Closure of borders is good. Every Nigerian got the message that government wanted to protect and encourage local production.
Where the nation has to import goods there should be commensurate benefits in terms of customs duties paid. I have no problem with that. I wrote and supported the government.
Nigeria is not the first country to close its borders. Some countries went the extra step to build walls. Pakistan has built wall against Iran, China against North Korea, Thailand against Malaysia, India against Burma and lately United States against Mexico.
Donald Trump met very strong opposition against building the Mexican wall, but he said he would do it with or without Congress approval. All in a bid to protect national interest against smuggling, illegal and unwanted immigrants and terrorism.
Leaders of the mentioned countries love their countries. They wear, eat, ride, drink goods made in their respective countries.
Problem with Nigeria is lack of patriotism from it’s officials from top to bottom. The customs boss rtd Col Hamidu Ali that is the driver of border closure policy is himself averse to Nigerian goods. He drives a BMW 7 series official car and his convoys made up of Hilux and Lexus SUVs. What message is he sending to Nigerians? He wears foreign clothe except for the cap whose threads were also foreign.
The president who supported the policy drives Mercedes limousines with convoys of BMWs, Toyota and Lexus, eats foreign rice, drinks foreign beverages and flavoured water and wears foreign clothes except for the cap and vacation abroad. What message is he sending about ban on foreign goods?
It is same with all his ministers and other officials.
To drive the made in Nigeria policy, our leaders have to live by example. They must show by their lifestyles that they eat, wear, drive and drink Nigerian products.
We make cars, shoes, drinks and virtually everything except that the quality has not matched foreign goods. But it is something the government can work on.
If manufacturers have the encouragement and patronages, they will perfect their acts and produce higher quality. Practice makes perfect.
By 31st January the borders will be opened again and then we will know our gains or our losses.
If our leaders don’t change their attitude, we would have suffered for nothing and be back to square A.
By Aliyu Nuhu