Sir Adam Smith, in his famous book,”An Inquiry into the nature and causes of wealth of a Nation” discussed a topic that dragged the attention of some prominent scholars. The Topic is titled “WATER-DIAMOND-PARADOX”.
As we all know, without water, one cannot live, even if there is diamond; but today, diamond is more valuable than water, despite that it is unessential in human life. With that, Smith concluded that “Value in Use” and “Value in Exchange” were irrationally separated.
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Adam Smith is a proponent of labour theory of value, a theory which states that “the price of a good reflected the amount of labor and resources required to bring it to market.” Therefore, Diamond requires huge resource before bringing it to market, unlike water that requires less resource before reaching the society.
Even though, humans can live with or without diamonds, but can’t live without water.
Security is defined as the state of being free from danger. This means that there’s security when one has no iota of fear of losing one’s life, right and property in the society he lives in.
It provides peace of mind, job opportunities and encourages investors; therefore, every society that losses security has lost those three things mentioned.
Achieving food security is one of the main objectives of the present administration and Northern Nigeria’s main pride is farming. But today, many farmers in some vast sections of the region are afraid of going to their farms, for the fear of losing their lives.
Before the 2015 general elections, the North East wished nothing less than peace. That was the reason many people came out to vote for this government. Things improved but soon after the situation deteriorated to the extent that militants are openly levying taxes on some villages.
Recently, in Zabarmari village, Borno State over 60 people were slaughtered like animals. Yet, the C-in-C only expressed “grief” over the unfortunate incident.
During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all efforts were put in place to contain it, may be out of fear that the deadly virus is capable of reaching and killing all. But the actions of Boko Haram and the other terrorists have only a direct effect on the lives of the masses because they have no means to use aeroplane, in order to avoid being kidnapped or abundant cash to use in purchasing foods if they are stopped from farming.
How do we expect North to develop economically when investors have no certainty in returns of their investment due to the current deteriorating insecurity?
I wish Sir Adam Smith is alive today. I would’ve told him that in a peaceful society, diamond is more valuable than water, but to the likes of Zamfara, Birnin Gwari, villages in Borno and other places ravaged by persistent insecurity in Northern Nigeria; water is more valuable than diamond.
Finally, our simple demand to the president is not that usual presidential expression of shock from Aso Rock Villa after lives were lost, but an action to fulfill those 2003-2019 promises of securing our LIVES and PROPERTIES.
Sagir Ibrahim. (ibrahimsagir1227@gmail)
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