◆ SpookStack

p.!•uv -5- Brigadier Garba said that they had not expected to be consulted, but it was necessary to look at the Commonwealth from the point of view of Africa. If the Nigerians were to make a stand, perhaps a quarter of the African countries would follow. Since the British Government had kept in touch with the Nigerians over this from the beginning, it would have done no harm to have told them about the Prime Minister's letter. The Prime Minister said that this was perhaps a case of being wise after the event. He had not known that President Amin would choose to play the affair this way. General Obasanjo had advised that we should think of our own existence first and it was precisely with this in mind that we had drawn up contingency plans against President Amin's possible arrival. Brigadier Garba continued to press the Prime Minister to be allowed to see his letter to President Amin. The Prime Minister explainedthat when someone sent a private and confidential letter to someone else, the right of publication was not solely on one side. He hoped that Brigadier Garba would understand that this was in no way intended to show disrespect to Nigeria. Brigadier Garba said that the Prime Minister could argue that it was none of Nigeria's business to know what he had told President Amin, but he thought that this attitude would set up a chain reaction. It was obvious that Britain was prepared for the worst. The Prime Minister said that he had the warmest feelings for Nigeria, as many people did in this country. He was not saying that this affair was none of Nigeria's business, but his correspondence with President Amin had been personal and confidential. As soon as he had heard of Nigeria's concern he had sent General Obasanjo a full explanation. He could fully understand that he should perhaps have got in touch with the Nigerian Government earlier, but he repeated that he had been handling the affair in accordance with General Obasanjo's advice. If he had been unfair to the Nigerians, he was sincerely sorry for this. Brigadier Garba accepted this, but said that /since