The politics of sentiments

PHOTO: venturesafrica.com

WHY N400: $1? Because we allowed sentiments becloud our judgments. How? We aren’t satisfied until it’s foreign.
Truth is, usage makes improvement…just like practice, makes perfect.
Remember when Kia was introduced to the Nigerian market? It was a mess… But, test running, multiple usage and feedback from the most populous black nation has given them a platform to improve their products. Today, Kia has the impetus to assemble cars in Nigeria and is one of the top three preferred options for purchase of fleet cars in corporate Nigeria.

In the meantime, all Koreans in Nigeria – as a matter of personal policy and economic sense- buy Korean cars to boost their economy. Fancy that! They’re boosting their economy on your soil! Using you and your brothers to accomplish their plans. They make you the GM after eight years and give you a Korean car as a reward! How utterly silly!

I sincerely believe that China’s economic surplus was funded by Nigeria’s quest for Chinese goods especially generating sets. Do the math! So, Here we are (#note2self), patronising foreign products with the genuine excuse that they are better. Well, that’s why the dollar is on the rise. Our appetite for the “perfect” foreign product has ruined our economy.

We must retrace our steps and learn from the Jews. The Jew will patronise his brother first and make sure that money revolves around his community and changes hands “at home” at least ten times before “relocating”. We must learn from the Chinese who will prefer his fellow Chinese – qualified or not! He’ll rather bring in his brother from China…who’s naive and green…and teach him the trade than employ a Nigerian unless the local policy prevents him from doing so. Economic patriotism consists of deliberate acts of sentiments. Period!

At this rate, we’re confronted with the sentiments of buying crunchy nuts because it tastes better or buying locally made crunchy cereal because we have to save the Naira… Should we buy BMW because it feels good or patronise our first indigenous cars – made by our very own Innoson, because we understand the politics of economics and we must stop the free fall of the Naira at all cost?

See, we got into this mess by sentiments and we must get out by sentiments.

• Ebbi is a Nation Brand Activist. She is the senior consultant of The Etiquette Place and the executive secretary of United World Colleges @Yvonneplus