The economic and industrial development of Nigeria should not necessarily depend on the magnanimity of developed countries, rather it should take root in the determination of the people of the developing country to acquire technology and improve upon it.
The President, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Engr. Kashim Ali, made this statement in an exclusive interview with The Point.
Ali said that the Chinese did not wait for the western world to bring technology to them; rather, they made conscious efforts to teach themselves. “Transfer of technology is difficult; the only nations who are prepared to face the rigours of getting technology receive it. In the area of technology, China was at the low ebb but the country suddenly rose,” he said.
Why should Africa expect that developed countries will be so willing to transfer technology, when America and Europe know that there are geniuses in Nigeria who can even improve on technology once it gets to them
He added, “I have a direct relationship with the engineering stakeholders in China, and by interaction, I wanted to know how China, which was at a low ebb suddenly rose to the top. I discovered that what they did was to go to Europe and America, and they bought two sets of several devices and systems that had to do with technology. They took the items to China and tasked their engineers to gradually disassemble the devices while carefully studying it, and taking note of the critical components.
“Then they reassembled the devices and ensure that when plugged, it worked as though it was never pulled to pieces. When the Chinese learnt how to assemble the components, they started to produce the components. The next step was to remove a part from the original system and replace it with the replica they made in China, and they saw that the entire system still worked harmoniously, and they continued to do so until they arrived at a stage where they replaced all the European devices with imitations that were made-in-China.”
The COREN president said if a made in China device failed to function properly, they checked to know why it didn’t work, and they corrected the fault and ensured it worked.
“That is what they did until they made all devices and replaced all American and European devices with made-in-China devices,” he said, adding that by so doing, the Chinese painstakingly transferred technology to themselves.
He said, “Let me tell you, nobody transferred technology to the Chinese, they taught it to themselves. Have you not heard that even African wise men who are endowed with spiritual powers do not hand over their prowess until just when they are about to die? And when doing so, they ensure that it goes to a particular person who alone receives the prowess.
“Why should Africa expect that developed countries will be so willing to transfer technology, when America and Europe know that there are geniuses in Nigeria who can even improve on technology once it gets to them. Suppose America and Europe teach us all that they have discovered over the years, what do you think they will gain from us? Let us be honest with ourselves to know that nobody can love you more than yourself, and so your destiny is in your own hands.”
“I remember how as a child, I learnt that the Fulani herdsmen were not always willing to sell off their healthiest cows or fowls, but that they might be willing to sell off a sick animal, or an animal that was old. So, Africa should tell it to itself that no nation will sincerely give away its best things,” he
added.
