Why Nigeria Falls Behind: Lessons from Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s founding prime minister, transformed a tiny island into a global economic powerhouse. Today, Singapore’s GDP per capita is nearly ninety times higher than Nigeria’s. In a transcribed address, he asks why many former colonies, including Nigeria, underperform despite abundant resources. He notes that colonial powers united diverse groups by force, but independence requires a genuine will to form a nation. According to him, without shared purpose and cohesion, a country cannot prosper. He argues that agreeing to be a people is as vital as economic policy for national success.

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