The UK becomes small and hard lessons for African leaders

The United Kingdom is becoming very small. That was a country which had a vision that the world was a playbook – and it went around colonizing nations, from Africa to Asia to North America. But today, after causing so many dislocations in the world, distorting cultures, annihilating ancient empires, the Britain of UK wants to isolate and live happily.

As Ukrainians look for help, the UK plans to take a really insignificant number of refugees; 1,000 or so. Yes, they now want to protect their “homeland” from potential bad people. Nonsense. They did not remember that when they were encouraging a man to stand with a stone against a merciless enemy with a grenade. This goes beyond exiting Europe.

Of course, the aim of Brexit was largely to avoid troubled people running into the UK. If the UK leader does anything different (i.e. allowing Ukrainian refugees into the UK), the core value proposition of Brexit would be muted.

This is a lesson for African leaders: politicians read speeches and most do not even know the contents until they start reading. As you go into negotiations, nothing is absolute. Today, to ensure that Europe continues to get gas from Russia, they cannot cut-off SWIFT (the international payment gateway) 100%, otherwise Russia will ask them to send cash first before delivery!

And of course, those bold NATO threats have stopped. And you know what? Ukraine is now largely on its own. In the Igbo Nation, the elders will say “uwa bu ahia” [the world is a market]. And in all markets, prices move and change. For the UK, NATO and the world, the prices of helping Ukraine have moved and after examining all, none is buying!

People, the world is a market. Go with your senses!

Britain’s prime minister, as Ukrainians dodged Russian bombs. “The uk is way out in front in our willingness to help.” You hardly dare imagine what unwillingness would look like. Britain’s treatment of Ukrainian refugees so far has combined foot-dragging, hard-heartedness, ineptitude and dishonesty. It is sadly typical of the government.

As the invasion began, European Union countries quickly agreed that all Ukrainians could enter without visas and could live, work and receive welfare for at least a year. By contrast, the country that Mr Johnson calls “Global Britain”, which supposedly left the stodgy, bureaucratic eu to pursue closer relations with places (like Ukraine) that are outside the bloc, came up with the meanest offer imaginable. The home secretary, Priti Patel, said Ukrainians might be granted refuge if they had close family members already in Britain. But they would have to obtain visas before being let into the country. After all, Russian infiltrators and “extremists” might be trying to sneak in. Officials even insinuated that Ireland was hazarding Britain’s security by opening its doors

Comment on LinkedIn Feed

Comment 1: I am amazed at the intensity and passion with which my African friends analyze the situation in Europe and Russia and Ukraine and speculate on how to proceed and what should be done now and who is right and should be supported. I wish my African friends would devote themselves to the problems of their own countries with the same passion and love, because they should be aware that this war is paid for by Africa, either by reducing support in the next few years, because of that ,the best way is buying weapons with the money that was originally earmarked for development aid, and Russia and Ukraine are Africa’s largest wheat suppliers. And prices are already rising so much that many Africans are finding it too expensive, which in turn increases the risk of civil unrest.(version after it was edited without the offensive portion)

My Response which LinkedIn has stopped showing is below

Follow up message on LinkedIn

Good People, I received my first ever “censor” from LinkedIn today; they removed my comment. Someone wrote offensively about Africa, and I responded to him. Nothing personal but from history. I do not like to make people feel bad but after seeing that the person had edited his original comment,  I feel that I need to put this comment. Just for the records, I have put my original comment here.

I appreciate everyone coming to this feed and certainly will not like to make people feel bad. Yet,respect is reciprocal. You may not see Nigeria (or Africa) as a respectable country (or continent) but Nigeria is AMAZING to me because as I have noted, there is nothing a nation can give a young man that Nigeria did not offer me.

I attended college on scholarships, received job offers months to graduation, etc, and I am not sure I can ask for more. Yet, I do desire that EVERYONE will have the same testimony. 

This is Sunday; we will show civility here. Every continent has its own challenges and as the Igbo Nation will say, there is no need waking up a sleeping leopard if you want to remain in the forest. Africa has issues. Europe has issues. Do not throw African issues daily at me if you do not want me to remind you of your continent’s history.

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