The Under-Reported Issues of Northern Nigeria. Part IV.

 

ISLAMIC CONFERENCE: COMMUNIQUE (JOINTLY ISSUED BY THE ISLAMIC COUNCIL, LONDON; THE ORGANISATION OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE, OIC; AND THE NEWLY FOUNDED ISLAM IN AFRICA ORGANISATION (IAO)

 

 

 

 

There is nothing in and of itself wrong in calling for unity for a group of people of common interest, the problem of doing so is whom the message is directed to, and how in trying to execute these agendas will others who don’t share in these stated goals are affected. The average Hausa/Fulani on the street of Nigeria can easily pass for an illiterate, whom outside the teachings of the Quran (which they are not truly grounded in nor in anyway proficient) also add in lack of exposure, understanding, and wisdom on the beauty of diversity. Add in centuries of jihad from the general (Arabs and Turks/Othman’s) to specific (Tuaregs and Fulani i.e. Usman Dan Fodio) this can easily be misinterpreted by the not so educated average adherent to be a call to arms and the re-enacting of the “holy wars” of medieval times in a bid to replicate the successes of the early muslim leaders/generals. To an onlooker or opposing believer, judging by history, and utterances of fanatics and extremists this can be alarming to say the very least.

 

When one critically dissects the points of the 28/11/1989 communique as issued by the IOC and follow the activities of extremist groups of the middle-east and north Africa the similarities for their intended goals for Nigeria (with intolerance, acts of terror, ethnic cleansing etc). It is irrefutable that the goal of the IOC as stated by this document is full spectrum dominance of the Nigerian state and over its many ethnic nationalities for which no price is deemed too high or unacceptable. This is deeply troubling and potentially of catastrophic humanitarian crisis, which bears the hallmark of fundamentalist extremist ideals which has destroyed many none mainstream cultures, traditions, etc. of different regions of the world which is particularly acute in the middle east resulting in failed states, and many others tethering on the brink of same or even worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If these statements and comments are anything to go by, this organization doesn’t pass for hate speech and intolerant behavior alone, it beckons on the leadership of the nation and the relevant UN organs to be alarmed and intervene accordingly, as many wonder in shock and awe what drives and feeds such will to dominate by all means necessary including through the use of force as there is no sugar coating of their design to reign supreme over all as it stops short of actual call to arms and a “holy war” which can be the case behind the scenes and through tacit rhetorics such as the aforementioned. 

 

“To form a permanent body to be known as Islam in Africa organization under the trusteeship of representatives to be selected from among participating countries; to perform, among other functions, the stated activities and seek to attain goals and objectives as provided for in the annex to this communique; The conference unanimously express its gratitude and appreciation to the government and people of Nigeria for the interest shown in the conference and in particular, extends its thanks to the president, commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida for the stimulating inaugural address which he sent to the conference and was delivered by General Sani Abacha, the chief of army staff of Nigeria;

 

To the supreme council of Islamic affairs and the Islamic council, London and the organization of Islamic conference, OIC for supporting and organizing the conference;

 

To the planning committee and other officers of the conference for all the efforts expended to ensure the success of the conference;

To scholars and other distinguished personalities who have presented papers and chaired sessions during the conference and to all those who have either erected stands at or otherwise helped in marking the exhibition a huge success;

 

INSPIRED by the unity of Allah, the creator and lord of the Universe;

 

MOTIVATED by the Qur’anic declaration; “verily, this year (Islamic) Ummah is one…” and determined to comply with Allah’s directive contained in the Qur’anic ayah “And hold fast to the rope of Allah, and do not break up into factions,” the participants in Islam in Africa conference on this first day of Jumada al Awwal, 1420 A.H., (28/11/89) RESOLVE to found the Islam in Africa organization (OIC) with the following as its objectives, viz:

- Undertake vigourous human resource development programmes;

- To serve as a mouthpiece for the articulation of issues of common concern to Muslims in Africa and the Muslim world generally;

- Commission experts to write the history of Islam in Africa and of muslims and the institutions from authentic Islamic viewpoint and to retrieve literary works and artifacts designed to train workers who will be trained to acquire trades and skills which equip them to be self-employed and productive.

- To ensure the continuity of the noble work initiated at this conference.

- To cooperate with other national or international Islamic organizations for attainment of its stated objectives.

- To promote unity, spirituality and materially, among Muslims all over the world, particularly in Africa.

- To promote peace, harmony and general human development and strive to remove all forms of discrimination.

- To support, enhance and coordinate Da’wah work all over Africa and propagate the knowledge of Islam throughout the continent.

- To encourage research efforts on Islamic matters and publicize the research findings.

- To undertake and encourage the translation into various African languages of Islamic works, their publication and distribution.

- To support the establishment and application of the shari’a to all Muslims. 

- To encourage vigourous participation of Muslim youths in all spheres of its activities and to ensure that women are accorded their due rights and roles in accordance with the shari’a.

- To ensure the appointment of only Muslims into strategic national and international posts of member nations.

- To eradicate in all forms and ramifications all non-muslim religions in member nations (such religions shall include Christianity, Ahmadiyya, and other tribal modes of worship unacceptable to Muslims.).

- To ensure that only Muslims are elected to all political posts of member countries.

- To ensure the declaration of Nigeria (the 24th African and world member of the OIC) a federal Islamic Sullanalo at a convention on any day from 28th March 1990, with the sultan of Sokoto enthroned the sultan and supreme sovereign of Nigeria.

- To ensure the ultimate replacement of all western forms of legal and judicial systems with the shari’a in all member nations before the next Islam in Africa conference.

- To organize an Islam in Africa conference regularly and as well seminars, symposia, conferences, workshops and colloquia.

This is the most flagrant, toxic and intolerable sets of goals that you can find anywhere, worst still it is in the open and serves as the blueprint for the leadership style that prevails in northern Nigeria. These stated goals clearly are majors factor that underpins the activities of boko haram, herdsmen,ethno-religious crisis, and other terrorist activities in Nigeria especially in the north and central regions of the nation. Here are some examples;

 

The kidnapping and continuous keeping in captivity of the Chibok school girls.

 

The holding of Leah Sharibu by boko haram terrorists on the account of her faith by not denouncing the church. While her Muslim mates were released. 

 

The systematic and methodological cleansing of the tribes of the middle belt, and President's tacit emboldening of the perpetrators by it's ineptitude and none resposivness to the cries of thousands of commonities under siege by fulani, and other arms wielding herders. 

The saturation of every security and strategic echelons of the nation with members of the president's tribe and religion. Which further proves the complicity of the security forces in the ethic cleansing of the none huasa-fulani north. As recently warn by Nigeria’s foremost military strategist Gen. T.Y Danjuma.

 

The cunning attempts/policy of land grab of none hausa-fulani groups in the guise of grazing reserves, cattle colonies, etc. and other subtle and unpublisized politcies of expanding the territories of the hausa-fulani [such as encroaching on indigenous lands of the Anaguta in Jos, originally reserved as green areas in the city's plan, by political blackmail and or subtle threat of security breakdown amongst many others].

The call by sheik … in Kontagora Niger state north central Nigeria on Muslim soldiers to stand ready to be called upon to unleash mayhem and subdue the nation on moments notice through text message notification.

 

The call by meyetti allah cattle breaders association of fulanis to mobilize for the invasion of benue state, as a response to the purported “killings of their kins and rustling of their cattle” and the enforcement of a ban on open grazing which is a state law.

 

The ransacking of entire villages and communities in Taraba, Nassarawa, Plateau, Benue, Kogi resulting in the killings of hundreds if not thousands and destruction of millions in property. While the government calls them inter or intra tribal clashes or their favourite attacks by unknown gunmen.

 

The continuous ascribing of all socio-economic and security of the nation to the government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan a minority with no affiliation to the oligarchy of the north Furthering suspicion and mistrust with resources and authority between different regions of the country. 

 

Blood letting in the event of election results not going the way of the northern oligarchy in the form of post election violence, ending the lives of many innocent people mostly Christian on election duti, business, living or working in the north. Wild jubilation in the event that election results favour the northern oligarchy, singing and saying unsavory/unprintable words such as we have conned pigs and infidels to get us elected, “Nigeria sai musilimi” meaning “Nigeria only for or fit for Muslim”, amongst many other jesting.

 

Towards the attainment of these ends, therefore, a steering committee, with membership drawn from the following countries as well as the Islamic council, London and the organization of Islamic conference, OIC, has been set up, viz:

Nigeria

Niger

The Gambia

Mauritania

Senegal

Libya

Tanzania

Sudan

Tunisia

 

The permanent headquarters of the Islam in Africa organization, IAO, shall be in Abuja, Nigeria. The steering committee has been assigned the special task of the details establishing the IAO in Nigeria, including structures and constitution within six (6) months. The conference decided that the steering committee should also work out detailed plans for transforming a national political party in each member nation into a national Islamic Party, and the National Republican Convention, NRC, of Nigeria should be made to serve this purpose in Nigeria as the only recognized National Islamic party of Nigeria. These parties so approved shall be the only ones to produce leading government (executive and legislative) functionaries. The NRC of Nigeria and other parties shall have their names changed to reflect Islamic nature of their purpose.

 

The conference further agreed and decided that the IAO should for the time being, operate from the facilities of the Islamic council, London, and not from that of the OIC (that has become too controversial in Nigeria).

 

This document is alive and well in the lives of most hausa-fulani politicians and common muslim folks of Nigeria and serves as a template of how they hope to subdue the nation of Nigeria.