There is this story of a cute Asian American who went jogging and got to a shaded place along the quiet road where she decided to take a breather. Unknown to her, a young White American of about the same age was also jogging not too far behind her. He too decided to take advantage of the shade – and possibly the company of a beautiful woman - to rest. ‘Where are you from’ he asked after introducing himself. She mentioned a State she was living in before she came South. ‘I mean originally’ he persisted. The question caught her off guard momentarily since she was born in America and her parents were born in America. She must have sighed to herself as she got the drift of the questioner. She mentioned the Asian country her grand-parents came from and then pointedly asked him in return where he too was from originally. Somewhat surprised by her question, he gave an answer that implied his ancestry was obvious given the colour of his skin and thereby implying that his ancestors owned the land. ‘Like you are a Red Indian?’ the lady asked sarcastically.

This story somehow illustrates the thinking of the conservative White Americans towards the geographical area called the United States of America. In a complete revision of history, they believe they own the land while other peoples of colour are immigrants. This belief influences their attitude towards other races whom they believe should be in the country to serve them and not to share with them. It influences their decision to hold on to power and the spoils of the land by all means possible. It influences their concern about the demographics that say ‘Colour’ will supplant ‘White’ in just a couple of decades. It influences the desire to constantly redraw the electoral map so that majority votes alone will never decide the outcome of the American Presidency. It influences the start-up priviledges that they have over peoples of Colour especially ‘Blacks’ and the institutional barriers blacks have to scale. It influences the ‘bile’ over black aspirations and the need to decimate them in any way possible. It explains the constant knee on the neck. And camouflaged as religion, it even influences the stance of the conservatives over abortion because the white population is thinning. It influences their preference for white immigrants and explains why, in characteristic carelessness, ex-President Trump wondered why immigrants couldn’t come from Norway or Sweden or such white-skinned countries. It influences the reluctance over sensible gun control because guns give them power – or an illusion of power and control. It influences their reluctance to call Trump out for his malfeasance.

Put in a nut shell, the white, conservative Americans have a strong sense of entitlement. They also have a strong desire to have it their way. And because of these traits, they don’t cede control easily, be it at the local or national level; be it at sports or at business. These are two traits they have in common with our Fulani elites. They are by no means limited to these. They also like to live in the past. They would rather stay in the era of mining and ranching. They would rather America remained rural and white. They see America as the world and the world as America. Yet, most of the technological advancements and therefore new wealth in America today are by immigrants. The frontiers of medicine and allied sciences have long been dominated by the so called immigrants. The frontiers of music and the arts have long been dominated by the so called immigrants. The frontiers of education have long been taken over by the so called immigrants. In fact, middle-aged white Americans are said to be among the least educated as a group. They are afraid of the digital age because they are not educationally ready for it. They are afraid of the influx of smart immigrants because they are not educationally groomed to compete. Yet they are being pampered. American politicians, especially the Republican Party which is mainly their party, are not willing to tell them the home truth. The world has moved on and China with all its flaws, is a very good example of that. And America would find it difficult to compete in any field without the Asians, the Latinos, the Jews and the Africans in America. This is the inconvenient truth that those who want to keep America white are not facing.

Are some of these things not familiar to us in Nigeria where a particular tribe sees it as its right to rule and control? Can any discerning person not see any similarity with Nigeria and its ruling Fulani elite? The Fulani elite has used and is using everything possible to remain in power. Like the American counterpart, it has used religion, education, manipulation of electoral maps and undue tribal privileges to stay in power. It has used population and the breeding of poorly cared-for children to stay in power. It has even used poverty as a tool. But unlike the conservative white in the US, the Fulani elite is not even willing to identify and use talents that are not Fulani based. A Fulani must head a lucrative organization even when the scouts cannot find a competent one quickly enough. The result is that everything is brought to a level of mediocrity because the major criterion for being in office is not competence. Unlike its US counterpart, it is not willing to open up the economy and allow merit and a competitive spirit to sway decisions for fear of losing control. He is not willing to decentralize for fear of losing control. The result is that everything seems to be collapsing like the proverbial pack of cards.

The world has moved on. The demographics have changed – we have a huge population of highly educated and highly exposed youths in the diaspora who, sooner than later, will force a change. But the Fulani elite is too consumed with power for its sake to notice. It is busy pampering itself, believing that it has all the aces. Unfortunately, it is a minority trying to behave like the majority.

Pease note that this article is not to suggest that every Fulani elite and every conservative White American fit into this profiling. I have met some really nice Fulani elites who have been good to me just as many Blacks would have met some conservative White Americans who have been good to them. But even with them, the sense of entitlement and priviledge is never too far from the surface.

•Muyiwa Adetiba is a veteran journalist and publisher. He can be reached via titbits2012@yahoo.com

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