FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA'S UNWISE DECISION.

An array of cars at Seme border. 

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with approximately two hundred and one million people.  Over hundred million of this massive population consist of people below the age of thirty which means that in a few years time,  the population growth explosion will be exponential. By population,  Nigeria is ranked 7th in the world.

The country is perhaps the most naturally blessed country in Africa with countless natural resources.  Nigeria is globally known and recognised for her abundant crude oil which is on high demand in the international market. Nigeria is ranked 3rd among the highest oil producing states in the world.

Despite this abundant human and natural resources,  Nigeria is (sadly)  considered by various organisations as one of the poorest countries in the world.  The country does not produce enough food to feed it's teeming population and it heavily depends on importation of goods that it can produce itself.

According to the federal government of Nigeria in a recent comment on the national TV,  Nigeria loses billions of dollars annually to import rice and other staple foods. This is why the federal government decided to close the Seme border which connects Nigeria to Benin republic because rice smugglers use the border to smuggle in rice and other contraband goods into the country. This move is a very good one,  yet it lacks the proper planning and execution.

To start with,  closing the border cannot stop the smuggling because there are places in the bush that connects Nigeria with Benin Republic that government knows nothing about but which the smugglers will continue to use to bring in these goods.

This government decision is rash and not properly thought through.  Before closing the border,  government must have done feasibility studies and find out if the Nigerian agricultural sector is producing enough rice and other staple foods to feed our population.

The last time I went to market to purchase rice,  I was shown   three categories of rice. Two were clean and fresh looking,  the last one was rough and full of sands and stones.  Naturally,  I said that I would buy the fresh looking rice but when I was told the price,  I decided to go for the other one that was rough  and full of sands and stones because it must be cheaper than the rest but I was shocked when I discovered that the price of the bad looking rice is higher than that of the good ones.  When I asked why,  the seller told me that the bad looking one is produced in Nigeria and that it is very scarce to get because enough of it is not produced. Our government of course doesn't know this before it decided to close the border.

Barely six hours after closing the border,  the price of rice in the local market shot up and it has been steadily climbing since.  What government doesn't know is that as the price of rice increases,  the price of other goods too will simouteneously increase and before long,  inflation sets in and Nigeria goes back to recession.

Let's go down the Memory Lane.  In the 1950S,  Mao Zedong,  the Chinese communist leader took the same step.  He closed the Chinese border and banned the importation of foods into the country without first putting in place provision that will ensure that the population is fed.  He didn't strengthen the agricultural  sector before embarking on this mission.  The result of that unilateral action was dare.  Over forty million Chinese died of starvation during his tenure and the Chinese will never forget the hardship they faced till eternity comes.

  This same step is what the Nigerian goverenment just took. This time around,  instead of starving to death,  the people will most likely violently revolt against the government and it will lead to anarchy of immense proportion.



Another reason why this action is does not seat well with many Nigerians,  especially the southerners is that it looks too political.  Seme border is not the only border in Nigeria but why is it the only one that is closed?  Has the government closed the borders in the northern part of Nigeria too against rice importation, no! So why the seme border alone?  Why not closed all the borders that lead to this country and leave no avenue for smuggling?  It does not take a genius to decipher the truth.  The goverenment is headed and controlled by the northerners,  so it does not affect them if the southerners starve to death.  As long as their northern subjects have enough food to eat,  it does not concern them.  Why has government not sealed the border between Nigeria and Niger republic where the Fulani herdsmen that are killing people everywhere are using to penetrate into this country, why?  These are questions that we should ask this goverenment. To say  the fact,  this government's policies are partial and in most cases,  anti-south.

Our president knows that if he should make a move to close any border in the north,  the jobless and suicidal youths there will go n rampage and start killing here and there but it is easier for the same government to seal off the busiest border in the south where thousands of Nigerians directly and indirectly make their lively hood because this government knows that the southerners will not react.



In conclusion,  closing the seme border is like inviting trouble.  The southern may be patient and peaceful people but our patience and endurance is not unlimited,  if the hardship persists too long,  this government may have a problem on its hand that it won; 't be able to solve.  In order to prevent a mass revolt,  this government should as a matter of urgency reopen the border,  strengthen our agricultural sector and make sure that the country is producing more than enough of these staple foods to feed it's population,  then the government can go ahead and ban the importation of those goods,  otherwise,  the problem this policy will generate will leave a permanent damage on us as a nation.


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