ONE BELT ONE ROAD: Should Nigeria sieve the Chinese benevolence, or accept it as a free lunch?

Year 2020, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 43 - 77, 30.06.2020

Lukman Adewale Quadri

Abstract

The Belt and Road Initiative, according to its initiator, claimed that it is a win-win deal. However, the findings of this study revealed that OBOR is China's means to an end, which was crafted to address its economic and political needs. Such as industrial excess capacity problems, old population challenges, and also the need to wield structural influence. Meaning OBOR sees Nigeria, nay Africa as a means to an end. It is a very complex topic in which information was carefully dissected. Four different theories were adopted to analyse the initiative "OBOR‟ critically. Nigeria, like China, sees OBOR as a means to an end. Still, the logic of the policy will simply give Nigeria a dependent development, a development that will accelerate its reliance on Chinese technology and processed goods. In a basic sense, this is synonymous with a culture of dependency the developed axis consolidated in Africa following decolonisation. The Chinese definition of win-win in the context of OBOR seems to be a subterfuge based on the fact that it will be an advantage to China in five respects while it will be beneficial to Nigeria solely in two aspects. The OBOR foreign policy of China will enable China to exploit infrastructure needs in Nigeria, exploit Nigeria's demographic dividend, access to natural resources, generate returns on loans. It will also create a secure link between Nigeria and China, which might turn to loyalty from the recipient to the donor or loaner, just like the aligned states during the Cold War. OBOR will simply give Nigeria an essential infrastructure designed to accelerate the exportation of primary goods. The opportunity offered to Nigeria by China is quite formidable. Still, Nigeria should be cautious to avoid finding itself in a situation similar to that of the Kenya Standard Gauge Railway project, experience with the Chinese. Nigeria nay Africa should be the most cautious when accepting generous offers from Non-Africans due to past historical realities that remain glaring in artifacts, historical archives, museums, and in socio-political, socio-cultural and socioeconomic fabrics. No country will show another country the actual or real path to economic prosperity because states are naturally narcissistic by nature. Contemporary Africa should not repeat the same mistake that made it possible for outsiders to erode its ancestral heritage. Morality seems to be an unaffordable luxury in global politics. OBOR is extremely formidable, but Nigeria should consider assessing it objectively before accepting its terms and condition. The promise of development and civilisation made pre-colonial African leaders vulnerable to the early Westerners; this should serve as a caution to Nigerian nay African leaders when bidding for OBOR loans. The Chinese respond to one based on how one presents oneself.

Keywords

Modernisation, Dependency, Dependent development, One belt one road, geopoliticial

Project Number

1

References

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