Odesola’s knee-jerk reaction to Osinbajo’s Uganda trip

As an avowed Christian that he claims he is, Tunde Odesola would be quite familiar with the timeless biblical story Jesus Christ told of the wise and foolish builders. 

Just to reference a point, the foolish man built his house on the sand and when the rains came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

According to Odesola, in his piece titled Osinbajo: Law professor in bed with lawlessness, which was published on Monday, May 17, 2021, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo should not have led a government delegation to Uganda for a sixth term presidential inauguration of Yoweri Museveni.

For starters, not only is Odesola’s headline jaundiced, the entirety of his vituperations on Osinbajo’s trip to Uganda was built on the sands of ignorance and the rabid lack of understanding of foreign policy or diplomatic relations.

Just to remind the author that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was one among the several Heads of State and democratically elected Heads of Government that attended the Ugandan President’s inauguration.

It is on record that Museveni was democratically re-elected to a sixth term of office by Ugandans. And whatever the grouse there is against his credibility or age to run for Uganda’s highest office, the East African country’s courts of law and electoral commission are already there to address such concerns.

The author should also know that with Nigeria’s respected role as a big brother on the continent, it equally shares good diplomatic relationships with its African countries, as well as others around the world.

Just like with other African countries, Nigeria shares historical antecedents and has enjoyed longstanding good diplomatic relationships with Uganda. For instance, both countries have signed Bilateral Agreements on Technical Aid Corps, Trade, and on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Also, Nigeria, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has continued to support Uganda’s democratic and development processes.

As Harold Nicolson stated in his book, Diplomacy, “Diplomacy is neither the invention nor the pastime of some particular political system, but is an essential element in any reasonable relation between man and man and between nation and nation.”

In another way, one can say that diplomatic ties among/between countries should supercede their current political leaders and perceived perceptions.  In bilateral relations, presidents and heads of government of countries will come and go, but their diplomatic relations tend to stretch beyond just one particular leader.

Thus, the essence of good diplomatic ties between countries means that one country should not interfere with the internal affairs of another.  Would the author prefer that Nigeria, against all diplomatic goodwill, interfere in the matters that pertains to the democratic institutions, territorial integrity and constitution of a foreign country?

That the Vice President attended the Ugandan president’s inauguration does not mean the VP condones whatever allegations have been raised against Museveni, who was democratically elected by the people of Uganda. Attending the inauguration of the President of a friendly country is not necessarily a sign of validation of any perceived inconsistent or undemocratic conduct.

To paraphrase Ambasador Allen Holmes, a former career diplomat who served as the U.S. ambassador to Portugal, withholding relations to any nation for a political reason or to correct an undesirable behaviour may handicap a nation’s foreign policy.

According to Holmes, “Having no relations, and the resulting prolonged absence of a diplomatic presence in a country, seriously handicaps America’s ability to achieve major foreign policy and national security goals. Diplomatic relations should therefore always be maintained, unless security requires closing the embassy.

“Those who argue that withholding relations can be used to correct a nation’s undesirable behaviour do so under the belief that the boost in image and standing that comes from relations with the United States will lead the targeted nation to make the necessary sacrifices to regain recognition by the U. S. government. The problem with this line of thinking is that it usually doesn’t work.” Does Odesola even know what Nigeria’s foreign policy is?

Again, the author’s claim that Osinbajo applauded Museveni is hogwash. Attending his inauguration does not mean an applause. The author may have cooked that one up from his Lalaland kitchen.

It is interesting that the author also talks about truth when his diatribe is built largely on falsehood and assumptions. Osinbajo is not blinded by the grandeur of political office and chained by untruth. Rather he is driven by unbridled patriotism, passion, dedication to public service, social good, national development and altruism that is uncommon to many politicians of time past.

That VP Osinbajo is a pastor does not take away the sanctity of his decision to accept the second highest political office in the land. Osinbajo did not seek to become Vice President. Yes, he was nominated by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to become President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2015, but the good book and history has taught us that generational leaders do not just happen, they are placed at particular times in their nation’s history to drive change and transformation. That a Pastor, Professor, lawyer, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a man who has continued to defy critics by his integrity and dedication to national duty, is Vice President at this time of our nationhood, is not happenstance. Despite the argument of any critic, it is clear to Nigerians that Osinbajo is driving significant and needed changes in government and Nigeria’s political terrain.

The author has the right as a citizen to criticize the Buhari government for what he believes it has not done right. But it goes without saying the at least, he would be running away from the naked truth to deny that this government has gotten some things right. Nigeria may not be where it is supposed to be, but it sure is on a destination to even better things.

Osinbajo remains a champion and strong advocate for the rule of law, justice and good governance. He has shown that consistency throughout his career and now, as Vice President.

FEJIRO JOHNSON is a public affairs analyst and social commentator, based in Abuja, Nigeria