The September 5 fatal shooting of Sheikh Ibrahim Iyiorji, and his death in hospital the following day, leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
The late Iyiorji, an Islamic cleric and scholar, was shot at home in Isu, in the Onicha local government area of Ebonyi State. He died on the night of September 6, at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, where he was rushed.
A Daily Trust report of September 7 claimed Sheik Iyiorji was killed “by gunmen suspected to be members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).” Now that sounds like a northern reverse of the southern media adducing every crime to the so-called “Fulani herdsmen”.
The Police must thus probe, fish out, reveal the identities and prosecute the culprits. Until then, “gunmen” killed the Sheik. IPOB’s alleged involvement should be anchored only on facts, not fancies.
Murdering anyone is bad enough. But this has a thick ooze of faith persecution — not helped by some flippant comments by Igbo-sounding names, mocking the dead instead of calling for justice.
One, by Chinenye Anyanwu Okonkwo, in pidgin English: “He is not an Igbo man, him mama born am for Ebonyi run”. Another, Chukwudi Amaechi: “Look at his face. Stomach infrastructure Igbo Islamic scholar, ndi ngbu!!!”
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So, because he was “no Igbo” he deserved to be slain? Yet, another: “There is nothing like Igbo Islamic scholar in Ebonyi State”.
All were reacting to an Igbere TV flashing of the news, complete with the victim’s picture.
“There is nothing like Igbo Islamic scholar in Ebonyi State” is galloping ignorance, pure and simple. That put these three comments where they belong: blissful ignorance reinforcing a dangerous delusion; or just the lunatic fringe sounding off. Both should be decried by South East authorities.
Aside from boasting the highest concentration of Igbo Muslims (followed by the university town of Nsukka in Enugu State), Afikpo also hosts the College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Enohia Itim, Afikpo, which has run and thrived since 1958 (before Nigeria’s independence).
Indeed, from the school’s extensive compound, to the nearby Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, the Itim settlement which cultural murals and symbols look more Efik than Igbo, down to the Afikpo channel near which nestles the Afikpo monarch’s captivating palace, you see a most profound mosaic of cohabiting faiths and cultures, which Nigeria should be well and truly proud of.
The cruel killing of Sheik Iyiorji negates all that — which is why South East sane voices, made up of the governments there and the religious order, must with one voice condemn this murder and call for prompt justice.
Anything less would give the impression that Igbo Muslims might be endangered species. That hardly burnishes the Igbo or South East image.