As Yu Sel  Yusef, Na So Di Wol Go Bai Yu

Dr Gary K. Busch

There is a lot of wahala as a result of the foolish attempt of a spoiled Nigerian boy to blow up an airliner on its way to Detroit. This has provoked a serious and sustained effort by the US and European authorities to prevent such a thing from happening again so they have established strict controls over Nigerians travelling through their airports. In the Caribbean this is called ‘under heavy manners ’(like the reggae song by Prince Far 1.). The authorities are clamping down on Nigerian travellers; forcing the good and the innocent into the same routines as the guilty and the conspiratorial. This has outraged many in Nigeria and they have made complaints and sent delegations to the US Embassy to register their protests.

This has provoked bewilderment on the part of the US authorities; bewilderment at how the Nigerians  see themselves as opposed to how the world sees Nigerians. The US has had nothing but trouble tying to establish a mature relationship with the Nigerian authorities for years. In the recent lawsuits with Halliburton, Siemens, ‘Dollar Bill’ Jefferson to name a few the Nigerian authorities have refused to assist the US in its prosecutions even though there is an agreed protocol to do so and some of the key perpetrators are prominent Nigerian officials. The Nigerian Attorney-General has blocked these prosecutions, lied and misled investigators and has done everything in his power to frustrate justice. He has done the same with the Ibori cases in the UK.

There is no one to talk to at the Embassy in Washington. There is no ambassador. The last one was sent back because his son was allegedly involved in a gang-rape in Maryland. His predecessor was recalled because of outrageous racial remarks which offended everyone. The one before is under indictment for selling embassy property and personal  involvement in the Jefferson case. To whom should the US address its complaints? Should it contact Nigeria’s President who has been in medical purdah for over a month’ the Black Pimpernel of Katsina who signs budgets without assuming material form?

When teams of investigators rushed to Nigeria to follow up leads on the bomber’s trail of contacts they were met with hostility and stonewalled by Nigerian security and legal representatives. Now Maduekwe, the Foreign Minister, has read a demarche to Ambassador Robin Sanders complaining that the US actions against Nigerians are too harsh. This is preposterous. However Nigerians may see themselves they are viewed differently abroad. There are few jails anywhere in the world which don’t host Nigerian drug mules. The 419 scandals are indelibly etched on the minds of their potential victims. Yet these same 419ers are invited to Nigerian embassy functions and given the legitimacy afforded by introductions made by Nigerian officials and ambassadors. Just this week the US petitioned the Nigerians for more information on Alhaji Buruji Kashamu who is a drug baron and fugitive from the US as well as being the Godfather of Ogun State. No assistance has yet been given.

Nigeria says that it not a terrorist state and doesn’t harbour terrorists. For the rest of the world the Nigerian Taliban, Boko Haram and the periodic slaughter of Christians and Muslims in Plateau give a different picture; as does the spread of Sharia Law. What would make a foreigner, with only a marginal knowledge and interest in Nigeria,  believe that all of the above aren’t just true but general?

One of the additional reasons for the US concern and imposition of ‘heavy manners’ on Nigerian travel  is the deep embarrassment at its own poor performance in developing relations with Nigeria. The problems of US-Nigerian relations are tainted from the US side as well. For years the US has been sending diplomats (with the exception of John Campbell) who have been chosen on a different merit system than that used in other parts of the world. When Bill Clinton became President he took US African policy and delivered it to the US Black Congressional Caucus; Congressmen and Senators who were Black Americans. They were the sounding board for US policy and people like Andy Young, Obasanjo’s business partner in properties in Florida and in oil concessions, took on a guiding role. The ambassadorships were reserved for Black Americans, mainly because they were black and not exclusively on their talents. This was carried on by George Bush, who also liked the easy life. However, Condoleeza Rice took a direct role in this by introducing into the process some of her female graduate students at Stanford and girlfriends into key ambassadorships. These black women are scattered across US embassies in Africa. One made it to the UN.

There is nothing inherently wrong in choosing black Americans for these posts, or female black Americans in particular, except for the fact that they are not highly regarded in Africa. In country after country I have been asked why the US is sending the children of slaves to deal with them. They say they are successful politicians; they run countries, oil industries, complex economies. They consider that, to a large degree, despite civil rights, US black people are still second-class citizens; not in terms of politics, but in economics. That is there are very few who control the giant multinational corporations, banks, insurance companies, defence suppliers, etc. with whom they wish to establish close relations. Somehow these African leaders are not convinced that the black political appointees will deliver these relationships for them. They expressed the hope that with Barack Obama as President that he might dispense with political correctness and appoint ambassadors who could open doors for them.

That is part of the US dilemma in dealing with the current crisis. It has been made clear to them that they were asleep at the switch. They didn’t insist on establishing a mature relationship with Nigerian politicians; they were satisfied to hear reports from ambassadors who were searching out their ‘roots’; wearing dreadlocks as a sign of their solidarity. They were embarrassed to find that the visa section in Lagos was selling visas at $1,500 each without regard to watch lists or terrorist bulletins. There was enough embarrassment to go around on all sides.

Perhaps this will lead to establishing a better long term relationship between the two countries. When Nigeria finally has a working president and an Attorney General who feels some loyalty to the rule of law, and when the US has some professional diplomats in post a new beginning can be made in the relationship. It would be a pity if this did not happen.