The word "Boko Haram" literally means western education is forbidden. The ideology was nursed by late Muhammad Yusuf, an Islamic Scholar based in Maiduguri, Borno state.
This Islamic Scholar who taught in Islamic school during his life time, had a look at the application of Islamic law in the then sokoto caliphate during the precolonial era and what is obtainable under the Nigeria constitution in the present day Nigeria.
As there are a number of constitutional provisions under the Nigeria law that are contrary to Islamic Law. eg aspostacy, so also Muslims every where in the world like to be governed by the holy Quran as against the Constitution, which is often associated with lacunas here and there.
Based on these factors this group of Muslims began to agitate for a sovereign Islamic state within the 12 Northern states that implemented shariah in the year 2000.
When this man (Muhammad Yusuf) started to invite Muslims and other Islamic Scholars to subscribed to this ideology, he succeeded in persuading some, while some rejected it vehemently.
Particularly, sheik Ja'afar Kano who agreed with his reasonings, but based on logistics urged him to drop that idea because the man didn't have what it takes to fight with the Nigeria government.
The man insisted on the agitation and ignored the advice given to him by his fellow Islamic scholars. Along the line he mobilized his followers and began the struggle in which majority of the Muslims in the North were happy as they are not happy with the present system, full of corruption which they believe, if Had pushiment will be melted on the corrupt politicians in Nigeria, life would have been better.
As the struggle continues, it was hijacked by unknown individuals, things started to get out of control, churches and mosques were bombarded.
The people in the North got confused as to what these people really want. As they began to do things which are unislamic in nature.
The Northern populace therefore withdrew their support and condemned their activities. Subsequently, the United States of America declared them terrorist and backed the Nigeria government to fight them!
When we come down to the issue of the sovereign State of Biafra being agitated by a young man called Maazi Nmandi Kanu. He too, had a look at pre colonial era of the hitherto Nigerian society, claiming that before the advent of colonial masters he had nothing to do with a person living in the sokoto caliphate, as the country we see today as Nigeria is man made, it was not made by God, as he can tell people the second, minute, hour, day, month and year in which the British imperialists amalgamated the Northern and Southern protectorates to become a country known as Nigeria today.
He further stated that, it's only God that makes country, and since he was born as a Biafra, why would a man from sokoto whom he has nothing in common with, continue to exercise dominion over him, As such he wants be free from the zoo he was kept by the British imperialists, Hence, his struggle for independent state of Biafra.
The arguments of this young man seems to be tenable, but my fear is that, if along the line of this agitation, some groups of people hijacked it into something else the agitation will also be treated as something else by the Nigeria government, as the word " TERRORISTS' is not only ascribed to Islamic state agitators. Any group of agitators who engage in terrorists activities can be declared as terrorists group. The implication of such doing is known to everyone. That is to say their blood shed will not be considered as genocide!
During this sallah break, I was opportuned to have a brief discussion with a military officer who serves in porthacourt, being the state I want serve my mother land, Nigeria. I asked him about the issue of Biafra. He said: they don't have the strength to fight with the Nigeria government, that all they need is for the Nigeria government to declare them terrorists just like Boko Haram, and they will send 1000 troops for the first time, if they could not suppress them or the troops were killed another one thousand soldiers will also be sent just as they have being doing for Boko Haram!
Therefore, my brothers and sisters in the struggle of Biafra, I urge you to adhere to the advice of late Ojukwu who is proud of leading the first one, but said: he doesn't think if the second one is necessary.
For comment and observation, contact email addres below:
abduljabbar01313@gmail.com
Written by Mustapha Abduljabbar a member of Mu farka matasan Arewa Association
Dated 8 of September 2017
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