NO, DEAR PRESIDENT BUHARI, NIGERIA'S SOLUTION IS NOT IN USA
Because we love the unreal and hate the truth, we (Nigerian Elites) appear incapable of holding a meaningful dialogue for finding solution to basic Nigerian problem – Emeka Odumegu-Ojukwu
Dear Editor, kindly permit me to use your well read medium to express my sincere and patriotic opinion as our dear President Muhammadu Buhari embarks on his first of many official visits to President Barrack Obama and the United State of America (USA) in search of solution to Nigeria's political, socio-economic and security problems.
President Buhari has promised us, Nigerians, of finding solution in USA to three of our major problems (Economic woes, Corruption and Insecurity). My take on this? No, Dear President Buhari, Nigeria’s solution is not in USA. It is here with us at home. Four days of sincere and serious soul searching here at home (our beloved nation, Nigeria) will achieve much better and sustainable solution and turn around.
Sir, there is nothing new United States of America and President Obama have to offer us except to exploit us the more to help him (President Obama) solve some domestic problems he now faces. He is today battling with increase in racism (killing of Blacks), Internal insecurity (serial killers), Inequality, Corruption, Poverty and Homelessness in his Country. I hope we have not forgotten in a hurry that Enron Energy is not in Nigeria or owned by Nigerians. It is one time USA leading Energy Company.
I also hope we have not forgotten in a hurray that Arthur Anderson is not a Nigerian Financial Consulting Company neither are Wodcom and FBI Nigerian Company or Security Agency. Yet we know that some time in year 2002, the world was shocked to learn of the massive corruption, nepotism and fraud that rocked all of them for decades unknown or deliberately covered up by the powerful USA Government. The good news though is that American President Bush and Americans promptly dealt with these problems without seeking help from Nigeria or abroad. Mr President, like Americans, Nigerians can. YES WE CAN!
Sir, may I inform or remind you that former President Olusegun Obasanjo also embarked on similar trip to USA in January 2000 with high hope of getting President Bill Clinton help repatriate our looted funds hidden in USA Banks and other Banks in the Western Nations. Please ask him (former President Obasanjo) how much he got back home after months of his trips to USA and other Western Nations? These trips we learnt cost our nation and people, millions of US Dollars. I expected you asked him or check the records before you embarked on this trip with the high enthusiasm.
My dear President Sir, permit me to also remind you that President Bill Clinton’s response to President Obasanjo's request was that he (President Clinton) cannot direct the USA Banks to repatriate the looted funds due to Laws of the USA, as he claimed. May it please you to know that the two other Nigerian Presidents after President Obasanjo, also embarked on similar trips yet all we got back was more looted funds flying out of our Country and hidden in these same USA & her allied Western Nations. Their Agenda is to have more looted funds forfeited to their nations. Simple! If they want to stop looted funds out of Nigeria, USA can do it with ease but this they won't unless there is evidence that such looted funds are to be used to fund terrorism against the USA and her Allies.
It is also pertinent to inform you that in this new globalised village, morality has been deleted from the dictionary of UN member nations. The military might is Right. Your nation first, others last. This is the sad state we find ourselves today in the comity of nations of the world. Adam Smith’s theory of Economics has deliberately been misinterpreted and misapplied these days by the so-called super power nations to their own advantage.
Sir, mark my word today that USA direct involvement in fighting this evil attacks and killings in Nigeria allegedly by Boko Haram will aggravate the situation. It is a fact that in all countries that USA has rendered military assistance in fighting terrorism or insurgencies, the situation got worse and hopeless. From Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Kenya, and lately Libya and Syria, the situation is the same. Will it be different in Nigeria if allowed? I doubt. I hope I am wrong here.
I know that you know far much better than I do that our Nigerian Armed Forces devoid of corruption and nepotism, are far more competent and efficient in fighting and defeating wars such as we face today. This is the reason you boasted several times during your election campaigns that you will defeat these senseless killers and murderers within few months if you are given the mandate to be our President. I believed you and still very much believe you can without direct involvement of the USA. In Liberia, the same USA ran away but it took this same Nigerian Armed Forces to win the war for our Liberians brothers and sisters.
Mr President, the truth is that the USA needs our help more than we need theirs. If you must negotiate with the USA, negotiate from the point of STRENGTH, not weakness. The unfortunate political, security and socio-economic challenges we are now faced with is not peculiar to us and our nation, worse things happened to USA and other great nations today and they overcame by believing in themselves to fix their own problems.
My Dear President, we have done it before, we can do it again. Let us do it now! PATRIOTISM is the answer.
GOD bless Nigeria.
Written by Comrade Igbini Odafe Emmanuel, National President, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD) Warri, Delta State.