Not ambassadors but diplomatic investment officers

Ayo Akinfe

Over the last week, I have been watching the funny charades within Nigerian diplomatic circles and was particularly caught by the happenings in the US embassy. After about a year of ego games, sabre rattling, personality disputes and seeking to outmanoeuvre each other, the spat between the foreign minister and the ambassador to the US finally came to a head.

Given that the situation could no longer hold and the business of projecting Nigeria’s image to the new Obama-manic US could not continue while foreign minister Ojo Madueke and ambassador Oluwole Rotimi were both at the helm of affairs in their respective domains, one had to go. Quite rightly in my opinion, President Umaru Yar’Adua decided to recall Nigeria’s ambassador to the US, retired Brigadier Oluwole Rotimi, for gross insubordination to his boss, the foreign minister.

Brigadier Rotimi’s charge sheet is as long as my arm but basically, all of them can be narrowed down to one simple thing. He wanted to run the embassy as he saw fit and resented what he would have seen as interference in his fiefdom. Apart from the personal animosity between the two men, there were a lot of disagreements on policy, protocol and hierarchy.

Most intriguing of all for me was Brigadier Rotimi's opposition to Chief Madueke’s plans to streamline the operations of his embassy. Now, there is no wrong or right in this. Sometimes government policies can be ill-thought out and unworkable, while in other instances, the embassies need to be told that it can no longer be business as usual and there is a need to alter their archaic and irresponsible ways.

For now, I must admit that I do not know the full details of the matter, so it will be hard to come down on one side or the other. What I do know for a fact, however, is that most of Nigeria’s embassies, high commissions and foreign missions simply do not justify their existence.

Nigeria is a highly under-developed country with 140m people, a chronic shortage of working infrastructure, a pittance of a gross domestic product of about $200bn and a stipend of foreign exchange earnings, which stand at a pathetic $60bn at the best of times. There is a thing called foreign direct investment (FDI), whereby those with the cash in the developed and industrialised world, invest their capital in developing economies such as ours. They get high returns on their investments, while we get our infrastructure developed, jobs are created and the money they pump in circulates around our economy.

Apart from the cash that FDI brings in, it also serves as a useful conduit pipe through which badly needed skills and expertise is transferred from the industrialised world to ours. Given that our foreign missions are our formal links with the rest of the world, I cannot think of any other issue that should be top of their agenda other than attracting FDI into Nigeria.

Just reading about the amount of time and energy that Brigadier Rotimi put into sword fighting with Chief Madueke, I keep asking myself how on earth he could have managed it, given the amount he has on his plate. As things stand, remissions from Nigerians in diaspora outstrips FDI, These ordinary working Nigerians do not have any diplomatic clout behind them but somehow, they manage to do a better job than our diplomats.

I was pleased to find out that it is not all gloom and doom, however, as over the last week, Empire Kanu, Nigeria’s ambassador to Argentina gave us a good example of how an ambassador should operate. In what is a bit of an unprecedented move for a Nigerian diplomat, Ambassador Kanu led a team of Argentine investors to Nigeria to assess and explore opportunities to collaborate with the government and private sector.

This Argentine mission was primarily an agricultural team and included investors and engineers and while it was here, the delegation met with the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola and entered into co-operation agreements. They agreed to collaborate in the areas of fish farming, rice cultivation and tourism.

Apart from the Lagos State government, the consultants also had various meetings with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Nassarawa State government and some captains of industry. Argentina is one of the biggest food-producing and food-exporting countries in the world and is a big producer of oilseeds like soyabeans, grains and livestock. There are other similar countries in the world whose agro-business expertise would be of immense value to Nigeria, so I ask what our ambassadors there are doing.

There is nothing Ambassador Kanu has achieved that the Nigerian ambassadors to the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil, India, Malaysia, Indonesia or China could not have done. I would go as far as saying that their job titles should be changed from ambassador to that of diplomatic investment officer, as for now, nothing else can be a more important priority.

As we shake our heads and despair at the shenanigans that took place between Chief Madueke and Brigadier Rotimi, we should soberly reflect on why this happened. Given the role we need our ambassador’s to play, are we appointing the right people into these lofty positions?

Given Nigeria’s dire need for FDI and our desperate desire for investment in our infrastructure, which is way beyond the reach of our paltry $60bn export earnings, should the ability to attract investors not be the primary criteria for being appointed an ambassador? I would advise Chief Madueke to go as far as setting annual FDI targets for these ambassadors and whoever fails to meet them should be shown the door like Brigadier Rotimi.

Ayo Akinfe

 aakinfe@aol.com

Robot  # 1 | 18.02.2009 08:14

Given Nigeria’s dire need for FDI and our desperate desire for investment in our infrastructure, which is way beyond the reach of our paltry $60bn export earnings, should the ability to attract investors not be the primary criteria for being appointed an ambassador? I would advise Chief Madueke to go as far as setting annual FDI targets for these ambassadors and whoever fails to meet them should be shown the door like Brigadier Rotimi....Read the full article.

allaccess  # 2 | 18.02.2009 09:00

Pal, I like the way Nigerians write, given the impression we have such an enabled climate by which we can freely operate like China or even South Africa. What was not mentioned here is that you cannot expect corrupt persons to conduct decent business practices with freewill. At the head of the government is a member of the Katsina mafia, he was selected and placed on the throne without the interference of Nigerians. He is ill and weak with kidney problems, his administration is incompetent and corrupt, and he has given diplomatic positions to former military people and politicians, some of whom still have impending cases with the presidents own Anti-corruption agency. But you want these individuals to promote Nigerians political and economic interest with competence and decency? First thing first, elect a leader of the people with the foresight of the likes of Jerry Rawlings and Obama, then discuss why such men of honour are not performing, then we can talk.

akuluouno  # 3 | 18.02.2009 10:02

Villagers, I think diplomacy goes beyond the attraction of foreign investors but let me join the bandwagon for now. Here am I, Bill Akuluouo:D Gates and I want to set up a MicroHard Factory in Nkerefi, Anambra State. I bring in sophisticated electronic equipments, I bring in capital, Nigeria provides the human capital, where is the PHCN to give me power, where are the roads to facilitate the movement of finished goods to other parts of the country and even for export, what of the healthcare of the workers, their security and education for their kids etc etc. Only the oil companies can invest in Nigeria because they have the capital to personalise the seven point agenda for themselves as I argued in another thread. As we speak, Dunlop have left Nigeria, some oil companies have relocated to Angola and our leaders and their kids have fled to Ghana for their residence and schooling respectively. So before the Diplomatic Investment Officers, we should tidy up our acts back home. It is a well known fact that investment is like a prostitute:D, it naturally moves to a country that has what it wants. No amount of visitation, consultation or diplomatic Timaya can bring it to a country:rant: Yes the Argentinians have come, they have also seen but have they invested:icon_ques

olusiji  # 4 | 18.02.2009 12:17

Allacess, you submited that: What was not mentioned here is that you cannot expect corrupt persons to conduct decent business practices with freewill. Well business is never decent anywhere in the World. Any endeavour that requires negotiations, compromise and interraction among men decent and indecent cannot be purely white. What is important is that our representatives posted abroad encourage profitable exchange to the Country they represent. It is therefore encouraging that Ambassador Empire Kanu, himself I believe a businessman understands his beat. The President really does not have to be a marathon runner for Government to function. I believe his appointees are the key problems. And he has selected them most probably because he does not have a vission.

olusiji  # 5 | 18.02.2009 12:25

Ayo, I was disturbed to read a letter purportedly written by Ambassador Rotimi to his Minister. That letter was not just divisive, it was crude and arrogant. And the millitary mentality of superiority to bloody civilians was sprinkled on every paragraph of that letter. Does the retired general need to be reminded that the Minister's office is superior to that of an Ambassador? Can he argue with his Minister on policy? the Minister formulates policy in consonance with the President's vission and hands it over to the missions. Finally, it is disgraceful for a man in his position with all the arrogance of seniority he carries to have agreed tp0 serve under bloody civilians whose guts he detests

Law Mefor  # 6 | 18.02.2009 12:34

I have 2 problems with unmitigated DFI, namely: - It fuels neocolonialism and will, in the long run. remove Nigerians farther from their nation’s economy; - It does not address the real sectors of the economy especially agriculurw, but areas that promise quick returns on their investment. Beyond this, I have often believed that the real solution – or rather what we need too push for is the Indonesia Corruption Model – repatriating and investing our stolen billions in our economy as the corrupt Indonesians have done. All over Europe, firms are closing down and some are switching to better ways of production. Nigerian Execu-Thieves can buy off such firms, knock them own and ship in to industrialize Nigeria. A source once speculated that over 250 questionable billion dollars of Nigerians are out there in Europe and America. Can you imagine the quantum leap the economy will witness if even half of this sum is unleashed on the comatose economy concertedly?

allaccess  # 7 | 18.02.2009 12:52

=olusiji;326946>Allacess, you submited that: Well business is never decent anywhere in the World. Any endeavour that requires negotiations, compromise and interraction among men decent and indecent cannot be purely white. What is important is that our representatives posted abroad encourage profitable exchange to the Country they represent. It is therefore encouraging that Ambassador Empire Kanu, himself I believe a businessman understands his beat. The President really does not have to be a marathon runner for Government to function. I believe his appointees are the key problems. And he has selected them most probably because he does not have a vission. @ Olusuji I will have to say there are places that adopt best practice in business that gives it a decent outlook, adopting certain laws and practices acceptable by global standards. You should understand that. You can hardly station decent representatives from the current government or indeed many we have had in the past because the representatives understand what the president stands for and of course are either removed if their views run contrary, or quit for moral reasons, or stay put and join the bandwagon. The President really DOES HAVE TO BE a marathon runner for Government to function. He cannot motivate his employees otherwise, he has to lead from the top and give a can do attitud

Albany  # 8 | 18.02.2009 13:32

=olusiji;326951>Ayo, I was disturbed to read a letter purportedly written by Ambassador Rotimi to his Minister. That letter was not just divisive, it was crude and arrogant. And the millitary mentality of superiority to bloody civilians was sprinkled on every paragraph of that letter. Does the retired general need to be reminded that the Minister's office is superior to that of an Ambassador? Can he argue with his Minister on policy? the Minister formulates policy in consonance with the President's vission and hands it over to the missions. Finally, it is disgraceful for a man in his position with all the arrogance of seniority he carries to have agreed tp0 serve under bloody civilians whose guts he detests When the chocolate-cream soldier, Ambassador Oluwole Rotimi wrote in a letter to Ojo Maduekwe that ''.......during the Nigeria/Civil war, i served as Quartermaster-General of the Nigerian Army under General Gowon and organized the logistic support leading to the comprehensive defeat and surrender of the 'Biafran Army' - a ragtag Army of rebels !'', people of good conscience justifiably rose in utter condemnation of those unguarded comments. I have written on another thread that ''the most unfortunate thing about the Biafran war is not that the 'vultures' are yet to be prosecuted but that the war is still going on, at least, in the minds of people like Obasanjo, who use their positions in government to frustrate every progressive steps the Igbo have taken since 1970''. Ethnic politics is one of the factors that have confined Nigeria to its present socio-economic doldrums. Hardly will a topic be discussed on the NVS without some bigots infusing ethnic dimensions into it. As our own Reuben Abati is being called upon to say what he knows concerning the land deal in Abuja, some bigots claimed that the defeated Biafrans are out to drag his name to the mud, because he sacked Okey Ndibe from the Guardian Newspapers. Is it a coincidence that Savannah Bank, Slok Airline and Ibeto Cement (all owned by Igbo businessmen) went comatose for one flimsy excuse or the other under the Obasanjo-led government ? A lot of people must have lost their jobs when those 3 companies were closed down under Obasanjo's watch. If we ever take time to consider the economic implications of playing ethnic politics in high and low places, the discovery will be mind-boggling.

dele26  # 9 | 18.02.2009 14:32

=olusiji;326951>Ayo, I was disturbed to read a letter purportedly written by Ambassador Rotimi to his Minister. That letter was not just divisive, it was crude and arrogant. And the millitary mentality of superiority to bloody civilians was sprinkled on every paragraph of that letter. Does the retired general need to be reminded that the Minister's office is superior to that of an Ambassador? Can he argue with his Minister on policy? the Minister formulates policy in consonance with the President's vission and hands it over to the missions. Finally, it is disgraceful for a man in his position with all the arrogance of seniority he carries to have agreed tp0 serve under bloody civilians whose guts he detests Long throat dey kill!

Ayo Akinfe  # 10 | 18.02.2009 14:53

Albany, I think it is a bit far-fetched to say those businesses were closed down simply because they were owned by Igbo businessmen, Haba! Yes, there is ethnicity in Nigeria but I think you have lept a bit too far here.

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