I think I may have finally found the motivation to start seriously studying for my medical finals. I cannot afford to repeat the year and have to apply for a UK student visa extension considering the hell it will now be after Umar Farouk Mutallab’s foolish act. I never thought I would see the day terrorism would be added to the world’s black list of Nigeria. Apparently this man had no other use for his life and decided to leave the earth with 277 other innocent lives.
I will not even begin to question how he got through Lagos security as deep down I know, and I’m sorry to say, Nigerian security is a joke for the ‘wealthy and privileged’. I am amazed though at his audacity. This is not a mark of the Nigerian youth. They are fighters and survivors. It is highly unorthodox to hear of a Nigerian suicide bomber.
Security agents are asking many questions- how did he get through Schiphol security? How did he get the bomb on the plane? Who were his allies? Meanwhile Nigerians are asking questions like: is he mad? What was his family doing all this while he was missing? How did he get hold of so much money?
Of all places in the world he chose America, as if that country has not had its fair share of drama. As my brother rightly questioned, why did he not board a plane and fly to Pakistan or Afghanistan if it was Jihad he really wanted? He just had to go to America and threaten the people and ruin our reputation.
Of all days in the world, he chose Christmas, on such a long flight. The poor exhausted passengers dying to devour stuffed turkey, after dealing with the thoughts of potential doomsday and not seeing their families, had to wait hours for FBI questioning before they were let loose.
I’ve been sat in front of Sky News and CNN all day trying to make sense of it all. I feel so much pain because in many ways, I could have been a victim of this. My parents have been regulars on that Lagos-Amsterdam flight. I have taken the Abuja-Amsterdam route in order to get to the UK. My mother did so in order to get to Los Angeles. I have many friends in America, who may have had relatives on that flight. My relatives may have been on it. It may have even been me, I love travelling to America.
Umar Mutallab’s father was a former minister and former chief executive of First Bank, he is now the forerunner of Islamic banking. The family is very wealthy. Why did his son turn into a suicide bomber? Nigeria is a country where parents bear the shame of their children. I feel sorry for his poor father, wherever he turns people will say to him ‘Your son is the suicide bomber that disgraced our nation’. I don’t think Umar ever pondered the consequences of succeeding in his mission or not. I wonder if he ever dreamt of life in prison.
I feel like I owe the world an apology, though I know I don’t. I have so much in common with him- he had to be a 23-yr-old Muslim Nigerian from the North who studied in the UK. I don’t even know where to begin denouncing and denying him. Even within Nigeria, the Yorubas/Igbos/non-Muslims are happy that he is not from their clan. No one wants to be associated with him.
I wish there was a way to assure the world that terrorism has nothing to do with Nigerians and Islam. It’s just the possessed brains of some sick individuals who take pride in killing other human beings.
I wonder what it will be like to arrive at the UK immigration desk or worse still, the American immigration desk as a young Nigerian Muslim male. I suspect it will not be fun. I wish my UK/US visas will never expire. Just the thought of the hassle involved in renewing them is terrifying.
Thanks to Umar Farouk Mutallab, I will forever be reminded of the day a Nigerian did the most selfish thing ever and I must learn to live with it…
Hi,
Im depressed…
Socco