Underperformance, IPDs and Booh-Boohs in the system

“To my surprise and chagrin, Jacques-Roger Booh-Booh turned out to be a proper gentlemen who kept diplomatic working hours. He was not involved in helping me deal with the fallout of the massacres and the propaganda wars they were provoking. He was rarely in his office before ten, took a full two-hour lunch and left the office before five. He made it clear he was not to be tracked down and disturbed on the weekends unless there was a dire emergency. He seemed to bring nothing new to the table in the way of expertise on Rwanda, knowledge of the conflict, familiarity with the Arusha accords, or skill at identifying and dealing with the political intrigues of the nation. He was not inclined to take the lead on the international political effort, even though the enormous power invested in him and his mandate by the UN Security Council made him the logical person to do so” (Lt Gen Romeo Dallaires, Shake Hands With The Devil, p.118).



Governor Kashim Shettima’s allegation of non-performance against most of the 126 NGOs that have mobilised to and are now based in the North-east of Nigeria does not come as a surprise. It rather lends support to the findings of our recent study in which some participants said funds donated for the welfare of IDPs are spent on logistics even before they reach the camps and, so, play no significant role in alleviating the sufferings of the IPDs. It also means that, in spite of the UN rebuttal, there are still many Booh-Boohs clogging the system, to whom the welfare of victims of conflict or disaster or any humanitarian crisis is not a priority.



Those familiar with the politics of the UN, an extremely conservative institution, would hesitate to trust the rebuttal. After all at a time UNAMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda) grappled with an unprecedented humanitarian crisis arising from the genocide in Rwanda and the conflict in neighbouring Burundi, amidst paucity of funds and a threat from the World Bank to cut off financial support, Booh-Booh, cheered on by an equally indifferent colleague, led a self-indulgent lifestyle in spite of the devastation of Kigali and its residents among others whose decomposing remains littered the streets and were meals for rodents and hungry dogs.



Dallaire, the Canadian General to whom Rwanda should only have been a detached duty post, notes that Booh-Booh, a Cameroonian career UN official whose connection to the beleaguered people and country should have been more expressive, neither questioned nor rejected outrageously overgenerous spending for his (Booh-Booh’s) own well-being. For example Gen Dallaire states:



“Booh-Booh’s residence was already palatial, but Kane also insisted that the SRSG be ferried around the country in grand diplomatic style. At one point, Kane ordered the purchase of two Daewoo Super Salon vehicles and more furniture for Booh-Booh’s residence, including oriental carpets and expensive easy chairs. Kane had also commandeered a Land Cruiser and driver so that Booh-Booh’s staff could run errands and do shopping, even as my MILOBs made do with too few vehicles” (p.176).



Mamadou Kane was Booh-Booh’s chief political adviser and confidant. MILOBs (also known as United Nations Military Observers, UNMOs) were the unarmed military officers that had been loaned to the mission by their respective countries. They performed discreet monitoring, observing and reporting roles and were fundamental to the success of the mission. But, even they were similarly deprioritised.



This ranting over NGOs’ non-performance aside, what has happened to individuals that have acted alone or in collaboration with others to deny the IDPs access to funds and welfare materials provided by the government? I know of a bloke who suddenly became rich after securing a ‘lucrative’ contract to supply essentials like food to the camps. Truth is fat cats won’t stop feeding on the misery of poor ones. And nothing may happen. So, I expect more NGOs to mobilise to the devastated North-eastern Nigeria and make a killing on their grief. It’s a money-spinning venture. But that won’t stop the few genuine ones from making a difference.