The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Religious crisis

  • Osun monarch denies imminent religious crisis in his domain

    The Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdu-Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi, has denied any imminent religious crisis in his domain.

    He warned those “plotting religious disharmony” among the residents, particularly, Tunde Olawale, who he accused of inciting the people against the tradition and the royal stool, to desist.

    The monarch, who addressed reporters in his palace in Iragbiji, the headquarters of Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State, warned trouble makers to mind their utterances to avoid a crisis.

    The royal father also advised the public to disregard Olawale’s claims, which he described as fictitious.

    Olawale (aka Dansaki), in an online publication, urged residents of the state to prevent an imminent crisis in the town.

    In a letter by his lawyer, Abioye Kunle Charles, he accused the Aragbiji of building a mosque and a shrine side-by-side inside his palace, adding that the “situation could lead to a religious crisis”.

    Olawale said the monarch allegedly went against the people’s culture by vacating the palace for his personal home and deserved to be dethroned.

    But Oba Olabomi, who challenged Olawale to show a mosque and shrine inside the palace, denied the claims.

    The monarch insisted that “Iragbiji remains very peaceful, convivial and happy without an iota of perceived crisis”.

    He added that the relationship between various groups, interests and segments of the community had been “most cordial, more so with the election of our son, Mr. Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola, as governor State of Osun”.

    He added: “Neither Tunde Olawale nor his counsel has the authority to speak for the community, the Muslims or the traditionalists they profess to be speaking for. In fact, they are mere ‘charlatans’. Olawale is an ordinary member of Iragbiji community where he does not have knowledge of its structure and governance.”

  • Religious crisis and our doomed humanity

    SIR: In Nigeria today, the most endemic ethno-religious crisis occurs almost on daily basis. From Benue, Taraba, Plateau, to Kaduna states, people are living in apprehension and palpable fear while thousands are routinely killed in sporadic mayhems.

    In Kaduna State in particular, history has been repeating itself. Today, there are areas that have remained danger zones and flashpoints depending on one’s ethic and religion inclination. While you may hardly find a Christian living in Rigasa, Gonin Gora, Kakuri, and Sabon Tasha are danger zones and red line communities to Muslims. In all the crisis recorded including the latest one in Kaduna, what we live to inherit at the aftermath are agonies, unhealed wounds, and colossal loss of lives and properties.

    Clearly, if decisive actions and lasting solutions aren’t put in place to curtail the reoccurrence of such crisis, the horrendous trend will surely take us back to the Stone Age era.

    In the mysterious Pan Du pond in Plateau State, there is a deep signal on how barbaric and amoral we are living and the extreme length the seed of disharmony is implanted in both our hearts and in the communities. To imagine that the pond is domiciled within the village where people got killed; and to further picture that their belongings were shared among their killers and their cars pushed into the pond not once, twice or thrice but severally. Yet, religious and traditional leaders of the communities could claim ignorance of the heinous and dastardly act their wards committed.

    All thanks to the Imam who saved the lives of hundreds of Christians in Jos during a crisis by hiding them in the mosque and thus averted what could have been a catastrophe. Now, we have an example for other religious leaders and village heads to learn from and emulate.

    Whereas Nigerians work harmoniously together in banks, military and paramilitary agencies and all walks of life; and whereas they school together, share bed spaces and do businesses together; is it not a shame that the same Nigerians turn their communities to scenes of bloodbath after a mere misunderstanding?

    From the Zango Kataf genocide to other similar killings across the country, judicial commission of inquiries were set up, members of the commission or fact-finding, truth and reconciliation committees or whatever they were tagged, sipped tea, wasted papers, and public funds, yet, the reports and recommendations are kept under the carpets and the perpetrators are allowed to go freely at the end.

    To put a stop to all these causes of misery in our societies, government must make sure that the agents of violence and disruption of peace are always punished when found culpable irrespective of religious or ethnic background. Religious and traditional leaders must wake up to their responsibilities in preaching peaceful co-existence amidst our diversity and reports deviants and criminals to the law and enforcement authorities.

    An idle mind is devil’s abode. Until government creatively engages the millions of graduates coming out from our universities, we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder.

    Enlightenment campaigns, orientation and re-orientation on peace building will equally be of immense importance. Appropriate measures and sanctions against hate speeches, inciting and divisive comments must be applied.

    May peace return to Kaduna, Taraba, Benue, Plateau and the rest of the country.

     

    • Dahiru Hassan Kera, Abuja.
  • Avoid religious crisis, Dambazau urges leaders

    Avoid religious crisis, Dambazau urges leaders

    Minister of Interior Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) has advised opinion and religious leaders to avoid religious conflicts.
    Gen. Dambazau spoke to debunk insinuations that the violence in Southern Kaduna had religious interpretation.
    A statement yesterday by his Press Secretary, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, posited that true religious leaders do not fan the embers of hate, but ensured that communities live in peace and harmony.
    He maintained that economic growth and development will remain a mirage for Nigeria unless the people resolve to live as a people with common destiny.
    The minister said criminals do not discriminate along religious and ethnic lines, citing examples of how communities in Zamfara, Katsina, Taraba, Enugu, Lagos and Niger States were victimised.
    The statement reads: “I advise opinion and religious leaders to refrain from giving the crisis between herdsmen and sedentary farmers in Southern Kaduna a religious connotation.
    “Rather, attention should be focused on the real enemies of our society, who illegally acquire weapons to terrorise Christian and Muslim communities alike.
    “Consequently, the police have been told to ensure the sustenance of law and order, and to arrest and prosecute anyone involved in crime.”
    The minister, therefore, urged citizens to cooperate with the police by providing intelligence in their quest to restore normalcy to the troubled communities.
    He reassured the people of the government’s commitment to tackling crisis in all parts of the country, while paying attention to measures aimed at eradicating poverty, climate change, population explosion and others.

  • Pandogari crisis instigators won’t go unpunished – Bello

    Pandogari crisis instigators won’t go unpunished – Bello

    Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello on Wednesday said that those involved in the religious crisis that engulfed Pandogari in Rafi Local Government area of the state won’t go unpunished.

    According to him, an investigative panel has been instituted to unravel the root causes of the crisis.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The crisis, he said, has been brought under control.

    He said: “The situation was unfortunate in Pandogari. I think someone posted some blasphemous stories about the Prophet and of course you know the sensitive nature when it comes to religion and one person was killed‎ later on we heard that either police or the army shot a civilian and three or four people lost their lives.

    “We have instituted an investigative panel to investigate what happened so that we can address the situation. The deputy governor and my team are there at the moment, the situation is calm now.

    “We will await the outcome of the investigative panel so that we militate against this happening next time.

    “This is unacceptable and whoever is involved will be severely punished,” he added.

    On whether his administration will probe the previous administration in the state, he said that an ongoing investigation have already recovered some pension funds that were misappropriated.

    Noting that the recovered fund is not much, he said that the investigation is still on.

    “I believe the team has met with the former governor, I don’t want to interfere with their investigations.”

    He said that things have been slow in the state in the last 12 months as the administration met a lot of problems and challenges when it came on board.

    He said: “Things have been slow at the initial stage but with time things are beginning to pick up so by God’s grace I believe that President Muhammadu Buhari is driving Nigeria in the right direction.

    “We just need to be patient a bit and I believe we will start seeing positive results.

    On the media report that his government has resolved to be paying half salaries in the state, he said: “No no no! We have not resolved to pay half salaries but what we are saying is that from January this year we have been borrowing from bank to augment whatever we have been getting from FAAC.

    “As at this month we are owing almost N3 billion‎, if we continue like this by December we will be owing N10 billion. So I think we should go back to the table, of course we can’t give what we don’t have but we are facing difficult times now let’s sit down and see what we can do.

    “I really think it is unhealthy to keep on borrowing just to pay salaries, apart from that we are not just there to pay salaries, there are a lot of issues. I got call this morning that one Girls Secondary School that their roof is off in six out of seven dormitories. Where will they sleep? Now if I take the whole revenues and pay salaries, how am I going to fix schools, hospitals.

    He added: “Niger State has a population of over four million, civil service strength of about 40,000, we get N1.5 billion from federation account and even with that we still have to borrow to pay 40,000 people against over 3 million people that we need to cater for‎.

    “So I strongly believe and honestly we should look at it. It’s nobody’s fault that the price of oil has gone down, it’s nobody’s fault that the revenue has gone down, ‎we are facing difficult times but hopefully things will improve.

    “But we should all make sacrifices, I’m willing to make sacrifices, all my appointees are willing to make sacrifices. We have shown example by cutting down our expenditure, we have cut down the operation of the expenses of the government house from N150 million a week to N20, 25 million a week. So we have cut down government house expenditure by over 70 per cent and I mean these are all sacrifices.

    He said that the state has saved some money, which it is spending on some projects including the federal road. The Suleja-Minna Road is motorable now and very soon we will start working on Bida. I was asked at a function yesterday where I got money from but the truth is we just have to improvise, we have to save to move in.

    He said that the report that the state was going to reduce salaries is not true as the state is still engaging the labour.

    “We have laid the cards on the table, we are not hiding anything we are very transparent as much as we can but the truth of the matter is that I cannot give what we don’t have. I wish I had, personally if I had I would have paid from my pocket but I can’t.” He stated

    When asked to speak on the purpose of his visit to the Villa, he said: “I came to see what he is doing and to wishing him well one year in office.”

  • Nigeria hosts World religion peace summit

    Nigeria hosts World religion peace summit

    There is no denial that the world today is going through varying degrees of tension across borders, violence, injustices, human rights violations and discrimination, and the major cause of this violence has always been traced to religion. Thus, the need for world religions to come together to save the world cannot be overemphasised.
    In the effort to put things right from religious angle, the 2nd World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit (WARP) held on Tuesday in Nigeria.
    The summit tagged ‘Dialogue of Scriptures’, held at the multipurpose hall of Beleke Memorial Mosque, Surulere – Lagos, attempted to find meaning to who God is, if God really created everything in the universe, and why He gave the Scriptures.
    Answers to these questions were drawn from the Scriptures of the two major religious group represented as the Traditional worshipper could not make the summit to describe God from his Scripture.
    Speaking on the theme: ‘About the God and His Holy Scripture’, Imam Abdullahi Shuaib, Chief Executive Officer of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, started by describing God in different languages from Arabic – Allah to Yoruba – Olorun, Hausa – Ubangiji, Igbo – Chineke and many others as he could remember.
    The Cleric defined God from the point view of the Islamic scripture – Quran saying: “There is no other God but He. He lives forever and neither sleep nor slumber. He controls all things in heaven and on earth.
    “Whatever must come to be must receive His permission. His throne extends throughout heavens and on earth. Allah is the creator of the whole universe and cause to grow, all leaves and plants.”
    Imam Shuaib also said that Allah gave the scripture as divine guidance for mankind and as a criterion for establishing rights from wrongs, light from darkness, truth from falsehood, justice from injustice and peace from violence.
    Archbishop Anthony Macfonse of Osmond Orthodox Church in his speech started by establishing the fact that man cannot completely understand what God is like because He is beyond our limited understanding. His words: “Definitely we know Him and we have found clues as to what God is like and what He wants from us.” He therefore went on to describe God according to the Christian Scripture: “I am your God, apart from me there is no other. I am God the father of all creation. Before the mountains were made, before the universe was created, I am always your everlasting God and do not live in any particular place.”
    Sharing a similar view with the Archbishop, Sheikh Sulaiman Adangba described God firstly as the unseen being at every action and cannot be compared to any creature. According to Sheikh Adangba, National Head of Mission, Al-Fatihul Quareeb Islamic Society of Nigeria: “He (God) created the heavens and the earth and He is the sustainer of the living and none living creatures. He is all knowing; all powerful.”
    He further noted that God is the greatest considering the way He created everything by merely calling them into existence. “He created everything by simply saying let there be,” he said.
    According to him, for world religion to achieve the desired degree of peace, there may be need for a Religion National Conference the same way those in government are calling for a Sovereign National Conference.
    Sheikh Adangba admonished that religion faithful should be conversant with the teaching of the religion’s Scripture given to by God through His prophets.
    “It is those who are one that would be saved. Let us be versatile with our Scriptures since it has all guidance for our existence on earth,” the Sheikh maintained.
    The fourth speaker, Venerable Nwashili Kaine Desmond of the Anglican Church did not differ from Sheikh’s stands when he maintained that all Scriptures were breathed out by God and permitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.
    The Clergy further said that God gave the Scripture to reveal Himself to man as against the beliefs of Science and that the Scripture was given to reveal the lasting picture of Christ. “God gave us the Bible to reflect Himself to mankind as in the case of a mirror and to also reflect man to man.
    The Scripture helps us to see other people’s sins as well as our sins. He (God) gave the Bible to reveal His plan of salvation.”
    On his part, chairman of the event, Bishop Johnson Akin Atere, urged every participant to develop personal relationship with God saying: “If you find yourself amidst a crowd in the stadium, praying and calling to God all night long, what matters most is your relationship with God.
    Speaking about religious wars, the man of God said: “If you meet a war survivor and he or she recounts happenings to you, you will never desire war. Let us love one another and learn to manage our differences so that we can get closer to where we are going rather than where we are coming from.”
    WARP, an initiative of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) headquartered in Seoul, is devoted with sincere hopes that everyone shares the world with peace and good health.
    HWPL is an international organization whose mandate is to see the cessation of wars. It pursues this goal through a number of avenues, namely the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), and the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG).
    Delivering the closing remark, Shakiru Yekini, Secretary to Conference of Islamic Organisations – the host organisation for the event – gave the assurance that the summit will, in its subsequent editions, engage more youths by taking the event to Hall of tertiary institutions. “The youths are the future leaders and we cannot but get closer to them to teach them what is right to do,” he summed.
  • Security men avert religious crisis at UNICAL

    Security men avert religious crisis at UNICAL

    A clash was averted at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) last Saturday when some students disrupted a programme organised by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN). EMMANUEL SHEBBS (Public Administration), FRANK EJEAGBASI ( 400-Level Physiology) and PAUL DANIEL (300-Level Political Science) report.

    What could have snowballed into  violence was averted last Saturday at the University of Calabar (UNICAL). An open lecture organised by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) almost ended in a crisis over allegations that Jesus was being abused.

    But, the timely intervention of the school security personnel saved the day.

    Irate students surrounded the event’s venue, dismantling canopies and scattering chairs. They also ejected MSSN members from the hostel where the event was being held.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the students felt aggrieved about what they considered “controversial” comments of Malam Shehu Uthman Abubakar, the guest speaker and a lecturer at the Department of Computer and Information Technology of Kebbi State University.

    The Islamic scholar was speaking on The Quran and the Bible in the light of modern science. The theme was: Quranic conception of western education.

    An eyewitness said some students, who were listening to the lecture in their rooms, were angry at the utterances of the speaker. “This caused anger among students and the fact that the lecturer mentioned Jesus made the students to disrupt the event. I think the students could not bear what they saw as insult on Christians,” the witness said.

    Michael Archibong, a student staying in Hall 5, said: “Everybody in the hostel could hear the guest lecturer at the MSSN event because their speakers were placed in strategic places. I heard the speaker talking about the Christ. He sounded like he had some grievances against Christians. We were not surprised at everything he said. But his comment on Jesus and Mary made us to go to the venue and stop the programme. It was as if it was planned but nobody planned it. It was because of the comment we heard from the speaker.”

    The MSSN denied that such comments were made. Its president, Sani Abdulahi, said the event was aimed at reminding Muslim students about the tenets of Islam.

    He said: “The disrupted programme was designed to use Bible and Quran to analyse moral decadence and other unfortunate events happening in our society. It was not intended to cause any rancour in the school community. We bring speakers, who have knowledge in both holy books to teach our members. But, we were surprised some students tried to turn it otherwise.

    “They totally misunderstood what the preacher said.

    “How can a true Muslim speak ill of Jesus as they alleged? Allah enjoined us to respect all prophets, including Jesus. The students, who disrupted our event, lacked good knowledge of Islam and Christianity. I think that was why they interrupted the event. If they knew a little about Quran and Bible, they would not have behaved in such manner.”

    The students were stopped by the school security personnel, who pleaded for calmness. The event was adjourned to calm frayed nerves.

    One of the agrrieved students, who simply gave his name as Segun, said they did not  plan to fight the MSSN members, noting that they were at the venue to correct the guest speaker.

    He said: “You are wrong to call what happened a protest. It was not; it was a correction exercise. The aggrieved students simply came out to say ‘no, we don’t like what you are saying’ to the speaker. We did not even beat anybody. We only told them to stop using uncomplimentary languages on Christianity.”

    Malam Abubakar, described as an Islamic scholar of international repute, denied the allegations, asking the students, who have the tape recording to release it for analysis.

    Malam Abubakar said: “By Islamic teachings, no man is a Muslim if he does not belief in Jesus Christ. Not just Jesus alone, but the entire prophets of God. The Muslims are enjoined to respect Mary, the mother of Jesus. Chapter 19 of the Quran is dedicated to Mary alone and her name was mentioned in 31 verses of the Quran.

    “Jesus is mentioned 500 times, even more than Prophet Mohammed. There are many miracles which Jesus did, which are contained in the Quran. So, it is wrong for anybody to come up and say a true Muslim insults Jesus. Let them come out with audio or video proof that I made such comments.”

    The Islamic scholar said he had not properly started his lecture before the event was disrupted.

    The school’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Eyo Effiong Bassey, described the incident as unfortunate, urging students to be peaceful. He hailed the security officers for their timely intervention.

    President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) Emmanuel Ajang pleaded for tolerance. He said he was invited to the event but could not attend because of his excursion to Obudu Mountain.

    He said “I approved the venue of the event for the MSSN to use. They invited me but I could not attend because of the excursion to Obudu Mountain. We must be tolerant of one another and channel our grievances through lawful means. I also want to caution us on our utterances in  public.”

    The Joint Christian Campus Fellowship (JCCF), an umbrella body of all Christian groups in school, said the action was uncalled for. Rasine Irem, JCCF’s president, said: “Christianity does not support violence in whatever guise. Jesus never asked us to defend him. The action of the students cannot be defined as action of true Christians. There is unity among all faiths here, religion difference cannot divide us. The action was carried out by hooligans.”

     

     

     

  • Five killed in Taraba religious crisis

    A football pitch argument between two amateur players yesterday sparked an orgy of religious violence in Wukari, Taraba State, leaving at least five people dead.

    Many others were injured and properties estimated at millions of naira destroyed as Christians and Muslims took on one another.

    The Police immediately swung into action to quell the violence and prevent a spill over to the neighbouring states of Benue and Nasarawa.

    It was not immediately clear what the argument between the two footballers was all about during a practice session.

    Eye-witnesses only said one of the players, a Muslim, pulled a gun and shot the other, a Christian.

    Within minutes hell was let loose and the area was engulfed in violence.

    News of the incident soon spread to other parts of the town.

    Zealots on both sides were said to have capitalised on the confusion to perpetrate mayhem.

    An eye-witness said: “The two players disagreed over a football related issue during play. One of them felt too aggrieved. He dashed home and returned with a gun with which he shot the other footballer.”

    Yesterday’s violence came barely three months after a clash between Muslims and Christians in Ibi Local Government Area of the state left over 10 people dead, with churches, mosques, commercial and residential buildings torched.

    Police Spokesman Amos Olaoye confirmed the crisis, saying heavily armed policemen were drafted to the crisis zone to maintain law and order.