President Of Nigeria

Memories of the presidential banquet

My good friend called me up to tell me that he had extra tickets to the inauguration ball and a litany of other festivities scheduled to mark the inauguration of the newly elected president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan.

The next day, I hopped on a plane and went off to Abuja to attend the presidential banquet as we call it here in Nigeria. I had been privileged to attend two of the previous three presidential banquets, which I felt were characterised by a sense of hope and optimism, and perhaps, endless possibilities of what the emergence of the new administration might portend for our great nation and our new democracy.

What struck me this time, however, was the palpable air of desperation that pervaded the atmosphere of the occasion. The entire environment was completely devoid of the usual excitement and back-slapping which would normally characterise such an event. Was it the rain, perhaps, that made the entire occasion seem like an evening out with a large wet rag? I think not.

First, there was this silent fear about the security situation in the nation, people were laughing but the laughter did not reach their eyes. Moreover, the entire mobile phone system in Abuja had been jammed in a bid to frustrate any would-be technology-savvy terrorists who might want to detonate a bomb with their cell phone. This made not a few people a little nervous, wondering, as a lady said to me, if there was no superior technology that could override or supercede the jamming system.

I know that politicians have become increasingly desperate over the years, but I have not seen them this eager to land a position, land something, anything, as I perceived from them all weekend. Ninety percent of the people I met at the banquet and at the international conference centre - the businessmen, the politicians, even former ministers - were hustling, jockeying and networking.

It was a case of a hustler hustling hustlers. People would meet you, look you over carefully and wonder what you could do for them, not knowing if you were there on account of the president or the first lady. It was hilarious. But, in a way, heart rending as well. So much so because what I saw at the seat of power, so to speak, was symptomatic of the situation of Nigeria and the condition of Nigerians - hope surrounded by desperation.

The inaugural ball went on without the panache that would be expected at an event of such significance. Victor Uwaifo has had his place in the sun, but he was not the right musician to have entertained at such an auspicious event. One or two groups from a plethora of neo-artistes could have been invited to hold sway, electrifying the atmosphere and signifying a new beginning - lending credence to the sign of things to come.

Niger Delta Standard - President Jonathan Meets with British and ...

By Nate Otaba,

President Goodluck Jonathan has welcomed the commitment of the United Kingdom to a reinvigoration of bilateral relations with Nigeria.

President Jonathan was speaking to the Rt. Hon. Andrew Mitchell, British Secretary of State for International Development, at State House, Friday.

He said Mr. Mitchell’s visit, the first by a cabinet minister from the UK in nearly five years was a welcome sign that relations were going to be reinvigorated, adding that, Nigeria is pleased at the commitment to improve relations, especially economic and trade relations.

President Jonathan recalled Nigeria’s historic relationship with Britain, as well as its key role in Africa, and reassured Mr. Mitchell of the Administration’s total commitment to improving the economy, in order to raise the living standards of citizens.

The President expressed appreciation for Britain’s promise to support Nigeria’s efforts at economic development and security sector reform, urging that access to European markets would make a great difference.

Earlier, the British Secretary of State for International Development, Rt. Hon. Andrew Mitchell, said the United Kingdom wanted to reinvigorate relations with Nigeria through stronger economic cooperation, and support for better basic services and security sector reform.

He said his visit was the first to Nigeria by a Cabinet Minister in almost five years, indicating a desire to restore and reinvigorate the relations between the two countries.

Also today, President Jonathan told the visiting Libyan Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdullahi Oubaidi that the African Union would discuss the country’s situation at the forthcoming AU Summit in Malabo.

Mr. Abdulahi Oubaidi, brought a special message from Col. Muammar Gaddafi to State House, Friday.

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