Nigeria's Role In Africa Over the Next 50 Years

2010 World Summit of Mayors, Nigeria, December 2010



What is Nigeria's Role in Africa Over the Next 50 Years?

Nigeria – a nation of plenty, a nation of potential, and nation of prospects. These are the key pillars that the next 50 years should bring to fruition for this great country. As an African-American who sees Nigeria as one of the most important global nations in the world today, it is important for Nigeria, with the support and encouragement from its friends, to enter the next half century with the goal of improving the daily lives of each Nigerian citizen. This includes having a safe enabling environment not only for economic growth and development, but also to further ensure its rightful place as a leader in the sub region on peace and security issues. Nigerians, and their friends, see the struggles that this great nation faces today with instability being renewed in the Delta, ethnic tensions in parts of the North, corruption issues, and concerns about a successful, and transparent election looming large for April 2011.

None of these issues should be taken lightly, they are real, cause uncertainty, and are challenges that must be addressed in a transparent manner to set the stage not only for Nigeria in the next 50 years, but also for the African Continent writ large. The nation of Nigeria and the people I have had the pleasure of working with and knowing have always made me proud to be connected to a country with such great potential and prospects. Nigeria is a symbol for many African-Americans in so many positive ways – the creativeness, the talent, and the strong love of country - to name a few of the core values that I experienced living in Nigeria. This viewpoint does not mean that we are not rooting for Nigeria to be even more than it is today and that it must continue to work to ensure that the challenges of today mentioned above are addressed and are not markers of the future. I was asked about the role of Nigeria in the future of Africa over the next 50 years given that Nigeria and 17 other nations celebrated their jubilee anniversary in
2010. There are several very important points to make in this regard:

Leadership by far is Nigeria’s first role on the Continent as it is a key political, security, and trading partner in the sub-region and with other world nations. However, with this, it has to continue to find ways to better address its own internal security and corruption issues as part of this leadership and make transparent elections and good governance the order of the day;

Nigeria’s Development role is next, particularly, as Nigeria and the rest of Africa should be the next emerging frontiers for economic growth, markets, and trade. The recent positive news in some quarters of Nigeria’s macro-economic and capital market reforms efforts spurred by the leadership at Nigeria’s Central Bank and at its Security and Exchange Commission are symbolic of the solid foundations that countries in Africa need to be moving toward over the next 50 years. The issues of most concern to me are what I have called the FEEEDS™ issues (with the acronym meaning Food Security, Education, Environment, Energy, Development/Democracy and Self-Help). The FEEEDS™ issues will need to be better handled over the next 50 years by all nations on the Continent;

Nigeria’s Youth and Women need to be included and play a key role in the direction of the country. Given that more than half of Nigeria’s population is under the age of 35 coupled with having nearly 74 million women, both youth and women need to be provided with not only ample but more adequate educational opportunities (including vocational and entrepreneurship training) as they are vital to a viable future for any nation. No nation can develop by excluding more than half its population from a strong and visible role in political development, and social sector reform; and,

Transparency in Resource Management which is not only cross sectoral but also a synergistic way of better addressing how all resources -- energy resources, land and water resources, human resources, and financial resources - - in a country are governed.

None of us has a crystal ball, and none of us can predict the future. What we can do is our utmost to put in place the things that we know can help make the future a better place. Nigeria, as the most populated nation on the Continent and because of the core values I know are part of the Nigerian mosaic, can and should help set the stage for the future of the Africa Region and the global community, but addressing the four points above are key parts of achieving these goals. Many of us as African-Americans are counting on that. I know I am.

Sad News: Bombing in Nigeria, A Worrying Sign, What Next for Nigeria

On what should have been a day of reflection and recognition of its 50th anniversary on October 1, the capital of Nigeria, Abuja, was rocked on October 1 by two car bombs, killing at least 12 people. First sympathies go out to the nation, and to the families of all those who lost their lives and were injured in this terrible bomb blast. Current reports are that elements of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, better known as MEND (a loose umbrella organization of militants and militant groups) perpetrated this act to underscore the issues in the oil-rich Niger Delta Region. Peaceful political and civil society groups have highlighted over many, many years the need to end corruption of oil wealth and to increase development in all sectors (education, health, agriculture) in the Niger Delta as well as the right of the Niger Deltans to have more say and influence in how resources and profits from the oil wealth are used to help improve the lives of those living in the Region. These are very legitimate issues, which need to be addressed. There are five key Nigerian states that make up the main oil states in the Niger Delta Region (Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akom Ibom, Cross River), and acts of sabotage, kidnapping, and disruption of oil infrastructure had been the tactic of choice of not only MEND but other militant groups in the Region.
This is the second time in nearly 8 months that elements of MEND have used the car bombing tactic. I was in Nigeria the first time MEND used this tactic earlier in 2010 in Warri, a city in Nigeria's Delta State in the Niger Delta Region, and also another militant group attacked a facility in the commercial capital, Lagos during the same period. In addition, over the last 2 years, elements of MEND have threatened, through letters sent and written to the press, such attacks in Abuja, but this is the first time that they have followed through on that threat and this is a very worrying sign and trend as the country grapples with trying to get its election process right so key social sector issues can be better addressed everywhere in Nigeria and particularly in the Niger Delta.
There is a lot to be done to move Nigeria further forward than it is now, and changing the paradigms in the area of education, health, agriculture, fighting corruption, and better utilization of its oil wealth to benefit the Nigerian people are all things that need to be addressed, but peacefully. All of these sectors need more assistance and more improvement so Nigeria cannot only become the Giant that we all want it to be, but because it is necessary for the next generation of Nigerians to have a better life.
MEND is not known to have been a totally cohesive group in the past, with a singular leader, but more of a loose affiliation of different militant interests. It is unclear now with this attack, which certainly would have required detailed planning and strategies, whether the affiliation has or is morphing into something different from the loose associations of the past of various militant interests. In addition since the amnesty for militants in 2009 and despite all the many problems with truly implementing the amnesty rehabilitation program with more consistent progress on training opportunities for militants, militant-related violence had diminished somewhat in the Region. This car bomb attack in the capital presents a new and worrying trend for Nigeria that we all need to pay attention to and work to bring those who perpetrated the act to justice. No one doubts the legitimate issues in the region, but we all must assist the nation in addressing and correcting these issues in the Niger Delta Region by supporting both political and civil society groups who want to make changes in the Region and improve its development and use of resources but through peaceful means.
(BlogSpot views on blogitrrs are personal and do not represent views of the U.S. Government, or any other institution.)

Happy Birthday Nigeria @50: Celebrate Oct 1; Back to Business Oct 2

Happy Birthday Nigeria! October 1, 2010, is certainly a day to celebrate for all Nigerians as the nation reaches the mature age of 50. Congratulations and Best Wishes. Celebrate and reveal in the importance of this day, but Oct 2 -- after the celebrations are over -- the business at hand is still the elections and doing this one right is a "must-do" in order to once and for all put the naysayers to rest. Giving INEC more time to put all the election processes in place is a step in the right direction as a lot remains to be done (a transparent voter registry of the nearly 74 million potential voters is a good example of one of the key must-do tasks). It is a positive sign that some in the nation are considering the need to move the election date to April 2011 as the INEC Chairman has requested to allow INEC to have more time to put the right processes in place.
Clean and credible elections do make a difference -- not only for this generation, but for the next -- as they set the stage to address and improve the remaining challenges that the country faces, particularly in the areas of improving the use and transparency of national financial resources for development in sectors ranging from education to agriculture (meaning ending corruption). With leaders elected through a credible, non-rigged, transparent process, who themselves are credible, and have the best interest of the nation at hand, then all else is possible --from curbing corruption to improving infrastructural development. It is always important to recognize milestone events in the life of a nation, and October 1, 2010, is such a day, such an event for Nigeria. However, October 2, should be back to the business, as a lot remains to be done between now and Election Day. As noted in an earlier Africa Post entry, Nigerian Resilience and Resolve (the 2 R's) - the country's two most fundamental national character traits -- must come into play in the run up to the 2011 elections. Your friends are counting on you to use those two traits to ensure that after the October 1, 2010, celebrations, that the focus continues on election processes, and all the other Election Checklist issues raised on The Africa Post @ blogitrrs (http://blogitrrs.blogspot.com/2010/09/nigerias-elections-keeping-2-rs-in-mind.html) which includes, but are not limited to the importance of the role of civil society at every step and in every way in the election processes as they are an important watchdog over the process and the election itself. The pressure was on before Nigeria's 50th anniversary to get the election right, and October 2, 2010, the pressure will be even more as reflection takes over from celebration. At a September 29, 2010, symposium in Washington, D.C. on Nigeria @ 50, there were some Nigerians who wondered what the nation had to celebrate. Once can go back throughout history and look at several countries, including the U.S., to see where they were as nations just after 50 years of development. But I would argue what counts now is not dwelling on the past, but focusing on the future so that it is bright, and so that the nation can move forward in its 51st year, and its 52nd year and so on. This can only start with a clean and credible election being the order of the day for the 2011 elections.
(Views expressed on blogitrrs are personal and do represent the views of the U.S. Government.)

Nigeria’s 2011 Elections – Keeping the 2 R’s in Mind: Resilience and Resolve

Road to Nigeria's Elections blogspot series

Do Not Underestimate Nigerian Resilience and Resolve

As Nigeria continues on the path to its critical elections which appears to be slated for April 2011, there are two key things to keep in mind which I call the two R’s: Nigeria’s Resilience and Nigeria’s Resolve. Do not underestimate either. Having just finished up my 3 year tenure there as the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria (2007-2010), I have always marveled at these two elements which are fundamental to Nigeria's national character. These two elements will also pay a role in the conduct of how Nigeria’s 2011 elections will unfold. Yes, things are heating up in Nigeria’s election landscape and yes there is still a long way to go in ensuring voter registration, political party transparency, and a secure enabling environment for a credible election. But make no mistake – today more than ever Nigerians want a fraud-free election conducted in a secure environment. No one (and this includes Nigerians) underestimates the challenges ahead to get everything done on time, and keeping everything on track. But, what I would argue is important from this point forward until the proposed April 2011 election is working WITH Nigeria and Nigerians to makes this election as successful as possible, not criticizing it this far out from the sidelines – every friend and every partner of Nigeria should be working in lockstep in that direction.
Let’s keep in mind this phrase (one I have always thought about over the last couple of months in Nigeria before the end of my tenure) -- “What a Difference a Year Makes.” With a quick trip down memory lane, last year this time (the Sept-Dec 2009 time period) when many outside of Nigeria were worried about destabilization of the country, many Nigerians in-country (not necessarily all) were confident that the days of military intervention were over. This resolve was inspite of things being very politically murky as worries about the late President Yar’Adua’s illness overtook the nation. There was a sense not only that the country would get through this difficult time (and it did!), but also a strong desire not to repeat history, but continued efforts to try to build a better electoral process. Resilience and Resolve prevailed during this period and we need to continue to call on Nigeria to depend on these two elements of its national character as it moves toward its 2011 election. There is not a Nigerian that does not understand getting this election process right will not only be tough as there is a lot to do in a short amount of time (see The Africa Post August 2010 @blogitrrs). But this is where friends are supposed to come in and do their utmost to support the right actions.
Friends of Nigeria from this point forward should be helping Nigeria get to credible elections. There is a way of doing things in Nigeria that is not always clear from the outside, and no doubt there will be ups and downs until the 2011 election is executed. Things will look uncertain from time to time, and be of concern, but every single step or misstep does not mean a doomsday scenario is unfolding. We need to continue to encourage Nigeria to:
• Support and involve civil society at every turn in the election process;
• Support an active and free press;
• Support parallel vote tabulation or swift vote count by civil society;
• Support all efforts which will promote a violent-free election;
• Support election monitoring by both civil society and international observers; and,
• Support efforts to encourage political parties to have true internal democratization.
Consider the above My “Checklist for Nigeria’s 2011 Election.” I was a Nigeria optimist when I was there as U.S. Ambassador and I will remain one. This does not mean that I will not encourage Nigeria – as a friend and daughter of the Continent – to do things that I hope will continue to build its democracy or state when there are things of concern. This is what friends do, but they do it fairly, forthrightly and with a long term positive goal in mind, but always with mutual respect to this nation of 150 million people. I have a democracy wish list for Nigeria @50 as it reaches its jubilee independence anniversary on October 1, 2010 and outlined clearly the challenges ahead in several speeches (see the Africa Post @ http://blogitrrs.blogspot.com/2010/08/remarks-on-july-291-2010-my-wish-for.html, & http://blogitrrs.blogspot.com/2010/06/dr-robin-r-sanders-remarks-at-vice.html), and my “Checklist for Nigeria’s 2011 Election” above is nothing new. It is what the Chairman of the Nigerian Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Jega, Nigerian civil society, and the Nigerian people, who want a clean election, have on their radar screens to try not only to turn the tide of how INEC is viewed, but rebuild the confidence of so many Nigerians in their electoral process. Let’s all work toward supporting Nigeria in achieving these things.
(views on blog from Sept 26, 2010 onward are personal and do not represent the positions of U.S. Government or Africare.)

Ambassador Robin Sanders on Channels TV

Channels TV yesterday aired the interview with Ambassador Robin Sanders on U.S. – Nigeria bilateral relations.  Please follow this link http://www.channelstv.com/global/videos.php?vid_shows=xcli_1 to listen to the interview.

 

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