As the United Kingdom voted on Thursday to leave the European Union, experts have said Nigerians should be worried about the negative impacts of the referendum that polarised their former colonial master 52 per cent to 48.

Director-General of the Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, told Saturday PUNCH that migrants should expect tougher days ahead as a fall out of the decision, tagged Brexit.

According to him, the side which called for the exit of Britain from the EU had particularly ascribed many of the problems plaguing the UK in recent times to migrants.

He said, “Some of them blame migrants for unemployment, various econometric issues and even traffic jams.

“When a British lawmaker, Jo Cox, was murdered by a nationalist recently, his killer, (52-year-old Thomas Mair) shouted ‘Death to the traitors, freedom to freedom!’ in court. The implication of that for Nigerians is that those who advocated for leaving the UK would be very strict and hostile to migrants in the foreseeable future.

“The mere fact that migrants are believed to be responsible for a lot of problems and the fact that many Nigerians would like to make Britain their second home, is a sign that they must prepare for harder days to come.”

The don also said Brexit might reduce the amount of development aids Nigeria gets from the EU since Britain, which had decided to leave, contributes 15 per cent of the operational budget of the union.

He said there is likelihood that Brexit would weaken the EU especially in terms of financial capabilities and the fall out would be a reduction in aids and assistance to Nigeria.

“This will also affect Nigeria because European countries are the first direction of our trade. If the union is suffering from whatever virus, Nigeria will also have its own share,” he said.

Some of his views are also shared by Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, who 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,” Prof. Utomi said.

“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. The don said 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.

A Professor of Energy Economics, Adenikinju Adeola, said the fact that the exit of Britain from the EU had created an uncertainty in the global market, would have a direct impact on Nigeria’s open economy.

According to him, Nigeria’s effort to sign a partnership agreement with the EU, which Britain is part of, that will allow for free access of goods and services from both sides, may have to be renegotiated.

He said, “Every agreement that has been signed will be affected in one way or the other. Like some experts have rightly said, the exit is going to cause a global recession in the economy because it will affect the demand for oil, which is the major source of Nigeria’s income.

“Nigeria is trying to borrow money from the global financial market to fund the budget and other projects, but the Britain exit may also affect the chances of the country in assessing the loan.”

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, told Saturday PUNCH that the historical tie between Nigeria and Britain, which indirectly dovetails into the EU, is one of the reasons, the country should be worried about Brexit.

“If Britain, which is the strongest ally of Nigeria, pulls out from the EU, you can imagine what that means for Nigeria.” he said.

http://www.punchng.com/brexitll-negative-effect-nigeria-akinterinwa-utomi-others/ lalasticlala, dominique, Mynd44

I also said this to my friends yesterday.... the negative effect will be massive to Nigeria. Well, biafra will be emerged soon... referendum is trending now.

Please visit my signature please!

if it will lead to the death of Nigga area,I'm in support.

"Making people stay in a union that they don’t like is now the equivalent of slavery in the modern age." Referendum is now trending globally.

"POLITICIANS across Europe have called for their own referendums in the wake of Britain's historic decision to quit the EU" Italy, France, Holland and Denmark ALL call for referendums
"http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/682339/Brexit-spreads-across-Europe-Italy-France-Holland-Denmark-all-call-for-referendums"

Hope Nigeria can learn how to have a peaceful referendum from the west and give people their democratic right to choose where they want to be.

The truth about Nigeria , even if they let Biafra or Massob have a referendum....... they will buy votes.....and ... RIG the results to favour Nigeria ..and kill themselves or..... start a war..........Our politicians are Mafiass

@Adesiji77 You know we will actually gain more from Brexit? People that are saying it will trigger referendum across the world has not read Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. It will have effect because it weigh upon global growth, but how is that different from August 11, 2015 China devaluation?

Truth234:
@Adesiji77 You know we will actually gain more from Brexit? People that are saying it will trigger referendum across the world has not read Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. It will have effect because it weigh upon global growth, but how is that different from August 11, 2015 China devaluation?

You may be right bro. Read a few articles on "Article 50" and I could see that all the doomsday prophecies about Brexit could be scare-mongering afterall. In fact, Brexit may not actually happen.

Whatever happens, Cameron has stylishly passed the "dirty job" to his successor

In the words of Tim Stanley " Have a pint, have a Pimms. Be merry. Summer’s coming. Britain is still golden and there’s always time for tea."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCWAkaTTTK8

[size=14pt]Brexit vote: What will be the consequences for Africa?[/size]

After the landmark referendum in which voters in Britain decided to leave the European Union,
questions are now being asked on what the consequences of the vote will have on African economies.
In Nigeria, analysts say the vote will not have much of an impact.