THE BOKO HARAM AND AL-SHABAAB TWINS: THE RISE OF ISLAMOPHOBIA

In dedication to the 234 kidnapped girls and their family and victims of terrorism  

Barely, a month ago Nigeria was declared Africa’s biggest economy surpassing South Africa to be Africa’s continental powerhouse improving the country’s international images that was once stuttered by the terrorism movement.

The terrorism movement that has been conducted by the now-notorious Boko Haram seems to have deprived Nigeria’s pride and potential of being an influential powerhouse like South Africa. Boko Haram meaning western education is forbidden seems to be a state within a giant state since it bombs and controls 6 states out of the 36 states under the stability and control of the government.

Furthermore, the fact that Boko haram exert influence in the north eastern Nigeria states of Borno, Adamawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe and Kano makes it a ‘’state within a giant state’’ and if not stopped the chaos of this movement will spread.

This movement started by boko haram is blood thirty and is edge to shed more innocent blood for selfish and hidden agendas. And at this moment, looking at the chaos done by the group, I strongly believe the fight against terrorism is not a ‘Nigerian thingy ’ but something that Africa as a continent should fight in oneness because terrorism has no space in both Nigeria and Africa’s future.

Many say Nigeria’s big economic breakthrough has come with a big problem, but I strongly argue against that, because I believe Nigeria can experience bigger economic breakthroughs without encountering bigger problems like terrorism and I can defend my answer by giving an example of South Africa, a country that has been Africa’s powerhouse for a decade without experiencing bigger problems.

The boko haram crisis in Nigeria has given confidence to other movements like al-shabaab in Kenya that has threatened Kenya’s stability. Al-shabaab though underestimated compared to boko haram is a major force advocating for acts of terrorism. More to that, I feel the attacks by boko haram in west Africa and al-shabaab in east Africa exposes and  puts to light Africa’s future threat since the north of Africa has been battling the act of terrorism for a while.

Nigeria and Kenya has to arise and combat the fight against terrorism. All these terrorism acts are an act of ignorance and has no religious significance, but personal corrupted ideas that should not be accommodated by the society at all. I strongly believe the act of terrorism has lead to the rise of ‘Islamophobia’ notion which is a shame and pure prejudice.

In conclusion, let love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control govern our lives, for terrorism has no space in our communities. For acts of terrorism destroys those who practice it. As they try to extinguish life in others, the light within them dies too.                   

SPORTS:THE BEAUTIFUL GAME IN DECLINE

The beautiful game of sports that has been a source of joy has been engulfed by a rare spiritual illness called racism. Racism in its final stage of manifestation is pure ignorance that seems to be killing the beautiful game of sports. OF recently a lot of racial related situations have arisen from all corners of life and I feel the issue of racism and its elements has to be addressed now so that in the near future nothing of this magnitude will affect our beautiful game of sports.

At this moment, I would like to explain the importance of the beautiful game of sports, by firstly highlighting what Didier Drogba did after his country Ivory cote qualified for the 2006 world cup in Germany. Drogba in his capacity as an Ivorian and captain of the national team made a desperate plea to the combatants, asking them to lay down their arms and this plea led to a cease fire between bitter enemies after 5 years of a civil war. Therefore, the current peace enjoyed in Ivory Cote was achieved through the beauty of the game of sports, something that most respected men and women of the world had failed to achieve on behalf of the Ivorian people. With that in mind, it is important for everybody from all walks of life to join in the fight against racism and its devices because the beautiful game of sports will be destroyed.

In line with the above, the beautiful game of sports, if not protected will be turned into a center stage of racism and its devices. Sports has always been used as a force for good therefore a call to stand against any individuals who want to use it as an instrument of hate must be disciplined by society at large. The months of April has been rocked by many scandals of racism such as the incident involving Donald Sterling the owner of LA Clippers, who was recorded telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to his games. This is one scandal that has shocked many people because Sterling for 30 years he has been running and owning the basketball team which happens to have a majority of its players black. The level of ignorance displayed by Sterling is shocking and should not be accommodated in the beautiful game of sports because hate towards any ethnic people is not accepted.

Furthermore, away from basketball, football seems to be having its own racial related problems such as the abuse of Dani Alves who plays for FC Barcelona and Papakouli ‘Pape’ Diop playing for Levante UD in Spain; by fans making monkey sounds and throwing of banana on the fields respectively. All these incidences are outrages meant to destroy the beauty of the game and a zero tolerance towards racism in our sports and communities must be put into effect.   

And concluding with Pierre Breton’s words and I court, ‘Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and deserves to be met head-on and stamped-out’, and I strongly believe racism has no place in the 21^st century, for the beauty of the sport has to be embraced.    

AFRICA: YOUR TRIBALISM AND THE EUROPEAN RACISM

‘Africa's democratic transition is back in the spotlight. The concern is no longer the stranglehold of autocrats, but the hijacking of the democratic process by tribal politics’, wrote Calestous Juma in BBC news’ focus on Africa dated 27 November, 2012 while discussing the dangers of tribalism on the Africa continent.
         

Africa’s tribalism has been a modern cancer that is robbing the continent of its pride while putting it on a road to doom on the other side. So to start with, it’s important for us to define tribalism as a state of advocating or organizing a group of people based on their tribes. Tribalism in Africa is the second most evil thing that has happened to the continent after colonialism and this has hindered growth in all sectors that have economical potential because of small devices tribalism has given birth to in areas of productivity such as nepotism. Nepotism in Africa is as a result of tribalism that has created mistrust between people that speak languages that only differ in vowels if not pronunciation.

Furthermore, the most exciting about Africa tribalism is that it is promoted by scholars or politicians that are very much aware of its impact in the society. Therefore, the Africa tribalism is not only based on ignorance, but also selfishness that has taken over Africa’s power lovers that find tribalism as a cheap vehicle to help them achieve they dreams at the expense of peace, stability and the people.   

On the Other hand, as much as Africa is battling with its elements of tribalism among its people, Europe on the other hand seem to be also battling its own battles of racism and the fast arising neo-Nazi propagandas that most Europeans youths seem to embrace due to socio-economical shutdowns that most Europeans countries have faced. Racism by simple definition is the love of one’s race while hating other races based mainly on skin complexion.

The European racism has not been printed so much by the Medias like the African tribalism but the truth remains that the European racism is an “open secret” that is an enemy to growth. For example, not long ago , a football match played by Villarreal CF against FC Barcelona was shameful interrupted by the reception of racism when a banana was threw to a footballer on the field. That whole situation was well handled by the footballer who humbling ate the banana thrown unto him, but it also showed the ugliness of racism that has engulfed Europe because its racism is no longer an “open secret” but a crisis that will both put the  community and the beautiful game of football at risk. 

“Racism and tribalism are not lifestyles, but self-imprisonment or illness that prevents growth and must be cured by LOVE”.

I personally, believe racism and tribalism is not a lifestyle, but a self-imprisonment or an illness that prevents growth. Both racists and tribalists, despite they geographical location their live share a common notion of “hate” because they do not see the beauty that lies in a “one united people” because of the illness of ignorance.  The world is a beautiful place for everybody to live in, if we stand against the illnesses and evils of tribalism and racism then a generation of joy is guaranteed. All in all, its not only tribalism and racism that is affecting the world from growth, there is another form of segregation experienced and practiced in countries like china and India based on religious believes.