President Joseph Biden has announced his delegation to the inauguration of Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president on May 29.
The nine-member team is led by Marcia L. Fudge, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the equivalent of a minister.
The team has David Greene, chargé d’affaires (or ambassador’s deputy) at the U.S. Embassy Abuja; Sydney Kamlager-Dove, House of Representative member; Marisa Lago, Under Secretary (Minister of State equivalent) of Commerce for International Trade, and General Michael Langley, Commander of U.S. Africa Command.
It also has Enoh Ebong, director, U.S. Trade and Development Agency; Mary Catherine Phee, assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of African Affairs; Judd Devermont, special assistant to the president and senior director for African Affairs, and Monde Muyangwa, assistant administrator for the Bureau for Africa.
– How strong is the team?
Nigerians closely follow United States’ decisions on their country for various reasons, not least because the U.S. is the world’s most powerful democracy and Nigeria’s biggest donor. This attention has intensified following the Feb. 25 presidential election, which many Nigerians and opposition parties Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party have labelled rejected.
In an April open letter to President Biden, Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie said the election was “deliberately manipulated” and criticized the U.S. state department for congratulating Mr Tinubu. He urged Mr Biden not to follow suit.
Last week, the U.S. top diplomat, Secretary of States Antony Blinken, spoke with Mr Tinubu on the phone, riling opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who issued statements in response.
Since the announcement of the U.S. presidential delegation was named Monday, Nigerians have scrutinized its composition to have a sense of the Biden administration’s position on Mr Tinubu’s keenly disputed election.
A Pluboard review shows that if the composition of the delegation is any indication, this is one of the most robust U.S. teams attending a Nigerian presidential inauguration since 1999.
– 2015: Obama delegation to Buhari’s inauguration
This election and its outcome were well followed by the U.S. government.
President Obama sent a six-member team led by Secretary of State John Kerry. The secretary of state is one of four U.S. most important cabinet roles, alongside the secretary of the treasury, secretary of defense, and attorney general.
Members of the team were: James F. Entwistle, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria; Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; and General David M. Rodriguez, Commander, U.S. Africa Command.
It also had Grant T. Harris, special assistant to the president and senior director for African Affairs and Hakeem Olajuwon, NBA Legend and Olympic gold medallist.
– 2011: Obama delegation to Jonathan’s inauguration
Opposition leaders at the time, including Muhammadu Buhari, criticised the 2011 election and former Nigerian leaders Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, boycotted the inauguration of Goodluck Jonathan.
President Obama announced sent a small team led by Johnnie Carson, who was the assistant secretary of state for the bureau of African affairs. The team also had Terence P. McCulley, who was the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria.
– 2007: Bush delegation to Yar’adua’s inauguration
The 2007 election was marred by irregularities and rigging and was widely condemned. Concerns over polling and voting left questions about Yar’Adua’s democratic legitimacy and other countries including the United States were cautious with their responses.
NPR reported that the George Bush administration sent “relatively junior envoys” to witness the swearing-in ceremony. The team was led by Jendayi Frazer, U.S. assistant secretary in charge of Africa. The assistant secretary is lower in ranking than the deputy secretary.
– 2003: Bush delegation to Obasanjo’s inauguration
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s second inauguration was less celebratory than the first. The outcome of his election was also rejected by the opposition.
The official U.S. delegation was led by Secretary of Education Rod Paige. Although we could not retrieve other names on the team, it appears this was a fairly small team.
– 1999: Clinton’s delegation to Obasanjo’s inauguration
Nigeria’s return to democracy was well applauded globally. The inauguration was attended by over a dozen African heads of state, among them President Nelson Mandela of South Africa.
The United States sent a delegation led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, President Bill Clinton’s special envoy for Africa, and Rodney E. Slater, the Secretary of Transportation. King Charles, who was the Prince of Wales at the time, represented Britain.
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