The Nigerian In The US Army

On a daily basis, Nigerians flock to embassies and high commissions in a desperate bid to escape the stifling conditions in Naija. One of those who have scaled the hurdle and now live overseas in search of the mythical greener pasture is OLUWATOSIN K. AKINDURO. Born in the bustling commercial center of Lagos, he migrated to the United States, finished from a high school in Texas, joined the US Army National Guard and is one of the 25 citizens of America newly sworn in by the US President, Barack Obama on the 4th of July, 2012, which was also the day for celebrating America's Independence Day. US became independent on the 4th July, 1776, it was colonized by the same country that colonized Nigeria -yeah, you gerrit, Britain!  

Oluwatosin Akinduro

 The 25 members are all from the armed forces -the US Army, Marine Corps and the Air Force. The simple but elegant swearing-in ceremony was done in the East Room of the White House, and as the President congratulated them, Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of Homeland Security, did justice to the oath of allegiance. 


 The 25 new citizens are from 17 different countries, of which Nigeria is one. 

The President and the new citizens, Akinduro is in the front row.

Immigrants to the US who have decided to join the nation's military are usually offered the citizenship so as to honour their contribution and appreciate their service to the nation. 

“We salute a young man from Nigeria who came here as a child,” said President Obama.

He also quoted  Akinduro as saying: “I left Nigeria with the dream that we all have a destiny in life and we are all born with the resources to make a difference.”

President Obama went on: “We are confident he will make a difference. We congratulate Oluwatosin Akinduro. I have to tell you, just personally, this is one of my favourite things to do.”

The US President does this every year and Obama noted thus: “It brings me great joy and inspiration because it reminds us that we are a country that is bound together not simply by ethnicity or bloodlines, but by fidelity to a set of ideas.  And as members of our military, you raised your hand and took an oath of service.  It is an honour for me to serve as your Commander-in-Chief.  Today, you raised your hand and have taken an oath of citizenship.  And I could not be prouder to be among the first to greet you as “my fellow Americans.

Taking the Oath of Allegiance in the East Room of the White House. In red is the Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano. 

A statement released by the White House says, “he joined the Army National Guard in search of new opportunities and a new challenge to lead by example.”
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I particularly find the Oath of Allegiance quite intriguing. It goes thus:

 I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

The Oath of Allegiance must be taken by all immigrants who wish to become citizens of the United States. What ya think? Can an American serve in the Nigerian Army? Did I hear a cackle there? :)