There’s a popular saying that wherever you don’t find a Nigerian, that place must be a ghost town.
Like the Irish, Nigerians have migrated to almost every corner of the world, but in doing so have attracted as many jeers as cheers. The world thinks of Nigeria fondly when soccer is the topic, and economists know the country for the importance of its oil, but immigration offices and certain other ignorant people across the developed world have a different opinion.
Among its fellow nations in Africa, Nigeria conjures mixed emotions, too. Some see it as a ‘Big Brother’ with a large heart, while others are dismissive or envious. Some Africans even behave as if Nigerians are no longer a part of their number.
This rising negative philosophy among some Africans about Nigeria is something that should be curbed. Indeed, it would be better for all if Africans could help in putting to rest a bad reputation by standing up for Nigeria.
As a matter of fact, this is necessary – due to the enormous contributions and sacrifices they have put into saving the continent from descending into irreversible conflict.
However, despite the fact that the country remains the most populous in Africa and rich in resources, issues in leadership continue to frustrate Nigeria’s citizens. Where do we begin?
Let’s remember the carnage in Liberia that ousted President Samuel Doe from the Monrovia mansion. Thousands died in the fight between Charles Taylor’s NPFL and Doe’s Krahn soldiers until the Nigeria-led Ecomog entered the fray. Many Nigerian soldiers lost their lives to defend Liberians while resources worth billions of dollars were drained out of the nation’s coffers.
And even after Taylor rose to power, they remained to stop the carnage that continued between rebel factions. Africans should remember what Nigeria did there.
And what of the war in Sierra Leone during the reign of President Kabah? Was it not Nigeria who came on hand, leading its Ecomog brothers to bring a halt to the unnecessary killings? Hundreds of lives were lost for the sake of peace and freedom – and many more would have been lost were it not for Nigeria’s intervention.
In the apartheid era, Nigeria was at the forefront of the campaign against minority rule and the ban on the African National Congress (ANC). In the early 1990s, Nigeria’s music charts were topped by songs campaigning against the incarceration of Nelson Mandela and injustice in South Africa. And children in our schools learned about the sufferings of blacks under apartheid. These pupils and their guardians encouraged the Nigerian government to invest resources in the South African struggle for freedom.
These efforts, and other peacekeeping missions like the current campaign in Darfur, must not be forgotten.
Yet in spite of these and many more sacrifices, Nigeria continues to be the butt of name-calling, especially among its fellow Africans. This must stop now. It’s time for a change. We must make the positive things count to outweigh the negative. Africans should see Nigeria as a brother in our struggle for acceptance around the world, consigning Nigeria’s bad reputation to the rubbish bin of history. Let the campaign start with you!
Ukachukwu Okorie is originally from Nigeria. Visit his website at www.olumouka.com
