notes to pages 175–213 275be much older in Tanzania than the recent advent of Nigerian videos (Rose Nyerere, pers.
comm., August 30, 2007).
- branding bin laden
- For a detailed history of Boko Haram, the ultraradical movement that developed out
of the growing dissatisfaction with “political sharia”—as the half-hearted implementation of
sharia laws was eventually called, see Loimeier (2012). - These terms refer to a functional element either no longer found in the posters or only
present in miniature form—an annual calendar. - Eguzo Charley Izy, poster publisher, personal interview, September 6, 2003. All other
interviews with poster publishers referred to in this and the following section were conducted
in Mushin, Lagos, on September 6, 2003. - This information comes from a statement made by the publisher Onwane Emeka Frank
(pers. comm., September 6, 2003). He was one of those who had been arrested. - One scene in the movie explicitly alludes to this correspondence of names. In the case
of Clifford Orji and his treatment in Nigerian popular culture, compare Krings (2004a). - The movie is in the tradition of a whole series of comedies in which Danlasan imper-
sonates famous characters that are part of local and international pop culture. The titles of
these movies always combine his stage name with the figure satirized in the film, hence the
film title Ibro Usama. - In the movie, the United Nations Organization is personified as a mere “henchwoman”
of the American administration; a globe painted on her forehead, she is wearing a headscarf
in the colors of the American flag. The female personification derives from the Hausa term for
the United Nations General Assembly, the feminine noun majalisar ‘dinkin duniya (as can be
seen in figure 6.6). - In this context, refer to the work Bearded Orientals: Making the Empire Cross, by Aus-
tralian artist Priscilla Joyce Brack. In this piece of art, Jesus Christ blends into bin Laden by
means of a hologram (http://making-the-empire-cross.com/unleashed/bearded_orientals
.html). - master and mugu
- Meanwhile, Jenna Burrell (2012) has published a very detailed ethnography of
Ghanaian internet scamming, which parallels the Nigerian phenomenon in many ways. - In this section, citations like these pertain to personal online interviews with 419
scammers. - It is interesting to note that this attempted authentication through physical reference to
media texts was also used in early-twentieth-century scam schemes of the Spanish prisoner
type, for which newspaper clippings served the same purpose (Seltzer n.d.). - This coinage is obviously inspired by a practice called “flashing,” which is very common
in mobile phone communication throughout Africa. If mobile phone users do not want to
waste minutes, they phone the person they wish to speak to and hang up before the person
can answer (phone companies in Africa do not charge for in-coming calls). This way the
phone number will show on the other person’s display, who is now aware that a caller wishes
to make contact and expects a call back. - Even if this account is not true, it certainly reveals what a successful scam should look
like in the eyes of a scammer.