No country can be self-sufficient; there needs to be a level of trade between countries to enhance international relationships and ensure sharing of ideas and innovations. But a problem arises when a country solely depends on others for the availability of almost all goods needed to keep its citizens.
It is understandable (though not tenable, in my opinion) that not all countries possess the expertise to produce certain heavy goods; it is also my opinion, however, that certain consumable goods do not require much technical know-how for their production. As such, these goods can be produced locally from locally sourced raw materials. This can go a long way in improving the economy of countries that engage in such local production. While it is important to engage in local production, it is equally important for citizens of a country to appreciate such locally made goods.
Unfortunately, this is not the case in Africa. There is this insatiable taste for foreign-made goods here in Africa. This is evident in every facet of our lives; from the clothes we wear to the foods we eat, from the movies we watch to the music we listen to, and, as a matter of fact, in every area of our daily living. It has become knitted into our fabric; it is now a culture. Looking through a gathering of Africans, it is almost impossible not to see a trace of an imported item. Even imported used clothes are not left out. It has been given different fanciful names by different communities e.g. Okirika, Akube, Bend-down-select, Bosikoro, etc. Asides from clothes, foods are no exception. A very appalling situation in Nigeria recently is a case of alleged importation of Garri (a staple and the most affordable food for the common man) from India. Garri is produced from cassava, a major food crop in Nigeria and it may not be surprising to learn that India imports cassava from Nigeria. One only wonders what would happen to the thriving local Garri industry in Nigeria and the women (and men) who have had this trade passed on to them for generations if the story of Garri importation were true. Sadly, it only emphasizes our inability to learn from history because one can readily recall the not-too-distant past when cocoa was exported cheaply to countries that processed it into chocolate and other products and imported these products back into Nigeria at a much more expensive rate. If that does not ring a bell, surely the case of crude oil would buzz our memories.
Undoubtedly, no nation can develop its economy by being a dumping ground for other technologically-developed countries. Instead, such developed countries would grow in leaps and bounds at the expense of the lesser “dumping-ground” nations. This has been the tale for Africa. But still, Africa has remained blindfolded by the short-term benefits of importation and there does not seem to be any remedy to this quagmire anytime soon. Even when there are local alternatives to imported goods, Africans still go over the moon for foreign options. It was somehow a general assumption that this phenomenon was a way of showing off affluence by the super-rich, it seems the common man has also caught the bug. What explanation can one then possibly give to this mind-boggling trend?
It is my belief that if Africa is to attain the level of development it seeks, African leaders must be ready to tow the paths of famous Asian leaders (like Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore among others) in making tough and uncompromising time-bound decisions on economic policies that would ensure an appreciation of locally made goods. Unless this is done, Africa will continue to be a distant shadow of itself and a ridicule among the committee of nations.
