Chudi Asidianya holds B.A., MA, LSC and he is the President, Council of Igbo States in Americas (CISA) and also the CEO of Canadian-American Media & Public. Despite his tight schedule he was able to meet with The Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of OASES NEWS; Michael Kehinde Abiodun. In this interview, Chudi Asidianya hit hard on facts saying don’t give up on Nigeria. Please read.

OASES NEWS: How is the government tackling Boko Haram Issue in Nigeria?

CHUDI: Boko Haram used the laxity in our security system to penetrate into the country. We had security challenges before the Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria. Our policemen and army are not well trained and not properly equipped to face unexpected security threats. The security system was not as bad before as it is today; with daily ritual killings, kidnapping, armed robbery and forceful extortion of money from innocent citizens. Boko Haram became more serious with their wanton killing and destruction of properties to the extent that we had to invite the Western nations to assist. Initially, I think Nigeria at that point found she was in a “market of arrogance” because Nigeria is known as the Giant of Africa, why should a whole giant be asking for help when countries run to her for assistance? I honestly think that was a great mistake on the part of the government.

This led to wanton destruction of property, kidnapping, killing and so on. It was mistakenly treated with a wave of hand with the thought that it was something that could be handled easily. But when it was noticed that it was not something that could be treated lightly then Nigerians cried out for help. Nigeria could before now defend herself against any insurgence like the Maitasine riot in the 80s. Regionally, Nigeria’s efforts in conflict management demonstrated in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Guinea Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea are clear evidence that Nigeria was up to the task to tackle this insurgency. In the past, Nigeria Army was rich in experience and her capabilities in conflict management were unmatched. As you rightly know that Nigeria is a significant country in the world because she is not only the commercial sub-Sahara in Africa but a commercial ganglion in the world and must be supported with everything to make sure that peace and tranquility reign in the country.

OASESNEWS: How do you feel about Nigeria as a country not having its own Air Transportation Service?

CHUDI: When I left Nigeria in 1981 Nigeria had Nigeria Airways with fleet of airplanes but mismanagement coupled with other reasons made it to collapse. There is need for Nigerians to change their mentality of getting rich overnight. We need to re-orientate our mind, beliefs and start thinking about the progress of the country. Remember what the Former American President J. F. Kennedy, said in his inauguration address, January 1961 “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. In 1981 Nigeria could boast of her own ship, airplanes, good rail system etc. but all these are gone. Honestly, I feel so bad and disappointed. But things are gradually taking shape.

OASES NEWS: There are so many Nigerians in overseas countries that are becoming so nostalgic about Nigeria but the political climate of the country constitutes a serious barrier. What in your own opinion should government do to encourage these nostalgic Nigerians to come home and invest?

CHUDI: If I leave here to establish a business back home in Nigeria now, employ a graduate to be in charge, within six months the graduate would like to do the particular business I am engaged in. The employee would even be doing business with my business partner. If you complain the next thing that you would hear is “we are in a free society and anybody can establish any business of his/her choice”. So what kind of life is that? Most of the Nigerians want to run before they can walk. Other essential amenities like electricity, water, good roads, health system and communication are essential things that can contribute to the growth of the economy. Presently, all these things are deteriorating and not even existing in some parts of the country. So how would business survive? Above all, safety and security are challenges too.

There are lots of opportunities in Nigeria, this is the time for anyone to go to Nigeria and invest. Here in Canada everything is regimented, people invest their money here and everything is being monitored. The money you make in Canada you spend it here. If you own a property you will still be paying property tax and more taxes would still be coming but in Nigeria once you buy or build a house it belongs to you for life.

The government is about solving the electricity problem now. They have started fixing the roads and the rail is about to be fixed. Once all these are completed, I believe people would go home and invest. As I said earlier, there is no place in the world without one problem or the other. The day you start thinking about others then you are on the right path.

OASES NEWS: The magnitude of corruption within the political class in Nigeria is so colossal that it has engendered mistrust and disharmony among the citizens.

CHUDI: The effect of such magnitude of corruption may cause ricochet cataclysm for any country.

OASES NEWS: Could you please explain what you mean by this?

CHUDI: When you throw a ball to the wall, the ball bounces back to you, so our corrupt system is now bouncing back so the results or effects of corruption are what we are witnessing in Nigeria today; armed robbery, unemployment, ritual killing, inefficiency of government institutions, unnecessary killings and so on. Nigeria doesn’t have a character now in the system, what we have now is called “Polyarchy”. There is no middle class. When the middle class is removed from any system everything is finished, a situation where you have the rich and the poor, no middle class. It is like having a town without a downtown or a room without a bed. The engine of any economy is the middle class. So we have the rich and the poor now in Nigeria and there is nothing like the middle class. Although, we know that corruption is everywhere in the world, it is just that Nigeria’s corruption is too obvious. Only you and I can stop the corruption. We will begin to see the end of corruption the day you start challenging your representative found embezzling our money privately or publicly it is then they will stop. Everybody should rise to condemn the corrupt leaders, the church pastors, community leaders, elders, the young and the old should condemn corruption. Imagine in this 20th century no pipe-borne water in Nigeria it is borehole, environmental pollution; air pollution from gas flaring, fumes from generator, water pollution and other unfriendly land pollutants in a country rich in oil. Fighting corruption is a joint venture.

OASESNEWS: Where do you see Nigeria in the next ten years?

CHUDI: I see Nigeria to be more advanced in everything and be technologically self-sufficient. You see, Nigeria has the potential to be great in the world and we shall get there. Philip Emeagwali a Nigerian, received the prestigious Gordon Bell Prize for performing the world’s fastest calculation at 3.1 billion calculations per second. Nigerians are good professionals in diaspora and there is no doubt that Nigeria will get there, it is just the beginning. How old is Nigeria? Nigeria got her independence in 1960. We need to exercise patience and have focus. Do you know that Amy Chua Author of a book called “The Tiger Mom” in her book mentioned in the book that Nigeria is one of the eight social groups that have cultural edge? We can turn our challenges to opportunities, to know more and discover the answers. For Nigeria to move forward we need political and economic powers.

Nigeria is an enigma, we need patriotic Nigerians. Let us see ourselves as Nigerians not as Ibo, Yoruba or Hausa. We need to work harder to make the country great. Note that sustainability changes the way people think. Those who wake up and find themselves famous have never been found asleep. If money stolen in Nigeria is left in Nigeria, Nigeria won’t be having any problem because the money would have been invested in the economy but our problem is that the money is gone with the wind to another country, and the money would be used to develop foreign countries.