• Security,
economy and bilateral relations top agenda
At last the
President of the United States, Barack Obama, would visit Nigeria on 28 May,
2013, as part of a three-nation tour of Africa, ending speculation of the Obama
scorn with the flawed elections in 2007 that brought Umaru Yar’Adua to the
Presidency.
Seen as long
overdue but coming at a time when security is the number one item on the
country’s agenda, the 44th President of the United States is expected to parley
with President Jonathan on how to tackle the niggling problems of insecurity,
the economy and trade relations between both nations. President Obama would be
interested in hearing President’s Jonathan’s plan to control the Boko Haram
insurgents who he plans to offered amnesty, even as the sect continues to slay
hundreds in their quest to end western education in the country apart from
kidnapping foreigners for ransom.
The growing
bases of Al Quaeda, a long term enemy of America and its allies, along the Lake
Chad region resulting from their recent dislodgement from Mali may find space
on their agenda.
Both men are
likely to contemplate the resurgence of Niger Delta militancy, which had
simmered with the granting of amnesty by former President Yar’Adua. On the
political side, they may weigh the propriety of a Jonathan candidacy in 2015
and the implications for democracy not only for Nigeria, but also for the
African continent as well as the implication of good governance as exemplified
by Nigeria for the stability of the sub-region. It is speculated that both
presidents would broach issues on economic co-operation not least the upbeat
forecasts of the emergence of Nigeria as an economic force, what with the
country’s latitude for growth.
America
would be interested in a partnership that would engender a favourable outcome
for both countries whose bilateral trade hit $5 trillion in the first quarter
of 2012.
It would be
an opportunity for President Jonathan to engage Obama on the US exploitation of
Shale gas projected to cut a quarter US imports of Nigeria’s oil by the end of
the year. They could discuss how Nigeria can benefit from alternative energy
programme of the United States. It would give President Jonathan a chance to
see how the AGOA programme can be improved to favour Nigeria’s businesses,
especially the SMEs.
Obama’s
planned session with businessmen while in the country assures that there is yet
scope for improving business and trade relations between both countries.
Obama’s visit is believed to be five years late given that he was billed to
have visited the country in his first term in office, especially when he
visited other African countries, including Ghana, which is only 30 minutes away
from Nigeria by flight.
Of that snob,
Nobel Literature Prize winner, Professor Wole Soyinka, said, “If Obama decides
to grace Nigeria with his presence, I will stone him. The message he is sending
by going to Ghana is so obvious, is so brilliant that he must not render it
flawed by coming to Nigeria any time soon.”
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