A Stitch In Time…

Page 10 of The Tide newspaper of Monday, November 4, 2019, carried some vital news items of which two will form the focus of this article. “Presidency Lists Gains of Buhari’s Foreign Trips’’, and “Miyetti Allah Not Above The Law…” Those who know the style and strategies of news management would give the President’s spokesman, Garba Shehu credit as being an astute PR guru and perhaps, a spin doctor.
That President Muhammadu Buhari departed Mecca for United Kingdom after successful performance of the lesser Hajj, makes a straight news, from a professional journalist. But the import of the fact, “Buhari would be in London for a private visit and will return to Nigeria on November 17”, was drowned in “Gains of Buhari’s Foreign Trips”. Rather than the financial and other implications of such private visit to the United Kingdom for a country spending over $1billion to service debts, the “take away from the President’s foreign trips” makes cheering news.
Issue about the purpose of the private visit, its costs to the Nigerian economy and the tax payers as well as the health status of the President, are not meant for public consumption. Rather, Nigerians should rejoice because the world’s largest oil operating company, ARAMCO and its chairman, Yassir Al-Rumayyan, asked Buhari, “what can we do for you?” Buhari’s response was to invite ARAMCO to visit Nigeria and carry out a diagnostic assessment of NNPC refineries, pipelines and other infrastructures.
Business prospects and gains are bound to arise when a President participates in the Future Investment Initiative (FII) and “Davos in the Desert, to talk about “What’s Next For Africa”. How will investment and trade transform the African continent into the next Great Economic Success Story? The answer lies in foreign trips and talks.
Any intelligent analyst looking at what transpired in in the Saudi Kingdom during President Buhari’s visit would conclude that Yassir Al-Rumayyan and his ARAMCO are making an in-road into Nigeria’s oil and gas market. Especially with the status of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill and interested parties waiting to invest, it would not be difficult to know why Al-Rumayyan asked: what can we do for you?”
What is of vital importance in Garba Shehu’s listing of the gains of President Buhari’s foreign trips, apart from the London private visit, is the possible coming of ARAMCO into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. The strategy was to present this “take away “ or gain from the Saudi Kingdom, but divert attention away from the cost implications of the London private visit.
When an old class mate at the School of Oriental and African Studies called a few days ago and talked about my country “moving towards the Arab World”, the call carried more significant message than what was voiced. Apart from the ‘take away” that we expect from ARAMCO, Nigeria is a celebrated member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). So, my country moving towards the Arab world and Islamic Brotherhood does not make an exciting news. We already have the Western World as old friends, which accounts for why our leaders often go to London on private visits.
The other news item about Miyetti Allah not being above the law also contained serious implications. The National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore (MAKH), Alhaji Abdulahi Bodejo was said to have made utterances that were inciting and direct invitation to anarchy in the country. He was quoted as saying: “you are a governor and you want to enjoy peace in your state, you do not need any long meeting, just create a particular area for the Fulani and equip them with modern amenities”.
Alhaji Bodejo was referring to Governor Ortom of Benue State, with regards to the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law. Bodejo asked Governor Ortom to “apologise to Fulani in Nigeria for killing them, for destroying their businesses and damaging our names…” He went on to say that “we are in court because we can’t allow that law to work”.
With regards to the news items about “gains of Buhari’s foreign trips” and Miyetti Allah not being above the law, there is a need for the managers of the affairs of Nigeria to admit that there are issues of serious national concern. We must not wait until we get involved and engulfed in crises situations before realistic actions are taken.

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