HASSAN HUSSEIN In 1983, enroute to Kenya, our plane stopped in Lagos, Nigeria, after prior stops in Dakar, Senegal and in Abijan, Ivory Coast. The Nigerians had a reputation among the seasoned travelers in our tour group of being rambunctious and presumptuous. So, as they boarded, what had been an otherwise sedate flight, in Lagos, the plane itself seemed to tremble with excitement. As the plane filled up, and no one was assigned to the seat beside me, I began to hope that I might be spared! Not so. A brother, speaking only what I perceived to be Arabic, sat down next to me. We exchanged greetings; discerned that neither knew the others tongue, and he went to sleep. Of course flying across Africa is 10-11 hour flight. So, no one could sleep so long, especially when the whiff of food was in the air, which the stewardesses were then serving. He woke up. Looked at the meat on his plate; pointed to the butter on mine, and intimated by signs that he wished to trade. Realizing a deal when I saw one, I readily assented to this swap! I then ate the meat--whatever it was--and he then ate the butter with a spoon. And with great satisfaction! After our meal, he told me his name was Hassan Hussein. I told him mine. I made out the word hajj as he spoke. So, I took out my Michelin map, pointed to Mecca, and said: El-Hajj Hassan Hussein. This pleased him greatly. I then pointed to Nairobi, Kenya, and Harare, Zimbabwe, my destinations and he smiled and nodded his understanding. After that, we had a jolly good time making sign language and facial expressions as we cemented a friendship at 37,000 feet. These thoughts came rushing back to me, as I read THE LEGACY OF ARAB-ISLAM IN AFRICA, by John Alembillah Azumah, and contemplate the uncertain fate of those nearly-300 young women abductees being held by Boko Haram of Nigeria, Chad, and Niger. As none of my fellow travelers fears of or concerns about, the Nigerians manifested on our flight, I can only hope that similar fears about the fate of these young women are also overblown and that they are safe!
Posted on: Mon, 12 May 2014 19:27:39 +0000
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