Africa  Media  Review  Vol. 2 No. 1.  1987
® African  Council  on Communication  Education

Book  Review

Title: 

The Challenge of Industrialization  in Nigeria

Author: 

Chief Onwuka Kalu

Publisher:  Basic Trust (Publisher) Limited {1986) Lagos, Nigeria

Reviewer:  Dr. Ikechukwu E. Nwosu, University of Nigeria, Enugu

Campus, Enugu, Nigeria

Price:

US$5.00

The  problem  of  industrialization  is  one  that  most  African
countries have been grappling with since independence and with
little success. While we do not have to be depressed by the taunt ings
of economists and quasi-economists who subscribe to the "catch-
the-West  or  catch-the-East"  philosophy, we  have  to  try hard  to
industrialize  our dominantly peasant  economy, enough  to serve
the needs of our expanding populations.

that 

to  achieve 

if  African  countries  are 

In trying to achieve this purpose there is no single formula and
no one has all the answers to all the questions. Yet the point must
be  made 
their
industrialization  objectives, they have to take an internal look for
their  solutions  instead  of  referring  to  the Western and  Eastern
industrialized  nations  for 
that  are  often
inappropriate  and politically/ideologically motivated. Such  ideas
in 
long-run  make  African  nations  more  dependent
economically and politically.

ideas  and  aid 

the 

This  is why we should  see African  indigenous books like  The
in  Nigeria  by  a  30  year-old
Challenge  of  Industrialization 
Millionaire,  Chief  Onwuka  Kalu,  as  a  right  step  in  the  right
direction. This is especially so when we consider the fact that this
book is written by a young and experienced African  entrepreneur
who has been in business for more than fifteen years and is versed
in  all practice  of modern African  entrepreneurship. In  the  past

120

such  books  were  usually  written  by  academicians  who  are
sometimes  not  sufficiently  exposed  to  the  practical  aspects  of
indigenous and  international business.

As 

The forward  of the book written  by the late Prof. Frank Okwu
Ugboajah, confirms right from the onset that this book is not only
useful  for  practising  businessmen  or  industrialists  but  should
prepare African college and University students studying business
courses to think  intelligently about major economic problems of
society, and  to  look  at  economic  theory  from  a  problem-solving
context which promises a positive impact in the learning process.
the  forward,  The  Challenge  of
Industrialization  in Nigeria addresses itself to those who intend to
assume  positions  of  leadership  in  business  organizations  in
various indigenous African settings. It aims at helping these kinds
of people to learn the art of perseverance, creativity, determination,
foresight  and  personal  competence.  It  uses  Nigeria  as  a  case
example,  but  its  content,  messages,  ideas,  prescriptions  or
recommendations can easily be applied in any African country, if
not most of the developing world.

is  well-stated 

in 

This five-chapter book delivers its message very concisely and is
strengthened  by the insightful  documentation  and  references  to
leading works  in  the broad  area of industrialization,  marketing,
and business  management.

It opens by explaining very thoroughly why Nigeria and  other
African countries find it diffucult  to industrialize, and moves on to
tackle various issues and challenges the indigenous businessman
will have  to face, and  how to deal with  them as regards  national
goals, good reputation  and patronage.

The Challenge of Industrialization  in Nigeria then concludes in
two powerfully  informative  chapters that deal with the problems
and  prospects  of  the  small-scale  industrialist  in  a  developing
economy,  and 
the  essential  roles  they  must  play  towards
industrialization.  It  also  offers  a  series  of  practical  economic
blueprints  in  this  section  as  well  as  an  alternative  for  the
International  Monetary Fund  (IMF) in African  economies.

"The taste of the food is in the eating" and therefore this reviewer
would reserve further  comments on this book, so that prospective
readers may have the delight of making their own discovery. The
only critical comment one must  include here as a warning to the
prospective reader is that  he should buy the book with a positive
attitude  towards  statistical  presentation  of  business/industrial
information  because  this book contains quite a number of them

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Editorial  Advisory  Board

1.  Dr. Blnoid Aggrawal, Asia

2.  Prof. Paul Ansah, Ghana

3.  Prof. Molefi Asante, USA

4.  Dr. Cecil Blake, Japan

5.  Dr. Herve Bourges, France

6.  Mr. Jean Cloutier, Canada

7.  Dr. David Edeani, Nigeria

8.  Mr. Paul Fauvet,  Mozambique

9.  Prof. Cees Hamelink, The  Netherlands

10.  Prof. William Hachten, USA

11.  Dr. Kone Hugues. C6te d'lvoire

12.  Mr. Mustapha Masmoudi,  Tunisia

13.  Prof. All Mazrui. USA

14.  Dr. Joseph Mbindyo, Kenya

15.  Dr. Jacques Ndongo, Cameroun

16.  Prof. Alfred Opubor. Nigeria

17.  Dr. Luis Proano, Ecuador

18.  Prof. Babakar Sine, Senegal

19.  Dr. Idowu Sobowale,  Nigeria