Category: Friday

Monologue

Following the defence of the budget of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, (JAMB) by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede recently, two questions fortuitously arose publicly, for which some Nigerians are eagerly seeking answers.    

One of those questions was about the secret of Professor Ishaq Oloyede’s unbeatable template. The other was about the tenure of his appointment as the Registrar of JAMB. The answers to both questions had tacitly been given by President Muhammad Buhari, in both oral and body language, albeit codedly, even before those questions were raised. Please, read how it happened below: 

Preamble

In appreciation of Professor Oloyede’s unique dynamism in laying a formidable foundation for tertiary education in Nigeria by clipping the wings of corruption, President Muhammadu Buhari conferred a well deserved National Productivity Order of Merit Award on him. That was on Thursday, November 28, 2019. The award was an additional golden feather to the glorious cap of this hardworking, honest and patriotic Nigerian citizen, popularly known as Nigeria’s ‘Model of Change’.

Antecedent

Long before he became the Registrar of JAMB, Oloyede had been a household name, not only in Nigeria or Africa, but also in the entire world, just like the University he was privileged to head, as Vice-Chancellor, over a decade ago.

Qualification

What qualified this onetime ‘Madrasah Boy’ for such a vertical position, in an horizontally cloudy country like Nigeria, is an interesting question for which most inquisitive minds may be earnestly seeking an appropriate answer. And, the answer is not far-fetched.

Binocular Focus

Unlike most Nigerian men of letters in the Ivory Tower, Professor Ishaq Oloyede wears a binocular spectacle with which he sees life from two opposing sides of the world. One side is the West and the other is the East. This became evident, not just in his management of the University of Ilorin within just one tenure of five years, but also in the humility, selflessness and patriotism with which he demonstrated civility par excellence in that office. Through his exemplary performance, Nigerians came to see, with evidence, the difference between a man of letters and that of knowledge. While the one sees life with the common eye, the other sees it with an uncommon vision.

In the days of Socrates, Aristotle and Herodotus, when education was an adorned virtue used as a yardstick for measuring civility and human value, no one cared about the material gains accruing from it.

However, some thousands of years after that era, bastardization of education set in when certificate became a means of evaluating the material worth of learning. Thus, with acquisition of certificates, by all means, mere literacy began to be misconceived as education. And, today, Nigerian Universities have been reduced to mere centers of advanced literacy rather than that of citadel of knowledge that they used to be.

Literacy And Education

Whereas, literacy is just an added value to education, the modern day man has ignorantly and arrogantly interpolated the one for the other. This is what Professor Oloyede resented in his academic odyssey when he chose to combine Eastern system of education with that of the West with a determination to take advantage of both in fertilizing the academic soil of Nigeria’s future. For those who didn’t know, Professor Oloyede’s ascetic lifestyle is the driving force of his rising fame. And that can simply be called the fervour in his burner.

Philosophy of Life

By the philosophy he adopted right from his adolescent years, Professor Oloyede had imbibed contentment as a permanent principle of life. On a particular occasion, while relating his reason for contesting for the office of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, he told some medical students of his University, who went to congratulate him, on his assumption of office, as Vice-Chancellor, that he never intended to contest for that office. But when, according to him, an academic charlatan, in the same University, who harboured ulterior motive, threatened to expose him if he dared contest for the VC’s post, in that University, he (Oloyede) saw it as a challenge to his integrity. He therefore took that challenge as an opportunity to put his privacy on a public table. His real intention, according to him, was actually not to contest but to see what would be exposed in his privacy. And, contrary to the expectations of skeptics, he surprisingly emerged as the Vice-Chancellor without an iota of blemish.

His Previous Posts

Before contesting for VC’s post, he had served twice as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and  Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, in the same University of Ilorin where he had spent his entire academic life as a student, as a lecturer, as a Director in several areas and, as a Professor. Thus, he had seen that University inside-out and, that was enough to propel an ambition in him to target the highest office in the Citadel, for which he was eminently qualified. Yet, there was no such level of ambition in him until he was triggered into magnetizing an unprovoked challenge that made him a Vice-Chancellor.

That Professor Oloyede relayed that episode of his unintended contest for the highest office in his University, to his students, was not an act of mere bravado but a token of encouragement for those students towards service to humanity with humility and patriotism.

Evidence of Contentment

As the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Oloyede was nominated and elected as the President of the African Vice-Chancellors.

But when he noticed that the position of the Executive Secretary of the Association of African Universities was more meaningful and more beneficial to Nigeria than that of the President, which he then held, he decided to relinquish his own position as President to enable another Nigerian to occupy that of the Executive Secretary. He therefore encouraged some of his Nigerian academic colleagues to apply for that post and promised to resign from his own Presidential position in that Association to allow a fellow Nigerian to occupy the office of the Executive Secretary to the benefit of Nigeria. Incidentally, most of his colleagues did not believe him at first. But when the time came and one of them indicated interest, in the post of the Executive Secretary, perhaps as a way of testing Oloyede’s sincerity, he (Oloyede) surprisingly resigned as President of African Vice-Chancellors just after two years in an office where he had opportunity to spend two terms of five years each.

However, the Professor who benefited from Oloyede’s unbelievable large-heartedness by assuming the office of the Executive Secretary of African Universities, later ventured into Nigerian local politics and opted for the post of the Secretary to a State Government (SSG) thereby opening the door for another Professor from another country to occupy the post.

By that greedy decision, the man deprived Nigeria the benefit for which Oloyede had resigned as President. The comparison of both   personalities in this circumstance is better left to reasonable readers of this article. 

Academic Administration

Only a few Nigerians in the academic arena can equal Oloyede’s record when it comes to the ‘nitty gritty’ of academic administration. Yet, you can hardly notice it in his demeanour. This ascetic Professor is not just the first alumnus of the Faculty of Arts, in the University of Ilorin, to graduate with a ‘FIRST CLASS’, he is also the first alumnus of that University to obtain a PhD from the same University. Not only that, Professor Oloyede scored many other ‘FIRSTS’ in that University to the admiration of the upcoming students, as a template for those who might be nursing aspiration among them to similarly rise astronomically.

His Chain of Firsts

In the reverential archive of the University of Ilorin, Professor Oloyede was the ‘FIRST’ Director of Academic Planning and the first alumni President to be a member of the Governing Council of that University. He was also the first Unilorin alumnus to become a Deputy Vice-Chancellor and subsequently the first alumnus to become the Vice-Chancellor of the University.

Introduction of CBT

It is incontrovertible that Professor Oloyede was the first Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria to introduce Computer-Based Testing (CBT) method of screening applicants for University admission in the country, just as he was the first Vice-Chancellor to lead a second generation University to the number one position in Nigeria, based on international rating. He also became the first Nigerian Vice-Chancellor to emerge as the Chairman of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU). Still not done, he is the first Nigerian Vice-Chancellor to combine the Board membership of International Association of Universities (IAU) with those of the Association of the Commonwealth Universities (ACU) as well as with that of the Association of African Universities (AAU) at the same time.

University Calendar

With the above listed ‘FIRSTS’ he was, as Vice-Chancellor, able to make Unilorin the first Federal University in Nigeria to run a decade of uninterrupted academic calendar which prompted that University to be internationally rated as one of the very best 20 Universities in Africa. Also, through his astute academic administration, the University of Ilorin was able to maintain the first position in the national rating for three consecutive years (2009, 2010 and 2011). Another major plus in this man’s life, but which most people hardly noticed, is arbitration factor.

Conflict Resolution

Professor Oloyede does not only resent conflicts in whatever form, he also regards arbitration as a duty for him wherever he is. Thus, whenever he notices any sign of conflict in his vicinity, be it interpersonal, intertribal or interreligious, he immediately initiates arbitration and reconciliation process to ensure resolution without minding the cost. And, his impartiality in doing this is generally acknowledged and revered across all borders. With his post as the Registrar of the Joint Matriculation and Admission Board (JAMB), he has added a rare feather to his exemplary cap in a way that fetches him a tacit title of ‘A Model of Change’.

A Guiding Lifestyle

In Professor Oloyede is a great example for those who aspire to be great in a world where greatness is a slippery land. His life has become a guide for the younger professionals and artisans who need guidance “either as a warning on the vanity of human wishes or as encouragement or both”.

With His Eminence, Dr. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR, mni, at the helm of affairs of the NSCIA and Professor Oloyede as the Secretary-General of that apex body for the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria, who does not see that a right step is now on course on the right path for Nigerian Muslim Ummah of the contemporary time?

Epilogue

With vertical men of this stature on Islamic stage in Nigeria, at this point in time, who says Muslims are non-existent in the scheme of modern life? Today, there is no aspect of human endeavour where Muslim men and women do not stand out as signposts of life like summer crescents quietly moving towards zooming into full moon. And, now, with such fervour in his burner, who can say that Oloyede’s shining star, as a historic signpost for Africa, does not transcend the firmament of the globally known sky that we see daily?  We pray the Almighty Allah to spare this man’s life with His divine guidance. AMIN!   

Preamble

Dear legislator,

“Let there become of you a nation that shall call for righteousness, enjoin justice and forbid evil. Such men shall surely triumph”. Q. 3: 104.

 Let me start this letter with a congratulatory message and a prayer. I congratulate you for becoming our ‘Honourable’ lawmakers an organ that is most crucial in a democracy. With your legislative role the destiny of Nigeria will be determined or reshaped. But more importantly, I pray the Almighty God to grant you listening ears and tamed minds against greed and avarice that became the undoing of your predecessors. Amen.

Just as it happened to the session before yours, this letter is coming to you both as a counsel and an admonition. What qualifies yours sincerely to write this letter to you is that the column called ‘The Message’ is a stake holder in the great project called Nigeria. This country is like a ship in which we are all voyaging together through a storming ocean. And we must all be vigilant enough to ensure that it does not hit the rock.

A similar letter was twice written in this column to the legislators of the 8th and 9th National Assembly. The first was in 2015 barely nine months after some of them resumed in their respective legislative houses. The second was a reminder in 2019. But like a dog destined to end up in perdition would refuse to hear the hunter’s cautioning whistle, your predecessors refused to heed the admonition contained in those letters. You all know the consequence of their refusal today.

Role of conscience

“Conscience”, according to Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio, “is an open wound which only the truth can heal”. But one can talk of healing a wounded conscience only where it has not become cancerous. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) told us in one Hadith that hypocrites are known by three signs: “When they talk they lie; when they promise they renege and when they are trusted they betray”. Most of your predecessors so much typify that Hadith that it seems as if the Prophet had Nigerian legislators in mind when he expressed that axiom. I hope you will learn a lesson from their case.

You will recall that when you started nursing the ambition to become legislators, whether at the federal or state level, or even as chairmen or councillors in local governments, your first announcement was that you wanted ‘to serve your people’. Based on that announcement, people rallied round you and embraced you as their representatives.

That announcement was your first political covenant. It was not between you and the people in your constituencies alone. Since it entailed your promise and the trust of the people, Allah’s hand was in it and He will surely hold you accountable for it because you made such promise voluntarily. It does not matter whether you were genuinely elected or rigged into office as usual.

Deception

Your original intension for making the announcement will be weighed against your action on getting to office. And you will be judged accordingly when you leave the office. That is quite different from a possible rigging that fetched you the status of a legislators as well as the title of ‘Honourable’.

In the process, some of you deprived your fellow politicians of those positions which rightfully belonged to them. Just as you will call on God for justice if you were in their shoes so they will take your case to God’s court. And the prayer of a cheated person, according to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), never suffers divine denial.

You must remember that it is only God’s judgment that can neither be manipulated nor appealed. And no matter how long it may take, Allah’s judgment will be executed perhaps when you least expect. On that, you are left to your consciences if you have any.

In Islam, two issues are exceptionally fundamental which Allah does not treat lightly. These are sacredness of life and justice. It is a great iniquity for any human being to engage in murder and injustice under any guise. Thus, anybody who kills fellow human beings extra-judicially in the name of religion is nothing but a pagan. In Islam, killing of a fellow human being deliberately is such a grievous sacrilege that cannot and should not occur without commensurate punishment.

Besides paganism, nothing draws the wrath of Allah as fast as these two crimes which Satan may continue to ask you to ignore at your own peril.

Murder is physical termination of the life of a fellow human being. Injustice is to kill a person mentally, psychologically and spiritually by denying him his or her right.

In Islam, rule of law is the foundation of justice but legislation is the material with which that foundation is built. Those who voluntarily chose to legislate for others must see themselves as the foundation layers of justice who should not, advertently or inadvertently, betray the course of justice. Can this be said of you?

Where is your Honour?

Honourable legislators, you are addressed as honourable today neither because you are more dignified and more intellectually qualified than those for whom you are legislating nor because you are wiser and more experienced than them. What makes most of you legislators is sheer expediency arising from queer inadequacies sadly fostered by our so-called political system which has not been perfected against gerrymandering.

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If such opportunity comes your way illegally, let it not be mistaken for good luck. It may rather be a calamity waiting to strike in future. And when it strikes, no one except Allah can tell the extent of its effect.

At least you can see how the consequences of the heartless annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential election have become a draconian spectre chasing the ghost of Nigeria even after two decades of licking the wound.

The covenant you made with the people is to serve them. And those who choose to serve are nothing but servants. But no sooner had your predecessors been sworn into office than they started calling themselves leaders. That is why most of them found it difficult to bend a little backwards and report back to their constituencies. Today, where are they? And their constituencies remain intact albeit backward.

Surrogate spouses

Since most of your predecessors resumed in Abuja or their state capitals without their spouses, the first thing they did after settling down was to search for alternative but illegitimate sexual partners who acted as their surrogate spouses. And the cost was borne by the same betrayed electorate. Not only that, they also began their primary duty of legislating by first fixing their own salaries and allowances against all norms of morality and at the expense of those who made it possible for them to become legislators.

You turned the privilege of legislating into a right and used it to intimidate the poor masses and ride roughshod over them. When they occasionally pretend to interact with those masses it was for the purpose of preparing their minds for the next election in which they hoped to be returned to Parliament where sharing money was the priority.

Some of them spent about eight years in those legislative houses without any sign in their immediate constituencies that anybody was representing the people of those constituencies. It is hoped that your session in this era of ‘CHANGE’ will show a remarkable difference.

Self Aggrandisement

When your predecessors travelled abroad officially, with people’s money, they were never alarmed by the way political and economic systems worked in those countries. Rather, their primary concern was the latest cars plying the roads of those countries and the most magnificent mansions that they could copy back home to match new status as legislators. That is why virtually every political office holder in Nigeria between 1999 and now was either riding or eager to ride the newest vehicle from Europe, America or Asia even as they owned Nigeria’s choicest estates. In a nutshell, politics to them was a short term business that must bring profit by all means.

Thus, at their instance, Nigeria was held to a standstill as they doctored the annual budget presented to them by the executive arm in order to share the national cake with the Executives in the spirit of ‘rub my back I rub yours’.

Most of them were fathers and mothers who would want their children to grow up as responsible men and women, yet, refused to serve as good examples for those children. How could Nigeria be good?

Reminder

As new legislators, perhaps it is necessary to remind you that everything in this world is based on condition. The world itself did not come into existence without condition. Man was originally created and appointed as Allah’s vicegerent on earth on condition that he would serve Allah. And all other living or unliving things were divinely ordered to obey and serve man on condition that he (man) would also obey and serve Allah. That service was not an imposition. It was voluntary.

Before putting man in charge of the world at all, Allah had consulted far and wide with all the stake holders concerned. Each of them declined responsibility except man who, out of greed and arrogance, volunteered to take charge and be responsible for it.

Allah states this clearly in Q. 33 V. 72 thus: “We offered the ‘TRUST’ (of the world) to the heavens; to the earth and to the mountains; but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it. Man, who undertook to bear it, has proved to be unjust, foolish”.

By consulting so far and wide, Allah had elicited and got covenant from every creature. Those among them, that declined responsibility cannot and will not be asked to account for the occurrences therein. Accountability of the world solely rests on man’s shoulder according to the covenant he reached voluntarily with Allah.

Covenant with Allah is the most fundamental law of existence. It is not one sided. As man has responsibilities to bear so does Allah has obligations to fulfil. It is from the covenant with Allah that all other covenants in the life of man, including those of marriage, trust and confidentiality, are derived. That covenant is what others call oath.

Oath of office

In Islam, oath, whether private or public, does not necessarily require Muslims to carry the Qur’an in one’s hand as done in Nigeria particularly at this time when oath of office has become a meaningless symbol. No oath is ever made without Allah being a witness to it. Besides, He has assigned two Angels (Raqib and ‘Atid) to every human being as secret police officers. The duty of these Angels is to record all utterances and secret actions of each person to whom they are assigned. The one records good deeds, the other records evil deeds. Their recordings are both in video and audio forms.

This fact is contained in Q.50: 16 where Allah states that: “We surely created man and ‘We’ know the promptings of his mind and are closer to him than his jugular vein. We assign two guardians to watch him, one on his right and the other on his left. No utterance (from him) or action shall escape the records of these vigilant guardians….”

It is from the functions of these invisible police that researchers came about the idea of video, audio and other technological devices used especially for espionage.

Rare opportunity

Legislating is a rare opportunity to serve one’s nation meritoriously. But most of your predecessors turned that opportunity into one of self-enrichment as well as that of securing the future of your own children at the expense of the lives of other children. All these are done at the expense of the wretched people around them whose role in democracy was relegated to voting once in four years. They forgot that wealth is Allah’s endowment which cannot be inherited except by Allah’s will.

My dear honourable legislators; search your conscience and fear God. Remember that some people had legislated for this country in the past. Some usurped the roles of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary together, in the name of military rule, made possible by coup d’état. Where are they today?

Legislation, like governance, has its tenure. Today, four years may look endless, but for the wise, it is not more than a flash of lightening  which only a fool may want to rely upon while walking his way through the darkness of the night.

Peculiar factor

You are in the legislative houses to make laws for today’s generation and that of tomorrow. Ordinarily, that duty should be on part time and not full time basis in a serious country where patriotism holds sway. But since everything in Nigeria has a peculiar factor, it has become a rule that those who are legislating for us must take the lion’s share of our national cake even through the budget. That is why some of your predecessors randomly roared to the total embarrassment of the country that the President or the Governor must be impeached.

Such impeachment became a serious business only when their salaries, allowances or social welfare were not provided as at when due or at the expected volume. It did not matter to them whether or not the entire workforce in Nigeria remained unpaid for years or all the Universities in the country closed down completely and permanently. And in all these charades, religion had no role to play an indication that politics is indifferent to God’s ordinances in Nigeria.

Conscience, though invisible, has a mirror which only a few people know of. That mirror is shame. A person without shame is a person without conscience. And that is the main distinction between a genuine Muslim and a nominal one. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) admonished thus in respect of shame: “once you are bereft of shame, you can go ahead to do whatever you like”. This means that without shame you are such a nonentity that can even choose to strip naked in the market place. That was some of your predecessors did while in office.

Service to humanity

Honourable legislators, let it be kept permanently in your hearts that the only thing which keeps people alive in history even long after their demise is service to humanity. Prophets Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad (SAW), had neither bank accounts nor estates to bequeath to anybody. Their heritage is more than any material wealth for the entire world today. That heritage is service to humanity. What is your own planned heritage if only for posterity? That is a big question which only people with conscience can answer. The rest is left to you. While wishing you a memorable era in Nigeria’s democracy, I pray Allah to guide you aright that you may not end up like your predecessors. Amin

Monologue

This is the season of Hajj. It comes up in the month of Dhul Hijjah every year.

                Hajj means an aspiration towards a higher pedestal in spirituality. It is, divinely, a pillar of Islam made obligatory for Muslims who can afford it once in a lifetime. Hajj is not a mere tourism. Thus, the visa issued to Muslims who perform Hajj, annually, is that of pilgrimage and not of tourism. Whilst pilgrimage is a spiritual exercise, tourism is a pleasurable journey.

Preamble

The similitude of Hajj in the life of a Muslim is like that of pregnancy in the womb of an expectant mother. The experience may vary from one woman to another, as the foetus in the womb undergoes various stages before reaching the stage of delivery. By the time the child is finally delivered, the mother feels a relief of her life while the child assumes a tabula rasa (clean slate) that makes it absolutely innocent.

Spiritually, a pilgrim is like a newly born baby, if he strictly performs Hajj as prescribed by Allah. But if he returns into the world of vanity after Hajj, he automatically becomes like a person in snow-white attire who finds his way into a palm oil market. Unless he spiritually guides his loins, he may immediately become a tainted person both in body and in soul.

The Rigours of Hajj

Pilgrims going on Hajj must be prepared to go through series of rigours both spiritually and physically. The rigour of getting the money to perform Hajj; getting the travelling documents including visa; taking care of the home front before embarking on the Holy journey; boarding the plane with a sense of high risk; going through the security check at the embarkation point as well as the disembarkation point in Saudi Arabia;  performing the Tawaf and Sa’y; moving from Makkah to Mina on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah and, to Arafah, on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, and back to Mina via Muzdalifah on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah; throwing the pebbles at the Jamrat in Mina on the three or four days known as Ayamu-t-Tashrik; performing Tawaful Ifadah at the Sanctuary in Makkah after the first day of throwing pebbles; performing the farewell circumambulation otherwise known as Tawaful Wida’I; all in the midst of millions of people can be too much to forget so soon  after Hajj.

Admonition

Whoever is not bothered by the money spent on Hajj should at least be bothered by the various stages of the rigour involved including that of visiting Madinah. To lose all these to the forces of Satan after Hajj is like losing one’s travelling passport after obtaining visa. The prayer of every genuine pilgrim is to retain the validity of Hajj forever.

Conditions for Hajj Performance

Performance of pilgrimage must be based on genuine intention and high spiritual standard. An intending pilgrim must have attained puberty. He must have been an ardent practitioner of the first four pillars of Islam: (Salat, Zakah, and Sawm) all of which are fervently based on faith (Iman). Hajj without these pre-requisites is like a tree without roots.

Money is a major pre-requisite for Hajj but it is not absolute.

Hajj, the last pillar of Islam shows very vividly, the similitude of what mankind will experience on the Day of Judgment. Looking at the unique way in which pilgrims dress for Hajj and how they assemble at Arafat, leaving their luggage behind in Makkah, one will realize how ephemeral this world is.

Purpose of Hajj

The various stages of preparation through which pilgrims pass before arriving at Arafat are symbolic of our peregrinations in life as human beings. Like the Day of Judgment, Arafat is the climax of Hajj performance. Anybody who misses Arafat misses Hajj. But Arafat is not by physical appearance alone. It takes a combination of factors to participate effectively in that great assembly which serves as the climax of Hajj.

For Hajj to serve its spiritual purpose in the life of a pilgrim, certain steps must be taken before leaving home. They are as follows:

Fine-tuning the first four pillars of Islam very sincerely; making the intention to perform Hajj; Ensuring the security of the way; Providing for the family and dependants at home; Paying all the outstanding debts including fulfillment of promises; Ascertaining the condition of health; Assuming a mood of humility like that of a servant approaching his master and Readiness to endure hardship and to tolerate fellow pilgrims’ abnormalities.

Intention

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once said: “Actions shall be judged according to intentions. Whoever embarks on a spiritual journey for the sake of Allah will be adjudged on that basis. And, whoever bases his/her intention for pilgrimage on marriage or material gains, should not expect any reward beyond that for which his/her intention is based”.

The steps to follow in the performance of Hajj are as follows:

 Al-Miqat which is the specified place for the wearing of Ihram dress. There are five of such places in all. Tawaf which means circumambulation of the Ka’bah. The very first to be performed by pilgrims on entering Makkah is Tawaful Qudum. It is performed before a pilgrim settles down in any residence. Tawaful Qudum is an obligatory Sunnah from which only residents of Makkah among pilgrims are exempted.

Residence in Makkah or Madinah

Most Nigerian pilgrims often seek their accommodations in Makkah or Madinah close to the Haram. This is to enable them walk to and from the Haram conveniently at the time of any Salat. To minimize pilgrims’ regular occurrence of missing their ways, they are provided with hand bands which bear the addresses of their residences. Pilgrims are therefore advised to wear such bands at all times to enable them show it to either the Hajj guides or policemen whenever they miss their road. It is also important for pilgrims to always be with the identity cards provided for them by National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) or private agents. This is to enable them to be identified in case of sickness, accident or even death.

 Movement to Mina

Pilgrims must be ready to undergo some rigours in the process of moving to Mina from Makkah. The rigour, which normally affects all pilgrims, is engendered by limited time available for millions of pilgrims who must move to that spiritual camp before the sunset on the day preceding Arafah day.

 The Day of Arafah

At the Plain of Arafat, pilgrims are advised to stay under their tents and concentrate on the spiritual activities. They must reach Arafat by mid-day when Salatu-d-Dhuhr and ‘Asr should be observed combined. Anybody who is not at Arafat by mid-day is considered not to have taken part in the assembly and therefore missed Hajj. Immediately after observing the combined Salatu-d-Dhuhr and ‘Asr, the Imam who led the two Salat is expected to give a sermon. Listening to such sermon is as compulsory as giving it.

The great assembly of Arafat terminates shortly before sunset (Maghrib) and the pilgrims return to Mina via Muzdalifah.

 Muzdalifah Transit

At Muzdalifah, pilgrims are expected to halt their journey to observe Maghrib and ‘Ishai combined. They are also expected to pass the night there and observe the Salat-s-Subh the following morning before proceeding to Mina. Muzdalifah is adjacent to Mina and is therefore a walking distance.

 Jamrat

Stoning the symbolic devils (Rajmu Jamrat) begins a day after Arafat and continues for the next three or four days that the pilgrims are supposed to spend at Mina. This exercise is obligatory and without it, Hajj is incomplete. There are three points at which stones are to be thrown. Seven pebbles are to be thrown at each point on every one of the three or four days to be spent in Mina.

While going for the pebble-throwing exercise, pilgrims are advised to take their pebbles along with them. Except for the first day when seven pebbles are supposed to be thrown at only one spot, pilgrims are required to throw twenty one pebbles each day, seven of those pebbles are to be thrown at the each of the three spots provided while they remain in Mina.

Picking such pebbles at the point of throwing them is forbidden. All pebbles must have been picked before leaving the tent for the ‘Jamrat’ or on each day.

 Majzarah (Abattoir)

Slaughtering of sacrificial animals is done at the abattoir in Mina. Pilgrims do not need to bother themselves by going to the abattoir for the purpose of carrying out this compulsory obligation. They can simply buy the guaranteed ticket sold by designated Saudi agents. The ticket is the evidence that one has performed that duty. The slaughtering is done on behalves of the pilgrims by some authorised artisans who are paid by the Saudi Hajj authorities from the money which the pilgrims had paid for those animals. The animals to be slaughtered at Jamrat range from rams to camels. A pilgrim should slaughter one ram or more while seven pilgrims may combine to slaughter one camel or five of them may jointly slaughter one cow.

 Tawaful Ifadah

For pilgrims who can afford to go to Makkah from Mina, after throwing the first seven pebbles, it is good to perform Tawaf-ul-Ifadah. For those who cannot, the exercise can be deferred till the end of Tashrik, when they are supposed to finally leave Mina for Makkah

The only reason for any pilgrim to go to Makkah from Mina during the camping period is to perform Tawaf-ul-Ifadah. No pilgrim should break camping rule by going to Makkah without performing Tawaf-ul- Ifadah. And, after performing Tawaful Ifadah, no pilgrim should remain in Makkah or elsewhere without returning to Mina before sunset.

Tawaful Wida’i

With the completion of the camping days in Mina and the performance of Tawaful Ifadah on arrival of all the pilgrims in Makkah, Hajj has been completed except for Tawaf Wida’i  otherwise called farewell Tawaf. That Tawaf is also compulsory.

It is then left for pilgrims to decide whether or not to go to Madinah, if he had not gone before. Going to Madinah is not compulsory as it will be spiritually odd for any pilgrim to choose not to visit the Prophet’s Mosque.

Conclusion

Throughout the Hajj exercise, what should be uppermost in the mind of a pilgrim is the spiritual benefit. On arriving home finally, pilgrims are not expected to start organizing parties in celebration of a successful Hajj performance as ignorantly done by some Nigerians. Maintaining Hajj is a necessity for those who know the value of doing that. Whoever is privileged to perform Hajj once in his/her life, should forever be grateful to Allah as no one is sure of getting another chance.

For those going on Hajj this year, the Message says HAJJAN MABRURA!

Preamble

Greatness of a nation is invariably determined not by those who govern her but by the use to which the ordinary citizens of such a nation put their endowed talents and skills. No nation can ever be great in the absence of her citizens. As a matter of fact, nothing is called a nation without the people who inhabit the landmass of the concerned area and deploy their skills for the development of its resources. In a nutshell, it is the combined greatness of individual citizens that often constitutes the greatness of any nation. That is why all responsible governments encourage citizens of their countries to strive for lofty heights in all field of human endeavour. Ironically, however, while some nations become great because of their citizens’ skills, others remain static because of their governments’ inaction. Nigeria belongs to the latter. But despite the continuous inaction of her government, this most populous African country luckily continues to enjoy the benefit of international glory often wrought by the personal efforts of her talented citizens.

When and Where?

Saturday, November 29, 2012 was a unique historic day of glory for Nigeria at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where the 2012 global Annual Youth Conference was held. Two special themes were chosen for the conference which is generally known as Annual Youth Assembly (AYA). One of those themes is ‘Millennium Development Goals’ (MDG). The other is ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDG). The main objective of AYA is to encourage some focused world youths to exhibit their intellectual prowess in proffering solutions to contemporary and future global challenges. It is organised at the instance of the ‘Friendship Ambassadors Foundation’ (FAF).

Present at the November 2012 conference were some shakers and movers of global events from all parts of the world including permanent representatives of the various countries at the United Nations. They clustered the venue of the conference like a galaxy of stars waiting to usher the world’s most ingenuous leaders of tomorrow into today’s Hall of Fame with a chorus of KUDOS! The event was beamed live to virtually all parts of the world through various TV Cable Networks. The historic announcement of the winners which climaxed the one week event was greeted with a thunderous applause and overwhelming ovation. Out of the 700 contestants from more than 70 countries of the world, three best winners emerged at the occasion. One of them was from Africa. Another was from Asia while the third was from South America. When the glorious moment of announcing the very best of the three finalists came, a grave but anxious silence descended on the hall. This was followed by a lone baritone voice that announced thus: “…..And the winner is RAHMAH ADERINOYE FROM NIGERIA!!!!! The audience roared into an unprecedented ecstasy of jubilation, hugging and shaking hands with one another just as the chanting of CONGRATULATIONS rented the air for several minutes with songs of joy.

Reason

Rahmah had beaten the two other finalists from China and Haiti to the second and third positions respectively. It was indeed, a rare moment of glory for a comatose country like Nigeria dangling ceaselessly like a pendulum with a noose on the altar of dysfunction. History was made once again by a Nigerian for Nigeria but without an input from the latter. An unfortunate incident at that moment, however, was the conspicuous absence of any official from Nigeria. While all other participants were officially accompanied and supported by the representatives of their countries, as usual, no notable Nigerian official representative was there. Unlike what obtains in focused countries, Nigeria does not attach any importance to assisting or supporting her own citizens in making any glory of that sort. As a country, she prefers to proclaim any individual who, out of personal effort, makes glory as her worthy citizen. And that preference was demonstrated again at the 2012 AYA conference. That Nigeria was not officially represented on such a glorious occasion cannot be a surprise to anybody who knows this country very well. After all, a similar incident occurred in March 1987 when a onetime Grand Qadi of Northern Nigeria, the late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi won the prestigious King Faisal Award just six months after Wole Soyinka won Nobel Laurel in September 1986. And while the foreign press was celebrating the honour days and nights, the same Federal Government which sent a powerful delegation to accompany Wole Soyinka to Stockholm (in Sweden) six months earlier remained nonchalant. It took yours sincerely to write on the matter severally (then in The Concord) pointing out the government’s hypocrisy and religious bias before something could be done at the federal level. And by the time the then General Ibrahim Babangida-led government decided half-heartedly to congratulate Sheikh Gumi and accept to play a role, all arrangements had been privately completed by the late Bashorun MKO Abiola who volunteered to bear the entire cost.

Who is Rahmah Aderinoye?

The common question on the lips of most people who witnessed the 2012 MDG event and which may also become the main question from many readers of this column is the one above. Who is Rahmah Aderinoye? And the answer to that question is not far-fetched. Rahmah Adebodun Aderinoye is a tender female University student with the heart of a brave male. She is the fifth and last child of her parents but also the fourth daughter.

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Her natural visage betrays her intellectual mien. In appearance, she looks half her father and half her mother an indication that she cuts a chip of each of the two parents. Rahmah Aderinoye, a Nigerian student of Biology at the University of Texas (USA), is vigorously proving to be a sucker rather than a bud in her family tree. And like any potent sucker, her burning desire is to outgrow the stem and foliages of that consanguine tree without minding any local tradition accorded her gender. Her pedigree is strong, no doubt, but her towering surge is independent of that pedigree as she charts her course ahead with little expectation of any assistance from any particular individual. She has caught a niche for herself in a world where even older adults refuse to be weaned from their parental ladle. Born to Professor Rasheed and Hajia Bilqis Aderinoye in Ibadan about 23 years by the time she won the award and christened Rahmah (meaning Blessing) this courageous young woman is truly becoming a universal blessing not only to her parents or her country but also to African continent as well as the global Muslim Ummah. Already, without prompting, she has chosen to be an Ambassador Plenipotentiary for her fatherland as she flies the latter’s green-white-green flag loftily and admirably at the international level without asking the forbidden question of ‘what can my country do for me?.

Epitomy

By all means, Rahmah epitomises the new dream generation with a life ambition to put Nigeria on the special map of success story. Now a final year biology student at the University of Texas, Arlington, USA, Rahmah had her elementary education at the University of Ibadan Staff School and her secondary education at the International School, UI, Ibadan before proceeding to South Carolina University from where she moved to the University of Texas on scholarship.

What Qualified Her For This Laurel?

Motivated by a burning desire to give a helping hand to fellow Nigerians in alleviating the crushing poverty and squalor in the land, Rahmah established a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) named ‘Youth for Intellectual Interaction Initiative (YIII) with more than 20 volunteers in Nigeria, United Kingdom and the US. It was this NGO that she used in applying for participation in the 2012 MDG project that fetched her the glorious laurel that now makes her a global star. And with that laurel she has automatically become a ‘Fellow of (UN) Resolution’. Already, she has been commissioned by UNICEF to develop and work on a concept to empower the vulnerable youths in Africa an assignment which she sees as a veritable opportunity to further propel the African youths into continental development through a deserving renaissance. Thus, she is a UNICEF global Ambassador.

Shortly before the announcement of the results of the competition, Rahmah called her father on phone to inform him of her nervousness having been overwhelmed by the galaxy of other contestants. But in response, her father, an experienced professor of education, told her to calm down saying: “I won’t be surprised if you win”. And when the event was over, she made the following confession: ‘So, when my name was announced, I became frightened and was shaking. Three winners emerged at the end of the day from three continents (Asia, Africa and South America) and these were a Nigerian, a Chinese and a Haitian. I was proudly thrilled to represent Nigeria at the Youth Assembly at the UN. For me, participating in that Social Challenge Venture was pretty exciting but it involved a lot of work. I had to submit some drafts before presenting my project in front of over 700 delegates from the world and face the judges and the crowd. I was really, really nervous…”

Resolution

Throwing light on the real nature of the competition, she said: “At the annual youth assembly, Resolution Project looks at youthful students in colleges, asks them to present a problem peculiar to their localities and suggest possible solutions to such a problem. If the proposal is accepted, the project then gives both mentoring and financial assistance to help them bring about the solution they proposed.” She continued: “I was supposed to pick a problem staring Nigerians in the face and propose a solution to it. So the problem I chose was poverty which is the number one set goal of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations. I proposed empowerment through skills acquisition. This means that I will basically be empowering people in some vocations thereby making them self-sufficient and ultimately working towards the set goals of the UN. Thus, the solution I proposed was empowerment through skills acquisition.”

Narrating her planned approach to tackling poverty especially in Africa, Rahmah said: “The best approach to tackling poverty as far as I am concerned is to train people in some vocations, stressing that “what we will be doing is training people in some vocations such as baking, bead making, farming, tailoring and some couple of others but it’s going to be one vocation at a time. Now, after these people are trained, we will provide them with basic materials they need to start up and that way, they can start making money for themselves.”

Asked to state specifically what she will now be doing as a Fellow of (UN) Resolution and UNICEF Ambassador the 23 year old eloquent student of Biology said: “I presently volunteer with UNICEF USA to raise funds and create awareness for various projects. Recently, for instance, I led a number of fellow youths in the US to raise funds for the Children of Syria who are being subjected to all sorts of abuse and insecurity of life. We were trying to get more relief materials for them in their various refugee camps. And now, I am working on what is called Zero Project. It is estimated that about 19,000 children die daily of preventable causes and this figure comes from just five countries in the world. Sadly, Nigeria happens to be one of them. “At UNICEF, USA, we believe that number can be reduced to ZERO. For this reason we raise funds to be invested in the affected countries and we shall continue to do so until we get to ZERO level.

Future Plan

As for her future plans this is what Rahmah has to say: I want to complete my undergraduate studies at the end of the current academic session and start post graduate studies. Also, I am planning to go ahead with my project in Nigeria if only as a fulfillment of my dream of bringing zero project to my country alongside my proposed solution at the United Nations. So I need every Nigerian to team up with me and my teammates in this initiative.”

When ‘THE MESSAGE’ asked Rahmah’s father to comment on his daughter’s performance he simply said “I am highly impressed Alhamdu Lillah”. Professor Aderinoye, a Professor of Education at the University of Ibadan who is currently the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) however explained that he earlier entertained fear about the project because his daughter started it when her examination was approaching. But she assured him that she would cope.

Perhaps if Osun, the ‘State of Integrity’ had not been Rahmah’s indigenous state, nothing would have been heard about her great achievement from any government circle in Nigeria. It was Osun State  alone that officially invited her for the establishment of a branch of her NGO in that state and provided an office for it. The state government, represented by the Commissioner for Youths and Women Affairs, Mrs. Folake Adegboyega and the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Women Empowerment, Mr. Abdullah Binuyo also sponsored the launching of the NGO. And such is quite in line with Osun State’s policy of youth empowerment.

Lesson to Learn

For parents who discriminate in the training of their children, this is a lesson. Rahmah is the fifth and last child of her parents. Only one of those children is a male. And all of them are doing as fantastically well in their respective callings as the only male child among them. What else does any sensible person want in a child? More than 90 per cent of Nigerian problems are currently caused by male children. And on the contrary, it is female children who take care of their parents better in old age. Besides, isn’t it ingratitude to Allah on the part of those who think parochially that male children are better than female children? That is a food for thought. We pray the Almighty Allah to prolong and protect the life of Rahmah Aderinoye with further guidance and blessings even as we implore Allah to give our Ummah many more of her type. Amin.

Man is nothing but history after his demise. Therefore, endeavour to be a veritable archive of reference from which others can learn lessons after you might have left the stage”.  – Arab poet

Observation

What is true of man in the above quoted poem is equally true of a nation. As a matter of fact, nothing is qualified to be called a nation or a country in the absence of man.

Monologue

Professor Anthony Ijaola Asiwaju is a Nigerian celebrated historian of international repute. Any time the title of one of his books

‘Partitioned Africa’, published in 1984, comes to mind, it quickly serves as a reminder of the history of Nigeria. Thus, the thought of that famous book can be called the motivator of today’s article in this column.

  Preamble

Man is both a product and a producer of history. He lives by history and leaves history behind, as his legacy, at the time of his exit from this ephemeral world. This confirms the fact that man and history are like Siamese twins. The one cannot do without the other. History makes man just as man makes history. The symbiotic relationship of both of the two makes them look like a pair of scissors in which one blade cannot effectively function without getting firmly attached to the other.

Necessity of History

This is a period, in Nigeria, when recalling history is a necessity. And, that necessity has raised some vital questions which require some cogent answers.

How did the African   territory called Nigeria become a country? How and when was she named Nigeria? Does this name befit our country? Can the name be changed? And, if it is changed, can there be any sensible difference? These are some of the questions that ‘The Message’ column seeks to answer here today. The venerable readers of this column can also provide answers from their own thoughts as they may deem fit.

Accident of History

The seed of Nigerian history was planted on January 8, 1897. That was the day that this country was named Nigeria. It was on that day that an article appeared in The Financial Times, of London, which suggested a name for the vast area of land, around river Niger, here in Africa. Shortly before then, the territory that now bears that name was colonized, by a British company called ‘Royal Niger’ Company, on behalf of the British Government. The suggested name given to it in the referred article was Nigeria. And, that name was coined from two words: Niger and Area. How the word Niger itself came into existence is another story to be told on another day in this column.  Meanwhile the author of the said article was one Miss Flora Shaw, a 45-year old British journalist who was then the colonial editor of The Financial Times of London who was also a weekly columnist. The   title of her column, in that newspaper, was ‘The Colony’.

In coining the name ‘Nigeria’, Flora Shaw logically took certain facts into consideration. Those facts were as follows:

1. At the time of her writing, the colonized vast area of West Africa which came to be named Nigeria had no specific name, by which it could be called, other than a protectorate of the ‘Royal Niger Company’ which Miss Shaw considered inappropriate.

2. She also considered an earlier suggested name, ‘Central Sudan’, as aberrational since that name had already been given to a particular area around River Nile, which was occupied by a population of Black Africans now called Sudanese.

3. Miss Flora Shaw  also examined the appropriateness of a name ‘Slave Coast’, which the British colonialists had attempted to give to the vast land in question and found it  derogatory. Finally, after a lot of efforts, Flora settled for ‘Nigeria’, which she coined from ‘Niger Area’.

Who was Flora Shaw?

The British   woman called Flora Shaw was born at N0 2, Dundas Terrace, Woolwich, England, on December 19, 1852, as Miss Flora Shaw. She was the fourth of her parent’s fourteen children. She grew up to become a novelist and a versatile female journalist, who gained fame through her pungent analyses of African colonial economy. She was later to become  Honourable Dame Flora Lugard, the wife of Frederick John Deatry Lugard of Abinger who colonized the southern and northern parts of the area now called Nigeria, and later merged them together in the name of amalgamation, in 1914.

Flora was six years older than Frederick Lugard who was born in India on January 22, 1858. The two historic personalities married in 1902 and lived together without children for the rest of their lives.

Profile of Fredrick Lugard

Lord Frederick Lugard was a military adventurer and an ardent administrator who played a major part in Britain’s colonial history between 1888 and 1945. He served in East Africa, West Africa, and Hong Kong. His glorious name, in history, is particularly associated with Nigeria, where he served as High Commissioner (1900-1906) as well as Governor and Governor-General from 1912 to 1919. This man was knighted, in 1901, and promoted to the peerage in 1928.

His Military Incursion

As at the time of Lugard’s military incursion into the territory now called Nigeria, in the late 19th century, most of the vast land of over 300,000 square miles or 800,000 square km was still unoccupied and even unexplored by Europeans. In the southern areas, at that time, were mostly animists while in the northern areas were multitudes of Muslims with city-states and large walled cities.

After colonizing the the two areas, Lugard’s intention was to merge the occupants of the areas together, to enable him manage them as a single people in a single nation despite the diversity of their cultures and traditions. Thus, within three years of his expedition, he had established a British control over the vast territory using diplomacy on the one hand, and effective mobilization of the meager military force at his disposal, on the other hand.

His policy, at the time, was to forbid local slave raiding and impose severe punishments for recalcitrants while seeking a central comtrole over the area through the native rulers.

The Lugards’ Historic Marriage

After Lugard’s marriage to Flora Shaw in 1902 and the latter could not cope with the Nigerian climate, he (Lugard) felt obliged to leave Africa and accept a junior position of the Governorship of Hong Kong which he held from 1907 to 1912. It was like stepping down as president, to accept the position of a Governor.

Thereafter, Lugard and his wife managed to come back to Nigeria with the purpose of joining the Southern and Northern parts of this country in a way that makes that merger a repeated talk of the town till today.

But to worsen the situation, a tribal military incursion was brought into the scenario with a strong intention of domination in January 1966. Since then, Nigeria has not been a country of comfort again. Now, after almost 63 years of independence, Nigeria continues to wallow helplessly, in a paroxysm of despair, despite her abundance of wealth. It became so bad that at a time, we suddenly found ourselves in a situation where figure 16 was officially declared higher than figure 19 and theft was officially defined as a lesser crime than theft in the framework of politics. On a daily basis, billions of dollars were declared missing from our national or State treasuries just as our foreign reserves are recklessly being depleted with fiat. Where are we going from here?

Democratic Tenure

Four years is a long period in a democratic tenure of a nation. It is long enough to lay a solid foundation for a nation. It is long enough to build a formidable edifice that can be inherited from generation to generation. If 24 years of democracy can not do any of these in Nigeria, can one century do anything? If a journey of one year cannot take a traveler to the port of embarkation, who says 10 decades will take him to the port of disembarkation?

As an OPEC country, we have abundant oil wealth but we must import refined fuel for domestic consumption. We have a massive army of unemployed youths and we cannot provide electricity and security to enable them to be self-employed. Yet, we are insisting that we must continue like this even as billions of dollars are being funneled out of the country daily, by the means of corruption. Where are we going from here?

Obama’s counsel

In his direct presidential address to Nigerian populace on Tuesday, March 24, 2015, the then American President, Barrack Obama said something quotable about a Nigerian election that was to come up the following day (March 25, 2015). Here is how he put it: “Hello.  Today, I want to speak directly to you-the people of Nigeria.

Nigeria is a great nation and you can be proud of the progress you’ve made.  Together, you won your independence, emerged from military rule, and strengthened democratic institutions.  You’ve strived to overcome division and to turn Nigeria’s diversity into a source of strength.  You’ve worked hard to improve the lives of your families and to build the largest economy in Africa.

Now, you have a historic opportunity to help write the next chapter of Nigeria’s progress-by voting in the upcoming elections.  For elections to be credible, they must be free, fair and peaceful.  All Nigerians must be able to cast their votes without intimidation or fear.

So I call on all leaders and candidates to make it clear to their supporters that violence has no place in democratic elections-and that they should not incite, support or engage in any kind of violence-before, during, or after the votes are counted.

I call on all Nigerians to peacefully express your views and to reject the voices of those who call for violence.  And, when elections are free and fair, it is the responsibility of all citizens to help keep the peace, no matter who wins.

Successful elections and democratic progress will help Nigeria meet the urgent challenges you face today.  Boko Haram and Bandits-brutal terrorist groups that kill innocent men, women and children-must be stopped.

Hundreds of kidnapped children deserve to be returned to their families. Nigerians who have been forced to flee deserve to return to their homes.  Boko Haram and Bandits want to destroy Nigeria and all that you have worked to build.  By casting your ballot, you can help secure your nation’s progress.

I’m told that there is a saying in your country: “to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done”. Today, I urge all Nigerians-from all religions, all ethnic groups, and all regions-to come together and keep Nigeria one.  And, in this task of advancing the security, prosperity, and human rights of all Nigerians, you will continue to have a friend and partner in the United States of America”.

Conclusion

No country in history ever came into existence with monotribe or monotongue by design. Whether in the primordial or contemporary time, all countries are inhabited by diverse people of diverse cultures. The continued existence of such countries is just by management by reciprocal understanding, tolerance, endurance and sacrifices through dialogues. Every famous country is like a currency which recognition and validity depend on its intact posture. If it is torn, there can be no fame for it any more. Nigeria cannot be an exception. This a fact which those agitating for secession should note very carefully in their own interest. GOD SAVE NIGERIA!

The world has drastically changed from what it used to be. And, it continues to change rapidly, especially, with dynamic advancement in technology. Incidentally, what most people do not seem to notice, with deserved consciousness in the changing features of the world, is the effective role which the media plays in that trend of change. As a matter of fact, one of the principal agents of distinction, between the primordial and the contemporary world, is the function of the media. Without the media, no coded causes of war or disguised factors of peace could have been effectively deciphered by today’s mankind, as every sensitive action or insensitive reaction within  the society would have been influenced by baseless rumours and unfounded speculations. And, today’s world would have been like George Orwell’s Animal Farm’ in which all animals are presumed to be generally equal when, actually, some of them are more equal than the others.

The case of Israel

Today, there is a country called Israel, the mere mention of which instantly engenders an impactful feeling. Until 73 years ago (1948), that country was neither in existence nor even known to the world with any recognition.

Its making as a country, through a clandestine establishment in the heart of the Arab land, and, its subsequent colossal existence, with a master stroke of audacity, could not have occurred in the absence of the media. How many people knew, except through the media, that Israel is rather a Zionist than a Jewish State? And, besides going through the media, how could the informed elites, around the world, have been able to distinguish between Judaism as a religious notion and Zionism as a political movement?

In retrospect

For well over a millennium, the Caucasian Jewish tribe was not known to the world more than  a group of wonderers and marauders, just like the Egyptian gypsies of yore. It took only one foresighted man, in the late 19th century, to change the course of history for that tribe at the least expected time. The name of the man was Theodore Herzl. He was an Austria-based Journalist/Lawyer, who initiated a militant political movement that was formed in 1879 and named Zionism. Being the founder of that movement, Theodore Herzl, was then   made its leader. The main focus of that movement’s agitation was to seek a permanent home for the Jews anywhere in the world. And, the instrument used for that vociferous agitation was the media.

As a Journalist, Theodore Herzl’s had recognized the effective power of the media, and he had acknowledged it as the most effective weapon with which to make his dream of getting a permanent home for the Zionist movement a reality. And, in truth, that was the magic that fetched his founded  Zionist movement a permanent home, in the name of Israel, in Palestine, at the expense of the then ‘sleeping Arabs’ called Palestinians.

The balfour declaration

At the climax of the Zionists’ agitation for a permanent home, Theodore Herzl publicly made an historic demand that turned out to be the changer of the Jewish destiny. The demand was voiced out in the following words:

“Let sovereignty be granted us (Jews) over a portion of the globe large enough to satisfy the rightful requirements of a nation. The rest, we shall manage by ourselves…”

The follow up to that demand was then left to the media which fleshed it up with unimaginable propaganda that caught a magnetic attention of the British Colonial government of that time. And, then, the response which greeted that demand was unprecedentedly electric. That response strangely came in form of a policy that was officially adopted by the British Parliament and named after its formulator, Arthur Balfour, in 1917. It was therefore called ‘Balfour Declaration’. Apart from the eagerness which propelled the implementation of that declaration, there was also a hidden feeling that  it could also serve as an incentive for the Zionist Movement to establish a government of its own, as well as to connive with the imperialist West to police the excessive wealth of the Middle East and checkmate the Arabs’ effective access to that wealth.

 And, within three decades (1917-1948),  the Zionists’ dream for a permanent home became a reality.

Today, there can be no world map without Israel as a country.

Demographic stragety

 Despite Israel’s claim of an exaggerated population of about 8.655 million inhabitants, the remaining Palestinian Muslims within that demography is still about 17% of that figure. And that does not include the demography of West Bank and Gaza Strip. After settling down and became patially recognized as a State, the first step taken by Israel was to ensure the manipulation of the mentioned demography of that land by evicting most of the real Arab dwellers from the land and replace them with Zionist settlers. Thus, relying heavily on media propaganda, the immigrant Zionist minority forcefully displaced the Arab majority and replaced the latter while still leaving the rest to the media propaganda which began to sing-praise the courage of the   aggressors  vilify the timidity of the oppressed owners of the land. In a nutshell, it was the media that championed the yeoman’s job which fetched the Zionists a permanent home on Palestinian land. That is the power of the media for you. And, unless that power is strategically managed to one’s advantage, there may be no alternative to it in the foreseeable future.

The media as a weapon

Even in this 21st century, when it is obvious that the most prominent   instrument of change is the media, most Muslim individuals and corporate bodies still do not see the need to give the media the priority it deserves. If the Machiavellian theory of using attack as a form of defence is anything to tacitly agree with, the media must be seen as its practical example. But ironically, any good observer can vividly see a manifest apathy to the media in Northern Nigeria. And, the cost of such a lackadaisical attitude towards a weapon like the media, in this age, cannot be quantified psychologically and spiritually. Whether we realize it or not, it is a fact, universally acknowledged, today, that a world without the media is like the carcass of a mobile corpse waiting to be interned.

Genesis of the media in Nigeria

When the print media first arrived in Nigeria in 1859, its first point of call was Abeokuta, in   the South-West of Nigeria. And, that was because the part of this country, adopt literacy in Roman letters, at that time, was the South-West. For several decades after the arrival of the media in Nigeria, newspaper publication and readership became solidly domiciled in the South-West. Anybody who wanted to read newspaper or express an opinion in it, at that time, was to get in touch with Lagos/Ibadan axis of the media, directly or indirectly. And, with Lagos being the seat of the colonial master at the time, that situation was considered a further impetus, for the people of the South-West, to advance, ahead of other regions, in literacy and education. However, with time, the people of some other sections of the country, especially from the South-East and the South-South, began to key into the media scheme after realizing its covert and avowed power. That was the situation that made the Southern Nigeria generally, the foremost custodian of information and education in the country.

Electronic media

With the coming of electronic media (Radio and Television) to Nigeria in the early/mid 20th century, it became evident that the Southern part of Nigeria was the main habitat of the media in the federation called Nigeria.

It therefore took the people of the South-South to study he instrument used by Nigeria’s freedom fighters in their struggle for independence, as well as that of the tortuous efforts of Jews to get a permanent home for themselves at the heart of  the Arab world. The combination of both studies then became a template for them to copy in order to get their own voices heard around the world for the purpose of sympathy and assistance. It can, therefore, be concluded that without the media, a Goodluck Jonathan would never have emerged from the South-South as a Nigerian President. It was also the media that helped the agitation of the Southern oil-producing States to change the formula of income derivation from oil in their favour and to demand federal character in the process of federal appointments. Today, those oil producing States are enjoying 13% derivation against the hitherto pittance that they were getting even as the adoption of federal character in appointments has now become a political norm, courtesy of the media. Thus, as a result of the tremendous success achieved by using the media for agitation, the South-South has become a model for other minority groups to speak up in demand for their needs and wants, as a matter of right, in Nigerian federation.

Today, whether in the print or electronic sector of the media, no one can brush aside the prominent role that the people of the South-South are playing for the benefit of their tribal kiths and kin. As a matter of fact, the Nigerian media, today, is incontrovertibly dominated by the South-South.

Northern Nigeria apathy to the media

From all indications, the people of Northern Nigeria are grossly apathetic to media function in the country. And, this is adversely affecting, not only the geographical North but also Islam and the Muslims, socially, economically, politically and psychologically. Yet, our Northern brothers do not seem to be ready to alter that posture. If the oil producing States in the South can use the media to agitate for increased derivation on oil, what prevents the Northerners, also, from using the media to demand huge derivation on the solid minerals that are abundantly available in various parts of the North. Besides, are there no big dams like Kainji Shiroro and others, in the North, that are being used by the federal government to generate electricity for the entire country? Why can’t those economic features be used as causes of demand for bigger derivation? One other serious issue that our Northern brothers do not seem to notice with agility is the use of the Southern media to categorize the the entire North as a unit in Nigerian federation while the South is being strategically positioned as different separate regions economically.

Religionisation of Nigerian politics

Usually, the reference to the Middle Belt, North-West and North-East, by the Southern media, is a mere political strategy to stratify the North psychologically, in readiness for an incoming demand that could warrant the support of the Northern Christians. 

That strategy, which began during the first tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo, was politically instructive. It should be recalled that Alhaji Bubakar Atiku was the elected Governor of Adamawa State in 1999. But when Obsanjo became the President, the same Atiku was his choice as Vice-President just to pave way for a Christian, Boni Haruna, to become the Governor of a Muslim- dominated  state and aid the well-planned tacit strategy of Christianizing some parts of Northern Nigeria. A similar scenario later played out in Kaduna, when, after becoming President, Goodluck Jonathan chose the then Governor of that State, Architect  Namadi Sambo, as Vice President to pave way for Sambo’s Deputy, Patrick Yakowa, to become the Governor of the State. It looked like a normal political design. But the motive was to use such strategy as a means of  empowering the Christian minority of that State politically to strength in the Christian minorities of those States to the detriment of Islam. And, it worked very well in giving those Christian minorities in the North a strong voice of agitation as well as a technical tunnel of incursion of stronger Christianity into the North. But, contrarily, in the South, all the States in the South-East and the South-South often invariably have gubernatorial Christian/Christian tickets without any media brouhaha coming from the North. Is there any State in Nigeria without Muslims who can serve as Deputy-Governor? These are some of the fundamental issues in Nigeria that the media can be used to exhume if the North is strong media-wise. There are many more examples which can be used to checkmate the reckless incessant noise of ‘Islamization’ in the Southern media.

The BBC and Al-Jazeera

The similitude of the current apathy of Northern Nigeria to the media is like that of the Arabs to the media in the past. Today, most television viewers around the world, including the Westerners, are delighted to find a better alternative to BCC and CNN in Al-Jazeera, in terms of qualitative news dissemination, news analyses and prompt exposition of facts and figures around the world. But what most of those viewers do not know is how Al-Jazeera came into existence. Before the establishment of Al-Jazeera, the entire Arab world was heavily dependent on the Western media for publicity which they never got without paying for it heavily in coins and in kind. It took the BBC which was established in 1926, to take a fundamentally erroneous and regrettable decision, to pave way for the establishment of Al-Jazeera.

If the BBC had not taken its Arab viewers for granted by closing down its Arabic section and by sacking the Arab Journalists that were working in that section, perhaps a qualitative cable network TV station called Al-Jazeera would not have come into existence to the psychological relief of Muslims worldwide. It was the fortuitous reaction to that obnoxious BBC action that brought Al-Jazeera into existence. Thanks to foresighted moneybags in Qatar.  What the rich Qataris did at that time, in establishing Al-Jazeera to challenge the BBC can also be done effectively by some rich Northern Nigerian Muslims as a master strategy for the defence and promotion of Islam. After all, there had once been an example of such in Nigeria’s print media, when the Northern government established New Nigeria newspaper as a counter force to the scores of Southern newspapers then led by the ‘almighty’ Daily Times. And, the excesses of those Southern newspapers were effectively checkmated by New Nigeria newspaper alone.

  Electronic media in Nigeria

Today, the situation of the media, generally, in Nigeria, is such that the North is not reckoned with at all, on matters of media function. And, the complacency of our Northern brothers which is seen as an encouragement for the Southern media to constantly ride roughshod over the North does not help the matter. If only the New Nigerian newspaper could stand up vertically to checkmate

the scores of Southern Christian newspapers in the past, why can’t the same be done through electronic media now that the Muslim North needs very strong media mouth piece most?

Media ownership in Northern Nigeria

One major concern about the media that often amazes most Southern Nigerian Muslim Journalists is the seeming permanent complacency of the Northern elite about the functions of the media in the country. While there are scores of privately owned electronic and print media in virtually all parts of the South, the Northerners seem unperturbed by the incessant bashing coming out of those Southern media houses against the North. This has become so embarrassingly disturbing that some of us, Muslim veteran Journalists are left with no choice other than to remain aloof.

Whenever we come to the North and lodge in hotels, we are always given the privilege of switching from one 24 hour cable network television station to another. But most, of those stations, such as The Channels, TVC, AIT, Silverbird, Kaftan, Calaxy and a number of others are based in the South and owned by Southerners who are mostly Christians. Wcable network television stations here is equally true of     

Radio Stations. Now, why is this so, is a vital question which requires a vital answer as to be provided by the North, as a matter of urgency. One fact that must be seriously noted is that most of the media outfits in Southern Nigeria are taken as political, tribal and religious arsenals with which to fight the North from all conceivable angles. This situation is one of the breeders of inter-tribal and inter-religious hatred in Nigeria, which  makes the country look like an impossibility.

Conclusion

Based on the above media analysis in Nigeria, the North must wake up from its slumber in terms of consciousness about the media if only to avoid the Palestinian experience. God bless you sirs!

The world’s greatest teacher that ever lived, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) will never cease to be a teacher of teachers even in death. It was he who first recognized communication as the greatest means of fulfilling temporal desire as well as attaining spiritual satisfaction. Thus, he recommended it to the Muslim Ummah.

One of the features of Ramadan fast is I’tikaf which simply means seclusion. It comes up during the last ten days of the sacred month.

Its purpose is to completely abstain from all sinful acts and enhance one’s spiritual standing. I’tikaf or self seclusion is adopted by any Muslim who wants to get closer to the Almighty Allah through the spiritual realm.

With I’tikaf, a Muslim can attain inner composure and equanimity while he is absorbed in eternal reality. For the eight years of fasting (624-632 CE that he spent in his latter period in Madinah, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) regularly observed I’tikaf in the last ten days of every Ramadan.

And, after his demise, his wives and succeeding companions adhered to that tradition as a means of purifying their hearts and attaining peace of the mind.

I’tikaf is mostly done in the Mosque. But it can also be done in a house especially by women, if the house is clean and free of disturbance. While in I’tikaf the Mu’takif or recluse is expected to observe all the five daily prayers and other Nawafil (supererogatory genuflections). He is also to engage in the recitation of the Qur’an and the glorification of Allah. He seeks forgiveness and shows gratitude to the Creator and Protector of the universe for all the countable and uncountable good things of life with which he has been endowed.

While in I’tikaf, one is not expected to move around beyond the vicinity of the Mosque or house in which he/she is secluded. Foods and drinks are brought to him by his wife, children or relatives. He goes to the toilet and takes a bath as necessary. But he is not to go about in vehicles during the time of I’tikaf except when he is compelled by an emergency or necessity.

I’tikaf is Sunnah (voluntary) and not obligatory for anybody. Only those who have the time and the means can go into it. It is not advisable for daily paid workers who must provide for their families as well as salary earners, who are not on leave, to go into I’tikaf. Wives and children must not suffer from lack of domestic provisions just because the family bread winner has gone into I’tikaf. And, women are not permitted to go into I’tikaf leaving their husbands and children at home. That can only happen with the permission of the husband who must assume the matrimonial duties of his wife.

But where a woman is unmarried or is old and has no responsibility of providing for the husband or children, she can go into I’tikaf with pure intention.

People in I’tikaf can cook their food and wash their dresses. All these must, however, have been taken along from home. A recluse is not supposed to break the I’tikaf by going to the market in search of needed provisions. A sick person is not expected to go into I’tikaf. But if a person suddenly falls sick while in I’tikaf, it is necessary for him to break the I’tikaf and go to the hospital. He may return to I’tikaf when he becomes well.

Also, if there is any emergency in the matrimonial home of the recluse or even in the neighbourhood, which requires his urgent attention, the recluse must break the I’tikaf and attend to such emergency promptly.

I’tikaf does not extend to the day of ‘Idul Fitr. It must be terminated as soon as Ramadan fast ends. A woman’s I’tikaf terminates automatically with the commencement of her menstruation. We pray to Allah to accept our I‘tikaf as an act of ‘Ibadah Amin.