Why I didn’t invest in Afghanistan and Syria. It is for the simple fact that investors are people. Investors have spouses. Investors have children. They need hospitals and schools. Sometimes a playground to play.
Afghanistan and Syria are very bad places to invest. not because there are no opportunity there, but the opportunity cost is too high. You could get killed.
Some people are angry at me because I am going to Liberia to invest. They said people need jobs in Nigeria. That is true. Many people don’t know that I have fought different types of forces in Nigeria. Customs, Immigration, Police, Governors, Area Boys, Fulani herdsmen, even the civil servants and even ordinary citizens. Actually, it is a wonder that I am still alive. It wasn’t like some people would do, come to Nigeria for few weeks and go back to New York to their regular job. No, I was grinding it out in NIgeria, sometimes I stayed an entire year at a time. I even came with my bulletproof vest because some guys were shooting at it..
Yes, I know what some people are thinking. No, it wasn’t spiritual attack, It is just a lot of bad people living in a chaotic and disorderly country. They put so much obstacles on the way of progress that it seems that is their calling for humanity.
After sometimes, it doesn’t make any more sense to continue to risk one’s live in the name of investment. hat is not investment but a suicide mission. Investment is not sentiments, it involved serious money earned through hard work by people. That is the same reason I didn’t invest in Afghanistan or Syria.
Although, Nigerians needs investors, the place is not ready for investors. The citizens are not even thought on how to deal with investors.
Most countries of the world have policy on how their citizens deals with Investors because investors are people. For now, they are not safe in Nigeria. Nigerians need awakening of consciousness. People must wake up to their responsibilities because The Customs, Immigration, Police, Governors, Area Boys, Fulani herdsmen and the civil servants are all people.
till now my wife of almost 30 years still don’t have a resident permit in Nigeria. It is always one story after the other.
All Nigerians must realised that the entire country is dragged down collectively through national effort and not just by one single individual.
So, I will try Liberia, maybe we can succeed there and spread the love to Nigeria later. However, if they behave like Nigerians I will stop investing in Africa for good. I am not bitter, but just a realist. Then I could say like Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh said:
“I have done my bit.”
But, I still won’t invest in Afghanistan or Syria.
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