The ambassador who failed anthem test

The ambassador who failed anthem test



TWENTY-FIVE nominees for ambassadorial posting appeared before the Senate a fortnight ago for confirmation hearings. But one of them named Ijeoma Bristol, in certain reports and Mrs Ijeoma Chinyere elsewhere, wife of a serving Nigerian envoy, and herself, a career diplomat was the focus of attention. She caused quite an uproar when she was asked to recite the Nigerian national anthem and the national pledge. Thrice she was asked, thrice she failed. Senator Jubril Aminu, the chair of the Senate committee on Foreign Affairs was said to have remarked out of surprise, that "this is not a joke, there is a problem." Indeed, there was a problem. For, when the woman was later asked to list correctly, means of diplomatic communication, her answer was "Notes and memoranda." More laughter; more incredulity. She was also asked to name the capital of Jigawa state. She kept mute. She apparently has never heard of Jigawa state. But where the real problem lies is that the woman's nomination has now been confirmed and she will soon travel abroad as Her Excellency, the Nigerian Ambassador to wherever.alt

If Mrs Bristol's poor performance is unbelievable, the justifications for her endorsement by the Senate are absolutely shocking. The Chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee is quoted as having advised that Mrs Bristol "should go and learn about Nigeria first". I think he is right. But he says "I was in the minority". The leader of the opposition, Olorunnimbe Mamora (ACN, Lagos state) also protested that "we cannot continue to allow mediocrity...It is not helping us, we cannot allow this lady pass." But most of the Senators wanted the lady to pass. Why? The given answer is this: "because she is a career diplomat and next in line for the position." What is that? The leadership of the Senate also supported her. Senate President David Mark asked that the Senate should "temper justice with mercy...her case is a case of what we call poor pass." Really? I thought she failed the test, not once but five times! The Senate President also reportedly said he is optimistic that "if given the opportunity, Mrs Bristol would learn about Nigeria." Hey, please!

If she did not learn about Nigeria while serving as a career diplomat inside Nigeria, for so many years, is it when she is representing Nigeria? How is she going to learn about Nigeria as head of a diplomatic mission? Wonky logic, sir. But not to worry: Nigerian leaders get to positions of authority usually terribly unprepared: they learn on the job and this is apparent in the way they embarrass us daily. One Nigerian Foreign Minister once went to an AU meeting to tell a story about Catholic marriages at a plenary session, and thinking that his audience enjoyed his rigmarole, he launched into a longer tale about the tortoise! What is worse in the Bristol case is that some of the senators reportedly argued that she should be confirmed for the job "so that she can retire as an ambassador." These justifications provide enough basis for a recommendation that Mrs Bristol's confirmation should be reversed, and the process of her confirmation investigated. Persons should not be appointed as the country's ambassadors, just because it is nice for them to retire as ambassadors, or because they are next in line for the job. If our Senators had been watching C-SPAN closely, they would have learnt that a confirmation hearing is a very serious business and that there are minimum standards for the appointment of a country's ambassadors.

Mrs Bristol is a career diplomat. Diplomacy is even for her "a family business" , her husband being a diplomat too, and so in many years of her association with diplomacy and foreign affairs, she has not been able to learn modes of diplomatic communications? "Notes and memoranda," she said. Is she a secretarial staff in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, being described falsely as a career diplomat? In this country, anything is possible. If she had been reading the Wikileaks reports on Nigeria for example, she would at least have had an idea. On what basis really is she being sent abroad as an ambassador? Suppose she gets to wherever and the Nigerian national anthem is being played and she cannot recognize it? Or a curious diplomat approaches her and starts a conversation about the crisis in Plateau and Bauchi? She would just smile? Allowing her to pass on the grounds of seniority, length of service and compassion is laughable to say the least and derogatory to the foreign service tradition.

Someone was even quoted as having said that although she could not answer questions, she looked good and charming. Ha ha. When did confirmation hearings become beauty parades? It is a pity she is said to be a career diplomat. Career diplomats in this country have often complained about how they have been short-changed by the tendency to appoint politicians to foreign missions. Over the years, they have been inconsolable. If Mrs Bristol represents the senior career diplomatic cadre, then there is a very serious crisis facing the country. Diplomats in other countries are exposed to special training including studies in language, etiquette, intelligence gathering, issues articulation and general country knowledge. By the time they are sent abroad, they represent in part the best that their countries can offer. As in every other sector of national life, Nigeria enjoys sending its second and third eleven to the public space, local and international. Mamora is right: "we cannot continue to allow mediocrity." David Mark is wrong: this is not a case of "poor pass", this is a case of getting a job without a clue – the Ijeoma Bristol model! It reveals the poor state of leadership in Nigeria and a confirmation of the malaise that has diminished the country's education sector.

If the truth be told however, Mrs Bristol is not the first person appearing at the Senate Confirmation hearing who is unable to recite the Nigerian national anthem. The level of ignorance in this country is astounding particularly among public officials. Most of them do not read newspapers; they cannot read or write speeches and books, they do not listen to local and foreign news. They have no passion for Nigeria. They do not love their country enough. Asking a nominee to recite the national anthem may not be the best way to judge the person's level of patriotism but the reality is that there is a serious disconnection between the people and the country. Ironically, the same Nigerians who know nothing about Nigeria may be very knowledgeable about other countries.

Ask them to name five states in the United States and their capitals: they won't disappoint. Many Nigerians know Martin Luther King and J. F. Kennedy, but they may never have heard of Herbert Macaulay. They know who Lady Diana is but they may not have any idea who Queen Amina is. They know where Delaware is, but they have never heard of Dutse. Our education system does not prepare Nigerians to pay attention to history, culture and civics, and other significant details about their country. But we should not over-flog Mrs Bristol. The same Senators who were laughing at Mrs Bristol's expense would probably fail the same test.

That shared quality of ignorance is much evident in the quality of questions that are asked at confirmation hearings in Nigeria. It is often the case of the dumb interviewing the ignorant; hollow rituals which often end up with confirmations or requests that the nominee should "take a bow" followed by applause from the lawmakers. That is the chief irony in the whole debacle- only third rate people can emerge from such a process. Where diplomats are involved, the process of nomination and confirmation must be reviewed. The list of nominees should indicate the country or countries for which the particular nominee is being proposed; that way the Senate Committee would be in a better position to ask specific and relevant questions.

Mrs Bristol, the ambassadorial nominee from Anambra state should be spared the additional difficulty of representing Nigeria abroad and going there to embarrass herself and the country. But this is Nigeria: don't be surprised if she is posted to London, Switzerland or Washington DC! Now here is the take-away: Mrs Bristol was asked to explain the Vienna and Geneva Conventions. All she could say was: "I am confused. I am confused." Those who endorsed her nomination should be ashamed and guilty of imposing this embarrassment on the nation. And Bristol? Is that a Nigerian name? Well, hear Kofi Busia: "diplomacy means the art of nearly deceiving all your friends, but not quite deceiving all your enemies." Or Thomas Pickering: "In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy, you cover the known." But the truth is golden.