THIS REPUBLIC By Shaka Momodu, Email: shaka.momodu@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0811 266 1654
Against my well-considered advice, President Muhammadu Buhari travelled
to the United States of America on July 20, on a three-day official
visit full of hopes and expectations. I had advised him in an article
titled: “Redemption Lies Within, and Not in America”, a few weeks before
his trip. I tried to draw his attention to a Middle-east scholar,
Bernard Lewis’ perfect depiction of America as “... harmless as an
enemy, (but) treacherous as a friend” to lower his expectations of
America’s support in overcoming our country’s current challenges. I
predicted then that nothing tangible would come out of the visit, and
that he should rather look inwards for solutions. I suggested that the
entire gamut of Nigeria’s security architecture should be reviewed with a
view to reviving the military industrial complex and focus on local
manufacture of most of the country’s military needs. Well, he has gone
to America where he got a full dose of lavish praises from President
Barack Obama. If the success of the trip is measured by the amount of
praise he received from his host, and the fact that President Obama was
“magnanimous and gracious” enough to let our president stay in the much
hyped “historic” Blair House, then Buhari’s trip to the US was a
resounding success. But if it is measured by concrete and verifiable
benefits to this country, then that trip could not, by any stretch of
the imagination, be called a success, as many would want us to believe.
Anyway, given the unpreparedness of our president before embarking on
the trip, it would have been a miracle if anything concrete had come out
of it.
to the United States of America on July 20, on a three-day official
visit full of hopes and expectations. I had advised him in an article
titled: “Redemption Lies Within, and Not in America”, a few weeks before
his trip. I tried to draw his attention to a Middle-east scholar,
Bernard Lewis’ perfect depiction of America as “... harmless as an
enemy, (but) treacherous as a friend” to lower his expectations of
America’s support in overcoming our country’s current challenges. I
predicted then that nothing tangible would come out of the visit, and
that he should rather look inwards for solutions. I suggested that the
entire gamut of Nigeria’s security architecture should be reviewed with a
view to reviving the military industrial complex and focus on local
manufacture of most of the country’s military needs. Well, he has gone
to America where he got a full dose of lavish praises from President
Barack Obama. If the success of the trip is measured by the amount of
praise he received from his host, and the fact that President Obama was
“magnanimous and gracious” enough to let our president stay in the much
hyped “historic” Blair House, then Buhari’s trip to the US was a
resounding success. But if it is measured by concrete and verifiable
benefits to this country, then that trip could not, by any stretch of
the imagination, be called a success, as many would want us to believe.
Anyway, given the unpreparedness of our president before embarking on
the trip, it would have been a miracle if anything concrete had come out
of it.
But let me quickly point out here that there was one small spark of
light from Buhari’s US visit - that moment of self-assertion - where our
president did us proud: the craze for unnatural same-sex unions that
has become an obsession with the West, which they eagerly wanted to
export to Nigeria and Africa, was finally shot down with an air of
finality. With some measure of gusto despite his age, he told the
Americans to their face that our laws, culture and traditions were
against it. I felt a surge of excitement, and I was happy our president
did not cave in to the new abhorrent campaign led by the “leader of the
free world” to have two men, or two women become husband and wife. As
far as I can tell, it was our president’s best accomplishment (if it
bears any whiff of that) during that visit.
light from Buhari’s US visit - that moment of self-assertion - where our
president did us proud: the craze for unnatural same-sex unions that
has become an obsession with the West, which they eagerly wanted to
export to Nigeria and Africa, was finally shot down with an air of
finality. With some measure of gusto despite his age, he told the
Americans to their face that our laws, culture and traditions were
against it. I felt a surge of excitement, and I was happy our president
did not cave in to the new abhorrent campaign led by the “leader of the
free world” to have two men, or two women become husband and wife. As
far as I can tell, it was our president’s best accomplishment (if it
bears any whiff of that) during that visit.
But beyond that, Obama’s invitation to Buhari must be situated where it
truly belonged. Obama baited our president, who fell for it just as
many Nigerians - who were too excited to see beyond the “bribe”- and
what it was really meant to achieve, which was to massage our
president’s ego and give Nigerians a false sense of importance. All
that could have been accomplished with a simple press statement from the
White House spokesman without the necessity of piling thousands of air
miles on a trip to America that he was neither prepared for nor was it
even necessary in the first place. The truth is that Obama was looking
for a way out not to visit Nigeria on his third trip to Africa. Knowing
very well that leaving the world’s most populous black country out of
his African visit yet again would make his disdain for Nigeria and
perhaps, the way we conduct our affairs too obvious, he offered to host
Buhari on a three-day visit in the “historic Blair House”. This was
celebrated by many Nigerians of the Facebook and Twitter generation as a
measure of how highly the US regarded Nigeria. It was not. Rather, it
was a clever way to silence any criticism of his snub of Nigeria on his
third visit to the continent. Buhari had hardly left America when Obama
travelled out to his father’s native Kenya from where he travelled to
Ethiopia to address the African Union meeting in Addis Ababa. I doubt
if after the initial welcome to the White House where he showered
praises on Buhari for his anti-corruption stance and the photo ops, if
he had any further audience with him to discuss any economic or
bilateral agreement. If he did, then the public is unaware of it.
truly belonged. Obama baited our president, who fell for it just as
many Nigerians - who were too excited to see beyond the “bribe”- and
what it was really meant to achieve, which was to massage our
president’s ego and give Nigerians a false sense of importance. All
that could have been accomplished with a simple press statement from the
White House spokesman without the necessity of piling thousands of air
miles on a trip to America that he was neither prepared for nor was it
even necessary in the first place. The truth is that Obama was looking
for a way out not to visit Nigeria on his third trip to Africa. Knowing
very well that leaving the world’s most populous black country out of
his African visit yet again would make his disdain for Nigeria and
perhaps, the way we conduct our affairs too obvious, he offered to host
Buhari on a three-day visit in the “historic Blair House”. This was
celebrated by many Nigerians of the Facebook and Twitter generation as a
measure of how highly the US regarded Nigeria. It was not. Rather, it
was a clever way to silence any criticism of his snub of Nigeria on his
third visit to the continent. Buhari had hardly left America when Obama
travelled out to his father’s native Kenya from where he travelled to
Ethiopia to address the African Union meeting in Addis Ababa. I doubt
if after the initial welcome to the White House where he showered
praises on Buhari for his anti-corruption stance and the photo ops, if
he had any further audience with him to discuss any economic or
bilateral agreement. If he did, then the public is unaware of it.
The first shocker Buhari must have received was the calibre of persons
sent by Obama to receive him at the St Andrews Air Force base. That
delegation was led by the Assistant Secretary of State for African
Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and the US Ambassador to Nigeria,
James Entwistle. Where was the Vice-President Joe Biden? Where was the
Secretary of State, John Kerry? I think the president of Nigeria
deserved far more respect than what Buhari was accorded by Obama; forget
all the shower of praises on Buhari. If the US truly respects Nigeria,
it will be obvious from the way our president is received and treated
when on a state visit. Imagine if it were Obama who visited Nigeria, how
would it appear if Nigeria were to send its ambassador to America and a
diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to receive the president of
the United States at the airport? But I am as sure as the sun rises
from the east that our president would have been driven to the airport
with the vice-president and all his ministers in tow, in the rain or in
the sun to welcome Obama to Nigeria.
sent by Obama to receive him at the St Andrews Air Force base. That
delegation was led by the Assistant Secretary of State for African
Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and the US Ambassador to Nigeria,
James Entwistle. Where was the Vice-President Joe Biden? Where was the
Secretary of State, John Kerry? I think the president of Nigeria
deserved far more respect than what Buhari was accorded by Obama; forget
all the shower of praises on Buhari. If the US truly respects Nigeria,
it will be obvious from the way our president is received and treated
when on a state visit. Imagine if it were Obama who visited Nigeria, how
would it appear if Nigeria were to send its ambassador to America and a
diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to receive the president of
the United States at the airport? But I am as sure as the sun rises
from the east that our president would have been driven to the airport
with the vice-president and all his ministers in tow, in the rain or in
the sun to welcome Obama to Nigeria.
It is a shame that we hardly know how to carry ourselves or even attach
any self-worth to ourselves anymore. So, when indignity is meted out to
us by America and its allies, our response is annoyingly ineffectual
and even wimpish. It is a crying shame that most of us have conditioned
ourselves to being inferior to the Western world – and we now accept
nearly everything dished out by them as commands that must be obeyed.
any self-worth to ourselves anymore. So, when indignity is meted out to
us by America and its allies, our response is annoyingly ineffectual
and even wimpish. It is a crying shame that most of us have conditioned
ourselves to being inferior to the Western world – and we now accept
nearly everything dished out by them as commands that must be obeyed.
I felt numb with shock reading a very silly comment recently by a very
ridiculous individual who tried to advertise knowledge but ended up
exhibiting stupidity and slavish mentality - that “the West owns us”. I
felt sick to my stomach at the complete self-denigration in that
mindset. Filled with righteous indignation, I was flabbergasted by how
deep-rooted and far off-track we have derailed as a people. This
mentality was taken to an unbelievable extreme by Governor Rochas
Okorocha of Imo State - who on his return from the US printed billboards
of himself shaking hands with Obama (he still owes workers’ salaries
while wasting the state’s resources) and positioned them at strategic
locations all over the state.
ridiculous individual who tried to advertise knowledge but ended up
exhibiting stupidity and slavish mentality - that “the West owns us”. I
felt sick to my stomach at the complete self-denigration in that
mindset. Filled with righteous indignation, I was flabbergasted by how
deep-rooted and far off-track we have derailed as a people. This
mentality was taken to an unbelievable extreme by Governor Rochas
Okorocha of Imo State - who on his return from the US printed billboards
of himself shaking hands with Obama (he still owes workers’ salaries
while wasting the state’s resources) and positioned them at strategic
locations all over the state.
But beyond how America and its Western allies treat us, is how we want
to be treated or respected. Buhari travelled to America with a 33-man
entourage on a supposed state visit on July 20, over 50 days after his
assumption of office, but without the full complement of a cabinet - no
Minister of Foreign Affairs, no Minister of Finance, no Minister of
Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, no Minister of Economic
Planning and such other important cabinet officials who should have
accompanied him on that trip. They could have - perhaps, nearly measured
up to their US counterparts and articulated our position in discussions
on a more balanced level. Instead, he carried opportunistic governors,
an ex-governor, permanent secretaries, and other officials who lacked
the requisite stature, confidence, experience and exposure to interact
with the US cabinet officials, but were only too happy to go to America
on the president’s entourage. At the end of the visit, Nigeria came out
short-changed by its own lacklustre and lackadaisical attitude to
everything that requires meticulous planning. By that alone, our country
demonstrated weakness, not strength, while America reinforced its
stereotype about us as an unserious set of people, unwilling or perhaps,
unable to show movement towards change that ennobles. Yet, that was
supposed to be a pivotal trip going by the way it was hyped in the
media.
to be treated or respected. Buhari travelled to America with a 33-man
entourage on a supposed state visit on July 20, over 50 days after his
assumption of office, but without the full complement of a cabinet - no
Minister of Foreign Affairs, no Minister of Finance, no Minister of
Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, no Minister of Economic
Planning and such other important cabinet officials who should have
accompanied him on that trip. They could have - perhaps, nearly measured
up to their US counterparts and articulated our position in discussions
on a more balanced level. Instead, he carried opportunistic governors,
an ex-governor, permanent secretaries, and other officials who lacked
the requisite stature, confidence, experience and exposure to interact
with the US cabinet officials, but were only too happy to go to America
on the president’s entourage. At the end of the visit, Nigeria came out
short-changed by its own lacklustre and lackadaisical attitude to
everything that requires meticulous planning. By that alone, our country
demonstrated weakness, not strength, while America reinforced its
stereotype about us as an unserious set of people, unwilling or perhaps,
unable to show movement towards change that ennobles. Yet, that was
supposed to be a pivotal trip going by the way it was hyped in the
media.
It was shameful the way the president tried to justify his inability to
put his cabinet together in an article in The Washington Post - on the
grounds that even President Obama did not have his full cabinet in place
for months after he took office. Whoever included that line in that
article did our president a great disservice.
put his cabinet together in an article in The Washington Post - on the
grounds that even President Obama did not have his full cabinet in place
for months after he took office. Whoever included that line in that
article did our president a great disservice.
For far too long, Africa has waited on Nigeria to redeem itself and the
black race. It is blessed with abundant natural and human resources to
do so, but has failed woefully to command respect from within and
outside the continent. This is essentially because its leaders not only
lack the confidence and self-esteem to engage, they are too timid and
too preoccupied with the primitive accumulation of wealth than to
bother themselves with the rigorous and onerous task of developing a
broad “progressive vision” for uplifting the continent out of poverty
and disease.
black race. It is blessed with abundant natural and human resources to
do so, but has failed woefully to command respect from within and
outside the continent. This is essentially because its leaders not only
lack the confidence and self-esteem to engage, they are too timid and
too preoccupied with the primitive accumulation of wealth than to
bother themselves with the rigorous and onerous task of developing a
broad “progressive vision” for uplifting the continent out of poverty
and disease.
Now, let’s address the more fundamental aspect of the entire visit.
What was achieved during the so-called state visit? The president’s
party and spin doctors want us to believe the trip was a huge success.
Well, they have the right to indulge themselves with such claims. But
such claims and assumptions must be subjected to interrogation of
evidence.
What was achieved during the so-called state visit? The president’s
party and spin doctors want us to believe the trip was a huge success.
Well, they have the right to indulge themselves with such claims. But
such claims and assumptions must be subjected to interrogation of
evidence.
In this, I find it curious that neither a bilateral trade agreement nor
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during Buhari’s state
visit – at least not to the knowledge of the public; no new economic
proposals were initiated or pending ones finally sealed during the
visit; no state dinner; no joint press conference was held by the two
leaders to announce landmark deals reached on trade, easing of visa
challenges for citizens of both countries, review of the extradition
treaty between both countries.
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during Buhari’s state
visit – at least not to the knowledge of the public; no new economic
proposals were initiated or pending ones finally sealed during the
visit; no state dinner; no joint press conference was held by the two
leaders to announce landmark deals reached on trade, easing of visa
challenges for citizens of both countries, review of the extradition
treaty between both countries.
To make matters worse, the most pressing aspects of our president’s
wish list — the purchase of military hardware from the US to aid our
country in its raging war against the terrorists in the North-east —
were rebuffed by the Obama administration, citing the Leahy Law. All he
got was promise of intelligence and training. Buhari later gave full
vent to his feelings, expressing his frustration with the US arms
embargo on Nigeria in his speech at the United States Institute for
Peace (USIP). He said: “Regrettably, the blanket application of the
Leahy Law by the United States on the grounds of unproven allegations of
human rights violations levelled against our forces has denied us
access to appropriate strategic weapons to prosecute the war against the
insurgents.
wish list — the purchase of military hardware from the US to aid our
country in its raging war against the terrorists in the North-east —
were rebuffed by the Obama administration, citing the Leahy Law. All he
got was promise of intelligence and training. Buhari later gave full
vent to his feelings, expressing his frustration with the US arms
embargo on Nigeria in his speech at the United States Institute for
Peace (USIP). He said: “Regrettably, the blanket application of the
Leahy Law by the United States on the grounds of unproven allegations of
human rights violations levelled against our forces has denied us
access to appropriate strategic weapons to prosecute the war against the
insurgents.
“Unwittingly, and I dare say, unintentionally, the application of the
Leahy Law amendment by the US government has aided and abetted the Boko
Haram terrorist group...” This presentation provoked the ire of Senator
Patrick Leahy himself - the man behind the law. He pointedly told our
president off, advising him to face up to his own responsibility of
tackling Boko Haram. He described our soldiers as murderers and rapists.
Interestingly, our president tried to retract his presentation,
apparently not to hurt “almighty” America. It was a tragic about-face
for our president. That singular climb-down on a well stated fact
further weakened Nigeria’s position, thereby playing into America’s
strategic objective of having a weak Nigeria bogged down in internal
security challenges. Oh, yes - a weak Nigeria will be unable to mobilise
Africa to speak with one voice to challenge America’s foray into the
continent. America is not going to sell strategic weapons to Nigeria to
help it defeat Boko Haram. Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, cannot
project power on the world stage with a pathetically weak military and a
corruption-riddled way of life. For the umpteenth time, I repeat:
redemption lies within not in America.
Leahy Law amendment by the US government has aided and abetted the Boko
Haram terrorist group...” This presentation provoked the ire of Senator
Patrick Leahy himself - the man behind the law. He pointedly told our
president off, advising him to face up to his own responsibility of
tackling Boko Haram. He described our soldiers as murderers and rapists.
Interestingly, our president tried to retract his presentation,
apparently not to hurt “almighty” America. It was a tragic about-face
for our president. That singular climb-down on a well stated fact
further weakened Nigeria’s position, thereby playing into America’s
strategic objective of having a weak Nigeria bogged down in internal
security challenges. Oh, yes - a weak Nigeria will be unable to mobilise
Africa to speak with one voice to challenge America’s foray into the
continent. America is not going to sell strategic weapons to Nigeria to
help it defeat Boko Haram. Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, cannot
project power on the world stage with a pathetically weak military and a
corruption-riddled way of life. For the umpteenth time, I repeat:
redemption lies within not in America.
America and the United Kingdom didn’t achieve greatness by going cap in
hand begging other nations for help. Germany and Japan rose to
superpower status once again, awash with economic prosperity from the
ashes of defeat in World War II. Brazil, Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore
are doing extremely well because their leaders are dreamers with
visions, and doers who have lifted their societies high among nations.
But here, we have treasury-looters whose only motivation for seeking
power is self-enrichment at the expense of the collective.
It is instructive that Buhari is only now calling on our military
chiefs to draw a plan for the local manufacture of weapons after America
and its allies rebuffed his request to buy arms from them. This should
have been his first act from day one of taking office. But it is
soothing that he is finally looking inwards.
hand begging other nations for help. Germany and Japan rose to
superpower status once again, awash with economic prosperity from the
ashes of defeat in World War II. Brazil, Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore
are doing extremely well because their leaders are dreamers with
visions, and doers who have lifted their societies high among nations.
But here, we have treasury-looters whose only motivation for seeking
power is self-enrichment at the expense of the collective.
It is instructive that Buhari is only now calling on our military
chiefs to draw a plan for the local manufacture of weapons after America
and its allies rebuffed his request to buy arms from them. This should
have been his first act from day one of taking office. But it is
soothing that he is finally looking inwards.
It is a pity that Nigeria, once a country that held great promise, has
sadly become a beggarly nation wallowing in self-pity. Our visionless
leaders over the years have brought the country so low - that it is now a
shadow of its once glorious and confident self; a nation begging for
mercy and help from a reluctant superpower and its allies. Our president
goes about with a wish list begging the West for weapons – first was to
the G7 nations. And what did they tell him? They just tossed him around
with the false promise to look into it. Who does not know that, that is
just a diplomatic way of saying no?
sadly become a beggarly nation wallowing in self-pity. Our visionless
leaders over the years have brought the country so low - that it is now a
shadow of its once glorious and confident self; a nation begging for
mercy and help from a reluctant superpower and its allies. Our president
goes about with a wish list begging the West for weapons – first was to
the G7 nations. And what did they tell him? They just tossed him around
with the false promise to look into it. Who does not know that, that is
just a diplomatic way of saying no?
It was Khali Gibran, a Lebanese-American, who wrote the poem, “Pity the
Nation” in 1984. It is a poem that tells the story of Nigeria so
perfectly that you would think he had Nigeria in mind when he wrote it
nearly 30 years ago. It goes thus: “Pity the nation that is full of
beliefs, and empty of religion.
Nation” in 1984. It is a poem that tells the story of Nigeria so
perfectly that you would think he had Nigeria in mind when he wrote it
nearly 30 years ago. It goes thus: “Pity the nation that is full of
beliefs, and empty of religion.
“Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it
does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own
wine-press.
does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own
wine-press.
“Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero, and that deems the
glittering conqueror bountiful. Pity a nation that despises a passion in
its dream, yet submits in its awakening.
glittering conqueror bountiful. Pity a nation that despises a passion in
its dream, yet submits in its awakening.
“Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a
funeral, boasts not except among in its ruins, and will rebel not save
when its neck is laid between the sword and the block. Pity the nation
whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art
is the art of patching and mimicking.
funeral, boasts not except among in its ruins, and will rebel not save
when its neck is laid between the sword and the block. Pity the nation
whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art
is the art of patching and mimicking.
“Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpeting, and
farewells him with hooting, only to welcome another with trumpeting
again. Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years and whose strong
men are yet in the cradle. Pity the nation divided into fragments, each
fragment deeming itself a nation.” Need I say more?
farewells him with hooting, only to welcome another with trumpeting
again. Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years and whose strong
men are yet in the cradle. Pity the nation divided into fragments, each
fragment deeming itself a nation.” Need I say more?
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