Call to Boycott British Airways

It is quite embarrasing that we Nigerians still don't know the extent of our financial clout and how to use it to our optimum advantage. 136-140 DAILY cancelled and diverted flights to other Airlines is a lot of money, certain to cut a deep crater on any carrier's profit and enough to make it unprofitable to the point of rendering it vulnerable to a take-over bid by the competetion on that basis alone.

JUST GRAB YOUR CALCULATOR AND DO THE MATH!!

Only a broad-based BOYCOTT would have forced a British change of policy --that of respect towards Nigerians as a result .

History shows that economic sanctions does wonders in matters like this. In fact,case in point is the nationaliztion of Shell BP in the 70s by the Nigerian government to force freedom for Zimbabwe and South Africa in that era of apertheid. That bold initiative dealt a devastating blow on British holdings in Shell BP and was the singular factor that led to a change of policy towards independence in that part of Africa. Until that action, the Brits and indeed the rest of Europe, Australia, and North America were never serious in any dialog to effect a solution to that deadly oppresion in Sourthern Africa.

The Americans in particular, never wanted another oil embargo after suffering one from the Saudis in the early 70s. Hence a serious attention to that matter because they knew they were next, and undoubtedly so, after we banned arrogant Henry Kissinger from landing his plane in Nigeria. Besides, the Americans knew the risk of any counter action; which simply would have driven Nigeria deeper into Soviet arms, and in those days --perhaps till these days-- as Nigeria went, so went the rest of Africa.

A BOYCOTT of British Airways by Nigerian nationals is likely to spread across Africa to an extent enough for any one to imagine the damage. We should have simply kept our government out of this and proceeded with the sanctions.

Any dialog towards an amicable resolution of the issue should have been a problem for the Brits to pursue. By Yar'adua wading into this case, we just helped these guys dodge a major bullet. Getting an apology -- verbal or written -- is not enough victory for us because there will be recrudescence of this social miasma the very next day, perhaps, because their wallet never lost weight!!

If you are looking for a remorseful response from a high level British functionary, dream on: they will simply instruct a low level BA employee to ADDRESS "THOSE NIGERIANS." Thats it and the beat goes on.