The dust raised by the controversial outbursts of the President of the United States of America Donald Trump, calling African countries, Haiti and El Savador "Shit Hole" countries is yet to settle. Already the African Union have asked for an official unreserved apology from the most powerful man in the world. News has it that many African leaders and governments of Haiti and El Salvador have also reacted to this which the aggrieved parties described as unguarded statement and unbecoming of the US President.
It is common and the fact to say that Mr Donald Trump has proven to be the most controversial President of the United States ever in history. This has been evident in the way and manner the US political scene has always been overheated ever since Mr Trump indicated interest to run for the occupation of the most important office in the whole world.
Somehow I have always enjoyed his guts as it has kept the world's political gladiators on their toes. Gladly and surprisingly too, Mr Trump has managed to deliver good and profitable actions and policies to the American people - impressive tax cuts, rising stock markets, etc despite the "one week, one trouble" state of the White House.
However the "Shit Hole" thing has come to all as a surprise. No country regarded as such would take it lightly. As a matter of international relations, such "Shit Hole" comments is capable of souring a good relationship, turning an ally into a foe etc. Nevertheless, I know that Mr Trump's "Shit Hole" is not and can never be the true representation of America's opinion on these countries. If these countries including Nigeria would be real Shit holes, why would the United States of America trade, feal, cooperate and get into many forms of bilateral relationships with "Shit Hole" countries?
That was an outburst! But I think mr Trump needs to render apologies to these countries for obvious reasons. However is the fact that the United States Immigration policies which brought about that comment is clearly indicative of the fact that these countries refered to in such words have a lot of work to do to do. Yes, they can do it. Maybe oneday, Americans and other developed parts of the world would go the extra mile to obtain VISAs to these "Shit Hole" countries either for tourism, business investments, knowledge transfer, medical etc.
Therefore these countries especially Nigeria must sit up. Their governments must stop paying lip service and go straight ahead to overhaul their institutions and make their systems begin to work better. There is much hunger in the land - not because these countries do not have abundant natural resources which makes them potential world powers, but because abuse of power, corruption, nepotism, ethnicity, impunity, crime, insecurity thrive above collective national interests. That is why their citizens would do anything to get to the United States or Europe.
It is not enough to demand apologies from the President of the United States although it is proper due to national and regional pride, rather much more is desired in seeing that the reasons these countries were tagged "Shit Holes" were vsummounted. This is a wake up call...not an insult!
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