Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned companies –
foreign and local, doing business in Nigeria against engaging in acts that
could undermine Nigerian’s economy.
Obasanjo said the emphasis today is on making Nigeria self – sustaining in
production and consumption, vowing that he would kick against companies,
whether indigenous or expatriates, that want to use unwholesome business
practices to sabotage the self – reliance drive of the nation.
The elderstatesman who spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Saturday
at an interactive session with the Indian Professionals’ Forum(IPF) in Nigeria,
condemned a situation where some companies have elected to make the country a
dumping ground for sub – standard and fake products.
The IPF members led by the President, Mr. Dinesh Rathi, had organized the
interactive forum to further identify with Obasanjo and to tap from his wealth
of experience.
The Ota farmer explained wrong business dealing is not only act of undermining
the economy, but also give a bad name to companies doing genuine business in
Nigeria.
He recalled that his administration had had cause to expel some Indians from
the country because of unethical business practices, saying the duty of
companies is to improve the lot of the country where they do business and not
to undermine its economy.
Obasanjo added that he visited India sometimes ago and witnessed to his
admiration, what India and Indians were doing “for self reliance,” wondering
“why any Indian company should come here(Nigeria) and undermine our own self
reliance” initiative.
He deplored a situation where “jollof rice is(allegedly) being prepared and
shipped to Nigeria as ridiculous and bad,” and said that was not what the
country needed.
He admitted that there are genuine Indians doing business in Nigeria, engaging
Nigerians as workers and contributing to the growth and development of the
economy but challenged them to fish out the bad eggs among their midst.
Obasanjo said: “there are Indians who are in partnership with Nigerians and
they are doing well, we have some even here in Abeokuta. They are doing very
well and it is very encouraging.
By: Ernest Nwokolo
