Integrity, virtue imperatives for the highest level – Part 2

At the moment, when it comes to fighting the Nigeria National Corner in relation to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), it would appear that the professionals and the intellectuals have lost their voice. However, we in SALTVIM can assure our reading public that we will refuse to remain mute. We will speak up when it is necessary. We will shout if necessary especially when “the knees of the multinational companies in Nigeria are on our necks and we cannot breath”!!!. Imagine in this day and age, a multinational company in Nigeria has 4 expatriates in the highest executive positions! Haba! How insensitive!

In conclusion, our scorecards show the results as they concern (a) Nestle Nigeria Plc (b) Nigeria Breweries Plc (c) Unilever Nigeria Plc (d) Guinness Nigeria Plc (e) Total Nigeria Plc (f) WAMCO Nigeria Plc, are abysmally low and unacceptable. We commend companies like Flourmills of Nigeria Plc (FMN), Mobile Telephone Network (MTN),  Airtel Nigeria Plc, A.G Leventis Nigeria Plc, Procter and Gamble Nigeria Plc, CAP Nigeria Plc, Mandilas Nigeria Plc, Coca-cola Nigeria Plc and GSK Nigeria Plc who have seen the light. For them we say, forward ever and backward never!!!

We appeal to the Nigeria Chairmen of the Multinational companies with woeful results, to team up with their Nigerian’s shareholders and refuse to be humiliated, any more!. We in SALTVIM, warn that one day the protest would gather so much momentum among the teaming population of the unemployed that the next stage may take a totally different form such as “boycott the boycottables”.

The older generations of Nigerians will remember Mazi Mbonu Ojike in this contest and those familiar with the black protest movement in Philadelphia will remember what happened there. To borrow the language of the protest in Philadelphia. I will suggest the following slogan. “If a talented and virtuous Nigerian cannot be accepted as CEO in your company, then Nigerians are not good enough to consume the products of your company.” Those who want to learn from history will remember what the movement did in Philadelphia, and how it led to the establishment of the Opportunity Industrialization Centre (OIC) Philadelphia in the United States, which was copied by many other countries including Nigeria.

As for companies that have seen “the light, and unshakeable in their right “will continue to promote the search for recruitment and development of talented and virtuous Nigerians until success is achieved.” It may not be easy but the multiplier effect of its success cannot be underestimated. As the cliché goes “nothing succeeds like success.” As for the brilliant and talented Nigerians who want to reach the highest level, which is attainable, he needs the highest standard of integrity and virtue for the success to be actualised. Cultivating the highest integrity and virtue is much more onerous and fulfilling, than acquiring talent without integrity. As a starter, “humility is the mother of all virtues”, followed by honesty, contentment, righteousness, accountability, incorruptibility, transparency, dependability and openness.

For the general public and readers that feel inspired and continue to support the silent activities of SALTVIM, they can be assured that, this civilised protest will continue for as long as one single foreign company is left on the Nigeria soil, which delights in trampling on the emotions and right of patriotic Nigerians, who are themselves honest and virtuous no matter the level of intrigue between the Nigerian top civil service and the foreign companies. Those who have ears to hear should please listen. “A word is sufficient for the wise.”

History surely beckons on those who are impervious to good advice and reason, and who prefer to behave like the 3 mythical Japanese monkeys with the names namely, Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru (i.e. see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil).
Aluta Continua!!!

Concluded

Dr. Omolayole, HLR, was the first Nigerian Chairman and Managing Director of Lever Brothers Nigeria limited. He wrote this as the Society for the Advancement for Local Talents and Virtue in Management (SALTIM) Score Card for the Year 2022.