A lot of us were shocked when some Christian elders met and issued a statement that alleged plans to Islamise Nigeria by the Buhari government. Many people responded with arguments that put these so-called elders to shame. Among them is the writer of the piece below, whose response deserves to be read widely for maximum effect. Please read on.
As was rightly observed some other time, Nigerian Christian leaders are in crisis. They have followers who see little or nothing wrong in alcoholism, fornication/adultery, obscene Music and public nudity. Their crisis is further worsened by the fact that even within their ranks are renown sexual predators and voodoo priests claiming to be pastors, bishops and prophets.
In the Christian-dominated Southern part of the country, young girls in Junior and Senior Secondary School are compelled to wear tight and short uniforms that make bare their developed and developing bodies. Pornographic materials are sold in the open and majority of young girls become sexually active long before their thirteenth birthday.
Christian Elders and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have never for once released a statement to pressure the Government or policy makers to arrest this absurdities in our society. We have not read any communique from any Christian group condemning contents of approved text books and novels that are immoral and obscene.
CAN, Christian Elders and every other Christian body have never issued a statement demanding that the government explain why pornographic websites are accessible in the country. They have never queried the Government of any state for compelling schoolgirls to dress in tight and exposing uniforms.
We see media reports of pastors and so called men of God defiling young girls and engaging in extramarital affairs, but we have not heard of CAN and Christian leaders doing anything to stop this or even take responsibility for it. The only thing CAN and Christian Elders are concerned about are Muslims and Islam. Christian leaders and politicians in the 1960s invented the illusion of some Muslims plotting to forcefully Islamise the country to elicit British support and score political points. In fact, in 1966 prominent Muslim leaders and politicians were slaughtered by Christian military officers who accused them of planning to Islamise Nigeria. Up till today they are still blackmailing Muslims with the accusation of Islamisation while they have successfully Christianised the country.
These allegations will keep coming as long as it remains the only way Christian leaders in the country can galvanise their base in an attempt to remain relevant. The fact that they have turned churches into dance halls with young girls having excessive make-up and tight clothes roaming the halls, has not made the average Christian more committed to Christianity and the Christian establishment. The average Christian still loves and idolises misfits like Davido, WizKid, Dbanj and others that sing about their private parts, the breast and backside of women. The average Nigeria Christian still prefers beer parlours, gambling centres and night clubs to religious gatherings.
As Muslims, we know our community is not perfect. We still suffer from violent and nonviolent extremism within us, but we have acknowledged our challenges and we are striving to contain it. Muslim leaders do not pass irresponsible and wide accusations at Christians. Our brothers in the military had never taken up arms against their Christian colleagues or Christian leaders.
Muslims ruled this country for years as military and civilians, yet they never made any attempt to undermine the Christians of this country. When IBB registered Nigeria with the OIC, Christians protested and as a compromise, the colonial entity of Israel was given diplomatic recognition by the IBB government, to the dismay of Muslims and to please the country’s Christian population who, for whatever reason, feel obligated to support the murderous and criminal entity of Israel.
This perceived fear of Islamisation is the only tool Christian leaders have with which to mobilise their base and it is the only thing that works for them. President Buhari is so hated today, not because of any thing wrong he did, but because he is a committed Muslim. They hate the fact that eighteen out of thirty six ministers are Muslims, leaving “just” eighteen to Christians. This is the only Government that has dared appointed an equal number of Muslims and Christians as Ministers. Barely over 30% of federal workers are Muslims and over 60% are Christians and the fear is that the government may take steps to regularise this irregularity. So they start whining, nagging and crying foul before hand, over what may likely never happen. Their hatred for Buhari has even extended to the Vice President who is a Pastor, an accomplished Senior Advocate and Professor of Law. These people have no morals, no code of conduct, no decency and no honour.
Muslims of this country have bent their backs to accommodate Christian demands because we acknowledge that the country belongs to all of us. Nigeria is already Christianised enough, as it is, yet we are not running to the market to shout like badly brought up children or jealous housewives making offensive claims and insinuations.
So we are clear, we will continue to strive to make Islam triumph, the same way every conscious Christian would strive and prefer that Christianity shall triumph. We have no doubt that if we diligently convey the message of Islam to non-Muslims, they will choose Islam over any and every other religion. We have no time to cry foul because we have the goods and we know for certain that everything is in the Hands of Allah, the Creator. No amount of blackmail or stupid ranting can change Allah’s decree.
END
Jazakahllahu kairan. May Almighty Allah rewards you abundantly.