, it is very tempting to conclude that the more you steal, the more difficult it is to prosecute, let alone convict. Looking at these amounts, you are compelled to ask  If President Muhammadu Buhari really needs $30bn, If there is really a recession or an age-long systemic diversion of funds and If scarcity of trusted leaders is not a more serious problem than corruption in Nigeria.

What makes me laugh most is that with all these crimes committed, Kai! Nigerians hate prison with a passion!!! Same people that healthily "champagned" and danced away yahooze after successful mega frauds step into the box to tell you they now have cancer, HIV, Ebola virus, heart attack and many terminal illnesses.

We are in a system where parents, teachers and leaders who should be custodians of good values celebrate shortcuts and materialism over hardwork. In that case, the younger generation must note that even though laws look like its meant to be broken, its obedience is grossly essential but its breach no matter the kind of terminal disease and confession done, can only reduce 69 years imprisonment to 10 years. Anyone looking for heavy inflows should find new markets, internationalise their businesses and stay away from public sector embezzlements. . The Escape of Yesterday's crime is the predator of Today's peace. Secrets are burdensome. Mismanaged public funds can lead to public prison. The victory of evil over good remains temporary.

A COUNTRY WITHOUT RECORDS

Neither a first offender, nor someone awaiting trial abroad but even a full fledged convict who just completed his prison terms can come to Nigeria to become a 2-term governor in a leading political party. What a shame! On completion of his terms, not only is he reckoned with, he might soon be celebrated, even with a 170-count charge hanging on his neck as he flies in. Morality and Honesty has turned to stupidity in this country. Materialism and wealth is more important than its source. Hard work to the youth is a time waster.

As James Ibori is coming out of this, a king in Osun State who got thugs to beat up a fellow Oba is shockingly identified also to have served some jail terms in Canada between 2006 and 2007. This is not to talk about President Olusegun Obasanjo's allegation that till today, the PDP chieftain Senator Buruji Kashamu dare not enter the State of Illinois. This is a country where you can change your full names 4 times a year and nothing will happen.

The question is what policy framework is permitting drug peddlers, corrupt politicians and imprisoned criminals abroad to become leaders in Nigeria?
Do Nigerians link change of Identity to criminality at all? Has the law that bans convicts from ruling Nigeria being abolished? What are the unobserved checks necessary for citizens to take leadership positions in Nigeria and why are they not observed? Do the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigerian Prisons Service share data with similar organisations globally to make Nigeria a safer place and ensure that criminals do not get into power and positions of leadership? Why should we run a system where Identity Issues do not matter?

How do we thrive in a society without records? In 2015,I searched and researched to get a video of Chief MKO Abiola's incarceration in 1994. I was shocked to find out that big media houses of that time could not get it but foreign media will get it for you in a jiffy.

As it happened recently, I am waiting for the day the Biometric Verification Number will be important at Nigerian International Airports, popping up everyone's past and present. I am waiting for that day when BVN will help the Code of Conduct Bureau, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, etc to identify stolen funds. We all wait for that day in Nigeria when your BVN will be your shadow and convicts either here or abroad will personally knock their own names out of election lists or critical appointments before the screening agencies do so.

The refusal of a nation to keep records of events, history and identity is not just suicidal. It is Self-genocide.