Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Walmart to open BIG BOX Stores in NIGERIA

Mama and Papa stores? What are those? Or did they mean markets? If we have Game and Shoprite, Spar and Goodies, with South African, Indian and Arab ownership, is it out of African or third world solidarity that we are now asked to oppose Walmarts? I doubt if Walmarts with just one location in a city of 17 million is going to constitute a threat to the Mallam on the corner.  As for cheap Chinese goods, they are already here, but with possibly less quality control.

Walmarts may have its defects in the US and South Africa, and it will probably have its defects in Nigeria.  But you can't just transfer the problems in one location and society and assume that they willl be the same in a completely different locTion and society.

Ayo

On 27 Jun 2011, at 19:04, olakassimmd@aol.com wrote:

 

 

Dear All:

WalMart Inc. is set to open its first two locations in Africa in Lagos and Abuja

followed by a third in Johannessburg SA after the evaluation of the sucess

of the Nigerian oerations. This information was disclosed by Prof. Adefuye,'Nigeria;s Ambassador to the

USA during the cloing gala dinner at the NIDO Americas Inc. AGM held in Chicago on Saturday, July 25, 2011.

 

Even though there was some applause from the audience when the ambassador initially disclosed the initiatives from WalMart,

 during his keynote address some of the attendees later expressed their concerns about this development in private conversations with

the ambassador as he did not take questions from the audience after the conclusion of his address.

.

A few attendees walked up the Ambassador's table to register their objections regarding the proposed WalMart.locations

Their concerns centred mainly on the possible devastating

  impact the WalMart stores would have on neighbourhood businesses especially the small

mama and papa stores. Another attendee was overheard telling the ambassador in a private conversation

that the end result of WalMart Stores might be a situation whereby more foreign made products mostly

from China will now be sold to Nigerians at cheaper prices--to which local Nigerian manufacturers will not be able

to compete. Another attendee, a resident of  the Chicago area, opined that residents in Chicago surburbs are still

fighting to prevent WalMart from moving into their communities.

 

Ambassador Adefuye responded that he is quite willing to take into consideration written comments from

Diaspora Nigerians regarding the proposal to setup WalMart Stores in Nigeria starting with two flagship stores

in Lagos and Abuja.

 

Any one with strong opinions--for and against-- should contact the Nigerian Embassy to the USA

preferably in writing to register their views for and against the propsal form WalMart.

 

We are under democratic governance. The citizenry should theoretically have a voice into what comes into their

neighbourhoods! And that is if the foundations have not already been laid and construction started on the WalMart Stores in Lagos

and Abuja--in which case the complaints will be arriving after the horse has left the barn.

 

Bye,

 

Ola

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