Guardian

Why controversies surround Nigeria’s  ‘long live Africa’ speech  at  AU

“AFRICA has come of age. It is no longer under the orbit of any extra continental power. It should no longer take orders from any country, however powerful. The fortunes of Africa are in our hands to make or to mar. For too long have we been kicked around: for too long have we been treated like adolescents who cannot discern their interests and act accordingly. For too long has it been presumed that the African needs outside ‘experts’ to tell him who are his friends and who are his enemies. The time has come when we should make it clear that we can decide for ourselves; that we know our own interests and how to protect those interests; that we are capable of resolving African problems without presumptuous lessons in ideological dangers which, more often than not, have no relevance for us, nor for the problem at hand.”

Those words of General Murtala Muhammed, former Nigerian head of state, now late, are lifted from his address at the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Assembly in 1975.

Nigerian leaders are known to have used epochal events to make profound statements of intent and of being. Such as was witnessed at the first United Nations (1960) as well as the maiden OAU speeches by former prime minister Tafawa Balewa.

Last week Saturday, former president Olusegun Obasanjo would have loved an opportunity to make a similar profound speech on an occasion when the 50th anniversary of the organisation, now the primogeniture of the African Union (AU) was being specially marked.

The former president who presented a report on alternative sources of funding for the AU, sat alongside one of the living founding member and former president of Zambia Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, there were former leaders Goukouni Weddeye (Chad), Jerry Rawlings (Ghana) and Tabo Mbeki (South Africa) and host of others.

Nigeria is a founding member of the OAU. it, alongside Egypt, Libya, Algeria and South Africa, shoulders about 70 percent of the continental body’s financial obligations. Various leaders used the speaking slots of their countries to impact their country’s standing at the AU to a world audience  in the presence of grand debate panellists which included former Jamaican president Percival James Patterson (who brought in the music of late Peter Toch into the hall)  consisting of the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), Vuk Jeremic, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, heads of African Regional Economic Communities, heads of AU Specialized Organs and International Agencies, members of the Permanent Representatives Committee of the AU and the Diplomatic Community in Addis Ababa.

Nigeria’s voice bellowed at the AU assembly bringing into the present time, the nation’s reconstructed centrepiece foreign policy. Nigeria’s profound statement resounded positively at the Ethiopian capital, yet the controversies that greeted the fact that it was not presented by president Goodluck Jonathan who was at the summit has raged on.

Nigeria’s position read by foreign minister Ashiru caught on when the Assembly was told “...While political independence has been won and colonialism, apartheid and minority rule have been defeated, we are yet to overcome the challenges of neo-colonialism, poverty, disease, violent conflicts, environmental degradation, under-development and economic dependency”

Nigeria’s voice further held: “We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to ensure that Africa succeeds.  We must consolidate our achievements, correct past mistakes and accomplish the new African integration paradigm for political, economic, socio-cultural and scientific development...Today, we are reflecting on the philosophy of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance not at the behest of anyone but of our own accord. We do so because we are conscious of the need to control our own destiny.  For too long, Africa has been a victim of external domination, exploitation and manipulation.  Africa must rediscover itself”

The Nigerian voice went on further “So, my message today is very simple.  Africa must declare an end to the era of self inflicted wars and conflicts.  Africa must usher in an era of transformation, peace, stability and sustainable development...We all know that the wars we fight sap our strength, divert our resources and destroy precious lives and property.  We know that these conflicts hold Africa back.  We must bring them to an end immediately to give Africa respite and space to develop and realize its potential for greatness”

It was in the country’s interest at the AU to also spell out what the members must do collectively.

Nigeria said “we must first take definite steps and implement all the frameworks aimed at curtailing the proliferation and illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in our continent.  These are the weapons of choice in the prosecution of all the deadly conflicts, acts of terrorism, piracy and armed robberies ravaging many parts of our continent.  Given their lethality they have been aptly described as the weapons of mass destruction and destabilization in Africa...Second, with Africa free of all its crises and violent conflicts, we must commit to deepen our democratic governance and rule of law. We must give voice to, and respect the wishes of our people when they express them democratically, freely and openly.  Democracy must be allowed to flourish unimpeded in all our countries.  We must end the culture of abuse of power and impunity.  We must embrace the culture of accountability, equity and justice.

Nigeria’s submission continued “... Africa should aim to lead humanity again in innovation and advancement. Africa must not remain in the margins of world affairs.  Africa must continue to ask for its due rights and place in the World.  Africa’s demand to be represented on the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council is just.  It should never be seen as a privilege.  We should, therefore, vigorously press our demand for an urgent reform and expansion of the Council in order to inaugurate more equitable global governance architecture”

The country’s statement ended thus: “We signaled this intent with the transformation of the Organization of African Union (OAU) to the African Union (AU), a decade ago. We adopted forward-looking and dynamic approaches to Africa’s integration agenda. We devised a new Peace and Security Architecture. We agreed on a new framework to ward off the tendency towards unconstitutional change of government and adopted a Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance among others.  We also adopted the New Partnership for Africa’s Economic Development (NEPAD) along with the Africa Peer Review (APR) mechanism to fast-track the continent’s development agenda and enhanced governance process...   Mr. Chairman, as expected, my country, Nigeria, will remain a staunch supporter and promoter of Pan-Africanism and the ideals and objectives, championed by this Union.  Our steadfast commitment to the Union arises from our recognition that African unity and solidarity will remain our strength, both as a nation and as a continent. Long Live Africa!   Long Live the African Union!!”

Even if Nigeria’s statement at the AU did not sound like those Argentine revolutionary leader Ernesto Che Geuvera  who had said “What do the dangers or sacrifices of a man or a people matter when what is at stake is the destiny of humanity.” it was timely and profound.

But even though foreign affairs minister ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru and presidential spokesman Dr. Reuben Abati had put out strong, persuasive reasons why the inability of the president to deliver Nigeria’s speech was not a howler, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Internationals Affairs professor Bola Akinterinwa also noted that “there are some diplomatic technicalities that can make such things happen at important summits such as this (AU)”

Speaking to The Guardian on the matter, he said “We should not be blinded by that fact (Speech delivery alone. The enormity of work that Nigeria did at this summit cannot be reduced to that level. He does not have to read that speech. Important as it was, there were other strategic pursuits which had to be handled at the same time the speeches were being made. This I am aware of ”

Also, building on the centre piece doctrine and the now emerging grand strategy for participation in multilateral organisation, the regional Director of the Institute of Security Service (ISS) in Addis and former Nigerian envoy to Ethiopia ambassador Olusegun Akinsanya maintained that Governance should now be Nigeria’s mother theme at bodies such as the AU.

In an interview with the The Guardian on what Nigeria should be doing with the AU as the 2063 vision takes effect, he said “The biggest challenge facing the AU and the continent still remains peace and security. Now, as a continental leader, if we get our governance right, peace and security will ensue. At the base of most of the conflict, apart from resources management, is governance. This is why even an important matter such as elections has now ceased to be a governance issue. It is now a security issue... and of course if elections are credible  and there is inclusiveness, Africa’s peace and security issues would be minimal.  Part of this has now led to the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and which also came out of or Shared Values theme last year”

On what Nigeria can achieve with the portfolio of AU Commissioner for Political Affairs she currently holds, ambassador Akinsanya said “ It is a catalyst for the pursuit of all the lofty dreams of stability and human development. Also for the advancement of Nigeria’s Africa interest which is a region free from strife . And you can see, the commissioner is already pursuing the governance agenda the way it should be done. The AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) used to dominate but now with Nigeria there, governance should be looking at conflict prevention and this ought to have been the case since around the year 2000 at the inception of the AU when we (Nigeria) should have started providing leadership using the PSC”