Several many reactions have trailed the UK’s Prime Minister’s comment about the Nigerian economy in relation to corruption.
Recall that some days ago, a video went viral in which the UK’s Prime minister regarded Nigeria as a Fantastically Corrupt country.
With the need to address the mindset of people outside Nigeria, the President, Muhammadu Buhari promptly replied in a statement describing how embarrassing such a slip was on the image of a country and its citizens.
A Former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu in a statement has also addressed the remark.
His statement reads:
My attention and that of the Nigerian public have been drawn to the recent statements made by the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron in which he characterized Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt country” during his briefing to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth just before theanti corruption summit which was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari in London.
The statements of the British Prime Minister are most unfortunate and unguarded, given the relationship between the Nigeria and Britain, two countries who share very long and deep heritage; and especially as the British PM did not state the basis on which he made such assertion which has now become public. It is also a gross disrespect and a most uncharitable disposition to the Nigerian people who work hard to ear their living and who have made very positive impacts on the lives of British people and their economy.
Also, such statements coming from the convener of the summit himself, just before the commencement, suggest that either he doesn’t take the summit serious, or he is deceptive in terms of his commitment to the Nigerian government in the fight against corruption.
In the light of this, the British Prime Minister should render an immediate and unreserved apology to the Nigerian people and to President Buhari for those embarrassing comments. As a responsible government and former colonists of Nigeria, my advise is that Britain should handle this matter with the required level of responsibility and prudence so as to avoid a possible breakdown of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Orji Uzor Kalu