Ben Murray-Bruce
Many Nigerians are complaining about the
constant fall in the value of the Naira and they
blame the Government.
But is the government really to blame? In truth,
our insatiable appetite for all things foreign is to
blame.
I always fly Arik Business Class whenever I am
traveling abroad except Arik does not fly on that
route.
Not only is an Arik ticket a fraction of the cost of
a British Airways ticket, but the money I pay to
Arik circulates in Nigeria and helps firm up the
Naira's value.
As I speak to you today, a British Airways
Business to London is ₦2,103,666 while Arik
Business is ₦551,545 yet our elite still fly BA
But though Arik offers an affordable alternative to
British Airways and other foreign airlines, our big
men prefer to pay double what Arik charges to BA
and other foreign airlines for the same services
and yet they complain about the value of the
Naira.
I have Nasco cornflakes and I have eaten Kellogs
cornflakes. In terms of nutrition and taste they
are almost indistinguishable. Yet our elite who
will rather eat Kellogs than Nasco cornflakes,
wonder why the Naira is falling!
Even something like Quaker Oats can be
substituted with corn meal known locally as pap.
Obasanjo Farms of Nigeria and other large scale
poultry farms have the capacity to provide
chicken for the entire nation. Since that is the
case, why are we even buying imported chicken?
In fact what is wrong if every family in Nigeria
has a poultry in their backyard to give them eggs
and meat?
My steward went to Makoko, which is one of the
largest fishing communities in Lagos. He wanted
to buy fish and they were selling imported frozen
fish!
Yet in the very waters in front of them, there exist
fresh fish that is more nutritious than the cheap
frozen fish they were selling.
We keep spending over 1 Billion Naira importing
rice when our own farmers are capable of
meeting our national demand for rice. But for
some reason, Nigerians just prefer to buy
imported rice.
The imported rice we buy in Nigeria is not as
good as our local rice because it has been stored
for years in silos and treated with chemicals.
Moreover, every time you buy it, your money is
going out of Nigeria to service an economy in
Asia. The end result is that their currency gains
value while ours loses value.
Have you ever wondered why European
Premiership Clubs are so interested in Nigeria? It
is because Nigerians spend billions traveling to
Europe to watch their games, buy their
merchandise and promote their leagues.
Yet, back at home, we would not be caught dead
watching our own local league.
If we will not spend money on made in Nigeria
goods and services, how can we expect our Naira
to hold its value and appreciate?
Obviously we can not cut ourselves off from the
world. No nation is an island, but at least we can
fly Nigerian airlines, eat locally produced food and
patronize our football league.
If we do this, not only will our economy grow and
produce jobs for Nigerians, it will also make our
goods and services improve in value such that
they will be attractive enough to be imported.
I bought Innoson vehicles as official cars for my
staff. I have never lived to regret it one day. They
are comfortable and durable. But most of all, I
know that my purchase helps to keep jobs in
Nigeria and improve the value of the Naira.
I urge you to do the same. We have no other
country but Nigeria and it is you and I that will
make it what it is.
If we buy Naija We Will Grow Naira
My name is Ben Murray-Bruce and I just want to
make Commonsense!

abi now. Drink your pap with soya milk...