By Olukorede Yishau
And so it came to an end; yes, it has, after many men of the silk said there would be a way where there seemed to be no way. We thought their spiritual binoculars could see what we could not see, and we were on the edges of our seats waiting for the miracle of miracles.
We were hoping their Father in heaven is different from ours and would shock us. Now, it is day two without Donald J. Trump as president. His administration dawned at dawn on January 20, his era has ended, and Joe Biden’s has begun.
Biden’s era is beginning as Dr. Uzoma Elizabeth Emenike, academic, author, diplomat, mother of four and wife of a publisher, businessman and politician, Chief Ikechi Emenike, makes history as Nigeria’s first female ambassador to the United States. She is leaving her current post as our envoy in Ireland (with concurrent accreditation to Iceland) to be Nigeria’s number one citizen in a nation just coming out of Trump’s tumultuous years.
The Trump years were of more troublemaking and less troubleshooting. He made troubles with almost everyone. His friends were mainly white supremacists and those who benefitted from his policies. Africa-Americans felt left at the back. Europe didn’t get along with him. He treated Africa as a shit hole and dealt with the Chinese like lepers. Immigrants were objects of misgiving and mimicry. Mexicans were treated with disdain and he began walling them off. He also separated children from their mothers in an inhuman immigration policy. Over 500 kids, according to a report in The New York Times, are yet to be reunited with their parents because officials who separated them have no records of where their parents were deported.
The rule was: Cross Trump and get tongue-lashed. Reporters had their fill. News conferences were avenues for the immediate past president to thrash the media for a perceived wrong. CNN, to him, meant fake news. New York Times, Washington Post, and others were despicable. Even Fox News that started as an ally ended as a traitor. For Trump, there were no permanent friends. The only thing that was permanent was his interests and once you were against his interests, you automatically switched camp and were dressed down in the worst language possible.
Mike Pence can testify as he was quickly re-christened a weakling for not working against the greater good. He eroded core alliances such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, provoked traditional partners and pampered autocrats such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Never had America seen such an era and it could take some time for such a mistake to be made again. Some say the mistake can never happen again. But with democracy, never say never. Even ‘fools’ at times appeal to the majority and get the coveted crown.
White supremacists had a field day. So free were they that they threatened fire and brimstone if their man was not re-elected and taking over the Capitol was the height of their madness. They wanted the heads of Pence and Speaker Pelosi and others they considered traitors. They broke glasses and desecrated the hallowed chamber. Reports suggest that dozens of law enforcement officers, active-duty military members, and veterans participated in the global giant’s moment of shame. Now, the Capitol has a high wall and the National Guard is out to keep the dogs of war away.
Trump was not all bad news. He is credited with overhauling the U.S. judiciary, especially with the appointment of three Supreme Court justices and the fast-tracking of the appointment of more than 200 federal judges. He is also respected in some quarters for pushing through massive tax cuts for corporations, expanding the economy faster than it was under Barack Obama, and crashing unemployment to a record low—before the economic gains were washed away by the Coronavirus.
He also normalised relations between Israel and four once-antagonistic Arab neighbours, and he condensed U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, but like a commentator noted all these were “dwarfed by what Trump got wrong”.
America deserves a break from the commotion of the last four years. And it is good that Biden has promised a new era, one devoid of unnecessary rancour, one devoid of harsh immigration policies, one devoid of denigrating the developing world, and one devoid of going against its traditional allies. We will keep tabs and watch him keep these promises.
Dr Emenike comes ready for the job. Those in the know believe her records in Ireland more than any other factor recommended her for the U.S. assignment. She holds two first degrees, one in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Maiduguri, and the other in Law from the University of Reading, United Kingdom; she also holds two Master’s degrees – one in International Law/Diplomacy from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the other in International Management from the University of Reading, where she also earned a PhD in International Relations. Her scholarly work ‘Africa: The Centre-Piece of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy’ is a vault of knowledge.
For those who have the key to this knowledge vaulted in Dr. Emenike’s ‘Africa: The Centre-Piece of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy’, they can attest to its depth. International relations scholars have found in it a companion. We see through it Nigeria’s various diplomatic actions; we see how the country funded and trained freedom fighters in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Namibia at a time they were considered terrorists by the imperial overlords in power.
We see how Nigerian staked its good relationship with some Western allies for the good of sister African countries. And we see its diplomatic manoeuvres to preserve the sovereignty of the African states through its campaigns for the decolonisation of Africa, independence for Namibia, elimination of Apartheid, resolving the Rhodesia Question and Africa’s right to the UN Secretary-General seat.
Of course, we also see the debates on the need for the country to begin charity at home instead of playing the Big Brother to its sister African countries, especially giving the wrong vibes from countries that have benefitted from its generosity. South Africa, for instance, has not been fair to Nigerians who have made it home.
They are regular victims of xenophobic attacks. Getting South African visa for Nigerians going for conferences and other reasons is more difficult than securing the visa for European countries and America. The mundane takes centre stage in denying them the right of passage.
The book takes a critical look at the different environment of foreign policy decision making, such as domestic, external and international system.
A thorough examination of the theories of international relations and globalisation is also undertaken. We also see a focus on national interest and foreign policy, as well as Nigeria’s relations with immediate neighbours, such as Ghana, Republic of Benin and Cameroun.
With a struggling economy, and the attendant loss of revenue, is it sensible for Nigeria to continue to be the continent’s Santa Claus? This book gives due attention to this all-important question and the author does not play Madam Know-All, as she taps into experts’ brains for answers— signifying her acknowledgement of the fact that she is not an Island. She will need this as she takes up her new assignment in Biden’s America. I wish her God’s speed and a positively-unforgettable tenure. In the name of our Father, go and make us proud, Madam!
*Yishau is a columnist and author.