They are turning the Shiites into terrorists

Sir: Oyo, Ogun and Imo states are among the states that voted wisely in the 2019 general elections in Nigeria. Those who worked for the reelection of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State (Ayo Fasanmi, Bisi Akande, et al) and in Nigeria generally (Ahmed Tinubu, Adams Oshiomhole, Samuel Lalong, AbdulRahman AbdulRasak, et al) are enemies of humanity. The states that did not return ruling parties are now able to take stock and recover whatever is recoverable of stolen public property. It seems to me that America rarely votes the same political party after eight years of being in power. One foolish man phoned-in on radio in Ilorin saying that the Shiites are not Muslims; in a similar way Nigeria Muslim imperialists were saying that the Boko Haram members (men, women and children) were not Muslims. Is it not madness to be questioning the orthodoxy of another person’s religion?

The only point I disagree with Romoke Ahmad on Royal FM is saying that the Shiites have created a state within the state for themselves and therefore the government is right to be pursuing them and denying them the right to exist as a community. She should check the constitutional stipulation on religious liberty and freedom of association, to know why the former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) did not make trouble with neither Boko Haram nor the Shiites. The northwest politicians (Shehu Shagari, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, GMB, et al) are known for seeking power to promote their own Fulani Muslim hegemony that is anti common people and is creating oceans of beggars flowing from the north to other parts of Nigeria. Tinubu became a southwest “leader”, supported by Raufu Aregbesola, Isiaka Ajimobi, Ibikunle Amosun, Raji Fashola, Yemi Osinbajo, et al, and house and shop demolitions coupled with worsening economic misfortunes became the order of the day.

Lagos City appears more beautiful than before but without pipe borne potable water and electricity in many places and instances and the populace is much poorer, with skyrocketing state debts. If government has security reason for keeping the Shiites’ leader in detention, why was the reason not stated in court? The Yoruba say whatever cannot be said openly contains some falsehood, because anything under the sun is open to human knowledge sooner or later. Yar’Adua ordered the extra-judicial killing of the Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, together with some of his supporters, for the same reason that he had no legal reason for attacking the sect. Who are the terrorists in Nigeria other than the heirs of those who used jihadist wars to takeover thrones, imposed Islam on the peoples and outlaw their religions?

OBJ was able to maintain religious peace based on his background. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan had the background of imposing Christianity on peoples and so he saw nothing wrong with Yar’Adua abusing his presidential powers to attack the Boko Haram Islamic sect-community of men, women and children that did not attack anybody until attacked. And as Yar’Adua had the support of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), he (Jonathan) had the backing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Osinbajo, like Tinubu, is backing GMB, because what matters to him as a Pentecostal pastor, is prosperity. Hence he had no qualms, as a Pastor and Professor of Law, going around distributing raw cash in some markets. And so, until Nigeria decisively separates religion from public offices, peace and progress will keep eluding her and retrogression will be trailing her.

Prof. Olojeede Oyeniran Abioje wrote from University of Ilorin.