Ambassador Isola Speaks on Future of Commonwealth under King Charles 111 with CNN's Christina Macfarlane ...Wants Nigeria robust relationship with Britain, particularly in the issues of business activities and exchange cultural programs (Full Interview)
By Adetokunbo Fakeye
London - The Nigerian High Commissioner to United Kingdom, UK on Thursday, 5th April, 2023 in a live interview with CNN's Christina Macfarlane demanded for more robust relationship with Britain, particularly in the issues of business activities and exchange cultural programs.
Below is the full interview, where Ambassador Isola speaks on Future of Commonwealth under King Charles 111 with CNN's Christina Macfarlane.
Christiana: And, it is now time for the exchange. And a closer look at the future of the commonwealth under king Charles the third. With me now is the Nigerian high commissioner to London. Ambassador, thank you so much for joining us. I know you are missing a commonwealth summit hosted by your president who arrived just yesterday to be here with us.
Q. Let's kick off by talking about what that will be like. What is that some of, the commonwealth summit involve exactly?
Ans. Well, there is commonwealth leaders meeting. 36 of them, he Charles supposed to spend sometime with them. After that the king will go back to Buckingham palace and they will hold a session. The youth development. And thereafter, they will proceed to Buckingham for the kings procession.
Q. So the president is here I know the delegation. How are the Nigerian people feeling about this coronation and what it signifies as a former commonwealth, or part of the commonwealth?
Ans. It is, maybe you want to say a former colony. Right Ties between Nigeria and Britain over a century. This directly means that we are country with the largest commonwealth. 220 million people. That is quite significant since Nigeria became a part of the commonwealth, right now we are an executive member of the Commonwealth. Also Nigeria is Chairman accreditation Committe of Commonwealth. Aside from that, the commonwealth games, Commonwealth of universities we are quite involved. And so many -- commonwealth activities, we play an active role.
Q. Since the death of the queen it has really sparked a sensitive abate debate around Britain's colonial path. And I think that for a lot of African countries there is an association there with Britain being one of pain and death in some ways and dehumanization of African countries. In recent days here, we have heard of commonwealth countries coming out and asking Kim Charles to apologize for Britain's role, formally in the colonies. Where does Nigeria stand on that, will you support that decision to ask that king to step up and recognize that history of the colonies in Africa?
Ans. I must tell you, Christiana that this has started even before. That level has been seen as an agenda for the incoming king. So, I mean issues of reparation, if you recall have been on the table. Of course there are issues, but I always believed that wherever you have challenges, agitation and conflict, the best thing is to sit on the table and look at the issues with a bit of perspective in common ground. I must seize this opportunity to appreciate the fact that our artifact are been returned. Cambridge started it, Hebeden has done it. Horniman has done it. So many are following suit. In the next couple of months. So, all of these efforts are correcting certain challenges of the past. In Nigeria we don't get engaged in unnecessary agitation. We present our issues, and they are discussed, and we mutually agree and move on.
Q. I don't know if you yourself have spent time with Jane king Charles, but I wonder about how you feel he will be a transformative monarch. Do you think he is going to have the power to take the monarchy forward, to modernize it, or do you think for many he will still be seen as a slightly older elderly whiteman who is trying to keep an institution going?
Ans. Yes you will see as king of Wale, he was very active. Active in the area of climate change, and as far as we are concerned in Nigeria, we cherish his kinship because within the contest of climate change, there is this green world project that is working on aforestation of our desert area. And among many other things, he's been in Nigeria couple of times. Most importantly we see him as somebody who is ready to look into the issues and who has empathy, human empathy and that is what is important in leadership. Once a human empathy is there, then all of that -- . So we are quite optimistic. Of course, that optimism comes from the fact that the president of Nigeria is here on ground with a very powerful delegation. And that signifies the fact that, as far as Nigeria is concerned, we look forward to a more robust relationship with Britain. Particularly in the issues of business activities and exchange cultural programs. So the president is here I know the delegation. How are the Nigerian people feeling about this coronation and what it signifies as a former commonwealth, or part of the commonwealth?
Ans. It is, maybe you want to say a former colony. Right Ties between Nigeria and Britain over a century. This directly means that we are country with the largest commonwealth. 220 million people. That is quite significant since Nigeria became a part of the commonwealth, right now we are an executive member of the Commonwealth. Also Nigeria is Chairman accreditation Committe of Commonwealth. Aside from that, the commonwealth games, Commonwealth of universities we are quite involved. And so many -- commonwealth activities, we play an active role.
Q. Since the death of the queen it has really sparked a sensitive abate debate around Britain's colonial path. And I think that for a lot of African countries there is an association there with Britain being one of pain and death in some ways and dehumanization of African countries. In recent days here, we have heard of commonwealth countries coming out and asking Kim Charles to apologize for Britain's role, formally in the colonies. Where does Nigeria stand on that, will you support that decision to ask that king to step up and recognize that history of the colonies in Africa?
Ans. I must tell you, Christina that this has started even before
That level has been for the, seen as an agenda for the incoming king. So, I mean issues of reparation, if you recall have been on the table. Of course there are issues, but I always believed that wherever you have challenges, agitation and conflict, the best thing is to sit on the table and look at the issues with a bit of perspective in common ground. I must seize this opportunity to appreciate the fact that our artifact are been returned. Cambridge started it, Hebeden has done it. Horniman has done it. So many are following suit. In the next couple of months. So, all of these efforts are correcting certain challenges of the past. In Nigeria we don't get engaged in unnecessary agitation. We present our issues, and they are discussed, and we mutually agree and move on.
Q. I don't know if you yourself have spent time with Jane king Charles, but I wonder about how you feel he will be a transformative monarch. Do you think he is going to have the power to take the monarchy forward, to modernize it, or do you think for many he will still be seen as a slightly older elderly whiteman who is trying to keep an institution going?
Ans. Yes you will see as king of Wale, he was very active. Active in the area of climate change, and as far as we are concerned in Nigeria, we cherish his kinship because within the contest of climate change, there is this green world project that is working on aforestation of our desert area. And among many other things, he's been in Nigeria couple of times. Most importantly we see him as somebody who is ready to look into the issues and who has empathy, human empathy and that is what is important in leadership. Once a human empathy is there, then all of that -- . So we are quite optimistic. Of course, that optimism comes from the fact that the president of Nigeria is here on ground with a very powerful delegation. And that signifies the fact that, as far as Nigeria is concerned, we look forward to a more robust relationship with Britain. Particularly in the issues of business activities and exchange cultural programs.
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