Brexit is an opportunity to re-colonize Nigeria, Akinterinwa warns

The British are happy that they are opting out of the European Union with the ultimate objective of exporting their technology to the whole world, but Nigeria must be wary of being re-colonized, warns Prof. Bola Akinterinwa.

The former director general of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and renowned international affairs expert stated this while delivering his keynote address at a public lecture held by the Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS) in Lagos with the theme: “Brexit and Africa from Nigeria.”

He said that with Brexit, the future of regional integration cannot be described as bright with xenophobic attacks, border closures and insecurity, noting that Britain needs to have new friends, but Nigeria must be careful in order not to be colonised technologically.

“Every country wants to remain great. Donald Trump said make America great. He said America first. And he is telling other countries to make their countries first, too.

“So, what’s that? He has sold to the whole world the ideology that you fight for your country first, too. So, if everybody wants to be first, what’s going to happen? It’s competition. And when you have this kind of competition, what is it? What is colonisation? Colonisation is the imposition of your own influence.

“So, they want that influence. So, by the time they use their technology with Brexit, they need to have new friends. And I said Brexit is an opportunity to re-colonize us through technology,” he said.

Akinterinwa explained that despite the possible gains of Brexit for Africa, Nigeria must create a conducive environment for the gains of Brexit to materialise, especially when Britain sees Nigeria as one of its most dependable allies.

“What does the UK want in Nigeria? The UK would want to have Nigeria as one of its most dependable allies because we are in a world of emerging new cold war.

“Like I pointed out earlier, Robert Mugabe says Africa without Nigeria is hollow. If Africa without Nigeria is hollow, then what happens? You need a Nigeria that is powerfully strong to be able to maintain regional peace and security.

“How do you fight terrorism in Europe? How do you fight their agents in Africa? How do you fight Al -Qaeda in West Africa here? They need to rely on a country like Nigeria,” he asserted.

Speaking on what Nigeria stands to gain from Brexit, Akinterinwa said Nigeria has a lot to gain, but on the condition that she is prepared with a clear definition of what it wants to gain.

“The first problem now is that with EU negotiating as a body with Nigeria, Britain is now out of it, meaning now that Nigeria has the opportunity to negotiate directly with the British.

“But, will Britain not be too powerful to negotiate directly with Nigeria? Can Nigeria be at par with the British? No, I don’t think we have that particular capacity. That is where Nigeria will have to sit down to develop the capacity to articulate areas that will be more of interest,” he added.