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America Means Well For Nigeria; Oh Really?

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2010 08 05 clinton nigeria 600 1

2010_08_05_clinton_nigeria_600_1

America has clearly set out to undermine Nigeria, to create instability and disintegration! A good question is whether America is undermining Nigeria, with America’s recent actions and pronouncements? This is a good question that Nigerians are asking, or should be asking; Are some Nigerians still uncertain of the US? Here are proof!

A pattern of America’s hostility toward the people and government of Nigeria has since emerged! Even though some Nigerians still insist that America is Nigeria’s friend! But with friends like these, who needs enemies? It is one thing for a friend to privately inform you of your bad breathe, but quite another for your friend to broadcast your bad breathe on television advertisement on a frequent basis!

First, America ostentatiously announced predictions to the effect that Nigeria will disintegrate in a matter of fifteen years; And some naïve Nigerians proceeded to explain to the rest of us, that America mean well for Nigeria, in every material particular, even despite the fact that the Americans had just published their diagnosis of what they think is our terminal illness on CNN! What responsible doctor would publish a patient’s or family member dire and terminal diagnosis as a way of ensuring the patient takes prescribed medicines or seeks cure?

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America considers Nigeria and Israel as friendly nations, would America publish precarious so-called dire security situation, in relation to Israel? Such as the ones that America recently published regarding predictions of disintegration of Nigeria, Would America have the same ostentatious reaction to similar security situation in Israel, which would lead to the closure of American and other Embassies in Israel? Nigeria has never harmed America, Nigeria has never spied against America, Israel, has, more than once!

Secondly, America frustrated the elections by African Development Bank, an election that was expected to produce Nigerian, as president of ADB, the intermeddling interference became public and the election ended in an impasse, until July 2005 when the process will be re-initiated as the ADB caucus reconvenes.

Thirdly, America in a conspiratorial orchestration, led a stampede closure of diplomatic missions and outposts in Lagos, run by virtually all of the countries of the entire Western World! How do you lead depositors in stampede to withdraw their monies from my bank, while professing friendship with me, and my bank?

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Despite the adamant insistence by some Nigerians that the current American federal government means well for Nigeria and Nigerians, it is becoming crystal clear to discerning observers that the quick succession of negative events, perpetrated and orchestrated, at the behest of America, are geared toward producing negative consequences with serious implications or dire ramifications for Nigeria. As cheap diamonds were gotten in Sierra Leone and Liberia during anarchies there, some expect cheap oil, if there is anarchies in Nigeria. All Nigerians need a wake up call, Nigerians, arise!

There are some Nigerians who are certainly pleased by these turn of events, those Nigerians who for some time now, have resorted to talking about Nigeria’s existence, as if in the past tense. For some disgruntled Nigerians, a united one Nigeria, is contrary to their interests and the suggestions by the current American government has only encouraged or boosted their nefarious activities and daydreaming about having separate nations apart and distinctly away from our federal republic of Nigeria, hence the sudden resurface of Biafran currency?

Perhaps Nigerians would note that there is this additional impetus to the separatists, whose “cause” was buoyed by the America’s series of negative actions and pronouncements against the people and government of Nigeria, particularly, during the past several weeks. The Americans expect Nigeria to implode, without American invasion and without firing a shot they may occupy Nigeria, no Iraqi-type resistance?

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America and Europe have been getting restive because the price of a barrel of crude oil is over $55 and holding steadily upwards, the Chinese react to these developing trends, by establishing and burnishing diplomatic and economic cum trade relations with Nigeria, Venezuela, Trinidad and the Sudan etc, countries with an export product in common, crude oil; America and Europe are unlike China, as they are resorting instead, to creating instabilities in these aforementioned oil producing countries, there were attempts to remove Mr. Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, the efforts failed, there is the ambivalence of these powers, regarding the crises in the Sudan, and now, they are seeking to crate panic and instability in Nigeria, that could lead to a military coup, civil wars and complete anarchy, a pretext for occupation a la Iraq without the WMD pretensions!

Some Nigerians are making the mistake that some Iraqis made. Some Iraqis erroneously believed that America and its allies would invade Iraq to surgically remove Saddam Hussein and that at the completion of the stated task of getting rid of Saddam in a matter of days perhaps, the Americans would summarily withdraw its occupation force and leave Iraqis in charge of their brand new democratic countries, less Saddam and the Baath Party and it will be freedom, liberty, democracy and bounteous happy ever after Iraq!

Nigerians must arise, arise to the possible implications and far reaching crescendo of the series of negative actions and pronouncements that have been carefully orchestrated and timed near-perfectly by America, these events are unfolding, while Nigeria seeks a permanent seat at the United Nation Organization, UNO. These negative events are being visited on Nigeria, as Nigeria was conspicuously omitted from the list of countries in Africa and the developing world whose debts will be cancelled. These events orchestrated by America have been timed to coincide also, with the G-8 Meeting in Scotland, where Nigeria is supposed to receive a second chance of sorts, in a hearing or analysis, by the G-8 members regarding Nigeria’s debt burden and a probable cancellation of these debts.

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All Nigerians must realize that there are no benefits to any Nigerian at home or abroad, if Nigeria, actually disintegrate! All those sectional groups in Nigeria, that are currently clamoring for supremacy, Arewa, OPC, MASSOB or the Dukubo, would have to fight the Americans or Europeans as tepidly as insurgents of the Nigerian variety would have to do. I have never heard of a Nigerian suicide bomber, willing to attack foreigners for a Nigerian national purpose.

Those who are now praying for and playing into the hands of foreign invasion and occupation by America and Europe, would soon learn, that an invasion and occupation by America and Europe would re-colonize Nigeria for Nigeria’s resources and they would never leave Nigeria, as is with the case with Iraq, the invaders and occupiers would take Nigeria for what Nigeria has, and such would not be about democracy or plural society or about freedom or any of those usual facades and pretensions! As most Iraqis now know.

Mallam Ibrahim Ali wrote the following to me, which I reproduce here with his permission “I have just finished reading your article about the US and its antipathy of Nigeria and Nigerians. To be honest with you, I share the same feeling with you that the US is hell bent on destroying Nigeria. We don’t need to delve deep into recent events to prove this; First, prediction that Nigeria will disintegrate in 15 years, second, the opposition to the Nigeria’s nomination for African Development Bank and third, the opposition to debt relief.

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I can’t understand why there is so much hatred of Nigeria and Nigerians. I find it totally incomprehensible why a nation as strong as the United States will want to destroy us, if you visit some American websites, and read what they write about Nigeria in order to dissuade Americans from coming into the country, you’ll start thinking that Nigeria is the worst place on earth. And the most painful thing is that a lot of Nigerians (educated up to tertiary institutions in Nigeria) are there contributing to the American economy.

These “professionals in the Diaspora” do little to Nigerian image or improve the lot of Nigerians at home. One wonders where the patriotism is: I don’t know if these people regard themselves as Americans. After all, the only where any Nigerian professional gets the most respect is Nigeria (the very place some people fervently try to disown).

I remember a quite embarrassing saga only recently where a young Nigerian lady was twisting her tongue desperately trying to sound British. I couldn’t stand such a thing (and believe me lot of Nigerians abroad do it!) So I reminded her that it will be more appropriate for her to speak to me as naturally as possible. I am proud to be a Nigerian and I would not swap my Nigerian way of speaking for anything. Nigeria has given me everything and I am ever so ready to do anything to make Nigeria and Nigerians proud, (more talented Nigerians don’t seem to be thinking along the same line as me).” Mallam Ibrahim Ali, ended the above e-mail asking God to bless Nigeria; I was deeply touched. Why can’t Nigerians concentrate on being full citizens of Nigeria? Full citizens of one united Nigeria, with rights, duties, responsibilities, obligations and belonging? Why?

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Arewa, OPC and MASSOB will certainly not get their wishes or their way, which is their expectation. Some separatists Nigerians, wishes or expect to march into the sunset and form new nations if Nigeria becomes a failed state, and for some, this will enable them to have control over oil reserves under the ground in their domain. The Iraqis and the Kurds, the Sunnis and the Shites of Iraq now know better, what the real deal is for the invaders and occupiers. Are some Nigerians tempting fate, playing into the hands of occupiers?

Too many Nigerians currently naively believe that Americans and Europeans mean well for Nigeria and Nigerians, too many Nigerians currently trust Americans and Europeans more than they trust fellow Nigerians, too many Nigerians are insisting that the series of invidious and insidious actions visited on Nigeria by America in recent weeks, are the actions of friendly country that means well for Nigeria, instead of seeing these sinister actions for what they really are, actions calculated to produce results that are anathema to Nigeria’s continued existence and orchestrated to produce consequences that are completely inconsistent with Nigeria’s national interests, and Nigeria’s democracy and stability. An unstable Nigeria will make Nigeria’s resources available, in similar ways, the wars in the Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia etc, made diamond available to the vultures, at little or no cost; but at the expense or loss to these countries with these resources.

Some Nigerians are unwittingly praying for and playing into the hands of these proverbial vultures, vultures that have fed on Africa in the past and are ready again to do so, vultures who are seen by some Nigerians as saviors and messiahs! These are known vultures, being seen by some Nigerians as saviors and messiahs? Surprises me!

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Now, imagine the portrayal of Nigeria as a country where anarchy reigns? Such will certainly deny Nigeria chances to be heard, to demand or drum up foreign investments during the Scotland Meeting of the G-8 members, these series of negative events, are assuredly detrimental to Nigeria’s quest for debt forgiveness, as no one wants to invest in anarchy, no one wants to be a tourist in anarchic country and of course, the reason that the United Nations may eventually give for denying Nigeria a permanent seat, would be because of anarchy or instability in the country. America Means Well; for Nigeria?

Many Nigerians find in these series of offensively odious actions by America during the past several weeks, for what these actions really are, these actions are chock-full of ominous consequences, none of which can produce positive results that could possibly benefit Nigeria, nor were they intended to benefit Nigeria and Nigerians. These negative actions and pronouncement by America, are capable of setting in motion, spirals of events, that could lead to stampede and panic in Nigeria by Nigerians, these actions and pronouncements could lead to coups, civil wars, anarchy, disincentive to invest in Nigeria by foreign investors or even by Nigerians, these ridiculous American actions and pronouncements could cost Nigeria the permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, which is currently being sought by Nigeria, these putrid acts, could also lead to Nigeria being denied debt relief by Nigeria’s foreign creditors and some insist America means well?

All these acts and, pronouncements, are hostile and unfriendly acts by America, towards Nigeria, actions and pronouncements that are lacking in diplomatic finesse or any coloration of friendship defined in whatever terms and yet? Some Nigerians keep insisting that America means well for Nigeria? Oh really? Does America mean well for Nigeria? Are the Americans indicating their love for Nigeria with these actions?

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By Paul I. Adujie

Jeff Okoroafor is a leading member of a new generation of civic advocates for government accountability and democratic change in Nigeria. The Citizen Affairs Initiative is a citizen-driven governance initiative that enhances public awareness on critical issues of service quality in Nigeria. It encourages citizens to proactively seek higher standards from governments and service providers and further establishes new discussions in communities about the standards that citizens should expect and deserve from those they have given their mandates. Jeff is the Managing Director of SetFron Limited, a multimedia development company that is focused on creative and results-driven web, mobile app, and ERP software solutions. He is the co-founder of the African Youths Advancement and Support Initiative (AfriYasi), a non-governmental not-for-profit organisation that provides tertiary education scholarship for young people from low-income homes in Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Young African Leaders Initiative and the United Nations World Summit Awards. A Strategic Team member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, and a member of the National Technical Committee on the Establishment and Management of Missing Persons Database in Nigeria. Jeff holds a Bachelor and Postgraduate diploma degrees in Computer Science, and a Certificate in Public Administration from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, GIMPA.

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