Nigeria should leave the Commonwealth -- Minister
Enefiok D. Ekpe
On Tue, 6 May 1997, Tunde Giwa wrote:
>
> As for the commonwealth, trust me, there are *no* perks or
> benefits to it as I see it. It is just an ineffectual debating
> and photograph taking club. When you state that we should do
> those things that are in our 'national intrest' I say AMEN.
> We might just differ a bit in our respective definitions of
> 'National Intrests'.
>
Tunde,
Your definitions of 'national interests' only suit you, Abacha, Abacha's
ministers and supporters. Hmmm, interesting. Others do not matter at all.
So Commonwealth of Nations does not benefit Nigerians. If you do not
have ideas about certain things, why not ask first before making comments.
You are not aware of a number of projects executed by this organization
that have benefited millions of Nigerians. Programmes, such as exchange
programme and commonwealth scholarships, have given hopes and means of
livelihood to some Nigerians, but you are talking about getting out of
that organization. Ofcourse, you are a typical Nigerian, who as usual does
not want others to benefit from something which does not supply him with
immediate and direct benefits. Nigeria, we jail (or hail) thee.
Enefiok
Imeh Akpan
My friend Nubi:
I do not believe that getting out of the Commonwealth spells
"isolationism".
In any business or household, there comes a time when you must
re-evaluate your acvtivities and resources and shred any activity
that you do not benefit greatly from.
Without being an "ultra-nationalist", I seem to believe that the
Commonwealth has outlived its usefulness, the benefits are no longer
there.The Commonwealth is not rich enough to provide to Nigeria more
than what Nigeria contributes into it.
Nigeria will be better of belonging to the OAU and the United Nations
principally.Aside from Bursaries and scholarships (which Nigeria pays
for anyway), the Commonwealth has not helped to alleviate hunger and
starvation in her previous colonies, she has not been able to step in
to stop any war in adversary colonies.
As far as I see it, it is a yearly black tie dinner affair.
Lately the OAU and the United Nations have done more for African
colonies than the Commonwealth.
Canada and UK trade with Brazil and Saudi Arabia and these countries
do not belong to the Commonwealth, so why can't the same apply to
Nigeria.
Nigeria has enough resources to provide bursaries and scholarships to
Nigerian instead of waiting for the commonwealth, if Nigerians can
manage their resources properly. This is not the fault of the
commonwealth and the commonwealth is not helping either, so what the
heck ?
Importation is not a one way thing. The importer benefits and the
exporter benefits also, so I do not believe that the British economy
will prefer to lose Nigerian market.
Do not panic, it's not that bad.
Imeh Akpan
----
From: Nubi Achebo <ki...@RADIKS.NET>
To: NAIJ...@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Date: Tuesday, May 06, 1997 2:30 PM
Subject: Re: Nigeria should leave the Commonwealth -- Minister
>May be the government should get out of all organizations they
belong to,
>erect a wall around Nigeria and have the states erect their own
walls then
>live life. Isolationism helps no one especially Nigeria - an
importer of
>everything nation. I tell you these ultra-nationalists scare me
because
>their thinking is always rabid.
>
>Nubi Achebo
>-----------
Tunde Giwa
Yes!!!!
This story is music to my ears. What is the Commonwealth
anyway? A useless anachronistic organization whose time
has come and gone. What did they ever do for anyone?. Just
another painful reminder of our past subjugation. No mas!
I support this move 250%.
Good riddance to bad rubbish. I'm really beginning to
love this pariah nation status of ours - if it will mean
a salvaging of our national dignity and a move towards
inward-looking policies geared only to one thing. The
benefit of our teeming masses. Go Nigeria.
Tunde Giwa
>By Eniwoke Ibagere
>
>ABUJA, May 6 (Reuter) - Nigeria's military government has been too generous
>in dealing with the Commonwealth and should have left before the group
>suspended it in 1995, according to Information Minister Walter Ofonagoro.
>
>``The Commonwealth club means nothing to us,'' Ofonagoro told foreign
>journalists in the capital Abuja on Monday on the sidelines of a peace
>conference by African first ladies.
>
>``We are not worried by the suspension or the deluge of attacks and sanctions
>from the Anglo-Saxon and Roman countries,'' he added.
>
>Nigeria has been at odds with the West since 1993 when the army annulled a
>presidential vote that would have enthroned democracy in Africa's most
>populous nation of 100 million.
>
>Businessman Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of the vote, has been
>detained since 1994 when he proclaimed himself president in defiance of
>military ruler General Sani Abacha.
>
>The 53-nation Commonwealth, which groups Britain and its former colonies,
>suspended Nigeria in 1995 after it hanged nine minority rights activists,
>including writer Ken Saro-Wiwa.
>
>Western countries followed up with sanctions ranging from prohibiting
>contacts with members of the government to an arms embargo. But Nigeria's
>main export, crude oil, remains unaffected.
>
>Ofonagoro, who has alleged there is a Western conspiracy to break up the
>country, said it was in the interest of Western nations to review their
>stand.
>
>``We can't be pushed around by anyone nor be subjected to neo-colonial
>imperialism,'' he said.''The sooner the West reverses the current trend the
>better for them because we are moving to China and other nations for support
>which we are getting well.''
>
>China is currently executing several multi-million dollar projects, including
>the revival of Nigerian railways. Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng is on an
>African tour that includes Abuja.
>
>``We believe everything is a planned racial prejudice against Nigeria,'' he
>said of Western criticism, adding that Abacha's programme to hand over to a
>democratically-elected president next year was being followed ``to the
>letter.''
>
>08:11 05-06-97
>
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Tunde Giwa
Enefiok:
I think maybe you should take some of your own
advice. If you don't know, go ask someone.
The Commonwealth's programs are funded by
dues paid by member nations. Each country's
share is based on on some formula that takes
into account its level of wealth, population,
etc. They do NOT give away anything.
While I could not tell you exactly how much
Nigeria pays in Commonwealth dues, I know we
pay a significant amount of money. When you
count the value of the services or 'perks'
we get and subtract what we pay. I suspect
we might just be breaking even.
So what exactly are you talking about? How many
Commonwealth scholarships/other services do we
get a year? These are all easily replaceable. We
cannot really afford undue sentimentality, especially
in a case such as this.
Take care, brother.
Tunde Giwa
Enekiok wrote:
>
>Tunde,
>
>Your definitions of 'national interests' only suit you, Abacha, Abacha's
>ministers and supporters. Hmmm, interesting. Others do not matter at all.
>So Commonwealth of Nations does not benefit Nigerians. If you do not
>have ideas about certain things, why not ask first before making comments.
>You are not aware of a number of projects executed by this organization
>that have benefited millions of Nigerians. Programmes, such as exchange
>programme and commonwealth scholarships, have given hopes and means of
>livelihood to some Nigerians, but you are talking about getting out of
>that organization. Ofcourse, you are a typical Nigerian, who as usual does
>not want others to benefit from something which does not supply him with
>immediate and direct benefits. Nigeria, we jail (or hail) thee.
>
>Enefiok
>
---------------------------------------------------------
Ekanem, Bassey
Tunde:
If I may make a "little" comment; this 'looking inward' idea of yours is
anti-progressive if all you do is LOOK INSIDE. You have to function
within the context of inward look (for self-interest) and outward (also
bearing in mind YOUR SELF-interest) look. By self I am refering to the
NATION -- implying that national interest has to be paramount in any
policy.
You see our history unfortunately can not be changed. That part of our
history having to do with colonization is nothing to be ashamed of NOW.
It happened. Now we have to think about the present and the future.
Membership in these organizations including the Commonwealth have their
"perks" -- such as trade, bilateral relations, etc. That we are moving
toward China is NOT a solution maybe astute for now but Nigeria knows
better than to put its eggs in one basket.
Black consciousness and the like are GOOD but they should not be ENDS in
themselves. We have to learn to practice the principle of thinking
Nigeria within the global context OR WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE LEFT
BEHIND. Just imagine where Nigeria was 3-5 years ago relative to South
Africa; then tell me where we are NOW relative to South Africa.
The one REASON I never supported a wholesale sanction on Nigeria was
that I knew the pain and suffering on the REAL NIGERIANS was going to be
phenomenal (not that they are not suffering without the sanctions). The
West have done everything but anything to affect the supply of Nigerian
oil to them. Why do you think they do that? Maybe because of their
NATIONAL INTEREST? I think so. We need to DO THE SAME THINGS.
Politics and International relations and policies are funny things --
no one is in for the other person. You don't look out for your self;
you get left standing with your hands stretched with no one looking!!
I am not interested in personal insults -- I just wanted to make a few
comments.
Bassey Ekanem.
eka...@peostamis.belvoir.army.mil
bassey...@telos.com
703-913-4373
>----------
>From: Tunde Giwa[SMTP:t_g...@HOTMAIL.COM]
>Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 1997 11:34 AM
>To: NAIJ...@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: Re: Nigeria should leave the Commonwealth -- Minister
>
Nubi Achebo
May be the government should get out of all organizations they belong to,
erect a wall around Nigeria and have the states erect their own walls then
live life. Isolationism helps no one especially Nigeria - an importer of
everything nation. I tell you these ultra-nationalists scare me because
their thinking is always rabid.
Nubi Achebo
-----------
At 12:53 PM 5/6/97 -0600, Enefiok D. Ekpe wrote:
>On Tue, 6 May 1997, Tunde Giwa wrote:
>
>>
>> As for the commonwealth, trust me, there are *no* perks or
>> benefits to it as I see it. It is just an ineffectual debating
>> and photograph taking club. When you state that we should do
>> those things that are in our 'national intrest' I say AMEN.
>> We might just differ a bit in our respective definitions of
>> 'National Intrests'.
>>
>
Naijanews Online
Abiodun A. Ojo
On Tue, 6 May 1997, Tunde Giwa wrote:
> Yes!!!!
> Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Say it to the military in Nigeria! Stop hiding behind a finger.
I'm really beginning to
> love this pariah nation status of ours.
What is new about and from Mr. Walk Good who advocates sending "bulala"
spanking "kill-n-go" into the delta region to quash a civil strife caused
by the military illegal government!
> Tunde Giwa
Abiodun Ayo Ojo.
a...@chml.ubc.ca
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"I will strike ten times over those whose hideous agenda is malicious
provocation" says A. A. Ojo (1997).
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