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Tag: Obama

  • Obama renews U.S. support for anti-Boko Haram battle

    Obama renews U.S. support for anti-Boko Haram battle

    •Buhari recalls U.S., EU backing for fair poll

    President Barack Obama has renewed United States (U.S.) support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.

    Obama spoke yesterday after hosting President Muhammadu Buhari at his Oval Office in Washington D.C., where he lauded his guest’s efforts at restoring “safety, security and peace” to Nigeria.

    The U.S. President’s meeting with Buhari came less than eight weeks after Buhari assumed duty, underscoring the importance the U.S. attaches to good relations with Nigeria.

    Obama had extended his invitation for a visit to Buhari almost immediately after he was declared the winner of the March 28 election.

    Speaking after his meeting with Obama, President Buhari said Nigeria would be “ever grateful” to the U.S. for its support of free and credible elections in Nigeria, adding that the U.S.’s and the European Union’s (EU’s) pressure to ensure that the general elections on March 28 and April 11 were “fair and credible, led us to where we are now.”

    Obama, who met with Buhari at the White House just days ahead of his trip to Kenya and Ethiopia, said Nigeria “is, obviously, one of the most important countries in the world.”

    Speaking to reporters at the outset of the meeting, Obama said the U.S. hoped to partner with Nigeria “so that Nigeria ends up being not only an anchor of prosperity and stability in the western part of the continent, but can also be an outstanding role model for developing countries around the world.”

    He said he would discuss with Buhari how the two nations can cooperate on counter-terrorism and how the U.S. “can be helpful in addressing some of the corruption issues that have held Nigeria back.”

    Obama said Buhari, as President, has “a very clear agenda” to both contain the spread of militants and keep the Nigerian economy growing.

    His words: “President Buhari comes into office with a reputation of integrity and a very clear agenda and that is to make sure that he is bringing safety, security and peace to this country.

    “He (Buhari) is very concerned about the spread of Boko Haram and the violence that has taken place there and the atrocities that have taken place there and he has a very clear agenda of defeating Boko Haram and extremists of all sorts inside his country.

    “And he has a very clear agenda with respect to rooting out the corruption that has too often held back the economic growth and prosperity of his country. On both these issues, we’re looking forward to hearing more about his plans and how the United States can partner with Nigeria.”

    In what looked as an answer to some critics who felt the American President should have extended his tour of Kenya and Ethiopia scheduled for later this week, a U.S. official said President Buhari’ s U.S. trip was a better option.

    The official, Grant Harris, a Senior Director for Africa for the National Security Council (NSC), said inviting President Buhari to the U.S. was a better option than a presidential trip to Nigeria, because it will allow the Nigerian president’s fledgling administration to meet with several top American officials.

    Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser (NSA) Susan Rice were at Obama’s meeting with Buhari yesterday.

    Besides, during his four-day visit, Buhari is scheduled to meet with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey, Attorney-General Loretta Lynch, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman among others.

    “This feels to us like Nigeria is at an important moment in which there can be real reforms across the board,” Harris, had told reporters last week.

    He added: “We’re looking forward to what we can do with a president who has staked out an agenda that we think is the right agenda at the right time.”

     

  • SERAP to Obama: assist in returning stolen assets

    SERAP to Obama: assist in returning stolen assets

    A RIGHTS group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has urged President Barack Obama to back up his commitment on stolen assets by taking aggressive steps towards returning them to Nigeria.

    SERAP made the plea in a statement in Lagos ahead of the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and officials of the Obama government this week.

    It urged the United States (U.S.) government to deal with the problem with the seriousness and intensity that had been previously lacking in similar exercise.

    SERAP Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, in a statement yesterday, welcomed the commitment by Obama to assist the Buhari government to track down billions of dollars in stolen assets from the country.

    The group stated that greater efforts were required by the Obama government to follow through its commitment, if it was to secure justice for victims of corruption and money laundering.

    It urged the Obama government to move quickly to resolve the issue of returning the assets to the country in an expeditious, just and fair manner.

    “Unless this is done, the rare opportunity the Obama government now has to right the injustice aided and abetted by the U.S. banks will be gone,” the group said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Obama invites Onuegbu to speak on Global Entrepreneurship

    Obama invites Onuegbu to speak on Global Entrepreneurship

    President Barak Obama of the United States of America has invited Collins Onuegbu, Executive Vice Chairman Signal Alliance and Founder of Sasware, to speak at the 6th Annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES 2015) in Nairobi, Kenya on July 25 – 26.

    According to Courtney Beale, Senior Director National Security Council, “Your participation will demonstrate your personal commitment to the President’s long standing support for entrepreneurship and his call to action on May 11 to generate new investment in entrepreneur around the world.”

    Onuegbu who is a leading investor in technology and technology-enabled businesses has accepted the invitation. He will be part of a discussion in Intra-Regional Entrepreneurship and Trade at the summit.

    Speaking on his acceptance Onuegbu says, “There is need for more engagement and sharing of ideas to see how we can improve and support entrepreneurs in an emerging economy like ours. Nigeria entrepreneurs and angel investors need all the support they can get to grow their businesses and generate employment in order to reduce poverty.”

    It would be recalled that President Obama launched the GES in 2009 in order to bring together entrepreneurs and investors from across Africa and around the world annually to showcase innovative projects, exchange new ideas, and help spur economic opportunity. The 2015 GES agenda will focus on generating new investments for entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on women and youth. Since 2009, GES has emerged as a global platform connecting emerging entrepreneurs with leaders from business, international organisations, and governments looking to support them. This is the first time GES will take place in sub-Saharan Africa

     

  • Obama okays Buhari’s leadership style

    Obama okays Buhari’s leadership style

    President Barrack Obama of the United States of America has expressed confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari’s ability to overcome the various challenges facing Nigeria.

    He made the remark in Washington DC on Monday while receiving President Buhari, who was on 4-day official visit to the United States.

    Obama noted that Buhari came on board with a clear agenda to tackle the problems of corruption, insecurity occasioned by the activities of Boko Haram sect and other violent criminal activities.

    Expressing appreciation to Buhari for his leadership style so far, Obama said that his administration would continue to assist and help Nigeria in overcoming the challenges.

    He said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome President Buhari and his delegation here in the White House for his first visit since the historic election that took place.

    “Nigeria is obviously one of the most important countries in the world, one of the most important countries in the African continent.

    “Recently we saw an election in which a peaceful transition to a new government took place. Nevertheless, the people of Nigeria understand that only through a peaceful political process can change takes place”.

    Continuing, Obama said: “President Buhari came into office with reputation for integrity and a very clear agenda, that is to make sure that he brings safely security and peace to his country.

    “He is very concerned about the spread and the violence that is taking place there and the atrocities and has a very clear agenda in defeating Boko Haram and extremists.

    “I want to emphasize how much I appreciate President Buhari’s work so far. I have seen him put together a team so that we can do everything that we can to help him succeed and help the people of Nigeria succeed”, he added.

    He also assured that the American Government would continue to partner with Nigeria towards ensuring political stability in Africa and around the World.

    Describing Nigeria as one of the most important countries in the world, he congratulated the country for conducting peaceful elections.

    He also commended Nigeria for taking leadership position in the fight against the spread of diseases like Ebola and Polio and pledged that his administration would continue to accord Nigeria the necessary recognition to bring peace to Africa and the world.

    In his remarks, President Buhari commended the American Government under the leadership of President Obama for mounting pressure on former Jonathan’s administration to conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria.

    Nigeria, he said, will remain forever grateful to America for the singular act.

    He said: “The visit of the Secretary of State before the elections to see the former president, the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission and the opposition was a positive trend that saw us through the elections.

    “And the maintenance of pressure by United States mainly and Europe to make sure that the elections were free, fair and credible made us to be where we are now.

    “It would have been almost impossible if the United States did not maintain the pressure on the former Nigerian Government.’’ he said

    He thanked President Obama for inviting him to visit US and his administration’s support to Nigeria.

    Governors of Nasarawa, Borno, Imo, Oyo and Edo States as well as some Nigerian government officials accompanied President Buhari during the visit.

     

  • Obama’s message to Buhari

    Obama’s message to Buhari

  • What U.S. expects from Buhari, Obama talks

    What U.S. expects from Buhari, Obama talks

    UNITED States (U.S.) Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken has given an insight into the likely outcome of today’s talk between President Muhammadu Buhari and his host President Barack Obama in Washington DC.

    Blinken said the meeting of the two leaders offered an opportunity for Nigerian and the U.S. not only to renew but to deepen their relationship.

    The U.S. specifically said the removal of all Service chiefs and the National Security Adviser (NSA) appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on July 13 cleared the way for more military cooperation.

    “The question is, would there be an opportunity to deepen our engagement and that opportunity is now,” Blinken told Reuters.

    At today’s talk, the U.S. will offer to help President Buhari in tracking the billions of dollars in stolen assets and in raising U.S. military assistance to fight Boko Haram militants, U.S. officials said.

    President Buhari’s four-day visit has been viewed as an opportunity for Washington to “reset” its ties with Nigeria’s economy, arguably Africa’s largest.

    The visit is viewed by the U.S. administration as a chance to set the seal on improving ties since Buhari won the March 28 presidential election, Reuters said.

    U.S. cooperation with Buhari’s predecessor, Dr. Jonathan, went sour over among other issues, his refusal to investigate corruption and human rights abuses by the military.

    “President (Barack Obama) has long seen Nigeria as arguably the most important strategic country in sub-Saharan Africa,” Blinken said.

    U.S. officials have expressed willingness to send military trainers to help Nigeria counter the six-year-old Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

    Since Buhari’s election, Washington has committed $5 million in new support for a Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) set up to fight the group.

    This is in addition to at least $34 million it is providing to Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger for equipment and logistics.

    “We’ve made clear there are additional things that can be done, especially now that there is a new military leadership in place,” a senior U.S. official said.

    Another senior U.S. official said Washington was urging President Buhari to step up regional cooperation against the militants and to provide more aid to afflicted communities to reduce the group’s recruiting power.

    Buhari had listed the strengthening of the economy – hard-hit by the fall in oil prices-, boosting of investments and tackling “the biggest monster of all” – corruption as his priorities.

    “Here too, he is looking to deepen collaboration and one of the things he is focused on is asset recovery,” the official said.

    “He is hopeful we can help them recover some of that,” the official added.

    In 2014, the U.S. took control of more than $480 million public funds siphoned during the administration of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.

    Washington has broad powers to track suspicious funds and enforce sanctions against individuals.

    Johnnie Carson, a former assistant secretary of state, said Washington should not let security issues overshadow the need for closer trade and investment ties.

    “Nigeria is the most important country in Africa,” said Carson, currently an adviser to the U.S. Institute of Peace.

    Now more than ever, “the relationship with Nigeria should not rest essentially on a security and military-to-military relationship,” he added.

    Lauren Ploch Blanchard, an Africa specialist with the non-partisan Congressional Research Services, said the U.S. challenge was to work with President Buhari while giving him time to address the country’s vast problems.

  • U.S to trace Nigerian stolen assets

    U.S to trace Nigerian stolen assets

    The United States will offer to help Nigeria’s government to track down billions of dollars in stolen assets and increase military assistance to fight insurgents, U.S. officials said, as Washington seeks to “reset” ties with Africa’s biggest economy.

    Next week’s visit to Washington by President Muhammadu Buhari is viewed by the U.S. administration as a chance to set the seal on improving ties since he won a March election hailed as Nigeria’s first democratic power transition in decades, Reuters reports.

    U.S. cooperation with Buhari’s predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, had virtually ground to a halt over issues including his refusal to investigate corruption and human rights abuses by the Nigerian military.

    “President (Barack Obama) has long seen Nigeria as arguably the most important strategic country in sub-Saharan Africa,” U.S Deputy Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, told Reuters.

    “The question is would there be an opportunity to deepen our engagement and that opportunity is now.”

    The improving ties with Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, come as U.S relations have cooled with two other traditional Africa powers – Egypt and South Africa.

    U.S officials have said they are willing to send military trainers to help Nigeria counter a six-year-old northern insurgency by the Boko Haram sect.

    Since Buhari’s election, Washington has committed $5 million in new support for a multi-national task force set up to fight the group.

    This is in addition to at least $34 million it is providing to Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger for equipment and logistics.

     

  • Buhari, Obama and the battle of ideas

    When  Nigeria’s  President Muhammadu  Buhari visits  US  President Barak  Obama next  week it will be a meeting of two titans or leaders  at  the crest of their popularity and  leadership  charisma. They  meet with their heads held high as proud  representatives of their nations  very  much in cordial relations in terms of diplomacy , economic cooperation, political  and   military  collaboration.  Indeed in  mind as  in  spirit  the two  leaders  are in harmony as are their two nations. It  is in the area  of ideas  however that they  must wrestle to fashion out a solution that will  not throw their bilateral relationship  into  disharmony or be an harbinger of discord or friction.

    The  two leaders meet at a time when terrorism or precisely Islamist militancy  is threatening world peace and harmony and in particular is attacking  global  democracy and the free market  economy which are the ideologies the US and its allies in Western Europe or the EU have been marketing around the world as the best  form of government in our time.

    The  two  leaders come with  impeccable  democratic credentials to their  meeting although their age and the experience in the practice of democracy  is inversely proportional. Obama is a young man compared to our president but the US is a far older democracy  than Nigeria. Buhari’s  tall  and stately figure is equally matched  by the  imposing  basket baller height  of the US  president. Both have arresting and dignified presence. Yet our president brings into this meeting the full  weight of  Nigeria’s  travails and challenges with democracy which  he expects the US president  to appreciate and understand and help without any loss  of face on the part of the Nigerian  people  and nation. That really  is the Gordian knot of this visit  as Nigeria goes  to  Washington to get help  not only to fight Boko  Haram  but to kick start  our  economy and our  presidential system  after an unexpected legislative hiatus so  soon after a smooth election that the US was amongst the first  nations to congratulate us on its  success.

    Let  me state clearly from the onset here that Nigeria and the US  face a long  and challenging  battle of ideas in their relations and this meeting is just  the tip of the icebag. Both  nations have a shared background in terms of their big size and  diversity and cultural  plurality. Nigeria’s  motto is Unity in  Diversity while that of the US is In God  we trust.  Nigerians  in  particular worship  God in mosques  and churches so  much that religion is such a booming  business nowadays  such  that pastors are  the  most   eligible bachelors amongst our youths, outpacing youthful bankers, oilmen and  IT magicians who  used to be favorites of our fairer sex before. That  however has not prevented the emergence of  Boko  Haram the terrorist  group  that has been  killing Nigerians with impunity  for some years now and whose blood  letting must be the priority  on the agenda of the meeting of the two presidents next week.

    In  the last  one month  Boko  Haram  has killed about  5OO innocent  Nigerians and this no doubt  has prompted  the replacement of Nigeria’s  security and military  chiefs  by the Nigerian  president. A move that has made Nigerians to heave a very heavy sigh  of relief  of  hope that Boko  Haram will at last be contained and destroyed  by the Buhari  Administration.

    More  importantly  and  unbelievable as it might sound Nigeria faces difficult  problems on the issue  of  democracy  as a concept and its understanding and practice  which  the Americans have  to be apprised of  before  it is too late. I presume it was some knowledge and anxiety in this direction that prompted the unpopular US prediction that Nigeria will  collapse in  2015. Now  Nigeria has seen  2015  and  has had a successful  election that has brought in a president of hope contrary  to this US doomsday prediction. That president  is needed  by the US to lead the ECOWAS region  in the fight against  ISIS  which  is the sole and  worst enemy  of the US in  the war on terrorism which  the US   has  finally, if belatedly,  admitted is a battle  of ideas stretching far beyond the global theatres  of war in the Middle  East  and the rest of the world.  Boko  Haram  is the proxy  of ISIS in the  Sahel covering Niger Republic, Cameroon and  Chad   and  Nigeria’s North  East  and has continued  killing Nigerians even  during Ramadan , the holy month  of  Islam.  Yet it claims it is,  together with ISIS, trying to establish  borderless caliphates in which  it hopes to practice its bloody  brand of religion that says No  to western  education.

    In  addition the two  presidents have to make each  other know the way democracy is understood and practiced in their two nations.  Former US President  Abraham  Lincoln defined democracy as government of the people by the people  and for the  people.  On  the other  hand  Tony  Blair the  former  British  Prime  Minister in his Memoirs called  simply ‘A Journey ‘ – in explaining  the creation  of New Labor  which kept him in  power  for  a decade as the  British  PM, identified  a situation whereby government was not for the people but above  them and  used  the correction of  that  anomaly  to change the Labor  Party and  defeat the Conservative  Party  led  by John  Major  at that time. Nigeria I  am afraid  is in that dismal  situation right now  whereby the  government has been  above the people and   not for them in anyway even though it got elected into office by them  in the 2011  elections.

    That  really was the  origin  of the  momentum of change and expectation  that saw President Buhari elected into office on the platform of his party the APC and  his assumption of office on May  29 2015. However  the  legislative elections of June 9  2015 which brought into legislative power a new leadership of the  legislature unknown or approved by the party in majority in the legislature has brought back  the hand of the clock in the progress made by Nigerians in electing the APC into power and Buhari as president. The  June 9 legislative leadership elections  in  Nigeria  has created what Tony Blair and  New  Labor  uprooted in winning the mind  of the British electorate which is government above the people  as  opposed  to the much needed government for the people and for the people which is what  democracy is all about.

    It  behoves  the US  president then to  direct  its  foreign  and  diplomatic  officials  as well as those of  its allies in the EU nations  to steer  clear  of  the leadership of the Nigerian legislature  until  it is democratically  sanitized  from the opprobrium it brought  on itself  from the June 9 2015  electoral  malfeasance.  This  is really  is to save the face of democracy as promoted  by the US and EU  as many Nigerians were  nauseated  by the trooping of Western  European and US ambassadors  to the legislature to congratulate both the Speaker and President of the Senate while the Nigerian nation was still in a very  deep  shock  and trauma over the manner of their emergence  and election.  Surely  democracy in  principle  as well  as  in practice either  in  Nigeria or  globally deserves better recognition and acclamation  than  the one put on display by those marketing it as the best and fairest form of government  in the world today given  their  reaction  to our last  leadership  elections in our  legislature.

    We  recall  that in August this year it will be 30  years since our new president left office as a military  leader.  He  has moved on since to contest elections thrice and losing before being elected last time around.  He  has paid  his dues in terms  of leadership  experience and he knows his nation and his people like the back of his hands.  He  is a devoted Muslim and has condemned  Boko  Haram in the strongest terms as anti  Islam.  Undoubtedly  on gay rights he will  not mince words in telling the US president  that that is a no go area in terms of any change of attitude   on  the part  of  Nigeria   which  he presides  over  and its  people. He  can say  this clearly and mightily because he was  just  newly  given  his mandate. Unlike  the US  president who is  fastly running out of time and tenure and has become a lame duck  president giving parting gifts  to the US electorate. Unfortunately  he has had to use threats  of presidential  veto to  cement his departure presents to the  US electorate such  as the threat to the US legislature to veto any  opposition  to the controversial Nuclear Deal  with Iran.

    Historically  however the two leaders saddled  with containing  terrorism globally  and  in their  domain remind me of one or two famous world  leaders.  Obama  reminds me of  Abraham  Lincoln who  fought the US Civil  War  to  free slaves  although  I wonder  how  Lincoln  would  react  in his  grave on the gay rights that Obama  has given legality  to.  Our  president reminds me in terms of  his  figure and stature  of Field  Marshal  Bernard Montgomery  of Alamein the Second  World  War British   military  hero  nicknamed  the Spartan  General  who defeated  Erwin Rommel  the  German  general in the same war. Which  really  is  my own way of wishing our new president every success in defeating , first  Boko  Haram, Corruption  and  false  democracy over fake election  rules.  Just  like Montgomery  became  the nemesis  of Rommel in the hot deserts of  Egypt in Alamein so many years  ago. Again  long  live the  Federal Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Obama defends Iran nuclear deal

    Obama defends Iran nuclear deal

    U.S. President, Barack Obama, has no second thoughts about the deal he helped strike with Iran to lift international sanctions in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

    “We are not measuring this deal by whether it is changing the regime inside of Iran or by whether we are solving every problem that can be traced back to Iran.

    “We are not measuring the deal with whether we are eliminating all their nefarious activities around the globe.

    “We are measuring this deal by Iran’s capability to get a nuclear weapon,” Obama told local media.

    According to him, the deal had cut off `every pathway for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon,’

    The president argued that his approach grew out of the same strategic logic that Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan used to approach the Soviet Union and China.

    “I have a lot of differences with Ronald Reagan.

    “But, where I completely admire him was his recognition that if you were able to verify an agreement that (was negotiated) with the evil empire.

    “The empire that was hell-bent on our destruction and was a far greater existential threat to us than Iran will ever be,” then it would be worth doing, Obama said.

    “And about Nixon: “I had a lot of disagreements with him but he understood there was the prospect, the possibility, that China could take a different path,” he said.

    Obama confirmed that President Vladimir Putin of Russia was a help in closing the deal, adding that Putin had surprised him with his contributions in striking the deal.

    “The agreement is a political victory for Iran: No one can say that we gave in”, Iranian president Hassan Rohani said after the deal was struck.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “Iran is no longer considered a global threat.”

     

  • Buhari, Obama to discuss terrorism, economy, other issues

    Buhari, Obama to discuss terrorism, economy, other issues

    AHEAD of his four-day official trip to the United States (U.S.)on Sunday, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with a former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

    The duo held talks on the President’s pending visit at the meeting which held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    President Buhari, who is honouring an invitation from U.S. President Barrack Obama will leave Abuja on Sunday to Washington DC to hold high-level talks with President Obama and other senior officials of the U.S.

    Expectedly, measures on how to strengthen and intensify bilateral and international cooperation against terrorism in Nigeria and West Africa are priorities on President’s wish-list, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina said in a statement yesterday.

    According to the statement, President Buhari, who will next Monday meet with President Obama at the White House, will hold further discussions with the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Martin Dempsey and the Deputy Secretary of Defence, Robert Work. They will be discussing military and defence cooperation.

    The President is also scheduled to meet Vice President Joe Biden and confer with the US Attorney-General, Loretta Lynch, Secretary of Treasury, Jack Lew, Secretary of Commerce, Penny  Pritzker and  Trade Representative, Michael Froman on America’s support for the Federal Government’s anti-corruption crusade as well as new ways of boosting Nigeria-United States trade relations.

    The President, who will be received by the U.S. Secretary of State at the State Department in Washington DC, will also hold meetings with the  Senate and Congressional Committees on Foreign Relations, as well as the Black Caucus of the  House of Representatives.

    Before returning next Thursday, President Buhari will address the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Corporate Council for Africa and host an interactive session with Nigerians in the American Diaspora.

    Mr. Adesina listed Governors of Imo (Rochas Okorocha); Nasarawa (Tanko Al-Makura); Edo (Adams Oshiohmole); Borno (Kashim Shettima) and Oyo (Abiola Ajimobi).

    Others are Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and permanent secretaries in the ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Trade and Investment.

    The US trip will also afford President Buhari the opportunity of a reunion with members of the American War College Class of 1980 in which he was a distinguished participant.

    After his meeting with the President yesterday, Chief Anyaoku, who spoke with reporters and gave an insight into his mission at the State House.

    He said:  ”We talked international affairs, including particularly, the President’s impending visit to the United States.”

    The former Commonwealth scribe however declined to disclose details of the meeting as he stressed that it would be inappropriate for him to publicly divulge the advice he gave Buhari privately.

    ýBut he expressed confident in President Buhari’s commitment to the anti-corruption fight.

    Anyaoku said: “I had a positive discussion with the President, we discussed international affairs, including in particular his forthcoming visit to the United States on the invitation of President Obama.

    “We also touched on some national issues because of the strong link between foreign policy and domestic issues. I put at his disposal the benefits of my long experience on governance matters with Heads of Governments of 54-member countries of the Commonwealth and also other issues related to internal affairs.

    “I can tell myself talking to a President who is very determined to effect a real change in the circumstances of our country and very determined too to being to bear on his administration the generally perceived attributes of his character, which I believe many Nigerians would support.”

    On corruption, he said: “Well, I believe that before he became president, he was known as somebody who has very strong passion for anti-corruption, I believe that he is determined to fight and he would go a long way in doing so. Corruption is a very endemic issue in our society and I’m quite impressed of his determination to do something about it.

    “Well, I can tell from the strong impression I got from my discussion with him that he is very determined.”

    Publisher of Ovation  magazine yesterday Dele Momodu was also at the Presidential Villa.

    He said: “I met with Mr. President and our conversation was very candid and I find him extremely jovial. We discussed different issues affecting our country and I gave him my own idea as a publisher, journalist, a columnist and the way forward for Nigeria.

    “He laughed a lot about some of the things I said, I will share one of them with you. I said women must be involved in the governance of Nigeria and he looked at me. I said Sir, women cannot marry two husbands but a man can have four wives and 10 concubines, he almost choked ýhe laughed so much.

    “I said so when you talk about corruption the needs of women are not as big as that of men and he said that is a very interesting theory.”

    He said that the issues of insecurity and corruption were also discussed at the closed-door meeting.

     ”We spoke about security and the efforts he is making, we spoke about anti-corruption crusade and I must say today he reassured me that not only does he know what he is doing, he is determined to make Nigeria work,” Momodu said.

    He denied a report on the social media which quoted him as saying that the President was too slow.

    Momodu said: “You know how social media people can post anything. I actually wrote him a memo and one of the things I told him is that the job of a columnist is that of an adviser who is not paid, in fact journalists all of you standing here do more worký than those paid to advise the president and that it is good to listen.

    “And I know he reads voraciously and that was one of reasons he was able to invite me because I wrote what I called a desperate memo to President Buhari.

    “Of course people slanted it, some people said maybe we are no longer supporting him and all that.

    “If you like someone you must be able to tell him the truth at all times, and what I have realized in so many years of interacting with people in government is that once you get to power, people stops telling you the truth, they tell you only what they think you want to hear.

    “And I’m happy he said we should argue with him, tell him the truth if things are going wrong ýand we should not be afraid of telling the truth.

    “And for a man who has been maligned for so many years that he doesn’t like the press, is a welcome development that he is able to reach out to members of fourth estate.”