Charles Taylor, America and Nigeria's Image

By

Samir Abbas Otaki

abbasotaki@yahoo.co.uk

 

Almighty America lied! Nigeria has no hand in Charles Taylor’s mysterious escape. In fact, America’s inaction contributed to the rise of Taylor.

 

Charles Taylor’s disappearance and subsequent arrest is a mini drama. It portrays Nigerian security as loose (if you ask me ‘very loose’) however; the peak of this drama shows Nigerian security as ‘always on time’ napping this impudent former Liberian leader is brevity on its own. If our security was loose that Taylor found a hole to escape, at least they showed some level of alertness and professionalism for tracking him 24 hours after his escape.

 

We allowed Taylor to slip through our fingers but here is a story. Once upon a time. It was Sunday 15th September 1985 at around 8:30 pm, 5 inmates escaped from a jail (amidst tight security) in one of the most advanced nations of the world, 4 of the escapees were later apprehended. The other escapee became a rebel, war lord and later president. The nation is US and the man is Charles Ghanky Taylor. If our security napped Taylor while the FBI, CIA and other American security agents could not in 1985, is this not the cat calling the kettle black?

 

When the sympathizer mourns more than the bereaved (my God!) it raises an eye brow. America was the first to shout ‘foul’ when Taylor escaped not Liberia. NEW YORK TIMES editorialise the issue in its March 29th edition 2006 titled: ‘The Least Surprising Jailbreak Ever’ if there was a jailbreak, Taylor’s cannot qualify as one, for; first Taylor was never jailed in Nigeria, so why ‘jailbreak?’ imagine THE NEW YORK TIMES saying ‘it‘s hard to believe the Nigerians did much to stop him (Taylor)’ because there was no sign of security men at Taylor’s home, the magazine argued. Must all security be in uniform and looking very hard as if they are set to kill innocent Afghans or Iraqis?

 

The editorial hoped that ‘Mr.Obasanjo’s carelessness does not lead to a return of Taylor’s –style ethnic fighting in West Africa’ as you and I know, Taylor was caught. Does that mean Ronald Reagan’s (American president 1985) carelessness allowing Taylor to escape led to the 7 years of civil war in Liberia?

 

It is important to put it once again on record. No nation is working to keep peace in Liberia like Nigeria. Former Nigerian Presidents Babangida and Abacha as well as current president Obasanjo cannot be wiped out in this applause. THE NEW YORK TIMES confirmed this, ‘Mr. Obasanjo did west Africa favour when he took Mr. Taylor, ending Liberia’s civil war’

 

Nigeria spent a lot of its resources to bring peace in Liberia. President   Obasanjo testified this when he told journalists in Washington, on 29th March 2006 ‘I took great political risk in offering to host Mr. Taylor on behalf of the international community and humanity to avoid  continued bloodshed in Liberia even in the face of allegations of his complicity in the death of some Nigerians in his home country’

 

Immediately after Taylor’s disappearance was announced, Nigeria took some decisive steps. President Obasanjo ordered:

  • A comprehensive search within Nigeria and it’s borders

  • Immediate arrest of all security detailed to protect Mr. Taylor

  • Alert was issued to all immigration officers/security personal  at the borders

  • Nigeria’s neighbours were also notified and

  • A high powered panel of inquiry was set up

   

What else do you want? For the president to say you can have the oil in Niger/delta? 

 

Off course not all Nigerians like President Obasanjo’s third term bid (I am one) just like not all Americans like George Bush’s policies, but that does not mean we will sit down and allow Americans to water down the position of our president. NEWYORK TIMES is been mischievous.

 

 Perhaps Nigeria’s only link with Liberia is “Africaness” while for US; Monrovia  was designed in Washington ,the first $100 000 used to purchase land in Liberia was raised in Washington, Liberian flag and constitution is American and the capital ,Monrovia was named after US president James Monroe. Writing on ‘what is the Liberia war about?’ Tarty Teh in 1996 blamed the US when he argued: ‘So why could Congressman Payne not find an excuse during, the congressional black caucus’ September 13, 1996 conference on Liberia to mention Charles Taylor’s name as a possible contributor to the causes of the festering civil conflict? Congressman Payne’s only regret seemed to be that Doe was not taken out soon enough’ is it because Charles Taylor is an Americo- Liberian and Doe an African Liberian?

 

 

On a day like 29th March, one will expect a reputable magazine like THE NEWYORK TIMES to devote its editorial to the Vietnam War. it was the day US pulled out it’s forces from Vietnam, thus ending US longest war and the first it lost, loosing over 47 000 Americans, instead it chooses to focus on Nigeria and Taylor. Little wonder Richard M. Nixon once said ‘No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War, it was misunderstood then, and it is misrepresented now’ and The NEW YORK TIMES is not in any way elucidating the Vietnam War.

 

This is not to say we do not welcome criticisms in Nigeria or comments form abroad, but let it be done with good intension.

 

Samir Abbas Otaki 

Post Graduate Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

201 wood street,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222

U.S.A

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHARLES TAYLOR, AMERICA AND NIGERIA’S IMAGE

By Samir Abbas Otaki

abbasotaki@yahoo.co.uk

 

Almighty America lied! Nigeria has no hand in Charles Taylor’s mysterious escape. In fact, America’s inaction contributed to the rise of Taylor.

 

Charles Taylor’s disappearance and subsequent arrest is a mini drama. It portrays Nigerian security as loose (if you ask me ‘very loose’) however; the peak of this drama shows Nigerian security as ‘always on time’ napping this impudent former Liberian leader is brevity on its own. If our security was loose that Taylor found a hole to escape, at least they showed some level of alertness and professionalism for tracking him 24 hours after his escape.

 

We allowed Taylor to slip through our fingers but here is a story. Once upon a time. It was Sunday 15th September 1985 at around 8:30 pm, 5 inmates escaped from a jail (amidst tight security) in one of the most advanced nations of the world, 4 of the escapees were later apprehended. The other escapee became a rebel, war lord and later president. The nation is US and the man is Charles Ghanky Taylor. If our security napped Taylor while the FBI, CIA and other American security agents could not in 1985, is this not the cat calling the kettle black?

 

When the sympathizer mourns more than the bereaved (my God!) it raises an eye brow. America was the first to shout ‘foul’ when Taylor escaped not Liberia. NEW YORK TIMES editorialise the issue in its March 29th edition 2006 titled: ‘The Least Surprising Jailbreak Ever’ if there was a jailbreak, Taylor’s cannot qualify as one, for; first Taylor was never jailed in Nigeria, so why ‘jailbreak?’ imagine THE NEW YORK TIMES saying ‘it‘s hard to believe the Nigerians did much to stop him (Taylor)’ because there was no sign of security men at Taylor’s home, the magazine argued. Must all security be in uniform and looking very hard as if they are set to kill innocent Afghans or Iraqis?

 

The editorial hoped that ‘Mr.Obasanjo’s carelessness does not lead to a return of Taylor’s –style ethnic fighting in West Africa’ as you and I know, Taylor was caught. Does that mean Ronald Reagan’s (American president 1985) carelessness allowing Taylor to escape led to the 7 years of civil war in Liberia?

 

It is important to put it once again on record. No nation is working to keep peace in Liberia like Nigeria. Former Nigerian Presidents Babangida and Abacha as well as current president Obasanjo cannot be wiped out in this applause. THE NEW YORK TIMES confirmed this, ‘Mr. Obasanjo did west Africa favour when he took Mr. Taylor, ending Liberia’s civil war’

 

Nigeria spent a lot of its resources to bring peace in Liberia. President   Obasanjo testified this when he told journalists in Washington, on 29th March 2006 ‘I took great political risk in offering to host Mr. Taylor on behalf of the international community and humanity to avoid  continued bloodshed in Liberia even in the face of allegations of his complicity in the death of some Nigerians in his home country’

 

Immediately after Taylor’s disappearance was announced, Nigeria took some decisive steps. President Obasanjo ordered:

·         A comprehensive search within Nigeria and it’s borders

·        Immediate arrest of all security detailed to protect Mr. Taylor

·        Alert was issued to all immigration officers/security personal  at the borders

·        Nigeria’s neighbours were also notified and

·        A high powered panel of inquiry was set up

What else do you want? For the president to say you can have the oil in Niger/delta? 

 

Off course not all Nigerians like President Obasanjo’s third term bid (I am one) just like not all Americans like George Bush’s policies, but that does not mean we will sit down and allow Americans to water down the position of our president. NEWYORK TIMES is been mischievous.

 

 Perhaps Nigeria’s only link with Liberia is “Africaness” while for US; Monrovia  was designed in Washington ,the first $100 000 used to purchase land in Liberia was raised in Washington, Liberian flag and constitution is American and the capital ,Monrovia was named after US president James Monroe. Writing on ‘what is the Liberia war about?’ Tarty Teh in 1996 blamed the US when he argued: ‘So why could Congressman Payne not find an excuse during, the congressional black caucus’ September 13, 1996 conference on Liberia to mention Charles Taylor’s name as a possible contributor to the causes of the festering civil conflict? Congressman Payne’s only regret seemed to be that Doe was not taken out soon enough’ is it because Charles Taylor is an Americo- Liberian and Doe an African Liberian?

 

 

On a day like 29th March, one will expect a reputable magazine like THE NEWYORK TIMES to devote its editorial to the Vietnam War. it was the day US pulled out it’s forces from Vietnam, thus ending US longest war and the first it lost, loosing over 47 000 Americans, instead it chooses to focus on Nigeria and Taylor. Little wonder Richard M. Nixon once said ‘No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War, it was misunderstood then, and it is misrepresented now’ and The NEW YORK TIMES is not in any way elucidating the Vietnam War.

 

This is not to say we do not welcome criticisms in Nigeria or comments form abroad, but let it be done with good intension.

 

Samir Abbas Otaki 

Post Graduate Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

201 wood street,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222

U.S.A