By Imam Ghazali Umar
aThe relationship between Nigeria and United States of America is as old as Nigeria itself. They have a very long standing relationship that makes US Nigeria’s greatest trading partner and its most important diplomatic cum political partner.
Nigeria consistently remains pro America nation and its people also do support the leadership of America. In 2012, US Global Leadership Report shows that about 77% of Nigerians believes in US leadership, while only 9% disapproving and 14% were uncertain. However, a year later, the relationship slumped because BBC World Service poll shows 59% of Nigerians approved that the US leadership was positive, while 29% saw it as negative.
The deterioration of the relationship continued under the Goodluck Jonathan administration. It is, therefore, expected that President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit will restore the robust relationship. The manner in which Buhari became president paved the way for reestablishing that long-standing relationship and become close allies. The United States is interested in assisting nations to develop inclusive, transparent and effective democratic mechanism, and they confide in President Buhari. It has been estimated that about one million Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans live, study and or work in the United States.
President Buhari departed Nigeria on Sunday, July19 to the United States and will spend four days on American soil. During his visit, he is billed to meet the US President Barak Obama to discuss numerous things with him. Chief among them are security, Boko Haram insurgency, trade and economic issues as outlined by President Buhari via his media aid Femi Adesina.
I have no doubt that the president is already armed to the teeth with what he would discuss with President Obama. But Nigerians still have a room to advise him on what they need from the US. I write this as accoutrements and addendum to what you have in stock. We all believe that US is a very generous country that serves as a mother to almost all other nations. It is a nation with the highest number of citizens that contribute to humanity in almost every sphere of human life.
It is a country that all are equal and human rights are so preserved and protected to the extent that it (freedom) walks their streets freely without any hindrances or obstacles. The US always supports any cause that is intended for the betterment of the people. US assistance helps in building basic mechanism of democratic governance to make elected officials accountable to constituents through free and fair elections, strong government institutions and well organised, well informed citizens who demand performance.
Mr President sir, as you meet your colleague of the US, kindly tell him that your people wish him all the best and hope he would extend the generous hands of US government to salvage the Nigerian state from collapse. Nigerians confide in their president and with the support of countries like America, the problem would be solved within a reasonable time. The menace and threat by the insurgents have decimated our country and they are rampantly killing innocent Nigerians day and night and render people homeless.
The issue of security and insurgency are birds of the same feather. If insurgency is eradicated, more than fifty percent of the insecurity menace is solved. We really need a peaceful Nigeria that is free from killings, free from kidnappings, free from bunkering and a nation that is free from corruption. Corruption is also another factor that bedevils the nation morally, socially and economically.
On trade and economic issues, I urge you sir, to discuss investments in power sector first. Although the state of electricity in Nigeria has changed from worse to bad, we do hope one day this problem would be history. Therefore, kindly invite foreign investors that would come and invest here and provide an avenue for competition in the sector. This will really boost the sector and strengthen it.
We all know that if enough electricity is provided, the Nigerian economy should really get a boost to the extent that unemployment would dig and bury itself in Nigeria.
Our fertile soil also needs to be utilised and therefore requires the involvement of foreign investors that would support and strengthen the sector. It really needs to be revitalised. Nigeria was known for its farming and now it is becoming history. Therefore, for the sector to resume its power and absolute utilisation, government should provide an avenue for the foreign investors to invest. This would be through provision of incentives to the investors and sometimes a tax free offer, for them to have courage and confidence in the government and its people.
Lastly, Mr President, we would like you to tell your American counterpart that Nigeria is not America. America is America and Nigeria is Nigeria. Theirs are theirs and ours are ours. They are what they are and we are what we are. We would like the relationship to continue the way it is and Nigeria is ready to continue with its support and loyalty to the US and its humane policies. But on same sex marriage, kindly leave Nigeria alone and keep it for Americans not Nigerians.
Umar, Esq wrote from Abuja