US and di African Development Bank don fall out over accuse of corruption against di bank Nigerian head, former BBC Africa Business editor Larry Madowo write.
Akinwumi Adesina na sharp dresser wey dem sabi well-well for im expensive tailored suits, immaculate white shirts and plenti supply of colourful bow ties.
But dem don dey question di clean public persona of di 60-year-old president of di African Development Bank (AfDB) sake of corruption and abuse of office allegations from im own staff. Oga Adesina don deny all di allegations.
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Di board of governors of di 55-year-old institution meet on Tuesday to discuss whether to bring in outside investigator to chook eye for di allegations against Adesina and dis dey come after di US reject one initial inquiry wey don clear am from di accuse.
Dis independent probe dey come only three months before dem dey expect to re-elect am unopposed for di bank annual general meeting for August.
US dey at odds with Africa
Di 20-point accuse of “mago-mago and bad governance” from unnamed employees don expose di kwanta between Mr Adesina and ordinary staff.
Di “Group of Concerned Staff Members of di AfDB” claim say, Adesina don use di bank resources for self-promotion and personal gain and im dey pay plenti undeserved severance packages to staff wey resign mysteriously and im dey favour im fellow Nigerians.
US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin personally sign one letter to di board, to reject one internal investigate wey clear Oga Adesina.
Apart from di 54 African kontris, di US na one of di 27 non-regional members of di AfDB and im second largest shareholder.
AfDB 10 biggest shareholders:
- Nigeria: 9.1%; US: 6.5%; Egypt: 5.5%; Japan:5.4%;
- South Africa: 4.9% Algeria: 4.1%; Germany: 4%;
- Canada: 3.8%; Ivory Coast: 3.7%; France: 3.6%
Di BBC don obtain di original whistleblower email from January 2020, wey dem send to two executive directors of di bank, Yano Takuji (Japanese) and Steven Dowd (American), and di British director for im Integrity and Anti-Corruption Department Alan Bacarese.
For one April update wey dem circulate to wider pool of senior managers, di whistleblowers tok say di Ethics Committee wey Mr Takuji head don fail to examine dia concerns.
Di committee later chook eye for di mata and declare say Adesina dey “totally dey free from all di allegations wey dem make against am” and dem recommend make di board of governors adopt im conclusions.
For early May, di oga of di board – Ivorian Planning Minister Nialé Kaba – write to shareholders say di African finance ministers wey supervise di bank’s management wan clear Adesina.
“We fear say di wholesale dismissal of all allegations without appropriate investigate go spoil di reputation of dis institution as one wey no dey hold high standards of ethics and governance,” Mr Mnuchin write back.
“Sake of dis, di United States no support to dismiss di allegations at dis stage,” he add am.
Oga Kaba tok for statement say im neva make decision ontop oga Adesina and e remain for office.
‘Di allegations’
Di whistleblowers don accuse Adesina of major conflicts of interest for im dealings with current and former employees, im dey do things wey no dey follow di ethics of di work and im dey give preferential treatment.
Di whistleblowers also accuse Adesina of preferential treatment for Nigeria and Nigerians.
Eight things to sabi about Akinwumi Adesina:
- Im be di first Nigerian to lead AfDB
- Dem elect am for five-year term for September 2015
- Im be Nigeria agriculture minister from 2011 until im move
- Dem name am Forbes Africa Person of di Year for 2013 for im “bold reforms” for farming sector
- One teacher for Nigeria bin tell am say im no go ever enta Purdue University sake of say im maths dey poor
- He prove am wrong as im enta di ogbonge US institution
- He cancel im admission to UK ogbonge Cambridge University
- He get im PhD for agricultural economics for 1988
Sources: AfDB; Forbes magazine
Wetin Adesina tok
Mr Adesina no gree respond to BBC requests to comment on di mata but e release statement.
“Even as some pipo dey try to spoil my reputation and use di bank governance procedures, I maintain say I dey innocence with regard to all di accuse wey wan stain my honour and integrity,” he wite am.
“I dey confident say fair, transparent and just process wey respect di rules, procedures and di governance systems of di Bank, and rule of law, go prove say I no violate di Code of Ethics of dis extraordinary institution.”
Di AfDB board meeting don agree to independent investigate into di allegations wey concern Adesina conduct, afta Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland don support di US position, tori pipo Bloomberg first report am.
“E go surprise you say no African kontri dey back di second investigate? wetin dat one tell you about oda kontris wey don line up for di back of US?” Debisi Araba, one friend of Mr Adesina wonder.
“He wan run for election unopposed but dem wan put yama-yama for di water with stain of corruption. I believe say im go dey free of di charges.”
As di crisis for di bank dey increase, employees, consultants and goment officials for African capitals, even sabi pipo for American foreign policy dey wonder how di mata go end.
Di career wey Adesina don carefully create fit crumble if di new investigate show say im reign as di oga of AfDB no dey pure. Im style dey solid but dem don begin chook eye for im mata.
