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Professor Bola Akinterinwa, former Director-General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Thursday, July 22, 2021 said that President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government can’t arm-twist Benin Republic into extraditing Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
According to the diplomat who spoke on the roundtable interview programme with the Punch, advised the Federal Government to stop the use of force on agitators and explore amicable resolutions, adding that the Benin Republic, like other former French colonies, represents French interest in West Africa.
Akinterinwa while responding to questions said, “At the level of Benin Republic, if you are talking about arm-twisting, an elephant, even a lion, as big and powerful as it is, if it is bitten by a small mosquito, then you can know the consequences.
“It is not a question that Nigeria is big and powerful that you can arm-twist anybody, no, it doesn’t work that way.
“The relationship between the Benin Republic and Nigeria is not determined only at the level of the Benin Republic. Benin Republic is francophone, that means that it is dealing with France and the relationship at the level of France and Nigeria you can understand it without any rocket science.
“The French Government does not want the Government of Nigeria to have the capacity to use Benin Republic or the Francophone neighbours to the detriment of French interest in West Africa as much as the government of Nigeria won’t want to be used by the Francophone neighbours against Nigeria’s interest in the immediate neighbourhood.
“So, even if you close borders all along, borders are not closed against the immediate neighbours, they are also closed against the French. So, any battle, any arm-twisting that you are thinking of should be put in the context of French interest and particularly the Francophone interest.
“Any misunderstanding between a Francophone country – whether an immediate neighbour or far distant neighbour – is necessarily an issue at the level of Nigeria and the Francophone community; they think alike, they work together, they address issues together.”
In recent times, it could be recalled that the Buhari Government had clamped down on secession agitators from Southern Nigeria. The agitators had set out to break away from Nigeria, citing dissatisfaction, perceived injustice, and insecurity.
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Professor Bola Akinterinwa, former Director-General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Thursday, July 22, 2021 said that President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government can’t arm-twist Benin Republic into extraditing Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
According to the diplomat who spoke on the roundtable interview programme with the Punch, advised the Federal Government to stop the use of force on agitators and explore amicable resolutions, adding that the Benin Republic, like other former French colonies, represents French interest in West Africa.
Akinterinwa while responding to questions said, “At the level of Benin Republic, if you are talking about arm-twisting, an elephant, even a lion, as big and powerful as it is, if it is bitten by a small mosquito, then you can know the consequences.
“It is not a question that Nigeria is big and powerful that you can arm-twist anybody, no, it doesn’t work that way.
“The relationship between the Benin Republic and Nigeria is not determined only at the level of the Benin Republic. Benin Republic is francophone, that means that it is dealing with France and the relationship at the level of France and Nigeria you can understand it without any rocket science.
“The French Government does not want the Government of Nigeria to have the capacity to use Benin Republic or the Francophone neighbours to the detriment of French interest in West Africa as much as the government of Nigeria won’t want to be used by the Francophone neighbours against Nigeria’s interest in the immediate neighbourhood.
“So, even if you close borders all along, borders are not closed against the immediate neighbours, they are also closed against the French. So, any battle, any arm-twisting that you are thinking of should be put in the context of French interest and particularly the Francophone interest.
“Any misunderstanding between a Francophone country – whether an immediate neighbour or far distant neighbour – is necessarily an issue at the level of Nigeria and the Francophone community; they think alike, they work together, they address issues together.”
In recent times, it could be recalled that the Buhari Government had clamped down on secession agitators from Southern Nigeria. The agitators had set out to break away from Nigeria, citing dissatisfaction, perceived injustice, and insecurity.
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