On the solemn morning of June 4, I woke to discomfiting reports of a terror attack on London Bridge. A three-man gang weaponised a van and ploughed through pedestrians, killing seven of them and injuring at least 48 others.
A few days ago, a suicide bomber killed 22 persons among whom were children at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. And about two months before these orgiastic dispatches of tragedies; a lone attacker killed five persons at Westminister, the seat of the British parliament.
Again, all these attacks were executed by Islamist votaries in the UK, and perhaps, with alien influence and support.
Suffice it to say that there had also been analogous terror attacks in France, Belgium, other parts of Europe and the US.
But it is becoming worryingly clear that these serial attacks may be evoking the dander of nationalism in the white British population. Why? I have read hundreds of comments to reports of the attacks on social media and elsewhere, and some non-Muslim British citizens appear to be viscerally in support of a “Muslim ban”.
It is important to state that some of the comments I read were in the vicinity of sizzled bigotry. However, the emotive and effusive outpouring of dissatisfaction by some British natives may not be if there were no Islamist attacks in the first place.
But will a ban on immigrants or travellers from Muslim-majority countries be possible in the UK?
Well, Donald Trump toyed with it in the US, but he was out-gunned by liberal judges who overturned his order banning people from seven Muslim-majority countries – Iran, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Iraq – in January.
In the UK, there are Liberals who believe that terrorism should not be juxtaposed with Islam. Hence any verisimilitude of action on the Muslim population occasioned by the designs of extremists will be bluntly resisted.
However, it is lucid that the spate of terrorist attacks in the West and in other places is a threat to globalisation. Nations, gripped by the rabid fear of terrorist infestation, are “experimenting” with polices that restrict movement (ingress and egress) of citizens and aliens – a stimulant of globalisation.
What is also worrying is the growing nationalistic fervour in the West and across the world effectuated by terrorism. Some countries are becoming more “regressive” and cynically less attuned to the problems of other countries.
Often, world leaders, perhaps in a bid to pander to the sensibilities of other people, declare global unity of action and resolve to fight terrorism. But this is sadly not the case. There is no global umbilical resolve or plan to fight the menace. Every country is its own vigilante in the war against terrorism.
To elucidate my point, here is an over-the-counter example. In the sweltering heat of Boko Haram attacks, 2011 – 2014, the US refused to sell military hardware to Nigeria. This was at a time the insurgents ensconced themselves in some towns in the north-east, and at a time they were killing hundreds of people and displacing millions of other people. Yet, the US did not budge nor care to shift its ground – for whatever political reason.
I believe that making immigration policy knotty for certain people or profiling them as some countries are considering to do will not asphyxiate beasty terrorism. Why? Most terrorists are home-grown. And profiling people because of their religion or race gives oxygen to the monster of extremism and radicalism.
In addition, to me, with national boundaries, there can be no world peace because the homogeneity of interest, purpose and action of one country will always conflict with that of another. This may be idealist, but the reality of today is not ideal.
Nations are adding bricks and mortar and other fortifications to their already ossified border walls. But to what end? What problem has this solved?
In conclusion, I think with the “destined” progression of the world it may spiral from a global village to a global penitentiary of some sort – nations locked within their borders with a bevy of fierce-looking soldiers on patrol around the frontiers.
The world must realise it is in a third war, and all nations must align to end it.
MEANWHILE…
Arewa youth ultimatum
Sometimes, the hate-filled graffiti of posts on social media is not even a microcosmic encapsulation of the thoughts and feelings of a population of people. Virtually all notable persons of the northern stock have condemned the incendiary threat issued to the Igbo by their own “fawns” – that Igbo persons resident in the north must leave the region within three months. It shows that Nigeria, despite being a flawed composite enterprise, is salvageable. I would like to see Igbo elders rise to the occasion in times like this when their own youth threaten the country or any ethnic group.
Where is our budget?
Seriously, we must begin to ask questions. Why has the 2017 budget not been signed? This is about a month after the national assembly passed it. And we are in the middle of the year. By the way, the 2016 budget expired in May. What is happening? It is clear that this government is playing dangerous politics with the destiny of Nigerians. Wow! I am just utterly flummoxed.
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