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

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

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

Kaynakça

1. Works Cited
2. Online sources Africaw, n.d. AFRICA AND THE WORLD. [Online] Available at: https://www.africaw.com/africans-did-not-sell-their-own-people-into-slavery [Accessed 28 December 2018].
3. AIT, 2018. Africa Independent Television. [Online] Available at: http://www.aitonline.tv/postchina_to_support_nigeria_in_building_mambila_hydroelectric_power_project [Accessed 09 January 2019].
4. AOP, 2017. Africa Oil and Power. [Online] Available at: https://africaoilandpower.com/2017/07/13/china-makes-inroads-into-african-energy/ [Accessed 09 January 2019].
5. Brown, K., 2018. The Diplomat. [Online] Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/chinas-quest-to-be-a-status-super-power/ [Accessed 07 January 2019].
6. Einashe, I., 2018. The National. [Online] Available at: https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/china-in-africa-an-increasinglyuneasymarriage-of-interests-1.793439 [Accessed 28 December 2018].
7. Inglehart, R. & Christian, w., 2007. Modernization. [Online] Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236749001_Modernization [Accessed 30 December 2018].
8. Maruiki, B., 2018. China walks back trade war threat with Kenya over fish ban. [Online] Available at: https://citizentv.co.ke/news/china-walks-back-trade-war-threat-with-kenya-over-fishban217107/ [Accessed 03 January 2019].

9. Vanguard, 2018. Vanguard. [Online] Available at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/09/chinese-funds-not-for-vanityprojectsinafricapresident-xi/ [Accessed 08 January 2019].
10. Nigerian Tribune, 2018. Chinese Company ELION to Develop Ecological, agriculture and Power Projects in Nigeria. [Online] Available at: https://www.tribuneonlineng.com/169118/ [Accessed 31 December 2018].
11. THIS DAY, 2018. Chinese Company to Invest in Agriculture, Power Projects in Nigeria. [Online] Available at: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/10/16/chinese-company-to-investinagriculture-power-projects-in-nigeria/ [Accessed 31 December 2018].
12. Thral, L., 2015. China's Expanding African's Relations: Implication for U.S. national security. [Online] Available at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR905.html [Accessed 07 January 2019].
13. TRADING ECONOMICS, 2018. Nigeria Exports. [Online] Available at https://tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/exports [Accessed 02 January 2019].
14. TRADING ECONOMICS, 2018. Nigeria Imports. [Online] Available at: https://tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/imports [Accessed 01 January 2018].
15. MAREX, 2018. THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE. [Online] Available at: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/kenya-risks-losing-port-of-mombasa-tochina [Accessed 28 December 2018].
16. NEWWORK, 2015. NewAfrican. [Online]Available at: https://newafricanmagazine.com/news-analysis/history/chinas-long-history-africa/ [Accessed 3 December 2018].
17. Mearsheimer, J. J., 2009. Reckless States and Realism. [Online] Available at: http://ire.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/23/2/241 [Accessed 5 January 2019].
18. Olawoyin, O., 2017. Premium Times. [Online] Available at: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/business-news/227939-china-loannigeria-45-billion-boost-agriculture.html [Accessed 10 December 2019].
19. Oyebade, W., 2018. The Guardian. [Online] Available at: https://guardian.ng/features/uneasy-silence-over-500-million-new-terminals-atlagosabuja-airports/ [Accessed 10 January 2018].
20. Shehu, G., 2018. Vanguard. [Online] Available at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/09/president-buharis-takeaways-from-focacbeijingsummit-by-garba-shehu/ [Accessed 06 January 2019].
21. This Day, 2018. This Day. [Online] Available at: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/09/04/nigeria-china-partnership-yields-5bninfrastructure-projects/ [Accessed 08 January 2019].
22. Journal articles Aris, S., 2016. One Belt, One Road: China's Vision of "Connectivity". Centre for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich, Volume 195, pp. 1-4.
23. Awosope, C. A., 2014. Nigeria Electricity Industry: Issues, Challenges, and Solutions. Covenant University Press, 3(2), pp. 1-40.
24. Cai, P., 2017. Understanding China's Belt and Road Initiative. Lowy Institute for International Policy, pp. 1-22.
25. Gideon, R., 1998. Review: Neoclassical Realism and Theories of Foreign Policy. JSTOR, 51(1), pp.144-172.
26. Johnston, L. A., 2016. Africa, and China's One Belt, One Road initiative: Why now and what next? CHINA | BRIDGES AFRICA, 5(7), pp. 1-6
27. Watkins, K., 1994. Debt Relief for Africa. Taylor & Francis Ltd., 21(62), pp. 599-609.
28. Johnston, L. A., 2016. Africa, and China's One Belt, One Road initiative: Why now and what next? CHINA | BRIDGES AFRICA, 5(7), pp. 1-6.
29. Matunhu, J., 2011. A critique of modernisation and dependency theories in Africa: Critical Assessment. African Journal of History and Culture, 3(5), pp. 65-72.
30. Umejei, E., 2015. China's Engagement with Nigeria: Opportunity or Opportunist. ResearchGate,3(4), pp. 54-78.
31. Books
32. Chibundu, V. N., 2000. Nigeria-China Foreign Relations (1960-1999). Ibadan: Spectrum Books Limited.
33. Greene, R., 1998. The 48 Laws of Power. United State of America: Joost Elfers and Robert Greene.
34. Mansbach, R. W. & Taylor, K. L., 2012. The causes of war and the changing nature of global violence. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.
35. McDowell, M. A., 2012. China in Nigeria, Newport: Naval War College, Newport, R.I. UNISA, 2016. The Political Sciences and Research. Muckleneuk: University of South Africa
36. Wu, P. S., 2017. Understanding One Belt One Road Initiative of China. China, Wuan University of Technology, The Economist, 2018. One Belt, One Road": an economic roadmap, Beijing, Hong Long, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Shangai, Singapore, Tokyo: The Economist Corporate Network.
37. Reyes, G. E., 2001. Four Main Theories of Development: Modernisation, Dependency, Word- System, and Globalisation. Publications asociada a la Revista Nomads. Mediterranean Perspectives.
38. Book sections Okpeh, O. O. J., 2009. Introduction. In: O. O. Okpeh, T. Wuam & J. M. Ayuba, eds. CHINA and AFRICA Threats and Opportunities. Makurdi-Abuja-Ibadan: Aboki Publishers, pp. 1-11.
39. Rice, D., n.d. ONE BELT, ONE ROAD: Chinese Industrialisation and Neo-Imperialism in Central Asia. University of Tasmania, pp. 1-17.
40. Sarker, N., I. S. M., Hossin, A. M., Yin, X. & Sarkar, K. M., 2018. One Belt One Road Initiative of China: Implication for Future of Global Development. Modern Economy, Volume 9, pp. 623-638.
41. Silin, Y., Kapustina, L., Trevisan, I. & Drevalev, A., 2017. China's economic interests in the "One Belt, One Road" initiative. s.l., EDP Sciences, pp. 1-10.