Nigeria needs to build respect for diversity, says US envoy

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Renee Sanders yesterday said Nigeria needs to build on values such as respect for diversity, human kind and dignity in order to move forward.

She said this at a lecture, which was held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Victoria Island Lagos, to mark the 30th anniversary of Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Programme by the Nigerian Alumni Association of the Fellowship.

Mrs. Sanders, who was the guest speaker at the lecture, said that the emergence of President Barack Obama for her is that "he is an embodiment of what America's founding fathers wanted for America and their values were based on respect for diversity, human kind and dignity." According to her, "Nigeria is the single most important country in Africa and the continent is key to the US President's foreign policy".

"We all know that Nigeria's main resource is its people and 95 per cent of this people practice agriculture hence the need to urgently develop that part of the economy," she said. Speaking on the topic "Sustainable development through Good Governance", she talked about the Nigerian problem from her own perspective.

According to her, "I have travelled through the 35 of the 36 states of this country and have seen what the Nigerian people are clamouring for. There are fears amongst Nigerians for the unpublished Uwais's Commission report; that the panel's recommendation will not be fully implemented.

There are fears on the upcoming election in Anambra, which would be a key indicator for how the government will conduct the next general elections and much of the international community will be monitoring the election as it unfolds."

On corruption, the envoy expressed her displeasure at the recent fall of Nigeria's ranking by Transparency International on the Corruption Index which she corroborated with her observed complaints from Nigerians. She described corruption as "enemy of progress." Another complaint she noted amongst Nigerians is the lack of food security.Quoting a World Bank statement that "for every one per cent growth in agriculture, poverty is reduced by two per cent", she said that the US government is going to get involved in the nation's agriculture.

"Nigeria is the largest importer of rice in the world and the second largest importer of fish. You have no reason for this. You (Nigeria) have the capacity to build more food sources," she said.

"We are hoping that the Bi-National Commission, as announced by the US Secretary of States, when she visited recently will increase our involvement with the Nigerian government."

Mrs. Sanders however said that it was her desire to see a more democratic and transparent Nigeria, and that the US government is willing to work with the Nigerian government on the needed elements of democracy. These elements, according to her, include good governance, economic development, strong educational policy, and a peaceful environment.

The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship

The President of the Hubert H.Humphrey Fellowship Alumni in Nigeria, Gladys Oyewole-Makele, said that the lecture series was born out of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Fellowship programme at Boston, earlier in the year. According to her, the Nigerian alumni decided to do something for the nation, hence the lecture.

"We are aware some people are already purchasing forms for the next general election in 2011. It is time to stop sitting on the fence to criticise any government in power. It is time for Humphrey fellows to be active in the governance of our country at all levels and also through our professional/business organisations" she said.

Mrs. Oywole-Makele said that there was a gradual decline in the number of Nigerians that have enjoyed the fellowship in recent times. As a result, she said that "the Alumni association in collaboration with the office of the US Consulate-General in Lagos has started organising a yearly workshop to educate Nigerians on how to write sound proposal and how to complete the application form so that more eligible Nigerians will benefit from the program."

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship programme provides mid-career professionals in different fields across the world with an opportunity to enhance their professional capabilities by participating in a non-degree programme sponsored by the US government through the US state Departments in selected US universities.

The Fellowship was founded in 1978 in the memory of the former US Vice-president; Hubert H. Humphrey, who the fellows always attribute the statement "A leader is one who summons the best from others, as he calls upon the best within himself, to join in the common purpose."

Further details on how to assess the programme can be found on www.iie.org and www.humphreyfellowship.org

The fellowship, which has been awarded to 4,000 globally, has produced 97 Nigerian Fellows. Alfred Ademosu was the first Nigerian to win it in 1980.