By Hon (Dr) Onujabe Nasir
Introduction
Samoa Agreement is a partnership agreement signed by the European Union and member state of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CACPS). The agreement covers six main areas: democracy and human rights, sustainable economic growth and development, climate change, human and social development, peace and security and migration and mobility. These are the six basic facial content of the document to lure the African vulnerable states the agreement. Nigeria taking the lead.
The Samoa Agreement has been controversial due to concerns about its perceived promotion of LGBTQ+ rights contained in the document as echoed by the Premium Times newspaper, though not explicitly highlighted in the document, but intrinsically embedded according to the newspaper report. LGBTQ means: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender rights.
Over time Africa human and natural resources have been source of worry to the European countries and other western states which is why there is always international political conspiracy towards our growth and economic independence.
However, our gullible leaders seem not to help matters due to their own non creativity to explore alternative means of survival rather they kept to their dictates for grants and regimental loans to administer their governance. This has put the government of the day on a hypocritic crossroads when it comes to matters of trust and credibility.
THE MYTHS BEHIND THE LOANS
The Nigeria culture of loan taking has exacerbated beyond proportion for sometime ago, every political party when not in power will be shouting Nigeria has no business taking loan to survive on the ground that we have enough resources to take us through. But to our surprise and dismay this set of leaders immediately opportunity avail them the chance to govern the first thing on their agenda will be ‘foreign loan’ acquisition to absorb the budget deficits as fondly said by them.
From research findings no foreign loan has ever come without pains either on our naira devaluation or tempting of our structural governance which reflect neo-colonialism tendencies. The Nigerian citizens were always deceived and despised whenever Nigeria government will be going for foreign loans. Details for agreement of the loan was not always explained to us and some other hidden clauses capable of placing the nation and her people as master-slave relationship.
THE 150 BILLION DOLLAR LGBTQ CLAUSES AND AGREEMENT SIGNING
Fact-Check: Are there LGBTQ clauses in Samoa Agreement Nigeria signed?
Premium Times understands that LGBTQ clauses were contained in the initial draft of the Samoa Agreement, but protests by some member states forced the EU to abolish the clauses in the final draft of the document. However, the Nigerian in a statement issued by the minister of information and national orientation on Thursday said the agreement was signed after extensive review and consultations by the international committee, convened by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, FMBEP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Federal Ministry of Justice. The information minister Alh. Mohammed Idris assures Nigerians that “None of the 103 Articles and Provisions of the Agreement contravenes the 1999 Constitution as amended or the laws of Nigeria and other extant laws”.
Furtherance to the above statement by the minister of Information and National Orientation, the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, asserted their scrutiny of the document before the signing by Nigeria government.
From the scenario above the reactions of our religious and other bodies on the signing of the document by our government cannot be down played or seen as mere alarmist over nothing. The acceptance of Premium Times that the original document from the beginning contained LGNTQ clauses is enough evidence that the western world were up to something to discredit African cultural values and beliefs.
Fundamentally, the House of Representatives has issues warning to Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the Agreement pending the coast is cleared on the way forward. If I may ask, what is so special about western world? Why can’t we make friends with other international community with clear mission and vision for the growth of Africa as a continent?
In a democratic arena the “people” is seriously and critically central to its success, little wonder then, democracy is being defined as “Government of the people by the people and for the people” -Abraham Lincoln.
Dialogue and collaboration with the “people” is key in the implementation of government policies in a democratic setting as the people set an agenda for government to execute. Any anti-people oriented policies or agreement executed by any government in disobedience such action(s) will be tantamount yo dictatorial, despotic and anti-democratic.
The article is soliciting the Federal Government openness on the matter for the purpose of trust and future of the nation for posterity to be kind to our leaders.
May God help Nigeria!!!!
10/07/2024