Coming to America.

“The damage done in one year can sometimes take ten or twenty years to repair.” Chinua Achebe

All eyes were on Buhari and the much anticipated state visit to America and in particular, his meeting with Barak Obama. PMB came with 30 strong entourage including;Adams Oshiomhole, Kashim Shettima, Abiola Adeyemi Ajimobi, Godwin Emefiele, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Hadi Sirika, Ambassador. Paul Bulus Z, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Alhaji. Aliyu Ismaila, Ambassador. A.A. Musa, Ambassador. G.B. Igali, Aliyu Yahaya Gusau, Dr. Mahmud Mohammed, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Ismaila Isa  Funtua, Mr. Femi Adesina and Dr. Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi. Each chosen for their expertise and tasked to make use of the visit to drum up business and economic partnership with Nigeria.

Of the visit, much was said in the papers and the social media about the man and his motive to meet with his American counterpart. For those who have ignored the obvious, he was invited and feted by the Americans. What a difference a change in administration makes! It seem that the world wants to do business and partnership with Nigeria once more. The US recognises Nigeria as an emerging economic giant not just in Africa but in the global village. This is the first time the US is inviting a newly elected African leader who has been in office for less than two months, to a state visit. This visit was not a cap in hand visit, contrary to what some may want others to believe. This was solely a US-led initiative and did accommodate PMB at Blair House which was first of its kind for a Nigerian leader and at no expense to the Nigerian coffers.

For this, President Obama warmly welcomed PMB and he praised Nigeria and Nigerians for undergoing a peaceful transition of power;” Nigeria is obviously one of the most important countries in the world and of the US trip, Grant Harris, senior director for Africa at the National Security Council, said Obama administration took the “unprecedented action” of inviting Buhari to the United States rather than have Obama visit Buhari in the Nigerian capital of Abuja because it gives the new president access to many more top American policymakers and “And our view was that we needed to have this occur as soon as possible, and that we would also want to maximize this opportunity to have him in Washington with his advisers,”

True to the their words the Americans feted the Nigerian President and he met with notable people in the Obama administration including, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Vice President Biden, National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Jim Yong Kim of the World Bank, Madeleine Albright, former United States Secretary of State and the current Secretary of State John F. Kerry one of the most important countries in the African continent”

And Buhari in response, said he was “extremely grateful” for the invitation, and noted the “positive trends” of elections in Nigeria he credited “pressure from the United States and Europe to make sure elections were free and credible” for leading them to where they are now.

Sometimes we forget how remarkable the transition was and how incredible ordinary Nigerians were to have voted for change despite the enormous pressure to maintain the status quo.

Buhari is very clear where his administration should concentrate its efforts; combating corruption, good governance, securing Nigerian borders, dealing with Boko Haram and recovering billions of dollars siphoned by many politicians in the last administration. It is a tall order, but no doubt this man of steel will with a little help from the America and its allies, this will definitely happen, without a doubt.

Obama echoed this when addressing the press; “President Buhari comes into office with a reputation of integrity and a very clear agenda and that is to make sure that he is bringing safety and security and peace to this country, And he has a very clear agenda with respect to rooting out the corruption that has too often held back the economic growth and prosperity of his country.”

America has pledged $5m (£3.2m) in military assistance to the regional coalition helping to fight Boko Haram, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State. However, Buhari did criticise the US, especially the Leahy Law, which links military sales to human rights. Without the lifting of the law, the Nigeria government will find it near impossible to procure arms from the US.

It seems that many of the guilty and pilferers should be  quaking in their boots, that this time, the  money meant for the people of Nigeria will be recovered and used for the majority of its people not by a very  few and languishing in some  off shore account gathering dust.

The new broom is here to clear away the rubbish and the corrupt and it seems the rest of the world now know it; that Nigeria is open for  business once the environment becomes conducive to encourage business to thrive and take root.

Frankly speaking, as impressed I am of the visit, I was appalled by some of the reactions from some Nigerians about his visits. It showed some juvenile behaviour of some people to understand the benefit of foreign policy and partnership. Some had agenda that was apparent by the way they voiced their opinions and I would not justify this page by repeating their jaundiced views. At some point in the future, it will be addressed

 Old soldiers never die —contd.

These former mighty men of valour failed spectacularly to safeguard their men, the nation and its people. They were left to make excuses why the war on Boko haram was failing, why the army was ineffectual, why the large revenue spent to shore up our defences was not bearing fruit.

Frankly, they have been a disgrace to their uniforms and, their exalted ranks and the badges they wore and also a disappointment to the brave men and women that they led. It was with great relief that the president dismissed the four military chiefs in order to strengthen the fight against Boko Haram. The government spokesperson Femi Adesina said that Buhari made the decision to “re-engineer and add vigour to the military and that the move will strengthen “the fight against the insurgency and the credibility of the army”.  For those critics of the new administration: watch and learn; now, that is how to lead.

Buhari, is a seasoned and a formidable strategist, people should have every reason to have confidence in the replacements for the dismissed heads of armed forces.

Although, I do hope that it is not the case of old wine in new bottles. But we know that if they do not perform they will surely go the way of the others.

Buhari will not hesitate to dismiss them. The pedigree of the new intake is so far impressive, in particular, that of Major General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, Borno-born, who is currently the head of the multinational anti-Boko Haram force based in Ndjamena, Chad Major General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin, the new chief of army staff, the new chief of defence intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Riku Morgan, and a national security adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno.

With the new intake, I do hope that we have a fit, disciplined man with purpose to lead and motivate their men and, women.  It would be only right to expect that they bring vigour and pride back to a tired and disgraced army  and once more, Nigeria can have an army that is worthy of its name and  they can restore peace and security within its  borders.