Abscond frivolity, Embrace frugality.

Today I'll like to share on the article that's being flying around the internet for a while now by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce.

Unfortunately, I stand to agree with him as a large faction of Nigerians aren't frugal in their dealings, and it is time to embrace frugality and abscond frivolous spending.

  FALL OF NAIRA TO THE DOLLAR, DON'T BLAME BUHARI :-
Sen. Ben Murray Bruce.
Many Nigerians are complaining about the constant fall in
the value of the Naira and they blame the Government.
But is the government really to blame? In truth, our
insatiable appetite for all things foreign is to blame.
I always fly Arik Business Class whenever I am traveling
abroad except Arik does not fly on that route.
Not only is an Arik ticket a fraction of the cost of a British
Airways ticket, but the money I pay to Arik circulates in
Nigeria and helps firm up the Naira’s value.
As I speak to you today, a British Airways Business to
London is ₦2,103,666 while Arik Business is ₦551,545 yet
our elite still fly BA
But though Arik offers an affordable alternative to British
Airways and other foreign airlines, our big men prefer to
pay double what Arik charges to BA and other foreign
airlines for the same services and yet they complain about
the value of the Naira.
I have Nasco cornflakes and I have eaten Kellogs
cornflakes. In terms of nutrition and taste they are almost
indistinguishable. Yet our elite who will rather eat Kellogs
than Nasco cornflakes, wonder why the Naira is falling!
Even something like Quaker Oats can be substituted with
corn meal known locally as pap.
Obasanjo Farms of Nigeria and other large scale poultry
farms have the capacity to provide chicken for the entire
nation. Since that is the case, why are we even buying
imported chicken?
In fact what is wrong if every family in Nigeria has a
poultry in their backyard to give them eggs and meat?
My steward went to Makoko, which is one of the largest
fishing communities in Lagos. He wanted to buy fish and
they were selling imported frozen fish!
Yet in the very waters in front of them, there exist fresh
fish that is more nutritious than the cheap frozen fish they
were selling.
We keep spending over 1 Billion Naira importing rice when
our own farmers are capable of meeting our national
demand for rice. But for some reason, Nigerians just prefer
to buy imported rice.
The imported rice we buy in Nigeria is not as good as our
local rice because it has been stored for years in silos and
treated with chemicals.
Moreover, every time you buy it, your money is going out
of Nigeria to service an economy in Asia. The end result is
that their currency gains value while ours loses value.
Have you ever wondered why European Premiership Clubs
are so interested in Nigeria? It is because Nigerians spend
billions traveling to Europe to watch their games, buy their
merchandise and promote their leagues.
Yet, back at home, we would not be caught dead watching
our own local league.
If we will not spend money on made in Nigeria goods and
services, how can we expect our Naira to hold its value
and appreciate?
Obviously we can not cut ourselves off from the world. No
nation is an island, but at least we can fly Nigerian airlines,
eat locally produced food and patronize our football
league.
If we do this, not only will our economy grow and produce
jobs for Nigerians, it will also make our goods and services
improve in value such that they will be attractive enough
to be imported.
I bought Innoson vehicles as official cars for my staff. I
have never lived to regret it one day. They are comfortable
and durable. But most of all, I know that my purchase
helps to keep jobs in Nigeria and improve the value of the
Naira.
I urge you to do the same. We have no other country but
Nigeria and it is you and I that will make it what it is.
If we buy Naija We Will Grow Naira
My name is Ben Murray-Bruce and I just want to make
Commonsense!