By S.O.K. Shillings
We have our own share of the biblical manna for the Israelites. But manna is only a respite for the Israelites in the wilderness. It was not permanent. In fact, it seized when they became contumacious and failed to obey God their ultimate Benefactor.
Our mannas come in the forms of petroleum, natural ornamental stones (gold, sapphire, iron ore bauxite et al), water resources especially the sea and rivers, fertile landmasses and favourable climate including sunlight.
Our economic growth must start with the realisation that those natural physical resources are limited and will ultimately be exhausted. Although, there have been failed predictions of the 80s about oil wells drying up and they have not dried up. Rather, new wells have been added and exploration activities continue. However, if we do not fear nature, we should accept the reality of emerging technologies. The same apply to other resources without ruling out new uses that they could be applied to. Oil counts as the mainstay of our economy. If anything happens to oil, it happens to us. It is too risky and diversification demands urgent attention. Even the abundant gas resources is flared to waste.
There is need not only to explore and exploit nature, but to make best use of the its proceeds by earmarking a substantial portion of it for industrialisation. It must be pointed out that industrialisation for underdeveloped states need not take the form and shape of the established economies hence the waste that attended earlier efforts in that direction (to be discussed later).
We need to be at our wits-end to see what we can do with the abundance of water besides being the source of oil and environment for the navy. Transportation, fishing, irrigation and power generation readily come to mind and we are not doing well in those regards. Not forgetting that water is part of the requirements for hosting the Olympics and other games.
We have not dealt with the immediate and future imminent scourge of water while we continue to drive the sea and lagoons for immediate needs. Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of the country is below sea level. The loss that could come from Lagos sinking can only be imagined. The perennial floods cause both losses of lives, goods and services and disrupts the social order and must be dealt with.
It is a shame that we are importing food items that could be grown here when we have arable land. As countries import land, so could we improve our land. This becomes more imperative given the scientific prediction on impending global food shortage in the next couple of decades whence half the world population would suffer, which is a boost for African countries.
Mannas are temporary. Preparation win battles and lead to glory. The world as we know it will change in the next decade. We must keep and manage our mannas unless we want to eat the meals of coming generations and sell them to third-tier register-yourself slavery; or otherwise, we are satisfied with just being part of the world as followers of our kind as a people.
S. O. K. Shillings Esq., writes from Ikorodu
