I just finished having breakfast in my hotel’s beautiful restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with six colleagues/friends of different nationals – British, German, Polish, American, Saudi Arabian and a fellow Nigerian. Then out of the blue, Palfreeman, the Briton, to my utter embarrassment, said “I’m sorry Umar but l read about the unfortunate kidnapping of your daughter some two weeks ago. How’s she?” And the whole table was silent, everyone was focused on me. I’ve never felt more embarrassed in my life. “What happened”? Moh’d, the Saudi Arabian who was sitting next to me asked. I quickly pulled myself together the best I could to face them and narrate the gory story.
While I spoke, I was looking at Aminu, my fellow Nigerian who was sitting opposite me. I could only see his utter embarrassment as I described with shame the episode of my daughter’s abduction. As l spoke, l knew l was giving a sad narrative of my country to foreigners in faraway land. Even Palfreeman apologized to me afterward, realizing how difficult and embarrassing it was for me. He then warned that let the episode not be told to Stefanie, his wife, or she won’t ever let him come to Nigeria again. How so embarrassing! If l could feel the way l felt, I wonder how the president of Nigeria would feel.
But this is the true account of my country. I need not hide it; they all know it – it is out there for all to see! For Nigeria 🇳🇬, both at home and abroad, there’s only one sad narrative, one sad story, only one sad discourse – negativism; everything about us is negative, kidnapping, banditry, killings, genocide, corruption, irresponsible leadership, deceitful governance, thieving leaders, etc.
Can u imagine this embarrassment? The story of my daughter’s abduction is the decimal narrative of my country! But for the story to be told by foreigners in a foreign land is even more hurting. Must everywhere the same sad story about my country be the global discourse?
No, no Nigerians, no! We must stand up and change this gory narrative. We must or we bury our heads deep in the ground in shame forever.