Ghana’s assault, and Ajimobi’s exit

Nigerians are among the most patriotic citizens you could ever find on the planet. Their closest neighbour, Ghana just discovered that when the pride of Nigeria is at stake Nigerians could truly rally.

Early last week; unidentified Ghanaians violated Nigeria’s sovereignty when the chancery of our High Commission in Accra was viciously violated. Miscreants claiming land ownership did it by bringing in bulldozers and armed hoodlums to raze down the structure being erected on it. That nocturnal rape on diplomacy was trending on every Nigerian’s gadget by morning.

Nigerian leaders made subterranean moves to prevent a war by angry ctizens some of who openly called for the Ghanaian High Commission in Abuja to be closed down and its officials sent home. President Buhari later issued a statement assuring that the Ghanaian president had apologized for this violation. Ghanaian authorities say a few suspects have been arrested.

High commissions of sovereign nations are inviolable under relevant sections of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Compared to Nigeria, Ghana is a small nation, the size of Lagos and perhaps a bite of another small local government in Ogun. Ghana is the second of three ECOWAS countries colonized by Britain. Ghana has had a love-hate history of diplomatic spat with Nigeria in the past but this one carries the cake. President Buhari’s statement prevented a more vicious reprisal. There is need to send a stronger signal to Ghana and any other nation whose uncultured citizenry thinks it is cool to violate a sovereign nation’s diplomatic mission.

Ghana has been acting in bad faith of late. For almost a year, the businesses of Nigerians in that country have been locked up without explanation or compensation even after discriminatory fees were targeted at them. Some of the locked businesses were sometimes targeted and looted. The reactions of relevant Ghanaian authorities have not often been what it should be. It is not the best way to treat a neighbour and brother-nation or its citizenry. It should stop.

It was great to hear the apology of the Ghanaian leader. There are talks that the Ghanaian government has offered to rebuild the structure at its own expense. Whether Buhari accepts the offer or decides to reconstruct at national expense, it is imperative that a new structure is shows a resilience architectural design, solid construction and better finishing. The bulldozed carcase is a national embarrassment that should be probed for deficiency.

Nigerians hope to be briefed on the progress of the investigation into this diplomatic rape as well as any reconstruction effort. This blatant assault must never happen again, anywhere else.

I would have wished for the late Abiola Isiaka Ajimobi to survive his health travails but nobody appeals the ultimate call. The former Oyo Governor was a flamboyant politician who dressed well, spoke his mind and lived life to the fullest.

Rumours of his demise evinced different reactions when it was leaked a week before it eventually happened. It is was harrowing to learn that when it comes to Covid19, people don’t necessarily survive under private care as