Sunday, 29 July 2012 00:00

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THE signing of a $ 23 million {N 3.68 bn} three year contract between Nigeria and Manitoba Hydro International of Canada on Monday for the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria {TCN} signifies yet another landmark in the bilateral relations between Canada and Nigeria.

The TCN is one of the successor companies from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria {PHCN} and combines the functions of transmission services provider and system operator with that of market operator. Nigeria has made an advance payment of $ 2.5 m{ N 40t)m} for the contract and the Canadian company will resume work tomorrow, Monday, July 30 at the PHCN headquarters in Abuja. The major mandate of the contract is the improvement of the Nigerian electricity sector and it follows in the tradition of the age long and enduring relationship between Canada and Nigeria.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries dated back to 1960 when Nigeria attained her independence from Britain. The ties however went sour during the regime of the late General Sani Abacha. A major sore point was the hanging of Mr Ken Saro-Wiwa, the world renowned environmental and minority rights activists, as well as 8 other Ogonis by the Abacha junta onNovember 10,1995 on trumped- up charges of murder, despite national and international pleas that they be spared.

Canada, Nigeria's fellow member of the Commonwealth of Nations was one of the former colonies of Britain that recalled their ambassadors over the defiance of the international community by the then Nigerian government. That was also the period Nigeria was engulfed in the protracted crisis following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola. Canada was interested in assisting the contending parties to resolve the crisis and it sent its High Commissioner back to Nigeria, earlier than some other countries.

Giving insights into his recall and the subsequent return to his duty post, the then Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Gerald Olsen told this reporter in February 1996 that "One of the things that you learnt when you are called back for such consultations is that you are widely consulted. I did have many meetings within government at every senior and ministerial level. I had meetings with members of the public who are interested in Nigeria; with non-governmental organizations, {NGOs} and with Labour Unions. There was a very high level of interest both within and outside government.

There was concern and anger at the hanging of Ken ISaro-Wiwa and his colleagues. I was called upon to speak with a lot of people." Olsen who had served as Canadian envoy in Zambia prior to his posting  here  added  that Coming to Nigeria.. .as you know , 1 came t)ack earlier than many others, {diplomats} "because my government and indeed the foreign minister at the time, were of the view that it was important I be here to work with broad members of the community, in government and in public, towards putting in place a transfer to an open civilian government."

Apart from extending generous assistance to the Nigerian pro-democracy and human rights communities at home and in exile during the trying period of military dictatorship, Canada as part of its promotion of democratic governance gave funding and technical support to the Nigerian government and the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC} on the 1999, 200: and 2007 elections. It equally has an ongoing project, lasting till 2015, to support the long-term electoral cycle, which included the 2011 Presidential and Gubernatorial elections.

The Canadian International Development Development Agency {CIDA} is also actively engaged m funding assistance to Nigeria in many sectors, including health, democratic governance and environmental issues among others, with total annual grants amounting to approximately $ 17 million. Nigeria is Canada's biggest trading partner in sub-Sahara Africa and the volume of the two-way merchandize between them in 2011 was put roughly at $ 2.7 billion while Canadian business concerns in Nigeria span oil and gas, telecommunications and manufacturing equipment, aeronautics, energy, and engineering and education services.

Stating that his country was interested in stronger ties ,the current Canadian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Chris Cooter pointed out that "trade has increased from less than $lbillion in 2010 to almost $3bn now, while Canadian investment in Nigeria has also surged to $3 billion. A new Canada-Nigeria Business Association was launched in December 2011 to add even more momentum." The growing ties between the two countries is complemented by high profile bilateral visits by senior government officials of the two countries in recent times.

President Goodluck Jonathan for example visited Canada in June 2010 to attend the G8 Summit, while Mr. Deepak Obhrai, the Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended Nigeria's Independence celebrations in Abuja on October 1st, 2010 as the Prime Minister of Canada's special representative. Two previous Nigerian Foreign Ministers, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and Mr Odein Ajumogobia, made official visits to Ottawa, Canada in December 2009 and March 2011 respectively during their tenures.

Parliamentary Secretary Obhrai also represented Canada at the inauguration of President Jonathan on May 29, 2011. And on April 23, 2012, Nigerian current Foreign Minister Olugbenga Ashiru visited Ottawa where he and Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird signed a Memorandum of Understanding, to Establish a Bi-National Commission.

A recent statement from Canadian High Commission sums up the ties between the countries by saying that "Canada enjoys strong and increasing bilateral relations with the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Nigeria is one or two strategic partners for Canada in sub-Saharan Africa. Our shared values and institutions and people-to-people ties f mufti cultural ism, federalism, Commonwealth) are pillars of Canada-Nigeria bilateral relations and provide a solid basis for increased engagement."