By Sylvester Udemezue
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1️⃣ First, I respectfully think MULAN is right if its observation is that there appears to be a deliberate or unconscious marginalisation of the north (I mean “North”, and not “Muslims”) in all NBA appointments, Sections and Committees. I had earlier drawn our attention to this. But some classified my comments as an “attack” against the NBA leadership. All NBA Sections are currently headed by southerners. Almost all NBA Committees are headed by southerners, and each has an overwhelming majority of its membership composition from the south. Further, the TCCP for NBA-AGC 2022 has about 17 members. Not up to 5 are from the north. Some Previous TCCP’s had been found to exhibit this lopsidedness, which is unhealthy for the life and good health of the NBA. I have been saying it: only respect for federal character will save Nigeria. The current squalid state of the country was caused (and is still being caused) by gross disrespect for the federal character of Nigeria. Something must be done to reverse the ugly trend. And it’s unfortunate that NBA appears to not be a good example in this respect. Sometimes, I even wonder why NBA keeps shouting rule of law when it doesn’t respect federal character which is a mandatory requirement of Chapter 2 of the CFRN, 1999. For the avoidance of doubts, I speak against noticed marginalization of the north. With due respect to MULAN, I don’t believe that Muslims in Nigeria are being marginalized in NBA affairs. There are muslins in both north and south, East and West. I think MULAN is confusing “Muslims” with “north”.
2️⃣ Contrary to MULAN’s allegation, NBA did not support nor celebrate blasphemy against the Holy Prophet. And no lawyer in Nigeria would support any disrespect or insult against any religion or religious organization. The NBA leadership had only condemned abuse of rule of law and due process by a mob in an effort to punish alleged “blasphemy” by Deborah. If Deborah was alleged to have committed “blasphemy” and thereupon arrested and arraigned in a Court of law, tried according to law and, if found guilty, convicted and sentenced to be punished according to law, NBA wouldn’t have complained. Even MULAN in its statement has admitted that “The gruesome manner of her killing without the due process of the law is also condemnable while burning her transgressed the limits set by Allah (SWT)”. I do not think NBA will ever support blasphemy against a Holy Prophet. No!
3️⃣. Third, citing of planned SPIDEL 2022 Conference in Sokoto State by the NBA was most appropriate, to promote inclusiveness and sense of belonging. But cancelling the Conference was reasonably justifiable being a direct result of the pervasive insecurity and violence that erupted in the state in the aftermath of arrest of some suspects in the Deborah saga. With due respect, I am unable to see where NBA has done anything wrong in this instance. Besides, the situation is easily redressable: NBA should ensure that the next SPIDEL Conference holds in a city/place in northern NIGERIA, to make up for the lost Sokoto opportunity.
4️⃣ Fourth, judging from past experiences and in view of rising cases of lawlessness and jungle justice on account of alleged cases of “blasphemy”, I respectfully propose that NBA in conjunction with MULAN and Christian Lawyers associations should set up a Committee to work out how to liaise with all stakeholders in the legislature, executive and administration of justice, to introduce a law or amend extant laws all over Nigeria to create the following offences and to provide stringent punishments for them:
▪️(a). To criminalize any form of insult or disrespect against any of the Holy Prophets of the major religions in Nigeria (Prophet Muhammed and Prophet Jesus (peace be unto them)). Such law must however define what specifically constitutes such insult/disrespect and how to objectively determine that or whether an insult has been committed against any of the Holy Prophets. Trial procedure should be time-bound as in election petition, because of the sensitive/peculiar nature of such cases. In this way, no one is left in doubt whenever one is committed.
▪️(b). To criminalize any jungle-justice punishment of any one accused (but not yet convicted) of “blasphemy or insult against a Prophet. In this way, cases of unlawful killing and legally abominable burning or jungle justice beheading of persons accused of blasphemy would stop, because, as former US President, Bill Clinton once advised, “each bloodletting hastens the next, and as the value of human life is degraded and violence becomes tolerated, the unimaginable becomes more conceivable?” George Denis Patrick Carlin (1937 – 2008), American stand-up comedian, actor, author and social critic, once threw the following poser: “Life is sacred, no doubt. Who said so? God? How come then God is one of the leading causes of death throughout history?”
5️⃣. Fifth, in view of worsening cases of religious bigotry and irredentism among both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, NBA should collaborate with MULAN and Christian Lawyers associations, to begin vigorous public campaigns through workshops, symposia, webinars, seminars, conference, summits, and printing of flyers and production of radio jingles, etc, to enlighten Nigerians on need for, and advantages of, mutual tolerance and respect among the various religions, of peaceful and harmonious coexistence by adherents of the various religions and of deploying religion and religious tenets and practices for only peace, piety, unity and national development, rather than for retrogressive ends.
6️⃣ Sixth, aside unjust exclusion from so many NBA appointments and committees and Sections (which stands condemnable, and I have severally condemned it), several other examples and analogies and examples given by MULAN in this statement in an effort to establish alleged “discrimination” against Muslims in Nigeria, by the NBA, may not be correct if examined objectively, outside the lens of religion, and with broad-mindedness as the watchword.
7️⃣ Seventh, I humbly urge NBA, MULAN members, Christians and all, to shove all past errors aside and let us all forge ahead within the NBA as one organisation that should be the cynosure of all eyes in Nigeria and beyond.
To this end, may I humbly urge all Christians and Muslims in Nigeria to emulate Zak Ebrahim, the US-born peace campaigner and author, who in the book, The Terrorist’s Son: A Story of Choice, made the following declaration against the bad influence of religion: “put people before gods. I respect believers of all kinds and work to promote interfaith dialogue, but my whole life I’ve seen religion used as a weapon, and I’m putting all weapons down”. Explaining the reasons for his decision, Mr. Zak Ebrahim had continued: “No one’s ever sat me down and taught me what empathy is or why it matters more than power or patriotism or religious faith. But I learn it right there in the hallway: I cannot do what’s been done to me”.
8️⃣ Eight, all Nigerians need to urgently retrace their steps about the way they approach religion. Spirituality is not making walls in the names of religions and prophets but to make more roads and bridges to reconnect with humanity. God created this planet with peace, not violence nor hate, acrimony nor wranglings, in mind. So much may change from one day to the next, but the one thing that always remains the same is God. Let us trust in, and stay focused on only God. And May He protect us from all the religions! May He guide and lead Nigerians to understand that no region should divide a people of one destiny, because, in the future, after all is said and done, all these religions will sink, only God will remain stand-still! Suzy Kassem put it more succinctly: “if we are to become true global citizens, we must abandon all notions of ‘otherness’ and instead embrace ‘togetherness'”.
Long live NBA!
Long live Nigeria!!
Respectfully,
Sylvester Udemezue (Udems).
udemsyl@gmail.com.
(June 04, 2022)
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