Thread by @Chxta

This retraction by @AlJazeera actually raises more questions than answers, and to my mind at least, brings to the fore, the fact that our Federal Republic of Anyhowness, has gone global...

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by @gimbakakanda view original on Twitter

Yesterday, asides @AlJazeera_World, other news outlets, including the Twitter only news outlet, @spectatorindex said that #Nigeria's ambassador had attended the opening of the American Embassy in #Jerusalem.

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Isreali outlets such at @TimesofIsrael and @HamodiaIL also ran with the news. @haaretzcom actually went so far as to publish an infograph that included #Nigeria's name as one of the country's "celebrating with them" on the grand new opening...

So, what is the meaning of all this?

First, on December 22 last year, #Nigeria was among 128 countries that voted in favour of the #UN resolution not to back the American decision to recognise #Jerusalem as #Israel's capital.

When the Israeli's published the list of countries that had decided to change their mind from their YES and attend the ceremony, the following had "changed" - #Albania, #Angola, #Austria, #Congo, #IvoryCoast, #Nigeria, #Peru, #Serbia, #Thailand and #Vietnam.

Both #Guatemala and #Honduras who voted against the resolution, sent their ambassadors to the party, while #Togo does not have an embassy in #Israel, and I assume neither do #Micronesia, #Nauru or #Palau.

Of the countries that abstained back in December, #Cameroon, #DominicanRepublic, #Hungary, #Panama, #Romania, #Rwanda and #SouthSudan decided to go for the party.

Do you see what I am seeing?

A huge party was happening in #Israel, and the Israelis invited everyone (except presumably HAMAS and #Iran). In the diplomatic corps, there MUST be a response to such an invitation, and for multiple outlets to say that #Nigeria was attending, it means our embassy said YES.

If our embassy said YES and attended, it puts us in league with eight other countries, including three other African countries.

While the ideal thing is for a country to make a stand and stick by it, the truth is that at times, realpolitik means we have to change our minds.

There are many reasons why from standing against the move of the embassy in December, #Nigeria could have changed her mind.

#Israel trains a lot of our troops. @realDonaldTrump could have made that a price for the Tucanos.

A change of mind, no matter how inelegant, is valid.

Eight other countries apparently changed their minds, accepted the invite, and followed through.

But, if our embassy said YES, then did not attend, it puts us ALONE.

The implication is that #Nigeria's word isn't our bond - we can't be trusted.

But, let's keep pretending.