In global diplomacy this week France and Italy, staunch allies in the EU and NATO were at each other’s throat over migration, with the Italians blaming French Neocolonialism for the death of Africans fleeing through the Mediterranean into Europe. In Nigeria, former President Olusegun Obasanjo continued his assault on the reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari. Just as the government continues with the prosecution of the nation’s CJN over false declaration of assets after brushing aside legal irritants and constraints in the law courts to derail the governments’ resolve. These issues have broad historical, economic and ethical underpinnings that we shall examine in all ramifications today.
As an African and Nigerian following global development and history diligently I was very pleased with the spat between Italy and France over African migrants . Indeed the two Italian Vice PMs, Luigi Di Maio, Matteo Salvini in the populist coalition in power in Italy have not given French President Emmanuel Macron any breathing space over the issue of migration. One of them Di Maio said if France had decolonized as it should Africans will be in Africa and not be lying dead in the Mediterranean. Which is a real home truth not only for Macron’s France but also to Theresa May’s Brexit ridden Britain which colonized Nigeria. Indeed I intend to show that British decolonisation ineptitude and shoddy hand over of power to Nigerians is as blamable for Nigeria’s present political woes. Just like the Italians are blaming France for Africans fleeing poverty and dying on the Mediterranean sea. Indeed the fact that the major and persistent critic of the re election of our president was once a military and civilian president, just like the president he is attacking for ineptitude, shows clearly how militarised our democracy has become since Independence in 1960 . Again, that too is obvious in the way and manner that the British not only decolonized poorly al but also entrenched, deliberately an insidious and precarious Neocolonialism in Nigeria .
In the case of the CJN trial and the efforts made by the CJN’s lawyers to stop the trial, it is clear that the accused has something to hide. Otherwise why can he not see that he cannot be a judge in his own case? The CJN cannot be a referee and a player at the same time as that is against the principle of natural justice. Surely a CJN should know that as well as what to do to avoid further opprobrium on this matter. QED
We go back to the condemnation of France by Italy for the global migration problem especially with regard to Africa. According to reports Matteo Salvini leader of the Italian League said’ In Africa some take wealth from the continent and the people and France is one of them ‘. That is the truth but the fact that it is being said by a EU leader makes it very important. France has protested by summoning the Italian Ambassador in Paris. But that is like fake news because France is guilty as charged. In real fact the French have always been in charge of IMF, the bank used by the west in giving aid to developing nations including African nations. The last two MDs of the IMF including the present one, Christine Legard were from France and the IMF is on record as ruining the governments of Sfrican nations including Nigeria by giving loans with crippling conditionalities which created failed states like Somalia . France still has troops in African nations to make them toe its line or risk their leaders being removed. It happened in Ivory Coast recently and Gbagbo is still in ICC custody even after being cleared at the trial in the Hague for lack of evidence. It may be poor consolation and a belated one too that an European nation is blaming another for exploiting African nations under colonialism and neo colonialism. But then the truth has prevailed and France must at least show some compunction or shame instead of being hypocritical about its shady past in Africa.
Britain too should share part of the blame with France for exploiting Africans and creating the poverty leading to African migration to Europe through the Mediterranean. In this case I hold Britain responsible for the lopsided democracy it left Nigeria with and the census figure that environmental, geographic and demographic indices. Nigeria’s political and parliamentary seats and representation have been based on these census figures and that has created a dangerous tension that gave one part of the nation an advantage over the other. It has led to many military intervention led by Northerners and has ensured that the North has had more leaders at the center than the south.
In addition globalisation has also brought in democratization hand in hand with marketization and privatization. All of which have led to immense increase in the gap between the rich and the poor resulting in poverty and dismal growth for Nigria. The military interventions also created a class of supper rich former military leaders who were able to shed their braided hats and boots for flowing gowns and toga to take over our governments and legislature as senators and MPs. Corruption and rigging of elections have become our political culture. That explains why the loudest critic of the system of politics we run is also the biggest beneficiary and is never satisfied with the status quo. Yet in furtherance of the ruling clique motto of espirit de corps or dog does not eat dog, the mighty critic still attended a meeting of former Heads of States and still shook hands with the man he said was sick in mind and spirit. At least he could have stayed away and avoided contamination with those he has assigned to hell for leading the nation astray and into perdition so eloquently in his last two salvos against this same government that hosted him in Abuja. But then such is the nature of our democracy bequeathed to us by the British and spoon fed by them in supervising rigged elections with international observers whose governments are always the first to congratulate the successful riggers. That in a way explains the glee I feel at British embarrassment over Brexit. A situation where our former colonisers do not know where or what they want with the EU over Brexit could be very embarrassing and shameful for those who operate the Mother of Parliaments . Certainly with the benefit of hindsight the British should know in their Brexit overdose and inebriation , that those who sow the wind of colonialism must reap its whirlwind. Surely the chicken has come home to roost for British colonialism. Just like the Italians told the French on the issue of African migrants fleeing poverty and dying in the Mediterranean. Once again, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
