By Simeon Ugbodovon
Hello Disney! Hello Netflix! Somebody out there, hope you are listening to me. You are missing out on a potential blockbuster! Men, bet you, this one is no fluke, it is gonna swell bank vaults more than Spidey or Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery ever did! Without asking for a dime, I give you the sobriquet for the new cosmic hero on the block, note not comic hero, mind you. He is the Macho Man from Mar-a-Lago! When premiered, tongues are gonna get wagging, for Macho Man from Mar-a-Lago will be a surreal faction: an all time worldwide box office.
Ever wonder why Putin has suddenly become all ears? The Kremlin strongman is even offering the US astonishing largesse, mineral resources and possible collaboration on aluminium production in Krasnoyarsk, in Russia’s Siberia housing Rusal, Moscow’s aluminium maker with its largest smelters
What a cosy offer for a profound Russo-American relationship, surpassing Washington and Moscow’s post cold war romance.
In a state TV interview, Putin said he was ready to “offer” resources to American partners in joint projects, including mining in Russia’s “new territories”
Hmm, new territories? Ho! eastern Ukraine which Moscow bludgeoned Kiev to acquire three years ago.
Putin’s plumb nouveau to Trump comes amidst a deal between US and Ukraine on mineral resources on Kiev’s territories.
In his televised interview, Putin countered Trump’s push to access Ukraine’s mineral deposits, saying they were ready to work with “foreign partners” including companies on mining minerals.
He said a potential US-Ukraine deal on rare minerals was not a concern and that Russia “undoubtedly have, I want to emphasise, significantly more resources of this kind than Ukraine”.
What a curious move by Putin? What a smart guy he is, or cocky you would say! Russia prides itself in its natural resources.
A policy somersault in the making! Just two years back, in 2023 Putin labelled the West, particularly the US, a dismemberer, trying to “dismember” Russia to gain access to its natural resources.
Only a Macho Man can surely pull off what Donald Trump is doing. Putin prides himself in being masculine, never one to flinch in the past three years of engagement with Europe and the Joe Biden’s administration.
But here comes the Man from Mar-a-Lago: It is Iron Man meeting Thor. Before Trump’s second coming into the Washington oval office, Trump had said that he would fix the Moscow-Kiev war.
The Saudis hosted that meeting, to the exclusion of Europe, and Ukraine.
And Europe has been left wondering at what has hit it. The Continent’s worst fear is unfolding!
NATO is floundering. The over 75 year-old alliance is shaky, security guarantee from US might no longer be ironclad.
Is this ‘To your tent o Israel, that is during the lifetime of the present US administration?
Flurry of diplomatic shuttles might stave it off. France president, Macron has visited Trump to have his ears, and UK Prime Minister, Starmer is making similar trip to the Whitehouse.
But Europe and the UK is likely to remain on edge!
For European governments, it is a wake-up call to hold their destiny in their own hands rather trust it in the hands of another.
And the continent leaders are now on the quick security lane. Germany’s incoming Chancellor, Merz said after his German election victory that his “absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA” (BBC)
Denmark wants to up defence spending while Greece, Norway and others are ill at ease.
For UK, PM Keir Starmer says defence and security is now top priority, announcing cut in foreign aid to fund the extra £13bn spending a year.
Trump’s anti establishment actions are blessing in disguise. Trump’s America first slogan is not a crime. It is simply a policy shift.
UK has axed the volume of its aid; it is a policy shift borne out of exigency and the realities of the times.
Rwanda is already crying foul over UK’s withdrawal of aid over Kigali’s alleged support for M23 rebels pillaging DR Congo, though Rwanda keeps denying this.
That also is a matter of policy, and every country has the right to any framework that suits its interest whether in the short or long run.
What big lessons playing out to African successive leaders, who over the years have glued the destiny of their countries to the apron of Western nations and Asia power house for economic and security survival.
For decades majority of African leaders and their cronies have been laundering billions and millions of money in dollars from their nation’s coffers.
To cover their gross avarice, many of these corruption cesspools have tried to cling to power or instal stooges who will play ball by covering their tracks.
While some of the stooges have ingloriously acquiesced, some have let out their can of worms.
These loots kept in offshore accounts and investment in the form of other assets, if utilised at home, could have catered for issues and problems these kleptomaniac leaders and their acolytes seek aid for.
Is it not time African leaders search their souls and think of posterity, not in terms of loots they leave behind for their children but the legacy they wish to be remembered for?
Is it not high time, the continent took its destiny in its own hands by developing pragmatic education, engineering home-grown technology that addresses health problems, food security, securing territorial integrity in the face of threats from insurgents and other non state actors?
Surely, the continent abound with the natural and human resources to attain to these goals.
How come that African professionals in various fields, especially in fields of health, science and technology, hit limelight with inventions, once outside the continent?
Pathetically, many of their counterparts, professor or doctor of xyz end up setting their eyes on political offices: local government chairman, commissioner, minister, senator and governor?
That is where the money is! Compared to the paltry take-home for all the years spent burning the midnight candle on studying, researches, to reach these academic poles.
As Europe grapples with the realities of a possible Trump and Putin parley to its exclusion in peace talks over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Africa should begin to rethink its security, in the long term.
It should gradually begin to wean itself from relying on the West for financial aids or technical support for peace keeping mission on the continent.
Europe is worried about becoming a trouble spot in this 21st century, understanding its history of wars, particularly the continent being the root of the First and Second World wars.
But then there are discordant tune in Europe’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
While the majority of the political leaders seek strong response to Putin, a few others have warmed up to him.
African Union should avoid divisive responses as Sudan boils, and DR Congo is being devastated.
Should Rwanda be truly found to be neck deep in the long drawn conflict in DR Congo, AU should without mincing words, condemn Kigali’s action while giving the M23 rebels ultimatum to withdraw from territories they occupy.
If M23 proves recalcitrant, AU should consider raising an African Union force to push the group out of DR Congo.
