BIG, Green,
misunderstood: WHY NIGERIA IS SO SIMILAR TO THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
Perhaps you
have wondered why I chose the well-known comic character ‘The Hulk’ as the
avatar of my blog. Another labored example of post-colonial inferiority,
perhaps? A not-so-hidden slant towards Western culture, at the expense of my
own? An attempt to cash in on the box-office success of the Hollywood hit ‘The
Avengers’?
The Hulk, for
me, personifies so many attributes that are remarkably similar to a certain
West African nation. Primarily the Hulk is big, enormous, and HUGE. Which is akin to the famous
moniker ‘Giant of Africa’, which is now muttered in contempt by disenchanted
Nigerians. At over 900,000sq. km, Nigeria is massive, huge, enormous, and chock
full of some the most exciting people you are ever likely to meet, the very
nerve of the continent, the sensitive soul of the black man. An astonishing
number of people call this place home; either physically or spiritually. Visit
the vast urban sprawl that is Lagos, and witness the sheer kinetic energy that
flows through our people. The Harvard Business Review (June 2012) ranks the
Ibadan-Lagos-Accra urban corridor as ‘the engine of West African’s regional
economy’. Surely you’ve noticed the first two cities in the sequence. Despite
the current security challenges, Kaduna is ranked by the World Bank as one of
the best places to do business. We are a huge vibrant swirl of cities, towns,
villages and individuals seeking opportunities for growth and benefit.
In the most
popular incarnations, the Hulk is pictured in a brilliant shade of green.
According to insiders, a totally different colour scheme had been chosen for
the character, but a printing error caused the Hulk’s picture to emerge green.
An executive decision was taken, and the picture was left the way it was. The
decision proved to be a stroke of genius, and millions of fans took the new
character to heart, a devotion that has lasted till this very day. Green is
also the colour where Nigeria is concerned. From the military to the National
Youth Service Corps and even our athletes and sports teams, glory has always
come in the shade of green. The colour of freshness, fertility, growth and life
itself is green. That is our colour.
The Hulk is
often stereotyped as stupid, an uncouth, unwieldy brute. He doesn’t have the
glitz and glamour of Tony Stark, he lacks the symbolic patriotism of Captain
America, and he doesn’t have the charisma of Thor. And as such everyone seems
to forget that the Hulk possesses the mind of Dr. Bruce Banner; the world’s
foremost authority on gamma radiation. Some even typify the Hulk with a limited
vocabulary, consisting only of the words ‘HULK SMASH!’ Only when the other
heroes are overwhelmed and on the verge of defeat, does someone remember to
call on the Hulk. But when the threat is dealt with and the danger is past, the
Hulk becomes persona non grata once again. As Nigerians, we are often treated like
the black sheep of the world family, ostracized and hidden away like the global
idiot cousin. The behavior is excused because of the acts of a comparatively
few individuals bent on giving the country a bad name. The exemplary deeds of
Nigerians are conveniently forgotten, at least until the next continental
crisis and another warlord flies into the inevitable power-mad rage. Most
countries then engage in hand-wringing and navel gazing, others meet in
committees and sessions that hee-haw while the troubles around them get
considerably worse. Then Nigeria, the so called corrupt and selfish Nigeria
steps in, prepared to pay the price in blood and treasure that other nations
shirk. Indeed there is hardly a continent on which Nigerians haven’t bled for
the cause of others; we act where others waste words.
Maybe it’s even
understandable when foreigners and aliens make disparaging statements about
Nigeria; they rarely know any better. More painful are the self-flagellating
remarks Nigerians make about their own country, most likely borne out of
frustration and despair, and in all honesty there are numerous issues to worry
about. But herein lies another lesson to learn; just as the savage and sentient
natures of the Hulk now combine to become probably the most formidable
individual in his fictional universe, Nigerians must bridge the gap between
potential and reality by firmly grappling with our national issues, and not
relenting until we conquer. After all, to paraphrase the exchange between Tony
Stark and Loki; they may have armies, WE
ARE THE HULK!
