Nigeria's elite would have done the nation a world of good by spending the billions they launched IBB's book with on an industrial project like a new electric automobile factory built a bit like Fordlania

Ayo Akinfe

[1] In 1928, the Ford Motor Company build Fordlandia, the Brazilian town in the Amazon rain forest. It was a prefabricated industrial town intended to be inhabited by 10,000 people to secure a source of cultivated rubber

[2] Henry Ford, the company's founder had negotiated a deal with the Brazilian government granting him a concession of 10,000 km2 of land on the banks of the Rio Tapajós in exchange for a 9% share in the profits generated

[3] Unfortunately, due to its rigidity involving senseless rules such as the prohibition of alcohol on the town, Ford's project failed and the city was abandoned in 1934. For instance, alcohol, women, tobacco and even football were forbidden within the town, including inside the workers' own homes. Inspectors would go from house to house to check how organised the houses were and to enforce these rules.

[4] In addition, the workers on the plantations were given unfamiliar food, such as hamburgers and canned food and forced to live in American-style housing. Most disliked the way they were treated, being required to wear ID badges and work through the middle of the day under the tropical sun and would often refuse to work

[5] In 1930, the native workers grew tired of the American food and revolted in the town's cafeteria. This became known as the Breaking Pans. The rebels proceeded to cut the telegraph wires and chased away the managers and even the town's cook into the jungle for a few days until the Brazilian Army arrived and the revolt ended

[6] What I like about Fordlandia, however, was that it was totally self-reliant. It had its own sawmill, hospital, manufacturing plants, recreational facilities and water supply

[7] Like most other industrial facilities of its kind, Fordlandia generated its own power. When a nation is serious about industrialisation, it does not rely on the nation grid for its power. These days, no serious country is silly dependent on hydro-electric power anyway

[8] Nigeria desperately need a Fordlania at the moment that generates its own power, creates millions of jobs for our people and manufactures electric cars for the global market. Just imagine the amount of foreign exchange this kind of project would generate

[9] Rather than gather to celebrate IBB revising history and making excuses for his heinous crimes of the past, this is the kind of project our elite should gather to brainstorm about. I guess their intellectual laziness would not let then do this

[10] Many of Nigeria’s problems just need a little imagination. Can you imagine what difference 20 agribusiness processing plants will make to the Nigerian economy? Maybe when we are ready to fight poverty, we will come up with ideas like this

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