RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - NIGERIA IS A FAILED COUNTRY

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John Mbaku,

 

My criticism of Nigeria is neither unfair nor ill-informed. Let me compare Nigeria and Cuba with regards to education, health care and security. The Fidel Castro led Cuban Revolution started on January 01, 1959 when he triumphantly entered Havana. Before the revolution a quarter of Cubans were literate, but today they are one of the most literate in the world according to a survey by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Since health care is free the life expectancy of a Cuban is 78 years.

Cuba  not only has one of the most secured borders but she also has one of the best intelligence and security services. Please be reminded that Cuba with scare natural resources had been embargoed since 1960 by successive United States (US) government to date.

Your Nigeria which became a republic in 1963 has tremendous natural resources and has never been economically banned by the US. Life expectancy is 53 years, and the literacy is about 61%.

Please envisage that there is a civil strife in Cuba and Castro has to implore the Ronald Reagan administration for security assistance. That will never ensue because Cuba is a successful country.

All the editorializing will not conceal the fact that the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in name only.

 

William Bangura

 

On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 5:23 PM, John Mbaku <jmbaku@weber.edu> wrote:

This is an unfair and perhaps, ill-informed, characterization of Nigeria and its problems with governance and economic growth and development. Even, highly developed countries with robust and matured institutions are struggling with radical religious groups, which are determined to destroy both people and property. It is true that it is the constitutional duty of a government to protect its citizens and Nigeria is no exception. However, any government, like that of Goodluck Jonathan, that reaches out to others (including governments) to seek assistance in resolving domestic problems, especially those that involve transnational terrorism, should not be mocked. 

 

The most important and critical issue at the moment is the safety and immediate release of these children. This should be the pre-occupation of not only Nigerians and their leaders, but that of all human beings. To use this unfortunate situation as a foundation from which to criticize Nigeria's government for its supposed incompetence is cruel, insensitive, and a disservice to the parents of these missing children.

 

There is no justification for this type of insensitivity! 

 

 

 

On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 3:01 PM, Mobolaji Aluko <alukome@gmail.com> wrote:

 

 

William Bangura:

 

I do not blame you for this gratuitous diatribe against our Nigeria.  The Yoruba say that when the rain falls, both pigeons and chickens are forced to huddle together.  There is this other (probably more apt) Yoruba idiom of smaller reverses taking advantage of a person when felled (socially?  medically?  economically?)  by giant ones....but let us skip that.

 

And there you have it.

 

 

Bolaji Aluko

 

On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 1:48 PM, william bangura <william.bangura17@gmail.com> wrote:

Being a Pan Africanist I empathize with the families whose daughters have been kidnapped by the Boko Haram whose actions are dastardly and should be condemned by all.

Though most Nigerians love to portray their country as the African "super-power" because of her population and natural resources, it is a failed state which can neither provide security for her citizens nor afford them vertical economic advancement.

After achieving independence in 1960 Nigeria became a republic in 1963. It is inexcusable thatwith her petro-dollars she cannot institute intelligence and security forces to safeguard her citizens and her borders.

There have been aspersions thrown in this forum at the colonialists and imperialists for the problems of the continent, but yesterday President Goodluck Jonathan of the Federal Republic of Nigeriawas on his hands and knees crawling to the British and the Americans to liberate those poor girls who did not demand to be born or reside in a feckless and corrupt country.

 

William Bangura

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JOHN MUKUM MBAKU, ESQ.
J.D. (Law), Ph.D. (Economics)
Graduate Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law
Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Attorney & Counselor at Law (Licensed in Utah)
Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of Economics & Willard L. Eccles Professor of Economics and John S. Hinckley Fellow
Department of Economics
Weber State University
3807 University Circle
Ogden, UT 84408-3807, USA
(801) 626-7442 Phone
(801) 626-7423 Fax

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