Obama hosts first African president

United States President Barack Obama on Thursday hosted Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete at the White House in Washington DC.


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This made Kikwete the first African president to be hosted by Obama since he assumed office on January 20, Empowered Newswire reported.

As at press time, the meeting between Obama and Kikwete was yet to hold as it was billed for 4:15pm Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, according to a bulletin of the US State Department made available to Empowered Newswire.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, had earlier requested a presidential visit to the White House in March when he met wit the US Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton.

But it was gathered that the US government had been very reluctant to act positively on that request.

Only on Tuesday Clinton at her first global press conference was asked whether President Obama's trip to Ghana was not a snub to countries like Nigeria.

In response, she said the visit to Ghana is "to demonstrate our commitment to Africa. It is not meant in any other way than what I just said. It is intended to tee up what will be a continuing intensive engagement with Africa."

A White House statement announcing the Tanzanian president's visit to the White House also stressed the commitment of the Obama administration to the promotion of good governance in Africa, just as the statement on the visit to Ghana had noted earlier.

This is being interpreted in diplomatic circles as a hint of displeasure from the Obama administration on Nigeria's governance record lately.

According to the statement Obama is looking "forward to welcoming President Kikwete of Tanzania to the Oval Office on Thursday, May 21, 2009. Tanzania is a strong partner in sub-Saharan Africa, and the two leaders will meet to discuss a wide range of regional and bilateral issues, including how the United States can support sound governance, economic development, and stability throughout the continent."

Source: http://odili.net/news/source/2009/may/22/422.html

[size=18pt]LOL[/size]

don't you know it would be anti-democratic for Obama to visit Nigeria,eehmm, Yar'Adua? it could cost him his second term. by the way, who said we have a president?

Obama - Obama - Obama - now, 120 million people will perish if Obama refuses to visit Nigeria first. I wonder if South Africans have the time to debate this rubish!.

rubbish?

u are rubbish the way u think sometime

gbam

AjaraEwuro:

Obama - Obama - Obama - now, 120 million people will perish if Obama refuses to visit Nigeria first. I wonder if South Africans have the time to debate this rubish!.

If you live in Nigeria a little longer you will get it.

mikeansy:

If you live in Nigeria a little longer you will get it.

what do u mean?

Lol you guys sound like Obama's visit to Nigeria will redeem our country from the current state. Are we the only democracy from the western region? There are 47 countries on the African continent for God’s sake and I don't seem to understand the "snub" if Obama decides to Visit Ghana or any other country for that matter.

Obama can go to blazes for all i care!

ajara ewuro how many south african papers do you read? have seen south africa even on tv to know if they have time for your rubbish. like you are happy with nigeria like this, saboteur.

This is ridiculous, how can Obama’s visit affect our beloved country. We have some real issues to take care of.

slap1:

ajara ewuro how many south african papers do you read? have seen south africa even on tv to know if they have time for your rubbish. like you are happy with nigeria like this, saboteur.

Read what you wrote again and see if it makes any meaning to you, after that, get back to me.

okay, aja ewuro, no insult intended. i withdraw my comment. and you?

people dont get it

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria sent a delegation to Washington to solicit a meeting with the American President

He has refused to invite Yar'adua nor promised to visit.

it will be a different ball game if we did not solicit for it.

mikeansy:

people dont get it

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria sent a delegation to Washington to solicit a meeting with the American President

He has refused to invite Yar'adua nor promised to visit.

it will be a different ball game if we did not solicit for it.

And so what?

the most powerful man declined ur offer

you export over50% of oil to him

well well

let me tell u what this means

it mean yara du has been sleepin for real

he needed to be waken up

period

tiwist it leave it, this man has be sleepin for so long

and so what

[size=18pt]shocking[/size]

The present Nigerian govt are hell bent on image laundrying. THEY  DON'T GET IT. They  looking for cheap publicity, they think they can just use 'THE PRESIDENCY' as they are accustomed to in Nigeria with a magic wand, an voila thats it. sorry mate, some people/countries do think you know.

Provide good governace, then you have a product which you can offer to the world and can be rebranded and repackage.

Good road, hospitals, electricity, electoral reforms etc, then the world will come to you rather begging for it or trying to persuade followers to change when the leaders are liars, thiefs and chairmen of 419 plc. Madam Nafdac, I am sorry you  are trying to do things the wrong way round.

Tell your boss, Yar A'Do Nothing to implement 1 point agenda quickly and then promise 700 NO POINT AGENDA, Nigerians might just believe and give him time.

YAR A'CLUELESS has been in office for 2 years , please tell me what has he BRAND, what  was HIS  product(s), AND NOW YOU WANT TO rebrand and repackage. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE THINGS FIRST BEFORE YOU REBRAND AND REPACKAGE THEM.

What American govt is saying is that we don't  associate ourselves with Country without good governace, corrupt govt like that of Nigeria. If they change and begin to lead their people well, infact the next G20 countries meeting will be begging to host it in NIGERIA.   Think about it, if UAE were to offer to host G20, the whole world will go there, they have used their countries resources to develop for the benefits of their own people.

OBAMA may have the best protection in the world, MEND  is stiil a threat.

yeah, i've read about that somewhere, Newswatch magazine, i think. it further proves Yar'Adua's acknowledgement of his being selected president. he now begs for recognition, pity. and had Obama accepted to host him our ears would have been bombarded with Obama identifying with him and his still-born seven (f)oint agenda, then Akunyili would step in and say her re-branding tree is bearing fruits. that we(he) even solicited for this visit made things worst. it reminds me of John Cena's "can you see me?" may God via man deliver us.

It is no news that our country has been in a deep mess for as long as I can remember. Yar'adua is too slow for any meaningful development and we all know this.

The declination of Obama's request is of no importance, we have to think about the real issue and how to make our country a better place. Obama can visit Benin Republic, that’s his business. What difference does it make?

How can Obama’s visit affect Nigeria?  Bush and Clinton visited Nigeria

I can’t believe you guys are jealous.

We need a responsible government for the sake of Nigerians, period. whats Obama this Obama that

I think some people lack the capacity for reason, even if it relocated from their brains and perched right on their nose! Obama not coming to Nigeria speaks volumes, may not perish in real terms, but diplomatically you may call it 'perish' given the various 'responsibilities' Nigeria shoulders in Africa, it's supposed prime of place and the influence it is supposed to command. It is like the saying, do not put yourself forward in the presence of the king and be rejected, rather, remain humble until you are invited to the high table. Nigeria did just that and was rejected.

If Yar'adua the number one person who should be the personification of Nigeria has been so disdainfully rejected, what value is a Nigerian? Isn't he like a leper other peoples wish to stay away from lest they become contaminated by it's vices? By snubbing Yar'adua, a lot of other countries will easily now snub us - most of them interpret things in a different way other than Nigerian leader, elites and *some* compromised Nigerians do.

When a country that sends financial aid to your country in the millions, a leader of the most powerful country in the world rejects you but listens and gives attention to the 'smaller', countries that have been working in the trenches and striving to better their lot, it speaks volumes. Anyone who cannot connect the dots yet is out of his league trying to join a conversation he has no intellectual capacity to grasp or debate.

CyberG:

I think some people lack the capacity for reason, even if it relocated from their brains and perched right on their nose! Obama not coming to Nigeria speaks volumes, may not perish in real terms, but diplomatically you may call it 'perish' given the various 'responsibilities' Nigeria shoulders in Africa, it's supposed prime of place and the influence it is supposed to command. It is like the saying, do not put yourself forward in the presence of the king and be rejected, rather, remain humble until you are invited to the high table. Nigeria did just that and was rejected.

If Yar'adua the number one person who should be the personification of Nigeria has been so disdainfully rejected, what value is a Nigerian? Isn't he like a leper other peoples wish to stay away from lest they become contaminated by it's vices? By snubbing Yar'adua, a lot of other countries will easily now snub us - most of them interpret things in a different way other than Nigerian leader, elites and *some* compromised Nigerians do.

When a country that sends financial aid to your country in the millions, a leader of the most powerful country in the world rejects you but listens and gives attention to the 'smaller', countries that have been working in the trenches and striving to better their lot, it speaks volumes. Anyone who cannot connect the dots yet is out of his league trying to join a conversation he has no intellectual capacity to grasp or debate.

Gbam!!!

Anybody who does'nt get it . . . . should go and take a few lessons on Geo-politics and International Relations . . . . Nairaland is no substitute for formal education

[size=18pt]someone should give me a reason why Nigeria should be the first african country Obama should visit., I want to know.[/size]

Yar'Adua is an idiot, I can’t believe he actually sent a delegation to Washington to solicit a meeting with Obama, is that his problem? This is 48 months upon assumption into office and there is no single project to his credit. What happened to the seven point agenda?

Naija self person don tire.

Where is the proof he sent a delegation to Obama to solicit meeting with him? Nigerians.

lepashandi:

Where is the proof he sent a delegation to Obama to solicit meeting with him? Nigerians.

Did u just wake up - Go and ask your foreign Minister

blacksta:

Did u just wake up - Go and ask your foreign Minister

Nigerians, give us the proof here. Dont refer us anywhere, post us a link. simple.

@ topic,

how do we know there was no lobbying or begging

CyberG:

I think some people lack the capacity for reason, even if it relocated from their brains and perched right on their nose! Obama not coming to Nigeria speaks volumes, may not perish in real terms, but diplomatically you may call it 'perish' given the various 'responsibilities' Nigeria shoulders in Africa, it's supposed prime of place and the influence it is supposed to command. It is like the saying, do not put yourself forward in the presence of the king and be rejected, rather, remain humble until you are invited to the high table. Nigeria did just that and was rejected.

If Yar'adua the number one person who should be the personification of Nigeria has been so disdainfully rejected, what value is a Nigerian? Isn't he like a leper other peoples wish to stay away from lest they become contaminated by it's vices? By snubbing Yar'adua, a lot of other countries will easily now snub us - most of them interpret things in a different way other than Nigerian leader, elites and *some* compromised Nigerians do.

When a country that sends financial aid to your country in the millions, a leader of the most powerful country in the world rejects you but listens and gives attention to the 'smaller', countries that have been working in the trenches and striving to better their lot, it speaks volumes. Anyone who cannot connect the dots yet is out of his league trying to join a conversation he has no intellectual capacity to grasp or debate.

After writing this big grammar of a reply, what do you now think of the case of the Egyptian president that canceled a meeting with Almighty Obama?

The real issue here is that this country is loosing reckoning in international diplomacy/circle, it is slipping from its perceived No. 1 spot in Africa and some of us are saving we don't care. With the Obama's proposed visit to Ghana coming so soon after the refusal to invite Nigeria to the G20 meeting should at least tell us that something is indeed wrong with our country.

desgiezd:

The real issue here is that this country is loosing reckoning in international diplomacy/circle, it is slipping from its perceived No. 1 spot in Africa and some of us are saving we don't care. With the Obama's proposed visit to Ghana coming so soon after the refusal to invite Nigeria to the G20 meeting should at least tell us that something is indeed wrong with our country.

Oh.

You just noticed something is wrong with our country, where have you been?