Nigeria, March 4 -- How much I would have loved to be in Nigeria again? I and President Goodluck Jonathan built instant mutual liking and respect. I first met President Goodluck Jonathan at an African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa in January 2013, before I started my assignment as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Guinea-Bissau (January 2013-June 2014). UNSG Ban Ki-Moon (BKM) had requested that I joined him in Addis Ababa for an African Union Summit, where I acquainted myself with experienced UN field leaders, including the foremost and widely respected economist, Carlos Lopes, who was then Head of the UN Economic Commission for Africa.

Well before the appointed time for Ban Ki-Moon and I to meet President Goodluck...