The Untranslatable Reality: Why Nigeria Can't Import Foreign Solutions

The Untranslatable Reality: Why Nigeria Can't Import Foreign Solutions

When Nigerian politicians travel abroad, they often return with awe and admiration for the well-developed infrastructures and thriving opportunities they encounter. Yet, despite seeing the vast difference in development, they fail to replicate these successes in Nigeria. Why is this the case?

Imagine two secondary schools: one that boasts a 99% pass rate in the WAEC examinations, with 80% of those students earning distinctions in their results. The other has a mere 30% pass rate. If an observer were to assume that simply transferring the high-performing teachers from the successful school to the underperforming one would lead to the same outcome, they’d be mistaken. At best, those teachers might inspire the smarter students, but they could inadvertently alienate the slower learners, leaving them discouraged and feeling out of their league.

The reality is that the success of the 99%-passing school lies not just in the teachers, but in the system they have built. This system is a carefully curated combination of factors—boarding school facilities that keep students engaged and focused, a set standard for the type of students they admit, highly skilled teachers, a comprehensive syllabus, and a tuition fee structure that supports these elements. To replicate this model elsewhere, one cannot simply transplant the teachers; the entire system must be recreated.

Similarly, Nigerian politicians cannot import foreign solutions or infrastructures and expect them to work in Nigeria's context. The realities of developed countries cannot simply be transplanted to a developing nation. The difference in systems, structures, and culture creates a gap that cannot be bridged by just copying and pasting.

Take engineers, for example. Engineers in developed countries often grow up in environments that foster innovation and technical expertise from an early age. From the moment they are born, they are surrounded by a system that nurtures their potential. In contrast, engineers from developing countries often have to fight their way through a much tougher path, exposed to a world of "jack of all trades" challenges before they can focus on their true calling.

The same applies to footballers. In developed countries, by the age of 16, many young players are already in professional football academies, getting hands-on experience that shapes them into world-class athletes. In contrast, many talented players in developing countries are still stuck in classrooms, learning theories and memorizing biology jargons that have little to do with their true passion—football. These young stars could thrive in the world of sports if only the systems allowed them to nurture their talents from a young age.

Politicians in Nigeria can only replicate their own realities—they cannot simply transpose the advanced systems of foreign nations into Nigeria. It's like an aspiring chef watching YouTube tutorials on how to prepare the perfect fried rice and turkey. No matter how many videos they watch, the outcome will depend on their current skill level. If they’re still an amateur, the food will reflect that state of development, no matter how closely they follow the instructions.

Realities are indeed different, and they produce different outcomes. To achieve success in a new reality, one must first grow into it. It’s not enough to just see the results and desire them. One must develop the systems, structures, and conditions that will allow growth and transformation to take place. Only then can a country—whether Nigeria or elsewhere—truly thrive in the reality it wishes to create.