Libyan Crisis: Hiding under one finger

So, Libya, a failed state in North Africa that calls itself an Arab nation is Africa’s modern slave trade centre? That’s the umpteenth wonder of the universe to a substantial chunk of Africa’s most populous nation. If Primate Olabayo or TB Joshua had predicted it, we would have lambasted them. Of course we’re not so naïve as not to know from all the evidence out there that slavery is still very active in some parts of our continent. It’s just that we, the Naija who believe that nobody, least of all a failed nation like Libya should toy with the might of the biggest country with the dopest army in the continent.

Had the Libyan slave traders not been victims of the closed society of the Gadaffi years, they would have been scared from touching citizens of a country whose army has a reputation of containing the worst despots - from ex-Liberian warlord Charles Taylor to the rump of Fodey Sankoh’s RUF.

We, in Naija have heard of slavery in Mauritania, another - well, Arab nation. We have read books written on persistent slavery in the Sudan. In these instances, we know that being black preconditions you to being trafficked for slavery. We have heard, read and watched videos detailing the horrific encounters of the Pakistani and Bangladeshi in slave camps in the Arab world. We probably couldn’t feign ignorance to the continuous lynching of migrant Somalian, Eritrean and Ethiopian citizens trafficked as domestic workers through the Gulf of Eden to the extremities of Saudi Arabia. The reason we didn’t know these things is that, we don’t poke our noses into the affairs of other people. Otherwise, there are enough results from Professor Google to enquiries as to what happens to poor, innocent people recruited into these countries as potential blue-collar workers. We would have seen pitiable details of these labourers huddled together in subzero temperatures in conditions worse than Naija police detention centres.

If we were not hiding under our big finger, we would shudder at overflying the airspace of some countries where black women are constantly beaten, gang-raped and abused after signing deals guaranteeing that they would be working as domestic servants in far-flung places of the earth; from the coasts of Sicily to the depths of the Americas. We have accepted unfortunately, that our local circumstances are so irredeemably bad that it is better to die as slaves abroad than face the unchangeable inequality at home.

The only reason we are outraged about the Libyan slave markets is that, it finally hit CNN. A Sun newspaper correspondent embedded with trafficker gangs a few years ago and was awarded laurels for his bravery and investigative journalism. We paid no heed to his testimony. On the one hand, you cannot continue the culture of politics and policies that institutionalize desperation and hopelessness yet believe that the juice of patriotism flowing in their veins would stop them from stowing away in dinghy boats en-route to another form of slavery abroad.

Yes, it’s true that the cost of procuring Oluwole papers and transporting oneself anywhere farther than Cotonou or Bosso is enough to start a pure water business.

But then, there’s an argument that if Dangote had been hawking pure water in Abuja, the AEPB would have jailed him five times already and made him miss the Forbes list. It is hard to convince a youth listening to the lyrics of songs saying that Dangote, Otedola (add Elumelu for full federal character) do not have two heads to stay at home. Or the preachings of Gods of men distributing blessings from their pulpits assuring that God rewards the indolent with surprise billions.

It is hard to convince youths that have seen people leaving their villages with nothing but the clothes packed in Tokunbo backpacks but returning a few months later with Hummer Jeeps laying the foundation of mansions of opulence that they’re richer than they think. It’s hard to convince those who knew politricians who borrowed money to campaign return home with Jeeps and police orderlies that there’s dignity in labour. Not when the parents who worked hard to train them have have been swindled of their pensions by governors counting payment of salaries as dividends of democracy. These contradictions are more attractive magnets than the gory details circulating on social and mainstream media.

Our youths have heard that the grass is greener at the neighbours’, but not the extra fertilizer and the frequent pruning put into its transformation. We have governments whose fundamental principle and directive of state policy is looting and policy inconsistency. A regime inaugurated Keke Napep, albeit while the world was talking about replacing obsolete mass transit schemes; another regime is arresting its operators. A regime introduced NALDA and failed; a new one is recycling it with a different name.

Saddest of all, the ruining class has something going for it; it does not dieoff or groom successors; it’s amoebic survivalist nature helps it recycle itself with the perpetration of misery. It hoodwinks the populace with freebies and they flock to its rallies and take sides at its conventions.

So, yes, I am shocked that Libya is maltreating our citizens. I am encouraged that weeks of international uproar has forced our government to introduce Black Starliner evacuation flights, but I am certain we have not heard the last of the slave camps. We have only bandaged a gangrenous wound, we have not diagnosed its underlying cause nor are we close to finding a cure.