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Paying Dearly for AfricaPaying Dearly for Africa
Leadership)
John Akpan
OPINION
13 October 2007
Let's admit the painful truth, that many African countries don't really take Nigeria seriously. A Nigerian, say, in South Africa, Namibia, Sierra Leone or Liberia, is most times a hate figure. That's the reality.
Personally, the first shock I had, almost one decade ago, somewhere in East Africa, was the perception that my country is simply "big for nothing"...Some sort of "money miss road," eager to please behemoth. I was very pained. I challenged, and was told how Nigeria had always let itself down, Africa and the black world, generally. For them, the manner in which this country abuses its huge resources hurts.
When you look closely at what possibly drives Nigeria's foreign policy, the mechanics of its self-projection and leadership temperament at that level, it shows that it can be difficult to understand what Nigeria truly represents, especially in the eyes of others.
As one of the frontline states, I can recall what Nigeria did during the struggle to topple the white racist government in South Africa. The country sacrificed (for all that the word means) to help liberate Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe, but what did Nigeria get? A story is told of how the late Gen. Joe Garba, then a commissioner for External Affairs, stormed out of a gathering (or, was it a threat?), because Nigeria was not given its due respect at Namibia's first independence celebration. In my day, we had many South Africans, Namibians and Zimbabweans on full Nigerian government scholarships in schools, and today, you dare not try to link up with them, because they will make you regret such attempt. Not too long ago, a Nigerian newspaper reporter could not believe his ears when he ran into Miriam Makeba in South Africa. Probably recalling how the federal government, some state governments, as well as certain individual Nigerians were always eager to host "Mama Africa", the journalist sought audience with her, and what he recorded from the unfortunate encounter shocked and saddened him.
Such has always been the experience. And this, I believe has been the consequence of the style, direction and content of our unduly self-sacrificing foreign policy. Our country is always willing to give and pay; take up responsibilities and to sacrifice, in return for no tangible national gains. But the world isn't run that way anymore.
Mark you, foreign policy has to be conducted and seen within the context of national self-interest. It is what the Americans call strategic national interest, whereupon, we can as well ask the question: what has been our strategic national interest for all the resources we poured into the liberation struggles in Southern Africa? Did our country clearly define our strategic national interest before dispatching troops to Liberia and Sierra Leone? For the latter, as recent as the last general elections last September, Nigerians there were harassed, threatened and mobbed, when the Earnest Bai Koroma opposition party won. And we can't help asking what wrong Nigeria did in Sierra Leone! But Sierra Leone isn't the only theatre of our huge losses, diplomatically speaking. Take Sudan. Again, what really is Nigeria still doing in Darfur, with its very senior general and more soldiers, after armed hoodlums routed a peacekeeping camp, killing poorly armed Nigerian soldiers?
The scene at the funeral of the slain seven troops at the National Cemetery recently, should never be repeated, because what this country sacrifices and continues to do for Africa, don't match what it gains, if indeed there has been any gain, even by way of respect.
I listened to detect any tone of genuine anger in President Yar'Adua's address at the National Cemetery, and heard none. I waited to hear any concrete and serious demands on the Sudanese government and the so-called rebels for explanation in the president's speech, but couldn't hear any. I thought our president should have stated, or rather, given the AU and the UN firm conditions by which Nigeria can continue to keep its military personnel in the deserted Darfur. Now, Senegal reportedly lost one soldier and Wade is mad, even threatening never to deploy his troops there again. America is stronger and more powerful (militarily) than Nigeria, but it will not send its troops again to either Lebanon or Somalia. Neither will it, whenever it will be able to extricate itself, to Iraq!
President Yar'Adua spoke of national determination for Nigeria to continue to play an integral role in the world, and particularly, in Africa, in ensuring peace and stability, "Whenever we are called, and wherever we feel it's necessary to be there." But this speech is merely noble, with no practical purpose, or punch, to express the collective anger and shock of Nigerians. I feel that restating, reaffirming and reassuring the so-called international community and Sudan of our continued commitment, to keeping peace (when there is none) in Darfur, is almost a (George) "Bushish" kind of mindset. What does Nigeria want to do in Sudan? We have lost seven men and are willing, and preparing to lose some more? I think that by the standard of contemporary configuration of global politics and strategic interests, it would pay us to quantify our international commitments and engagements, so that the political leadership can set itself to the delicate task of applying our resources to the primary needs of the citizenry.
Look at the tragedy of Bakassi. This country lost so many human lives and material resources there; and at present, there are thousands of Nigerians who have become refugees in Nigeria. Eventually and without any pressure or prompting, the country simply turned its tail, surrendered the peninsula to Cameroon and retreated, for no plausible reason other than the excuse to promote African unity and peace.
It bears to be repeated here that the current international socio-economic barometer that rates Nigeria far below Equitorial Guinea, Togo, Niger, Benin Republic and other such countries that many of our people often tend to hold in contempt, is bad news enough. We have so much to do with the much we have to first, salvage ourselves. I feel that it can't be by way of throwing costly lives and resources away, in trying to play the big African brother, that Nigeria will truly be made big, or great.
I know that Nigeria, in many ways, is great and could have been even greater. I also know that this country needs clear vision in its political leadership; a spine in its military standing and strength in its economy, to be able to earn respect for all her sacrifices. Herding more troops to Darfur after sustaining such heavy losses in one night, to ragtag gun-toting, mindless tribal thugs in the wilds of Darfur... Ehm... does it really look right?
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