Capitalism Through The Prism Of Political Robbery, By Andrew A. Erakhrumen

Feedback is important. We do receive readers’ comments on our articles. Expectedly, these comments – varied in nature – are mostly based on informed and uninformed personal opinions, verifiable facts and unverifiable myths, admixtures of series of concealed and discernible intentions and reasons, among other factors. Surely, everyone is entitled to his/her personal opinions and convictions as long as the boundaries separating each person’s rights from others’ are well respected. Here, we will not dwell on obviously silly comments, from numbskulls, whose only aim is to infuriate others without providing any iota of superior argument(s). While we are still learning and open to enlightening positions, we can humbly state that we have gone beyond that inferior level of thinking even as we concede the right-to-be-stupid to some folks! Some people should enjoy theirs and others’ idiocy! It is doubtless that the deep dungeon Nigeria has now been forced into is good for those profiting from the warpedness being experienced! Confronting and solving these challenges means that those people will loose the associated lucrativeness. It is so, also, in other climes sharing similar politico-economical characteristics with Nigeria. Well now, someone said that Nigeria is good as long as it favours him/her, his/her family, friends, cronies, acolytes, etc. It does not matter if others’ legitimate right(s) is/are trampled upon. It has to be self-first and self-alone! Simple!

The foregoing is what this person described as capitalism, referring to those engaging in associated political rot as capitalists while others are tagged socialists or anything but capitalists. We are not here to generate debate – for or against. Humans have self-interest. Humans have to survive. Whatever political and economic direction a person decides to take is up to him/her. Nevertheless, describing an unrestrained completely predatory extractive politico-economic system that continually put a gun to the head of unprotected defenceless people as “capitalism” is not only wicked but also evil in the 21st century! Yes, many of the characteristics observed in today’s Nigeria’s politico-economics were there in core capitalist countries in the past. Enslavement is not new to the world but those countries (particularly their leadership cadres) have been able to work on their systems to make them less vulnerable to being taken hostage by few predators. The aim of capitalism is to amass capital by a few who have the knowledge and wherewithal to so do. This is supported in capitalist countries but not, any more, at the risk of a few persons holding the country to ransom perpetually. When capitalism is given a “human face” under strong institution, it satisfies capitalists’ and perhaps partly others’ interests, no matter how little! Do not get us wrong here; we are not speaking for capitalists! We are exposing a narrative that supports predatoriness.

This narrative is increasingly being developed by political muggers in under-developing countries. Yes, capitalism was very much predatory in the past but for it to survive and be acceptable to more people – there and in other places – it had to take in elements of socialism. No capitalist economy has been able to survive without it taking in some concepts of socialism. That has been the reality in those places because humans are not man-made machines. Nonetheless, what some people (like the nameless person we quoted above) are saying is that the country should also go through the painful phases in order to reinvent the wheel. Cannot the country learn from other successful countries? Should Nigeria always repeat negative phases? Does the country really have any developmental plan? In other words, we have a problem with those who still define political wickedness, daylight robbery and state capture (sustained by retrogressive policies and deliberate impoverishment of the masses) as capitalism. This is not “capitalism” in the real “economic” sense but unproductive politico-economic extraction. To describe it rightly; this extraction is the stealing from Nigerian peoples’ common patrimony to the extent that the economy is worsened, daily. Politicians (whose only business is politics) are far richer than productive investors and business entrepreneurs. The politicians without a bicycle before gaining political power are now stupendously rich even when many large companies and multinationals are either closing shops or relocating from Nigeria!

It is marvelling that Nigerian economy has not totally collapsed with the rate at which its people are getting poorer every passing day! Unfortunately, some swindlers’ description of “capitalism” is the looting of funds meant for public good from public purse. Of course, we are not referring to legitimate privileges here! These loots are thereafter taken out of the country. This is no more news. Many are also struggling to be part of this inglorious jamboree! It is even said openly! Shamelessness is very much at its height! Any society where politics is more lucrative than clear legitimate businesses and investments is a place to be worried about! What kind of capitalist economy is without capital to make projections into the future? What kind of politico-economy and political “leadership cadre” deliberately fail in providing and supporting good ambience and infrastructure conducive to productivity by local/foreign investors and investments? Is there wisdom in flying across the Atlantic to “woo” investors that are already aware of the insecurity ravaging the country and inadequacy/unavailability of public infrastructures upon which their investments will rely to flourish in Nigeria? What about foreign investors that dared to try but were confronted with daredevil corrupt top civil servants in the bureaucracy that demanded huge amounts of foreign currencies as bribe to push their papers? Is this another type of capitalism? In fact, nothing is impossible in today’s Nigeria where different kinds of lunacy are increasingly raging and accommodated!

Clearly, any kind of nonsense can be explained away even by those expecting to be respected! Is this the country Nigerians want to bequeath to the coming generation? Seriously? This is unfortunate! Please, get us right: we are not arguing which one is good or bad between capitalism and socialism. Not at all! The choice is that of a people concerning their economy. What is being said, here, is that if you are claiming to be a capitalist, you should develop verifiable intellectual properties, establish factories, set up businesses, “exploit” labour – and amass capital! At least there are monopolists doubling as capitalists in the business of powdered cement production/sale that take advantage of Nigeria’s current dodgy economic framework that “forbids” competition. How much is a 50kg bag of cement today? You may query the morality behind monopoly but it is a characteristic of capitalism in core capitalist countries; although, those countries have found ways to deliberately moderate monopolism. In our estimation, going into government to loot and/or collaborate with those doing the looting is not capitalism; it is pure political robbery not by men of the underworld but well-known people that refer to themselves as political leaders! These robbers ensured that more Nigerians are held captive, disenfranchised and killed! So, they are worse than kidnappers, Boko Haram and bandits that are being despised by sane people. If Nigeria was not captured by these plunderers, they should have long been tied to stakes for swift public execution.

Erakhrumen teaches at the Department of Forest Resources and Wildlife Management, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.