Obasanjo’s
African Union Presidency: A new impetus to the
Darfur
Region and NEPAD
By
Dr.
Chidi Uzoma
Rome
,
Italy
Threeseasons23@yahoo.com
President
Olusegun Obasanjo was announced on
Wednesday, July 7, 2004
in
Addis Ababa
,
Ethiopia
as the new chairman of the African Union (AU), succeeding Mozambican
President Joaquin Chissano. Obasanjo adds this new position to his
chairmanship of the Commonwealth and the New Economic Partnership for
Africa
’s Development (NEPAD) Implementation Committee.
President
Obasanjo’s administration while having problems at home with his
domestic policy is on the contrary receiving considerable attention
outside. It is a clear demonstration of what a stable
Nigeria
could represent to the African continent
and in extension the international community. Many African leaders and
neutral observers have quite often made this consideration. On the
contrary, it remains to be proved if Nigerians, in particular Nigerian
political gladiators do comprehend as much.
This
investiture comes at a critical time for the AU: the war and its
humanitarian crisis in the Darfur Region of Sudan and the implementation
of NEPAD. The Sudanese crisis has become another litmus test for the
world community.
Africa
in particular cannot take pride in what is happening in
Sudan
, where tens of thousands have fled their
homes. It would be sad,
really sad if someday someone would have to apologize for not acting,
just as it happened with the genocide in
Rwanda
. On the other hand, NEPAD a programme drawn up about two years ago by
Africans for Africa and considered in many quarters as the new hope and
opportunity for Africa’s renaissance, becomes critical as it enters
its implementation stage.
Meanwhile,
both the
US
Secretary of State, Collin Powel and UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan have visited the Sudanese troubled region,
getting assurances of an end to the conflict from the government. Also
the world food programme and food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations have both launched special appeal funds for the Sudanese
food emergency situation.
Furthermore,
it is good news that African Union is also sending troops to the Darfur
region, and it has been reported that Nigeria’s Brigadier General
Festus Okonkwo has been speaking with the Sudanese authorities in
Khartoum on the modalities of the troops deployment due to arrive by the
end of July.
The
new AU chairman would need all his resolve and power of persuasion to
bring to bear on the rancorous African governments not to relent until
this over two decade-long remaining war-front on the continent is
resolved. This much was captured in Obasanjo’s acceptance speech “We
intend to confront headlong, the conflict situations in
Africa
with renewed vigour and determination. We
like to enlist the support of members of the
Union
, especially the peace and security
council and other development partners to achieve the goal” (Vanguard,
Wednesday, July 7, 2004
).
Adding
his signature to the resolution of the
Darfur
crisis would no doubt add to Obasanjo’s already long list of events and
episodes, which all seem to be written in the stars for him.
He
was also present at the critical moment of the end of the Nigerian-Biafran
war in 1969/70. It has not escaped our memory how he was literarily
lifted from the hands of death, unto the presidency of
Nigeria
at a very crucial time in the nation’s
history. The late playwright Ken Saro-Wiwa was not as fortunate on the
contrary.
One
therefore wishes that President Obasanjo understands the import of this
singular episode, which has nothing to share with “one playing or
wishing to play god”. This is why many are hoping that he doesn’t
fail this nation, for its consequences might be bitter, very bitter
indeed. This is also why who succeeds Obasanjo is as important and
critical as to why and how he emerged the Nigerian leader in 1999.
While
we wish him good luck in his new African assignment, we only hope the
president is not too distracted from these foreign engagements to the
disadvantage of the home economy. It is true the Nigerian economy is in
good hands judging by the attributes of the people at the helm of
affairs. But our judiciary though recently described “as one of the
best in
Africa
” by vice-president Abubakar Atiku for example deserves equally greater
attention. The continued lingering election petitions in and around our
law courts, one year plus after elections are increasingly becoming
incomprehensible and a disservice to democracy, even under the
much-touted Nigerian democratic learning process.
13 July 2004
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