There is a war going on round the world for talent, your talent, my talent, any talent to drive technology, economies, science, space, any endeavor we humans have decided to undertake today. As in war and peace, you either take sides and fight, you either win in in the fight or lose, you don't fight and be slaves to your enemy nation, or the last alternative, you ally with a strong force that gives you protection against aggressors, à la Costa Rica.
Which position are we as Nigerians taking and which is appropriate?
Years ago our children were asked to debate on a well-worn topic: “should nigeria develop local technology or do we copy that of other countries?” we have never agreed nor undertaken or decided to do one or the other.
So what have we been doing? Really, we've been doing something.
If I take a trip to the Island, the magnificence and talents behind our architects stares me in the face: but sometimes, so do we have embarrassing mishaps. Wish not to mention. Truly, we've been doing something but it behoves me that today, nigeria, still considers itself “developing.” with our petro-dollars? Why should we still be third-world? That translates to the fact that in the global talent war, it's not worth it our ever fighting; how do you fight when you'll surely lose. We're really losing out daily; consider the scale of the brain-drain that occurs in africa and nigeria in particular yearly. Do I mention names? I rather not. Maybe Emeagwali is a name every child knows who's ever taken a course in Microsoft Office Applications.
So if we're not fighting, we're not allying ourself to anyone or anything. We're selling out.
$2bn of the $10bn revenues for petro-dollars is invested here. The lovely 80% that makes the difference gets taken out. Glo, Celtel, and MTN are not ours. Local refineries are lacking.
Then we're going to make ourselves slaves in the global talent war? In the talent war for you and my talents?
This is a gift to anyone who comments with the right answer: “Which would you chose, a year at Aso Rock with the president, no strings attached, or an American Visa Lottery, with strings attached?”