The Lesson in Obama's Africa Trip

I am sure Nigeria's leaders are still smattering on with face saving excuses for the cold shoulders shown the 'giant of Africa' by the US President when he flew past Nigeria to visit Ghana recently. Afterall, some would say, he also shunned his father's country but Kenya has never claimed the leadership role Nigeria ascribes to itself.
It is a shame that Ghana, without Nigeria's resources, continues to outshine Nigeria in international arena. Ghana came out top of the class with its recent transition of power in an election which the incumbent leadership could easily have rigged, as is usually the case in Nigeria. It is a shame that Nigeria seems to bury its head in the sand of self delusion, a handicap imposed on the country by its corrupt leadership.
I wonder how Yar'Adua's leutenants explained it to him; one would expect that a US President would rather come to Nigeria , the most populous black nation in the world and potentially the biggest consumer nation for international goods. The US definitely would want a piece of that market. One would also expect even more since Nigeria has been a democracy since 1999. It seems, however, that it really does not matter what form of government Nigeria has. It really does not matter whether it is an Alhaji or a General in power the mannerism ramains the same and the country remains backward in world affairs.
With Nigeria's wealth, population and intellectual resources it should be a leader in the emerging markets. Nigeria has the population, the fertile minds to plant any development idea and the fiscal resources to explore and accomplish any development goal but simple things such as electricity still elude our cities. Simple things such as portable water supply remain elusive to the people. Simple things such as the conduct of free elections still pose the kind of challenge Ghanan seems to have overcome. Nigeria is still a nation where corruption permeates the fabric of society, a nation that deludes itself about its status in the comity of nations. A common fact is, there is little respect for the country outside nor for the leadership inside, from federal to local. That respect has to be earned and to begin, it has to be earned within first. The leadership has to serve its people selflessly and international respect will follow.