Buhari in India

Last week President Muhammadu Buhari was in India to attend the 3rd summit of the India-Africa Forum which drew participants other from all over the African continent. The India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is the official platform for African-Indian relations. IAFS is held once in three years. It was first held in New Delhi in 2008. […]

Last week President Muhammadu Buhari was in India to attend the 3rd summit of the India-Africa Forum which drew participants other from all over the African continent. The India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is the official platform for African-Indian relations. IAFS is held once in three years. It was first held in New Delhi in 2008. It was the first of such meeting between the heads of state and government of India and 14 countries of Africa chosen by the African Union. The second edition was held in Ethiopia in 2011.
Buhari made several important statements during this visit. He expressed optimism, for example, that the summit meeting of Indians and Africans will deepen in practical terms the much desired cooperation between nations of the South, i.e. developing countries. India and Africa, Buhari said, must recognise that they live inter-connected lives in a fragile planet and must develop a new spirit of solidarity, cooperation and partnership to confront these emerging threats.
 He said, “We must therefore work together to uplift the lives of our people in a manner that preserves the sustainability of our living environment. These challenges call for a renewed sense of urgency among African countries for economic development. It is an open secret that Africa possesses all the prerequisites to become a major growth region of the world.” 
He said although African nations have a number of partnership arrangements with other countries of the world, the India-Africa Forum promises to be different “as it is not only a partnership between friends but between countries and peoples who have had similar historical experiences of colonial rule.” He said the immense potential of the forum was already evident in the growing volume and improved terms of trade between Africa and India as well as the increasing presence of Indian enterprises in Africa.
 President Buhari also used the opportunity of the summit to talk about his plans for Nigeria. He said, “The anti-corruption campaign will be on-going for many years. We are committed to the enthronement of good governance that plugs the loopholes in public sector accounting and the use of scarce resources for public good. We are determined to demonstrate exemplary leadership that will make our citizens to change their ways in a manner that lays a solid foundation for reconstruction and development.
 “I am confident that our approach to fighting corruption through value re-orientation, improved internal processes and systems and the rule of law, as well as enhancing the capacity of the various anti-corruption agencies and institutions will prove more enduring in addressing this evil. In the meantime, we will continue to prosecute those who have been indicted for corrupt practices and ensure that stolen funds are recovered to serve as deterrence to others who nurse the ambition of seeking public office solely for illegal personal gain.”
On the economy, the president said his administration would address the challenge of infrastructure in all its ramifications, especially power and transportation. He said, “We are seeking to create jobs through agriculture, mining, industrial value-addition and the promotion of small scale enterprises.”
Still, Buhari’s visit was overshadowed by comments he made during an interview with the Nigeria Television Authority [NTA] and Channels Television just before he left New Delhi. He dropped hints that some of the ministerial nominees who have already been confirmed by the Senate will not get portfolios because Nigeria “is broke” and “there is no money to pay them.” Buhari’s weighty remarks in that offshore interview continued a tradition of making big revelations while on foreign soil. During an earlier visit to the US, he made equally big revelations on the anti-corruption drive and on his intention to retain the Petroleum Ministry under him. This is one area that needs re-examination. The impression should not be created that foreign soil somehow inspires our leaders to say more about our affairs than they will say on Nigerian soil.