NIGERIA'S FRIENDS?

Time has come for the Federal Government of Nigeria to review the nature of its relationship with the United States of America and South Africa. The U.S. has become adversarial in its relationship with Nigeria in recent times. Despite its avowed commitment to supporting Nigeria in its war against terrorism, the U.S. Government has repeatedly blocked our bid to buy weaponry in that regard. And statements by ranking American officials have been needlessly critical of Nigeria.

Is it not ironic that the U.S. which is using drones to kill off suspected Islamist terrorists in Pakistan, Yemen and Afghanistan, often without the consent of the Governments of those countries, would deny Nigeria permission to purchase American-made arms on the grounds that the Nigerian military has been accused by persons and organisations with doubtful interests (even without verifiable proof in that regard) of conducting extra-judicial killings of terrorists?! Clearly, the Obama Administration is still unhappy that we have stood firm despite its pressure to allow gay marriage in Nigeria!

South Africa's case is curious. Despite Nigeria's diplomatic representations, Zuma's Government wants to seize our money (now over $15million) which the National Security Adviser, Col. Sabo Dasuki Rtd., sent there for the botched arms purchase transactions. Someone mused about the possibility that the South African Government might regard the money as "reparation" for those South Africans who died in T. B. Joshua's Synagogue. That would be unfortunate. I am certain the South African companies which are reaping billions of dollars annually in cheap profits from doing business in Nigeria would persuade their political leaders of the folly of undermining the bilateral relations between the two countries.

In a world which is now essentially multi-polar, Nigeria should not allow itself to be bullied and intimidated by any other country for whatever reason.

Despite, the poverty of the mass of their people, China and India have proven the capacity of so-called "Third World Countries" to excel even in an area which was once the exclusive reserve of "First World Countries": Outer Space. Nigeria has the requisite manpower and the can-do spirit to also land on the Moon and place a satelite to orbit Mars.....someday. Indeed, we should set our sights on those goals however long they take. We owe it to Africa and people of African descent. Yes; I know it is really "Rocket Science". But the greatest nation of African peoples on planet Earth can do it! After all, we are Africa's Trigger.

God bless Nigeria.

Nigeria di fure!