Lagos, [Current Date] – Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, a diplomat and former Chief of Staff to the President, has shed light on how former President Olusegun Obasanjo missed the opportunity to become the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) in 1991. Gambari disclosed that Obasanjo’s military background was a key factor that led to his disqualification by countries with veto power.
This revelation was made during the public presentation of the biography of the late Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the first African UN Secretary-General, who assumed office in 1991 and served a single term until 1996. The biography, titled “Boutros Boutros-Ghali: Afro-Arab Prophet, Pharaoh, and Pope,” was authored by Prof. Adekeye Adebajo.
The book launch, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs on Victoria Island, featured Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi as the reviewer and Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, the NIIA Director General.
Gambari shared a remarkable account of the events leading to the selection of Boutros Boutros-Ghali as the UN Secretary-General in 1991. He recalled a conversation in which an envoy told him that Obasanjo had no chance of being chosen. Gambari was puzzled and asked for an explanation. The envoy responded, “When we, the big nations, are looking for a Secretary-General, the emphasis is on the secretary and not on the general.”
The envoy’s statement highlighted the preference of the veto-wielding powers for a secretary rather than a general, as they sought someone they could direct, not a military figure who might give them orders. This insight into the UN’s decision-making process shed light on why Obasanjo, despite being highly qualified, lost the opportunity to become Secretary-General.
Gambari also noted that Boutros-Ghali, who was initially perceived as a secretary, turned out to be a general in his approach, just as Kofi Annan, whom they thought would be a secretary, also demonstrated a general’s leadership style. When UN leaders deviated from the expectations of major powers, consequences often followed, as exemplified by Boutros-Ghali’s single term and the pressure faced by Kofi Annan to retire over trivial charges.
Gambari spoke about his close relationship with Boutros Boutros-Ghali, describing him as the first UN Secretary-General from Africa and the first to hold the position during the post-Cold War era. He highlighted the challenges Boutros-Ghali encountered when organizing security council meetings with all member state heads as delegates, making it a unique and demanding aspect of his tenure.
Furthermore, Gambari discussed the high and low points of Boutros-Ghali’s career, identifying the 1994 Rwanda genocide as a significant low point. Under his leadership, the UN failed to respond effectively to prevent genocide, and major powers were criticized for their inaction during the crisis.
Prof. Adebajo, the book’s author, explained that the title, “Boutros Boutros-Ghali: Afro-Arab Prophet, Pharaoh, and Pope,” was chosen due to Boutros-Ghali’s role as a peace-making prophet during the Egypt-Israel peace treaty negotiations from 1977 to 1981, where he acted as the de-facto foreign minister of Egypt.