It has been reported that at the height of the Pan-Africa struggle against the lordship of colonial powers, the late Kwame Nkrumah, whose country, Ghana, had submerged Nigeria in popularity, scoffed at Nigeria, the country that was described proudly as Giant of Africa by its children and friends. Nkrumah had reportedly told those who cared to listen that Nigeria was simply "a sleeping giant." Unfortunately, many analysts believe Nigeria has refused, ever since, to prove the former Ghanaian leader wrong. In the views of many Nigerians themselves, the Giant is not just recumbent at the moment but is snoring so loud that the proud founding fathers, can hear the disturbing noise in their graves.

Their spirits, it would appear, are not amused. The intensity of this argument, seems to have been given a fresh push in the last few weeks, in which the nation has been at the receiving end of international diplomacy. Long after President Barack Obama of America refused to visit the country, the African regional government in obvious addition to its humiliation, chose a Rwandan junior officer to head the United Nations-African Union (UN-AU) Hybrid Force in Darfur over and above competent Nigerian Generals, who are Sector Commanders in the same mission. A Nigeria General had even beaten the junior officer at an interview conducted for the job in New York. In addition, the U.S. last week rejected the country's Ambassador-designate to that country, on moral grounds. This is coming on the heels of the substantial tongue-lashing of the American Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who was in the country a few weeks ago. In the estimation of many, the country is now confronted by a reputation not unlike the pariah image it got during the military dictatorships of the 1990s, and this despite the efforts of the last few years, especially the eight-year globe-trotting image-laundry of ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo.



AU's ash on the giant


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Nigeria's Gen. Martin Agwai was, until August when he went on retirement, the Force Commander Darfur's hybrid intervention force (UNAMID). He was replaced effective September 1 by Rwandan Lt.-Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba, 42. Protests Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua, was effectively brushed aside. Details, which emerged from the UN Headquatres in New York, indicated that Yar'Adua's protest came too late. The UN had conducted a panel, which interviewed prospective replacements in New York in July, and a Nigerian General had emerged best candidate after the interview, but he was brushed aside in favour of the Rwandan junior officer who had trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy

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Nyamvumba is junior to some of the UN peace-keeping mission's sector commanders, who are from Nigeria many of them Nyamvumba's seniors at the Academy, according to UN sources. Reports say Agwai was unhappy about the development. But insiders at the UN reportedly disclosed that in spite of the performance of the Nigerian, an agreement by the AU was sent to the world body that regardless of the outcome of the interview, Rwanda should get the job.


Curiously, Nyamvumba, who died last week, victim of a suicide bomb attack, commanded and led other Nigerian military officers who were called sector commanders. Sector commanders are below the Force Commander in hierarchy. Many of the sector commanders from Nigeria are said to have passed out of the NDA even before the Rwandan General joined as a cadet, while others were his seniors there. For instance, Agwai, who held the office of Force Commander, was already a Colonel in the Nigerian army when the Rwandan General was only a cadet in the NDA. Close watchers of the development said it was yet another evidence of Nigeria's declining influence in Africa.


Human rights activist and lawyer, Femi Aborishade, described the development as not surprising as the image of the country was on the downward slide. He is of the opinion that there was no way a non-performing government would be expected to carry out laudable projects at the international level when it had failed at the local level.


The radical lawyer told Daily Independent that Nigerians should not expect any miracle from Yar'Adua. "Yar'Adua has nothing to offer". He spoke more on the issue: "Nigeria on a daily basis suffers dwindling reputation and this is as a result of a government that lacks focus, vision as well as the crisis of credibility it has brought upon itself. Nigeria ought to show a strong presence in the international community and make its efforts felt but that is not so. Of course, the reason is that foreign policy is an extension of domestic policy. Domestically, this regime is a failure and, inevitable, it will fail at the international level. There is no gainsaying the fact that this government is a non-performing one; what you don't have you can't give."



US Rejects Adeniran


Not long after the apparent ignominious treatment of Nigeria by the UN-AU, the United States came with another hammer, with last week's refusal to accept Nigerian ambassador designate, Tunde Adeniran, to its country. The development appears not to have come as a surprise to many Nigerians after Clinton, promised a tougher stance against Nigeria during her recent visit. Adeniran's rejection, was based on the alleged involvement of his son, Adedamola, in a rape case in America.


The news of the rejection, which broke last Thursday, was said to have come nearly five weeks after Adedamola was apprehended in Baltimore for the offence. He was said to have been arrested last month together with two other Nigerians for the crime. Some few observers, who believe that the sin of his son should not be used against him, argued that Adeniran's wealth of experience was enough to qualify him for the position. They contended that it is abysmally unfair to judge a man who had contributed in various capacities to the growth and development of Nigeria because he had a son that decided to be criminally inclined. Other commentators, nevertheless, have said they did not see any substance in this argument, arguing that it was not wrong for the U.S. government to have refused endorsement of the appointment as a result of his son's involvement in a rape matter.


Damian Ogbonna, National Chairman of Peoples Progressive party (PPP), who lived for about 15 years in America before coming back to Nigeria, said things do not work in the U.S. the way they do in Nigeria. "Don't forget that rape is a very serious crime in the United States. As a matter of fact, in U.S. crimes of whatever kind have the potential to derail the appointment of a person, even when you are not the one that committed it, but it is traced to your family. The U.S. views you from your family perspective. Whatever negative thing that is attached to your family, tends to rub off on you in terms of appointment into public offices. It is a good and excellent way for a country to judge government appointees. In that part of the world, you are not just judged based on your experience alone. They will consider what type of children you have and whether you have been able to effectively and properly manage the domestic affairs of your family. It is not like in Nigeria where we just appoint people into offices without bothering to dig into their family backgrounds. When it was reported that Mike Okiro, former police IG, owed a bank N150 million, he came out to say that it was his wife and not him. But in America, it would not matter whether it was you or not, as long as it involved your family member, they would use it against you. But you know, this is a country where anything goes. If Adeniran cannot train and control his child, then he does not deserve to hold such a sensitive position. You can only bring in integrity into government domain, if you can ensure of entrenchment of good conduct in your family," Ogbonna averred.


The PPP chieftain maintained that the issue of morality was taken so seriously in that clime that nobody voted for candidates in an election if there were indications that members of their families had been involved in any form of crime. "In America, because of the crime of a member of a family, people lost out in public offices and elections. You dare not seek for re-election if you are holding an elective post and a member of your family was involved in a particular crime. Nobody would vote for you. But of course, you and I know that if it is in Nigeria, your supporters, sycophants and so-called political associates, would close their eyes to it and even beg you to come for another term. Rather than try to persuade the U.S. to accept the appointment of Adeniran, the Nigerian government should look for somebody that is more suitable, not just based on experience but also on unblemished family record," he advised, adding that "they should look for somebody who can command the respect of the U.S. If they look through the 140 million people in the country, they will certainly find one. It is not a must to have Adeniran as Nigeria's ambassador to the US."


For Maxi Okwu, a legal practitioner and National Chairman of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), "Diplomatic relations is based on etiquette and protocol. Any country that is given a envoy from another country has the right to reject. The issue of rape is a very serious offence in the U.S. Though, it is unfortunate that Adeniran has to be treated this way for an offence committed by his son. But he has to take it in good faith. That is what obtains in civilised societies. Nigeria had better be conscious and pick up another person that would be accepted by the U.S. Nigerian government should not ridicule itself by trying to press the U.S. government to accept Adeniran. What they should do is to simply send another nominee."


National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Umeh, toed the same line as Ogbonna and Okwu. He said: "It is a fact that America has its own standards long established. One thing that we had to know is that U.S. is a highly morally conscious society. And in any dealing, U.S. government would do everything to ensure that its relationship will not attract moral questions, unlike what we do in Nigeria. We do not do any due diligence check on people we put into public offices in Nigeria. So, we can't blame the U.S. if they reject Adeniran's appointment. Nigeria should search for somebody, who will fit into U.S. high moral standard. Morality is something that is deficient in the public life of Nigerians, but it is a very strong issue in America. In the U.S., people who are aspiring for public offices are always very conscious to be clean in their moral life because they know that any act of immorality traced to them could serve as an impediment to their political aspiration."



Yar'Adua: So different, so indifferent


One of the major issues Nigerians seem to have with Yar'Adua at the moment is his apparent dissimilarity with his predecessor on the foreign scene. While Obasanjo would give anything to rub shoulders with other world leaders, Yar'Adua appears totally indifferent on that score. For instance, Obasanjo, would never throw away the chance of addressing the United Nations General Assembly on any issue. But Yar'Adua has done just that. He had since last week declared his intention not to attend the body's parley on Climate Change in New York, even though he is expected to address it. The President turned down the invitation of Obama, and the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. Yar'Adua was expected to address the body on Day two of its meeting tomorrow. Instead of the President, Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, would be attending the summit. But that is the snag, observers say, because though he would be allowed to address a smaller audience at a later date of the week-long event, he could not do so in place of the President, since the slot could only be taken by a serving Head of State.


Observers are sulking that it is at such forums that foreign leaders sell themselves and their governments and not grabbing such opportunities could only have negative consequences. They believe, therefore, that Nigeria, would not be better for it in the long run.


Besides offering him an avenue to address the Assembly, such a gathering, according to UN sources, would have enabled President Yar'Adua to campaign for Nigeria's election for a non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council with his fellow presidents and heads of state. According to a diplomat, the UN is a very hierarchical community and only heads of state could talk to another. The election comes up on October 15 and although the African Group has endorsed Nigeria, the country still needs 128 votes, which is two-thirds majority requirement to join the elite club.


Yar'Adua was also expected as a major participant in meeting with Obama. U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, had hinted that Obama would host on the 22nd a lunch for heads of state and governments from sub-Saharan Africa. The luncheon was supposed to "focus on how the country could work in partnership with African governments to strengthen African economic and social development. The talk would focus primarily on three topics: job creation, especially for young people; creating a more conducive climate for trade and investment; and ways to mobilise African agriculture to create jobs and help feed the continent."


Nigeria, would, also miss another crucial meeting, which, again was called by the U.S. President only for UN member-states like Nigeria, which contribute troops to the UN international peace-keeping missions. Apart from being the fourth ranking UN nations in troop-contribution, Nigeria is also the leader of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping. With his absence from the meeting, Yar'Adua had undermined the importance of that crucial meeting on the subject of peacekeeping with the U.S. President who is apparently reaching out specifically to Yar'Adua, among a few other presidents, analysts say.


More than 140 heads of state or government would take part in the body's annual debate and the specialised summits, which would focus on such global challenges as climate change, nuclear security and non-proliferation, as well as the world financial and economic crisis.


Yar'Adua's absence has denied Nigeria the opportunity to share the stage with the most influential men on the planet. He has also missed the chance to hold important bilateral and business meetings made possible by the presence of so many leaders in New York. Analysts say this development confirmed Nigeria's deepening irrelevance, even in Africa.



Stalked By A Vicious Shadow


Analysts tend to agree that some well-known factors might have influenced Yar'Adua's decision to remain in Abuja. They mention the fact that while he was expected to be in New York the real action would be at the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh. Nigeria has persistently recorded its protest over being overlooked when nations are invited for the G20 Summit.


Yar'Adua, some say, might also have decided against attending the meeting in order to avoid embarrassing questions concerning the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which are targets of development that nations are expected to meet by 2010. It is speculated that while some countries regard those targets as the "minimum" not "millennium" goals and are working to exceed them, Yar'Adua had claimed in April that Nigeria would not meet several of them. He mentioned such key MDGs targets as poverty-reduction, maternal health, education and child health as those that Nigeria would not achieve.


Three weeks ago, Amina Ibrahim, who is Yar'Adua's Presidential Assistant on the MDGs, told reporters that in order for Nigeria to meet the MDGs, it would need to invest N4 trillion per year. Critics of the government say Yar'Adua is not ready for penetrating questions from the international press on the matter. However, it emerged on Monday that the real reason might not be unconnected with the President's trip to Saudi Arabia.


He jetted out of the country on Monday for a working visit to the Arabian country on the invitation of King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud.


An Aso Rock statement issued on Monday indicated that Yar'Adua was scheduled to hold talks with the Saudi monarch during the visit and participate as a Special Guest of Honour in the opening of the new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.


The President would also meet with the leadership and members of the Nigerian Community in the country before returning home on Saturday.


He had only a few weeks ago returned from the same country, where he performed the lesser hajj (umrah) and underwent a medical check-up.


Many Questions, Few Answers

Ossai Ossai, Public Commentator, on Monday, expressed anxiety over the diminishing status of the country even among the nations of the African region.


He lamented the choice of the Rwandan Commander, now late, who had had been picked in defiance of the eligibility of the more experienced Nigerian, saying "all points to the singular fact that our leadership has not asserted itself the way it should." Ossai told Daily Independent in a telephone interview that leadership required action. His words: "Nigeria is a great country going, by its abundant human and material resources. But it is the leadership that must translate it into a great asset. It is a focused leadership that will make the difference and without getting the right type of leadership the country will still be walking in circles. Yar'Adua must repackage his style of governance if we must get somewhere, and if the international community must take us seriously."


There appears to be a growing despair in the country as government business gets more quiescent by the day, and even patriotic optimists are saying there is no governance in Nigeria at the moment.


There are a few persons who have expressed support for the President disinterest in the UN and its meetings. Fred Ojie, a Lagos lawyers and activist however sees nothing wrong. He claimed that the UN meetings do not solve any problem, and added that since the America President does not consider Nigeria a worthwhile nation to visit, Nigeria should also ignore America. Ojie, in fact, wants Nigeria to withdraw its troops from the UN-AU Mission. The overwhelming question many scholars of international affairs would ask is: Does Nigeria have what it takes to embark on a policy of splendid isolation? On the other hand, can it continue to bear being at the receiving end of international diplomacy?


Comments on the general malaise in the country seem to point to the overriding importance of instituting good governance and impeccable economic administration in the country. Those who make this point say Nigeria has to make itself worth international respect largely by the dynamism and effectiveness of its policies at home. Whether that era would come, remains to be seen and indeed, depends largely on Yar'Adua.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/sep/23/411.html

One of the major issues Nigerians seem to have with Yar'Adua at the moment is his apparent dissimilarity with his predecessor on the foreign scene. While Obasanjo would give anything to rub shoulders with other world leaders, Yar'Adua appears totally indifferent on that score. For instance, Obasanjo, would never throw away the chance of addressing the United Nations General Assembly on any issue. But Yar'Adua has done just that. He had since last week declared his intention not to attend the body's parley on Climate Change in New York, even though he is expected to address it. The President turned down the invitation of Obama, and the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. Yar'Adua was expected to address the body on Day two of its meeting tomorrow. Instead of the President, Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, would be attending the summit. But that is the snag, observers say, because though he would be allowed to address a smaller audience at a later date of the week-long event, he could not do so in place of the President, since the slot could only be taken by a serving Head of State

The same Obasanjo give us this slowpoke in power