Can political events happening in the United States of America be used to explain events in Nigeria and vice versa? There are some interesting developments between the United States and Nigeria in respect of US presidents and some Nigerian politicians. Among other things to note are the higher education institutions as jointly attended by some of these personalities.

First, Gen Dwight Eisenhower, the 34^th President of the US and President Muhammadu Buhari (retd major-general) both studied at the US Army War College. Eisenhower died on March 28, 1969 while Buhari was elected on March 28, 2015.

In his farewell address as president, Eisenhower expressed his reservations at what he termed the “Military industrial complex” whereas, at the beginning of his tenure as president, Buhari advocated what he called “A moderate military-industrial complex.”

Eisenhower handed over to John Fitzgerald Kennedy, whereas Buhari was sworn-in on the anniversary of the birth of John Kennedy.

Second, history seems to repeat itself with John Kennedy and Nigerian Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa on the one hand and Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, and Abdul Tafawa Balewa (son of the late prime minister) on the other. The latter are co-chairmen of the Nigerian Intervention Movement (NIM).

John Kennedy and Olisa Agbakoba were both born on May 29, 1917, and May 29, 1953, respectively. Kennedy and Agbakoba both attended the London School of Economics. Kennedy and Agbakoba are both Catholics. John Kennedy, in 1961, met with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in the US, the first such meeting for a Nigerian leader described as “Nigeria’s finest moment” in the United States

Third, Barack Obama, 44^th President of the United States, has some things in common with Fela Durotoye, who expressed his intention to contest the presidency then on February 22, 2018, the anniversary of the birth of George Washington, first president of the US. Obama and Durotoye are both alumni of Harvard, they are both married to lawyers, they have both been singled out for their oratorical prowess, they both have master’s degrees; they are both children of academics. Obama’s mother had a PhD in anthropology and Durotoye’s mother a PhD in geology. They both lost their fathers prematurely. Obama’s father died from a motor accident, while Durotoye’s father died of diabetes. Obama and Durotoye had both been singled out for their oratorical prowess. Obama was born in 1961 and Durotoye 1971.

Obama was a senator from Chicago, capital of mid-west America and home of the world’s first sky-scraper and printing capital of America. Related, Durotoye was born in Ibadan, capital of South-west Nigeria and home of tropical Africa’s first sky-scraper and publishing capital of Nigeria.

Obama was a community organiser in the south side of Chicago while Durotoye has also been a community organiser, with his most notable act referred to as the “Mushin make-over.”

•COINCIDENCES is a periodic column published on selected Wednesdays. The columnist, Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth, is based in England, Britain, but can be reached via e-mail through atogonub@yahoo.com or info@newsexpressngr.com

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