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The Struggle Against Neo-Colonialism

Nigerian Activist Segun Aderemi Visits the US

by Jeff Moore, contributor

Have you wondered how the economic doctrines of the last 20 years are working for the poorer two thirds of the worldÕs population? Directives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and export industry have taken hold in most of the worldÕs governments, and the outcomes of these policies are largely unexplored in the corporate media. Policies have taken hold which promote privatization, the defunding of publicly owned industry, austerity programs in public spending, and in general letting Òfree enterpriseÓ have free reign.

The speaking tour of Nigerian activist Segun Aderemi across the US in September and October provided a window into such conditions in Nigeria, which is in his words, Òa country with enormous natural abundance and enough arable land to feed our own population ten times over.Ó Aderemi spoke at eight different high schools, colleges, and libraries in the Seattle area in October.

The stark reality of life for the working class of Nigeria is spelled out as Aderemi quotes the familiar litany of statistics from UN and NGO sources. Life expectancy is 47 and 52 years for males and females respectively. Of a population of 120 million, 89 million live on less than a dollar per day even though the Niger Delta region contains abundant petroleum oil. Classrooms designed for 40 are typically jam-packed with 140 students. One IMF loan of $12 billion has become a continuous unpaid debt of $27 billion.

The Obasanjo government of Nigeria is an example of a common form of third-world government where resource extraction (oil in the case of Nigeria) is the primary source of wealth. Imagine if in the past your government helped foreigners take your strongest children (slavery), it now takes what is valuable from your land (oil), it accepts credit in your name (IMF and World Bank), and it allows foreigners to train and equip the military and police to try and keep your people from organizing to change all this. This is sometimes referred to as Òkleptocracy,Ó or government-by-theft.

On top of this, the financial leaders (US and Nigerian) do not invest in water systems, roads, telephones, or running water, because they donÕt care to invest in other parts of the economy beyond oil extraction.

As Aderemi explained, the political situation in Nigeria is both grave and dynamic. The bulk of the people live in poverty, yet they are still able and willing to fight for a better life when possibilities for action arise. Aderemi has been engaged for the last 20 years in challenging Nigeria to come into its rightful inheritance: democratic control of the economy by the working people of Nigeria and an end to the poverty and environmental degradation that is the natural outcome of centuries of exploitation.

Aderemi is determined, but along with other opposition figures, he faces repression.

In 1986 Aderemi helped found the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), when he recognized that a fundamental realignment of power would have to precede any meaningful effort to deal with poverty. In his own words: ÒOnly when workers take the commanding heights of the economy into public ownership will poverty really be addressed.Ó Because the current and former governments of Nigeria have a proven inability to meet the populationÕs basic needs, or even carry through with the minimal promised development, ÒundergroundÓ political movements aimed at protests and strikes have evolved to the point of successful national strikes. Twice in the last three years the economy was shut down for two days. Through protests and strikes, they can move the government to at least partially meet their demands.

Nigerians understand the value of the oil being taken from Nigeria and the potential for transformation of their lives that nationalizing the oil industry could have. As Aderemi puts it, ÒOnly a democratically planned economy can offer a solution.Ó

However, Aderemi stresses that a positive transformation of society will have to be international in character. Business interests can and would isolate Nigeria, should the Nigerian working class successfully create a social democracy. For further info or to get involved, please contact (206)736-6807, Seattle@SocialistAtlernative.org, or visit Socialist Alternative.