Donald Trump and the Muslim World by Reuben Abati

I am not a fan of Donald Trump, the incumbent President of the United States. I didn’t stand with him. I stood with her- Hillary Clinton- in the last US Presidential election. No other election in recent American history has been more international in terms of interest and emotional involvement. Trump’s election even divided the Nigerian middle class.  Majority of Christians in Nigeria stood with Donald Trump. They liked his anti-Muslim rhetoric, and in a country where religion is such a volatile subject and the Christian community feels as if it is under siege from radical Islamic extremism, it was easy for a category of Nigerians to see Trump’s politics being in sync with their own fears and expectations. 

      Pro-secessionist, Biafran and Christian protesters in the South East also supported Trump. On his Inauguration Day, they organized a rally, some of them were killed, in the process, by Nigerian security agents.  It is always so easy to read American politics into every other politics globally because of America’s status as a superior power and the global dominance of its culture.  Many Nigerians who opposed Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party also did so, for example, for partisan reasons, because they felt the Democratic administration of President Barrack Obama was responsible in many ways for the outcome of the 2015 Presidential election in Nigeria. They wanted a pound of flesh – they wanted the Democrats out of the White House, the same way the PDP exited Aso Villa. The funny thing is that Nigerians who do not hold American citizenship, were not in a position to vote in the US election, but this didn’t deter us from weeping more than the Americans. In my case, I opposed Trump because I consider him a vile, navel-gazing, crude, child-like nativist, whose Presidency could pose a threat to the free world.

Once Upon a Time in Gambia by Reuben Abati

I have very vivid memories of my last visit to The Gambia. This was in 2013 when President Goodluck Jonathan paid a two-day visit to the country.  In the course of that visit, President Jonathan commissioned the new Chancery of the Nigerian Embassy in Banjul, and also met with the Nigerian community, in addition to the usual bilateral meetings. Nigeria and The Gambia have very strong cultural and diplomatic relations.

       We were quartered at a very nice, hospitable sea-side hotel, the Coco Ocean Resort. One of the first things I noticed was the large population of female tourists, lounging by the pool-side and the sea-side, with biceps-wielding, six-packs-flaunting young dark-skinned men on the prowl, with gigolo-ish gait and mien. A female member of our entourage who had gone to the restaurant alone, later returned - visibly shaken and alarmed and what was her problem: one of the male ushers in the hotel had asked her if she would need a man to keep her company so she could have a real taste of Gambian hospitality. 

MMM, Sambisa And The Boy Died By Reuben Abati

"Happy New Year, my brother" "What do you mean happy new year, more than two weeks into the New Year. Have I not been in touch with you since January 1?" "But for you the New Year has just started. Your January 1 was not on January 1" "Looks like you have started taking something. I must inform your wife."

"I say Happy New Year to you."

"Okay, same to you."

"You think I don't know what you have been going through? Your wife told me you have not been yourself since those Mavrodi Mundia Moneybox people suspended their scheme. She specifically asked me to keep an eye on you.  But we thank God the MMM is back, 24 hours earlier than they promised.  Now, you can get your money back."

"My brother, it is a lo-n-g story. This MMM thing has become a case of the more you hear, the less you understand. And to think I invested my children's education savings. Everything."

"What is the problem again? I hear you can get your money back, and MMM says they are ready to change the world."

"I don't know about changing the world, but let them change my sadness to joy by just returning my money, but now they say they can only pay a small amount per day and that those who invested big money like me should wait."

"How much did you invest?"

"If I tell you the figure, you will know that the year is not new at all."

"Tell me."

"So you can go and tell your wife and your wife can tell my wife and the three of you can tell everybody. I just pray MMM does not mess me up, otherwise all of you won't have anything to gossip about when you start looking for a casket."  

"Is it that bad?  Please don't let it get to that stage. But I can assure you, if they mess you up, I will sue the hell out of them. I will get lawyers and sue them to court."

"You will defend my rights after I am dead? Now, I see you are a very good friend indeed."

"I am just trying to help. I almost invested in the MMM myself."

"Let me ask you something.  What is a bitcoin?"

"Not too sure."

"MMM says they will pay with bitcoins. I invested with Naira. They say they will pay me with coins, not with dollars, but coins. Ore mi, gba mi. Se kinni yi o ti fe di one chance bayi? And yet they are saying they want to change my world. Government should intervene and monitor the whole thing."

"I won't consider MMM the business of government."

"Everything that has to do with the welfare of a citizen is the business of government."

"If you decide to go and invest your money with money-doublers, why should government be bothered?"

"Government cannot allow anybody to spread frustration in any form. MMM should give me my money, not coins."

"By the way, we should find out what a bitcoin is? We learn everyday."

"I didn't invest for research purposes. I invested for profit purposes."   

"But suppose the bitcoin is even better than the Naira. Somebody told me that bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, although he didn't quite explain."

"Ha. I am in trouble. So, I now have to carry dictionary over this MMM matter. Even a crypto something is now better than the Naira. God, pity your servants!"

"Just calm down.  We have enough people dying everyday. Don't join the list. I am sure everything will be sorted out. While you are killing yourself over MMM, are you aware that some Nigerians are already investing in another Ponzi scheme?"

"What is that one?"

"It is called Swissgolden. They offer gold or cash profit."

"I don't want to hear about it. And you say government should not get involved? We are almost becoming a nation of desperate money-doublers."

"Government should worry about more serious things, except of course someone sets out to commit a crime."

"Nothing can be more serious."

"Like the Southern Kaduna killings, for example"

"That is sad. Ethnic and religious violence has been a source of threat to Nigeria's corporate existence. We need to build a nation first."

 "The Catholic Church says the casualty figure in Southern Kaduna so far is about 808.  Over 1, 422 houses, 16 churches, 19 shops and one primary school have been destroyed.  The challenge is how to prevent these things."

"Too much politics in everything and that is why ordinary things become big things and so much tragedy is invited. Government must be pro-active."

"That's like saying nothing. I have heard that cliché too many times. The root of our national crisis is much deeper. Oftentimes the people themselves are the problem."

"I hear in the Niger Delta, the people are also threatening to resume hostilities, shut down oil installations and destroy NDDC projects."

"It is not the people. It is the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) with their 'Operation Walls of Jericho' and the Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC).  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has led a delegation to go and talk to them, particularly the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).  I think the resort to dialogue is wise."

"I'll like to see that too in Southern Kaduna, coming from the highest levels and I like the fact that the Federal Government is talking to the Bring Back our Girls Group and that for once they are willing to listen. Before May 2015, that group never wanted to listen to government. Now they are in Sambisa Forest."

"I call it the BBOG Journey to the Sambisa Forest of a Thousand Daemons. When you go to a forest like that, you will have stories to tell."

"I like the strategy. Get the protesters to help government sell its own story. Quite clever."

"What if the strategy back-fires?"

"Oh, come on. It won't."

"You are always cynical. Thank God you are not in Tanzania where media cynicism of any sort is now a crime."

"Under President John Magufuli, the bulldozer? Everyone has been praising him for fighting corruption and administrative opaqueness."

"Magufuli is now bulldozing the media and free speech. Just the other day, he threatened Tanzanian journalists. According to him: 'We will not allow Tanzania to be a dumping yard for inciting content. This will not happen under my administration"

"What?"

"They now have in Tanzania, The Media Services Act of 2016 which gives government officials the powers to shut down media houses and seize their printing machines."

"That is even worse that that Nigerian Decree. Decree… Decree…."

"It is not from my mouth you will hear that one. Just be careful. Magufuli's position is that journalists provoked him with their inciting content."

"What is it with our leaders in Africa? In other words, Magufuli is saying he is a constituted authority."

"Not a…he is the constituted authority."

"One of these days, he too will just say, "Bring that boy here…Leave him…Who do you think you are talking to…I am the constituted authority."

"You are quoting someone else now, not Magufuli."

"African leaders sound alike when it comes to the use and abuse of power. You are right, I am quoting the Governor of Oyo State, Nigeria, Governor Abiola Ajimobi. Students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) provoked him. They had the temerity to remind him that their school had been shut down for eight months. The Governor was so irritated, he sounded as if the students were disturbing him.

"The students were rude. Nigerian students don't respect constituted authority. They don't know how to address power."

"Which authority? Is that why they should be tongue-lashed and shot at by the police?"

"I know the Governor.  One of the students must have said something nasty to him.  I got that much from his daughter's alleged reaction."

"Who is that?"

"The Governor's daughter defending her dad."

"What does she know about a university being shut down for eight months and students having to stay at home because government is suffering from a disease called lack of funds. This democracy sha."  

"Don't worry yourself. It is not an African thing. In the United States, the President-elect's daughter is going to be very powerful in his in-coming government. Her husband, Jared Kushner is already warming up to play a major role, and his only qualification for the job according to the father-in-law is that he is a good lad and a natural talent"

"That Donald Trump. He should stop disturbing everyone with his reckless comments."

"I pray he doesn't cause a Third World War."

"With the way he has been provoking China."

"Everything is under negotiation including One China", says Trump.

"Nobody can negotiate that," says China.

"And Trump picks up his phone and makes a long-distance call to the President of Taiwan, and China says that is a terrible insult"

"Trump definitely thinks his trip to the White House is one of his 'You're fired' episodes. He is busy burning bridges."

"Meanwhile, in Nicaragua…"

"What's happening in Nicaragua?"

"The President has just been sworn in for a third term in office, with his wife as his Vice-President!  A husband and wife Presidency"

"You think that can happen in Nigeria?"

"You are not aware that in some states in Nigeria, family members are the ones who run the government?"  

"Which state?"

"Go and find out for yourself?"

"So, how is our friend, Jim Obazee of the Financial Reporting Council (FRCN)?

"He broke the law"

"He was trying to enforce the law"

"He broke the law of the Psalms. Psalm 105: 15 – "do not touch my anointed ones/And do my prophets no harm." He wanted to use a Governance Code to force men of God to observe term limits."

"You are missing the point."

"And to think he would start implementing the Code from his own church, where he is a pastor, with Daddy G.O. of the Redeemed Church.  So he means charity begins at home."

"You don't get it. Are you recommending nepotism? The whole point of the Code is that when religious groups become business entities, they must pay taxes and respect corporate governance rules."

"Nigeria is a secular state. Government should not dabble into religious matters."

"But government can dabble into the matter of El-Zakzaky and his movement. I beg."

"The Bible says…"

"Yes, I know what the Bible says. Don't bother."

"We should pray for the people of Gambia and the President-elect Adama Barrow who is supposed to be inaugurated as President on January 19. Yahya Jammeh is still insisting he will not step down.  The people are already fleeing the country, Ministers and other government appointees have resigned, the whole world is angry, but Jammeh is sitting tight.

"You know something?"

"What?"

"In the midst of all this, while Adama Barrow is in exile in Senegal waiting for January 19, his eight-year old son was bitten by a dog last Sunday.  He was rushed to the hospital.  The boy died.

"Oh. Oh, Africa."

Nobody comes to Abuja to read by Reuben Abati

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Pius Adesanmi's "A Nigerian, Library and Lawmakers" (Sahara Reporters, December 24). I will like to add a footnote to what he has raised: hopefully, the likely beginning of a useful conversation around the subject of reading, literacy, politician-constituency relationship, and the normative/practical value of knowledge and research in governance.  At the risk of over-simplification, Adesanmi's argument is that Nigerian politicians, unlike their counterparts in Canada and I suppose elsewhere also, do not read. They don't do research. Nigerian legislators don't make use of libraries either for research or for any other purpose.

      The average Nigerian politician does not connect with his constituents at the level of ideas. What drives Nigerian politics is the sharing of cheap envelopes, containing a percentage of stolen funds.  Adesanmi laments in that elegantly comparative piece, but he does not tell us what can be done to get the Nigerian, not just the politician, to return to a culture of reading and research. I'll probably also spend more time in the next paragraphs, lamenting. That is how bad and serious the problem is.

    When I arrived in Abuja in June 2011 to take up appointment as Official Spokesperson and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Goodluck Jonathan, one of my first concerns was how to set up a library at home. It would have been difficult for me to move my libraries (in Lagos and Abeokuta) to Abuja. I needed to set up a new one, focusing majorly on the new assignment and its research requirements.  I made contacts and asked for the big bookshops in town.  I didn't know I was fooling myself. I spent more than a week, driving around the city trying to locate bookshops.  I was told there was a bookshop around the old secretariat in Area One.  When I got there, the most important item on display was stationery and different copies of the Bible from King James's version to the New International edition. I left the place.

       I was then directed a few days later to Odusote Bookshop, Abuja branch. I was excited. Odusote Bookshop used to be a major centre in Ibadan in those days. Together with the CSS bookshop around Oke Bola, and the University of Ibadan bookshop, the Odusote bookshop served the city of Ibadan and its intelligentsia very well. This was before the arrival of Mr Kolade Mosuro's Booksellers Limited in Jericho. I rushed to Odusote Bookshop. What did I find? A shadow. Old, worn out books. The Abuja branch looked like a run-down store. Books have a certain smell. Bibliophiles sometimes go to bookstores just to smell the books, have a feel of the new arrivals section and then take a cup of coffee and go home.  A bookstore is a centre of culture; in London and Washington DC, some of my favourite bookstores truly fit that definition. A dusty, stale bookstore discourages you. I bought a few books from Odusote, but my search around Abuja continued.

     I kept calling persons I thought would know, but no one could really help. Each time I asked for a bookshop and mentioned something about buying books, the conversation always ran into a ditch. The only person who paid attention was Oronto Douglas. He offered to introduce to me a gentleman who would help me set up a library. He would get the books from wherever and deliver them. I only needed to indicate subject areas. I didn't think this was the way to go. I like to choose my own books. I enjoy moving from bookrack to another, engage the booksellers, examine the books the way a pimp checks out a prostitute, before making a purchase. If it is a recommended book, I like the experience of going after the book myself and when it arrives, nothing compares to the exhilaration of a new discovery.   

     I finally found what looked like a book section inside a Supermarket at the Abuja Silverbird Galleria.  I walked round. The best books you could get there were "how to" books, those get-rich-quick-become-a-strate gist-and-an-achiever-in-one-we ek-type-of-publications.  I read such books too, but in this particular bookshop, there was no doubt that the books were dollar-denominated. They were so expensive you'd be busy palpitating while reading the books later, once you remembered the cost. I tried other stores around the city, but these were mostly those stores where books are displayed next to groceries, cosmetics and toiletries. I wanted law books.  I eventually found specialized bookshops, which sell only law books around the FCT High Court and the Corporate Affairs Commission. Building up a law section on my shelves was probably the easiest task.

     I later stumbled on another bookstore at Ceddi Plaza.  It was newly set up by a young man who knew what he was doing and who obviously understood the importance of knowledge. It was a neatly organized bookshop, small, but well-appointed. The fellow had read some of the books himself and he could recommend books of interest. It was always a delight going there to look at new acquisitions. One day, I went back there and found the place boarded off. I asked around. What happened? The bookshop had been transferred to another floor. The owner could no longer afford to pay for the strategic location he had chosen. I found the bookshop in a hidden corner of the Plaza. Six months later, it had disappeared altogether.  The owner's dream died.  The gentleman is probably now busy running a pepper soup joint, a short-time hotel or he is at best, a harried investor in the MMM Ponzi scheme: these are far more profitable enterprises in Nigeria than the selling of books or ideas.  

     One day, someone took me to Biobak Restaurant for lunch, and in between trying to find a parking space, I saw something that looked like Booksellers in a place called City Plaza. I couldn't believe my eyes. I rushed into the place. Booksellers: Abuja branch? It didn't quite look like the big centre in Jericho, Ibadan but I established a relationship with the staff, and throughout my stay in Abuja, they helped me to source any book I wanted, if they could. But for the most part, I bought books from Glendora in Lagos, at the airport outlet and Awolowo Road, and from Amazon (by order) and Waterstones on Oxford Street, London: my favourite spot in London.

      I have gone through this narrative simply to show that in Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory, nobody is interested in books or ideas. Abuja does not even have a public library, digital or analogue, that I know of. And yet it hosts about five universities (!), and just a few kilometres away in neighbouring Nasarawa state, there is another university in Lafia. Abuja is the home/workplace of probably the most important people in Nigeria from lawmakers to the big politicians, but it is also an ideas-person's hell. The first day I went to the bookshop in Area One, the man on duty, sensing my agony, called me aside and told me:

"Oga, are you new in town?"

"Yes"

"The way you are looking for bookshops and books, I can figure it out"

"For me, books are important."

"Oga, take it easy, nobody comes to Abuja to come and read. Everybody is here to make money."

    I was puzzled. He continued:

  "I am telling you. This place is the city of government and contracts. People are looking for contracts and money. This our bookshop, we are just selling stationery and exercise books and religious books that the people will need, because anybody that comes here either has an alfa or a prophet working for them. With time, you will learn. I will advise you to forget about books. Look for contracts, Oga."

     Asking me to forget about books is like asking me to forgo oxygen. But the man was right and Pius Adesanmi put his fingers on it. And it is not simply an Abuja problem. Since the politicians took over governance, they stopped worrying about education, reading, research and ideas. We like to blame the military for everything, but ironically, under military rule, things were not this bad. I wrote my Ph.D thesis in those days visiting a local library in Imo, Abeokuta. It was owned, and managed by the local council as a community library!

      That library was later moved to Ake, just behind the Centenary Hall. When the universities were shut down and we were all sent away, I ended up writing three chapters in that new library. This was in those days when we relied on index cards for research and those secondary school graduates who helped to type our drafts on manual, usually damaged typewriters, often insisted on correcting syntax and punctuation, instead of admitting that their typewriters were either faulty or that they did not understand what they were typing.

     There were libraries in other major cities in Nigeria too.  You could borrow books from the community library and return them later. Local councils built libraries. State governments encouraged reading and even bought books for students. There were national archives, with the most patronized domiciled at the University of Ibadan. In those days, when Nigerian lawmakers stood up to make a contribution in parliament, people listened because they made a lot of sense. They spoke like men and women who could think. Today, things have gone so bad we now have lawmakers who know next to nothing about anything.  They want to ride the most exotic cars that money can buy. They import the prettiest girls from across the globe. They insult women. They don't even know the history of Nigeria.

      Abuja big men and women in fact employ assistants to read newspapers for them! While Abuja has no libraries, standard bookshops, or gentlemen, it is nonetheless very rich in hotels and napoi joints. Hotels have become the new libraries. They are the only places where any form of thinking takes place. As it is in Abuja, so it is in the states, and that is why government at all levels seemingly considers investment in education, an avoidable distraction.  There is an Ake Arts and Book Festival. Before it, there was the Garden City Book Festival in Port Harcourt, but government no longer cares. Reading is anathema to the populace. Nigerians read to pass examinations, thereafter reading is abandoned. We are in the age of goggle-it-intellectuals. 

     Ideas drive and build nations. A country without a positive and deep current of thought is bound to run into crisis.  So it is with Nigeria where the leaders only become animated when they want to share money or play partisan politics. The root of the crisis lies in the recruitment of wrong persons into power.  Try and compare the cabinet list in Singapore with that of Nigeria, for example. The difference is clear. The message is clear. The answer lies in a re-configuration of the leadership recruitment process and the vigilance of civil society insisting on higher values.

Reuben Abati