Bush, Blair attend Nigeria ceremony

ABUJA, Nigeria – Former world leaders George W. Bush and Tony Blair joined

Nigeria's elite at a ceremony honoring the political and business establishment Sunday,

but one honoree's absence highlighted the endemic corruption and other problems

plaguing the oil-rich nation.
Hosted by a Nigerian newspaper mogul Nduka Obaigbena, the ceremony included an

award for former anti-corruption investigator Nuhu Ribadu, who investigated top ruling-

party politicians. But family members had to accept the award for Ribadu who left

Nigeria for the United States after being fired from his job and the target of a drive-by

shooting.
Ribadu once estimated corruption cost Nigeria — a nation where most people live on

less than $2 a day — over $380 billion since independence. Yet little has been done to

stem that flow.
"We have in Nigeria in particular a system appreciated by Nigerians but no one else —

an idea of dependence" on patronage and graft, former President Shehu Shagari told

those gathered Sunday at the ThisDay Awards. "It has to be fought against in this

country or we will not have progress."
How to change that system is an open question in a country where some former military

leaders remain active in politics. Invited guest former President Bush sat alongside

former dictator Muhammadu Buhari, a general who had government critics detained

and passed laws allowing for indefinite detentions without trial.

Neither Bush nor Blair spoke at the event, but former U.S. Secretary of State

Condoleezza Rice briefly touched on the corruption plaguing Nigeria in her speech.

Rice called on Nigeria to hold honest and transparent presidential elections scheduled

for 2011.
However, some lawmakers have suggested moving the election up after vice president

Goodluck Jonathan took over for President Umaru Yar'Adua, who is receiving medical

treatment in Saudi Arabia.
Blair, Bush and Rice all met with Jonathan at different times over the weekend. After his

meeting with Bush, a statement by Jonathan promised the coming elections "will be

credible."
AP