It's simple, we need leadership and boldness from both Nigeria and South Africa. I am not even sure what these unseemly squabbles which are tangential are all about. Whatever they are about, they must not take our attention from the fact that we need these powerful countries to be in the forefront of practical economic activity in our continent, Africa. I am told (from the Financial Times article that was published on 03 June) that a Harvard professor, Graham Allison, uses the term " Thucydides trap" which the same article says its a tendency, first observed by Greek historians, for a rising power to clash with a ruling power. I am not here to analyse who is who but we must leave this tendency alone.
Both countries present high levels of business innovation, wealth of natural resources, are cash flush, etc. In taking the leading role, they should look at:
1. investing in other African countries in a big way;
2. developing their domestic manufacturing capabilities; and,
3. promoting entrepreneurial funding to encourage their entrepreneurs to get on with it.
As things stand, Africa is a looting place, a free for all, except for Africans. Africans continue to play in the periphery and maybe they are taking the Anglican creed recited before the Holy Communion that “we are not worthy to pick the crumbs underneath the table" too far.
We would like to see more Nigerian businesses and investors in South Africa more than we see Chinese investors and also South African businesses must get into Nigeria, but not in this trial and error way of extreme caution.
So, what needs to be done first? Business people know, let's get on with business.
