Postponed Riches

Dad

Broda Sola (my late first cousin) once told me about a visiting Italian scientist who took a long hard look at our landscape and soil, shook his head slowly but intermittently, and wondered what was wrong with Nigeria! He was visibly emotional about the sheer madness in abandoning the huge opportunities and guaranteed wealth in solid minerals, while we underutilised our oil & gas assets, and stayed proudly in the league of pathetic nations!!

Leadership, leadership, leadership.

I have met bankers in Europe who wondered why we under-invested our oil earnings in crude and unimaginative ways! Then, we, in the same breath, went a-borrowing!! That was amazing to them, even mesmerising. They pointed to the loads of well-educated and well-travelled leaders and citizens this country had, and shook their heads in disbelief.

Leadership, leadership, leadership.

Give the devil his due, President Obasanjo finally paid off our foreign debts - at huge costs - to somewhat redeem that stigma. But we still are doing nothing concrete about value added and creative exploitation of our natural resources! And Nigerians are perplexed.

Leadership, leadership, leadership.

Me, I worry little now. Thank goodness they didn't fully extract these resources before now! Why? Dem for don chop am finish well well!! The shameless lot have no scruples about looting. They can steal their mom's chain and pendant without batting an eyelid!

Corruption, corruption, corruption.

So, I call it Postponed Riches...in...Deferred Wealth. We will claim it ALL soon, pretty soon.

Nigeria is set. Our Diaspora is awesome. Our friends are growing. Our people are primed and yearning. And the tide is turning. The time be NOW.

Papa, believe.

I am...
Your upbeat son
Dayo