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Nigerians without Nigeria By EVER since the tragic events in New York and Washington over a week ago, virtually every country's diplomatic mission has made spirited efforts to identify or account for its citizens known to have been inside the World Trade Centre minutes before the buildings imploded. Not so the Nigerian government. If Nigeria showed any concern at all, it was the usual but irritating display of resignation, an indication that it was not the government's business to account for Nigerians living in other countries. Nigerians and Nigeria organisations in the United States have taken over the job of trying to account for their friends and family members. This is exactly the kind of role the federal government ought to be playing. But experience has shown that Nigerian governments, civilian or military, are never concerned about the plight of their citizens residing overseas. Times like this provide a practical test of the level of commitment or disregard that any government has for its citizens. At times like this, you also wonder whether there is any reason why one should be proud to identify one's self as a Nigerian. A nation that shows total disregard for the welfare and wellbeing of its citizens, a nation that offers little or no protection to its citizens overseas is a nation that despises its citizens. Nigerians in the United States and those at home who have families in the US must be outraged by the nonchalant attitude of the Obasanjo administration.
More than one week after the tragic event, Nigerians have no any idea as the possible number of their fellow citizens who might have died in the disaster in New York and Washington. It is the least service we expect from our country and the government. It is the obligation of the Nigerian government to give regular updates of the likely number of Nigerian casualties. The World Trade Centre is, as the name suggests, a global centre of business and tourism. The domestic airlines that were hijacked could have been carrying some Nigerians on business or holiday trips. Any number of Nigerians could have perished in the twin towers when disaster struck last week. It is therefore presumptuous for anyone to feel that only American citizens died in the suicide bombing. Most certainly there were Nigerians who worked in the WTC building or who were attending conference or simply visiting the site at the time of the disaster.
Nigerians residing overseas will tell you that one of the reasons why they treat Nigerians diplomats with contempt is the attitude and insensitivity of the diplomats, their bloated image and exaggerated importance about themselves and their preoccupation with matters selfish and undiplomatic. Effective diplomatic leadership is not about being dressed in heavily starched babanriga. It is not about wearing double-breasted suits and fashionable ties. It is not about attending innumerable conferences and workshops in chauffeured limousines. It is not about being seen in the company of world leaders, beautiful women and elite members of society. Leadership of any kind is about human relations. It is about timely information management. Indeed effective leadership is about caring for others, in particular your countrymen and women, especially in times of international disaster.
When President Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn into office, part of his oath of office was to defend Nigeria and its people. That is what Obasanjo and his ministers have abandoned. It is not only the physical and geographic borders of Nigeria that must be defended but also the interests of Nigerians wherever they reside. Ever since his election, Obasanjo has developed a new but consuming passion for frequent and fruitless overseas trips. As evidence that the Nigerian leadership has little regard for its citizens, President Obasanjo resumed his endless but nomadic lifestyle by travelling overseas less than one week after the tragic events in the United States. While other world leaders who were outside their countries cut short their foreign trips, Nigeria's Obasanjo packed his bag and set off for the United Kingdom. It was an ill-timed trip. As a mark of respect for the victims of the disaster in the United States, common sense dictated that Obasanjo postpone his trip. But Obasanjo is not the kind of man to change course easily once his mind is set on mission ñ a major reason his opponents describe him as arrogant and stubborn and sometimes bullheaded.
Despite growing concerns about his overseas trips, President Obasanjo on 16 August defended his trips. He told the Nigerian people that his trips were strictly diplomatic shuttles aimed at building up investors' confidence in the nation's economy. His opponents say he should reserve such excuses for the marines. The problem with this pedestrian argument is that Obasanjo and his courtiers have not provided evidence that foreign investors are flocking into Nigeria as a result of Obasanjo's overseas trips. Obasanjo is fully aware, even in the face of his defence, that you cannot promote foreign investment or attract foreign investors without actually creating an enabling environment. That enabling environment has unfortunately been disenabled by a number of problems in the Nigerian society. Quite simply, the environment for foreign investment does not yet exist in Nigeria. And the federal government understands why. Rising crime and corruption deter rather than attract foreign investors.
In his true nature, Obasanjo will never understand the point. Hear him: "It is gratifying to note that in spite of the misconception and negative interpretations of these efforts, the visits have yielded positive results with foreign investors indicating interest to do business in different areas of the economy." What Obasanjo does not understand and perhaps will never understand (as long as he remains stewed in the unconvincing justification of his foreign trips) is that showing interest is not exactly the same thing as doing business in Nigeria. Many foreigners acknowledge the rich potential Nigeria has for business growth and development but they are also scared about reports of violent armed robbery, growing fraudulent business practices perpetuated by the graduates of the "419" school of deception and skullduggery.
Somewhere in the text of Obasanjo's address of 16 August lay a clear acknowledgment of the tasks that must be undertaken before foreign investors begin to troop into Nigeria. Hear Obasanjo again: "In recognition of the fact that no business can flourish in the midst of uncertainly and insecurity of life and property, government has taken decisive steps to contain the incidence of poverty, crime and corruption which had reached unacceptable proportions by the time the present administration came to power." Another one of those arguments that should be reserved for the marines! Obasanjo should realise that when he speaks to Nigerians, he is talking to people who live inside Nigeria, people who understand events in the country the economic hardships, the state of siege caused by incessant cases of armed robbery, widespread corruption, and the fast spreading fraudulent business activities of Nigerians. The President cannot close his eyes to these problems or pretend in his public speeches that his government has successfully overcome these problems. The citizens are indeed smarter than the government is willing to admit.
October 2001
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