Jonathan: On UN’s podium of drama
The podium of the UN General Assembly is a platform no leader likes to miss. Each uses it to reach global audience and make a point. One leader who has used it to get himself heard over the years is the ousted Muammar Ghadafi of Libya. He threw some papers around with disgust in the […]
The podium of the UN General Assembly is a platform no leader likes to miss. Each uses it to reach global audience and make a point. One leader who has used it to get himself heard over the years is the ousted Muammar Ghadafi of Libya. He threw some papers around with disgust in the course of his usual anti-western rant the last time he stood on the podium in 2010. There was no throwing of papers on this occasion. Rather, leaders brought in papers, and they submitted papers. With proposals. Some advocated the establishment of a UN Commission – one natural recourse in dealing with many issues in Nigeria. Others proposed something for the Palestinians and the Israelis to discuss in an attempt to find peace in the Middle East. And there was a proposal on how to do more so that countries do not grow weary of making their remittances to the UN. This last was from the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon. He asked governments to show solidarity with the world body in meeting “extraordinary challenges,” ranging from development and climate change to peacekeeping and humanitarian relief. “Without resources, we cannot deliver,” he said. “Today, I ask governments that have traditionally borne the lion’s share of the costs not to flag in their generosity.” He would streamline U.N. budgets to “do more with less,” he promised.
Other big stage dramatists and speakers mounted the podium, too. French president, Nicolas Sarkozy was one. He didn’t want any diplomatic embarrassment for his country in the Middle East, and he didn’t want violence to erupt once again. A possibility if the UN failed to ratify Palestine’s application for UN recognition as a state. So he proposed that the UN grants the Palestinians an observer stateus, like the Vatican, while outlining a one-year roadmap to peace. The world paid United State’s Barrack Obama attention also. This time, he caught attention more for his country’s stand against a Palestinian state that is not the outcome of peace negotiations between Palestine and Israel. “Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the U.N.”, Obama said. “Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians who must live side by side. Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians, not us, who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and security; on refugees and Jerusalem,” he added.
Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan spoke from the same podium. And he sounded Nigerian, with all the typical Nigerian solutions to issues – a transformation agenda rather than a revolutionary agenda. No one could fault the president on that. His speech rhymed with the image of a UN-compliant, non-aggressor country that leaders here have cut over the years. The “creation of UN Women deserves commendation and support,” the president said. He has more than 30 percent women in his cabinet, he pointed out, so he got a round of applause. His administration will continue to support women issues both at the UN and in the world at large. Another round of clapping. And there is renewed sense of optimism, he pointed out, among citizens in Nigeria where his transformation agenda has put on track good governance and the rule of law. And he didn’t forget to mention the West African region “where we in West Africa are passing trough an exciting season of democratic rebirth.” That, because there shall be elections in six countries before 2011 runs out to facilitate stability and deepen good governance.
As for the UN and the world at large, he regrets the failure of the end of the cold war to usher in an era of peace. What obtains instead, is terrorism. His administration has passed and signed bills into law aimed at combating terrorism. Nigeria will work with the UN to combat terrorism. And in order to facilitate conflict prevention and resolution, he proposed that the UN establishes a Conflict Mediation Commission. The president finds the proliferation of small arms and light weapons worrisome. He wants a treaty on that. He wants coordinated response to piracy, and he supports a UN proposal to send an Assessment Mission to the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria’s marine backyard. He expressed appreciation for the opportunity given to Nigeria to serve as a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council. And he urged the UN to reform the Security Council “in line with the demands of the majority of the world.” In addition, “Nigeria looks forward to the prospect of membership in a reformed UN Security Council. I thank you,” he said and walked away from the UN podium without any indication in word, or tone of delivery, that he was about to conclude his address.
On the whole, the president’s performance was much better than the last time he stood on the same podium in 2010. Gestures were measured this time, and he delivered a speech with a better content, too. But at the time he traced the history of the independence struggle in Africa, he said, “The struggle for self governance and majority rule in Africa started in the 40’s and by 1957, Ghana had gained independence. Today, all African states have achieved self determination…”
The president’s speech writer could have written that part thus: “The struggle for self governance and majority rule in Africa started in the 1940’s and by the late 50s, the first African nation had gained independence. In 1960 to be precise, Nigeria had arrived on the global stage as an independent entity…” There is no point mentioning the name of another country in this particular context, or the exact year that country got its independence. No leader shouts the name of another country for her on the highest podium, not in this fashion. Rather, every leader shouts his country’s name loudest, especially when the world pays attention as it was the case on that occasion.
Tunji Ajibade wrote in from Abuja and can be reached on [email protected]