(26): Being Nigerian and the Danger of Many Stories

Muhammad Muhsin Ibrahim

muhsin2008@gmail.com

muhsin234 (Twitter)

On many occasions, Nigerians stand out among their fellow Africans. “Giant of Africa” is the enviable, controversial title often applied to Nigeria, owing to its largest population and economy on the continent. It also once had the mightiest military, having undertaken numerous successful peacekeeping missions in other African countries such as Liberia, Sudan, and Serra Leon. The Nigerian army is no longer, however, regarded as such, as they have yet to combat and contain the insurgency of the Islamists called Boko Haram within the country since 2009 and for the violation of civilian rights in other instances.

Nigeria is arguably roughly divided along religious lines. The North is predominantly Muslim, while the South is mainly Christian. There are over 200 distinct languages, but only three (Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo) are considered major. So, Nigeria is a country of plurality and complexity, shared by its more than 170 million people. This, unfortunately, results in ethnoreligious conflicts here and there; hence, several observers have, on several occasions, projected the country’s breakup. The prediction has been proven unattainable; Nigeria remains one and indivisible.

As many Nigerians do these days, my brother’s confidant is hospitalised in Kerala, India. His debit card, unfortunately, got blocked. Kerala is very far from our state (Punjab), and I was tasked with sending him money through a doctor at the hospital. There is a guideline restricting third-party transactions above Rs. 25,000 within 24 hours. The rule is, however, circumvented by using different branches (of the bank), and so did I, for the money was urgently needed. I was unexpectedly summoned to the manager’s office at one of the branches I frequented for crossing a Lac (i.e., Rs. 100,000) transaction within a few days. He asked for my identity and the source of my income. He grew visibly alarmed the moment I said I was from Nigeria and showed him my staff ID. He nodded distrustfully and added that I might be traced by security personnel. I said I was ready and left. 

While at the University, I narrated the story to my lecturer cum guide. She said that India had to introduce the regulation to curtail the activities of terrorists, but didn’t elaborate. I afterwards met an old friend and told him of the terrific experience. He blatantly said to my face that being Nigerian alone made me a suspect of many misdeeds such as terrorism (with reference to Boko Haram), fraud, drug and child trafficking, money laundering and, in a lighter mood, as he seemed to believe, closed the list with mentioning of Ebola!

That encounter reminded me of the days I used to go to the Internet café for an overnight browsing. It was around 2002-2003; Facebook and Twitter were not yet popular, so the most active chat service was Yahoo! Messenger. Out of 10 ‘friends,’ you would meet, only 2 or 3 would agree to continue chatting with you the moment you identify yourself as a Nigerian. Yahoo! Boys, a popular moniker for the then highly dubious, mostly Lagos-based Internet nerds who duped many foreigners out of millions of dollars, were infamous. Therefore, many people were, and some still are, awfully sceptical about doing anything with any Nigerian online.

It’s nothing newsworthy nowadays to report a Nigerian being sentenced to death or to life in foreign countries, often Malaysia, due to drug trafficking. It’s no longer news to hear about a high-ranking public servant or a particular politician being arrested for money laundering or related crimes in the U.S., Europe, or Dubai. News from the country on Boko Haram attacks, kidnapping, corruption, etc, is commonplace. But, truth be told, Nigerians are not all like that. In fact, those who subscribe to these transgressions are far from a minority. It’s again in the human psyche to pay more attention to something bad than to good; something negative than to positive. People tend to remember Nigeria only when the likes of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, Michael Adebolajo, Alamieyeseigha, James Ibori, etc., are mentioned. Yet, they fail to notice that Aliko Dangote, Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Jelani Aliyu, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, among others, are also Nigerians. It’s often said that among every four Africans, one is Nigerian. Therefore, the significant impact Nigerians have had on the world is a topic in itself. It can’t be constrained here.

 Thus, I couldn’t let that elder Indian friend go unchallenged, for it would have seemed to agree with his belief in many stories. Millions of Nigerians within and outside the country, by the same token, condemn any wrongdoings perpetrated by their fellow countrymen as unreservedly as does anyone else. I then unhesitatingly, though lightly, retorted that all Indians are, or at least potentially, rapists, and many others are prone to behave violently at the slightest religious provocation. He said “NO” with a glaring grimace. If this is not true, then his comment about Nigerians is equally untrue. He responded that yes, he trusted me, but many others are not trustworthy. I called it a day.

With all due respect, it’s a shallow-mindedness and sheer ignorance to stereotype a people, not only Nigerians, as the same. For instance, torrential rain can trigger flooding that ultimately causes destruction, displacement, and even death. The same rain contributes hugely to farming that produces food for human consumption. If we believe in the former story about rain, we will surely conclude that it is a curse. But it is not; rain is a blessing. No matter, therefore, what you heard about a people, don’t generalise them. After all, we are individuals. Don’t simply think we (Nigerians) all do the same things. Don’t just believe in the many stories you have heard, for it’s dangerous.