Livy Iwunze
27 September 2000
analysis
Lagos — Thank God it's all over. I mean the Clintonian fever that gripped Nigerian for a week before the visit of the American President. For the period, Abuja became an extension of Washington; Aso Rock an extension of White House. The impression was created that most, if not all our problems would disappear the moment the man set foot on Nigerian soil. All our external debts would either be cancelled, forgiven or rescheduled, since America has enormous influence in both the Paris and London Clubs. Foreign investments from America will flow into Nigeria in torrents.
Poor Susan Rice. She did not know what she was talking about when she warned Nigerians not to expect too much from the three-day trip. The young and pretty assistant secretary of state for African Affairs had ignorantly told the Nigerian press through satellite that Nigerians should not expect too much from the trip. In her opinion, America is interested more in what both nations can do together for the world than what the US can do for Nigeria. It sounds like what John F. Kennedy, the then American President said to his countrymen in the sixties: "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country."
Susan Rice or no Susan Rice, our government mismanaged the rip and lost a wonderful opportunity to present Nigeria's case to Bill Clinton, unadulterated. Think of this scenario. Our leaders arrange to take Clinton to Malumfashi, then to Okitipupa, Ubomiri, Ikot Abasi, Ikare, Katerigi and Ozu Abam before bringing him back to Abuja to savour the deceptively artificial life in Aso Villa? Thereafter, the following dialogue at Aso Rock ensues:
Obasanjo: My dear Bill, now that you have seen first hand, the level of poverty and suffering of my people, you will not hesitate to consider debt forgiveness or cancellation as your contribution to the "Poverty Alleviation Programme" which my administration initiated last year.
Clinton: Segun dear, if what I saw at Okitipupa is a representative sample of the average Nigerian, then something must be done immediately to alleviate the suffering of the poor people in Nigeria. For a start, my governments' gonna make sure that we assist you to provide potable water in ten communities in each local government area. We gonna rehabilitate all the federal universities while you do the same for the secondary and primary schools. We gona provide primary healthcare for ten communities in each of the LGAs. American businessmen in my entourage will immediately invest in your agricultural sector to boost food production both for domestic consumption and for export. But hang on Segun, what happened to billions of dollars that I hear you recovered from that sadistic dictator, Abacha?
Obasanjo: Bill, leave that topic for now, we shall discuss it later. But you can be sure that the money is safe somewhere. I may use it to clear the expenses arising from the anticipatory approvals, in case the ever-nosey National Assembly refuses to co-operate. But like I said earlier, we should skip that topic for now.
Clinton: Segun, I'm a bit worried by what I hear about corruption, especially in high places in Nigeria. You see, we can't be forgiving and cancelling your debts while the usual squandermania still persists. Segun, what can you do to check the tendency? We in the Western world are really worried. How can I convince the Paris and London Clubs that they are not being fooled by Nigeria? Let's be serious.
Obasanjo: Bill, you must have heard of my anti-corruption crusade. I am prepared to fight corruption with the last drop of my blood.
Clinton: True, Segun. But I hear that the ordinary Nigerian does not believe that your administration is serious about fighting corruption in Nigeria. They say your administration is gradually emasculating and neutralising the institutional watchdogs like the legislature, the opposition and the public accounts committee, Segun, these are very weighty allegations that must be taken seriously. They say your ministers and aides are as corrupt as their predecessors in Abacha's government. They are even of the opinion that you should start from your goodself by declaring your assets publicly and compelling your ministers and aides to do the same. They say this is the only way you can prove to them that you are serious about accountability and transparency. Methinks they have a point.
Obasanjo: Okay, Bill. Your points are noted, but you must realise that our people are mischievous. They are not as open-minded as the Americans. Do you know how many times my house in Otta has been burgled? Do you know how many of my exquisite cars have been snatched by hoodlums. Do you know how many times robbers have confronted my relations demanding their share of Aso Rock largesse? Declaring my net worth publicly would be an open invitation to disaster.
Clinton: Too bad, Segun, but something gonna be done.
Fortunately and unfortunately this dialogue did not take place. The trip turned out, largely, to be a public relations stunt for the present administration. We lost a golden opportunity to present ourselves to the Americans the way we are.
Trust the Americans. They were not deceived. Clinton came with his generator, his car, his battalion of securitymen and women. We heard that Clinton's securitymen pulled down NTA satellite mast at Abuja airport, seeing it more as a dispensable nuisance. These acts should give us an idea as to what confidence the Americans have in us and our system.
Anyway, all hope is not lost. Clinton revealed to our leaders a piece of information which, I think, they should take very seriously. Condition for debt relief: Government must guarantee that the benefits from such debt relief would be channeled towards the provision of real economic needs of the people. Which is to say that the leaders must give an assurance that such relief will not be converted into fatter foreign banks accounts for the leaders. A difficult condition, indeed.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2000 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
