The social media was alive last week with the news that one Adebayo Ogunlesi has described Nigeria as an ‘exciting’ investment destination and by implication, tacitly endorsed Tinubu’s economic reforms. ‘Nigeria is now an exciting place to invest in. Many more opportunities have opened up’. So declared Adebayo Ogunlesi. For those who might be living in Mars or don’t know much about international investment, Bayo Ogunlesi is almost as big as they come. Now in his early 70s, he has spent the better part of his life packaging investments around the world, mainly in ports – air and sea – and in energy. Although he has been a silent but effective global player, he came into public awareness when he led a consortium to buy one of the biggest and busiest airports in Europe. He had invested in Africa before and by his own admission, had come as near as Cotonou, but he had never until now, touched Nigeria with a long pole. This makes his current decision to invest in Nigeria a big deal because of its likely domino effect especially since he also has the ears of some Western economic and political leaders.

I sent the video clip of his tacit endorsement to a close friend of mine who is also Ogunlesi’s friend. Not only were they classmates at Kings College Lagos, they both offered the same course at the prestigious Oxford University in the UK on Federal Government scholarships. Thereafter, they both went to the US for higher education. Both were obviously academically proficient, if not actually brilliant. While my friend came back to Nigeria after obtaining his Masters from another Ivy League University in the US, Bayo Ogunlesi stayed put in America. And the tale of these two gentlemen from a similar background – Yoruba and Ijebu – took a slightly different turn. One became a global player, the other a local one. Although my friend often lamented his decision to come back to Nigeria, citing Ogunlesi’ achievements, I know he has done well for himself. At least, better than most. It now gets interesting. While Ogunlesi has now embraced Tinubu’s reforms and he is urging others to do the same, my friend does not, and cannot be made to see anything good in Bola Tinubu. Yet, I first heard of Bola Tinubu’s gubernatorial ambition, years back, through my friend. They had worked together to effect this ambition and he was to take a prominent position in the cabinet. Then they had a massive fall-out. More than 25 years later, he has neither forgotten nor forgiven Tinubu. So now, while one gentleman is a new convert to Tinubu, the other was an erstwhile convert who has distanced himself completely.

The tale of these two gentlemen can be extended to Nigeria’s larger society. Over the years, I have met many people who stood by Tinubu and swore by him in the past, especially during the Chicago University palaver, who have now distanced themselves. Some are bitter at the way they felt they were ‘used and dumped’. Many have simply moved on. It can’t all be the fault of Asiwaju Tinubu however as no relationship is ever one-sided. Besides, twenty children cannot play together for twenty years according to a Yoruba adage. It is simply not easy to manage the expectations of so many people for twenty-five years and more. Especially political expectations. Many in today’s opposition fall into the category of erstwhile political colleagues who had dined and wined with the President while in the trenches but have now fallen out due largely to unfulfilled political expectations. It is easy, human even, to exaggerate one’s contributions to a cause or a relationship. It is perhaps worse in politics where ego plays a major role. After all, permanent interests as against permanent friendships, are what politicians live by.

Where I draw the line however is with people who de-market the country because of their soured relationship with its leadership. Those who discourage foreign investments and capital flow and yet go ahead to lament insecurity and unemployment in the country. Those who rejoice at bad news but discount or completely ignore good news about the country. These are people who will expect patriotism and unity if they get to power and yet, are the chief architects of disunity and unpatriotic attitude in the polity. Among them are sponsors of banditry and terror. Among them are amplifiers of all that is bad with the country just because they want to make the current leadership look bad. I am not against opposition as it keeps leadership on its toes and could prevent a country from sliding into fascism. But there is a daylight difference between a country and its current leadership. One is permanent; the other temporary. The preachers of hatred should listen to, and heed what Hakeem Belo-Osagie, another global investor, and another Kings College Old Boy, said ‘if Nigerians, including those in the diaspora, don’t invest in the country, we should not expect others to do it’. In other words, if Nigerians give up on their country, they should not expect foreigners to salvage it for them. Meanwhile, to hear these people talk at different fora during Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary celebrations, one would think this government has done nothing positive since it came to power despite the positive turn in the economy and attendant favourable comments from International Organizations. Worse, one would think Nigeria at 65 is a massive failure forgetting the roles each played in Nigeria becoming what it is today. It is true that Nigeria has not fulfilled its massive potentials. It is true that leadership has been a problem and that includes many of those decrying the country today. But it is not all gloom and doom with the country as some people would want us believe. This same country has produced a Nobel Laureate and several literary giants. This same country has produced a Commonwealth Secretary General and many Continental leaders in ECA and ADB. The country has produced a WTO top boss and many in World Bank and the UN. Our doctors and engineers are making waves all over the world. International investors like Ogunlesi and Belo – Osagie abound. These are people who have risen above limitations and barriers. They are people who have not allowed themselves to be swayed by naysayers from achieving personal goals. They are people who have blossomed where they have been planted by God. It is not an accident that God planted you in Nigeria. Dig deep and find your niche.

There are people like Ogunlesi who believe that exciting opportunities have opened up in the country. There are people like his friend and classmate, who believe the country has taken a turn for the worse. The side you join and the choices you make can determine where you will be in a few years’ time. Make no mistake, new billionaires, entrepreneurs and technocrats will continue to be made in the next few years. You can envision yourself as one of them or you can choose to wallow in negativity. Either way, the world – and Nigeria – will move on.

•Muyiwa Adetiba is a veteran journalist and publisher. He can be reached via titbits2012@yahoo.com