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PAV EDITORIAL Vol. 27 January 2010
Of African Values and Terrorist Threats
Terrorism is a topic we do not address often at PAV but events in the last few months have reminded us that we are living in a dangerous world and Africa should be on its guard as well. Because of global communication and more, we can consider that we are all in the same boat, notwithstanding our position in the boat!!!
In the month of December, Nigeria was all over the news on the international scene. A 23 year old Abdul Mutallab from a privileged background nearly brought down a plane with hundreds of people in the Denver airport in USA.Mutallab purchased his ticket in Ghana and boarded a plane from Nigeria with explosive substance hidden in his under pants. But for the bravery of courageous passengers and divine providence perhaps, the substance hidden in his underpants would have reduced the plane and its occupants to rubble. In normal times, many will find it hard to associate the innocent looks on Mutallab’s face with such heinous terrorist intentions. It may be a clumsy excuse, but at least the pirates in poverty stricken Somalia do it for money, but Mutallab came from wealthy family with a father whose name commands tremendous respect in a country struggling hard to rebrand itself from the negative stigmas of fraud, and corruption known on a global scale.
Mutallab senior a former Minister and Banker of repute did what few parents will dare to do. In the midst of growing disturbing signs of radicalism in his son, he notified officials at the USA Embassy, about the developments. Many will find it a rare development in the chaotic selfish world we live in today but indeed what Mutallab Snr did incarnates African values of integrity and community interest before the self. Nigeria was placed on the USA terrorist watch list but that Mutallab Snr could be brave and courageous enough to hint the world on the potential threat that his beloved son represented salvaged the collective pride and integrity of a people.
In Angola what was suppose to be a feast of African football was almost marred when a bus transporting the Togolese National Team from the D.R.Congo to Angola was ambushed by some group fighting for the independence of the oil rich Cabinda Region .Football is one of those things which brings immeasurable joy to Africans. The African Nations has over the past decades evolve to one of the most competitive and keenly watched sports events with a reputation which spans across the borders of the continent. No matter how strong the case of the Cabinda people, the attack on the Togolese delegation was a very wrong move which does not help their cause. The Togolese had nothing to do with their plight; spoiling Africa’s biggest football festival a few months to the historic world cup of June 2010 was at best clumsy strategy for whatever group or people who orchestrated the attack.
The continent may be associated with conflicts but the fact remains most of these stem from the machinations of greedy politicians or business interests. African values are associated with friendliness, respect from neighbours, a warm welcome for visitors and more. Anyone who has traveled the continent will tell you that if you visit ten homes you offered food and drinks ten times, doors are opened to strangers who are made to feel at home. Those who master minded the attack on the Togolese national team in Cabinda failed the continent. The attack certainly raised security questions ahead of the whole cup but we are amongst those who are believe that the world will see the best of African hospitality South Africa.
The security lapses that led to the Mutallab incident and the Cabinda attack should serve as a wake up call to African governments, we live in dangerous times but must not allow the prevalence of such threats which stigmatise the people or deter potential investments, tourism, and other economic initiatives which could improve lives. The government of Angola needs to do more to address the grievances of the Cabinda people, the government of Senegal should continue with efforts to address issues in the Cassamance region, that of Cameroon should do a lot more to address the legitimate grievances of Southern Cameroonians. A stitch in time could avert consequences that will be regrettable for all. Religious differences should not continue to serve as a reason for free for all butchery contest between fellow country as was the recently the case in Jos, Nigeria.
This is not only the beginning of a new year but also the first decade of the much trumpeted new millennium .Africa has a lot more potential and capabilities to do more than it is presently. The ill health of a leader like President Yar’Adua should not hold Nigeria hostage. Institutional frameworks should be in place to ensure that the absence of a leader be it who, does not put everything to a halt or breed the kind of dangerous tension that Nigeria is going through now. With its population, any crisis in Nigeria would have profound effects on the entire continent; it is not something to hope for at this moment. In a fast evolving world, Africa must speed up its moves as well without missing out on those values that make the people great, values that make the Africa resist the kind of pain and toil that would have broken any other people. The people survived slavery; the people survived colonialism, a continent whose collective efforts dismantled the scourge of apartheid. If such feats were achieved there’s no reason why the continent should destroy itself.
The world is watching Africa; the world knows in the face of the odds, Africa remains a beacon of hope, and far from using the aborted attempt of Mutallab Jnr to bring down a plane, or the misguided ambush of the Togolese delegation in Angola, we should be reminded that it is the integrity of Mutallab Snr which defines more the African character.
Happy Reading!!
