If the battle between the Dangote Refinery and the Labour unions had taken place a decade or more ago, it would have been a no contest. The refinery would have been brought to its knees within hours. But a lot has happened within that lifespan, tempered by the variables of time, chance, technology, and other circumstances.
Within that time frame, PENGASSAN, NUPENG together with the floundering NNPC and weak government supervision have succeeded in bringing all government-owned refineries to their knees. We were importing all our petroleum derivatives from abroad, and the consequences were becoming almost unbearable for the government and people. The commencement of operations of the Dangote Refinery was seen as a life saver by everyone.
And with the Dangote Refinery going into full-scale production, there has been a sudden positive change in our economic trajectory. If this tempo is disrupted, it will come with grave consequences. And that is why government's intervention was timely, indeed very necessary. We must give it to Aliko Dangote; he deserves his flowers, having meandered through the corrupt bureaucratic Nigerian system, shark-infested waters of successive military and civilian regimes, stiff and cutthroat rivalry from competitors, a labour class whose culture of entitlement has been formed right from the colonial times, and the international and local cabals who are desperate to see him fail in his ventures.
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According to him, he has been fighting all his life. The question then to ask is this? If what this man is doing is so relevant or important to our common economic interests, why is he so hated by those who are determined to bring him down? There are stories that have ranged from the realm of reality into tales by moonlight, which have all combined to form the Aliko Dangote myth. You know, human beings must conjure stories even when there are none to be told. In Nigeria, we are masters in that department, and that is why religion has taken over our ability for rational thinking.
The one that had caused much anger to the people is the perception that Dangote has not reflected the numerous government supports in his price regime. They give examples of cement, sugar, and other products despite waivers and other support from the government, and that is their fear with the refinery. We are now faced with the question of whether Dangote is justified in his business decisions in the light of public criticisms.
Let us look at what happened in other climes. I will give examples of just three big firms which controlled the American business space in their time. I heard a preacher discussing John D. Rockefeller in a radio programme recently, describing him as a man who loved God. Rockefeller is on record as being the first billionaire in dollars in the world. I dug into the record of this man, and this is what I found. "He controlled the nation's oil business and scorned congressional efforts to outlaw combinations in restraint of trade (i.e., antitrust). In 1909, a federal court found Rockefeller's company, Standard Oil, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The court ordered the dissolution of the company."
Also: "Critics accused Rockefeller of engaging in unethical practices, such as predatory pricing and colluding with railroads to eliminate his competitors in order to gain a monopoly in the industry. In 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court found Standard Oil in violation of anti-trust laws and ordered it to dissolve...To critics, Rockefeller was a ruthless and greedy capitalist who unfairly crushed his competition and created a malevolent monopoly."
There was also Andrew Carnegie, the American steel giant who made his billions from the World War supplies.
"What were the problems with Andrew Carnegie? Low Wages and Harsh Working Conditions: While Carnegie extolled the virtues of hard work and individual responsibility, his workers faced gruelling conditions in his mills. They endured long hours, low wages, and dangerous working environments, often with little regard for their safety or well-being."
The last of the examples I am citing here is Joe Kennedy Snr, the head of the Kennedy dynasty and father of a former US President, Attorney General, and a Senator. "Various criminals, such as Frank Costello, boasted that they worked with Kennedy in mysterious bootlegging operations during Prohibition." If you understand the America of that time and the Nigeria of today, you will understand why those men toed this path of ruthlessness and today history is recording their deeds as helping to build the great America that many in the world envy. The Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Kennedy foundations are doing noble things all over the world to the glory of mankind. That is why I can understand a preacher referring to Rockefeller as a lover of God.
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Andrew Carnegie died, leaving the last cent of his will to charity. He promised not to leave a dime for any family, and today, the research coming from his foundation has been of innumerable services to mankind.
That is why we must support Aliko Dangote and his refinery now in our drive for self-sufficiency; ultimately the whole country will benefit from it. If you are looking for a saint in the business world, do not go there; just like you cannot find a virgin in a maternity ward. It was Mario Puzo in his book The Godfather said: "Behind every successful fortune is a crime." This is so true with the kind of system we run in Nigeria unless we want to deceive ourselves.
Ikhioya wrote via: http://www.southsouthecho.com
