Daily Independent (Lagos)
13 August 2009
Abuja — American Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, on Wednesday offered her country's assistance to Nigeria in the implementation of electoral reforms, but urged it to take a firmer stand against corruption.
"We strongly support and encourage the government of Nigeria's efforts to increase transparency, reduce corruption, provide support for democratic processes in preparation for the 2011 elections," she told a news conference in Abuja, at which Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, was also present.
"We talked specifically how the United States might be able to encourage the electoral reforms," she said, adding that the two countries plan a "binational commission" to tackle a range of issues from Niger Delta violence to electoral reforms.
Aso Rock must reconnect with the masses and hearken to demand for holistic electoral reform as spelt out in the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) report, Clinton said later at a Town Hall meeting, and called on President Umaru Yar'Adua to deliver on his electoral promises.
In a speech that lasted 15 minutes and punctuated by applause, she noted that Nigeria is bogged down by "failure of governance at all levels, mismanagement and corruption and concentration of wealth in few hands."
The speech included calls on the government to reappraise its approach to governance, especially corruption, and provision of basic amenities for the people.
"We are very convinced of the need for strong electoral institutions to strengthen democracy and good governance.
"I'm aware of the report of a panel by the retired Justice which went round the world to seek advice on the way forward. We think this should be the step forward.
"The government should listen to the people (as contained in the report), and the citizens must be sure that government officials are pursuing public good. This is because foundation of democracy is trust."
Clinton stressed the need for Nigeria to build "strong institutions", and re-echoed President Barack Obama that Africans do not need strong men; it needs strong institutions which must include "independent judiciary, free press and vibrant civil society.
"The capacity for good governance exists in Africa and Nigeria should not just be a leader but a leader in the world. We have great confidence in what Nigeria is capable of doing but no progress can be attained without good governance."
"Issues of transparency, corruption reputation, and credible election is critical to good governance. The future of Africa is in Africans and the future of Nigeria is up to Nigerians. The immediate source of disconnect between Nigeria's wealth and its populace is the failure of governance both at the state and the federal level.
"Other cause of bad governance as we know it today is the high level of corruption, capacity mismanagement as the World Bank has concluded that Nigeria has lost well over three hundred billion dollars during the last three decades as a result of these problems.
"As a way of solving the numerous problems Nigeria is being confronted with, there is need to fix the nation's cruel electoral system, establishing a truly independent electoral council in order to create a peaceful, stable environment that creates the development among the people.
"Citizens need to have the confidence that their votes count. If the government cares about them, democracy can deliver basic services."
"Again, election is all about winning or losing, so opposition parties should endeavour to work hand in hand with (Yar'Adua) so that the nation can move forward. I contested keenly with (Obama) but lost. So as of today, I work under him as the U.S. Secretary of State due to the love I have for my country and President.
"Obama decided to bring me into his administration due to the love he has for the country. Without joint effort with the Nigerian President, no amount of effort would make the country achieve success."
Clinton also met with Yar'Adua at the Villa, where he assured of Nigeria's determination to continue the war against corruption and bad leadership.
Maduekwe said Yar'Adua's discussion with Clinton was very productive and went "the way you will expect it to be among friends - honest, candid, encouraging, mutually inspiring, mutually re-enforcing and ultimately strategic."
Besides, Clinton urged Nigeria to ease tensions that have led to sectarian violence and disrupted oil production in the Niger Delta.
And she warned that Nigeria could be a target for al-Qaeda, the Islamic terrorist group which attacked the U.S. in 2001
"Al-Qaeda has a presence in Northern Africa. There is no doubt in our mind that al-Qaeda and like organisations that are part of the syndicate of terror would seek a foothold anywhere they could find one, and whether that is the case here or whether this is a homegrown example of fundamentalist extremism - that's up to wwNigerians to determine."
Clinton, in Abuja on the fifth stop in a seven-nation tour of Africa, said action on electoral reforms and the easing of tension is needed to protect Nigeria's status as the continent's largest oil producer, and largest recipient of direct U.S. investment.
Nigeria is the fifth country Clinton has visited so far on a seven-nation tour of Africa aimed at promoting development and good governance.
She will travel next to Liberia and Cape Verde.
By Paul Arhewe, Daniel Kanu, Francis Iwuchukwu (Lagos) Chesa Chesa, Rafiu Ajakaye and Kemi Yesufu (Abuja)
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US secretary of state, Hilary Clinton has spoken without fear or favour in Nigeria. On a very sincere note, she made a due idenfication and a thorough appraisal of Nigeria's problems. I am particularly happy that she was courageous enough to let us know that, should we become true to ourselves, that we are the strongest link in the chain of Africa. the money we lose to corruption, violence, administrative lacuna, etc, can comfortably manage some state in Africa. NIGERIA and NIGERIANS, wake up and help yourselves out of your undeserved, ugly conditions of existence. BUT i know that the era of corruption and tyranny is fast coming to a great halt because criminals will be left out in the global politics should they continue stealing from the masses. Nigeria has become an epitome of all that is bad on earth irrespective of our wealth of human and Natural resources! did you ever ask yourself why? even some illiterate members of the National assembly are quick and clever in learning how to rob the souls they represent than their english alphabet eg ABCD..., Does it ever make sense to any right thinking mind that the people we entrusted with powwer have relegated us to a state of excited confussion! if you are a leader with soul, change to better by fighting towards achieving common goal of the society in which you live.
Africa, what a fascinating locus on planet earth!
A calamity, political theater, dance hall for heads and tails of state, the world's potentially "richest," but actually poores corner, and worse, and getting worser.
Africa, which was crafted by international "experts" of thuggery and barbarism in Berlin is now sending its own to "learn" from the same experts, now generations removed from the original "experts," on the theories and practices of "good governance." This actually like inviting the fox to the hole in which the chickens are rocking in existential anxiety. Geezers!
Africa, where "small boys," are in charge of the commonweal; they are biologically "big men," but cognitively and emotionally "small boys."
Accordingly, contrary to Mrs. Clinton, reciting INVADERDOM talking points on Africa, Africa does need BIG MEN AND BIG WOMEN to stand up---toe to toe---to the various hegemons that I have conceptualized as INVADERDOM.
Mrs. Clinton's "big men" are my "small boys."
Corruption may be defined according to one's ideological inclination. But, under any and all definitions, the level of CORRUPTION THAT MATTERS is just about the same in Nigeria and in the United States of America. We are not talking of 419ers here. Bernie Madoff dwarfs all Nigerian or, for that matter African 419ers.
No: I am talking about electoral corruption, Executive, Congressional and Senate, Independent Agency, and, even Judicial corruption in the land of the "Free and Brave."
Glory then to the internet!
But, all of these gripes of juvenile reflection, initiated by Mrs. Clinton, are mindless, for a common malady does require a lecture, but a triage. They strategically hide the ball and the prize:
Securing the interest of Yankeedom in African minerals and "stragegic trade routes" (Somalia, for example) against the interests of Russians, Chinese, and other would be hegemons, including Small Britain.
Africa is the the hunting ground for loot. Five hundred years have changed nothing.
Incredible, indeed.
FIVE HUNDRED YEARS, and its getting worse.
Beyond incredible!
Once again an American official has reiterated what millions of Africans already know. Its always shameful when the problems of any African nation seem to resonate when a foreign leader mentions them. Yar'duah himself, weak as he has become, talked about some of these things in the beginning and promised solutions. The question then is: why is it so difficult to change anything in Nigeria? My hypothesis is that, the Nigerian people themselves are the problem (people surely includes ordinary people as well as politicians) Corruption is so rife from the poor market man/woman to even the poor begger, through the corrupt ministers and senetors all the way to the judges and the international 419 scumbags! If the problem is to be solved, it has to address all these people and more.
China As Friend And Partner To Africa
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer2007@aol.com
New York, United States
There is a raging debate which has persisted for a while now. And it is of concern to me in a triumvirate sense. The outcome of this debate will have tremendous ramifications for Africans. Such outcome will reverberate throughout Africa for hundreds of years.
Foremost, is the impact any outcome of this debate, or contest, between America and Europe on the one hand. And China on the other, What the consequences on Africa will be. Secondly, what effect will this pressure being applied on China, have on China’s forays into Africa. But most urgent of all my concerns here, is whether African public intellectuals are attentively, following this debate or contest wills or spheres of influence between these superpowers , and whether we are seeking to influence the debate-contest and the eventual outcomes.
On August 11, 2009, an uproarious and rancorous event occurred in the Republic of Congo during public questioning of Secretary of State, Mrs. Hilary Rodham Clinton of the United States time in that central African country. Madam Secretary of State was said to have bristled testily, when the questioner appeared to have asked her, what her husband, the other world famous Clinton, thought of a reported meddling by the World Bank, in a contract or loan from the Chinese, which is reportedly being frustrated and truncated, because the World Bank has been pressuring the government of the Congo. I regret that Madam Secretary of State appeared to have faced what probably was a sexist questioning or mindset, or what is now said to be a mere misunderstanding arising from misinterpretation of a question rendered in French.
But here are the crucial questions which ultimately should be addressed by Washington in connection with the questioner‘s concerns. Why should any foreign institution or foreign government interfere in the internal affairs of the Congo? And why should the World Bank or the United States government or any of its departments or agency, be remotely connected in any way, to the reported attempt to thwart contracts between the Congo and China, two politically independent and sovereign nations?
In recent times, there have been this sorts of contracts and loan twists and turns in Nigeria-China interactions, so perhaps, we now know the sources?
And is Nigeria’s open dealings with China really the reason for the snub of Nigeria recently? But why must Nigeria, nay Africa, let Westerners have monopoly of doing “business” or exploiting Africa?
History is our witness, and the evidence establishes and demonstrates incontrovertibly that America and Europe do not have clean hands regarding the human conditions in Africa. History bear the facts of America and European horrid brutalities in Africa. How is it therefore, America and Europe are shouting the loudest about China’s forays into Africa. It is often said that those who seek equity or those who come to equity should come with clean hands. Regarding Africa, Americans and European hands are soiled most putridly . The preachments which we now are hearing from America and Europe, are mere pretentious and farcical preachments. America and Europe, are pots, and if anything, China is kettle, and it is oxymoronic to find pot calling kettle black.
For starters, America and Europe have been in Africa for almost a thousand years! And evidences about of how America and Europe have pauperized Africa by stripping the continent of tangible and intangible resources. Ranging from human beings during slave trade, to raw materials during industrial revolution and since. And more recently, stripping of Africa of gold, diamond, petroleum and cheap labor.
China was not involved in slave trade of Africans, China was not involved in colonialism of Africans, China was not involved in imposing foreign religious on Africans. China was not involved in imposing foreign languages, such as English, French and Portuguese on Africans. China has not been involved in the assassination of African political leaders. China has so far been doing business in Africa, in ways, not any way as egregious as Union Carbide in Bhopal India or Pfizer in Nigeria
The West does not brook competition for resources or business or hemispheric influence, and there lays the West scurrilous attack on China’s foray into the African continent. Only the gullible will believe that this is about Human Rights or Labor Practices or Best Business Practices, history has abundantly borne this out. In Nigeria, environmental pollution degradation by oil companies from America and Europe who have engaged in unbridled oil spillages and gas flaring. And Pfizer pharmaceuticals, which experimented its toxic concoctions on the innocents lives of Nigerian children in Kano City Nigeria, a thing Pfizer would never do in America or Europe! China so far, at least, has not engaged in the egregious practices for which many American and European companies in African and most of the developing world are infamous.
Africa did not benefit from Western slave trade and colonialism in Africa and Westerners can be sure that Africans are no retards unaware of Africa's best interests. On the other hand, African public intellectuals and of course, by what is African political leadership, should make it abundantly clear and certain to the Chinese that Africa need partners, friends and investors, but not re-colonization by anyone, from the west or east! The Westerners should hands off Africa. Let Africa chart her own course and path to progress, development and advancement. Africa have been stifled with strictures endlessly.
As for labor practices and pollution, oil exploration and exploitation in Nigeria and elsewhere has not shown that companies and corporations run by Westerners are interested in Best Business Practices or Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Good Citizenship. Persistent oil spillages in Nigeria. Ruinous medical experiment in Kano Nigeria by Pfizer and activities of such as the ones by Union Carbide in Bhopal India are clearly indictments against phony and pretentious claims by Western business in the Africa and the rest of the developing world! Westerners have not laid any good precepts, and China cannot do any worse than Westerners have done. It certainly better to have a wider pool of options of Foreign Direct Investments in Africa.
China invest wads and wads of dollars in America. China in effect underwrites a great deal of American public debt and why then is it, that America does not tell China to go stuff her dollars elsewhere, because of her infamous record on democracy and human rights?
And I will say it a million times if I have to. Africans should be very wary of persons, such as umbrella sellers who also doubles as meteorologist in the habit of always predicting or forecasting rains
Africans including Nigerians of course, should want to know why America accepts money from China without even a whimper or murmur inclination to hinge such on and about China ‘s political economic systems and without raising issues about democratic forms of governance and human rights etc
Essentially therefore, Africa has nothing to show for a thousand years of Africa’s contact with America and Europe, unless of course Western Imperialism is considered a benefit to Africa. History does show, that Africa’s contact with America and Europeans, have only brought to the average African, endless sorrows, tears and shedding of bloods. Weapons of conflicts in African nations are not supplied by China.
The scramble for Africa, the white man conquest of the African continent had no Chinese input or participation. And lest the world forgets, China was not invited to the so-called Berlin Conference in which Western powers “shared” African amongst themselves, as if pirates dividing illegal loots. The Irish-Anglo historian, Thomas Pakenham wrote a book which he recounted the scramble for Africa. He detailed interventions in African affairs, encapsulates the horrors and brutalities meted upon Africa by Westerners, still evident today!
China was not invited to it, and China played no roles when Victorian England, Germany and rest of Europe partitioned Africa. And arbitrarily assigned African peoples to different European so-called mother countries of Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain etc
And now, it is China, Russia and the United States ate scrambling anew, for needful resources to oil their economies, all puns intended! And Africa remains a great source of plethora of resources for industrial powers. Africans should determine their own fate; apologies to President Obama. America and Europe must hands off Africa and allow Africans to determine who are worthy and meaningful partners. Africans are able to determine who are the true friends and partners of the continent.
African public intellectuals and political leadership, must insist that only Africans may rightly determine where Africa’s interests will be served and served with commitment and dedication, and above all, with respect. Westerners have for centuries sought prestige, strategic resources at Africa’s expense. For centuries, Africa has served Western expediencies, and needs in human cargoes, gold and diamond now, petroleum oil, to lubricates Westerners’ economic engines, while leaving Africa in poverty, and worse, actually ridiculing Africa for being poor and backward.
A thousand of years is proof enough of the abysmal and dismal effects of appalling methods used by Westerners in Africa and Westerners’ interventions in Africa have had no measurable beneficial effects and the Chinese have never been involved nor played any roles or parts in the nefarious activities by Westerners which have degraded and dehumanized Africans and the human conditions on the African continent. I therefore do not see the why Africans must allow Westerners, these same Westerners, of whom we are thoroughly familiar.
Westerners with blood in their hands. Westerners who now pretend to be acting in Africa’s best interests, be warning Africa against the Chinese “invasion and takeover” of Africa! The truth of the matter is that, Africa have in the past been bullied and stampeded into plied for Westerner health, wealth and happiness for far too long, and if the relationship between Westerners and Africa were a marriage, Africa should have had or demanded for divorce or separation long ago. Africa should be free to have “an affair” with the Chinese! Westerners have taken Africa for granted for hundreds of years. So perhaps it is time for Africa to tell Westerners that papa got a brand new bag!
Why is China being criticized for having no political views, on local matters in African nations in which the Chinese are making some inroads? Put conversely, why does the United States accept money from China to finance American public debts without a whimper or murmur about China’s Human Right records or and Chinese non-adherence to the fine ideals of democracy, freedom, liberty and the rule of law? But instead, President Obama upon assuming office and inheriting the economic meltdown, actually singled China out and appealed to China to continue to have faith in the resilience of the American economy. As he urged China keeping the tap of more dollars flowing into the American economy. This, even though, China already has more than a trillion dollars invested in purchase of American public debt.
Why would Westerners ignore all the “evils” reeking off China’s clothes, when the bell tolls for Westerners? But, the same Westerners are in great trepidations and stampede to warn Africa off, of, Chinese pungent undemocratic ways, and perverse-putrid human rights abuses, only now, because China is giving the Westerners a run for their money in Africa? Western self-interests of course! In China’s forays into various African nations, Westerners finally have a fidelity challenge. Let the competition begin, I’ll say!
This is a masterpiece of advise to African leaders. I hope there will be a united African leaders to fight a common front to ward off these stigma of retrogressive from the continent.
Thank you
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