Eyebrows have been raised since it started trending. The need to validate oneself as a Nigerian politician by addressing Chatham House became a regular occurence as we drew closer to February 25 presidential election in Nigeria. People have been wondering why it was more dignified for the presidential candidates vying to take over reins of executive power from President Mohammad Buhari, to make appearances at Chatham House, London with reckless abandon and of course donating obscene amounts of money off records, while their crooners, mess up the whole social environ with polluted mudslinging, propaganda and counter propaganda targeted at opposition and justified as righteous wrath.
Chatham house is an institute of International Affairs, an equivalent of it in Nigeria being Nigeria Institute of International Affairs. If there was need for Nigeria politicians to make presentations of their manifesto to a school of intelligentsia and the people’s representatives, the legislators for scrutiny, it should be those in Nigeria and our own homegrown institute. It is the people of Nigeria that need those obscene amounts of money as donations to provide air conditioners in our schools, better chairs, equipment and desks for studies and to improve our research and implementation in the country.
Before you would say that Mahatma Gandhi made an appearance there at some point, kindly note that no other country has her politicians spending fortunes to visit and address the Chatham House to prove political points during elections but Nigerian politicians. This is including those who make a campaign point out of a claim of holy frugality. This makes nonsense of the whole idea of emancipation from political and economic slavery the people anticipate from the incoming government. Which makes nonsense of the New Nigeria mantra being paraded by some, a mantra working a section of the country into a frenzy reeking of terrorism to say the least.
The question is as to the much ado about having a handshake with the British powerful and rubbing the picture into the faces of the opposition on social media as if their validation adds anything to salvaging the country’s gasp for breath from looters. Which reminds one of a certain Ted talk presentation by a former journalist turned activist on how British Banks aid corruption in Africa.
The thought of this consumes one with misgivings as to the connotation of this Chatham house drama; that indeed the whole brouhaha about neocolonialism is as real as it comes. The hold of our colonial masters is still as strong as ever and this has to go.
I do not agree that we need any validation from the british to run our elections. The British have sent delegation that observed all the past 6 elections we had held in the past in the country. They have overseen these transition of powers and they have never positively influenced the election’s outcome on our economy.
So, it is not out of place to call on all well meaning Nigerians to condemn that show of shame at Chatham House which continues to encourage the dreaded draining of our economy to the benefit of Britain and elsewhere.
Add the plane tickets of these politicians with those of their entourage and other extra costs. Then they will observe the Chatham House Rule and make huge donations. But for them to hold town hall meetings where they would address Nigerians in diaspora, they would charge fees. Imagine.
Why not spend that money on reaching more of the over 70 million eligible voting Nigerians and the over 200 million Nigerians still at odds as to who is the lesser evil to vote in.
Atoba uto si wepu ahuho. This is an Igbo adage that can be explained with the English maxim, that he that comes to equity must come with clean hands. If we want to get things right, let us build some confidence realise that we are the gifted ones of the Earth, come back home, join hands together and get a New Nigeria.
Nigeria has the largest consumer market in West Africa, we are the most populous black Nation and we are leaving marks in all spheres of human accomplishments globally yet we have such poor view of ourselves and our motherland. We would rather shine in a foreign land than shine to our people. What a shame. Tufiakwa.
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