The problem with Cameron’s problem with Nigeria

By Eseoghene Al-Faruq Ohwojeheri

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has been caught on camera making reference to Nigeria as one of the two most corrupt countries in the world among other derogatory statements. He made the statement while speaking with the Queen of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and Commons Speaker John Bercow. 

As expected, many, including a UK Government spokesman, have defended this statement using excuses including the fact that President Buhari described a situation in Nigeria where corruption became a way of life. But the truth is the world is missing some points as regard this issue and this is not surprising. Take a look at some points if you are one of those who do not consider Africans too inferior to get the most basic of respect:

Mockery is not same as a statement of fact

Let’s assume for a second that all Cameron said of Nigeria is true. He was not just saying it, he was mocking the country with it and we know this for a number of reasons. First, he says “we’ve got the Nigerians… actually we’ve got the leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain.”. There was no need to describe these countries as corrupt when its government is coming to discuss measures against corruption with you. Why not describe them as countries fighting corruption instead? Considering that they are coming to Britain to discuss how to get rid of corruption, describing them as countries fighting corruption would have made more sense, except you intended to mock.

Also, the use of “fantastically corrupt” to describe Nigeria is another pointer to the likelihood that Mr. Cameron was making a joke out of the most populous black nation in the world. Let’s keep in mind that this is an English man speaking. Not an American “English” man, but an English man like England English. Fantastic means “extraordinarily good” and Cameron knows that more than us. Yet he says Nigeria is “fantastically corrupt” and he was not making a mockery? It gets even more obvious with every point. Added to this Bercow adds “They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?” and the group burst into laughter. And in response Cameron says “I… Yes… Because it’s an anti-corruption summit, everything has to be open. So there are no sort of closed-door sessions, it’s all in front of the press. It could be quite, umm, interesting. But there we go”. So what was the point of all these if not to mock and joke over the entity that represents close to 200 million people? Will Bercrow ask if the Americans are coming on their own expense? Or if the Chinese are coming on their own expense. And if he does will that lead to a group laughter? If you don’t see mockery at this point then your eyes are closed for whatever reason, one of which is most likely the skin colour of the one mocking and the one being mocked.

Statements of facts are made with respect

Even if we pretend like it was not mockery, how do we defend the Prime Minister of a country and the intending host speaking of his intended guest in such manner? It is just like the President of France is hosting a Development Submit and a day to he is telling Government officials in France something like “we are expecting some wonderfully backward countries to attend. Nigeria and Afghanistan, perhaps the world’s most backward countries are coming.” and then someone goes “they are coming with planes i guess?” and everyone begins to laugh. Will we say because it is true that these countries are behind in what has been defined as development then this is OK? No, it remains an insult and a slap in their faces. We would say that such President should have said “some countries facing developmental challenges are coming”. There is no excuse for this buffoonery!

To add insult to injury the UK Government is defending this silliness with “even your President said you are corrupt”. In other words, there is no diplomacy for beggars and those who we enslaved and are still foolishly under our pointless organization ridiculously named Commonwealth of Nations.

Most corrupt country in the world by whose’s rating?

So when Mr. Cameron says Nigeria is perhaps the most corrupt country in the world, what source was he quoting or basing his statement on? Transparency International just recently removed Nigeria from the top ten corrupt countries in the world, Britain is significantly missing in the list of the least corrupt in the world after over 300 years of existence, and Mr. Cameron is mocking a 56 years old country making effort.

United Kingdom was 56 years in 1763 and corruption was an issue even when it was not a victim of slave trading and a strange and foreign system forced down its throat. Cameron should come down from his high horse.

(@faruqish)