KWENU: Our Culture, Our Future

Atiku:  A hard lesson in free speech in America

Acho Orabuchi

Dallas, Texas

A_Orabuchi@yahoo.com

Friday, March 19, 2004

Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar recently visited the United States of America (USA) for a very important political discourse. The James S. Coleman African Studies Center—UCLA International Institute sponsored the well-publicized event at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Several people were enthused to go hear the Nigeria’s number two man for diverse reasons. In fact, Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was greeted with protests on the eve of his speech, entitled "Emerging Democracies in an Emerging World Order: Nigeria and the United States”, at Covel Commons Salon A, UCLA, Los Angeles, California on February 26, 2004. And the next day too, the audience, which had about a hundred Nigerians, booed his well-rehearsed speech. Obviously, his discourse did not resonate with the audience.

Interestingly, Senator John Kerry, a Democratic candidate for US presidency, made a policy speech at the same university, UCLA, the following day and was consistently interrupted with rousing applauses.

In describing what happened on that fateful day, Prince Jimmy Asiegbu, President of Anambra State Association, USA, wrote, “The protesters carried placards with inscriptions "OBASANJO LEAVE ANAMBRA STATE ALONE", NO IMPOSED LEADERSHIP", RESTORE NGIGE'S SECURITY", OBASANJO HANDS OFF ANAMBRA STATE", PROSECUTE ANAMBRA COUP PLOTTERS", NO STATE OF EMERGENCY", NO IGBO MARGINALIZATION, WHERE IS ENUGU INTL. AIRPORT", and PEACE IN ANAMBRA STATE". Also, some of the placards had phrases such as, "STOP CIVILIAN DICTATORSHIP," "POWER PLANTS IN ALAIGBO," "LEAVE ANAMBRA STATE'S TREASURY,"  and "GOOD ROADS NOW,"  he stated.

Brendan Kearns in the Daily Bruin, made a similar verdict: “The conclusion of his speech was met with enthusiastic applause, but not everyone in the audience was satisfied with the vice president's appearance. "He's courting American politicians, so he's telling them what they want to hear," said Professor Andrew Apter, chair of UCLA's program in African studies.

Apter said he was disappointed by Atiku's omission of certain topics – such as political corruption and the lack of investor confidence – that have great significance in Nigeria today. Apter also was skeptical of the manner in which a brief Q&A session was conducted after the address. Questions were collected from the audience, with three questions, all of a less controversial nature, posed by event organizers. Apter described this technique as "very tightly controlled." Questions regarding alleged corruption in the government – a chief concern of many attendees – were not addressed, much to the frustration of some in the audience. A different sense of discontent was expressed outside the conference room, where a group of protesters stood silently with signs that were critical of the current Nigerian government.”

 

Conversely, Ichie John Madu, the political strategist for committee to elect Atiku 2007, responding on Igbo Forum, stated, “Circumstances beyond control made Atiku to miss 27th.schedule. Atiku's visit to L.A was a big success but urgent state duties made him to rush back and miss the meet the people and reception by Nigerians. He lamented and regretted the no show, which was caused by Nation's duties, which requires his presence. The 27th [February] march occasion could have been the greatest opportunity for people to know Atiku and Atiku to know people.  He had long waited for this day but when duty calls it becomes a setback beyond his control and he has to attend. The notion that such was deliberate is absolutely wrong.  Atiku is a spotless leader and no one will associate him with any wrong doing, why should he skip to meet the people when such could have been an opportunity to highlight his vision for 2007. We in his camp were ready for this day and could have presented our great one with every pride. The V.P. planned to interact and answer questions, even if there is protest, such protest will not be directed to him because the Mahatma Gandhi of Nigeria approaches people with mind of people, poor with the mind of poor. I must congratulate Prince Jimmy Asiegbu the great leader of Anambra people in U.S.A. for his ability to express the feelings of his state with cordial, civilized method on such short visit.  Atiku recognized the modest expressions and will deliver to the one on the top. The short visit was very successful.”

According to another eyewitness account, a total number of people in attendance during Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s speech was 150 and 50 of them were non-Nigerians. Well, does the opinion of these Diaspora Nigerians matter in what goes on in Nigeria? Nigeria sings a different song!

People, genuinely or falsely, and sometimes unpatriotically, are now jostling to be identified with one candidate or another, though undeclared, for the coveted position of the Nigerian presidency in 2007.  The two major unofficial candidates are Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. Who will it be, is a question that deserves authentic series of national debates replete with wide range of issues. For one thing, many Nigerians in Diaspora would want to come home for the nation building, but the anxiety in many people’s minds is when, under what environment, and under whose leadership? Most importantly, Diaspora Nigerians would want to know the qualities of these individuals that would want to lead Nigeria. It is the general consensus of Nigerians in Diaspora that individuals seeking the number one position in Nigeria should be subjected to public scrutiny so that the electorate would make an informed decision.

In that light, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s speech was extensively discussed on Igbo Forum. Igbo Forum, an internet-based discussion group, created and moderated by the author of this article, has over 1,000 active and inactive subscribers of Igbo ethnic extraction all over the world. There have been evidences of eavesdropping by non-Igbos on the Forum. On the Forum, all types of issues are discussed in a “no-hold bar” fashion.

Scintillating commentary on Atiku’s speech on Igbo Forum by Chukwudum N. Emenike, a practicing attorney in Los Angeles, sparked off the avalanche of comments. He wrote the following: “Ndi Igbo: Today, Thursday, February 26, 2004, Vice President Atiku gave a 30-minute speech at the University of California Los Angeles campus. I attended the speech hoping to hear a vision that Atiku had for Nigeria. I went hoping that Atiku will give us some hope. Atiku, who came with an entourage that included Governors, Kalu (Abia), Attah (Akwa Ibom), and Ibori (Delta), told us that two prerequisites needed for the economy of Nigeria to improve: creditors must forgive Nigeria's debt, and foreign investments must increase. Based on his speech and actions today, my worst fears about Nigeria's future have been confirmed. At Umuahia, a few days ago, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria told Nigeria that Britain will not support the forgiveness of Nigeria's debt because Nigeria had money and was not managing her resources well. There goes the first prerequisite of forgiveness of debt.

On the issue of foreign investments, you must be smoking something to believe that foreigners will invest in Nigeria when Nigerians are busy embezzling the country's resources and taking it abroad.  Furthermore, in a country where there is no rule of law (a State Judge in Texas can rule that a California State governor is no longer governor, and the Federal Police will carry out the order the same day and refuse to obey a superior court's order when asked to do so!), crime is so rampant that highly placed officials have been killed and not one has been solved since 1999, there are no infrastructures (road, water, electricity is erratic), the most corrupt country in the world (no one has been sent to prison for corruption since 1999).

Atiku never said what his government is doing or will do to help improve the investment environment. He blamed Nigeria's problems on colonialism, debt and lack of foreign investments. Atiku appeared to suggest that government actions have no role in Nigeria's problems or her future. He never addressed or acknowledged that Nigerians were suffering. Also, he failed to acknowledge their mistakes or offer apology.

Vice President Atiku also showed that there was no democracy in Nigeria and we should not expect free and fair elections in 2003. If Atiku was really interested in getting our votes, he would have taken questions from the audience. Vice President Atiku did not want any questions. Instead, they asked everyone to write their questions on a piece of paper. Then the UCLA moderator asked three soft questions (e.g. Will you locate a consulate in California?) After the answers, Atiku escaped through the kitchen's back door and ran as if we were aliens from Mars. I expected him to meet and take exchanges with Nigerians. But noooo!

Congratulations to ASA USA for organizing protests at the event. Because of the article in the UCLA papers and the information in the press that there would be protests, Vice President Atiku canceled his Los Angeles engagements for Friday on the pretext that President Obasanjo was recalling him. No other person in his entourage spoke at the event. That raises the issue of why three governors are accompanying Vice President Atiku on this visit. Governor Orji Kalu has not spent two straight nights in Abia since the 2003 selections. He is either out of Nigeria or in one of the northern states campaigning to be VP in 2007, or building mosques. Yet Abia has no roads and Abia is neglected.

I expected more from Atiku, but he showed no class, exhibited no confidence in himself, and proved that Nigerians do not count. Ndi bayi, we have to pray like we have never done before. God must deliver us from this evil.”

In the words of Professor Herbert Emenike Nwankwo, “Good work Mazi Emenike. God Bless you for this report. Now we see what (Dr.) Orji Kalu is trying to sell to us, a raked ship.”

However, in defending the Abia State governor who was a member of the contingent, Dr. Austin Uke, a practicing attorney in the Dallas area, wrote, “I was about to take your write up seriously but your sorry jab at the Abia State governor revealed your state of mind.” Reacting indirectly to Atiku’s speech, Cornelius Akubueze, a resident of New Jersey, stated, “I do not wish to be biased about Atiku. The man has made several damning statements about Igbo interest to include but not limited to telling us he was behind scuttling Ekwueme's bid for the Presidency, telling Igbo that if they only have about 5 Orji Kalu's within us, there would be nothing like Igbo marginalization.”

Reacting on Igbo Forum to the commentary on Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s speech, Christian Otuonye said, “Umu-Igbo, Nigeria is in deep shit. That country can only survive if God does a unilateral action about our past and current leaders. My fear is that God does not do things like that. God works with the people based on their actions. Bible made it clear that prayer without work is in vain. Socrates once said that a people always get the type of leader they deserve. Our people are like their leaders because right from village meetings to metropolitan clubs, truth and fair play do not reign. Accepted that Obasanjo and Atiku are two evils in government, how come they have a large followership to do their evil biddings in Nigeria, this is to tell you that Nigeria has never admired good governance and will never till Christ comes back. 99% of Nigerian youths have been inculcated with evil thoughts, lack of proper education, get rich quick syndrome. These are the leaders of tomorrow, then what do we expect, the same cycle of evils. I am more hopeless than you are about Nigeria. It is very unfortunate. May God bless Ndi-Igbo.”

Pique by our eccentricity, Azubike Okpalaeze expressed his frustration with the situation in this unique expression, “I really don't get your point.  Why is Nigeria in deep shit? Why are we waiting for GOD to do what in the first place he cannot do? Would truth and fair play reign by themselves? If prayer without work is in vain, why do we have to waste our time praying in the first place? Why not use that and directly go to work? Do you expect Christ to come back again just because of the evil in Nigeria as suggested? Have you watched the recent movie on the crucifixion of Christ? If you were Christ, would you like to come back? That is precisely why dead men don't come back to life. It is better up there. However, while we are still here, we can collectively do something about it. Do you remember Yugoslavia and now Haiti? People take matters into their own hands when it mattered. Why are we so afraid to chase the evildoers out of town? Action speaks louder than voice. But unfortunately, we lack the will to effect any action, thus we have become grammarians.”

Sadly, Vice President Atiku’s day ended unpleasantly. Not necessarily because his outing was marred with protests, but the context of his speech and his handlers’ lack of appreciation of enormous power of freedom of speech. Next time, before he will attempt to sell himself to the American politicians, he will first of all court the Nigeria community in America.