- Title: NIGERIA: U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON MAKES HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT
- Date: 29th August 2000
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) 1. SLV ABUJA GATE WITH AMERICAN AND NIGERIAN FLAGS 0.08 2. LAS MAN ON ELEVATED PLATFORM PAINTING A FLAGPOLE; SLV ABUJA GATE (2 SHOTS) 0.19 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN SENATE PIUS ANYIM, SAYING: "We are expecting that as Clinton visits Nigeria the cooperation between Nigeria and America will be enhanced and this obviously and definitely will draw to Nigeria some social improvements, some economic improvements, in particular maybe an enhanced investment relationship and improved economic aid and so on." 0.43 4. SCU PRESIDENT ANYIM TALKING TO AN AIDE 0.46 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANYIM, SAYING "It is a very hardline task. It is a very difficult one to do because we are talking about changing people's way of thinking, people's way of life, people's way of expectation because the issue of corruption is largely a moral issue and to overnight change the way of life of a group of people as many as 100 million of course is not an easy job." 1.15 LAGOS, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) 6. SLV BUSY MARKET SCENES; WOMEN CARRYING WARES ON THEIR HEADS (4 SHOTS) 1.50 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SULEYMAN AJIDE, SAYING: "I think his coming here will boost the Nigerian economy. It will help other countries come and invest in Nigeria." 2.02 LAGOS, NIGERIA (FILE) (REUTERS) 8. MV NIGERIAN WORKERS PROTESTING DURING THE FUEL CRISIS (5 SHOTS) 2.39 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th September 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LAGOS AND ABUJA, NIGERIA
- Country: Nigeria
- Reuters ID: LVABSBXTPUF63B3FJCKZTMA9GO7E
- Story Text: U.S. President Bill Clinton pays his first visit this
weekend to Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria. The visit
is intended to promote democracy and growth in a country that
returned to civilian rule last year after 16 years under the
military.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, elected last May, will
host Clinton. Obasanjo, a former military ruler himself who
stepped down from power, has presided over the country's
transition to democracy.
Nigeria faces enormous problems. The world's largest oil
producer, it is unable to provide power for its 120 million
citizens. A strike and protests in June followed a brief
collapse of power supplies to Lagos.
For a country with enormous potential oil wealth the sight
of long lines for petrol is a source of national frustration.
Nigeria's capital, Abuja, is a city designed for the 21st
century, its wide freeways and space a market contrast to
Lagos. Clinton is due to arrive there on Saturday morning for
a two-day visit and preparations are well underway.
Nigeria's Senate on Thursday handed power formally to a
newly-elected Senate President Pius Anyim, after his
predecessor was forced to resign over a corruption scandal.
The resignation was seen by many as a sign that the
country is at last starting to get to grips with one of the
other gnawing problems that it faces - corruption. Anyim
believes Clinton's visit could help.
He said: "We are expecting that as Clinton visits Nigeria
the cooperation between Nigeria and America will be enhanced
and this obviously and definitely will draw to Nigeria some
social improvements some economic improvements in particular
maybe an enhanced investment relationship and improved
economic aid and so on."
He added: "It is a very hardline task. It is a very
difficult one to do because we are talking about changing
people's way of thinking, people's way of life, people's way
of expectation because the issue of corruption is largely a
moral issue and to overnight change the way of life of a group
of people as many as 100 million of course is not an easy
job."
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