Professor Bolaji Akinyemi on Friday backed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom (UK), barely 48 hours after multiple bomb explosions in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, carried out by Boko Haram insurgents, killed over 20 persons, news.ng reports.
Following the announcement by the Presidency that Tinubu would embark on the trip, there were criticisms, particularly from opposition parties, describing the move as insensitive and calling on the Nigerian leader to remain in the country.
But Professor Akinyemi, a former Minister of Interior, during an interview on Arise, noted that the visit was a historic and symbolic one, being the first time a Nigerian leader would be invited on a state visit to the UK after 37 years.
“This will be the second one. There is a symbolism to that. Number two, this will be the first Nigerian head of state in 37 years, I believe, to be invited on a state visit,” he said.
The professor, while backing the visit, urged critics to have a deeper understanding of the diplomatic significance of the high-profile trip. He noted that such a visit, which was carefully planned, couldn’t have been rescheduled at the last minute because of what happened in Maiduguri.
He noted, “You must read a meaning into that. And I really believe that what we should be talking about is the significance, rather than trying to limp into arguments about whether the visit should have gone on or not.
“When you see the show that was put on, do you think that could have been amended at the last minute because of what happened in Maiduguri?”
While condemning the attack, which has dented the country’s image globally, Akinyemi stressed that the incident shouldn’t disrupt the visit.
“What happened in Maiduguri was a disaster for Nigeria’s image, and for all of us, it is something we should be weeping about. But you don’t change a state visit at the last second because of something that happened,” he said.
He maintained that invitations from Britain and the United States of America should not be ignored but should be handled with great importance, noting that the reception Nigeria received sends a strong signal globally.
According to him, “You don’t do that to Britain. And by the way, you don’t do that to the United States.
“The state dinner, again, was magnificently put on. Nobody was rushing around. Nobody was pushing anybody anywhere. People knew their position in the queue.
This was not a signal just to Nigerians that we are better than we think we are. It’s also a signal to the rest of the world that if Great Britain… co-value Nigeria… the rest of the world should also be paying attention to Nigeria.”
