By Dominic Ikeogu
A man in distress nurses no pride. He goes wherever and to whomever is necessary in search of help.
President Volodymyr Zelenski of Ukraine made the long trip to the White House earlier this year. He endured a humiliating mob at the Oval Office. His country is at war with the ruthless Russian Bear. It was a matter of survival. He took a beating for the sake of his people. And his office.
Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa defied the odds of a souring relationship with the US under Trump. He walked into the Lion’s den pleading, “We don’t have a jetliner to give.” He needed to mend a part of his fence that was collapsing – no thanks to the muscle-flexing of his American counterpart. He took the bitter pill for the love of country. And his job.
Even US President Donald Trump, for all his grandstanding, flew to the Middle East with a wishlist. He got a super luxury jet from the wealthy Qataris as bonus. So, even rich nations have pressing needs.
What does Nigeria need from other nations? When will the Nigerian president take the trouble to visit the United States and other important world capitals for urgently needed help? Is it when his roof caves in? Why does the Nigerian president’s travel plan always end up in France? What can he hope to achieve by aligning almost exclusively with an old colonial power still hooked to the breast milk of its erstwhile African colonies?
If I was President Bola Tinubu, I would have visited my American counterpart since his inauguration in January. I would let Mr. Trump know how much my country is suffering from the adverse effects of “brain drain”; how we are losing some of our best brains and hands to the USA.
Since Mr Trump is anti-immigration, I would propose a win-win deal by which the US helps to slow further flow of migrants by partnering to make “home” better for more Nigerians.
As a businessman with a known weakness for cutting deals, I am almost sure Mr. Trump will find this offer irresistible. He might even praise it as “The absolute best deal ever.”
I would highlight the many contributions of Nigerian doctors, nurses, tech wizards and sundry professionals to the US economy. Í would remind my host of the contributions of a Nigerian named Phillip Emegwali to the making of the internet which literally drives the world today.
If I was Tinubu, I would gently point out to Mr. Trump the significant tax contributions of Nigerians to the US Treasury.
While in the USA, I would arrange a meeting with Nigerian doctors, nurses and other professionals who are helping to make a difference in the US healthcare system. I would ask for their inputs and support to help make our healthcare system better back home.
That meeting will draw attention to, and earn respect for, Nigeria’s human capital contributions to the American success story and the global community. It will underline the fact that we are not a burden but a blessing wherever we go.
I would take along with me on the trip musicians like Davido, Flavor and Burna Boy. These are Nigerians making powerful contributions to global pop culture – purely on the strength of their creative genius.
Making them a part of my diplomacy strategy would not only be a mark of appreciation for their positive contributions to the Nigerian brand; it will be a marketing stunt to take their music a little further across the globe. And, hopefully, it will inspire a cross pollination of excellence between the public and private sectors.
This is how to lead over 200 million people bursting with talent and energy. This is how to tap energy from the best wherever they may be. For now, President Tinubu appears to be working in isolation.
The USA has a huge middle class with disposable income and opportunity-gaps that can help grow our country’s economy. It is wrong not to visit such a country and take advantage of such opportunities. The same logic goes for doing business with China and other economic powerhouses.
A “Renewed Hope” agenda without a clear roadmap for economic symbiosis with the leading global economies of today is like dreaming of a delicious pot of soup in your sleep. You will surely wake up famished and salivating. Only those who make the trip to the market and the kitchen can hope to turn that dream into reality.
Dominic Ikeogu writes from Minnesota, USA
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