The Managing Partner at Pantote Solutions LLC (Dallas, TX) and Principal Partner, Senior Supply Chain Consultant for Epot Consulting Limited, Adebayo Adeleke, has said that the country cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if it continues to depend on foreign aids.
Adeleke, who made this assertion in Lagos recently, during an interview with journalists, said although no one is perfect and that it was okay to need some assistance in the form of aid, however, countries must never solely depend on it.
He stressed that for more clarity, Africa needs to stop depending heavily on aids from western countries, adding that with his knowledge of nation-building, strategic posturing, and social psychology, aids are never given for free.
Adeleke noted that it is common for donor countries to use these aids as a tool to influence the receiving countries.
According to him, “We can’t keep living like that. Africa is the breadbasket of the world, we have almost everything we need to survive and we possess the key to unlock a lot of prosperity. Our bane is poor leadership.
“Why should we have enough resources to support our citizens and even give to the rest of the world, yet we keep requesting aids? Instead of working out ways to keep receiving these grants, it is time for us to return to the drawing board and get things working. These aids cannot guarantee sustainable development. Why then do we keep depending on them?” he asked.
As a retired U.S Army Major with over 20 years of military service and multiple combat tours, he added that it is even outrageous that some of these countries are not accommodating to Africans in their immigration policies; yet, they are so concerned about the African continent. “We have to see beyond these packages,” he advised.
According to him, “It is quite interesting how the UN expect all these laudable SDGs from poverty elimination to fostering partnership to be achieved without leadership. This does not apply to Nigeria only.”
“Leadership should be the focal point goal that should be incorporated into the SDGs. Without it, there is no way any of these goals will be achieved at the target date. Leadership is needed to create the blueprint for achieving these nation-building goals,” he added.
If poverty elimination, which is the first SDGs, is going to happen globally, aids will play a major role in providing stop-gap until capacity is developed to provide sustainability.
“None of the SDGs will be achieved without aids, but these SDGs cannot be sustained with aids either. This is why we need solid leadership. It would be disingenuous to say that Africa doesn’t need aids at all because it has its peculiarities. What we must strive to build is an independent economy,” he said.
Seyi John Salau
