BY DAYO ADESULU
After years of sharp disagreement among the people of the United Kingdom on whether or not Britain should remain with the European Union, it’s now 90 per cent certain that very shortly Britain would leave.
Britain leaving or not leaving the European Union, experts have said it’s all about personal and national interest. Brexit was pure an economic factor says an international expert.
If Britain finally divorced the European Union, it will definitely need another companion to do business with.
Such companion, according to some panellists on Brexit would be countries that the United Kingdom can do business with.
The questions begging for answers are, how can Nigeria as a country benefit from Brexit? Since our oil and gas sector is no longer attractive globally, what other types of business can Nigeria do with Britain?
What exactly is that business that can attract Britain to Nigeria or take Nigeria to Britain? Is there anything Nigeria can offer in the manufacturing, entertainment, communication and agriculture industries? These are the questions that Nigeria and Nigerians must answer if we really want to benefit from Brexit.
Britain, as it were, is looking for a fruitful relationship that would benefit its citizenry. If it divorced the European countries for national interest, it must remarry another countries for national interest. What does this mean portend for the African continent?
The aforementioned informed one of the reasons the Director of Centre For International Advanced And Professional Studies (CIAPS), Professor Anthony Kila hosted a public lecture in Lagos on: ‘Brexit: Africa from Nigeria’.
The organizers carefully selected the likes of a renowned international affairs expert and public commentator, former NIIA Director, Professor Bolaji Akinterinwa as the keynote speaker.
Other discussants and panellists at the public lecture include Dr Sina Byron-Fagbenro, the Ex Regional Director DFID, Rotimi Olarewaju, CIAPS Head of Policy and Product Development as well as Funke Treasure Durodola, Ace Broadcast journalist, among others.
Dr Sina Byron Fagbenro said: ”Brexit shows what an independent government can do. According to him, Britain has never given up their pounds to the euro. What matter to Britain is the welfare of its people?
He said: ”Nigeria must have a basis for negotiation. Nigeria can deal with the UK and deal with Europe separately. What is your interest and what is Nigeria national interest?”
On her part, Funke Treasure said: ”My worries as Nigeria is, what are we offering to the UK, What are we as a country bringing to the table? Is it agriculture or oil?. What are our leaders talking about?”
READ ALSO: CIAPS to Host Public Lecture on Brexit Wednesday
Rolling out requirement of benefitting from Brexit, Professor Kila said: “As a people, we need to find out what these opportunities are. We need to prepare ourselves to be able to compete favourably for them. Individuals need to get the skills they require, organisations need to be able to produce products that the market can require.”
Professor Kila posited that in order to benefit from the Brexit, it is rather better to go to the UK as a trade union than as a Nigerian. He explained that going as an individual may not be productive but going as a trade union could get Britain’s attention.
The keynote speaker, Professor Bolaji Akinterinwa challenged Nigerians to develop the capacity to articulate areas that will be of more interest to the country so as to benefit from Brexit.
“We should look at Brexit from outside the UK and from the fact that Britain was trading with one part of the world and now the chances of that trade would be deferred. ”Now Britain would be looking elsewhere because they have to and we can have that opportunity as a country,” he said.
READ ALSO: Just a Book In Yuletide’s Hamper Can Transform Lives
On opportunities for individuals, Akinterinwo said: ”Go for businesses that are not data related because the UK cannot trust you with their data. ”The media can book interaction with media in Britain and explore the available opportunities. If the will of the individual is there, there will be progress.’
