MUSLIMS’ LONG LIST OF GRIEVANCES

On Saturday 14^th August 2011, a Kaduna-based organisation called the Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness, M.I.C.A, organised its annual Ramadan Lecture around the themes of Peace and Security in Nigeria. MICA is an association of professional and serious-minded Muslims with a broad appeal and deep roots in the community of Muslim leaders, thinkers and preachers. It is active as an NGO and has been involved in numerous activities around elections and strengthening of Nigeria’s democratic foundations. Its speakers during this year’s Ramadan lecture were persons of very high and credible reputation. The selection of the broad themes of peace and security showed that the organisation is sensitive to contemporary issues and concerns in Nigeria. The Ramadan lecture was well attended by a very broad representation of Muslims in and around Kaduna, but most notably by many young Muslims who have been locally prominent as consistently vocal in advocacy around the interests to Nigerian Muslims.

          The MICA Ramadan lecture provided an opportunity for speakers and a very large audience to raise many issues which are central to the way Muslims perceive their position in Nigeria. The speakers for the most part were constructive in their comments, but there was also anger and frustration against a Nigerian State which is seen as deliberately denying Muslims the right to live as good Muslims. The theme of peace and security provided a platform for establishing linkages between peace and justice. In simple terms, all speakers and contributors made the case that without justice for all citizens and groups, peace cannot be secured or guaranteed. Justice in this instance involves balancing the basic needs of all groups on issues which are central to their existence, and addressing, fairly and firmly, those issues which threaten inter-group relations in such a way that none feels that they have been unfairly treated. For a multi-religious nation such as Nigeria, this is a very difficult but absolutely essential task for the State to do, and it can never do it to the total satisfaction of all the groups. This is why it is vital that all governments, security agencies, religious and traditional rulers should pay attention to events such as those organised by MICA, because they represent genuine yardsticks for assessing the nature of inter-faith relations, and the role of the Nigerian State in this regard. This is why it was most unfortunate that the Kaduna State Government was not represented at the event, because it would have given it a valuable insight into the state of mind of many of its citizens. It would also have taken away some strong views on the refugees at the Hajj Camp and the limitations on the operations of commercial motorcyclists in Kaduna metropolis.  

          The recent controversy around the licensing and operations of Jaiz Bank, a financial institution which plans to operate on the basis of Islamic banking principles appears to have triggered a huge reservoir of anger and frustration among many Muslims whose long list of grievances suggest that they have since given up on the hope that the Nigerian State will treat Muslims fairly. The Jaiz Bank issue reminds all Nigerians about the tragic consequences of the controversies around the application of Sharia law in criminal matters. Nigerian Muslims are being reminded that in spite of their vehement opposition, the Arabic characters which specify denomination of our currencies in Hausa language were removed after decades of useful service, by an insensitive leadership and other non-Muslims resent the appearance of Arabic characters on our currency. Muslims are being reminded that their female children are being forced to wear uniforms which offend their faith in many schools, and governments are refusing to intervene on the grounds that they are private schools. Muslims are being reminded that they are forced to observe Jewish and Christian Sabbath on Saturdays and Sundays, but they cannot have Fridays off. Muslims are being reminded that governments now spend hundreds of millions of Naira of public funds to send Christians on pilgrimage, whereas it is of no significance to their faith, unlike Muslims who have to perform the ritual as an integral part of their faith. Muslims are being told that they are under-represented in key institutions of the State that have direct responsibility for security of life and property. Muslims are being reminded that the anti-terrorism legislation, the child rights act and other legislations are targeted at them and their Muslim culture, in spite of spirited opposition by their representatives in and out of the legislature. Muslims are being reminded that they represent the numerical majority in Nigeria, but cannot ask for any concession from the Nigerian State or non-Muslims without serious threats to national security. Muslims are being reminded that they have to live on non-Muslim terms in a country where they constitute the majority population, and which operates fundamentally on values, institutions and laws that are Christian or Western.

There were many more grievances raised during the lecture by MICA. Some of them, however, were grievances which Muslims have against their leaders. Muslims complain over the lack of courage and commitment among current Muslim leaders, and are constantly reminded of the exacting standards set by the late Ahmadu Bello who insisted that Muslims and non-Muslims can only live in peace if they recognized their differences, respected them, and lived with them. Muslims complain over the dangerous incursion of politics into their religion by Muslim politicians and non-Muslim allies, and more specifically, the exploitation of existing sectarian differences among Muslims and their manipulation to achieve electoral victories which was most visible during the 2011 general elections. Muslims complain over rampant corruption among elected leaders, including Muslim leaders, which rob young people of opportunities to grow up as responsible and productive adults; and which forces entire communities to live only on the margins of existence and periodic handouts from politicians. Muslims complain over the involvement of Muslim traditional rulers in politics; over the intimate involvement of religious leaders in partisan politics; and over the involvement of security agents in fuelling the existing negative sentiments against Muslims. Muslims complain over the characterization of all Muslims as Boko Haram, or as terrorists waiting to blow up the world.  

On the whole, the world of the Nigerian muslim is in serious turmoil. The absence of a credible leadership which should aggregate and channel the long list of grievances of Nigerian Muslims appears to be the biggest problem. There are many leaders, but they lead many disparate groups. Government pays token lip service to issues of faith, and beyond the cultivation of the support of a few clergy and the annual distribution of a few Hajj seats, it keeps its distance from issues which affect the perception of Muslims in Nigeria. Government-funded organisations which bring Muslims and non-Muslim leaders together are mere talk shops, and no one takes them seriously.

Nigerian Muslims do not have, and should not have problems with Nigerian Christians. There is enough room for both to co-exist in peace. The problem is one of incompetent and insensitive leadership which fails to deal with issues with the potential to poison interfaith relations. The manner the Federal Government is treating the raging controversy over the Jaiz Bank issue is one example of this insensitivity. Muslims are not the only group with grievances against the Nigerian State, and they must recognise the reality that they cannot ask for themselves what they will deny others. It is time for government to take a very serious look at new strategies that should facilitate a harmonious relationship between Nigerian Muslims and the Nigerian State.