There’s an Igbo proverb that says, “If one finger touches palm oil, it spreads to all the other fingers.” This is indicative of how Nigerians the world over felt when they heard the news of a young man who attempted to detonate a bomb on U.S. soil in the name of Al Qaeda. Many of us worried that the actions of this one finger would spread to cover the entire 150 million of us. I even heard some people say that this is why north, south, and eastern Nigeria should have never been the same country.
And then the next day, the news surfaced that the young man’s father had sent word months earlier to security forces saying he was worried that his son had become radicalized and might even be a threat. In an instant, I was again proud to be Nigerian. I was relieved that the shame that would have hung over my country’s reputation by adding terrorism to the list of already popular vices was abated. Yet somehow, the newsflash on CNN did not reflect this development as fervently as I’d hoped. Instead, there was a special on CNBC about whether or not Nigeria could be a new place to watch in the war on terror.
If all British citizens don’t have to carry the stigma of the shoe bomber, if all Oklahomans, don’t have to bear the shame of the Oklahoma bombings, then let the world be mindful of the invidious conclusions it so easily makes when someone from a poorer nation commits similar crimes. And if this is too much to ask, then let the oil of his father’s noble and highly sacrificial actions spread to cover those worried 150 million fingers.
Well written. I agree with the oil and patriotic act that we should all inculcate to change the perception of Nigerians in the eyes of the international community and 150 million voices is a strong movement in unity of purpose.
Mr. Kanu,
This a well written piece. However though I will agree with you that it may be unfair to brand all Nigerians terrorist, I think it’s fair game to consider Nigeria a concern with regards to the war on terror. Here are my reasons.
You may disagree with me, but Nigerians are usually noted to be ambitious and ingenious fraudsters. Their “419” scam, perpetuated especially through emails, is a mastered and perfected art. This has even become a multi-million dollar industry. (http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TECH/internet/08/11/nigeria.scam/index.html)
In 2005 for example, “three Nigerians were convicted of defrauding a bank located in Sao Paulo, Brazil—Banco Noereste—of $242 million by promising a senior bank official $10 million in commission for what was a fake airport construction project. A few years ago, CNN did a special on Nigerian internet scams.
You may probable know this: in 2000, Osama even mentioned Nigeria as among “the region(s) most qualified for liberation” in a televized speech. When 9/11 happened, there were ubilation in the mainly Muslim northern states of Nigeria. According to reports, about 7 out of 10 babies born at a hospital in the northern state Kano were given the name Osama – after Osama bin Laden. Soon afterward a “Nigerian Taliban” also known as Boko Haram was formed. The group aims to overthrow the Nigerian federal government and impose a Sharia on the Nation.
I certainly agree that to stigmatize all Nigerians with this act of Muttalab’s won’t be right, nonetheless, it’s evident that not “one finger” but many fingers are tarnishing the image of our country and this should be a great concern.
There’s a popular saying, “you can only cheat a greedy man”. Why should a Bank official expect to reap where he didn’t sow?
I find that most foreigners who have been alleged “victims” of Nigerian fraudsters have had the negative role they played in such a scam.
And honestly, don’t believe everything you read or hear about African countries on the international front, or more specifically, on CNN.
These broadcasting networks hardly take their time to discover the truth to the story, and worse still, they have a preconceived notion of Africa, and it is displayed in their broadcasts about Africa.
And please take your time to view all angles of the Mutallab story, for instance: http://www.infowars.com/bombshell-eyewitness-revelations-confirmed-fbi-cover-up-of-flight-253-attack/
Don’t forget the embellishing factor in every reported story….
Amaka,
Just for the record I am a Nigerian myself. I don’t think I understand what you mean by “I find that most foreigners who have been alleged “victims” of Nigerian fraudsters have had the negative role they played in such a scam.” Could you explain that some more?
Also to say “don’t believe ANYTHING you read or hear about African countries on the international front, or more specifically, on CNN” is ludicrous. ANYTHING!? I will agree that there are quite a number of misconceptions about Africa especially on the international front, but I beg to differ that we shouldn’t believe ANYTHING we hear or read.
You may hate some of these networks, but trust me, CNN international is at least one of the most quite trustworthy networks out there. And for sure they do if not a good job, a great job in finding out truths to a story. Certainly it may be impossible to fully believe a story on a network since the network itself may be a 2nd, 3rd etc source. I mean come on, there are some Naija newspapers and networks that perpetuate lies.
Oh come on again, they have a “preconceived notion of Africa”?? We all do!! We all have preconceived notions of so many things, Americans, Europeans, Asians, Middle Eastern, our of neighboring African countries, our friends, name it. I mean you have psychotic scumbags tarnishing our image and you put all the blame on the international community for their misconceptions?
With regards to the link, that piece could be true. However it doesn’t change the fact that little Mutallab a Nigerian had an explosive material in his underwear and tried to detonate it.
If we care dearly about our country, then we have a responsibility to prove/continually prove to the international community that Nigerians are not terrorists. Only a few of our people are tarnishing our image.
At least I’m happy I’m not on a no-fly-list…..
Dear John,
I must say that i am a bit shocked that you are a Nigerian, you wrote like you come from an African country other than Nigeria or from another continent. Or worse still (and i am not trying to insult you), like one from the class of Nigerian youths who have no idea of the “real” Nigeria(this will be a topic for another day Kingsley).
I actually agree with you, i should have said “Everything” instead of “Anything”.
I don’t have anything against CNN, in fact i believe it is one of the more trusted of the international broadcasting networks.
When i say “preconceived notion of Africa” i actually mean that most non Africans think that african people live in huts, are AIDS ridden and are a malnourished and desperate race, not in the light in which you seem to think i used the term.
I also agree that not one but several fingers are tarnishing the image of Nigeria, but i do not believe that “it’s fair game to consider Nigeria a concern with regards to the war on terror”. We have neither the weapons nor the motive. Nigeria has more problems than to engage itself in War against the very Country it wishes to save it from its dire state of underdevelopment.
“Blame” and “hate” are not a productive practices so i do not engage myself in them. What i prefer to do is call a spade a spade, and be objective. Just because one rich misguided pup decided to seek attention by putting my whole country on a blacklist will not make me to all of a sudden start listing other reasons why my country should be on this list.
i just realized that i didn’t answer on the negative roles alleged victims of nigerian scam play:
1. The scammer makes contact with the “scammee” by telling him that he has some “wonderfully” advantage or profit which he(the scammee) is “entitled” to.
2. If the scammee is greedy enough, he/she expresses genuine interest in the way this advantage or profit can be best obtained by him/her(which is the role he/she plays)
3. The scammer then tells the scammee to make certain payments(which most often than not is a paltry sum when compared with the profit or advantage), or to send certain account details or the deeds of title of certain properties.
4. The scammee complies(another role he/she plays)
5. A scam is perpetuated!
Now, would there have been a scam if the scammee had simply NOT acted upon greed(short of being under the influence of “jazz” or “juju”)?
Oh my dear sister Amaka, kilonshele?
Shock??!! I wish you knew me some more.Talk about real Nigeria?!!!! Growing up in Makoko where my bread and butter was virtually impossible to find, fish alone we ate for days and weeks, do you know what it is to live in makoko for 16years? Oh sister, let’s not even go there now. My life story and identity I’ll save for a later date.
Thanks for clarifying most of your points. I think I now understand what you mean. I think you may have misunderstand my response to Junior’s piece. I will not further any debate. However regardless of whether Nigeria (or more specifically the north) should be a concern with regards to the war on terror or not, whatever our beliefs are, whatever misconceptions the international community has about our country, the undeniable fact is there is a substantial number of Nigerians tarnishing our image. So we have a responsibility to build the nation for the better.
By the way your argument about the scammer and scammee is somewhat flawed. I think you have a couple of preconceived misconceptions. Your 1 and 2 aren’t always the case. That makes your conclusion on a faulty premise inaccurate. I’m inferring from your conclusion that the scammee is also to be blamed. Sure, let the scammee be blamed, however it doesn’t change the simply fact that there are many Nigerian crooks tarnishing our image.
Thank you for this post, I really enjoyed it and thought it was a wonderful expression of the sentiments a lot of people have been feeling in the past few weeks.
I quoted this piece in a round-up of Nigerian reactions to the attempted bombing on Global Voices and just wanted to make sure I’ve gotten the attribution right (I mistakenly attributed this piece to Ms. Jennifer Ehidiamen, who quoted it on her blog and very generously pointed out my mistake). I have changed the piece, attributing the quote to “Jr Chiahanam Kanu of Solving Africa” but just wanted to double-check since I didn’t see any signature on the post.
Thanks so much for your help. And thank you for this wonderful and eloquent piece.
Take care,
Eremi