Sunday, January 10, 2010, I was watching and listening to the midday news on one of the local television station in Lagos. In the course of the news bulletin, a group of Nigerians that arrived from Europe and the U.S spoke to the aviation correspondent of that T.V station, narrating their ordeal at European and American airports. They spoke of the agony experienced when asked to put off their jackets and shoes before being made to pass through body scanners.They went through all these because they were carrying Nigerian passport.
I listened to the tale of those Nigerians with a deep feeling of consternation
If what we read in the newspapers, internet and listen to on radio or watch on T.V lately are anything to go by, then I'm afraid Nigeria is in for tough days ahead, in a diplomatic sense. No thanks to Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab,, the 23-year old Nigerian who, driven by Al Qaeda philosophy, attempted to blow up himself and a Northwest Airline flight 253 carrying 278 passengers and 11 crew over Detroit on Christmas Day, December, 25, 2009.
I first read of the attempted terrorist act on Boxing Day while browsing the internet, and I couldn't believe that a Nigerian was the culprit. How could that be? Why did he want to do it? ''LORD, what is going on?'', I prayed.
I have read the press release by the Abdul Mutallab's family, denouncing the action of their son. I have also listened to and read news report of how the father of the 23-year old terrorist approached the American embassy in Nigeria to alert officials of the suspicious behavior of his son. Since the 12/25 incident, the Nigerian authorities have consistently condemned the action of the young Nigerian.
I have also read the news report that said Washington has classified Nigeria as a terrorist nation.
That decision of Washington is worrisome and should be revisited.
The questions we should be asking are, ''Is the action of one, the action of all? Is there intelligence to suggest that Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab's action on 12/25 was sponsored by Nigeria? Was Nigerian government privy to the plot?''
In the spirit of fair justice, I think that Washington should as a matter of urgency rescind its decision to classify Nigeria as terrorist nation. There are over 140 million innocent Nigerians who knew nothing about Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab's action. To punish all these innocent Nigerians for the sin of one Nigerian is unfair.
Nigeria, a responsible member of the United Nations, has sacrificed human and material resources in a wider cause to promote peace in Sub-Saharan Africa and around the world. Nigeria's role and sacrifice to keep peace in Dafur region of Sudan, Liberia and Sierra Leone cannot be easily forgotten.
I don't see any reason why Nigeria would join the league of nations known for having anti-America sentiments. Since 9/11, Nigeria has made its position known that terrorism would have no place in the world. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab's case may have been a result of security lapses, but Nigeria and 140 million Nigerians shouldn't be punished for it.
We have internal problems in Nigeria no doubt, but all nations do have one problem or the other. Corruption is the bane of our development in Nigeria, but that doesn't make us a terrorist nation.
The sin of one is certainly not the sin of all. Equity should be allowed to prevail in this case. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab is already facing trial in the U.S, and I don't think all other Nigerians should face 'trial' with him.
If the American citizen that fought on the side of the Talliban forces against the U.S-led allied forces in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist act in 2001 is not sufficient proof for Washington to label all Americans as terrorists, then I suppose that 140 million Nigerians should not be regarded as terrorists just because one Nigerian is.
Nigerians deserve fair treatment at international airports. Asking all arriving and departing Nigerians to queue up separately from the rest of the travelers is a traumatic experience, to say the least.
While hoping that Washington would rescind its decision soon, I want to call on the federal government of Nigeria to continue to explore all diplomatic means to get the West come to term with the fact that we are not a terrorist State. Also, the government's citizens' diplomacy foreign policy must come to fore now in protecting Nigerians from further harassment, unfair treatment and ostracism in foreign lands.
Please tell the West, we are not a terrorist State.
I listened to the tale of those Nigerians with a deep feeling of consternation
If what we read in the newspapers, internet and listen to on radio or watch on T.V lately are anything to go by, then I'm afraid Nigeria is in for tough days ahead, in a diplomatic sense. No thanks to Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab,, the 23-year old Nigerian who, driven by Al Qaeda philosophy, attempted to blow up himself and a Northwest Airline flight 253 carrying 278 passengers and 11 crew over Detroit on Christmas Day, December, 25, 2009.
I first read of the attempted terrorist act on Boxing Day while browsing the internet, and I couldn't believe that a Nigerian was the culprit. How could that be? Why did he want to do it? ''LORD, what is going on?'', I prayed.
I have read the press release by the Abdul Mutallab's family, denouncing the action of their son. I have also listened to and read news report of how the father of the 23-year old terrorist approached the American embassy in Nigeria to alert officials of the suspicious behavior of his son. Since the 12/25 incident, the Nigerian authorities have consistently condemned the action of the young Nigerian.
I have also read the news report that said Washington has classified Nigeria as a terrorist nation.
That decision of Washington is worrisome and should be revisited.
The questions we should be asking are, ''Is the action of one, the action of all? Is there intelligence to suggest that Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab's action on 12/25 was sponsored by Nigeria? Was Nigerian government privy to the plot?''
In the spirit of fair justice, I think that Washington should as a matter of urgency rescind its decision to classify Nigeria as terrorist nation. There are over 140 million innocent Nigerians who knew nothing about Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab's action. To punish all these innocent Nigerians for the sin of one Nigerian is unfair.
Nigeria, a responsible member of the United Nations, has sacrificed human and material resources in a wider cause to promote peace in Sub-Saharan Africa and around the world. Nigeria's role and sacrifice to keep peace in Dafur region of Sudan, Liberia and Sierra Leone cannot be easily forgotten.
I don't see any reason why Nigeria would join the league of nations known for having anti-America sentiments. Since 9/11, Nigeria has made its position known that terrorism would have no place in the world. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab's case may have been a result of security lapses, but Nigeria and 140 million Nigerians shouldn't be punished for it.
We have internal problems in Nigeria no doubt, but all nations do have one problem or the other. Corruption is the bane of our development in Nigeria, but that doesn't make us a terrorist nation.
The sin of one is certainly not the sin of all. Equity should be allowed to prevail in this case. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab is already facing trial in the U.S, and I don't think all other Nigerians should face 'trial' with him.
If the American citizen that fought on the side of the Talliban forces against the U.S-led allied forces in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist act in 2001 is not sufficient proof for Washington to label all Americans as terrorists, then I suppose that 140 million Nigerians should not be regarded as terrorists just because one Nigerian is.
Nigerians deserve fair treatment at international airports. Asking all arriving and departing Nigerians to queue up separately from the rest of the travelers is a traumatic experience, to say the least.
While hoping that Washington would rescind its decision soon, I want to call on the federal government of Nigeria to continue to explore all diplomatic means to get the West come to term with the fact that we are not a terrorist State. Also, the government's citizens' diplomacy foreign policy must come to fore now in protecting Nigerians from further harassment, unfair treatment and ostracism in foreign lands.
Please tell the West, we are not a terrorist State.
Adedayo Adetoye
Tel: +2348051912385
e-MAIL: dayoadetoye@gmail.com
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