Once again the hypocrisy and lies associated with the whole Covid19 pandemic was recently unmasked by the Nigerian Aviation Minister.
The charade around Covid19 travel bans and blockades is based on racism and discrimination.
Britain is a country of less than 100 Million People and is currently the second most Covid19 infested country in the World. With all its money, wealth and power it has failed to contain or control the virus.
Its management of the pandemic has been shambolic from the beginning. But it has damaged African economies and reputation by foisting travel bans on some poorer countries. It has used its position and power to beat up African nations.
It has been successful so far until it added Nigeria to its Red List. This addition of Nigeria and the attempt to bully and humiliate Nigeria brought the hypocrisy to an end.
READ: Africa: The UAE/Air Peace Aviation Impasse-Why Dubai Should Not Die On The Nigerian Hill.
Nigeria has had just 3 identified cases of Omicron, UK has more cases. Nobody has died from Omicron in Africa of 55 Countries and 1.3 billion people, but you have fatalities in UK. Europe has more cases of Omicron in Belgium, Netherlands and Denmark but it is African countries that were added to a Red List.
Even a German newspaper was quoted as saying that Africans are bringing the Virus to Europe.
All cases of Covid19 in Africa came from Europe. The Index case in Nigeria is an Italian. According to the Nigerian Minister of Health, over half of the air passengers testing positive on arrival in Nigeria came from the UK.
Then the UK decides to add Nigeria with 3 cases to its list of banned countries.
The whole Covid19 charade is just a way of rich countries to further Impoverishing weaker countries. They stockpiled the vaccines until they are about expiring then ship them to Africa as part of the so called “Vaccine Diplomacy: Playing Diplomatic and Publicity Stunts with the lives of Africans. You exploit all the wealth from Africa then you deny them vaccines and finally shut them out of the World so they can go and die in Africa.
Fortunately the virus for some strange reason has refused to kill Africans in large numbers. Covid19 is still a Non-African event much to the surprise and consternation of Europe.
The travel bans imposed on Africa by Europe and the Middle East is discriminatory and racist. They can make all the pretences they want, the truth is very bare.
They claim it is based on science. Some form of science that is understood by only European scientists.
Nigeria has just uncovered a template of engagement for Africa. If the UK ban any country, the other countries in the zone should join hands and ban UK.
It is numbers and economic interest they respect. Africa has the numbers and can hurt anyone with a continent wide boycott.
The leaked audio of the Nigerian Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika that Nigeria will ban UK Airlines and impose reciprocity on Canada and Saudi Arabia changed the equation in 24 hours.
Britain lifted the ban on Nigeria and other Africans.
It is the power of 200 million people speaking with one voice. This is not like the twitter ban that is unpopular with the Nigerian masses. This is a very popular position with majority of Nigerians.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will not survive 8 months of ban from Nigeria and Africa. They are not Emirates that have survived for 10 months without Nigeria.
The last time Nigeria under General Abacha banned BA in another tit for tat battle, BA lost millions of pounds.
That leaked audio has just saved Africa from further humiliation. The next nation that imposes restrictions on an African country should receive an instant reciprocal response from the AU or ECOWAS, SADCC or EAC.
Africa should stop taking rubbish from people that depend on Africa for survival.
The reason it is difficult to get a Nigerian visa or Angolan visa is because they operate on reciprocity. Maybe because they do not rely on aids for survival. Both countries have Oil.
Most African countries allow everyone with a Blue or Red passport to walk into their country but same Africans are called illegal immigrants when they cross the Mediterranean.
Covid19 should be the proverbial line in the sand for Africans. Stop taking rubbish.
This is a tale of how one man won a diplomatic war with a leaked Audio Tape.
Africa should stand up to these global bullies.
By Ikechi Uko
