No clue President Barack Obama is visiting Nigeria soon, the United States Embassy reacted on Friday in a veiled rebuttal of claims that Obama will be visiting Africa,s most populous country shortly.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, claimed in Lagos on Thursday that he has the word of Obama that he plans a visit to a country whose democratic credentials he (Obama) repeatedly castigated during a 23-hour visit to Ghana last Saturday.
,,President Barack Obama told me (Maduekwe) that he will be visiting Nigeria very soon,,, Maduekwe was quoted as boasting at a book launch in Lagos.
Maduekwe claimed he ,,walked up to Obama and said ,Mr. President, nice to meet you. I,m the Foreign Affairs Minister of Nigeria., President Obama was warm when I introduced myself. He held me by the shoulder and said to me ,well, Mr. Minister, I will be visiting your country very soon., The second time he told me that ,Mr. Minister, wherever goes Nigeria, goes Africa.,,,
But the U.S. Embassy not having knowledge of the planned visit cast a serious doubt on the claim, which critics believe was a face-saving gimmick by Aso Rock to redeem its image and regain momentum after the Ghana visit that saw opposition camp taking a dig at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.
It is unlikely that a president would be visiting a country without the embassy of that country knowing well ahead of time. Besides, presidents are known to keep a list of their journeys abroad – especially during rare emergency – most likely keeping their envoys abroad in the know.
U.S. Embassy Spokesperson, Jennifer Dewitt-Walsh, told Saturday Independent that she is not aware of the visit – either soon or in the future.
,,The only report I have of that is what I have seen in the newspapers. I don,t know where he (Maduekwe) got his information from, and I would direct you to their office for confirmation,,, Dewitt-Walsh said.
When told that Maduekwe said he had the words of Obama, Dewitt-Walsh said, ,,I haven,t seen any statement about the President,s future travel plans. I have not seen any statement from the State Department about that conversation.,,
Although Nigeria remains very strategic in the U.S. foreign policy in Africa, the hope of Obama visiting the country any time soon is very slim, measured against his body language and speeches in the run up to and during his visit to Ghana which democratic record he lauded.
In a tacit rebuke of Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe, Obama condemned a culture of bad governance and warped elections that are the hallmark of Africa where his father hailed.
,,Development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient, which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa,s potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans,,, Obama said in his speech to the Ghanaian parliament.
,,Africa doesn,t need strong men,,, Obama said. ,,It needs strong institutions.,,
Kenya, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, especially, have seen big men run the affairs of their countries based on personal idiosyncrasies and force leaders on their people through fraudulent polls.
Meanwhile, President Obama has challenged African-Americans to take hold of their destiny and seek a better America, while noting the racial discrimination that still exists in the country.
Obama, the nation,s first African-American president, spoke to a convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on its 100th anniversary.
The President praised those who took part in the U.S. civil rights movement and fought the bitter hatred that targeted blacks. He noted the remarkable achievements and extraordinary progress of the past century, but acknowledged, ,,too many barriers still remain.,,
Obama, who was elected last year, said he would not have been able to become president had it not been for the efforts of many ordinary Americans who worked and demonstrated to change prejudicial laws.
The president said more progress is needed on reforming education, health care and employment equality. He urged young people to be productive members of society, do well in school and aspire to greatness, saying their destiny is in their own hands.
Obama exhorted all of his listeners to come together to ,,face down the challenges,, facing the country, including fixing schools, healing the sick and rescuing youth from ,,violence and despair.,, He said African-Americans and other minorities in the United States still face obstacles in 21st century America, including unemployment, inadequate health care and the prevalence of HIV infection and crime.
He said Hispanics, Muslims and homosexuals are among those that still must contend with discrimination. The president said his government is working to address what he called a ,,legacy of discrimination,, and inequality. Those efforts include reforming health care, creating jobs by improving low-income homes, and cracking down on predatory lenders targeting poor communities.
Obama said education is part of the solution, since improving the U.S. educational system will require both more money and more reform. The president advised parents to take an active interest in their children,s education and in their communities.
NAACP is the oldest U.S. civil rights organisation. The group was formed in 1909 in response to violence against blacks, who at that time were discriminated against and frequently the victims of mob attacks.
Its principal objective is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority citizens of the United States of America.