The War Against Harvard and International Students.

About 22 years ago, when I attended Harvard University, I was a green card holder, and I had the security of legal residency. If it were today, I might have found myself in limbo like thousands of international students affected by President Donald Trump's unjustified crackdown on Harvard University. That experience shapes my interest in this developing story. May justice prevail in earnest

I wrote the attached story (below) back in 2020, in response to President Donald Trump’s labeling of Africans as being from “shithole countries.”

Now, nearly five years later, it feels like déjà vu — the same sentiment is resurfacing, this time targeting DEI efforts and international students.

In the absence of real justice, I take comfort in knowing that God is watching over the meek.

Nigerians and the Hard Road to Fame in the United States of America February 18, 2020

We are not who they say we are.

In the attached picture, there are only two Black graduates in the class — both of us are Nigerians. I'm standing in the front row, third from the left. The other Nigerian, an Igbo from Abia State, is standing at the far right in the back row. This is not unique; it's a familiar story across many American graduate schools and programs.

We are not "shithole" inclined.

We are not obsessed with terrorism.

We are not cybercriminals or 419 scammers.

We are not who they want the world to believe we are. We work hard for everything we have.

It took me nearly two years to complete this program - Special Studies in Administration and Management. During that time, I drove a taxi during the day and attended classes at night. I’m not an exception; this is the reality for many Nigerians in the U.S.

I did it again seven years later, earning another master’s degree in the Law of Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law and Policy from a different institution. It was rough, but I never gave up. I didn’t cheat. I didn’t pose a threat to anyone. I didn’t steal or defraud anyone.

And above all, I am proud of who I am, despite everything thrown my way - persecuted, ceaselessly investigated and monitored. You cannot be feared if you are not deep. I thank God for watching over me, knowing that my hands are clean.