Acclaimed Islamisation of Nigeria: Religious Alarmists are Poor Students of History Who Deliberately Refuse to Grow in Tolerance

I found this piece written by a concern citizen and thought of sharing with you. In my view, I think Nigerians should have a thoughtful mind and not allow religions to set the nation apart or tamper with her peaceful co-existence. While the developed world are busy with technological advancements and making life worth-living, our priority is much attached to religions. Perhaps, the mind-game of the so called “Powerful People, Political Juggernaut and what have you…” Lets think of how to move the nation forward. Or what do you think?

In the late 1980s, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) claimed that a TV news reader on NTA, Hauwa Baba Ahmed’s covering of her head and chest ‘is an attempt’ by the FG to ‘Islamise Nigeria’. Between that period and now, a lot of women news readers and presenters have worn head and chest covering scarf on national and states-owned TV stations, yet Nigeria has not been Islamised.

2. Also, in 1980s, the same CAN vehemently opposed the idea that public schools close at 1 p.m on every Friday to allow Muslims observe Jumat service. CAN claimed that such closing time for public schools ‘is an attempt to Islamise Nigeria.’ Between that period and now, public schools have been closing at 1 p.m every Friday, yet Nigeria has not been Islamised.

3. When Nigeria became a member of OIC, the same CAN cried wolf again that it ‘is an attempt’ by the FG to ‘Islamise Nigeria’. Several decades after, Nigeria is still a member of OIC, yet the country is not Islamised.

4. When the CBN was preparing to licence Islamic Banking few years ago, CAN led the media campaign against that policy with the same usual alarm that it ‘is an attempt’ by the FG to ‘Islamise Nigeria’. As at today, in addition to few Islamic finance houses in operation, there are some regular established banks that also have Islamic banking desks. Nigeria is still yet to be Islamised.

5. The current issue about teaching of CRK and IRK in public schools is giving CAN another opportunity to raise its addictive false alarm. The new school curiculum allows every child a freedom to be educated in religion of choice. Again CAN and other Christian leaders are saying it ‘is an attemp by the FG to ‘Islamise Nigeria’.

Advise: CAN should be advised to learn religious tolerance from Muslims of the Southwest:

For nearly a century until recently, Muslim students at public schools in the old Western Region, and what later became southwest, including Lagos had no freedom of religious knowledge choice. Christianity was the only religious knowledge taught in public schools. In fact the assembly prayer sessions in the morning was compulsorily in Christian Lord’s prayers for all students irrespective of faiths.

In a Western Region of that era and even later decades of the 1970/80 that had Muslims and Christians almost evenly spread, the Islamic leadership of the region were tolerant of the Christia faith. The Muslim leaders did not raise alarm over Christinisation of Nigeria.

CAN and other Christian groups should be told in clear language that Nigeria is multi-ethnic-religious nation. And no sIngle group can blackmail the other to submission by raising false alarm.

God Bless Nigeria. Amen.

---

Concerned Citizen