It’s hard out here

Has there ever been a worse time to be Nigerian?

Being Nigerian has never been as cool as, say, being from the Caribbean (I was reminded of this constantly as a youngster) but it’s taken a few serious knocks lately. Firstly there’s the whole online scamming thing – I’ve no sympathy for the numpties who fell for that nonsense – but this wannabe bomber has taken it to new depths.

Aside from the obvious issues here, what country wants to be known for a failed bomber? At least if he’d pulled off he’d have shown some initiative, and drive – but he failed and he’s forever tarnished his country as the one that made the guy who stuffed explosives into his boxers.

The news reports haven’t helped either. I know they have to report the news, but do they have to mention that he’s Nigerian in every news report? That’s negative reinforcement on a grand scale. Before you know it the BNP will start talking about Nigerians in the same way they do about, err, every race, gender, colour and creed different from themselves.

And that’s not to mention how hard it’ll be for any Nigerian to board a plane. We’ll be subjected to those random checks that were carried out on anyone vaguely Middle Eastern. I’m lucky I have the double whammy of a British passport and an English sounding name (which, as the old joke goes, shows that my parents wanted me to have a good career). Any Olufemi Adeyemi’s out there might not be so lucky.