A former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at the weekend, spared no rod for perceived saboteurs of both local and international investors in the country, declaring that woes betide such persons or group of persons found responsible.
Obasanjo said the emphasis by the present administration is on making Nigeria self – sustaining in production and consumption, as such he would kick against companies, whether indigenous or expatriates, that want to use unwholesome business practices to sabotage the self – reliance drive of the nation.
The ex-President who spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at an interactive session with the Indian Professionals’ Forum (IPF) in Nigeria, at the weekend, condemned a situation where some companies have chosen to make the country a dumping ground for sub-standard and fake products.
Obasanjo said, “There are Indians who are in partnership with Nigerians and they are doing well, we have some even here in Abeokuta. They are doing very well and it is very encouraging.
“But there are ugly faces, there are Indian companies that have been doing what they will not do in India and that is unfortunate and I hope those of you who are doing the right thing, who really make us proud and our association with India, will make sure that this type of bad things are stopped.
“I have the unfortunate responsibility to deport some Indians from what they have done wrong, my successors brought them back, he too later sent them back again, the one who brought them back, sent them back again because you see, a leopard never changes his skin and they believe that they can bribe their way in this country.
“But woe betide that person be it Nigerian, non-Nigerian or Indian who believes that he will live and corrupt this country, whatever power I have, I will kick against it and that is what we did when I was in government and that is what we will continue to do and I believe people like that do not only give Nigeria a bad name but also India a bad name even give people doing genuine business in this part of the world a bad name but we should not allow them to get away with it.
“A situation where jollof rice is (allegedly) being prepared and shipped to Nigeria is ridiculous and bad, that is not what the country needs today.
“If that is done by an Indian company, that Indian company should be condemned, whatever company that is doing that, if it is a Nigerian and owner of that company, they should have his head examined.”
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