Article published in The Nation Newspaper
02/06/2010
The number 828 is a meaningless to Nigerians. However 828, Kudirat Abiola Corner, New York, is the Nigerian Embassy, a stone’s throw from the UN and prime property in New York City. Instead of using that ‘to the financial advantage’ of Nigerians by renting out at least 10 floors of the 20+ storey high green glassed building we, proud-for-not-a-lot Nigerians, ‘occupy’ the entire building. Inside we allocate spacious office space to officials who could operate out of smaller areas especially in one of the most expensive estate areas in the world. If our forefathers had only ‘prestige and high self-esteem sense’ in mind when we were ‘wealthy and healthy’ financially surely the commercial siutation is in need of review. One should question the need even then to have built such a powerful political statement of ‘I Get Power’ when even our schools in Nigeria have no library books or child friendliness.
Tell NASS, EFCC or ICPC to investigate the politics and policy that are losing us millions of dollars per year and bring for prosecution those whose who, individually and collectively, made those bad decisions that are now bad government policy. If there ever was an economic crime against the good people of Nigeria, it is the misuse of ‘828’. Government’s much boasted about ‘non-oil revenue’ will remain a myth if it cannot recognise, utilised and exploit ‘828’ for real estate national gain.
Now the situation is even more difficult to explain as we are in and out of the UN, WHO and Foundations seeking ‘aid’ to do our neglected job in MDGs and against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. How can someone give us grants and then drive past ‘828’-a property better than most of theirs. Surely they will think something is wrong with them. Wold you give money to a ‘begger with a Benz’? Properly run ‘828’ can raise several millions of dollars annually in rents for the country or at least pay for local Nigerian foreign affairs operations at the UN and the embassy and reduce the constant emotional and economic embarrassment to the staff of the embassy by the Federal Government constantly remitting late or delayed payment of salaries and allowances.
Our new Jonathan –Sambo Government and Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister Ajumogobia, SAN, should ensure that instead of having to pay millions in rate and municipal taxes, Nigeria should be earning valuable foreign exchange from the building to pay maintenance expenses on the building and also travel and salaries of staff in New York and even the entire embassy staff of several poorer embassies. This is not a security issue and must not be allowed to be reduced to one ‘needing to keep strangers out of the building. It is a common sense issue. The foreign embassies in Nigeria service their needs from the huge ‘non-refundable’ visa applications estimated in their millions weekly and we should reciprocate or retaliate with the opportunity of ‘828’. Nigeria should rent out most of ‘828’ to cut back on waste. Alternatively or in addition the suggestion is that space should be allocated so that many more Nigerian voices, apart from government, can be heard in New York. Free or ‘subsidised’ space can be allocated to credible organisations including professional organisations needing a voice abroad and so-called ‘credible’ NGOs bearing in mind there is really no ‘subsidy’ involved-just like the phantom ‘oil subsidy’ that keeps getting removed at more and more cost to poor Nigerians. Nigerian businesses and particular Nigerian business group representation, could also take up an address there. However efforts must be in place to prevent ‘828’ becoming internationally synonymous with ‘419’. It is unfortunate that there is a fan in the downstairs lobby. Perhaps the airconditioning is not up to scratch or maybe New York NEPA cannot carry the a/c?
Certainly there is nothing to suggest the forthcoming 50th Anniversary from the look of the building and th reception. Surely, a lot of good work goes on there and hopefully the logistics of enfranchising the Nigerians in the US diaspora must be in full swing? ‘A 50th Anniversary Historic Photo/Painting/People Exhibition, suitable annotated by famous locally US based and named and unnamed young and old home based photographers and artists should be an essential part of every Nigerian Embassy preparation for CountdowNigeria@ 50 worldwide? Spend money on artists not politicians’ visits.
The rumour that Dangote is interested in Arsenal’s £96m available shares, touted in British tabloids, to be on sale for £150m, is an insult to the man. We know, or pray, that he has better plans for Nigeria. But that is what billionaires do. Presumable from the number of Dangote flour-food products, cement and transport articulated vehicles, he made money from every single family here in Nigeria. He is not afraid of ‘Dangote-ising’ our homes and making a few token ‘Dangote millionaires’ at ‘over-priced’prize draws which will not solve the ridiculous non-contribution to Nigerian youth development of the megarich. However he and and his ‘Co-Billionaire Rich Association’ alias ‘COBRA’ should stop biting us with venom and instead invest the £96m and other multibillions to develop Nigerian sport for our desperate youth and our entertainment from which Dangote and other COBRA members will continue to make our money. South Africa has a ‘MTN Science Centre. We expect 20 ‘Dangote Science Inspiration Centres’ not shares in Arsenal. ‘Na Arsenal we go chop?’