As a developing nation, hoping to emerge as a serious industrialised nation Nigeria, with its corrupt past, could do better than to invite Bertie Ahern to address a regional development conference.

Bertie's had a bad week of it since the Mahon Tribunal published its final report last Thursday. He's been branded a liar and has jumped the Fianna Fáil ship before he was pushed. But, before we start to feel sorry for the Bbbbertie, we should bear in mind that he's still raking in the cash on the international fomer world leaders talking circuit.

Nigeria's Ogun State is hosting a development conference and they've outlined a short list of very clear ambitions.

Namely:

• To articulate fresh ideas that will spark forward-thinking approaches directed at shaping the State’s economic policies
• To showcase the economic potential of the State as the country’s industrial destination of choice
• To develop systems and mechanisms for ensuring the smooth operation of public private partnerships and sustainable economic development
• To set the framework for realistic and progressive economic programmes

So that's obviously why they decided to invite the most famous northsider. It's because of his forward-thinking ideas, economic savvy and his public private partnership expertise. Nice one, Nigeria, your timing is absolutely awful.

The best thing about this is Bertie will become the first and definitely the only former Fianna Fáil Taoiseach to have resigned from his party from Nigeria.

Image thanks to @ClementEsebamen