Acts of terrorism, symbols of terror and disgust such as
nine-eleven, are routine occurrences for Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani in. Commenting on the Boko Haram Bombing, an explosion
that rattled (her) nearby office building,” Nwaubani degrades the damages of
terrorism as somewhat clichéd. This is contrast to what most people in America
believe, therefore creating an appealing aura of mystery to those who have
believed differently. Nwaubani identifies with why Nigerians or why any citizen
of any country are slow to believe in terrorists, connecting to all different
types of people all around the world. We tend to disregard the idea that one of
our fellow citizens or neighbors or family members could blow him or herself up
along with innocent civilians. Nwaubani
describes her experiences in comedy clubs where the bits are about whether
terrorist attacks are the same as internet scams, they make light of the
threats they receive. First these anecdotes create an expectation of humor in
the essay, which Nwaubani fulfills. The personal stories convey Nwaubani’s
purpose to convince the audience not to live in fear of the world, but to enjoy
the world. Nwaubani uses a clever hyperbole to enhance this point: Nigerians
face so many fatal fates that “Terrorists
are just one more addition to the roster.” If Nigerians were to live in fear of
all that could happen, life would go on without them. They would be paralyzed,
and the world would be moving and changing. Nwaubani commends the Nigerians for
their “ability to laugh and remain optimistic amid the most dire circumstances”
as one of the enduring characteristics of the country. The anecdotes, the
connections to her audience, and the verisimilitudes in Nwaubani’s essay all
add to its success. From the essay, one can take away lessons to live by: “We
must continue to go about our business, to live and to laugh.”
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