President Obama’s mission on the three-nation tour of Africa was very clear. The media made us know that he did not go to assess how much aid was to be doled out to the so-called ailing African nations. It was virtually a trade mission. America needs economically viable Africa as much as Africa is also in dire need of America. The partnership has to be understood in terms of a farmer should not afford to go on cruise to any leisure land during planting season, nurturing the farm products and more so, the harvest season. Bet it, the bi-partisan benefit to Africa and America would be so tremendous that America would have to regret having treated Africa as a place where nothing good can ever come out from. The old economic order has been changing and it willsurely continue to change hence the more developed economies should no longer assume the economic stance of winners take all. A popular saying in Africa and particularly in Nigeria puts it that the young shall grow. Obviously, the elders that give kiddies kindly but disciplined upbringing will keep remaining golden in their hearts in years to come.The President affirmed that from this time henceforth, it is partnership in business and not paternalistic relationship. America has to be on the spot to protect her own investment. Surely, African entreprenuers and government corporations will not sit on the fence watching their valuable economy going the forbidden ruinous route.

 There is no doubt as to who has greater economic clout than the other in the partnership. Obviously American entrepreneurs without doubt qualify for such. Elementary economics tells us that greater investment tends to yield greater returns, all things being equal. It is incontrovertible that America has more DOLLAR millionaires, billionaires and trillion owning investors than any country in Africa. Reason is not difficult to figure out because most of the sophisticated equipments will be sourced from the USA. It is obvious that American investors who want to succeed will adopt shrewd economic rationality in sourcing them from their home front, from US manufacturers and not from elsewhere.

Let us not forget that there are myriads of Africans who have gotten European and American education. They have worked in both public and private sectors and had worked in America and Europe up to managerial levels.  They have gotten rich business experience as well as knowledge about financial imperatives needed for success in business. Africa would have developed faster if political and military powers that be were equally saturated with tremendous knowledge of how to win economic war. A lot of educated elites had to return to the US and Europe when they were never allowed to use the expert knowledge they acquired. Such had contributed to under rating their worth as knowledge workers all over their land of sojourn. Of course, they did well in class in higher institutions; BUT, there existed a covert reflection on them concerning where they came from. Do not ask me for data to prove this. It is an obvious empirical observation. Besides, those affected would not happily participate in any such survey, unless they have been able to re-brave the odds to return to the attested level they were before returning to their country.                                             (This is first in a 3-part series)