ABUJA, May 26 (AFP) - "Nigeria Welcomes the World" read the banner floating above an exit road from Lagos airport, as the one-time sub-Saharan pariah nation hosted junior soccer teams from 24 countries last month. The event, billed "Nigeria 99", was, in fact, little noticed in most parts of the world. But it was important to many Nigerians. In 1995, the right to host the tournament was withdrawn from Nigeria at the last moment, on what were said to be security and medical grounds. At the same time, international sanctions were tightened on the country over continued military rule and Nigeria was suspended from the 54-member Commonwealth over the hanging of minority rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others. Staging the competition meant Nigeria was back in the world community, after four years of international isolation begun under the hardline regime of late military ruler General Sani Abacha. On May 29, Africa's most populous country, completes its return to international respectability when outgoing military ruler General Abdulsalami Abubakar hands power to a civilian regime elected in a series of polls earlier this year. Remaining European Union and US sanctions, which were never much more than symbolic, will finally be lifted and on that date, Nigeria will formally re-enter the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretary General Emeka Anyaoku, himself a Nigerian, said last week he was delighted that "an unfortunate episode" in Nigeria-Commonwealth relations would soon be over. The Nigerian people were entering a "new era," he said. "This fresh start is a victory for democracy." The man set to preside over Nigeria's fresh start, if such it is, is Olusegun Obasanjo who as military ruler from 1976 to 1979 distinguished himself by becoming the first modern African military ruler to hand over power voluntarily to civilians. Obasanjo is well placed to put Nigeria back on the international stage. After leaving power he joined the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group dealing with apartheid in South Africa, set up the African Leadership Forum and headed the board of the anti-corruption group Transparency International. After winning his election in February, Obasanjo, accompanied by a large entourage, toured the world to renew ties damaged in the Abacha era. Offers of assistance followed from Europe and the United States. Obasanjo told party leaders earlier this month that there was much support around the world for Nigeria. "Everywhere I have been, at home or abroad, in private and in public, at meetings with leaders and ordinary people, the goodwill that abounds for Nigeria was expressed loudly and openly." But to stay that way, Nigeria's leaders would have to change, he said. "In the eyes of the world, we are a corrupt and a fraudulent people ... The change of attitude must begin on May 29." The world's interest in Nigeria is easy to explain, diplomats here say. One-sixth of all Africans are Nigerian. Nigeria is the world's seventh largest crude oil producer. It is the powerhouse country in the unstable west African region. But there is also considerable caution; Nigeria has known only four years of civilian rule since 1966. It has seen one of Africa's bloodiest civil wars. The country is seething with social, economic and political problems. And even on May 30, no-one expects the military, who backed Obasanjo's campaign for power, to have gone far. If Nigeria collapses and the military re-enter power, the return to the international fold could be short-lived.  