The Problem With Nigeria

In June 1979 former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of West Germany made this comment about his country:

Prof. Chinua Achebe

"Germany is not a world power; it does not wish to become a world power. "

In August of the same year,  a foremost Nigerian leader said this of Nigeria during his 'Thank You Tour' of Ogun State:

"Nigeria will become one of the ten leading nations in the world by the end of the century."

The contrast between these two leaders 'speaks for itself a sober, almost self-deprecatory attitude on the one hand and a flamboyant, imaginary self-concept on the other.

One of the commonest manifestations of under-development is a tendency among the ruling elite to live in a world of make-believe and unrealistic expectations.

This is the cargo cult mentality that anthropologists sometimes speak about - a belief by backward people that someday, a fairy ship will dock in their harbour laden with every goody they have always dreamed of possessing.

Listen to Nigerian leaders and you will frequently hear the phrase of 'this great country of ours'.

Nigeria is not a great country. It is one of the most disorderly nations in the world. It is one of the most corrupt, insensitive, inefficient places under the sun. It is one of the most expensive countries and one of those that give least value for money.

It is dirty, callous, noisy, ostentatious, dishonest and vulgar. In short, it is among the most unpleasant places on earth.

- Prof. Chinua Achebe.

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