I have consistently said there would never be anything like the Islamic State of Nigeria. I believe that its possibility is hinged only on the acquiescence of Christians. I had canvassed the Christianisation of Nigeria instead of Islamising it. That too depends on the willingness and readiness of Christians.
Let’s situate this thought. I see nothing wrong in Muslims seeking to expand their frontiers as much as I wish every Nigerian was a Christian. This is constitutional and within one’s right to freedom of worship and aspiration.
What I frown at is intolerance, in riddled and misguided hate, and a forceful or subtle way of going about it.
The constitution of Nigeria describes this wobbling monolith as a secular state. Unfortunately, this is more on paper, as much has been done to the contrary.
Nigeria had been roped into Organisation of Islamic Conference, OIC, and similar organisations that portray Nigeria as Islamic. Annoyingly, a lot of ‘Christians’ sit in governments where such evil decisions are taken without doing anything. At least, they could resign from their appointments in protest but for the gains of office.
When the Tinubu Muslim-Muslim ticket came up, leading to the last presidential election, many cried foul yet even some Christian clergy didn’t see the danger in that for obvious reasons. Now, Nigeria has been officially designated as an Islamic State, as was exposed at the recent COP28 Summit in the United Arab Emirates and actively involved in like matters, casting overboard her secular credentials. ‘Christians’ have not raised a whimper about it or, at best, have only made incomprehensible muffled noises.
This seeming indifference has made Simon Ekpa rise against the Christmas celebration this year, declaring a four-day lockdown in the South-East, beginning on December 16.
This is rubbish, indeed, because Ekpa’s madness, which has since spiraled out of control, has now hit the church’s bus stop. One would want to know why the church was silent despite obvious grave danger.
In May 2022, Deborah Samuel, a 200-level Home Economics student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was killed and her corpse burnt in broad daylight by a mob of ‘students’ or, better still, Islamic fundamentalists, for commenting on her school’s WhatsApp platform, which was considered blasphemous.
Another account had it that one of the students had asked Samuel how she passed the last semester’s examination to which she responded that it was ‘Jesus o.’ How that amounted to an offence warranting the demand for her to retract the statement beats one’s imagination. However, she boldly and rightly refused to do that, resulting in her killing. I pity her killers, and a country that slumbers while the ship of state heads to a wreck.
Deborah’s last words were ‘What do you hope to achieve with this?’ These stinging words are still ringing out today, haunting both those Muslims who delight in fighting for God and, more so, indolent Christians who have rendered the gospel of power impotent in the face of adversity.
Two prime suspects, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, were arrested in connection with Deborah’s murder and arraigned before a Magistrate Court, sitting in Sokoto State. Strangely, the two suspects were later discharged and acquitted by the court after pleading not guilty to the charge of “criminal conspiracy and inciting public disturbance” instead of the murder of the deceased.
The police spokesman had said at the time: “We have done our own part.”
It is interesting that “their part”, which they did, resulting in the release of the suspects, was that apart from filing the wrong charges against the suspects, the police also absconded from the court and failed to prosecute the case.
Chief Magistrate Shuaibu Ahmad, Esq, in a five-page court judgment, delivered on January 30, 2023, set the suspects free due to the absence of the police prosecution.
Consequently, despite the outrage over the killing of Deborah, nothing came of it, as her killers still walk free. Even then President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a probe into the incident. Muslim clerics added to the confusion by expressing divergent views on the justification for the killing, making one wonder where those who killed Deborah, and in other similar cases, got their mandate from.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which charged the Federal Government to investigate the murder and “swiftly bring perpetrators to justice”, warning the government and the security agencies against treating perpetrators of such dastardly acts with kid gloves, has remained an immense failure when it mattered most.
Indeed, the perpetrators of the heinous act against Deborah were treated with kid gloves.
Ironically, instead of dealing with the culprits, who were not unknown, the government pounced on Rhoda Jatau, a Bauchi Christian woman and mother of five, who condemned the alleged killing of Deborah in Sokoto State, and locked her up in Bauchi Prison, away from her family for 18 months.
She was on Friday reportedly released on bail, following ‘interventions’ by the CAN, the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, and the Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria.
Jatau had been detained since May 2022 on the grounds of blasphemy, for sharing a video, condemning the lynching of Deborah. It is heart-warming that she too was not given the Deborah treatment. Obviously, nothing would have happened. It is galling that limp CAN is being credited for the ‘feat’ after 18 long months, even while Deborah’s killers are roaming the streets looking for an opportunity to strike again. Nonsense!
As we welcome Jatau, the heroine of faith, let it be stated that this piece does not aim to incite anyone to battle. This is very evident in the mandate that we have because we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and a conglomerate of evil in high and low places. Peter did not understand the nature of our warfare when he cut off the ear of Malchus, who was in the team that came to arrest Jesus. The Lord fixed back the ear and told Peter to put back his sword in its scabbard because those who kill by the sword shall go the way of the sword.
That remains our creed and it dictates our actions. We have a much more potent arsenal than physical violence, as the Lord fights His battles.
This write-up is a clarion call on the church to wake up from slumber and deploy her spiritual armour. Remember, former Christian bastions lost their hue and identity because of this same coldness on display.
It was exactly what happened in the beginning when the enemies of the church killed James. Seeing that nothing happened, and that the people were pleased, they went ahead to grab Peter, the rock upon which the church would be built. The apostles revolted in the spirit. They declared spiritual warfare that was to shape the church to date.
The Angel of the Lord rescued Peter miraculously and so the church continued to flourish. When Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they sang and prayed and the Holy Ghost came down.
Sadly, today’s church would not mind the death of Peter so that we could take his place. That is why we are weak and can do nothing. We are now consent with to enticements of evil and sit in the counsel of the wicked. We have surrendered our birthright because of a mere morsel of bread. Did Judas’ thirty pieces of silver profit him? No, he even died before Jesus whom he sold. Are you Judas, selling Jesus?
God has not changed. It is time the church looked away from worldly distractions and mundane pursuits. It is time the church is flooded by righteousness and holiness. It is time we stopped coveting the cucumber of Egypt and focus on the milk and honey flowing in the wilderness of the Promised Land though the journey of purification may be long.
It is time church leaders shunned the king’s meal like Daniel did and prevailed. It is time we stopped the contest of denominations and cathedrals. Let us fight the good fight of faith in righteousness and truth if ever the son of the bondwoman would remain in his place.
It is time we brought our light from under the bushel and let it shine even into the camp of our enemies from the mountaintop because like Jesus told us, ‘they know not what they do’.
Why should I stint in exhibiting the glory of the Truth: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek”. Roman 1:16.
Would you come along on this journey of Destiny? Welcome back home, Sister Jatau; you are the winner. Those who caged you lost.