by Douglas Owusu

In the wake of the hoopla engendered by the reckless and insensitive comments of some top Nigerian officials, particularly defence Minister Godwin Abbe, the Nigerian high commissioner to Ghana, Musliu Obanikoro, has indulged in a vigorous denial. 'Ridiculous lies,' he was quoted to have said, insisting no Nigerian official made derogatory remarks about Ghana.

'It is becoming a pattern, something is being done to weaken the relationship between our two great countries,' he went further to say.

It is particularly disheartening that the accredited representative of Nigeria in Ghana can resort to such blatant lies in his bid to cover for an obvious nauseating and unpardonable indiscretion by top officials of the government he represents.

All the comments attributed to the three Nigerian officials were absolutely true. The Nigerian defence minister spoke in the presence of journalists and his comments were widely reported by radio and television stations in Nigeria, as well as newspapers, the state-owned Nigerian News Agency and the Pan African News Agency. The minister was asked by reporters to comment on reports that Ghanaian troops serving with their Nigerian counterparts on UN missions were better paid and had better equipment. His answer was, "when you are discussing Nigeria, don't compare us with Ghana next time because Ghana is very small compared to Nigeria in terms of size, armed forces. The volume of water generated in Ghana is not enough to flush toilets in Lagos State.

The number of teachers that you have to pay salaries in the whole of Ghana is not more than Western Nigeria, and the whole of Ghanaian armed forces, if you choose to know, are not more than two brigades of the Nigerian Armed Forces, period."

Instead of answering the question bordering on the welfare of Nigerian troops serving with the UN the minister launched into a needless tirade. By the way, what is the size of Ghana got to do with how soldiers are being looked after?

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It will be very easy to obtain video tapes from Nigerian stations such as AIT, NTA and Channels, all of whom covered the event. As a matter of fact, the Nigerian Tribune in its September 3, 2009 editorial titled ˜Faulty Comparison," criticized the minister for those chilling comments. Another online Nigerian publication, naiaraland.com, also denounced the minister.

Regrettably, it was the not the first time in recent times that Nigerian officials had made denigrating remarks about Ghana. Much of it stems from the growing frustration within Nigeria about the country's huge problems and the apparent lack of progress in addressing them. Invariably, references are often made to Ghana regarding its relative progress and remarkable transformation, a fact accentuated by its selection for the first sub-Saharan Africa visit by US president Barrack Obama.

As much I welcome Ghana and Nigeria working together to promote unity and economic development, I have seen and heard enough during my stay in Nigeria to convince me that such a notion is mere wishful thinking. Beyond the public declarations by officials for improved bilateral relations, I seriously doubt if anything substantive could be achieved in the context of the seeming rivalry.

For instance, why should Nigeria ensure regular supply of oil and gas to Ghana when this will help to keep the lights on in Ghana while most Nigerians endure perpetual darkenss because their country is incapable of providing regular electricity despite its huge oil and gas resources? Why would Nigeria deepen the outcry in Nigeria over poor power supply characterized as a function of incompetent leadership?

What a relief that Ghana will soon have no need to import fuel from Nigeria or anywhere else again. We have a great country to be proud of. President Obama acknowledged the primordial role of Ghana in international relations during his Ghana visit.

"I have come here, to Ghana, for a simple reason: the 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well," he said.

It gladdens my heart to note that more Ghanaians enjoy electricity, potable water, functional health care, security, education and have a better standard of living that Nigerians, according to the United Nations. The greatness of a nation is not measured by its size, population, the number of expensive cars or mansions a few of its privileged citizens own. Â It is measured by its ability to provide its citizens with a good life.

Ironically, while Nigerian officials are in the regular habit of denigrating other countries, they take serious exception to anything they see as demeaning or derogatory about Nigeria. The government reacted angrily to a recent Sony Internet 419 advert and insisted that it be withdrawn and an apology tendered. In the past few days, Information Minister Dora Akunyili has launched a blistering attack on a South African film which she claimed depicted Nigerians as barbarians and in a bad light.

Perhaps if we limit our official interaction with Nigeria it may endanger a greater measure of respect. You know what they say familiarity breed contempt. The level of engagement between Nigeria and her immediate neighbours such as Cameroon,Niger and Benin is nowhere near the exchanges between Nigeria and Ghana. For instance, there is relatively very little formal economic relationship between Nigeria and her immediate neighbours.