Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja
Former Kaduna State Senator and prominent human rights activist, Shehu Sani, has denounced what he describes as a stark double standard in international diplomacy, using US President Donald Trump’s dealings with Saudi Arabia as a prime example.
Sani’s comments spotlight the contrasting approaches taken by Western powers towards oil-rich Arab nations and poorer African countries.
He pointed to Trump’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which resulted in investment deals worth a reported trillion dollars, as a case where strategic and economic interests completely overshadowed discussions on human rights.
“When they meet with leaders from oil-rich Arab countries, they bow and honor them, meticulously avoiding anything that will anger them.
“Nobody dares to tell them that all the ISIS and Al-Qaeda terrorists came from their countries. Questions about human rights, executions, terrorism, or religion are conveniently left off the table”, Sani stated.
The former senator drew a sharp contrast with how the same Western leaders, particularly the Trump administration, engaged with African counterparts. He cited the infamous 2018 incident where then-President Trump reportedly asked the President of Liberia, George Weah, where he had learned to speak such good English.
“It’s only when they meet African leaders that the questions about human rights, governance, and even condescending inquiries about language skills come up,” Sani asserted. “This is not about principle; it is about power and poverty.”
Sani concluded with a powerful, summarizing aphorism that has since gone viral on social media: “In a material world, a poor man is already a sinner.”
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