President Muhammadu Buhari left the shores of this country on Sunday 19th July, 2015 for a four-day visit to the USA amid so much hope and optimism. His most ardent supporter have made it to look as if the journey is an achievement on its own and some of his ardent supporters have made it look as if it's the end to all of our problems.

I'm not going to base this opinion on any political party leaning or partisanship. Whether I'm an APC supporter or not is not relevant here, I just want to analyse this visit as both a Nigerian and a political scientist. I'll welcome informed and intellectual contributions devoid of insults and jejune knuckle-dragging arguments.

There is no need reminding that the USA is a powerful country, the largest economy in the world and the world's greatest military power. Nigeria is a developing third world country. President Buhari during the presidential campaign made a whole lot of promises but the promises he made to Nigerians can be bundled together under three encompassing structures: Security, Anti-corruption and the Economy. This 3 frameworks if carefully studied are the bedrock, the fulcrum of our nation and the myriad of problems facing it. Good foresight from the president and his team to pinpoint that. However, the president began to deviate from the moment he went to the G7 summit with a wish list. One thing the president should understand is that the G7 is a group of the world's most industrialised countries and these countries have one thing in common CAPITALISM. From the itinerary of his visit and feelers around, the president's visit to the USA is also hinged on these 3 vocal points. This is where the issue becomes complicated. Some supporters of the president have made it look as if these issues will be sorted once Buhari gets to the USA, ladies and gentlemen it's untrue. If anything, the issues might become complicated.

Like I normally tell people around me, the devil, MTN and USA have one thing in common, they'll give a chicken and expect a cow in return. If the USA decides to help on all these issues, there will definitely be stringent conditions attached to it which in the long run is not beneficial and also harmful to our nation. This is a country whom months ago refused to sell arms to our country in its fight against insurgency. Forget the new found romance between the USA and the new government, their foreign policy will never change. Whether republican or democrat, the American nation has just ONE foreign policy; the maintenance of the Unipolar world (one in which the USA is the only world power). The path they take is what brings the difference. They've only seen a government which they assume will be more receptive to their shenanigans. I hope the president doesn't fall for their tricks. How do you expect a nation so indebted and capital driven like the USA to dash millions of dollars in the fight against insurgency and also economic and infrastructural developement without expecting anything in return? There is more to it than meets the eyes. To make it simpler, I'll like to break down my arguments.

1. Capitalism is all about profits
The most important factor about capitalism is that is all about capital and profit. Invest little, earn more. The USA is the symbol of capitalism in our contemporary world. The spirit, body and soul. A capitalist doesn't dash money out anyhow without expecting returns in manifolds. The USA will only help so as you tie you down with stringent conditions attached to the help. Capitalists are not your friend, they are only after the money, ask Greece.

2. For How Long Will We Continue To Be Dependent?
The dependency by third world countries on western capitalist countries continues. How do you explain a situation where a president who wants to rule over 170million people hinge his promises and its actual actualization on the help of western countries. Buhari campaigned on "change", the role played by western capitalist apologists can never be over-emphasized. They didn't do all these for charity. Everything they do is about profits and profits alone. This means they surely expect something in return. That's where dependency comes in. Dependency is a socio-political and economic theory in international political parlance. Prominent dependency theorists are Raul Prebisch, Hamza Alavi, Andre Gunder Frank, Samir Amir et al they posited that "Dependency theory is the notion that resources flow from a "periphery" of poor and underdeveloped states to a "core" of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of the former. It is a central contention of dependency theory that poor states are impoverished and rich ones enriched by the way poor states are integrated into the " world system"." They premised their arguments on these basic thoughts 1.Poor nations provide natural resources, cheap labour, a destination for obsolete technology, and markets for developed nations, without which the latter could not have the standard of living they enjoy.
2.Wealthy nations actively perpetuate a state of dependence by various means. This influence may be multifaceted, involving economics, media control, politics, bankingand finance, education, culture, and sport. You can read further about dependency theory, modernisation theory, world systems theory etc.

3. Imperialism in disguise
Due to time and space constraints, I wouldn't want to go into details of what imperialism is. But US and its western allies are up to something. The answer is not far-fetched; it's basically imperialism at play. This is economic and political subjugation in its real sense. USA wouldn't offer to help you without subjugating you to its whims and caprices. Let's call a spade a spade, these yankees are not father christmas that will be doling out money for free. They are just furthering their imperialist and capitalist missions. This is simply world systems theory. Please read up about it and also get some works by Andre Gunder Frank and Walter Rodney's "How Europe Under-developed Africa"

It's your choice to be a pessimist.

hmmm

Opinion indeed

Posters above me are the typical Ostrishes

4. Never forget the devil's theory
Sounds funny? Yes it does but there is actually what's called the devil's theory. This was as a result of a study carried out by a US senate committee headed by Joseph Nye to study why US is perennially at war. They came up with the devil's theory of which the "military-industrial complex". This means in a simple sense, the ploy by arms manufacturers to influence government officials and especially congressmen to make laws that will perpetually put the USA on the war front. This makes the USA to have a belligerent and aggressive foreign policy that makes it to perpetually be at war. More war, more profits for the multi-billion dollars arms manufacturing industry. They are powerful players in USA politics. President Buhari should be wary of this banana peel. We are still fighting boko haram without a headway yet. Don't be instigated into go to war in any other part of Nigeria. We can't really fight on many fronts. Which countries buy arms from the USA? All countries, but once you submit yourself to them, you are done for. Ask Egypt, Ukraine, Pakistan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia; they are all puppets of the Americans.

5. The American Corporations Are Back
Like I posited earlier, the USA is unrepentantly Capitalist. Behind this capitalism and the frantic efforts to spread it to all corners of the world are the American corporations; the conglomerates. They are very influential, they are well grounded in government, they have a very loud but invisible voice. They simply make things happen. They drive the US economy with the government only playing a regulatory role. For keen followers of our politics, Nigeria started having a rocky relationship with the USA since the time of late President Yar Adua. I read a report on Nigerian Tribune that time about America's cold war with the Yar Adua government that time which was as a result of the government's refusal to renew the licenses of some American oil companies and the hostile attitude of the country towards some American corporations as well as its open arm economic policies to Lebanese, Indian and Chinese companies making serious inroads into our economy. Remember Vaswani brothers(they were later clipped by their wings), Tata, Sinotruck, Bajaj, Afcot Mahindra, Viju etc. USA will show you love in return for favourable policies that will help the growth of its companies. The profits make by these American companies are then repatriated back home. "Cash exportation (read about the penetration thesis). We should know that what informed colonialism in the first place was the advent of capitalism haralded by the industrial revolution. Buy cheap raw materials, take it to developed economy, process it into semi-finished and finished goods and sell back as costly products Eg, crude oil, chocolate etc. Enough said. PMB should be careful of this trap. USA will encourage a free market in exchange for aids and grants. Free market gives their companies free hand to exploit the Nigerian economy and crumble it the more. Still the same age long primary production of raw materials. Nigerian companies can never grow like that. A free market economy is not good for a country serious about development.

6. The theory of self help
This was propounded by the realist school of though who always hinge their arguments on the selfish nature of humans. They believe humans are always given to seek their interests and promote their interests. Sadly enough, that's the reality in international political parlance. Everyman for himself. Countries will always pursue, promote and protect their interests first and foremost. Realists believe that for you to survival in the international system, you must use the concept of self help. The best way to do it is do it yourself. The way some people were jubilating as if a visit to the USA signals the end of our problems reek of ignorance and myopism. We should learn how to negotiate with those guys out there. You go negotiate in international politics from a position of weakness. The international jungle is not for gentle folks. Look at Iran, N Korea, Brazil, Germany, Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, they don't negotiate from a position of weakness. You don't grovel before the US lest they take you for granted. Look at the pitiable situation of Greece today. I believe the hand of fellowship the USA is extending to this new government points to just one thing "let's secure this market before it goes away again". We really turned these peeps to the alpha and omega. We were a force to reckon with in the 70s, the rallying point for African countries. We could really hold our own among countries. We were a recognised voice in the Non Alignment Movement. We should begin to look inward for the solutions what Prof Billy J Dudley called the indigenous African approach.
I pray God gives the president and his team the wisdom to avoid the traps set by the behemoth called USA. I pray for God's wisdom for him as he leads this nation. I'll advise him to extend his popular aphorism to the international political parlance " we are for everybody and for nobody"

Constructive and intellectually-driven criticism and contrary opinions are welcome.
God bless President Muhammadu Buhari
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Cc Lalasticlala FP please, let's see a battle of intellects, I wanna learn from my peeps.

Iron sharpeneth Iron. Propaganda sharpeneth propaganda. USA and APC have propaganda in common.

This is where I appreciate reading long texts, every bullet point directs you to think and challenges unfounded optimism.
The is the first opinion against the American trip expressing pessimism without emphasis on the most dreaded pollution- Gay right.
Personally, I am expecting the best at the same time prepared for the worst.
While I expect a better country,I will ensure I become better as an individual everyday.

The question we need to ask the US is what they stand to gain assisting us ?
Why the sudden interest in Nigeria ?
Is the US free of economic and security challenges so much so they rather invest their resources in a country they earlier disdained ?
We may also wish to call to mind the list of countries aided by the US and the state they are in right now.
Brace up Nigerians, a variety of political drama is about to play out in the next few weeks, protect your mind from despair by not expecting too much.
We have an obligation to pray for peace and progress but while at that, work hard and smart, protect your resources and leave the leaders to continue the search for a better Nigeria.
Intelligent presentation OP.

president Sebastian Pinero of Chile paid a visit to Obama in 2013. A year later his preferred right wing candidate was trashed at the polls
President erdogan of Turkey is a strong ally of Obama. in the 2015 elections, he was thrashed at the polls in his quest to seek more presidential powers. His AKP party lost its majority for the first time in 11 years to the Kurdish leftist HDP( peoples democratic party)
The free Syrian army waited for Obama to arm them after he assured them of his commitment, only to end up being brushed off by the US. They later on got consumed by insurgents and battered by Assad
Obama is the worst ally to partner with, so many unlucky presidents and countries have ended up losing their political career and even their lives to the incompetent and inexperience of Obama and his lackadaisical government

In the world today, no country is totally independent. That's why international relations exist among nations. It left for each country to know what and what foreign policy will benefit her