Gains of Macron’s historic state visit to Nigeria

Jide Ojo

All our visitors make us happy . Some , when they come , others when they g o
French President , Emmanuel Macron , is here with us on a two- day state visit. In his itinerary is a bilateral meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on issues bordering on insecurity , terrorism , commissioning of Alliance Francaise office in Ikoyi and visit to Afrika Shrine in Ikeja , Lagos . I was on Radio Nigeria 7 am news yesterday to analyse the importance and gains of the French President ’ s visit, beginning with his intention to discuss insurgency and insecurity with Buhari .
In my opinion , this is a welcome development. Terrorism has become a global phenomenon , which France had also tasted bitterly . It would be recalled that between January 7 and 9 , 2015 a total of 17 people were killed in terror attacks ignited by a publication in the French satirical weekly magazine, Charlie Hebdo ; a kosher grocery store and the Paris suburb of Montrouge . Three suspects in the attacks were killed by police in separate standoffs, according to Cable News Network . Nigeria has also been having a running battle with insurgents , killer herders and other bandits . Therefore, it is going to be mutually beneficial to share intelligence and work collaboratively to tackle this hydra - headed monster , which was part of the issues discussed at the just concluded 31 Ordinary Summit of the Africa Union held at Nouakchott, Mauritania over the weekend . Nigeria also stands to gain military assistance in the form of capacity building for our security agencies , as well as military hardware support from the French Government.
The commissioning of a new complex of the French cultural organisation , Alliance Francaise, today in Lagos is also very significant . According to news reports, Alliance Française is a non - profit making association devoted to promoting French language and culture. It has 10 active representations in Enugu , Ibadan , Ilorin , Jos , Kano , Kaduna , Lagos , Maiduguri , Owerri and Port Harcourt . The organisation has three broad objectives ; namely , teaching of French worldwide with classes for all types of audiences , making French culture and the culture of French speaking countries better known , as well as fostering cultural diversity through the promotion of all cultures . The French language is very popular in Nigeria , although we are an Anglophone country . The language is being taught in the country from primary school to tertiary level . In fact, Nigeria has a French Language Village in Badagry , Lagos , which was established in 1991 when Prof . Babatunde Fafunwa was minister of education . It was meant to promote the study of the French Language in Nigeria .
Out of the three reasons made available to the public for Macron ’ s visit, the most significant one to me is his historic visit to Afrika Shrine yesterday, July 3 , 2018. The incumbent French President , who trained in Nigeria as a Senior Civil Servant in 2004 , must has been so enamoured of Fela Anikulapo -Kuti ’ s Afrobeat music that he has ordered a visit to his nightclub as part of his itinerary . This visit is historic in many respects . First , Macron is the first foreign President to officially visit the Afrika Shrine . This is a huge endorsement for the club - house founded by Fela . The norm used to be that when special guests visit Nigeria , a gala night is often organised in their honour . Such a treat usually takes place inside the fortified Aso Villa Banquet Hall where selected cultural troupes in the country are engaged to entertain the guests . In a rare twist of fortune , Macron has opted to go see the unique cultural institution called Afrika Shrine himself .
Macron ’ s visit has placed the Shrine on the global map , considering the number of international media and dignitaries who accompanied the French President to the place. That visit has also boosted the tourism potential of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole . It shows that this country has something to offer the world , in terms of entertainment , culture, music , dance and art .
I am using this medium to appreciate and seek a posthumous national award for Fela Anikulapo - Kuti ( 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997) , Nigeria ’ s maverick music icon . In his lifetime Fela , was reportedly more popular than the Nigerian President , especially in France . He was to Nigeria what Bob Marley was to Jamaica . While Marley promoted reggae music , Fela created afro beat , his own unique selling point . The ‘ Abami Eda ’ used his talent to fight oppression , human right abuses and injustices . Fela was fearless . He was a thorn in the flesh of the misgoverning ruling elite , who took turns to incarcerate him on many occasions . I was surprised to hear Fela ’ s music being played at a big music shop in Geneva , Switzerland during my visit there in 2005. In my undergraduate days at the University of Lagos , Fela ’ s music was always used to kick start any major event organised by the Student Union of the institution , especially protest marches . Te celebrated musician released about 50 albums in his illustrious music career that spanned decades. While many of his songs can be tagged protest songs , he also sang about love, social ills and the likes . Songs like Lady , Shakara , Yellow Fever , Open and Close , Na Poi and Water no get enemy are in this category .
Fela ’ s music has continued to be relevant because , like a prophet , the social ills he saw and sang about decades ago are still with us today and things seems to be getting worse . I appreciate the fact that this music legend is being annually celebrated in music concert known as Felabration . It is also heartwarming that the Lagos State government has turned his house in Lagos to a museum . Two of his children, Femi and Seun , have also carried on their dad ’ s legacy and making waves with Afro Beat music . Femi in particular has had four Grammy award nominations and I pray he will win it one day soon .
Now , the challenge for Nigeria is to build on the positive fallout of Macron ’ s visit. I propose that the place should be turned into a national monument, a UNESCO heritage site . This is because of its symbolism and identity as the root of afro beat music . I commend the yeo- man efforts of the Director - General of the National Council for Arts and Culture , Otunba Segun Runsewe and his counterpart at the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Mr . Folorunsho Coker , to market Nigeria ’ s tourism potentials . However , there is a snag .
Until we contain the raging insecurity in the country , all efforts to attract inbound tourists to Nigeria will yield very little results . Foreigners will not risk their lives coming into an unsecure environment . That is why what is going on in Plateau State calls for concern . The tourism and hospitality business in that state has been badly affected by the lingering conflict in that ‘ State of Tourism ’ the same way as food insecurity looms in the country as a result of the protracted Boko Haram insurgency and the attacks by killer herdsmen ravaging the country ’ s major food producing states . A stich in time saves nine .