Nigeria’s ignoble abstainig vote is particularly perplexing, and difficult to fathom. Indeed, if one could understand US (and to a lesser extent, Australia), being Isreal’s traditional (if unrepentant) ally, how could we possibly explain that of Nigeria? If anything, Nigeria’s historical and moral antecedents in given support to freedom fighters clearly suggest a yes vote. Over the years, we have built a respectable credentials of being at the forefront of fighting injustice. Recall our historical role in facilitating end of South Africa’s apartheid. Nigeria, at a point in her political life also suffered similar forced occupation like Palestine. Specifically on the Isreali-Palestine conflict, Nigeria had long recognised the Palestine rights to statehood, and had remained consistently vocal in lambasting Isreal over its occupation and other atrocities committed against the Palestine. What’s more, majority of Nigerians (whose views/values our foreign policy is ideally expected to reflect) have always been sympathetic to the Palestine cause.
So, given these overwhelming evidences, it beats ones’ imagination why our officials at the UNSC did what they did. But we may want to ask: are they really acting in the interests of Nigerians? Granted they are elected by the people, does this gives them the authority (legal and moral) to do things we do not necessarily support? Who/what indeed defines our interests? Or perhaps there are other interests at work?
Answering these plethora of questions, unfortunately may not be so straightforward. For some distubing reasons. In Nigeria, it has become traditional for leaders to subsume citizens interests, being so alienated from people’s real needs. We may not look further to recall cases of such subjugation. Recall the many policies taken, ostensibly in people’s interests but which turns out to be everything but people-centered: the much hyped Indigenisation Policies turned out to be a conduit pipe to further impoverish the people and enrich the elites; the much aligned Structural Adjustment Policies (SAP) was renowned more for is sapping effect on the masses than its professed transformational potential. While some die hard apologists would be quick to rubbish these, on grounds that “these policies are under unelected military juntas’ the bad news though is that even under the so-called elected civilian governments, situation is no less better. If in doubt, just consider these preferred candidate (at elections) is canvassed for, but it is the imposed that clinched the ticket; electricity is what is promised, but darkness is what they bestowed on us; road network is what we requested for, but pot hole is what we ended up with; good governance is the social contract we signed with our leaders, but bad governance is what is upheld etc. Needless to add the self-serving UNSC abstaining vote.
In the meantime, the echo of the elitist actions is still reveberating, triggering admixture of feelings and reactions. From the Isrealis, the reaction is understandably of relief- and appreciation – to fellow collaborators. Speaking in Jerusalem shortly after the vote, Benjamin Netanyau, the hawkish Isreali leader was evidently pleased, singling out, for special praise outpouring, Rwanda’s Kigali and Nigeria’s Goodluck, whom, in his words, “he spoke with earlier’; and “true to their promise”, “delivered”. In sharp contrast, was the subdued, if defiant picture of the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abass, while addressing a mammoth crowd specially conveyed to mark the 5 anniversary of the Fatah movement. Apparently too, to also celebrate the anticipated coveted prize – which, alas was not to be. The resolution bid was timed to be a perfect gift – the needed, if symbolic tonic to turbo-charged the freedom- seeking people. Watching the subdued leader and his people, I cannot help but share in their moment of papable grief and pain. A pain that that is doubled the instant the repulsive image of our UN officials, casting their (unrepresentative) votes, once again flashed through my disappointed mind. To think that Nigeria was part of the conniving few that denied a well-deserved (even if fleeting) joy to a long oppressed people! Unknown to them too, our disconnected UN voters did another thing: denying us that rare moment of joy – just when the largely joyless 2014 was easing its cheerless train out of our over-pressured psyche.
ON THE CONTRIBUTOR
Mr. Olimuyiwa Thomas contributes this piece from Benin City, Edo State. He can be reached through the e-mail: Muyiwatom@yahoo,com.