NEW VISION for NIGERIA: Honoring the Ethnic Nations

Creating a new world starts with paying attention  to all our struggles. For it is in the struggles of our good neighbors across the world that we are called to look at ourselves. It is in the understanding of others' dispair that we allow painful truth into our hearts so that innovative solutions emerge in our creative minds. It is in the understanding of others' situation that our individual call-to-action emerges. It is by building understanding and acceptance of one another's injustices that we can take ownership --- feel a since of responsibility to reach out to help nuture, support and sponsor BIG IDEAS that could not only be a solution for one people, but beginning of framework of new thinking that could become a repeatable process for change --- creating a better world than we know today.

Recently, Oguchi Nkwocha, Igbo visionary from South-eastern Nigeria, in sharing a Multi-Nations Solution (MNS) for Nigeria in the editorial below, offers a new vision for honoring one another versus the continued pushing to control, exploit, abuse, rob, displace and impose our differences and beliefs on one another.

I share it with you. May it inspire your action.

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center

FAITH UNDER FIRE
Crackdown on Christians could go nationwide
Fears raised that Islamic law will expand under new president

It is unfortunate that headlines, titles and subtitles such as the above might be ignored by the rest of the world as mere hyperbole, or even worse, religious propaganda.  The fact remains that in Nigeria, real persons, real groups, and real people—Christians—do indeed suffer massively because of Islamic teachings and Muslim actions and practices in their enclave, against Christians residing therein. Not even the reported-quoted individual experiences in your article may get the attention of the world who are in constant psychological denial on this matter. Regarding these experiences, I did not read, in your article, about a not uncommon occurrence which is reported only rarely: the kidnapping of Christian children (of / from Christian families) in Northern Nigeria on the orders of Muslim leaders, and the subsequent forced Islamization of such children behind a religious, social, psychological and even physical wall that is all but impenetrable to the aggrieved Christian families who long with such indescribable longing to rescue and re-unite with their children—in futility, in helplessness, and all alone.

Let’s not assume that the “world” is merely in psychological denial about this issue: often, world and sociopolitical agencies are willing accomplices and play an active role in continued Muslim brutalization and domination of Christians in Nigeria. Recall that for the last 8 years in Nigeria, General Obasanjo has been the President of, and “civilian” Dictator in, Nigeria. He frequently boasts his “Born-Again” Christian credentials and flashes those to blind gullible fellow-Christians from the rest of the world, easily garnering their support or buying their silence. But, the same General Obasanjo has never taken a stand against this problem of Muslim aggression against Christians in Nigeria. Rather, he would publicly attempt to compete for credit for formalizing Shariah in Northern Nigeria. Few would recall that when Shariah was formally launched by one of the Northern Nigerian State governors during Obasanjo’s administration, Obasanjo personally called that State governor on the phone in a live-performance during the launch to congratulate him for the action.  Today, it is “Christian” Obasanjo who, alone, personally and willfully hand-picked relatively unknown Umaru Yar’Adua, a staunch Shariarist, and foists him over Nigeria as the President-elect, if Nigeria’s recent fraudulent (s)election is allowed to stand, by the cowed and comatose peoples living in Nigeria.  Regarding the launching of Shariah, that this formal launching of Northern Nigeria’s Sharia was performed in the US strengthens earlier assertions about the permissive role played by world-bodies.  The US is under constant barrage and pressure by pro-Muslim, non-Muslim ex-diplomats and lobbyists to show and exercise preference for Northern Nigerian Muslims, even over the Christian South, and there is direct and indirect evidence that the US is responding positively to such, including its unusual “softness” with a region where the US flag is burnt with regularity, children are named “Osama” after bin Laden’s 9/11 attack on the US,  and anti-America sentiment runs high all the time. It should be interesting to find out exactly how the US aid to Nigeria is split in terms of Northern (Muslim) versus Southern (Christian) Nigeria.

But the most “indicted” in this area has got to be the British government, a government representing the world’s bastion of Christianity, the world’s traditional “poster-child” Christian Nation. The same British government, starting in the colonial days, even as the British missionaries were busy converting Southern Nigerians to Christianity, got in bed with the Muslim Northern Nigeria and have since supported the Northern Muslims over, and to the clear detriment of, hapless Christian Southern Nigeria—and it makes no secret of it.  As a reminder, when Britain’s Charles, Prince of Wales, visited Nigeria recently, he spent all the time on this official visit in Muslim Northern Nigeria. A year or so earlier, when his mother, the Queen of England, was on official tour of Nigeria, she preferred to be quartered in Muslim Northern Nigeria, snobbing “fellow-Christians” of Southern Nigeria. Take note: these are not just enabling actions by the British government favoring Northern Muslims; they are also truly abrasive actions—deliberately malicious—against the Christians of Nigeria, for reasons still inexplicable.

The fears expressed by the Christians of Nigeria are well-founded. It is not just the fear of Muslim brutalization and domination or forced Islamization of Christians: it is also the fear that the world at large and World Powers would not only look the other way, but will tacitly or actively aid the Muslims against the Christians, in this sordid matter. Already, the British, the US, Italy, the EU, (even Russia and China) have (reportedly) sent congratulatory or cooperation-delegations to Umaru Yar’Adua.  They have conveniently though predictably forgotten Yar’Adua’s Shariah record as a governor of one of the Sharia Northern Nigerian States. The following story throws light on such a record.

Safiya  Hussaini (“Safiya”) became a near-household name (who could forget?) when in 2001, the 35 year-old woman from the core Northern Muslim Nigerian State of Sokoto was sentenced to death by stoning by a Shariah “court” for the “crime” of adultery, following the formal introduction of Shariah in Northern Nigeria.  A horrified World went into gear, slipping into overdrive to try to stop the Shariah-prescribed murder of this woman, and ultimately, prevailed, thank goodness—no thanks to Yar’Adua who was the governor  of a fellow-Shariah State.  Then, soon afterwards, Yar’Adua would be tested directly. He, as the governor of Katsina State, allowed the conviction and death sentence of another hapless Muslim woman who was still nursing her child. Such is the March 2002 case of then 30 year-old Amina Lawal “convicted” by Katsina State Shariah “court” of the “crime” of adultery.  But for another “massive” intervention-crusade on the part of the World, resulting in “creatively” finding a technical loophole (Amina was already pregnant when Shariah law was implemented in her home province), Ms. Lawal would have been stoned to death. Once again, Yar’Adua did not play any active role in saving Amina from State-sponsored Murder.

Umaru Yar’Adua saw nothing wrong with sentences which would have resulted in the murder of Muslims accused and convicted of adultery by Sharia courts in Nigeria. After May 28, 2007, the same Yar’Adua may become the President of almost 140 million people, half of whom are for the most part Christians.  There is no reason to think that the welfare of Christians in Nigeria will evoke any special consideration by Yar’Adua should they go against Shariah laws and practices: he did not spare his fellow-Muslims. This is why the fear of Christians living in Nigeria is justified. But, these Christians should be, and are, in fact, more petrified by the realization that most of the Christian governments of the world will be on Yar’Adua’s side. That is the tragedy.

We have proposed a “Multi-Nations Solution” (MNS) for Nigeria whereby the natural Sovereignty and original political Independence of the major Ethnic Nations in Nigeria are restored, ratified and respected. This removes individual Christian Nations from under the control of Muslims (who will likewise live in their own Independent Nation[s]) by this plan, since religion-boundaries for the most part run along ethnic lines in Nigeria. Nations resulting from MNS which have, in addition, a minority religion (or a minority population) will be held to UN laws and standards on Minority matters.  All the Nations may then determine, with respect, equity and mutuality, how to relate, one with another, on an inter-National basis. MNS protects peoples and religions, while at the same time subjecting each Nation to International Laws (not inscrutable, inhumane internal laws), with equality. This Solution will also effectively solve Nigeria’s chronic instability problems: it is public knowledge that Nigeria as presently constituted is a failed nation, with no hope of recovery (incidentally, the only strong opposition to this plan comes from the government of Christian Britain); for that matter, the circumstances of Yar’Adua’s election are known to be fraudulent, and the legitimacy of any government he may form is in great jeopardy.  It should not be lost on the reader that continued Muslim molestation and abuse of Christians in Northern Nigeria is only made possible by this instability of Nigeria, a pathologic situation which also sustains and shields such religion-based brutality.

It is clear that if nothing is done, Christians will continue to live (if they do) in fear in Nigeria, fear justified by real nasty experiences at the hands of Nigerian Muslims: the same is the case if the status quo is preserved in Nigeria. As we can see, even under a Christian President of Nigeria, the Christians continue to bleed at the hands of Muslim Nigeria; a Muslim President of strict Shariah credentials is expected to victimize the Christians even worse, this time around.

We therefore urge all Christians everywhere to support the Multi-Nations Solution (MNS) paradigm for Nigeria; we urge them to write and contact their respective governments asking that the governments support this plan.  When we do this, then, we will have backed up our prayers for the protection of Christians in Nigeria—and for that matter, all peoples living in Nigeria—with personal action. The fear and suffering of Christians in Nigeria in this matter is unnecessary: it has to end. MNS will accomplish that.

Oguchi Nkwocha, MD
Member, Biafra Actualization Forum (BAF).
May 2007

RELATED PODCAST:
Oguchi Nkwocha, M. D., Igbo visionary from Biafra/south-eastern Nigeria, joins Debbe Kennedy, founder of the Global Dialogue Center to share his thoughts and wisdom, exchanging ideas on creating a new VISION for our WORLD, becoming a visionary ourselves, the role of personal responsibility and how we can become part of the oneness of the full world.
Listen now  59:30

Comments

[Chang Wei Hao]

Thanks for sharing this

[Chukwudike Benson Abraham]

SOCIETY AGAINST POVERTY AND HUNGER
ROYAL MEDICAL LAB BUILDING
NO 64 / 66 OJUELEGBA ROAD,SURULERE
LAGOS,NIGERIA
TEL 234 80 55276128

Dear Coordinator
World Vision Nig

Dear Sir /Madam

Its a great pleasure to introduce our Organisation to you,Society Against Poverty and Hunger(SAPH) is a non profit making and non governmental Organisation that brings together human development experts and activists bridging division on class and gender working for the common purpose to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger worldwide.SAPH, is committed to achieve its objective through building Coalitions,Networking,Advocacy,Campaign and Skill acquisition training.We write to inform you of our desire to partner with World Vision International Nigeria and to participate in your programmes.We will be glad to collaborate with World Vision Inter,in hosting a National End Poverty Concert in Nigeria in the month of October in commemorating the World Day against Poverty in Nigeria.We will be glad to receive your kind response in this regards as we will be sending the comprehensive information about the propose Concert to you.We wish World Vision good luck.
Thanks
Chukwudike Benson Abraham
President