Independence, A Few Bad Eggs, And Many Unsung Heroes 

(Judging All By The Acts Of A Few Bad Eggs; Part 2) 

By Oliver O. Mbamara

Is The African Society Perfect?
Granted, Africans have their weaknesses and imperfections but they do not profess to have a perfect society, instead many Africans recognize the natural fact that Africans are still growing. Life continues to evolve. Africa has its share of strife and conflicts, and unfortunately some of our acts of weaknesses make good news for Western media. In fact some of our own media now engage in exaggeration of negative news in order to push up sales of their newspapers, magazines, and other news materials. This is not to say we should not report the negative events in Africa, but it is only fair to also throw light on positive events. Balanced reporting is the key. Perhaps that could be the goal and motivation of our journalists and literary giants. Africa is not only about hungry and depraved people. It is not only about bribery and corruption. There are many African champions of just cause, freedom, fairness, and justice. These champions do not often make news headlines. Let us hear about the upright Africans as we hear of the crooked ones. Let us hear about upright and selfless leaders as often as we hear of the corrupt and selfish ones.

Unsung Nigerian/African Heroes And Cities
Incidentally, there will always be African leaders who make news by their unfavorable leadership styles and perpetual hold to power. There will always be that minority Africans or Nigerians who will continue to tarnish the image of the majority who live good, respectable, and honest lives. Since news in the West is mostly about NEGATIVE REPORTING (meaning headlines are always based on negative events) the majority of Africans or Nigerians who happen to be upright will continue being in the background and unheard of while the few that are involved in fraud and corruption will continue making the headlines and attracting comments. 

After I listened to the gentleman from Trinidad (PART 1) vent his repugnance of Africans in general and Nigerians in particular, I brought it to his attention that apart from Americans, Nigerians make up about the majority of names one could find in the list of New York State and City employees (simply type in such common Nigerian names as “Ade,” “Akin,” “Obi,” “Chi," "Eke," “Ola,” etc in the online directory of listed New York State/City employees). These Nigerians are respectable Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists, Sociologists, Engineers, etc. Many of these Nigerians have worked for five, ten, twenty, or more years without any blemish on their records and many have retired with outstanding records of efficiency and dedication yet we do not hear of them. These are the UNSUNG HEROES and they are the greater majority of Nigerians and other Africans. However, if only one out of these many millions of Nigerians/Africans is involved with fraud, he makes the news and the critics jump on it, thus discrediting the good work and image contributed by the many millions who continue to be law abiding and upright individuals.

The above tendency applies in other areas including politics and governance. There are many leaders in Africa who remain dedicated to fairness and justice, they shun bribery, corruption, and self-aggrandizement yet we only hear about the dictators and tyrants who hold on to power endlessly and subject their people to brutality and hardship. The negative impression given such leaders overshadows the positive impression of the commendable leaders. Africa has many peaceful cities and towns where people continue to live in peace and even leave their doors and windows unlocked when they go to bed at night, but we only hear of those cities ravaged by famine, hunger, war, and inhumanity. Of course, these are the newsmakers – the news that sells.

An Impressed Mind Perceives From Its Impression
I went on to inform the gentleman from Trinidad that the Professor whose quote he read was at a Nigerian award dinner recently where he spoke glowingly about Nigerians. The gentleman from Trinidad was not at the event, and he may not read the coverage of the event from any western media outlet or would he boast that the Nigerian Professor had something positive to say about Nigerians Lawyers. Till the moment he spoke with me, his impression was that if a literary giant like the Nigerian Professor should say such a thing about Nigeria, then it has to be really serious. Perhaps the rest of the context did not matter to him again. It is hard to tell what impression this gentleman had in mind when he went looking to read and hear the opinions of the Nigerian Professor. Was the gentleman’s mind already impressed by some other factors, which made him pick only the negative comment of the Professor, which he went ahead to make his authority? 

After I gave the man some other instances that make it inappropriate for him to categorically condemn Nigerians and other Africans, the gentleman thanked me for patiently making him aware of these other factors. He asked me what I do for a living and I told him of my position with the State of New York. He apologized for his categorical dismissal of Nigerians as fraudsters whom he “will never let into his house.” Yet, he pointed out to me that his brothers and sisters share his opinion about Africans and Nigerians. Of course I urged him to endeavor to re-educate his people about the impression they have of Nigeria and other African countries. It may probably take some more convincing to help this gentleman build some confidence in Nigerians and Africans but it is a start and one less prejudicial opinion about a people and a continent. It is worth the try.

Addressing The Menace of "419" Schemes: Is It Objective, Biased, or Hypocritical?
This piece does not in any way condone bribery, corruption, or fraud of any kind including the popular 419 schemes (obtaining by false pretence). In a previous paper, I had explained that the victims of 419 schemes could be paying for their greed when they get coned or deceived while life has a way of making the fraudsters pay for their acts even long after they think they have gotten away. It is indeed very worrisome that the media and some analysts only see the menace of 419 from a perspective that paints the fraudster as the devil. In majority of the cases, 419 schemes will not thrive if the victims have not been motivated by greed and the desire to obtain quick wealth that they neither labored for nor deserved. As they say, “it takes two to tango.” This broader perspective of analysis continues to be avoided by the media and analyst of this endemic problem. Could this be a case of hypocrisy?

Take for instance; why would one quickly cough out one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) to pay to someone he never met or knew before just because he expects to receive two hundred million dollars ($200, 000000.00) he never owned or labored to deserve? Could it be greed and/or avarice? Could it have been fueled by a lack of sympathy for the nation or people loosing the said millions of dollars that the victim of the scheme hopes to gain while collaborating with the trickster? A case of the conman being conned. In law, there is a maxim that says; “out of an illegal act, no legal action (or right) shall arise.” This maxim is meant to discourage people who go out to commit illegalities and then turn around to recover after the illegality fails or after they fail to succeed or gain from such illegal venture. 

Again, the purport here is not to condone or justify fraud schemes, but to urge us to throw light on the fact that much as the fraudster is being chastised for attempting to defraud another by false pretence, the victim ought to be made to face the consequences of his deliberate intention to reap where he has not sown. Perhaps if this perspective is adopted, much can be scored in the fight against corruption and fraud. If there is no one to solicit, the 419 schemer may have very little or perhaps no one to trick. Attempting to discourage the act of obtaining by false pretence while turning a blind eye to the role of the accomplice will never make any significant impact in the attempt to rid us of this endemic problem and image killer.

The Middle Path On Individual, National, And Continental Ties
Africans may have differing opinions and reservations about African issues. Applying discrimination in publicly addressing these issues so as to uplift rather than degrade the image of our countries and continents could be challenging. Yet, one could save oneself the unnecessary entanglements that may arise from negative reports that may trigger additional negative impressions or reactions in a society already saturated by negativity. Life has a way of taking care of its own and it will always purge itself of impurities. It is not necessary for us to add any negative catalysts in the system of life.

Most Nigerians share national pride and characteristics with Nigeria just as most Africans do at the continental level with Africa. Many will not deny themselves or their background regardless of what impression another person may have about them. To them, it is a connection they have to confront and deal with. While recognizing the fact that every individual has a national or continental burden and responsibility, it is also important to recognize the fact that each one has his or her peculiar tendencies. It may not be proper to place an entire nation or continent in one category devoid of individual peculiarity or level of consciousness. 

Individually, many Nigerians and Africans embrace the responsibility latent in being Africans and Nigerians. It is a dual world and there is always another side to every perspective or situation. Condemning others will only shut off one’s ability to gain from the beautiful sides of that, which is condemned. Accepting one’s self and position is essential towards self-improvement. I am learning that it is somehow satisfying to take no sides but to remain in the middle by seeking to address or appreciate issues with such forthrightness that neither dwells on the negative nor the positive but a balance of the two. In the end, it is all about the balancing of accounts, the journey of life, and the learning process of Soul.

© Oliver O. Mbamara, October 2005,

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OTHER ARTICLES OF OLIVER O. MBAMARA 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Oliver Mbamara is an Administrative Law Judge with the State of New York. He is the author of several published books, the publisher of several online magazines and a columnist with several journals and magazines some of which are published internationally including England and the Netherlands. He is a Filmmaker, an independent Producer, and a performing artist. Oliver is in America's Who's Who and also in Africa's Who's Who. He is presently based in New York. For more on Oliver please visit  www.OliverMbamara.com      Contact Him