MOVERS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN A DEVELOPING NATION

NIGERIA'S SOLUTION

Looking at the map of the Federal Republic of Nigeria this early morning, I saw what wonder can be made of the economy of a state with the smallest land size among all the 36 states in Nigeria. Lagos is that state which was the capital of Nigeria until 1990 when it was moved to Abuja. Nevertheless, ‘Lagos na where things dey happen’ as people will say. However there are countless numbers of reasons for the rate of economic development in Lagos state. Top companies in Nigeria today have their headquarters in the heart of Lagos and it is no more news that places where a business environment is cultivated are usually quick to develop. This is the main cause of migration of many individuals to Lagos. In retrospect, this migration has caused more havoc to the economy not to the place people are migrating to but too the places people are migrating from.

See how lagos small

Nigerians have tended to run away from their problems of underdevelopment even to other nations of the world. So we are not only involved in intra migration but also in inter migration. As an adage say ‘You don’t have to be white to be right’. It is great wisdom to avoid running away from your problems but to sit down and think of ways to solve it. Running away from ones problem still leaves such problem unsolved. This is the culture of an average Nigerian because nobody or let me say only very few people are ready to bear the cost of developing a nation. Nations don’t just grow, People thrive to grow them. This is the culture of the Israelis; they don’t just sit back and watch problems not alone run from it, they rather put their heads together to solve such problems. However, great is the price of greatness. If migration continues underdevelopment of the former state or nation will continue.

In line with the aforementioned, there are three major movers of economic development in any nation, state or community.  I call it ‘PEE’ and they all have a positive correlation with the migration of people and in its contradiction as it causes both development and underdevelopment in the latter and former community respectively.

    1. Population/People: Human resources are the greatest asset of a nation. This brings me to the quote of Bishop David Oyedepo which says ‘’There is no great nation anywhere, it is the people in that nation that makes a nation great’’. It is the most populated areas a nation that makes a nation great. A large population helps in the development of that nation especially when the population of such nation is full resourceful people who can think outside the box. And also when the population is also full with people who have a great love and passion for their nation and also for every citizens of that nation. In other words it is where people are that business thrives because humans all benefit from one and another. Business transactions cannot be successful until it is between two or more individuals. This piece also reminds me of Tuface Idibia’s song ‘only me’. He says he will be living anyhow because there will be no one to challenge him. He expressly highlights his dependence on other people like him. This is only because the most important of economic development is people. People have to invest, transact, work, sell, buy, save, spend, and manage just to mention a few. These are all what causes economic growth. Because they all lead to productivity in one way or the other and none of the afore mentioned can be done alone not even saving.

All those people are involved in business transactions in one way or the other

Therefore, migration from underdeveloped areas to developed areas will not only populate the areas people migrate to but will also boost their economy for sure. People who migrate carry all their money from their own areas to developed areas to spend, save, work, invest or buy and thereby moving the economy with what they have but at the same time leaving the nation, area or community where they migrate from underdeveloped. This money should have been invested in their own nation, area or community and would have benefited them more because it’s a nation that is still growing but people are too desperate and callous that they don’t take into consideration what their actions can cost a nation or community. Let me give a quick example imagine somebody like Aliko Dangote decides to take all his businesses from Nigeria to somewhere like South Africa. Do you know how disastrous that will be to the economy of Nigeria? That short example is a good explanation of how devastating the havoc people have done by

their useless migration that is not curtailed even by the government.My advice is that people should not migrate from underdeveloped places but should strive to develop those places thereby causing a change

 in those places. If for some reasons migration cannot be avoided especially if it is for economic reasons, after migration has been done, those individuals who have made enough money from developed economy they have migrated to should bring those money back to their homeland (areas where they migrated from) and help to develop those areas. You don’t talk change, you act change.

Finally, where people are is where money is and if Nigerians can strive to bring start up businesses to the economy, come out with innovations and ideas that would solve problems, they would at the end spring forth economic development. No doubt it will also attract individuals from other places such as investors, banks, community developers and so on.

   2. Education: This they always say is the best legacy and yes it will always be. The establishment of various academic institutions in the country today has given many the opportunities to be educated and seriously education has a direct effect to economic development. Knowledge and skill acquired in institutions today has been also relevant in solving world problems.  I know some of you might be saying that’s a lie, so so so and so did not go to school yet they are the world’s richest men. I have but one answer to this, though bill gate was a drop out but it was because he was in school that he could think of creating a technology that could control the traffic system of a particular area. The place of education in the nation cannot be overemphasized. Not only the education at school alone but also in churches, mosques and other form of educational institution. Education has it contributes to economic development through the provision of social amenities to the communities around them. Especially now that corporate social responsibility is now one of the most important aspect of a company today.

Graduates, Thank God they got admission in the first place

However educational institutions should also educate the society on responsibility especially now that youths tends to be on the street doing nothing or going around busy arguing about a football match just watched. This will help Nigerians to take responsibility for their lives and the society at large. It should also be noted that there are form of migration that is tolerable which are mentioned earlier on and migration as a result of acquiring education is acceptable. However since this post is geared towards developing the underdeveloped nations and since this post is not against migration from developed to underdeveloped, we should strive to establish academic institutions in underdeveloped areas so as to attract students from different part of the world and this will in no time jack up their economy. A good example is the establishment of Elizade University in 2012 by the visioner Chief Michael Adeojo. The University was established at the home town of the septuagenarian, ilara in Osun state. And it is also known from a 

established in ilara-mokin in osun state, Nigeria

source that the university is seen as the only marvel in that area. That is what I mean by developing underdeveloped areas. The presence of that school is enough to gradually build the economy of that town.

   3. Employment opportunities: Here we go again as this also has its tremendous effect to the economy of any nation. Having no doubt about the fact that good and better jobs increases the standard of 

   living of citizens which in turn enables them to afford their needs. Availability of employment opportunities fastens the economic development of a nation. What jobs do is that they eradicate poverty from the lives of employees. It should also be noted however, that employment opportunities are preceded by existing companies and firms in a nation. So in turn, it is companies that provide employment opportunities which directly affect the economy of a nation. With all thoughts and text typed, no doubt the economic development of any nation is encapsulated in these three major areas. If people in underdeveloped country rather than look for white collar jobs but instead endeavour to create jobs by establishing their own companies with well thought out plan, ideas and innovations, underdevelopment would be history in those places in the nearest future. Also another form of tolerable

    migration is for the reason of job openings that is why we can make a positive move on this by starting businesses in the underdeveloped areas that will provide jobs for people which in every way attract potential employees.

In conclusion, and now abideth this three, People, Education and Employment opportunities and the greatest of all is PEOPLE (you and I). Only you and I can develop this country. Lets come together to develop our nation NIGERIA.

From the words of John F. Kennedy, a onetime American President ‘Don’t ask what your country can do for you but for what you can do for your country’.

See ya later………*smiles*