Obama has blacklisted Nigeria

Here is one piece of good news to kickstart the New Year: Nigeria placed on US list as a country "prone to terrorism." Obviously, Western countries are now paying attention to incessant and unwanton deaths spurred by Nigeria’s northern elites for decades.   

Who said Abdul Muttallab is all evil? The US, by this release, may have indeed done Nigeria a great favor. It's now up to northern Jihadists, those old sake nomadic Fulfulde men in the cloak of Fulanis, to call their Almajiris, in whatever toga, to order. They have brought their murderous wishes in all strata of Nigerian life and lay claim to supremacy of governance, a birthright fomented by a selfish Queen who now, has found her cousin bone chilled by a mere saber rattling that would have claimed about 278 lives only.  

It was as if other deaths before never mattered. It was as if Gideon Akaluka who found his head on a pin stripe of stick was not human. Come to think of it, Gideon Akaluka represents all the damning and unmentionable abomination that these fat cows unleashed on its own neighbors but went scot-free.   

Despite the fact that terrorism and criminal acts exists in US too, we know that American Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, is in prison for acts of terrorism against his own people. On the other hand, we cover ours with a certain beautification-religious intolerance, not minding that a husband and his wife were ordered out, made to sit on an arm chair, stripped naked and set on fire. Meanwhile, the crowd was on the street, killing, maiming and looting, even getting near to armed soldiers till Retired Col. Abubakar Umar drove by and asked the Commander of that troupe to do his duty with these words, "What are you waiting for? I have always said that I do not support this kind of thing." Shouts of "Allah Khubar" followed as they were lifted by the force of bullets and went down in multitudes.

On a fortunate day, the above is the best scenario. A replicate attempt in the North will result to anger in the East. A few onion merchants from the north may lose their lives but a greater number will be ferreted to the nearest army barrack by Igbos' at the risk of their own lives. Come to think of it, how can you kill your 'megida' {security guard} who had sold you cigarettes on credit and is married to an Igbo woman who has children that often play with your kids?   

It's sacrilegious to listen to Nigerians vouching that Nigeria is not known for terrorism. It simply means that those naysayers have not had someone from their family die in the hands of marauders or  need to protect the northern elites so that the milk that flows from rivers will not be tainted.   

At this point, we do not need a home grown solution. You can not have something out of nothing. If nothing exists, what solution will you be fixing? It's very obvious to the discerning that Nigeria never existed as a Nation. It was obvious to Sultan Ahmadu Bello as it was to Chief Awolowo. The obviousness was clear to Zik but he chose to come before his time.   

Muttallab, a 23 year old, a bred of the oligarchic barn indirectly has presented the solution. That he took to the sky is a testament to other geopolitical regions that were Nigeria experiment not in favor of the north; the whole country would have since been set ablaze.   

President Obama was not born when the British handed power to the North but with a stroke of the pen, he furthered that solution.

The British did not see terrorism in 1960 when they made a mock of handing over. What the Queen saw was a fitting oligarchy and oil. It's almost the same way M15 knew of Muttallab’s link to extremists since 2006 but never thought him a security risk. It is the same way Dr. Muttallab, his father, thought when he sent him to the best schools thinking he would return and serve as a Minister, or be a Nigerian Senator or state Governor or even President if he was lucky. For those who are asking why; it is the way of the gods.   

I am most willing to submit myself for a thorough search anytime I venture to European territory. America is not wrong; my so called country abounds with terrorism. The significance of that search will not be lost in me. Coming at the heels of a New Year, I thank President Obama for this gift. If no other good news comes forth throughout this year; this is enough.

Patrick Nwadike [email protected]  is a member, Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan.