With the Nigerian election less than a month away, the presidential candidates are in the final stages of their campaigns. So far, three leading presidential candidates have emerged, namely Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In addition to the regular campaigning strategies usually adopted by politicians, these Big Three politicians have included a new tactic that has never been used in Nigeria’s political history. They are outdoing each other to become the leading and most loyal colonial subject by engaging in a race to the bottom to get validation from western think tanks and diplomats.  

One obvious manifestation of this tendency is the recent visit to Chatham House, the British think tank, by Tinubu and Obi in December 2022 and January 2023, respectively. Political analysts, such as Farooq Kperogi, Deborah Tolu-Kolawole, and Reuben Abati, have written about this trend. According to them, the candidates exhibit a colonial mentality by speaking at Chatham instead of focusing on the Nigerian electorate. However, the visit to Chatham House is only the tip of the iceberg. A more disturbing development that has not been scrutinised is the private discussions between the Big Three presidential candidates and western diplomats.

Peter Obi set the ball rolling in May 2022 when he uploaded to Twitter an image of himself in front of the doors of 10 Downing Street. He wrote, I just arrived at No. 10 Downing Street, London, for a meeting. Ran into Lord Marland of Odstock—full of warmth as usual. On 1 August 2022, Atiku met a delegation of the British High Commission in Nigeria, led by Catriona Laing, the UK ambassador. Shortly after the meeting, Laing tweeted, Good to meet the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar @atiku today. Interesting to hear his ideas on the economic, security, and development priorities for #Nigeria ahead of #2023elections. In a press statement, Atiku noted that he expected Britain to Play a more active role for the survival of democracy in Nigeria. Two days later, it was Peter Obi’s turn to see the UK Ambassador to Nigeria. After the meeting, Catriona Laing wrote on Twitter, Good to meet the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, @PeterObi, today and hear about his ideas on Nigeria’s economic, security, and development priorities ahead of #2023elections. A month later, Bola Tinubu hosted Catriona Laing, who paid him a courtesy visit at the APC Presidential Campaign Office, where they discussed his campaign plans. According to Laing, my team and I had a good meeting with the Presidential Candidate of @OfficialAPCNg, @officialABAT, to discuss his campaign plans and priorities for Nigeria.

Next were engagements with diplomats from the world’s greatest neo-colonial power, the United States. Peter Obi won the race by securing a meeting with William Steven, the Consul-General of the United States in Nigeria. Peter Obi uploaded an image of him shaking hands with the US Consul on Twitter and wrote, It was my pleasure to meet with William B. Stevens, the new Consul-General of the United States in Nigeria. We had constructive discussions and exchanged ideas. Not to be outdone by Peter Obi, the APC Presidential Candidate Bola Tinubu met with the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, and Rolf Olson, the US Political Adviser, on 22 September 2022. On Twitter, he uploaded four images he took with the US diplomats. The US Ambassador said she was privileged to talk about US perspectives on the election with Bola Tinubu. Atiku was late to the party, but he met with US State Department officials in Washington, DC. Atiku stated that the focus of the meeting was to discuss The critical need to seek collaborative solutions to our local issues on democracy and governance, our deteriorating security and the economy. Although Atiku did not participate in the Chatham House jamboree, he had a private meeting with officials from the United States Institute of Peace.

Bola Tinubu gained the first-mover advantage with European Union diplomats. In July 2022, he met with Ms Samuela Isopi, the Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and Ms Rita Laranjinha, the EU’s Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Africa. After the meeting, he uploaded to Twitter three images he took with the diplomats and wrote, My thanks to Ambassador Ms. Samuela Isopi, Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and Ms. Rita Laranjinha, the EU’s Managing Director of European External Action Service for Africa for leading the visit of a European Union delegation to my residence in Abuja today. #BAT2023 A month and a half later, Atiku met with various EU ambassadors. He uploaded four images of the meeting and wrote that he had a Robust discussion with focus on the next phase for Nigeria politically. He also stated, Not only is unity in Nigeria critical, but partnership with the EU is necessary for Nigeria to reach its full potential. Two weeks later, Peter Obi met with the Ambassador of the European Union in Nigeria, Samuela Isopi and Heads of Missions of the EU member states.

In addition to meeting the above-mentioned western diplomats, our presidential candidates also travelled to London to kiss the ring of Andrew Mitchell, the Minister of State for Development and Africa. Bola Tinubu had a private meeting with Andrew Mitchell in December 2022. Tinubu uploaded four images of the deliberation to social media, including a smiling Tinubu shaking hands with Andrew Mitchell. The photos showed that while Andrew Mitchell’s staff took notes as Tinubu spoke, the Nigerian delegates crossed their legs and watched. A month later, Andrew Mitchell met with Atiku. Mitchell wrote on Twitter, Met with @atiku, one of Nigeria’s presidential candidates today. Britain is committed to supporting Nigeria to ensure free, fair and credible elections. I enjoyed hearing about his policies and look forward to working with whichever party wins in 2023. Atiku also gave Mitchell a copy of his manifesto. A week later, it was Peter Obi’s turn to pay homage to Mitchell, who once resigned as Chief Whip of the Conservative Party after he told a police officer, best you learn your fucking place – you don’t run this fucking government – you’re fucking plebs. After meeting Peter Obi, Andrew Mitchell wrote on Twitter, continuing my meetings with Nigeria’s presidential candidates, I met @PeterObi yesterday. Great to learn about his policies.

In the foreword to the 2008 edition of Franz Fanon’s book, Black Skin, White Masks, a book that examines how colonialism is internalised by the colonised, Ziauddin Sardar wrote that Fanon asserts that, When the black man comes into contact with the white world he goes through an experience of sensitisation. His ego collapses. His self-esteem evaporates. He ceases to be a self-motivated person. The entire purpose of his behavior is to emulate the white man, to become like him, and thus hope to be accepted as a man. The antics of the Big Three presidential aspirants showcase their inferiority complex. Instead of presenting their case to the Nigerian electorates, they are more preoccupied with drinking milk from their colonial mama’s breast.

There is no originality in their approach. When one goes to Chatham House, the rest follow; when one meets with the UK Ambassador, the rest follow; and when one kisses Andrew Mitchell’s ring, the rest follow. Bola Tinubu, who refrains from participating in town halls and presidential debates and avoids the local media, doesn’t see the irony in going to Chatham House and interviewing with BBC. What is disheartening is these politicians delude themselves by thinking that uploading a photo with Mr White man or Mrs White Woman will buy them political capital. Equally amusing are the responses to the images from some of their supporters who believe in the mantra, White Knows Best. 

When Peter Obi posted a picture of him in front of N10 Downing Street, one of his supporters wrote, this is the kind of representation Nigeria needs on the world stage. A man with brains!!! God bless Peter Obi. After Bola Tinubu posted pictures he took with the US Ambassador, one of his supporters wrote on Twitter, We don’t go to the diaspora for meetings; they come to us. They even send their ambassadors to meet us. An Atiku supporter wrote, the international community is strongly behind Atiku’s 2023 Presidency, in response to a Twitter post featuring a meeting between Atiku and EU ambassadors. 

The Big Three fail to realise that these photo-ops with white diplomats reveal more than what they intend to communicate. When we look at these photos they take with western diplomats, we see our future president and his pot-bellied entourage grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire cat that ate the cheese posing with Mr White Man and Mrs White Woman. We see from their body language a subservient relationship between a colonial subject and a colonial master. We see a group of politicians engaging in a beauty parade in front of their colonial overlords.

Instead of working towards Pan-Africanism, the Big Three are more interested in building bilateral relationships with western colonial powers. When the founding fathers of the African continent fought for independence, they did not envisage future African leaders genuflecting at the altar of the colonialists. The Big Three now go cup in hand to their colonial masters, believing that the west can solve our problems. Atiku said he expected Britain to play an essential role in the survival of democracy in Nigeria. His focus with the US diplomats was to seek solutions to local issues on democracy. If our presidential aspirants had done their homework well, they would know that the west should not be lecturing us on democracy and how to have a free and fair election. Britain can’t and should not play an active role in the survival of democracy in Nigeria when its present Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, was elected to office by a mere 202 members of Parliament, which translates to 0.0003% of the British population. Neither can the US provide solutions for democracy issues in Nigeria when President Trump’s supporters attacked the United States Capitol Building two years ago due to what they claimed were election irregularities. Furthermore, voting suppression is rampant in the US. According to Brennan Center for Justice, 18 states have passed 34 restrictive voting laws, disproportionately affecting voters of colour, since 2021. In addition, corporations have a more significant say in determining democratic outcomes than the people in the US. 

In revealing their vision and seeking help from western diplomats, the Big Three demonstrate a need for more understanding of history and the thin line between espionage and diplomatic missions. If they had read their history books, they would have learnt how western diplomats have worked to destabilise African countries, as eloquently explained in Susan Williams’s book, White Malice. From history, we know how Britain used indirect rule to manage its colonies. Nigeria was not immune to this practice as the Brits used it effectively in the North. Instead of using people from the metropolis to rule the colonised, the colonialists appointed local leaders to oversee Northern Nigerians on their behalf. As these Big Three presidential aspirants hold private meetings with western diplomats, are we not witnessing a 21st variant of indirect rule? The Big Three also fail to understand that all their plans for Nigeria will be relayed from the embassy staff in Abuja to 10 Downing Street, the White House, and the European Parliament.

The Big Three should reflect on the folly of their actions and imagine the following scenario: It is 2024, and the UK General Election is two months away. The two main contestants are Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. Keir Starmer leaves London and travels 4,078 miles to deliver a speech at The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) explaining his vision for the British people. Five days later, Rishi Sunak flies over to address the NIIA. Keir Starmer then poses in front of Aso Rock and uploads the image onto Facebook with the caption, I just arrived at Aso Rock for a meeting. Ran into Governor Wike —full of passion as usual. What would the British people say? Wouldn’t they say that Starmer and Sunak have lost their minds and should return? 

What the Big Three have done in this current electoral cycle is shameful at best and dangerous at worse. We can’t allow our electoral process to be manipulated by foreign influence. So, in the future, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should prohibit presidential candidates from meeting with foreign diplomats. INEC should also put a blanket ban to prevent presidential candidates from delivering speeches at foreign think tanks. Furthermore, the Federal Government should obtain the transcript of the discussions between the Big Three and the western diplomats and make it available to the broader public so we can determine whether anything sinister was discussed.

Despite its challenges, Nigeria has a critical role to play in Africa’s renaissance. Furthermore, it has the human and natural resources to be a key player in global affairs. We should therefore be vigilant and make sure that whoever takes the keys of Aso Rock is not a Manchurian leader who will turn Nigeria into a neo-colonial state for the politicians in Washington, London and Brussels.

About the Author

Ahmed Olayinka Sule is a CFA Charterholder, photojournalist, and social critic. He is an Alumnus of the University of Arts London, where he obtained a Certificate in Photojournalism. He has also worked on various photojournalism projects and can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected]  Twitter @Alatenumo