WILL WALMART CHANGE NIGERIAN EMAILS…?
I’ve written before about Walmart in Africa and about the experiences of a Nigerian selling ethnic cuisine to Walmart customers. Now I read about Nwike Ojukwu concerns surrounding Walmart’s entrance into Lagos State. In Wal-Mart Is Coming To Lagos? Seriously? for Sahara Reporters, Ojukwu writes:
I read with consternation the statement credited to Governor Ambode of Lagos State when a delegation of Wal-Mart executives paid him a visit recently. There was something out of our character or un-Nigerian with the Governor’s exuberance and unusual generosity in his unequivocal commitment to assist the corporation to establish in his State. I formulated two theories as I read the report in the Punch Newspaper. The first was that Governor Ambode could be genuinely committed to job creation. The other was his obvious desire to boost the economy of Lagos State. My conclusion when I came back to myself was that Governor Ambode demonstrated clearly that he was passionately pro-business. Nevertheless, a part of me feels compelled to interrogate the propriety of Wal-Mart’s presence in my country at this time, and that is the purpose of this piece.
Interrogate on Ojukwu:
My concern with Wal-Mart is that it does not only offer products at competitively low prices, it also captures the retail market to the detriment of the smaller businesses. When, therefore Wal-Mart enters a third world country like Nigeria, where it could potentially dominate the retail market sector of the economy, I think I should be concerned.
I am also disturbed by the nature and implication of the Governor’s representation. Let us dispassionately consider what the Governor said among other things: “What I stand here to offer is the commitment to make the investment climate favourable to investors. We want to ensure that whatever it is that would make the business bigger for you, we are committed to it.” He continues, “I want to assure you that if it is in the area of land permits or authorisations for issues that relate to setting up business, we are committed to making sure that we fast-track and do it as transparent as possible to allow more business to come to Lagos.” The Governor’s generosity in language made me pause for a moment; was Ambode overwhelmed or do I say bamboozled by the presence of white men when he made those unrestrained representations? Was the Governor under some influence due to the ingestion of some intoxicating spirit that overwhelmed his capacity for discernment? Is Ambode in the same league with Rocha’s of Imo State, who had a handshake with President Obama and felt that he had “been with the Lord?” Does Ambode truly know Wal-Mart and its reputation? Is Governor Ambode apprised of the economic and social implication of establishing a Wal-Mart conglomerate in Lagos State? I thought that our experience with the foreign extractive corporations should warn us to verify any foreign corporation that intends to invest in our soil.
My suggestion would be yes. The governor has been fully aprised and is rubbing his hands together gleefully just like many of his counterparts here in the United States who only see the cash rolling in.