The Future of Nigeria Essay

Nigeria. The really name of this troubled, volatile state conjures up negative associations: corruptness, graft, bloodshed, drugs—and the list goes on.

In the old ages since 1960, when it achieved independency from Great Britain, a great trade has been written about Nigeria’s helter-skelter yesteryear. Much of what has been written is negative: no 1 would reason that the state has been plagued by political agitation, environmental depletion, internal struggle, poverty….this list goes on, excessively.

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But what many fail to indicate out is that Nigeria is non merely rich in natural resources, it is besides resilient. As a fledgeling state, it has learned to do its manner by test and mistake. In 1973, the OPEC oil-price addition ushered in a moving ridge of prosperity that resulted in major growing and spurred a figure of ambitious undertakings ( Falola 1999, xvii ) . Some would reason that these undertakings were possiblyexcessivelyambitious, and that this, compounded by corruptness and political agitation, prompted a reversal of luck from which the state has merely late begun to retrieve.

And now, through information engineering, it is ready to recover its rightful function as the leader of the African universe. “However deep it has sunk into a quag of corruptness, repression, and economic decrepitude, ” notes Karl Maier, “Nigeria remains one of the world’s strategic nations” ( Maier 2000, xix ) .

Merelyhowstrategic remains to be seen—but if its past resiliency is any indicant, Nigeria will shortly regain—perhaps exceed—its former position. Part of this is due to its natural resources ; though much has been depleted, much still remains, waiting to be tapped. Ken Wiwa, an complete journalist ( and boy of the slain writer/activist Ken Saro-Wiwa ) , Nigeria “is the sixth-largest manufacturer of rough oil in the universe and it has one of the largest sedimentations of natural gas—which will be the premier energy beginning for the 21st century” ( Wiwa 2001, xiv ) .

With these natural resources, and in this new planetary universe, Nigeria will no uncertainty go on to boom. Globalization has leveled the playing field—it has literally opened up a universe of chances. And improved engineering has made these chances universally accessible.

“Nigeria in the procedure of doing up for the significant land she has lost in her pursuit for development, particularly in the last 20 old ages, ” notes Matthew-Danial, who adds that Nigeria is surely on the manner to a rejoinder. He asserts that this technological promotion will non merely go on to turn, but that it will turn at a enormous rate, “exponentially instead than arithmetically.” Furthermore, he believes that “information engineering will go the chief engine of economic growing. It will displace oil, merely as oil displaced steel in the 2nd half of the last century, as the chief engine of economic growing ( Matthew-Danial 2005 ) .”

The impact of engineering on Nigeria’s hereafter is far-reaching and multi-layered. As employment chances quickly increase, people will now hold more pick. Until late, for many immature Nigerians the lone manner out of poorness was a plane ticket ; to stay in the country—which had reached an terribly low per capita income—was to vacate oneself and one’s household to a life of battle and adversity. This meant go forthing loved 1s behind—a put offing impression for a people who in a heartfelt way value household ties.

Will this moving ridge continue? “A combination of positive economic and political factors every bit good as smart regulative policies in recent times has helped to light the impulse and there is no ground to anticipate that this procedure would be ephemeral, ” asserts one expert ( Peterside 2005 ) . It may be argued that major political turbulence may adversely impact the growing rate, but “unless something ruinous occurs in the political terrain, ” he remains confident that Nigeria’s acclivity will go on.

Nigeria—with its cultural diverseness, spiritual discord, political unrest—is a microcosm of the universe. After about two decennaries of troubled times, the fact that it can jump back and possibly recover its former position is a mark of cosmopolitan hope for the universe. More significantly, stairss are being taken to assist guarantee that this economic roar will go on to boom. Small grassroots motions are jumping up in all parts of the state, concentrating on environment and instruction issues.

One of the most influential of these groups, Environmental Rights Action ( ERA )

postulates that

the creative activity of wealth without cognition and engagement is non sustainable development because if local people remain nescient and are unable to take part in the creative activity of wealth, environmental debasement will result…economic development can merely be sustained if its procedures are democratized so local people are participants every bit good as policy shapers ( Okonta and Douglas, 199 ) .

Another positive factor is the degree of outside support, which has continued and even increased. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which has been supplying support to the state for decennaries, late announced the add-on of 13 new grants—a sum of nine million dollars—“to promote human rights, strengthen higher instruction, and progress immature people’s generative wellness and rights in Nigeria” ( MacArthur 2005 ) .

As the universe witnesses Nigeria’s rapid, continued acclivity, the figure of critics Begins to dwindle, and those that remain are easy change overing to guarded optimism. Falola acknowledges the altering landscape, observing that it is Nigeria’s population which is its strongest plus. They are “a hardworking people that will ever seek both economic and political empowerment” ( Faola 1999, 230 ) . He portions Peterside’s belief that political leading is a important factor, but offers a by and large optimistic forecast for Nigeria’s hereafter.

Technology has reshaped Nigeria’s hereafter: it has broadened its skylines, both figuratively and literally. Information engineering is the anchor of this alteration, and this is what will prolong, reconstruct, and beef up its place in the planetary community.

Mentions

Falola, T ( 1999 ) .The history of Nigeria.Greenwood Publishing, Westport, Connecticut.

MacArthur Foundation awards more than $ 9 million in grants for human rights, higher instruction and immature people’s generative wellness and rights in Nigeria. macfound.org. Available: Uniform resource locator

hypertext transfer protocol: //www.macfound.org/announce/press_releases/1_19_2005.htm. Last accessed 23 April 2005.

Maier, K ( 2000 ) .This house has fallen: midnight in Nigeria.Perseus Books Group, New York.

Okonta, I, and Douglas, O ( 2001 ) .Where vultures feast: Shell, human rights, and oil in the Niger Delta.Random House, New York.

Peterside, C. ( 2005 ) .Researching new frontiers: how Nigerian companies can tap the planetary capital market.onlinenigeria.com. Available: URL hypertext transfer protocol: //nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/ ? a=840 & A ; z=12. Last accessed 22 April 2005.

St. Matthew-Danial, BJ. ( 2005 ) .The Nigerian economic system in the twenty-first century.onlinenigeria.com. Available: URL hypertext transfer protocol: //www.onlinenigeria.com/links/adv.asp? blurb=498. Last accessed 23 April 2005

Wiwa, K ( 2001 ) .In the shadow of a saint: a son’s journey to understand his father’s bequest.Knopf, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

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