On February 12, in Abuja, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, delivered a sweeping address at the LEADERSHIP Group’s annual conference on “Political Stability and Sustainable Development in Africa: A Road Map For Nigeria.”
She spoke of social contracts, inclusive economies, climate resilience, and democratic foundations.
Mohammed praised Nigeria’s “vibrant independent media.” She cited IMF and World Bank growth projections. She invoked Tafawa Balewa.
It was a masterclass in what I once called image-laundering, the deployment of international prestige to validate a government’s self-description, dressed in the neutral language of multilateral aspiration.
The difference from the version I usually critique is that this time, the launderer did not travel to New York; the laundry came to Abuja.
