African Entrepreneurship in Jos, Central Nigeria,

Transcription

1 African Entrepreneurship in Jos, Central Nigeria,

2 Carolina Academic Press African World Series Toyin Falola, Series Editor African Entrepreneurship in Jos, Central Nigeria, S.U. Fwatshak Pioneer, Patriot, and Nigerian Nationalist: A Biography of the Reverend M.D. Opara, Felix Ekechi The Tiv and Their Southern Neighbours, Emmanuel Chiahemba Ayangaôr

3 African Entrepreneurship in Jos, Central Nigeria, S.U. Fwatshak Carolina Academic Press Durham, North Carolina

4 Copyright 2011 S.U. Fwatshak All Rights Reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Fwatshak, Sati Umaru. African entrepreneurship in Jos, Central Nigeria, / S.U. Fwatshak. p. cm. -- (Carolina Academic Press African world series) Rev. version of the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Jos. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN (alk. paper) 1. Entrepreneurship--Nigeria--Jos--History--20th century. 2. Business enterprises--nigeria--jos--history--20th century. 3. Small business--nigeria-- Jos--History--20th century. 4. Free enterprise--nigeria--jos--history--20th century. 5. Jos (Nigeria)--Economic policy. I. Title. II. Series. HD2928.Z8J ' dc Carolina Academic Press 700 Kent Street Durham, North Carolina Telephone (919) Fax (919) Printed in the United States of America

5 Contents Tables ix Series Editor s Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Chapter One Introduction 3 Chapter Two Entrepreneurship in Economic Thought: Disciplinary Perspectives 15 Introduction 15 Economic Perspectives 16 Psychological Perspectives 27 Sociological Perspectives 30 Historical Perspectives 32 Conclusion: Towards a Working Definition of Entrepreneurship 33 Chapter Three Research on African Entrepreneurship 35 Introduction 35 The African Continent and the West African Sub-Region 35 The Nigerian Case 46 Conclusion 64 Chapter Four Pre-Colonial Profile of African Entrepreneurship on the Jos Plateau 67 Introduction 67 The Environment of Enterprise 67 Entrepreneurship in Production 69 Agriculture 69 Industries/Handicrafts 70 The Tin Industry 70 The Iron Industry 72 Pot Making 74 Wood Crafts 75 Weaving 76 The Leather Industries 77 v

6 vi CONTENTS The Salt Industry 78 Entrepreneurship In Trade/Exchange 79 Local Trade 80 Long Distance Trade 83 Trade Networks 83 Trade Routes 86 Trade Diaspora 87 Market Centers 90 Currencies 90 Entrepreneurs, Prices and Profits 91 Scope and Scale of African Entrepreneurship 93 Conclusion 96 Chapter Five African Entrepreneurship in Jos in the Early Colonial Period, Introduction 99 Formation of the Jos Urban Polity and Economy 100 Afizere Settlement of Guash 100 Anaguta Settlement of Naraguta 101 Berom Settlement of Kabong 102 Colonization of the Jos Area 103 Urbanization 105 Colonialism and Private Enterprises 107 Foreign Enterprises 107 Tin Mining and Other Crafts 108 Expatriate Firms in the Distributive Trade 111 Banking 112 The Levantines 113 African Entrepreneurship 113 The Distributive Trade 114 Handicrafts 116 Jos Native Authority and Potato Production and Marketing 120 The New Sectors 122 Transportation and Market Centers as Agents of Growth 126 The Transport Revolution 126 Market Centers 127 Domestic Slavery and Market Forces as Risk Factors 129 Slavery 129 Market Forces 130 Profiles of African Entrepreneurs in Jos 131 Conclusion 133

7 CONTENTS vii Chapter Six African Entrepreneurship in Jos in the Late Colonial Period, Introduction 135 Political Economy of De-Colonization 135 Foreign Enterprises 141 Tin Mining 141 Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) 142 Cinema 145 Scope and Patterns of African Entrepreneurship in Jos 146 Trade 147 Hotels 148 Contracts 148 Spare Parts 149 Commercial Transport 150 Law Practice 151 Patent Medicine/Pharmacy 151 Tin Mining 152 Industries 154 Profiles of Small-Scale African Entrepreneurs 156 Isaac Cookey Jaja 156 Chief T.A. Ladipo 157 Conclusion 158 Chapter Seven The Post-Colonial State and African Entrepreneurship in Jos, Introduction 161 The African Post-Colonial State and Capitalist Development 161 The Nigerian State and African Entrepreneurship 165 Nurture Capitalism 165 Indigenization 166 State-Owned Enterprises 171 Scope and Patterns of African Entrepreneurship in Jos Metropolis 173 Commercial Transportation 179 Laundry and Dry Cleaning 180 Discotheques 180 Cinema 180 Banking 181 Insurance and Insurance Brokerage 181 Other Businesses 182 Explaining the Question of Scale and Scope of Private African Enterprises 183

8 viii CONTENTS Foreign Enterprises (Tin Smelting) 190 Conclusion 190 Appendix I Registered Enterprises in Jos and Other Divisions, Appendix II State Assisted Enterprises in Plateau State, Appendix III Large-Scale Enterprises in Jos, Bukuru and the Local Governments of Plateau State, Bibliography 219 Index 235

9 Tables Table 6.1 Private Enterprises with Declared Share Capital of Above N50, Table 7.1 Some Enterprises in the Post-Colonial Period Worth N5000 and Above by Period of Origin 174 Table 7.2 Enterprises in Jos with Share Capital Worth One Million and Above 184 Table 7.3 Enterprises with Share Capital Worth a Quarter Million but Less Than One Million 185 ix

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11 Series Editor s Preface The Carolina Academic Press African World Series, inaugurated in 2010, offers significant new works in the field of African and Black World studies. The series provides scholarly and educational texts that can serve both as reference works and as readers in college classes. Studies in the series are anchored in the existing humanistic and the social scientific traditions. Their goal, however, is the identification and elaboration of the strategic place of Africa and its Diaspora in a shifting global world. More specifically, the studies will address gaps and larger needs in the developing scholarship on Africa and the Black World. The series intends to fill gaps in areas such as African politics, history, law, religion, culture, sociology, literature, philosophy, visual arts, art history, geography, language, health, and social welfare. Given the complex nature of Africa and its Diaspora, and the constantly shifting perspectives prompted by globalization, the series also meets a vital need for scholarship connecting knowledge with events and practices. Reflecting the fact that life in Africa continues to change, especially in the political arena, the series explores issues emanating from racial and ethnic identities, particularly those connected with the ongoing mobilization of ethnic minorities for inclusion and representation. Toyin Falola University of Texas at Austin xi

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13 Acknowledgments The writing of this book was made possible by the contributions of many people, organizations, institutions and committees to whom I owe debts of gratitude. I am profoundly grateful to Professor Monday Mangvwat, former Vice- Chancellor of the University of Jos, who supervised my Ph.D. thesis which is the corner stone of this book. Since 1990 when we first met, he has shown keen interest in me as a person and most especially as an academic. I am also grateful to the Government of the United States of America, the Fulbright Commission, the Public Affairs Section and the Embassy of the United States for awarding me a Fulbright Grant for the 2000/2001 academic session. The grant enabled me to carry out research at New York University (NYU), New York. This proved most rewarding, as the BOBST Library of the School has a rich collection. My academic advisor at New York University, Professor Yaw Nyarko was very understanding, co-operative and helpful. I so much cherish his kind assistance. Similarly, I am highly grateful to Professor Richard W. Hull of the History Department at NYU. He was fatherly and very kind to me. He assisted me in many ways. He made me feel as a member of the faculty. He read and suggested corrections to some of my drafts. He gave me books and shared with me both my dull and bright moments. I also wish to thank Mr. Nimi Wariboki, Adjunct faculty at NYU. He directed me to where I could get some of the relevant texts I needed and also read and corrected some of my drafts. Two Lecturers in the Economics Department of NYU deserve mention and thanks. They are Professor David B.H. Denoon, and Professor Ray Debraj. They allowed me audit courses they taught and were personally friendly. Emily Rizzo, my administrative advisor at NYU was also very useful. She sorted out all administrative issues that I had to deal with and made my stay at NYU comfortable. Linda and Lauren of the Economics Department also provided immeasurable assistance with photocopying some rare materials. Lateef Olawale of the Law Faculty at NYU was a great friend, and compatriot. He showed me enormous love, as I shared with him his house at Brooklyn during the last three months of my stay in New York. The staff and xiii

14 xiv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS management of Metro International were incredible. Through Metro s programs, I got to know more of New York City. Virginia Shufford, Ann, and Aneka were creative with designing social programs, which enabled me and other Fulbrighters know New York City better. Dennis Anderson and Mr. Richard Tsui of Pace University, New York, were most friendly and kind. When my laptop crashed, they helped me fix it. I also appreciate the kind gestures of Virginia Franklin and her mother of the Bronx, New York. I had Thanksgiving dinner with them in November Virginia was another useful source of orientation on New York City. I acknowledge with gratitude the love, kindness and charity of Dr. Buba Misawa of Washington and Jefferson s College in Pittsburgh. He gave Dr. Dafur and I a brotherly treatment. I also wish to thank the staff of the History Department University of Jos, for being brotherly. My academic colleagues took my courses during my absences in 2000/2001 and in 2009/2010. I thank most especially the one time Heads of Department, L.D. Walu and Dr. B.T. Bingel and the former Dean of the Arts Faculty, Professor J.F. Jemkur for the confidence they had in me and assistance they rendered me when I got the Fulbright award. Kris Kuju, Yusuf Mugu, Prof. Umar Danfulani are friends, brothers, and colleagues. I cannot say more: the rest is in the heart. My wife, Joy and three kids, Dhiret, Shyaar and Nyasi, showed endless understanding. They have borne the brunt of my failure to have time for them without grudges. My Uncles J.D. Yilzung, John Tongle supported me beyond mention. I am also very grateful to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor S. G. Tyoden and the Vice-Chancellor of Benue State University, Makurdi, Professor P. Sorkaa, for granting me Sabbatical Leave to Benue State University in the 2009/10 session and thereby enabled me to revise my Ph.D. thesis in a publishable form. The academic and non-academic faculty of the Department of History, Benue State University, gave me warm welcome and made me accomplish the task I set for myself during the sabbatical leave. I would also like thank Professor Toyin Falola of the University of Texas at Austin, USA for encouraging me in various ways to publish in the United States of America. I have never met a man so versatile and accomplished and yet associating with the lowly.