Beggars in Limousines arriving at United Nations General Assembly
By Dele Sobowale
“A man cannot gradually enlarge his mind as he does his house.” – Alexis de Tocquiville, 1805-1859”.
African leaders also cannot gradually enlarge their minds just as they expand their appetites for self-enrichment and waste of public funds.
If you are still wondering why Africa, especially the sub-Sahara part of it, has been underdeveloped and will remain backward, even if the world lasts several million years, the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, just ended, in September 2024 provides all the answers you need.
But, before going into the substance of today’s article, it will be useful to divert to late Lee Kuan Yew, 1923-2015, the first Prime Minister of Singapore.
Yew took a small island, without natural resources, no abundant manpower and turned it into an economic, technological and geo-political superpower in 30 years. Nigeria is now 64 years old as an independent nation. All our leaders put together had managed to turn our country into a beggar nation in twice the time. Under Yew, Singapore went from rags to riches; under Nigerian leaders, we descended from riches to rags and we might soon go naked. Yew then wrote a best selling book titled, ‘From The Third To The First World In A Generation’.
It is a book from which our leaders could have learnt. But, as our own Dr Nwajei, computer guru, had said several times, “If you want anything hidden from the African, put it in a book.”
A generation in demographics is defined as thirty years. For the sake of Nigerians who read it and forgot a relevant story in the book, as well as those too busy to read it, I will explain how our present predicament had its antecedents in the First Republic; as our Founding Fathers mounted the saddle after Britons.
What Our Fathers Left Us
“What does diminishing time not corrupt? Our grandparents brought forth feebler heirs; we are further degenerate; and soon will beget progeny more wicked.” – Horace, 65-8 BC, Vanguard Book of Quotations, p. 247.
Yew met one of our founding fathers and this was what he wrote on page 352.
“Raja [his Finance Minister] and I were seated opposite a hefty Nigerian, Chief Festus Okotieboh, their Finance Minister. The conversation is still fresh in my mind. He was going to retire soon, he said. He has done enough for his country and now he had to look after his own business, a shoe factory. As Finance Minister, he had imposed a tax on imported shoes so that Nigeria could make shoes. Raja and I were incredulous. Chief Festus… was elegantly camouflaged [underlying mine] in Nigerian robes with gold ornamentation. I went to bed that night convinced that they were a different people playing to a different tune.”
Here was the Prime Minister of a new and poor country in the 1960s, looking with disdain on the Finance Minister of one of the wealthiest countries at the time; and predicting, quite accurately, that with Ministers like Okotieboh, Nigeria was headed for the dustbin of history.
We are almost there now; because virtually every government since then had empowered individuals who “impose taxes”, award road contracts to firms in which their sons have interest – while asking the people, who will pay dearly for the waste and corruption to wait for a better future. Present admonitions, notwithstanding, it might never happen.
At federal and state levels, over-bloated contracts are awarded to in-laws, political associates, friends and other hangers-on – not because they are the most likely to perform, but, because as one said: “If I don’t favour my friends, do you expect me to help my enemies?” as if the nation has been divided only into friends and enemies. That is the African leader for you.
Several of them were on parade in New York City last month repeating the same show Okotieboh put on in the 1960s. Obviously, we are not only slow learners; in many instances we never learn – irrespective of the era.
African leaders march into UN exhibition opulence
“Every country has the government it deserves.” – Joseph de Maistre, 1753-1821.
The leaders that attended the UNGA reflected the values of their governments and their people. A friend sent me a report about the Assembly focusing on the cars Presidents and Prime Ministers drove to UN Headquarters. Virtually all the African leaders flew into NYC in Presidential aircrafts; they drove in with expensive limousines – complete with well-attired chauffeurs to emphasise the importance of the dignitaries arriving. No expense was spared to obtain the best possible. They were also lodged in the best hotels New York City can provide with members of their delegation. They obviously came to enjoy themselves.
By contrast, the European leaders arrived in small cars; drivers modestly but neatly dressed. In some cases two leaders shared a car; and some even came in group buses. The only luxury they permitted themselves was to ensure the small cars and buses were air-conditioned. Almost all were lodged in less expensive or budget hotels. They were there for serious business; not for a pageant.
Nigeria’s Vice President, Shettima, representing the government in place of the President, who was avoidably absent, was like the rest of the representatives of Africa – flambouyant. He, incidentally, came with several messages for the world; genocide in Gaza and Lebanon; climate change caused by advanced economies for which poor nations were paying a disproportionate price. All of these would have been better received if the address did not include a request for debt forgiveness by the advanced nations. Surely, Shettima and the African nations begging again for debt relief must be aware that they were in this same situation 20 years ago.
In 2004, poor countries, mostly African and including Nigeria, were in the same forum with beggars’ bowls in hands. Relief was given; with a stern warning: “go and sin no more”. Unfortunately, African leaders forget history or never learn from it. In 2004, it was clear that debt forgiveness was required mostly because of corruption in public and private sectors of African nations.
Unlike Singapore, which punishes proven cases of corruption severely, African countries, including Nigeria reward it. Sitting in our Senate are several former Governors accused of corruption – whose cases have been bottled up for years. The Executive branch has at least a Minister who, as Governor, claimed to have paid N900 million and given several Hilux trucks to terrorists in his state – in addition to granting them amnesty.
“The world does not owe us a living. We cannot live by the begging bowl.” That was on page 53 of Yew’s book. The Singaporean leader must have been looking with well-deserved contempt at Shettima; as our Vice President held out the begging bowl again. Leaders of other nations, who are being asked to donate their taxpayers money to unrepentant beggars, must be wondering when the begging would stop. The evidence before them is akin to gorgeously dressed beggars arriving at a party in luxurious cars only to come and hustle other modestly attired guests for alms. It was disgraceful; and there will never be an end to Nigeria living on the begging bowl until we shun pre-meditated waste and pervasive corruption. We don’t want to produce; we want to live off other peoples’ surplus. Beggars, however well-dressed, will never be productive.