As a Nigerian with well-grounded knowledge of the way Nigerian government officials operates, millions of dollars were spent each time these officials visit abroad. They spent public money for personal purchases such as rugs, cloths, cars, and real estates especially by those that have relatives residing at the visited country.

Why should the Nigerian government protest the treatment at the airport? What made the Obasanjo sacrosanct in its belief that diplomatic status should be extended to his extended family and the army of looters in his entourage. Customs and immigration officials for several reasons should check the government, in this writer's opinion. First, the composition of Obasanjo's government automatically qualifies them as bona fide suspect warranting airport interrogation. Obasanjo loaded his government with retired army generals, the ones that were once accused of drug smuggling while in power during the Ibrahim Babangida's regime. How time flies, we tend to forget that washing a pig is a waste of time and resources because, a pig would always be a pig. The fact that these retired Nigerian army generals no longer wear military outfit does not mean that they did not dupe the country, involved in cover-up of diabolic colleagues or enrich themselves illegally.

Second, there are two ways to dupe Nigerian government and Obasanjo is teaching his friends and political protégés the new way. The old way was where government officials would dip their hands into public fund and physically remove and convert them to private use. Some would pad up their agency budgets with fictitious programs that do not exist. The new way according to Obasanjo doctrine is by traveling all over the world. It has been estimated that Obasanjo travels at least, two times to a foreign country per month. These trips include official provision of allowance and other privileges that ran in the millions. According to one estimate, it was argued that Obasanjo traveled outside the Nigerian boarder a total of 82 times. Assuming that each trip cost $100, 000 for the president alone, that amounts to $8,200,000 so far. Break down, $200,000 (2. 100,000) per month, a conservative estimate per month. This amount does not include the cost of his hundreds of entourage, their families and allowances.

It is about time that someone in the Nigerian House ground the Air Obasanjo and audit his frequent flying ventures. God and the Nigerian people are beginning to demand that a new divine intervention professed that air Obasanjo should be grounded henceforth. Imagine how much development or road repairs that the frequent flyer Obasanjo's money machine would benefit the common man on the road. It seems that the people made a huge mistake with the misconception that an ex-military officer in the capacity of Olusegun Obasanjo was what Nigeria needed in the immediate post military era.

Again, who should blame the people for making a poor choice, after all, they were given little time and choice to pick a president, and while they were mauling the limited choice between the rock and the hard rock, the last military regime was busy looting public treasury and covering their tails. At the same time, decision was made where election was skewed to favor the lesser of two evils, the one that would not mount total assault against the military misadventures and theft of public treasure given their long-standing ties.

The Nigerian army turned civilian politicians has gotten away with murder. These are the same people, less we forget, who murdered innocent people or those that opposed their diabolic and illegitimate regimes. Instead of getting red carpets, these fellows should be tried for their past transgression and abuse of human rights. The African leaders have shown over and over again that they lacked the will and moral conviction necessary to transform the continent into a stable and progressive society. It sadden one to observe that each time a major step is taken forward in Africa, two to three steps are taken backward.

The whole world owes it to the Africans to help them in the fight against corruption and corrupt practices. For instance, during the Clinton’s presidency in the US, government associates of Sani Abacha were barred from entering the United States. Other countries followed and that resulted in isolation of Abacha and his cronies. The same practice was instituted against the former South African apartheid regime and it worked to help tear down that evil empire. Today, we have the same folks that worked with Sani Abacha and Ibrahim Babangida parading aside Olusegun Obasanjo as special advisers and businessmen. They should be arrested and tried for offenses against humanity from their past deeds in Nigeria. Or, should be prevented from entry into other countries. We live in a global village and as such global New World Order rules that does not tolerate dictatorship, looting of public funds, pirating in diamond, terrorism, racial discrimination and other forms of human right abuse.

Third, corruption and nepotism in the selection of presidential entourage is commonplace in the Nigerian polity. The issue of who should be rewarded to travel with the president depends on the level of blind commitment and worship exhibited towards the chief executive and his henchmen. In most advanced nations, presidential trips to foreign nations are tailored toward achievement of either diplomacy or commerce. In light of this characterization, those knowledgeable on these fields usually form the bulk of the presidential entourage. The goal often was to seek out the best for the benefit of the nation and to bring home the beacon so the speak.

Contrary is the case at hand, when it comes to Nigerian presidential trip abroad. Such trips entail patronage and afford some an opportunity to send their children abroad without going through the normal migration process. Given that most western countries have tightened their immigration laws and work permit, it has become a common practice among these corrupt Nigerian officials to secretly and illegally export millions of dollars to the said countries that would help keep their children afloat, perhaps living the life of opulence. The visited countries have every right as a decent society to smoke these corrupt officials out of their cocoon and expose them for what they are - foes of Nigerian people.

Forth, since the Nigerian legislative elected official and the general public lacked the backbone to mount a serious challenge to ground Air Obasanjo and his wasteful way of life, wouldn't it be prudent to support others that are willing to do so? When Obasanjo was a military head of state in the 1970s, he made very little trips outside the aegis of Nigeria. Today, it has been reported that he has made more than eighty trips abroad, averaging approximately two trips per month. This is the worst leisure faire president in the world history and coming at the end of his life span.

It seems that years in the slammer has given Obasanjo a new perspective of life one of which was the need to see the world before being called home by the man above. One therefore, would argue that this was enough compelling reason why he ran for elective office in 1999. This could be the Divine power that is being mentioned over and over that influenced his actions. For instance, to run or not to run for re-election: Obasanjo looks for answer from God. A lot of people look to God for an answer and in the Obasanjo's case, it seems that God is mad. He does not want him to continue to squander people's money on unprofitable worldwide swing. He failed to comprehend that in a civilized and democratic society that the prerequisite to run for re-election or a return to office depends on a demonstrated tangible performance while in office devoid of propaganda.

Fifth, what is the composition of Obasanjo entourage? Who are these people? What do they stand for and what about their background? To answer these questions succinctly, they are the same old wine turn new. They are the same butchers at Lagos prior to the move to Abuja, who partake, in the atrocious regimes of the Nigerian darkest era. They are mostly generals in the army who either gave orders to torture people or make them disappear. They are the ones that looted the country blind. Their mission at this point is to secure their ill-gotten wealth and the only way to do so is by hiding among the presidential entourage. Since the Nigerian press and system could not smoke them out, for obvious reasons, the incorruptible foreign governments should do so. They should expose their caprice so that the world and potential investors would understand what they were up against when it comes to rebuilding Nigeria.

There were discussions about shame and embarrassment to the Nigerian government and its people. Nigerian government does not comprehend the full meaning of shame nor do they appreciate the concept of embarrassment. By and large, the current Nigerian representation which comprise of high number of ex-military officers, given their track record while in power are embarrassment to Nigeria. How dare the government cry foul where there are plenty of foul right under their nose, especially the ones that stink like skunk?

We conclude by implying that the brouhaha about the diplomatic flop at the Australian airport may have been justified. We contend that the president and few (diplomats) among his company must be entitled to international diplomatic courtesy. However, the rest of the attachments must go through the custom and immigration process. Again, these charlatan-turned-diplomats that bought their status with money have been accustomed to the untouchable treatment at home where people worship them because of their exaggerated status. They always stand above the law and would be readily available and willing to destroy those who failed to accord them false omniscient status. The trip to Australia was on unfamiliar territory and a nation of law. In such countries, everyone obeys the law. Everyone is subjected to the same law. There is no separate law for the rich and for the poor.

So, for those who like the company of traveling on Air Obasanjo, get used to it; if you cannot stand the heat (law), stay home. Finally, like seminars, presidential foreign trips were supposed to make Obasanjo a better president having been exposed to foreign leaders and having seen how democratic nations operate, Obasanjo should have changed. Unfortunately, the Air Obasanjo is a pleasure trip and as such, must be grounded and audited. A new law should be enacted to limit the number of foreign trips undertaken by elected government officials during their tenure in office for such would eliminate unnecessary abuse of official power.

March 2002