By Ninyo Omidiji
Our president is currently fighting a legal battle in the United States.
He is not in that court fighting to recover Nigeria’s stolen wealth.
He is not in court fighting to recover looted assets hidden away in London, New York or Switzerland by corrupt government officials.
He is not in court fighting multinational companies over exploitation, environmental destruction or broken contracts.
He’s not fighting to recover Nigeria’s stolen cultural heritage.
He’s not in court fighting to protect Nigeria’s natural resources, intellectual property or commercial interests.
He’s not fighting to enforce an international award in Nigeria’s favour.
He’s not in court challenging sanctions or IMF conditions that are unfavorable to the wellbeing of Nigerians.
Rather, he is fighting in court to ensure the FBI and the Drug enforcement agency don’t release certain information they have on him about his past dealings.
But for the fact that giving excuses for the shenanigans in leadership has become a national pastime for us as a people, this should have triggered a serious concern in the mind of every Nigerian.
Clearly, I would agree with some of my friends whose argument is that the president has a constitutional right to defend himself in court. Everyone does. Even a robber caught with his hand, right in the cookie jar also does.
However, when a president’s personal interests intersect with the interests of a foreign power, Nigeria may be the one to suffer the damage.
America will pursue American interests, always. The FBI will stop at nothing to do so. If you think this is a conspiracy theory, I will advise you to check into a library and read a book.
Every powerful country protects its own interest, and often times, it’s at the expense of other countries which are vulnerable.
The question is this: Who is protecting Nigeria’s interest? I would think Mr. President should be leading the pack.
But what happens when his own sensitive information is in the hands of the agency of a foreign government that seeks control and unfettered access? Then they have a leash on him.
And when decisions affecting Nigeria’s resources, Nigeria’s economy, Nigeria’s sovereignty and national interests are being made, a foreign government has got leverage.
But the consequences will not be suffered by the president.
You, the ordinary citizen, will bear the brunt. You will have a president on seat but someone else who is not Nigerian is calling the shot because they are holding his secrets for him. They are, “proverbially”, holding his scrotum in their hands.
Let me tell you what I think. The FBI will do all they can to keep the information redacted so long the President “plays ball”. Trust me, the president will play ball, even if it means selling your present and your future in exchange.
I sincerely wish we could just stop viewing this through the lenses of tribe, religion or political alignments.
This is bigger than party politics. Ask the sincere question. For how long can Nigerians continue to have a liability as their president?
And who pays the price?
I don’t want anyone to perceive this as a personal attack on the president. No!
I want you to realise that it is in the interest of these world powers that nations like ours are governed by leaders that are weak and vulnerable. With that, these leaders become an asset of some sort to them. They become the weakest link through which these super powers can easily get access and control of our resources.
Such compromised leaders will throw you, citizens, under the bus if that’s what it takes to get the backing of the super powers and cling to power. They will easily give away the control of your nation’s resources and the ordinary citizens would not know at what time their existence was signed away.
Think beyond politics.
Think beyond tribe.
Think beyond religion.
Think National interest.
For now, I rest my case.
It is a new day!
