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Nigerian author, Abayomi Mumuni itemises strategies of fighting terrorism in new book

Abayomi Nurain Mumuni is a successful businessman and an astute politician who single-handedly sponsored a political party, Nigerian Millennium Party (NMP), when the new political dispensation began in 1999. He was UNPP presidential aspirant in 2003, before stepping aside and later emerged as the Senatorial candidate for ANPP for Lagos Central Senatorial District in 2003 and 2007 before contesting for the 2011 guber poll under the defunct CPC, which he lost to Governor Babatunde Fashola.
The CEO of a multi-national financial corporation has just finished work on his new book, Global Terrorism and Its Effects on Humanity, and completed plans to roll out not-less-than 300 copies of the book for free in the United States of America in commemoration of the 13th anniversary of 9/11 attack on the Trade Center, in America by Al-Qeda. He told ENCOMIUM Weekly, in an exclusive interview, why he’s rolling-out the copies, among other mind-boggling issues raised in the book.

What inspired you to write the book?
Writing of this book was motivated by my interest, training and research on this subject matter, translating invariably into an attempt at the unveiling and understanding of the concept of global terrorism in all ramifications. This is partly for the purpose of bringing the ordinary man, within whose reach this book is hereby placed, to the consciousness of the presence of terrorism everywhere man lives.
You attempted to define what terrorism is in the 21st century. Please, tell us what your definition is?
What I attempted to do in chapter one of the book was to draw attention to how difficult it is to find a universally accepted definition of terrorism. After the research that produced the book, I am better informed that to respond to this hydra-headed phenomena, scholars must divest it any form of beatification or coloration and call a spade a spade.
It is with this in mind that I concluded Chapter One by defining terrorism simply as any crime committed against human beings or against humanity. By that definition, I am trying to facilitate an easy identification wherever terrorism exists.
You say that terrorism on its current scale had been foreign to a number of nations and regions, such as Africa. By creating awareness to others about the dangers and reaches of terrorism, what do you hope to accomplish?
Creating awareness to others about the dangers and reaches of terrorism is what I hope to accomplish. In other words, this question is self-answered.
Until quite recently, many in the African region did not know what terrorism was until occurrences in Europe and America started bringing it home.
In fact, until 9/11, many people in Africa did not know anything about terrorism. Ignorance is a disease; it is not an excuse in law.
Terrorism will not stay away from this part of the world simply because the possible/prospective victims do not know about it. The fact remains that terrorism is a global issue. It is not more native to one region than the other. In addition, it is as old as the human race.
So, I thought I should write Global Terrorism and its Effects on Humanity to draw people’s attention to its variation in their midst and the extent of its existence everywhere.
You also claim that some countries lack a true understanding of what terrorism is. Tell us what don’t they know about the dangers of one group trying to kill another?
Indeed, some nations lack a true understanding of what terrorism is and, as a result, fail to recognize it until it is full blown. Many authorities take religious crises for granted, failing (or waiting for too long) to take action when one religious sect rises to attack another.
This failure gives room to impunity and encourages more killings in the name of religion. This is exactly the case in Africa where religion holds sway as a factor in politics. Hence, religious crises are easily politicized. Many countries also fail to recognize religious riots as budding religious terrorism. Another thing that some countries do not understand is that terrorism spreads like an airborne disease.
So, when terrorism is taking root in a neighbouring state, they look away or pretend not to know about it. By the time the terrorists cross the border to establish a training camp, it will be too late to stop their operation. Unlike nations that have it fully or partly under control (because they have been coping with it for years), these other ignorant and inexperienced governments do not have any intelligence apparatus on ground.
Beyond religious reasons, what other types of terrorists are lurking?
As you mentioned, there are many motives that drive the terrorists, including religion. Every human being with a spirit wants to lean on one form of religion or the other.
Religion, therefore, is a primary factor in what determines a man or woman’s actions. Apart from religion, other convictions that motivate the terrorist include social and political factors. And there is nobody who is free from all of these.
These convictions determine a man’s satisfaction or dissatisfaction with his society. When there is dissatisfaction, various innovation springs up for change. Unfortunately, some people have seen terrorism as one of such innovations.
You grew up in Nigeria with a Christian mother and a Muslim father. How did you overcome prejudice or mistreatment as a result of your colourful background?
My own sense of family, where I come from and what I made for myself, is an important part of my life. However, sometimes you have to accept what life offers you and drink from every cup, because love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend; I grew up with this ideology.
In your book, you support government negotiating with the terrorists. Why?
This question is being addressed further in my up-coming book, Demand by Terror. It is becoming obvious that without negotiation, not much can be achieved by authorities in their fight against terrorism. So far, the only option I have identified as alternative to negotiation is military strike, and by which authorities will end up being accused of one crime or the other.
Take Nigerian government’s efforts to destroy Boko Haram for instance. Out of eagerness to strike the terrorist group, collateral damages touched many civilians to the extent that the Civil Rights Organization accused the Nigerian government of a massacre in Bama village.
Violence begets violence. In the new up-coming book, Demand by Terror, I am coming out with the conclusion that any response to a terrorist’s demands should not ignore negotiation. Negotiation has achieved more than military strikes, especially in hostage taking situations.
Do you think the war on terror will be won by the US and its allies?
The US and its allies will win the war only if they fight it in the right way – with the same sort of patience, strength, and resolve that helped win the Cold War and with policies designed to provide alternative hopes and dreams to potential enemies.
The war on terror will end with the collapse of the violent ideology that caused it – when Bin Laden’s cause comes to be seen by its potential adherents as a failure, when they turn against it and adopt other goals and other means.
Why are you rolling-out close to 300 copies of your book to the US during 9/11?
There is no doubt that terrorism, a man inflicted malignant epidemic, is ravaging humanity at an alarming rate, and the United States is a victim country. In our eyes, terrorist groups attacked United States in 2001, killings thousands of innocent people, this week (September 11) marks 13th anniversary of the bombings. I believe the best way to show support in the fight against terrorism, which is still the biggest threat to America, is to come up with an intellectual work of this nature, and roll out free copies to the States.
What is your plan to promote the book in Nigeria?
I had 31 state radio live interviews in America, and I am still having some coming up from September 10 to late October, 2014. When I am done with the US, I will be in Nigeria to promote it fully. Before then, both e-Book and hard-copies can be purchased online via (Amazon.com), (Barnes & Noble) BN.com (Kendal.com). Bookshops can also communicate with AtlasBooks or WSGF PTY for distribution.

– RASHEED ABUBAKAR

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