As Elijah journeys to Bujumbura

BY OBI TRICE EMEKA

I was elated when I heard that Elijah Onyeagba, a quintessential gentleman and one of the leading and emerging thinkers in Nigeria had been nominated by the President, Muhammad Buhari as one of the Ambassadorial nominees. For one, diplomacy is a serious job, needing that you select the best to become the country’s representative. Picking Elijah as one of its Ambassadorial nominees was an indication that the country is banking on its best to strengthen its foreign policy and win itself new friends while expanding the country’s economic frontiers.

Elijah, who had his B.sc and PhD both in Economics had distinguished in Private practice with a career spanning over 17 years. He had worked in varied sectors which had made his knowledge deep, refreshing and engaging. While active in private service he was the Head of Commercial (Marketing and Sales), Northern Operations of the Nigeria Securities, Printing and Minting (NSPM Plc). Prior to that, he was the Acting Manager in charge of Real Estate Transaction in ASO Savings and Loans Plc.

He has also previously worked with Equitorial Trust Bank (Now Sterling Bank) as Head of Business, Bond Bank (Skye Bank and now Polaris Bank) as Relationship Manager and Platinum Bank (Now keystone Bank) as Relationship Officer and Customer Service Officer. It was no surprise that his wealth of experience would be required in the Nigerian public sector to help Nigeria meander out of its present quagmire.

I was a bit disappointed when I heard that he had been posted to serve Nigeria in Burundi. I had expected that he would be posted to one of these countries with significant trade with Nigeria where his brilliance would be needed in expanding trading relations for Nigerians and attracting much needed funds into our convulsing economy. I had looked up Burundi on Google and it was gloomy. One of the poorest countries in the world and its economy still largely dependent on subsistence Agriculture. I feared that the brilliant Elijah would have his brilliance rot away in an obscure and ravaged Burundi.

Geniuses are forged during moments of tasking discomforts. Difficult situations unlocks the creativity and innovativeness in thinkers and perhaps this was the thinking of Nigeria when it picked a genius Elijah to be Nigeria’s number one diplomat in Burundi. They know only geniuses can see opportunities when others can’t. They innovate their own history and rarely live that of others. Elijah a genius himself understands this and has left for Bujumbura excitedly to make his own history. He has spoken elegantly about the potentials of Burundi and how he is hoping to create a beneficial relationship for the Nigerian state and Burundi.

I had spoken to him a few days after he was posted to Burundi, thinking of how to console him, with the assumption that he would be saddened with the posting. A cheerful Elijah responded from the other end of the telephone, assuring that Burundi held much promise and he was willing to do all within his creative limits to ensure that he creates a mutual economic climate for Burundi and Nigeria. I believed him. He has a reputation for grinding out results, a skill that has allowed him to excel in private service and I am certain that this skill isn’t about to leave him soon.

It’s not all gloomy in Burundi. If Nigeria has anything to learn from the East African country at the moment, it is the ability to feed itself without depending on imports. Burundi is a net exporter of food, with Coffee and Tea leading the charts. Nigeria can learn from this. Also, at this period of our national history where every ethnic group is spoiling for a war spurred on by fake news, Nigeria has one or two things to learn from Burundi who fought a bitter ethnic war in 1994 on the ground of ethnic suspicion between the Hutu and Tutsi. That war has left Burundians poorer. The lesson for Nigeria been that, there are no winners in a war but just consistent heart wrenching stories of death, devastation and poverty.

If anything is certain, Elijah is creative, innovative and a modern thinker. I wouldn’t be surprised if his ingenuity comes home to Burundi and helps transform that country from a sleepy hillside into an investment haven by creating a symbiotic relationship between Nigerian businessmen and the Burundian communities and government.

Just like Prophet Elijah, invoked rains during the draught, this Elijah will be no different. He is ready and have the expertise and experience to open up Burundi for investment by Nigerian businessmen. A win-win for all parties.