Tchiani’s claims and Tinubu’s travels — the risk of appearances

Stephen Angbulu

I knew that my friend Sadiq was innocent. But some of us saw him leaving for the class alone when every other student was seated in the school hall for the HIV/AIDS awareness day.

It was one of those weeks in the first term of Secondary School that smelled very much like Christmas. The school authorities had designated one day as class-free for the HIV/AIDS awareness programme.

We knew what to expect. First, a series of lectures about safeguarding oneself from contracting HIV. Then, a performance by the school’s Press and Health Clubs. Finally, my favourite—a stage drama by National Youth Service Corps members wearing white shirts branded with red ribbons.

Mid-programme, my friend Sadiq told me he was heading back to the class to pick up his water bottle because he was thirsty. I wondered if any teacher would allow him to pass so easily. However, all it took was a few minutes, and I turned to see him sipping from a reused Ragolis water bottle.

After the programme, a classmate I remember as Gloria, reported a missing mathematical set. We all knew Gloria’s fancy math set. It was one of a kind. You could see some of the elegant drawing instruments through its transparent plastic cover. Even the eraser was shaped like a rabbit. It was unique, and we wondered how the thief intended to use it without drawing attention.

Soon, fingers pointed to Sadiq. A porter claimed to have seen him entering the empty class. If Sadiq stole Gloria’s math set (which I could bet he didn’t), he would have told me. He was the kind of friend who told me everything, including his reason for puncturing the motorcycle tyre of our physics teacher. I was his lookout for that operation. Mischievous as he is, though, Sadiq does not take what does not belong to him.

He was eventually vindicated when Gloria’s bottle was found. But he was an easy suspect because he was spotted entering the class at a time when everyone was seated in the multipurpose hall. I learned a valuable lesson that day: perception often holds as much power as facts.

Days after his first media chat as Nigeria’s leader, President Bola Tinubu found his government facing indictments from the junta leader of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani.

He accused Nigeria of colluding with France to destabilise his country. Though Nigeria’s Federal Government, the Presidency, and the National Security Adviser have strongly denied this claim, the accusation sounded believable enough to sway many Nigerians—no thanks to the optics of the past 18 months.

While Tchiani’s claims lack evidence, anyone watching would not deny that France is President Tinubu’s most visited foreign destination since assuming office—six visits in 18 months alone.

One might argue that his long romance with the city of love, Paris, before assuming office inevitably spilled into his term as president and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority.

On June 20, 2023, three weeks after assuming office, Tinubu opened his foreign schedule in Paris, the city he last visited as President-elect, participating in the Paris Summit for the New Global Financial Pact. After the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, in September 2023, he perched in France for a few days before returning to Abuja.

He resumed travels on January 24, 2024, with Paris, spending 14 days on a private visit. In August, he launched his newly acquired Airbus A330 luxury jet with a trip to Paris, France. Two months later, Tinubu was in France again as part of his two-week working leave. Last November became the icing on the cake as French President Emmanuel Macron hosted him for a well-televised three-day state visit.

For presidents, international trips are beyond schedules and summits. Their timing and frequency are potent messages for anyone watching.

Therefore, seeing his neighbour fraternising regularly with Niger’s former coloniser must have sent chills down Tchiani’s spine. Naturally, it was easy to weave a narrative of conspiracy. All he needs to do is to dangle these past trips before a naïve audience, and voila!

Now, Tinubu’s trips give no credence to Tchiani’s claims any better than Sadiq’s sneaking back to class meant stealing Gloria’s math set. However, symbolism can become ammunition. The President’s engagement with France needs clearer framing because even when the facts favour you, appearances often need their own defence.

France’s deep historical ties to West Africa—sometimes paternal, often predatory—may justify General Tchiani’s paranoia. But his comments may reflect more of his internal problems and beef with France, as the Federal Government explained. Various reports have shown growing discontent within Niger, with Tchiani being accused of authoritarian tendencies and desperation to cling to power.

His remarks may well be an attempt to divert attention from these domestic problems by invoking an external bogeyman—France, with Nigeria as its sidekick. Word on the street says Nigeriens now bet with goats and cash to predict which country the 60-year-old General will accuse next. In other words, it’s not a new thing; it’s just Nigeria’s turn.

Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has dismissed Tchiani’s comments as an attempt to drag Nigeria into Niger’s internal battles with France. Ribadu emphasised Nigeria’s focus on regional stability and condemned efforts to destabilise relations through baseless accusations. Nonetheless, this issue demands more than mere denials. As I said, the President’s engagement with France needs clearer framing.