USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: Travel Ban and a sad day

Prof:

I never thought I would live to witness this happening to Nigerians.

First it was the Muslim nations, then it was the Mexicans and now it is the Nigerians.  Two sets of actions are now due:

1. Mass protests at the US embassy in Nigeria.

2. Protests to the Capitol and the White House in the US decrying the unjustified victimisation of Nigerians in America.

OAA

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

-------- Original message --------

From: Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>

Date: 31/01/2020 16:32 (GMT+00:00)

To: dialogue <USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com>, Yoruba Affairs <yorubaaffairs+msgappr@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Travel Ban and a sad day

Today, President Trump is most likely to announce a travel ban on Nigeria.

It shows the extent to which "tribalism" has gone global; how mega-nationalisms have declined and nearing collapse; and also the extent to which Nigeria has lost respect.

I know for a fact that some universities are saying they should not admit Nigerians for PhDs as they may be denied visa. For the first time, Nigerians who finished their PhDs even in top programs are getting it difficult to get jobs—at least I know eleven who have no jobs.

To those in the Diaspora, it shows their powerlessness, how the exaggeration of what they do comes into clear focus. All the boastings do not equal the finger of Oprah Winfrey. All the numbers in the big cities cannot influence policy, how no one is afraid of the PhDs that they parade and the long CVs they build.

We cannot even complain! We cannot even mobilize protests.

Most human beings do not care about what we say or write—they care about what we do and how we transform their lives.

It is a sad day.

 

Toyin Falola

Department of History

The University of Texas at Austin

104 Inner Campus Drive

Austin, TX 78712-0220, USA

http://toyinfalolanetwork.org/