Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”— Winston S. Churchill
“One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.” —Nelson Mandela
President Buhari’s official three day visit to France is a sure sign that major countries are quick to establish and develop diplomatic and trade relationship with Nigeria. It is a good sign that Nigeria is open for business.
Buhari-France24France have been consistent in their support for Nigeria as well as been one of Nigeria’s largest investors. It is not a one way street; Nigeria is also France’s main exporter of oil and petroleum products. This is partnership working and everyone is bringing something to the table. This is not the special relationship like the British and the Americans, but it is more grounded in mutuality and connections.
The geopolitical significance of the relationship is important for the cooperation and the stabilization of Nigeria’s neighboring countries, who are blighted with the common menace emanating from Nigeria; Boko Haram. It is therefore in the best interest of France and Nigeria that this mutuality continues to flourish.
In fact, France has been a strong ally; in 2014 France helped and support about 8,700-strong taskforce made up of troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin to reduce the nefarious activities of Boko Haram. They set an Intelligence Centre in Abuja to support and train some units of the Nigerian armed forces. So this visit is significant as it helps to strengthen their mutual interests; security, defence, trade and investments. The President spoke to his French counterpart, President François Hollande in front of the press delegates, top France ministers and investors and requested that France provide some aerial support, intelligence so that the Nigerians armed forces are able to take on Boko Haram more extensively.
Buhari stressed the need to protect the Nigerian’s borders and attract more investment to Nigeria. It is a priority no one could do business in a place that is not safe and the confidence in the efforts of the president in reducing corruption in Nigeria seem to be paying dividend.
President Hollande projects that the trade between the two countries should double in the next four years. In turn, Buhari has assured the French that his administration is committed to reducing corruption and corrupt practices in Nigeria. It will be better that he makes haste, and gets his cabinet in order for the French visit then.
Good news, Nigeria is Polio free
Let’s eradicate Polio 2
I wrote in my column last year February and September 2014, IN LETS ERADICATE POLIO, my concern that Nigeria had not made much effort in eradicating polio despite the health ministry pledged to do so by 2012. The good news, Nigeria has been polio free now for a year. I recalled the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu describing the resurgence of the deadly polio virus as an embarrassment to Nigeria and vowed that the government will intensify efforts to change the situation. Prior, to the news, Nigeria was one of the last three countries where polio still ravaged the populace; which included Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nigeria still has two more years before it, along with the whole of Africa, can be certified officially polio-free by WHO, but health experts say its achievement bodes well for wiping the disease out. Global health experts still hold out hope for an end to polio worldwide by 2018.
So this is progress and good news and I know it was no mean feat to mobilise the programme. For those who are not familiar with Polio, Polio is a crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease caused by a virus that spreads from person to person invading the brain and spinal cord and causing paralysis. Polio (POLIOMYELITIS) mainly affects children under five years of age.
Polio can spread from these endemic countries to infect children in other countries with less-than-adequate vaccination and one in 200 infected leads to irreversible paralysis. So, amongst those paralyzed, 5% to 10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized. Unfortunately, there is no cure; the most effective means to eradicate polio is to immunize every child in order to stop transmission and ultimately make the world polio free.
FGM no more
It is really good news all round. Commendable move that by the Nigerian government in outlawing the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). Nigeria, by taking this step will be lead the way in ensuring that other African neighbours where the practice of FGM is prevalent, can now follow in suit.
We know FGM is practiced in some states but it is still a taboo subject but a difficult and life threatening or life limiting, for the female who had to endure this archaic and cruel practice. GEJ signed the ban as one of his final act as the outgoing president and this would be his legacy.
For those who deny or do not know that FGM exists, it does. Without proper statistical verification, it estimated that a quarter of Nigerians women undergo FGM (2014 UN data)
The practice does not have any health benefits and it harms the females in many ways. It is very traumatic and violent to get the person to submit to this practice. It causes severe pains and short and long term health consequences including difficulty in child birth, infertility, infections and fistula.
It is not just a Nigeria problem, about 125 million girls and women globally are living with the effects of FGM, it is prevalent in at twenty- eight African countries and a few Asian countries but, most are concentrated in Africa and the Middle East. In the UK, FGM is illegal and it is estimated that about 103,00 women aged 15-49 and 24,000 of over 50 from FGM affected area who have undergone FGM are living in the UK. It is now an offence that can lead to conviction and imprisonment. Anyone found guilty of allowing a minor to undergo FGM, is liable to a maximum penalty of 7 years imprisonment, or fine or both. There is now in the UK, a mandatory reporting duty for professionals to report to the authorities where and when they are aware of a case of FGM.
Some may say that it is the culture, we have been doing this for centuries or that it ensures the female is chaste; no there are no reason for FGM practices. FGM damages those that undergo the practice and it affects them and many experience Post Traumatic Disorders(PTSD) that is liken to physical abuse and most suffer from affective or anxiety disorders.
So Nigeria making this move should be applauded, in fact the FGM programme manager of Equality now said of Nigeria’s effort ; “With such a huge population, Nigeria’s vote in favour of women and girls is hugely important,” As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria’s decision carries significant weight, but it would need to be implemented effectively and we hope, too, that the other African countries which have yet to ban FGM – including Liberia, Sudan and Mali, among others – do so immediately to give all girls a basic level of protection” I cannot agree more.
Well done Nigeria! Let us work changing this for good.
This article was originally published on VanguardNG.