Of more the than 28 presidents and dignitaries invited for Gabon’s 50th independence anniversary, none pulled the type of crowd and caused pandemonium like that of the arrival of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The moment the crowd saw the VIP vehicles lined up at the Presidential Wing of the Leon Mba International Airport to receive Jonathan, the crowd surged in, beating the stern-looking Gabonese security personnel effort to keep them behind the demarcated line.

Nigeria has over 150,000 of its citizens, which is about one-tenth of Gabon’s 1.7 million population living in that country. They are mostly Igbo, Urhobo, Yoruba and Ijaw, dominating Gabon’s commerce, and its fishing industry scattered in the provinces of Lambarene, Oyem, Port-Gentil, Franceville, Bitam and the capital Libreville.

The colourful traditional Igbo dancers caused a stir, leading to traffic congestion. The colourful display was so captivating that it was difficult to believe the claims that the Nigerian community in Gabon has been sharply divided for the past three years. President of the Nigerian National Union, Tunde Yekini, was alleged not to be the choice of the people having failed the interview organized to choose their leader from the Yoruba group whose turn it was to produce the president.

The crowed had initially mistaken the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odien Ajumogobia, for the President since he had the Niger Delta cap on. He was the first to step out and took over every available space singing and dancing. When the President eventually stepped out at about 7.30 p.m, the crowd surged, forcing the security personnel to be brutal, using their motorbikes to force them back, some were injured but did not bother.

Due to the visible division among the Nigerian leaders in Gabon, the groups were not co-ordinated as the nationals of other countries did. There were several groups with different outlook that occupied strategic positions along the road leading to and from the airport so as not to miss Jonathan’s convoy.
On sighting the President, the atmosphere changed with beating of drums, flutes and other musical instruments. It led to a traffic snarl for over 30 minutes. People were also seen on top of trees all in a bid to catch a glimpse of Jonathan with chants of “African Obama” renting the air.

Meeting with Nigerians
Jonathan after attending the colourful ceremony at the waterfront in Libreville, spared few minutes to meet with a select group of Nigerians living in Gabon at the residence of the Nigerian Ambassador, Samuel Aiyedoni. The excitement aroused the previous day at the airport was dampened as many Nigerians who were not among the 50 selected to meet with the President grumbled accusing the Nigerian Embassy shutting those perceived to be “trouble-makers” out.

Some of them had on Monday night sought out the hotel where the journalists that accompanied the President on the trip were lodged to register their complaints ranging from the way they were treated by the Gabonese authorities and the slow pace of the embassy in addressing their problems.

Their concerns
According to Yekini, Nigerians in Gabon were facing the threats of not having their resident permits renewed because of the perception that the Nigerian Government is not committed to stopping illegal immigrants through its waters of Oron and Calabar: “We were told by the Nigerian Embassy that the Documentation Service that delivers the Resident Permit Cards that if the illegal immigration from the coast of Nigeria was not stopped by December 2010, our permits will no longer be renewed.”

Nigerians in Gabon will also like to see more Nigerian airlines come to Gabon as the Air Nigeria has to go through Doula to Lagos. They will also like the issuing of the e-passport to be taken to them at the various provinces as the present arrangement is not only causing strain on them physically, but also on their lean resources.

Nigerians in Gabon want Jonathan’s intervention in seeking the reduction in the cost of renewing residence permits presently at 600,000 Gabonese Cefa ($1,200) every two years. They say the Ghana High Commission has got the government to reduce to 250,000 Gabonese Cefa. They will also want Nigeria and Gabonese governments to waive visa requirements for their citizens visiting both countries as it obtainable among the South Africans.

They insisted that as Nigeria’s closest neigbhour, this will be mutually beneficial to both countries.
They will also want to see a Nigerian international school established in Gabon and would want to be part to participate in the 2011 polls. They are seeking funds from the Federal Government to mark the Nigeria’s 50th anniversary in Gabon in style. They also want Nigerians in the Diaspora to be included in the national honours award, arguing that they were the major engine of the Rebrand Nigeria campaign.

Jonathan’s response
Jonathan said the Federal Government will put all machinery in motion to ensure that Nigerians in the Diaspora can vote in 2015 as it was impossible for them to do so next year. The President assured them that more distinguished Nigerians in the Diaspora will be considered subsequently for inclusion in the National Honours list.
Jonathan disclosed that he will accord special recognition to 50 Nigerians from various walks of life as part of Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary celebration in October.

He praised Nigerians in Gabon for their meaningful contributions to the economy of that country. He promised that government will look into all consular issues affecting them, especially complaints of high cost of resident permits and visa fees, difficulties in acquiring the ECOWAS e-passport and illegal immigration by other nationals to Gabon from the coast of Nigeria. On technical aid, Jonathan said Nigeria will do more to assist other African countries in need of technical assistance. He also promised to send technical aid corps to Gabon.

He was impressed with the crowd that came to welcome him at the airport when he arrived in Libreville on Monday evening, saying he was overwhelmed by their show of solidarity. He said President Bongo spoke well of them and their invaluable contributions to Gabon, while he urged them to continue to be good ambassadors of Nigeria.

Ajumogobia said Nigeria is back on the world stage in a record time since Jonathan’s assumption of office as Commander-in-Chief, as her relations with African countries and the world have become more robust than ever. He noted that Jonathan has been active at the global stage, engaging the world through participation at the G-8 summit, Africa-European Summit, visits to several African countries, and so on: “In a record time, Nigeria is back on the world stage. President Jonathan is well known across the world. The world has great respect for him and for Nigeria.”

Aiyedoni said Jonathan’s visit marks the beginning of renewed relations between Nigeria and Gabon: “President Jonathan’s visit has ushered in for Nigerians here a new era of hope as they are confident that Government is with them. It has provided a new impetus for them to work harder to rebrand the image of Nigeria here.”
At a post-visit briefing, the ambassador confirmed that there were 160 Nigerians languishing in jail. Out of this figure, 129 were in Libreville Prison while the rest were scattered in the all provinces outside Libreville except one. The envoy disclosed this while hosting an advance team of Jonathan to dinner in his official residence weekend.

Aiyedona listed the crimes committed by the prisoners to be advance fee fraud (aka 419) drug trafficking and living illegally. He stressed, however, that the Nigerian community contributes a great deal to the economy of Gabon especially in ICT, maritime and spare parts industry. According to Aiyedona, the entrepreneurship of Ijaw and Ilaje fishermen alone contributes over 600,000 tons of fish to Gabon’s fishing industry annually. He said when the fishermen decided to go on strike following stringent measures to restrict their trade, the impact was felt and the Gabonese Government was forced to reverse its decisions.

Brisk business
The Gabonese took advantage of the visitors to make brisk business. The country is the second most expensive in Africa after Angola. Nigerians made a Jonathan-branded T-Shirt selling for 25,000 Cefa equivalent of $50 (N7,500) on the streets of Libreville, and the headquarters of the nine province (states) that make up the 1.7 million populated country.

The food vendors mainly Nigerians had a field day as Nigerians that accompanied Mr. President made it straight to Nigerian restaurants where the main delicacies were white rice and goat meat pepper soup, or boil yam and plantain with the same goat meat pepper soup. Nigerian taxi drivers were not left out as the kept shuttling passengers around the city.

Frustration of speaking a different language
The fact that the French-speaking Africans always speak passable English, has made journalists from Anglophone countries to be laid back. So it was baptism of fire in Gabon as it was difficult to get anyone who speaks English to help. It was frustration having to use sign language and demonstration to get anything done, be it ordering of food in restaurant in the hotel or picking a cab to go about town. Little wonder after Jonathan’s departure, the drivers assigned to his convoy had a good laugh demonstrating all what they had to endure while the visit lasted.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/abujareports/2010/aug/23/abujareports-23-08-2010-001.htm