Until his appointment to chair the Steering Committee of the Niger Delta Summit, Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari has enjoyed a quiet and illustrious career in diplomacy garnering many accolades in the process.

From a humble beginning as Director-General of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Gambari over the years, has held several positions in the United Nations since going there as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative. The current being UN envoy to Myanmar where he is making appreciable progress to broker peace in the troubled country.

His appointment as the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Niger Delta Summit by the President Umar Yar’ Adua Government was to replicate his success in troubled countries like the beleaguered Niger Delta region. But rather than assure the people of the region of the sincerity of the Federal Government towards resolving the problems of the region, his appointment has provoked widespread opposition. Reaching out to his diplomacy bag, Gambari has called for a 90-day truce for him to consult with stakeholders, including the militant groups. This has, however, triggered more protests from the people of the region, boxing the Yar’ Adua government into a corner and casting a doubt on the summit.

The man Gambari
Born in Ilorin, Kwara State in 1944, Prof Gambari attended Kings College, Lagos and proceeded to the London School of Economics and Political Science where he obtained a degree in Political Science with specialty in International Relations. Between 1970 and 1974 he obtained M.A and PH.D International Relations from the Columbia University.
After several years that found him in various teaching positions, Gambari became the Director General of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs from where he became the Minister of External Affairs after the Buhari/ Idiagbon coup in 1983.

When Buhari was overthrown in 1985 by Ibrahim Babangida, Gambari became the Permanent Representative at the United Nations and was in the position for several years until Kofi Anan appointed him Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser on Africa and later Under Secretary-General Political Affairs before the new Secretary-General, Ban Ki- moon made him the Special Adviser on International Compact with Iraq and other political issues. Aside this, Gambari has being a senior member of Nigerian delegation to 10 sessions of the United Nations where he chaired several committees.

The case against him
Central to the argument canvassed by the Niger Delta people rejecting the chairmanship of Gambari was the allegation that during the Ogoni crisis when he was Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, he did not do enough to save the lives of late Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders being tried by the Abacha government.
He was said to have made derogatory remarks about Ken Saro-Wiwa in order to attract sympathy for the Abacha government and save it from sanctions from Western countries.
According to his critics, somebody who had taken such position about the struggle of the region cannot fashion out any solution that would address the crisis in the region.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) believes his appointment is a diversion by the Federal Government to run away from the main issues affecting the people of the region.
The group also argues that the idea of the summit itself is a waste of time, adding that there was no summit that was convene for the accelerated development of Abuja.
The Network of Freedom Fighters in tandem with MEND believes Gambari is the least qualified to chair the summit.

The group’s spokesman, Nengi James is, of the view that Gambari would execute the script prepared by the Federal Government on the outcome of the summit.
Noble Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has also added his voice to the brouhaha, urging the Federal Government to replace Gambari with another personality of international repute.
This argument has found support in Dr Fredrick Fasehun, leader of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC). He stretched it further by suggesting Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth to replace Gambari.

Speaking in Madrid, Spain, at the just concluded World Petroleum Congress (WPC), Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, did not reject or support Gambari but he appealed to the international community to intervene in the crisis in the Niger Delta region since the problem had grown beyond a local one.

Dousing the fire
As part of efforts by the Federal Government to shore up support for Gambari, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan called a meeting of political representatives of the region in the National Assembly at Aso Rock. Also in attendance were state governors of the nine Niger Delta states. While the meeting agreed in principle with the idea of the summit the issue of Gambari was deferred to the following day where with an enlarged attendance to include opinion leaders of the region.

The leaders in their submission accepted the summit but rejected Gambari to chair the steering committee. All the explanations of Jonathan that Gambari carries with him an experience at conflict resolution and a personality of the United Nations could not convinced the leaders as they stuck to their gun.
But not to be frustrated, Gambari has denied ever making derogatory remarks about Ken Saro Wiwa and his Ogoni patriots. He said he would meet and convince the stakeholders of his sincerity in finding a lasting solution to the problems of the region.

Hear him: “ I understand this is a sensitive matter but my experience on conflict resolution and based on my commitment as a patriotic Nigerian, alongside the other members of the steering committee, we shall address the Niger Delta problem in a way that all Nigerians would be proud”
He continued: “I have never been known with running away from a challenge even though I realize that this is delicate, complex and sensitive”

Hard stand
But rather than subside, the criticisms have increased with more groups and leaders of the region insisting that the Federal Government would jeopardize the summit if it goes ahead with Gambari as the Chairman. Even such explanations by Vice-President Jonathan that he was the one that nominated Gambari and that he is not the candidate of the North has not convince the people of the Niger Delta.
One of the critics of Gambari who incidentally served with him in the cabinet of the Buhari/ Idiagbon government, Prof Tam David West captured the mood of those opposed to Gambari succinctly.

He said : “He (Gambari) has no business at the summit. The only thing honourable for him to do is to excuse himself from the summit. He cannot say he would resign because he has not been appointed. He is just Chairman –designate. He should save us all this trouble and tell President Umar Yar’ Adua that he wish to be excused from the summit. I know him to be an honourable man. If he insist to be at the summit that means he has a personal interest and not the interest of the people of the Niger Delta. He is a brilliant and intelligent man but the people of the Niger Delta said they don’t want him, elders say they don’t want him, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) say they don’t want him”

What next?
Information available top Sunday Sun indicates that Gambari is planning to hold consultations with President Umar Yar’ Adua and Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan to fashion out a way in the face of the mounting opposition.
Sources close to Gambari insist that he is very committed to see that the crisis in the Niger Delta comes to an end and believes he can use his expertise and experience combined with the other members of the steering committee to achieve this.
The National Association of Seadogs, Bayelsa state chapter has appealed to the Federal Government to address the concerns raised by the people of the region before the commencement of the summit so as not to defeat its purpose. Time would tell whether the Yar’ Adua government would listen.