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.
(The Nation)
