Trump’s‘lifeless’ remarks:Reckless and amateurish
PRESIDENT of the United States of America, Donald Trump grouchily ridiculed the highly-rated America by his reckless and unsound attacks on Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari that has the mandate of the people to lead and represent them. Trump, a moment ago unkindly described Buhari who he played host to in April and gave a top notch treatat in White House as “lifeless”. By the gaffe, Trump extensively, verbally battered the good people of Nigeria that gave their mandate to Buhari to exercise their sovereignty vis-à-vis universal suffrage. Trump definitely did not know that choices of who leads a country rest solely with the people and not external forces. The deed was indeed the height of talkativeness and pomposity. The God’s own nation as tagged has never had it so crude, unprofessional or raw as is the case with the present leadership in the U.S.
Probably, Trump needs special orientation sessions on diplomatic relations. Emphatically, the elites in America inarguably preferred former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton during the presidential election but as the majority of the population surrendered their mandates to Trump and the Republican Party, the wishes of the majority prevailed against the elites. And since then, peace and tranquility reigned in the States. The elites clearly understood that democracy is the rule of the majority irrespective of aptness or inaptness. They undoubtedly understood that the people solely decide who rules them in a functional democracy. They correspondingly understood that the people make the decisions through their votes by exercising franchises. They likewise understood that opinions of external forces or governments do not actually count in choosing leadership. To call a spade a spade, America’s over 200 years of democracy deserves the charisma and glamour archetypal of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and George Bush among others. Trump is manifestly trumpeting excessively, disproportionately and extremely. Not even Africa’s ever-ready spokespersons and aides that try every now and then to defend their respective governments talk edgily as the present US helmsman.
The most shocking aspect is that Trump thrillingly eulogized Buhari for his laudable efforts to put Nigeria back on track when the two leaders shared the same White House environs recently. And therefore, it makes one to wonder if Trump is a sycophant who praises someone in his presence but when apart, has different opinions. Could Trump have been blind or suffering from shortsightedness not to notice Buhari’s purported lifelessness during his visit, and suddenly regained the sight to see the other side of the coin? Or possibly, Trump eventually was convinced to play out political scripts of some persons? Of course, politics can be played multi-dimensionally. Nonetheless, a sovereign nation deserves some reverences. Funnily, Trump remarks which connote unhealthiness came when Buhari is facing severe criticisms in the polity over dictatorial tendencies as ex-military leader against rule of law.
To be candid, the US President can criticize another country’s leader but protocols are indispensible. Trump has access directly to President Buhari as he did during his medical trip to the United Kingdom. Trump can equally invite Buhari for a tête-à-tête at the White House instead of cheap politics he believably played for some political figures. To worsen it, Trump didn’t accuse Buhari of deficient qualities but tagging his fellow human a lifeless person, and not even when Buhari was incommunicado on health ground. By the way, what makes Trump extremely confident he will outlive Buhari? For the record, Trump, now 72 is comparably advanced in age unlike his predecessor, Obama that concluded his second-term at fifty-four. Yet, Americans accepted the electoral verdict.
Inarguably, the outburst characterized a personal attack so cheapish to be linked to the number-one US citizen. Analytically, the attack is scandalous, undiplomatic and leaves much to be desired from American President in 21st century.Had it been Trump carped Buhari mildly over some unfriendly policies probably on the controversies over rule of law versus national security and interest that is presently heating up the polity; one would reasonably give Trump thumbs-up as a democrat. But to call a statesman duly elected by his people to lead them a lifeless person and that he wouldn’t want to meet again is unfathomable, barbaric and irksome. It calls for questions if US indeed has competent advisers to their President. In a nutshell, Trump goofed. Put it in another way, Trump ironically reduced America. To cap it all, Trump broke diplomatic protocols and threatened international peace and cooperation. And to remedy the defects, Trump should inclusively apologize to the Federal Republic of Nigeria for hostile and uncensored remarks against the country. Above all, Trump should learn to talk less. Nigeria is a sovereign nation and therefore doesn’t share its powers to choose her leaders with foreign nations.
Umegboro is a public affairs analyst and Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom) 07057101974-sms only.