Renowned Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has reacted to the exit of the United Kingdom from European Union saying decision will have a far reaching effect on Nigeria and Africa.
The UK voted to leave EU in a close-margin referendum which saw 48 percent vote to stay and 52 prefer to leave.
Reacting to this, Utomi said that the referendum might ignite similar self-determination spirit in other parts of the world especially, Africa.
“I have a feeling that this is a new dawn for plebiscite or referendum democracy. People are going to be asking why they should be in any union. It could be Sierra Leone, it could be Nigeria. They will call for their own referendum. Culture, trends and patterns tend to take on a global dimension.
“We have arrived at the age of self-determination. Making people stay in a union that they don’t like is now the equivalent of slavery in the modern age. It may get to the extent that many of the concocted states of West Africa that came out of the Berlin Conference, will begin to unravel. It has huge implication,” Prof Utomi said.
He added that there might not be any change in immigration situation in Britain since the nation was already tough on immigration.
But he believes the EU will seek to build new trade partnerships while Britain will make efforts to cement old trade alliances with countries like Nigeria.
The UK voted to leave EU in a close-margin referendum which saw 48 percent vote to stay and 52 prefer to leave.
Reacting to this, Utomi said that the referendum might ignite similar self-determination spirit in other parts of the world especially, Africa.
“I have a feeling that this is a new dawn for plebiscite or referendum democracy. People are going to be asking why they should be in any union. It could be Sierra Leone, it could be Nigeria. They will call for their own referendum. Culture, trends and patterns tend to take on a global dimension.
“We have arrived at the age of self-determination. Making people stay in a union that they don’t like is now the equivalent of slavery in the modern age. It may get to the extent that many of the concocted states of West Africa that came out of the Berlin Conference, will begin to unravel. It has huge implication,” Prof Utomi said.
He added that there might not be any change in immigration situation in Britain since the nation was already tough on immigration.
But he believes the EU will seek to build new trade partnerships while Britain will make efforts to cement old trade alliances with countries like Nigeria.
