Obi Aiele
1 September 2007
analysis
Lagos — At 72 most of his peers are homeward bound with creeping thoughts of life beyond, yet this septuagenarian, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, is still shuttling round the continent preaching his gospel of business emancipation to African presidents, with so much vigor that is the envy of his generation. Repots OBI ADIELE.
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, president of the African Business Round Table (ART), is a fixed face at the African Union (AU) meetings of Heads of State, and enjoys the warm relationships with African presidents. Yet, he is still sad and tells you why: the underdevelopment of business in Africa.
He tells you "God, in His wisdom, categorized us into a race, and found ourselves situated in a particular part of the globe with a particular skin colour and God influenced us according to our abilities to take advantage of our opportunities".
Alhaji Tukur thinks God gave us identity for a purpose, since no one is contesting about our African origin. We still have identity of the black race, even when we were taken away as slaves to other parts of the world to contribute to their development.
Talking more like a preacher, Tukur explained that we are distinguished among God's creation, and that led to the scramble and partition for African by the Europeans, even when they have their own continent
He explained further: "We are so much endowed with huge resources. Today sixty percent of industrial nation's raw materials come from Africa. We produce the materials, they do the transformation via technology of what God has given us. Yet we are the most disadvantaged because of the intense interest of non-Africans in Africa, thus causing divisions and conflicts.
"The Chinese are now coming to Africa, Europe and the United States are apprehensive. All these diverse interests bring along competing conflicts because of their desire to own and control".
Undoubtedly, Alhaji Tukur, has single handedly driven the development of borderless business trade in Africa, bringing African businessmen together for a common purpose despite divergent induced interests competing for the soul of African business.
Using the African Round Table business platform (actually created by the African Development Bank) to propagate his vision, Alhaji Tukur, has touched base with almost all African Presidents, nudging them all to implement borderless business practices across the entire continent.
Just at the recent AU Heads of States conference held in Accra Ghana, he took the floor to remind them of their earlier pledges to free African business from the shackles of trade and currency restrictions.
He told them that the public sector in Africa cannot deliver desired business goals without active participation by the private sector. "I firmly believe, "he added", that in order to make Africa take its rightful position in global business, it needs to empower the private sector."
"I urge them", he continued, "to look critically at the protectionist practice adopted by the European Union to protect the business interest of its members while they come here and create trade disharmony for their own benefit".
He waxed stronger: "Africa needs to empower the private sector business to deliver promises for its teeming citizenry. In those advanced nations - Japan, America, Britain and others - it's the private sector that runs the economy not politicians.
"Africa is an endangered species, that's why at the last Accra meeting, some of us mooted behind the scene of the coming together of African countries into one defacto union. "It is an idea that will never die."
He continued: "I know the leaders are afraid of losing their sovereignty. Are they really sovereign? Are we not appendages of some European, American and other foreign interest?
So, I told them: "for starters, retain your sovereignty, but we will create a Defacto Union, open up your borders genuinely for business with your black brothers across the continent, open up infrastructures, road networks, easy telecommunications, bridges, for example: from Lagos to Da-esalam, onto Kenya, Egypt, South Africa, let there be free movement of goods and services, create mobile employment across the continent and make friends".
Coming back near home, he asserts: "the idea of Transcorp is mine. I wrote the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to set up a business institution that will impact positively on the African continent. And I met with President Umar Yar'adua recently; he assured me he would address the economy and follow the law. I believe him".
Is there no symbiotic relationship between the African political leadership? Leadership and the growth of a borderless African economy, the reporter asked him "Yes, definitely, the political leadership is a problem. The fear of losing control is real".
The political leadership issue is tied invariably to the apron strings of vested foreign interests who are not comfortable with a strong borderless Africa business entity. We also focus on unifying into one system the different public and private sector business practices through my chairmanship of NEPAD BUSINESS GROUP. Who is funding the African business Round table project? "Nobody", he answered: it is self funded, unlike what obtains in the advanced nations we are busy copying. "In America, we have corporate council on Africa funded by USAID, in Europe, we have business council on Africa funded by DIFID, even in France, the CIAN GROUP is funded by the French government. But in Africa, the ART. of which am the executive chairman, is not funded by any African government nor its agencies".
He added further: "Rather, I use my own resources to further African business interests. I set up a firm, ecomarine in Togo to distribute goods to all parts of Africa and the President gave my shipping line a national carrier status". We are addressing the political issue, if we must progress economically, we need accountable leadership and a good responsible followership.
"If you look at the first generation African political leadership, you will see so much patriotism devoid of unnecessary vested foreign interests: Zik / Balewa government, Kwame Nkurumah of Ghana, Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Nyerere of Tanzania, are empirical examples. " Coups are influenced from outside due to intense outside interest that wants to destroy us. They have to eliminate those acceptable to us and bring in those not accountable and do business with them. So, we now have poor followership because our next set of generational leaders were not accountable to them"
Any change in perception from today's political leaders in the continent, the reporter asked "Yes, there are noticeable changes, it's a gradual process, they are now persuaded on the need to see that a private sector driven integrated African business revival, is a solution to deliver political promises made on the podium for this African business ambassador, African presidents and world's institutions have been eager to honour him. In January 2002, Alhaji Tukur was conferred with national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Mono by the late President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, in recognition of his contribution to business in Africa. In July, same year Ghana's President John Kuffor, appointed Alhaji Tukur, a member of Ghana Investors Advisory Council. In September 2003, he was appointed a member of the OECD-AFRICAN INVESTMENT ADVISORY BOARD in Geneva Switzerland few months later ex- President Obasanjo conferred CON on him. President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote D'ivoire did not want to be left out as he conferred the national title of the Commander of the Order of Niger on Alhaji Tukur for his efforts in private sector development in the continent.
Equally, world renowned agencies have not left out in honoring this business face of Africa. In March 2004, the International Business for Africa organization, Ghana (IBCA) honored Alhaji Tukur with the African Diamond Award for excellent achievement in private sector development. Two months later, he was awarded the Kofi Anan leadership award in London for his achievement in private sector business development in Africa.
Really fulfilled by these governmental and international agencies awards? "These awards drive me endlessly to fight for Africa business to take its rightful place in continental affairs. "We are yet to get to the sunset of our struggle" he assured the reporter.
Truly so Alhaji Bamanya Tukur has come a long way from his days as ports manager in the early 70's after the civil war.
In line with the spirit of reconstruction and reconciliation adopted by the General Yakubu Gowon's administration, the ports were over congested and Bamanga Tukur was appointed ports manager, Lagos, from his previous post of Dock superintendent as his seniors were unwilling to take up the Job in view of its enormous challenges.
He explained: "I worked 18 hours a day with Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle (Ports commandant) and within three months, we cleared the ports. And when General Gowon thanked Brigadier Adekunle for a job well done, the Brigadier looked back and told the Head of State that it was Bamanga Tukur that did it.
"That was a high moment of my professional career".
"I am a workaholic; for three months, I didn't go home to the extent that my first son, Anwal saw me a complete stranger". My wife retorted that the boy does not know me, except Mr. Cole, my driver.
"There was even a day I tried to remedy the situation by taking my wife and kid to the office, but I forgot them down stairs in the waiting room for hours endlessly. My wife retorted later that since am married to NPA and not her, I should take them home rather than go to the beach as previously agreed upon".
A widely traveled business entrepreneur, Alhaji Tukur, had a first degree in Transportation and Economics from the famous London school of Economics in 1959 and backed it with a Masters degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pitts burgh, Pennsylvania, United State in 1965. In 2004, Benue state University, Makurdi, honored him with a doctorate degree in law.
"As Lagos Ports Manager in 1970, I was really involved in the Post-Nigeria Civil War reconstruction. Later, as General Manager, NPA for seven years (1975-1982) the whole country was my constituency, even beyond. "My exposure, "he tells you", gave him the Pan-African perception.
"There is no continent I have not visited meeting people and attending international conferences. We went to school with some of these white folks, they are not better, so why should we perform below expectations", he queried.
"Everything bad is Africa, see our infrastructures undeveloped, our continental business in shambles, which business interests are rebuilding Sierra Leone and Liberia? Foreign interests. All these bothers me and challenges me to embark on this crusade", he added.
A key player in the Nigerian economy, Alhaji Tukur held National Board appointments in the Nigerian Railway Corporation, defunct Nigerian Shipping Line, Central Water Transportation Company and Board of Customs and Excise.
In 1995, he was appointed Federal Minister of Industries by the late General Abacha's administration.
Few may recollect that Alhaji Tukur is an astute politician. In 1983, he was elected the civilian governor of the defunct Gongola State (now Adamawa and Taraba states) before it was untimely terminated by the military junta of the Buhari administration.
Are you still in politics, the reporter asked "Yes, we founded the PDP, but was edged out by the minority cabal. Have you ever seen where directors remove their share holders? I will go back if the party retraces its step back to its philosophy - of inclusiveness - not the rule of a few selfish people who hijacked the house we built". Even my African friends are worried, urging me to do a re-think because of the strategic position and effect of Nigeria in African Politics.
At 72, is it not time you slowed down, he was asked: "No I wont" he thundered, "I eat, dream and think of African business. I want the younger generation to join me so that we can become a louder authentic voice of business in Africa. We need more global ambassadors for business in Africa.
"I thank God for His mercies of good health, clear vision, mission, and the resources to see me through".
For this business of Africa, "It's not over until it is over". Truly so.
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