– Maroof Asudemade

The reaction that greeted the recent comments of Dr. Misbau Alamu Lateef, a Nigerian legal practitioner and university teacher abroad, reveals a troubling tendency among many Nigerians: the habit of attacking the messenger instead of engaging with the message.

Dr. Lateef’s position was simple. Nigerians should recognize and prepare for the vast opportunities emerging within Nigeria instead of waiting endlessly for white-collar jobs, multinational corporations, or government employment. He further warned against the complacency that has afflicted many South Africans who now complain that foreigners have taken over sectors of their economy.

Rather than interrogate the substance of his argument, some critics have chosen to ask why he is abroad if Nigeria offers opportunities.

That question misses the point entirely. The validity of an argument is not determined by the geographical location of the person making it. A Nigerian living in London, Dubai, Toronto, Johannesburg, or New York can still correctly identify opportunities in Nigeria. In fact, exposure to global economies often gives such individuals a broader perspective on where investment, innovation, and economic growth are heading.

The reality is that foreigners are not waiting for Nigerians to appreciate the opportunities in Nigeria. They are already positioning themselves. Across agriculture, technology, mining, real estate, renewable energy, logistics, entertainment, education, manufacturing, and financial services, foreign investors and entrepreneurs continue to identify value in Nigeria’s vast market and youthful population.

With over 200 million people, abundant natural resources, expanding digital infrastructure, and one of Africa’s largest consumer markets, Nigeria remains a country of immense economic potential despite its undeniable challenges.

History offers valuable lessons. In South Africa, recurring tensions have often been fueled by perceptions that immigrants have become more successful in certain sectors of the economy than locals. Many of those immigrants, including Nigerians, Ethiopians, Somalis, Pakistanis, and others, established businesses, entered markets considered unattractive by locals, took risks, and built economic networks. The resulting resentment has occasionally manifested in xenophobic attacks.

While the causes of South Africa’s economic frustrations are far more complex than immigration alone, one lesson stands out: opportunities rarely remain vacant. If locals fail to seize them, foreigners will.

Nature abhors a vacuum. So does economics.
The global economy rewards those who identify opportunities early, acquire relevant skills, and position themselves strategically. It does not reward entitlement. It does not reserve opportunities exclusively for citizens who happen to be present. It rewards preparation.

This is precisely the point Dr. Lateef was making. Young Nigerians must stop seeing success solely through the lens of government jobs, oil companies, banks, or multinational corporations. The future economy will be driven by entrepreneurship, innovation, digital skills, agribusiness, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, creative industries, and countless sectors that are still emerging.

The world is changing rapidly. The jobs of tomorrow may not even exist today. Those who prepare themselves will benefit. Those who refuse to adapt may eventually find themselves lamenting that others have taken advantage of opportunities they ignored.
Being patriotic does not mean pretending that Nigeria has no problems. It means recognizing both the challenges and the possibilities. It means understanding that while governments have responsibilities, citizens also have a duty to develop themselves, acquire skills, build businesses, and contribute to economic growth.

Dr. Lateef’s residence abroad does not invalidate this message. On the contrary, it may strengthen it. Nigerians in the diaspora often maintain investments at home, create jobs, transfer knowledge, and build networks that connect Nigeria to the wider world. Their experiences can provide useful insights into how nations develop and how individuals position themselves for success. The central message remains clear: opportunities belong to those who prepare for them.

As foreign investors continue to explore Nigeria’s potential, Nigerians themselves must not become spectators in their own economy. They must acquire skills, embrace innovation, identify emerging sectors, and position themselves strategically.
The future will not wait for anyone. Opportunities certainly will not.
Those who seize them will prosper. Those who ignore them may one day complain that others did.

Nigeria’s greatest opportunities should first benefit Nigerians. But that can only happen if Nigerians are prepared to recognize, pursue, and maximize them.
That is not an insult. It is a warning worth taking seriously.