OBAMA AND HIS FIRST VISIT TO AFRICA

I n recent times there has being some media speculations on the United States President’s proposed visit to Africa,

slated to begin from July 10 to 11, 2009 in Ghana. Naturally, Africans generally, and the rest of the world expected
Nigeria to be the first country on Barack Obama’s itinerary, Nigeria being the ‘’Giant of Africa’’.

But of course there has not being any clear official statement from the White House indicating why Ghana, and not
Nigeria, should be the first on the itinerary of the American president’s visit to Africa. The statement issued on May
16, 2009 by the Office of the Press Secretary in the White House which stated that; ‘’The president and Michelle
Obama look forward to strengthening the U.S. relationship with one of our most trusted partners in sub-Saharan
Africa, and to highlighting the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting lasting
development’’, does not explicitly explained the reason for the preference on Ghana. However, given the intensity of
the speculations, the American Secretary of State Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton addressed a world press conference
and assured that; ‘’Our relationship with Nigeria is an important anchor in Africa, and Nigeria has a central role to
play in its democratization and development’’. Still, this statement does not suffice to explain why Nigeria was
snubbed.

What we apparently have at the moment is the media speculation, especially the Nigerian media that, the American
government does not recognise the legitimacy of the current Nigerian government under President Umaru Musa
Yar’adua. Furthermore, the American government is believed to perceive Nigeria as a very corrupt nation, one that is
mired by electoral controversies and flaws.

Well, in the absence of an explicit official statement from the American government, I feel obliged to defend my
country against these baseless, because in the international political arena the only game is; good or bad, my country
is my country. We should remain patriotic and loyal to Nigeria not Canada, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, America
or any other country. That is the rule of the game.

A lot of Nigerians feel slighted by the influx of news reports and articles in the Nigerian media smearing the good
image of the very nation that they not only dwell in but also claiming as this ‘’Motherland’’. It is equally
disheartening to learn about a clique of some prominent Nigerians who went to London spreading bad news of their
country, castigating her dignity and prestige. In my opinion that will not do us any good. Rather, it will only further
dent our image before the international community who already perceive us negatively. Besides, will Obama’s visit
to Nigeria change the way we are? Will his visiting Nigeria bring an end to the pipeline vandalism, oil bunkering,
kidnapping and all forms of criminality in the turbulent Niger-Delta region? Will it solve the problem of ASUU and
Labour Unions strike actions? Will it alleviate the sufferings of Nigerian masses that are languishing in abject penury
before the very eyes of their very pompous and opulently living leaders? Will it bring an end to the sordid sight of
frequently long queues in our filling stations? Will it force the one hundred per cent implementation of the Uwais
Committee’s report on electoral reform? Or is Obama’s visit to any country the yardstick to measure the glory,
dignity and goodwill of that country?

International diplomacy knows no morality, it is only about national interest. And preserving and protecting the
interest of a nation is not the exclusive responsibilty of its President or Government. Rather, it is a collective
responsibility of the government through its institutions, the opposition through their healthy criticisms, the media
and other professionals through their respective professions and the ordinary citizens through their patriotism and
loyalty.

Take corruption for instance, nobody will deny that corruption is pervasive in Nigeria. But does that mean Nigeria is
the only corruption enclave in the world? Let us recall that to date; the world has not recorded a corruption scandal
greater than the ‘’Watergate Affair’’, in which five men were arrested for breaking into the headquarters of the
Democratic National Committee in June 1972 on the orders of the then U.S. president Richard Milhous Nixon. The
subsequent investigation of which led to the downfall of his administration. It was a case of monumental corruption
that sent the U.S. burying its head in shame amidst global condemnation. We must not be a stooge to any nation
including the U.S. We must not allow our country to be a mocking stuff in the comity of nations. We must remain
patriotic and loyal to our country in order to promote national development. The Americans achieved their current
status as ‘’Bastion of Democracy’’ after passing through more than two centuries of mediocrity and instability caused
by civil wars. The Union itself started with only Thirteen United States of America on July 4,1776 with the American
Declaration of Independence. Now it is Two Hundred and Fifty United States of America, most powerful, wealthiest
and most influential country on the globe. With patriotism, national loyalty, determination, dedication and sacrifice
we can equally achieve that status. Yes we can!!!
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