|
International symbolisms and doublespeak By A lot of fustigation has been unleashed recently in Nigeria concerning a legitimate American Bill of Congress duly signed into law by President Bush, offering a token sum of two million dollars to anybody who can produce an indicted person to the international court sitting in Sierra Leone.
The sum earmarked for such an assignment shows very clearly that the Americans are not serious about Charles Taylor. Part of the deal allowing Taylor safe passage out of Liberia was that he keeps his head down in exile, Taylor knew getting out of Liberia was not guaranteed with the Americans anchored offshore, and refused to budge until three other African heads of state had to accompany him in the plane, knowing fully well that America with their hands tied in Iraq, would not want to risk an uproar over the hijacking of three harmless but befuddled African politicians.
If the American state is really serious about getting Taylor, the ransom would be ten million dollars. No self respecting bounty hunter would touch the Taylor offer. The Nigerian criminal class, whom this sum might appeal to, is not renowned for heavy lifting, which this sort of high risk operation entails. High risk not because of the efficiency of Nigeria’s security system, but on the contrary, our ineptness actually would guarantee Taylor’s safety. How do you know whether the Nigerian security officials would stop shooting when you surrender, or, how about mounting your operation only to kidnap the wrong man because the electricity was shut down in the town, as all Africans look alike, at least in the dark? After intelligence gathering, logistics, risks and carrying out of the operation, the amount left as profit would be non existent if at all. That amount would be enough to pay for the assassination of Charles Taylor, but definitely not enough for his kidnapping and onward movement and deliverance at Sierra Leone. It is just a token symbolism, because Nigeria has failed to live up to its own undertaking of keeping Taylor under wraps. How did this happen?
Taylor arrived safely in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria., and was promptly handed over to a young but inexperienced Donald Duke, who was trumpeting about how he would contain Taylor. I would bet my last kobo that before this meeting, Duke had never had any relationship with an Americo-Liberian with their misguided mindset of being more civilized than the natives. Taylor also had never been in contact with an Efik man with his self assumed air of civilization. There was bound to be a testing of wills. Taylor thought quite wrongly that he was on holidays. Ojukwu, in one of his numerous interviews narrated how Houphet Boigny of Ivory Coast, at their first meeting when he arrived into exile in that country, brought three books which he gave to him to read, on how other people in history survived exile. This little level of debriefing and reorientation was not afforded Taylor. He then took off on his little excursions within the metropolis and state. In a nutshell, part of the agreement Nigeria had before bringing Taylor; even against popular opinion into Nigeria, was not being enforced. Taylor should have been made aware from the start that Cross River State is bigger and more populous than his country Liberia. This state has more ethnic groups and languages than any other state in Nigeria. The relative peaceful coexistence of her citizens depended very heavily on political brinkmanship. It should have been spelt out to Taylor that he was in Calabar because he had failed, and his was a punishment not a holiday.
The Nigerian government therefore betrayed the undertaking she gave the international community guaranteeing Taylor’s conduct. The recent hand wringing, posturing and appeal to national sovereignty by Nigeria’s state officials are all designed to distort reality and corrupt understanding of the issues at stake. Also, the American Embassy in Nigeria is trying to make what should be intolerable seem less so. They know quite well that since there is a law duly signed by the president of their country, anybody on earth within the next six months feeling that enough is not being done about the Charles Taylor situation, could file for a writ of mandate at any United States Court of Appeals to compel the president of the United States, to show cause why Taylor has not been delivered at Sierra Leone. The American attorney general in his defense, might try to put up a story that efforts are being made to deliver Taylor, but the petitioner would at least be able to ask the Judge to get the American government to advertise the job offer, or, if the money is not enough, go back to Congress and ask for more money, to execute the law. This could be done without even stepping foot on American soil. It is a law of the United States and every American president and backwater state department officials must obey until it is rescinded. Therefore, their denial is misleading.
The American authorities know that Taylor has only been indicted, this is merely a charge which must be proven at trial beyond reasonable doubt. It is an accusation and a legal tool by which Taylor would be brought to trial as a defendant, its sole purpose is to identify the defendant’s alleged offense. Taylor has not avoided the Court. His lawyer is representing him. There is no law that says he must be physically present in the Court at this stage of the trial. Therefore, the Americans are only engaging in symbolic saber rattling in an attempt to restrain Taylor from interfering with the ongoing peace process in Liberia. Are the Americans wrong? Of course not! Politically speaking. But, the law is clearly unconstitutional. Unlike the Americans, when it comes to intra and international relations and lawlessness everybody takes a backseat to Nigeria. A case in point: There is one Mr. Ahmed Tidjani, being held by the Nigerian authorities for over twenty four hours without being charged to court. Mr. Tidjani, is believed and is known to be a foreign national from Niger Republic. He is being suspected of receiving stolen goods. He was kidnapped from his country and handed over to the Nigerian authorities. I say 'kidnapped' because Mr. Tidjani, had at no time been arraigned before a court of law in Niger Republic, where extradition should have been sought before he could be moved to the Republic of Benin, where his offense was assumed to have been committed. Nobody knows how he got to Benin Republic. From there, he miraculously appeared in Nigeria. He was not also indicted by any known court in the Benin Republic or even put on trial. The Nigerian president single handedly placed a ransom on his head by economically strangulating a peaceful neighbor without the input of the Nigerian Senate and got his way. The Americans at least had the good sense to push through a law. There is a way out for Taylor and Nigeria. The Nigerian attorney general can challenge this law in an American court asking a judge to declare it unconstitutional, as Taylor has only been indicted from the explanation above and his whereabouts is known.
Now enter the Interpol organization. I wonder where they were when Liberia was burning. Under what basis can the Interpol declare anybody wanted. The sad fact is that Nigeria even amid its most confused state has been able to pull a rabbit out of the hat in Liberia, and the Western world cannot have any of that. The Nigerian president has thrown them a curve ball. Nigeria would release Taylor if the Liberian government makes an official demand for him. Ha..ha.. ha..
When Nigerian officials shout of sovereignty and state terrorism they are only using language as a tool or weapon to achieve their ends and hoodwink us. Take for an example; the Nigerian president bullied a chieftain and people of Bakassi who visited him recently, that Nigeria would not tolerate any division of her territory. The president knows quite well that based on the World Court judgment, Bakassi is not part of Nigeria’s territory. He did not stop there; he reiterated that Bakassi 'has not yet been ceded' to the Camerouns. What a piece of gobbledygook, does ‘has not yet been ceded’ mean it will never be ceded?
As we struggle to understand and manage the demands of nation building and democracy, we should be aware of symbolisms. Would the Nigerian president tell us that he failed to bring the Taylor matter to the attention of George Bush, Sr., or, does he not understand the meaning behind his being used as a mail runner by George Bush, Sr., to deliver a message to another doyen of capitalism, Mr. Rockefeller, just on the heels of this hiccup in our relationship? Therefore, all involved should stop assaulting our senses with words meant to exploit, manipulate and further oppress us
November 2003
|