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To the Leaders of G-8 Nations and their African Counterpart: If not fully Addressed, African Poverty can become a Threshold to Breeding National and International Terrorism By Emakoji Ayikoye Bronx, N.Y., USA July 14, 2005
Right now, the Western nations are dealing with one of the gravest challenges of the 21st century in a new world order, infused by acts of terror as we have seen in the last few years. The ghastly terrorist attacks on America, Spain and most recently on Britain should serve as a chilling reminder that, the Western nations are now faced with one of the most vicious nightmares of this century, which must be defeated; else, our world is in a staid dilemma.
These days, it appears that those behind these acts of terrorism are people who are sick and tired of issues affecting their part of the world, mostly Middle East and Asia. For whatever reason, they have continued to echo the reasons they will forge on with their acts of terrorism on the West. These terrorists will obviously stop at nothing in perpetrating their heinous carnages, except their demands are met. Basically, from what they seem to demand, whether anyone agrees with them or not, it is becoming clear that they are asking to be treated fairly in their lands; they are asking that their ways of life, their culture, their lands and religion be respected. If indeed, their demands as stated here are genuinely why they are terrorizing our world, then, it seems rational to argue that, Africa may produce worst terrorists due to being continually exploited and suppressed. Also, the level of abject poverty that is ravaging the lives of her people makes Africa a fertile breeding ground for terrorists, if nothing constructive is done to salvage the situation.
There are two crucial premises on which, I am very convinced that Africa may become a more sophisticated breeding ground for international terrorism; if that happens, the targets of terrorists (the West) would have to deal with a worst nightmare of terror than they have ever known. The first premise is the level of African poverty, which is capable of becoming a potent instigator of acts of evil. There is a saying that, “a hungry man is like an angry lion.” I do not know that there is any normal human being who would want to deal with, or confront a real angry lion. Unfortunately, African poverty is gradually giving rise to a whole new population of “angry lions” across the continent. These fast increasing numbers of “angry lions” must be served right otherwise, our world is yet to experience the dire consequences of poverty. The second premise is the religious connection of the Middle East to most of the African continent. To make matters worst, the Middle East is located at a proximally close geographic location to Africa and, that can serve as a strategic channel for the infiltration and recruitment of terrorists from the continent. But, the big question to explore here is, WHO ARE THESE TERRORISTS?
Ladies and Gentlemen: permit me to say that from my observation, terrorists come from two spectrums- from the wealthy and the poor people of our world. Whether anyone thinks that they are insane and abnormal persons or not, I would argue that only psychologists can answer that question. Let me also emphatically state that I do not belong to that class of people who think that “Muslims” are these terrorists. Some how, it seems by way of coincidence that, most people who are branded terrorists today, and who are alleged to be behind the recent attacks on America, Spain and Britain are professed Muslims. Nevertheless, it is only lucid to understand that terrorists are essentially any persons, irrespective of their religion, race and geographic location, who are vicious and violent campaigners against what they may perceive to be unjust maltreatment of their lives, cultures, economic resources, politics and perhaps their religions by those who are more powerful than they are.
Based on these platforms above, by which I define terrorists, I would argue that, our world would be mistaken to think that Muslims are the terrorists rather than acknowledge the fact that, terrorists are just a group of people who may not necessarily know what Islam is about. Before I even write any further, may I just clarify that I am not a Muslim but a Christian. I state my faith only to those who may think, I am a Muslim who just want to talk about religion or exonerate the name of Islam and Muslims from the terrorism of this age.
The Wealthy Terrorists…. Why should anyone, who is so wealthy, so rich and educated as Osama Bin Laden and Aiman Alzuwahiri, become some of history’s deadliest terrorists? Why would they abandon their wealthy background, opulence, prestige and comfort to live in caves and on mountains just to terrorize the West? I certainly do not understand why. However, I speculate that there must be a cause for which they are so passionate about and, a cause that they so much believe in, to make such mind-shattering sacrifices for. Our world should begin to ask why? Perhaps, we may eventually find solutions to such horrendous terrorism that is ravaging our lives and our world today.
I can never forget witnessing the terror that was unleashed on all of us, who lived in the United States, particularly in New York City on that dreadful morning of September 11attack on America. I have seen nothing like it in my entire existence. As such, I sternly condemn the acts of terrorism any day and any where. Just as much as thinking of the carnage of the holocaust – an unimaginable level of terrorist- type extermination of the Jews in Germany by Hitler, causes me a nauseating disgust, modern day terrorism paralyzes my ability to make a justifiable sense of it. Just as the terror of the trans-Atlantic African slavery, colonial exploitation of Africa and the imperialistic suppression of Africa do not make any cogent sense, modern day terrorism does not in any way make a hell of a sense.
To address the threat of international terrorism, the wealthy and the power brokers of our world must have to find ways, perhaps, not through war. Unfortunately, wars really bring nothing good but another level of terror to the innocent and poor masses of our world.
The Poor Terrorists… More than any religious ideological radicalism, nothing is profoundly powerful and compelling as poverty where terrorism is concern. Poverty has one of the fiercest inciting power that can propel a people and in fact, a whole nation to become saturated with evil and rebellion. One of the products of rebellion and evil of course is terrorism!
When people are as poor as in Africa, where the majority of the people depend on less than a $1 each per day, frustration, desperation, anger and evils of all kinds becomes prevalent. Arguably, victims of poverty do desperate things for as long as what they may do can on the long run make a way out of poverty for them. A classical example of what poor and desperate people do can be illustrated by the illegal trip to enter the United States by Mexicans. These Mexicans go through the dangers of the night, the dangers of nature, like the scourge of the sun; the dangers of wild animals and reptiles and even death just so they may improve their lives in a country - USA, where they believe their poverty would end. Similarly, it is reasonable to believe that African poverty may lead to a situation, where poor and desperate Africans may find it necessary to join financially enticing terrorist groups, who may promise to end their poverty. If Africa should become yet another breeding ground for international terrorists, then, I cannot imagine the peak to which terrorism will attain against its targets.
To avert any possibility of terrorists infiltrating into Africa and making it a breeding ground for terrorists, I ask all African leaders to now address our poverty rather than impoverish our people through their corruption. I also ask the West and the leaders of G-8 nations to take the issue of African poverty very seriously. Tackling Africa’s poverty and providing opportunities for Africans at home is a powerful way to fight against the possibility of any kind of terrorism movement in the continent. If Africa continues to be neglected and suppressed, there is no way the level of poverty there would not eventually attract terrorists recruitments there.
May I finally say, fighting African poverty is not only directly going to benefit Africa but, it is also going to directly benefit the West and all the G-8 nations in their concerted effort and war on international terrorism and its rapid expansion around the globe.
May peace and respect for human lives and dignity prevail over terror in our days!
Emakoji Ayikoye Bronx, N.Y., USA
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