The last time President Clinton visited Africa two years ago, he snubbed Nigeria because it was still a military dictatorship. Fifteen months ago, Olusegun Obasanjo was democratically elected president and began promoting Western-style ideals. President Obasanjo himself is a former general who once ruled as a military strongman, then was jailed by a civilian successor who did not like how he criticized corruption and inefficiency. Since his election, he has been battling his newly formed legislature. President Clinton both praised Mr. Obasanjo for reform efforts and brought the legislature to its feet by emphasizing it has an important role in balancing Mr. Obasanjo's administration.
Democracy is precarious in Nigeria, America's sixth largest supplier of crude oil.
Its leaders have let it fall deeply into international debt while failing to end religious and ethnic conflict. At the same time, the Nigerian military has spent billions playing peacekeeper in other African nations. Mr. Clinton asked for help to increase Nigerian oil production and reduce oil prices. But in the end, the most important message Mr. Clinton delivered was that Nigeria must lead the African continent in combating AIDS, primarily spread by heterosexual behavior. With 23 million infected there, President Clinton was not exaggerating when he said the fight against AIDS may be Nigeria's greatest battle.