With Adetunji Ayo Brown
Foolishness, as described by Wikipedia is the unawareness or lack of social norms which causes offence, annoyance, trouble and/or injury. The things such as impulsivity and/or influences may affect a person’s ability to make otherwise reasonable decisions. Therefore, there is distinction and clarity between stupidity and foolishness, as there is no free lunch even in Freetown, every man must know when visiting Seriea-Leone.
Borrow and become lifeless when tied to your lender, China’s apron strings, the loan from China may take Nigeria more years to repay than that of Paris Club and other loans, which was even overpaid. It was a disaster if you ask me, with the abundance of world best economists and financial experts paraded in our land, yet those financial books just refused to balance.
Chinese have their norms and values in diplomatic relations, most especially with African countries. China, like most developed nations went through the thin and thick stages of their national development with little or no ‘borrowing help’ from powerful nations not to talk of the least, African continent, not even Nigeria in particular.
During a chat with a friend in China, he said point blank that he was not aware of, and like most other Nigerians living abroad, especially those within were not aware of Nigeria President’s Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the Peoples’ Republic. Though, I was a little upset by him, labelling him a bad Nigerian Chinese, who had lost contact with his roots and not interested in happenings at home because of his ‘overstay’ in China. Some friends among us call him ‘Afin’, because he will win the most blackish (dark skin) Nigerian award any day, anytime and anywhere. But he made some points, which we must all meditate and ponder on. What happened to all other China trips?
Twits analyses from reactions of Nigerians differ and while some see these trips as necessity, some are of the opinion that it is rather too often with little tangible evidences as return from these flamboyant outings.
President’s Senior Special Adviser of Information, Femi Adesina said through @FemAdesina that “President Buhari is as decisive in dealing with terrorism as China, says President Xi Jinping”. But sir, Nigerians whom are at the receiving end and feeling the Boko Haram heat and other terrorist related menace think President Jinping should follow the simplified Chinese popular saying “Lái kàn kàn zìjǐ de shìqíng” (来看看自己的事情), come and see things for yourself.”
Felixdino@OkoroNwadinobi reacted saying, “they have really twisted our thoughts that everything is about looters and corruption. Where’s the $6b of 2016 after he came back from same China?
Taraba_dan through @dan_taraba said, “Your government is deceptive, sir, nothing on ground at Mambilla Hydro Electric Power Plant. Verify your facts” came not as a surprise to me and many other Nigerians. I had not visited this project site, but many who had, also did agreed that this project will commence early 2019 as stated by presidency.
Stanley Nwabia @MrStanleyNwabia wrote, “Zambia is now in trouble, it can’t payback some of its Chinese loans, China is now taking over Zambian assets. Buhari has increased Nigeria’s Debt profile by 70% in just 3yrs. I hope our new President will cede Buhari’s village to Nigeria’s creditors when that time comes”.
Daniel Godwin @emelove1234567 said, “In 2016, Buhari went to China. Nigerians were advised that Nigeria and China had signed deals worth $billions.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu in a statement said that there was the signing of USD 328 million financing agreement for the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone by the Nigerian Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and Wang Xiaotoa, Director-General, China International Development Cooperation Agency.
Jeffy @sosowilcox replying to @MBuhari @AsoRock saying “all the Chinese delegations are armed with writing pads for documentation while ours are there empty handed. Something is wrong with ….” on Jeff’s comment, I will say ‘bié guǎn wǒ’ 别管我!, leave me alone.
Nothing is as beautiful as elegant equation/formulae in perfect codes translated to working engineering, “Nigerian delegation signed over thirteen agreements during the summit out of 25, with more to be signed by the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, where more than USD 10 billion agreements were signed…is huge to kick start any growing economy like ours.
But do we have a savings for the rainy day, does Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation need China National Petroleum Corporation coming to its rescue? Agreed that to secure funding of Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline will cost about USD 2.8 billion … Wǒ bù dǒng 我不懂, I don’t understand.
Hǎo gǎo xiào, that’s hilarious when ThankGod Ezeano @TGEzeano asked “who helped China build their own? We have enough money and enough engineers to build our electricity infrastructure. I volunteer”. But who is ready to give him (Ezeano), a home-trained perceived half-baked engineer any chance? … (我不知道) wǒ bù zhīdào, I don’t know.
Beware of making your country indebted to China. Former President Obasanjo can tell you how China tries to use leverage to interfere in other countries’ affairs, Jim Box twitted.
The jungle is no place or home for pets, Nigeria government should never trust blindly, most, if not every powerful nation are luring other small nations into another economic slavery through loans and covert funding…. someone who inspires the kings, priests and whores into actions should be taken seriously.
Never trust looks like Chinese will say, they believes that the state of being ‘Yúchǔn’, is been foolish like the late sage and music icon, Fela Anikulapo Kuti puts it ‘any man wey no know him work nko?, na suȩgbȩ’. Once beaten, twice shy; Nigeria should prove to the America President Donald Trump that he was wrong by putting the said huge Benjamin’s head notes into good use for the betterment of our great nation so that President Buhari need no other ‘borrow borrow’ trips because he is lively and not lifeless!
Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes via aayobrown@gmail.com
