President Buhari at end of his first year
President Buhari in Washington
President Buhari is the first sub-Saharan African leader to visit President Trump’s administration. The two presidents spoke in front of reporters before their discussion. (Another media piece said “first African leader. Which is right?)
Trump said that supply of weapons and countering terrorism would be major parts of the conversation. “We’ve had a problem with Christians who’ve been murdered, killed, in Nigeria, and we’re going to be working very, very hard on that problem,” President Trump said.
I wish Buhari would have corrected him to say that Muslims as well as Christians have been killed by Boko Haram. The Fulani herders are also undiscriminating in their attacks.
Trump asked about the kidnapped girls. Buhari replied that efforts are underway to get them all released. He said the UN, “is acting as in-between us and the kidnappers. We haven’t given up. We are trying to get everybody back.”
BBC online had a segment after the discussion between the two presidents. A potentially embarrassing question came up.
The BBC said, “Muhammadu Buhari sidestepped a reporter’s question about Mr Trump’s alleged use of the term ‘shitholes’ to describe certain developing nations.
In their White House news conference, Mr Trump added: “We didn’t discuss it.”
President Buhari did state in the press conference that he is grateful for the U.S. support with weapons and personnel to aid the fight against Boko Haram.
Protests During President Buhari’s Visit
Last week Ambassador Campbell wrote about President Buhari’s upcoming visit. He said that Igbo people were planning a protest against the Nigerian president. Hausa people were organizing a counter-protest.
Because of what he wrote, I looked this afternoon to see if there was news about protests. But I found nothing.
Clem says, “Igbo or Hausa protesters are not likely to make the news in the U.S. There is too much else going on.” True, but I thought at least I’d see something in the Nigerian media.
New England view at dusk from our hotel room in Berkshires.
That assumes some Nigerian reporters followed Buhari to the U.S. But he doesn’t care much for the media, so maybe there were no press people with him on the trip.
If something happened, I’m sure Ambassador Campbell will write about it soon.
Trump and Buhari – Shared Characteristics
BBC Igbo Service had a short piece, “Four Things Trump and Buhari have in common.” One is that they were both over 70 when they took office. Second, their elections were a surprise. Can you guess numbers 3 and 4?
Here’s where you can look if you like.
Final Interview Segment with Margaret Anderson
I’ve posted three segments from my interview with my “virtual” friend Margaret Anderson, who is the “Persuasion Coach.” The full interview is here.
Loved the table decoration this morning at breakfast in the hotel.
And this is the final of four segments. There are some wonderful ideas for reaching agreement in the earlier posts and the full interview. Everyone wins.
I asked Margaret to tell me about one of her most enlightening cases.
MEA: In one of my most enlightening cases, I was acting, not as a consultant for one party, but rather as a neutral mediator for two people who had been in business together and parted on bad terms. One sued the other for reasons I won’t mention.
I actually got them to the point where the amount of money the plaintiff would accept was below the amount the defendant was willing to pay. In other words, they were overlapped on the number line.
Yet, they wouldn’t agree to settle on an amount in that overlapped zone. Their emotional interests outweighed their monetary interests. Each felt angry, indignant and betrayed by the other. Each wanted the other labeled “wrong.” Each might have accepted an amount in the overlap zone if the other admitted being wrong. Otherwise, each was determined to proceed to trial so that (they thought) some third party (arbitrator, judge or jury) would declare the other wrong.
The lesson is that you can’t satisfy intangible “feeling” interests with tangible goods, like money. Parties might agree to an amount, but the resentment will linger, and at the first opportunity, rise from the ashes. That’s why I coined a Third[i] Magic Question for consensus-seeking interactions, “How do we want to feel?”
CO: Are there books or readings, besides your own, that you would recommend for readers who want to learn more about reaching consensus in daily interactions?
MEA: Yes, there’s a list on the Resources page of my website: https://persuasioncoach.com/resources/
CO: How can readers find your blog? How often do you blog? Where would readers find Love on the Rocks with a Twist, or your other book Bridges to Consensus?
MEA: My blog is incorporated in my website: https://persuasioncoach.com Just click on the “Blog” button in the menu. Ideally, I’d like to post every Thurs. I sometimes run late these days because I’m writing some meatier posts that require research.
Bridges to Consensus and Love on the Rocks with a Twist are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle editions.
CO: Thank you, Margaret. Is there anything you would like to add that I’ve forgotten to ask?
MEA: First, thanks again, Catherine. It’s been a delight.
If anyone has follow-up questions to this interview, they can reach me from the Contact page of my website: https://persuasioncoach.com/contact/
[i] There is a Second Magic Question, not discussed here, “What else do we want?”
Delicious dinner at Indian restaurant last night in Berkshires.
Snow in the Berkshires
Clem and I came to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in the western part of the state, for a mini-holiday. This area is called the Berkshires. The Berkshire Mountains are small but make the area attractive.
It was snowing this morning when we came out of the hotel! I couldn’t believe it. I had refused to bring my winter coat or jacket. But I was wishing I had one of them today.
We’ll leave on Wednesday when the temperature here is supposed to reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit, summer weather. I hope that temperature follows us home to Westport Connecticut.
Things Fall Apart
Just noticed the header of my most recent post, “Things Fall Apart at 60!” Yes, they do! Artificial knees, cataracts, sagging body parts, bent fingers! But my headline was about Achebe’s book, as I’m sure you all knew!
