Page 41 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 10

CULTURE

Whoever controls the images, controls your an airport while on a trip and then

self-esteem and self-development. Whoever the immigration officials or cus-
toms officers see my green passport
controls the history, controls the vision - and then instantly think there must

Dr. Leonard Jeffries be some criminal thing in me be-
cause my passport says NIGERIA.
n as much as I would like to great) but as a reality of the true Ni-
one day be able to use the geria, that is, those whose purpose is You can't understand how embar-
name Afrikan on my docu- to spearhead both spiritual and phys- rassed that makes you feel inside
Iments, instead of just Nigerian, ical things in Afrika and beyond. So to know that someone who has no
where I am from, I will today speak I will both speak to the Nigeria that clue about who you are, where you
to my Nigerian brothers, sisters, is a name, which has been tarnished have been, what you do, what your
mothers and fathers, as a Nigerian. globally by all manner of criminal ideology about life is, upon seeing
attribute, through the various nefar- you for the first time, thinks you
Clearly, my words will hurt some ious activities of some Nigerians. I are a criminal simply because you
people who will see this as backlash, will also speak to the Nigeria that is are from a particular country called
it may offend some who think no one a reality in the hand of God which Nigeria in Afrika. Nothing stabs
has the right to talk about the good was given the mandate to trigger a precious heart more than that.
of Nigerians and to some, my words and spearhead great things in Afri-
will be what can help them see a new ka and beyond. But in both cases, I In fact, it becomes even more an-
side of how to be true Nigerians. am also speaking to all Afrikans both noying and painful when God
home and abroad. For we all know sends you as His servant to go
I am not one that sits on my behind that, even though the name Nigeria to an Afrikan country to declare
watching things go the wrong way is sweet in the mouth of many peo- a word for Him over that nation
and then keeps silent about how to ple in regard to crime, crime is not and then you are still treated as a
make amends. But as always, I will unique to Nigerians, but to all who criminal at the borders simply be-
not try to make corrections without by their own choices, commit crime. cause your passport says Nigeria.
the spirit of compassion and love.
For I believe that it is only a fool that The narrative of criminal Ni- Oh my goodness! I cannot begin to
corrects in others what he thinks he gerians tell you how many times, because of
knows about them, yet without the As a Nigerian myself and one who how I was treated maliciously at air-
spirit of love, compassion and kind- grew up in Nigeria, I have never ports that I felt like the three disciples
ness that will help him see clearly in been involved in any form of crime of Jesus who wanted to call down fire
order to make accurate judgment. or criminality. I have never smoked against Samaria, because they were
For even Jesus said that each man any kind of thing people smoke, nev- not received as servants of Jesus.
must remove the log in their own er been to night clubs or brothels, I But clearly, I am of a different spirit.
eyes in order to see clearly to re- don't know what cocaine, heroine or
move the speck in the eyes of others. any other drugs look like, except for But the question is this. Why
maybe as I see it in movies. I have and where did this stench called
The Nigerian story never had any reason to fight anyone CRIME come to be attribut-
They say that when the purpose on the streets. In fact, almost never ed to Nigerians and how many
of a thing is not known, abuse be- had any reason to get into the nor- of the stories are actually true?
comes inevitable. This has always mal sibling fights with my brothers
been the case both with material while growing up. I have never sto- I do not know its beginning nor
things and even between people. len anybody's property or malicious- how it escalated to become what it
ly destroyed other people's things is today, but I do know that a hun-
I do not need any permission from for whatever reason. I have lived dred nations and more of the world
anyone both to know and also to my entire forty-something years life cannot be wrong about the criminal
boldly say that to be a Nigerian is within the ideals, honor and integri- activities of some Nigerians... and I
one of the most honorable thing ty instilled into me by my late Pastor also know that it is not possible for
bestowed upon the people of that Dad and my retired School Teacher all Nigerians to be criminals. If that
land. Not as it relates to Nigeria as Mum. So you will understand my were not so, there wouldn't be the
a name (whose meaning is not so pain and discomfort when I get to massive numbers of Nigerians that

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