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By Damiete Braide
Nigerians have been enjoined to tolerate one another, irrespective of their religious inclinations, as people are free to express themselves and they should not be arrested or victimized by government agencies.
The notion was made during the launch of Mubarak Bala’s pamphlet, A Prison Letter to a President, last Saturday at Quida, 3C Oba Dosunmu Street, off Isaac John, GRA Ikeja.
Mubarak Bala, in his letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, says: “ This is my 37th month unjustly imprisoned in Abuja, Counter Terrorism Detention Unit, Kuje Prison formerly in Kano prison. Mr President, I am a prisoner of conscience, sought after only because I refused to follow the religion I was born into, especially coming from descendants of the 1804 conquerors. Mine, is only a sin, an unforgivable sin they try hard to give another name in a civil court, just si I die, or be removed permanently from circulation and society, they do not want people like me to ever be hard, or be seen as an alternative to the status quo in the landlocked region.
“My former religion stipulates that I be put to death for leaving the religion, other culture do not care to carry out this injustice, but evidently, my own people wants to carry it out by whatever means where necessary, via the government, should they find allies therein, by intimidation, or by themselves via mob action.
“However, I, on the other hand, am determined to live and survive this, this so far I have done since 2009.”
Veteran journalist Kunle Ajibade, in his address, stated: “I am happy that the contest has been given because humanist society is not new at all. It dates back to many years ago and to persecute people who claim that they are a humanist society shows the level of the degradation in our society.
“What is the cradle for humanist society in the United Kingdom? For example, basically, it is just saying love, other human beings. I will take care of myself and also look out for other human beings. What is wrong with that kind of thing? What does the Abrahamic religion hold dear further than look out for other human beings, especially the vulnerable, be compassionate. We are looking at this context of the humanist tradition which is just familiar not just with the rest of the world except here unfortunately.
“The Koran teaches people to respect the free will of other people who don’t believe in your religion. And those who don’t believe with your faith or against your faith. Muslims are also commanded not to be harsh hearted against Non Muslims. So, where are these things coming from? Except that Koran is being stupidly interpreted and it is also being manipulated to serve a purpose that is inimical to society. We must all stand against that, call out those people who are doing that. The will to say no, defines our humanity.”
Prof. Wole Soyinka, Special Guest at the occasion, said: “On behalf of humanity, not just on behalf of Mubarak Bala, this internet gathering is one that we hope will spread to a worldwide movement on behalf of the protection of the vulnerable and innocent, for those who have been denied justice.
“I was completely nervous until a few weeks ago that I heard that Mubarak was still in prison. When he was first arrested because we all got the usual mood ally with both internal movement for human right and external movement. I believe a letter of mine of solidarity was published in many fora and, for some reasons along the way, I got the impression that he has been freed.
“So, all these long years of living in total illusion which I believe so many of us so many times. We do not know just how many thousands of innocent people are languishing in our jails at this moment for no crime at all, victims of power play.”
Prof Wole added, “When I was in Kaduna, the late Gani Fawehinmi became a tenant to the same hotel for quite a few weeks. You will not believe what his crime was? His crime was that he defended and took the case of the wife of a military/police officer as a lawyer in his professional capacity. Which angered the military/police officer and mustered a few brokers here and there, the next thing, Gani Fawehinmi found himself in prison. We managed to communicate as prisoners in some way. When such a thing can happen to an officer of the law then just imagine what happens to an ordinary individual who happens to be a non believer, who has chosen to interrogate the terrain of his mental/spiritual inculcations and come up with his own answers.
“He is not going around forcing anyone to follow him or forcibly inject anyone with psychotropic drugs which was a favourite of the Soviet Union at one time of those rigid days of communism.”
Soyinka told the audience: “I believe this, I don’t believe this and I have a right to express myself in that condition, that I have discovered myself. How can that possibly be a crime?
“It all boils down to power which Mubarak’s wife had said in that documentary. It is power, control, domination, manipulation, distortion even of the scriptures even to keep other people under control. It is alien to the internal inadequacy of such people that they can only find and express themselves by indulging in the liberty of others unto themselves thereby feeling superior.
“Mubarak was in prison and he had the opportunity of studying the Koran. I was also in prison, but that was not where I studied the Koran. I was always a curious person. I studied the Koran when I was a student in Leeds University, England. I went to one of the two mosques which existed at that time. I was curious about religion and was trying to find myself as a being.
“So, to find human beings carrying these things on their head like some like it is a revelation directly from God, it is hypocrisy, it is a lie and there are Muslim societies which are coming in terms with this. What is wrong with our society? Why have we created a new religion called “Gba were mercy?” It cuts across all religions. Genuine believers who remain rational and humanized can also join hands with other religions who remain humanized.
“I teach in Abu Dhabi, Dubai,and I have been looking at how they pursue the religion of Islam. They have a Festival of Tolerance every year where people are brought together but here, it is the principle of divide and dump.
“It is time that we have a real conference, heart to heart continuing discourse on religion and society. How is it possible that Mubarak is being jailed for Apostasy when in a Muslim country, Abu Dhabi. Salmon Rushdie, author of Satanic Verses, was equally invited by a university to lecture. He was protected by the United Arab Emirate (UAE) government. He came in and delivered his lecture. But, here, what does Mubarak have against Islam? Here it is power mixed with piety and property. You don’t belong to the origin of this religion but why have you interpreted just convenient passages your own way?
“In addition, to the statement of Mubarak here I stand: ‘Mubrak also indicates certain elements of the society in position in power. He made certain statements which demanded an independent commission of investigation. This time, don’t let us lose track of Mubarak. Now that we have found him, I appeal to all the human rights organizations, pressure groups to look at for other the other Mubarak Balas in our prisons, isolated, dehumanized, tortured, driven out, the amount of brain power that we are losing simple because some people prefer to use their brains to better the lives of others. They should use that energy to believe in themselves.
“For those who are deluding themselves, it just shows how insured they are in their own faith. If you are truly Muslims, be convinced that within you that you believe in the teachings and preachings, then you just look at the rest of humanity and call them idiots. Look at them and go your own way. Why do you need to prosecute people? It means you are not convinced, you are hollow because you don’t believe in your own religion, otherwise you won’t pay attention to those who do not.”
