The Soni Gold Speaks – Economic Nationalism or Neutralisation?

It has been over one year since President Muhammadu Buhari slammed the door shut on the
lucrative Seme/Idiroko – Lakanji – Aflao trade routes with neighboring West African countries,
Benin, Togo and Ghana.
The dramatic, sudden action was said to be necessitated by the need to protect local producers,
plug import duty leakages, curtail smuggling of small arms and as Hameed Ali controller general
of the Nigerian Custom Services said: “ – – – the borders will remain closed until we have total
control over what comes in “.
That was August 2019. The initial projected reopening date was January 2019 but that has since
passed. In October 2019, Buhari’s government extended the border closure to borders with
Cameroon and Niger.
Economic experts and well-meaning Nigerians warned the government of the consequences of
the policy saying a country which does not produce enough food to feed her large youthful
population can not afford to close her borders.
They also reminded the Buhari regime that the closure negates the pacts with the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Continental Free Trade
Agreement ( AfCFTA).
But those that have the ears of the president supported the move. Africa’s richest man, Aliko
Dangote said shortly before the closure: “ No country can survive with a neighbor like Benin.”
The chairman of Flour Mills of Nigeria, John Coumantaros echoed similar sentiments: “ If you
don’t enforce tariffs and borders, you are punishing local manufacturers and industry.”
Coumantaros concluded emphatically: “We support the government’s initiative.”
The “initiative” sponsored and supported by promoters of monopoly of essential goods and
services is a dagger thrust into the flank of many Nigerian families.
Does Buhari care? Our president is insulted from the harsh realities of his policies. He and his
family are fed, oiled, massaged and nursed on a bloated Nigerian budget. Yet Buhari and
members of his regime throw Economic Nationalism at Nigerians. What is nationalism without
patriotic mores from leaders?

Government officials at all levels in Nigeria continue to loot the treasury with impunity, horde
palliatives meant for the poor people with no consequences as the pillars of justice collapse
under the weight of executive rascality.
“A farm without a factory is a weed and a factory without a farm is scrap metal,” says
Coumantaros. Today, under Buhari’s regime many farms and factories in Nigeria have been
abandoned.

It’s no longer save to go to farms as terrorists and bandits dominate the north east and north west.
Kidnappers are scrambling with bandits to partition the north central. Farmlands in the south are
infested with AK47 wielding killer herdsmen. Nigeria is ranked third on the world terrorism
index behind Afghanistan and Iraq.
Factories have crumbled under unattainable foreign exchange rates, lack of raw materials and
multiple taxation.
In September 2020, with Nigerians still grappling with the impact of protracted COVID-19
lockdown, Buhari said in a tweet: “ We have lots of able-bodied young people willing to work,
and agriculture is the answer.”
Well said Mr President. Nigerians are hardworking people, that is the reason they excel in stable,
developed countries. But where’s the enabling environment that is supposed to be provided by
government at home?
Nigerians continue to be hardworking yet about 105 million Nigerians are now extremely poor
according to New World Poverty Report. Prices of staple foods continue to soar above the reach
of the many Nigerians. 25 liters of vegetable oil rose from #11,000 in March to #19,000 in
October. 50kg of rice moved up from #28,000 to #35,000, and a crate of egg from #900 to
#1200/1300 within the same period.
Prices of onions, tomatoes and pepper have been adjusted accordingly. Bakers of bread have
gone on strike twice in the last two months only to return their products to the shelves with
higher price labels.
In the face of the run-away inflation, and acute food scarcity the minimum wage in Nigeria
continues to be pegged at #30,000 per month; an amount insufficient to feed a hybrid dog
guarding the home of a ranking politician in Nigeria.
Economic experts like Steve Hanke and others reeled out damning statistics to paint the bleak
picture of the economic landscape in Nigeria under Buhari and a United Nations’ Food and
Agriculture (FAO) report described Nigeria as one of the worst hit by food crisis across the
globe.
However meticulous and depressing these reports may be on paper, they do not scratch the
surface on the depth of pernicious penury endured by Nigerians across the country as citizens are
held hostage by a callous, visionless, looting political class intent on primitive acquisition and
leading the nation to ruin.
French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr said:” plus ca change, plus e’est la meme close.” The
more things change the more they remain the same.
It’s 35years since Buhari was overthrown by his co-conspirators in the December 1983 coup that
ended the Second Republic and cut short democracy under President Shehu Shagari.

The food shortages of today are reminiscent of those prevalent in those long gone by years of
“essential food commodities” rationing that prompted late Enebeli Elebuwa ( Andrew) to want to
“check out”.
A popular song on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) at the time was Veno Marioghae’s
“Nigeria go better, my people go survive”. So children born after three decades of failed
promises recently took to the streets to peacefully demand that they be allowed to live instead of
merely surviving. But Buhari, who like those in his generation lived fat on a prosperous nation
ordered soldiers to dislodge them with bullets from the streets.
In the aftermath of the Lekki tollgate massacre, former President Olusegun Obasanjo condemned
the deployment of armed soldiers and police to quell protesting youths but he was reminded that
he laid the example of today’s savagery during his reign in Odi and Zaki-Biam massacres.
Buhari’s border closure dubbed Economic Nationalism is proving to be Economic Neutralization
– an ill formed policy which is fast liquidating many Nigerians.
Nigeria’s nationalist government led by Mr Integrity President Muhammadu Buhari is ranked
146 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index and like
Hanke said: “ under Buhari’s watchful eyes, corruption runs rampant.” How do you explain that
over #1 Billion is squandered annually on a moribund Aso Rock Clinic that is not fit for
occupants of the villa?
Nigerians face daunting challenges in their bid to survive and achieve meaningful life however
diluted. Will the Buhari regime open the borders and let Nigerians breathe?
Dangote is leading efforts at brokering peace between Benin and Nigeria. His cement export
business into the West African region has been affected by the closure.
Dangote’s action reminds me of an Ukwani fable that said Mouth once demanded that the Potter
cut off Head. The Potter obliged but when Head was cut off Mouth went with it.
Buhari will likely reopen the border as 2023 draws nearer to score electoral points for his party.
Nigerian leaders make almost every policy with their personal interest in the fore front.
For many Nigerians 2023 appears to be light years away as they crawl painfully with the hope
that they will beat the scourge Buhari’s regime has become.