As I used to be writing this text I learnt {that a} cleric in Kano State has been dragged into the police internet for inciting violence. Although all contestants are Muslims in Kano, this NNPP non secular fanatic believes the gubernatorial election in Kano remains to be a jihad. One wonders who this cleric is waging jihad at.
We informed them there isn’t something like Muslim-Muslim ticket. The APC ticket ought to be seen as Tinubu/Shettima, not as identical religion. We emphasised that the mixture is only a political technique. We de-emphasized its non secular outlook. They insisted it isn’t. They averred that it’s faith and de-emphasized its strategicness. Some went to the extent, among the many clerics, of tagging it jihad. And since a few of us thought-about the emphasis on religiosity of the identical religion ticket as garbage, some clerics—particularly within the north—excommunicated different clerics and unusual Muslims like my humble self from Islam. I simply hope and pray we stay Muslims within the sight of God for not making sense of the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
I by no means knew we will probably be vindicated so quickly. Muslim-Muslim clerics in Lagos at the moment are campaigning for Governor Sanwo-Olu. I initially thought he (Sanwo-Olu) has apostatized and reverted to Islam—being a Christian. As a result of we had been informed, after APC victory within the presidential election, that Muslim-Muslim has come to remain in Nigeria and there may be nothing anybody might do about it. That sense of euphoria has by no means made any sense to me. I’ve mentioned it clearly on this web page earlier than the presidential election that BAT’s or Obi’s victory—so far as I’m involved—isn’t a triumph for Islam or Christianity respectively. In my article titled “Saturday’s Election and the Triumph or Humiliation of a Faith,” I wrote: “I don’t know why folks, via faith, create issues they can not remedy. They are going to find yourself being caught up in an internet of shame and shamelessness from which extrication turns into an issue.”
That is precisely what’s enjoying out in Lagos. Final week I listened to some non secular talks by many erstwhile Muslim-Muslim clerics in Lagos—undoing the Muslim-Muslim ticket that has come to remain as they declare. These clerics urged Lagosians—the Muslims notably—to vote for Sanwo-Olu(a Christian) within the forthcoming gubernatorial election. What a volte-face! One specific Lagos cleric, might God have mercy on him, added that Muslims ought to vote out Governor Seyi Makinde (PDP) in Oyo State. Funnily, Makinde (a disgruntled G5 PDP governor) labored for Muslim-Muslim ticket in Oyo State. The video of this specific cleric was posted on one Islamic Fb platform. Hereunder are some reactions to the cleric’s place (I edited some for readability):
“Double- mouthed,” “I’m Muslim by Allah’s grace not by partisan Nigerian students,” “Worry Allah”, “Nigeria can’t develop with these sorts of Alfa and pastors,” “They’re our main issues on this nation,” “How can nation transfer with all these nonsense,” “This identical Seyi Makinde labored for Tinubu’s victory in Oyo,” “Tinubu for presidency and never shedding Lagos?Orisirisi,” “Spiritual leaders? God will punish all of them,” “Wallohi, these students are deceptive this Ummah,” “Most of those Alfas and pastors is not going to see heaven,” “So that they need to sacrifice their Muslim brother (Abdul Azeez Jandor of PDP) for a Christian?”
The feedback proceed; “Could Allah save us from this deviant leaders who known as themselves non secular chief,” “Ulama into this? It’s completed for Nigeria,” “They’re liars,” “Due to Allah, Nigerian youth are past non secular bigotry,” “They’re all after their pockets,” “I assumed they’re males of God,” “I don’t know what considerations these Alfas and pastors with democracy,” “These non secular leaders need to scatter Nigeria,” “Do you continue to depend on these Muslim students,” “Wallohi, this baba is deceptive this ummah due to what he’ll eat,” “Haaa! You don’t concern your akhirahwallohi.”
The above is only a snippet (an extract), there are lots of of such feedback, a few of which I even discover very unprintable. That is my first time to see supposedly reasonable Muslims denigrating supposedly reasonable Muslim clerics on a public platform. It’s disgraceful. It’s usually believed that Labor Social gathering defeated APC in Lagos as a result of many Lagosians danced to the previous’s ethnic cum non secular music. Ordinarily, one would anticipate these identical religion ticket clerics to induce Muslims to massively, fanatically, and revengefully vote PDP which candidate is a Muslim(Abdul-Azeez Adediran) popularly generally known as Jandor. However that isn’t the case. In the event that they argue that PDP isn’t robust in Lagos, LP has by no means been robust in Lagos. Voters made it what it’s. So Muslim-Muslim clerics, due to faith, could make PDP—with Muslim candidate—stronger if actually it’s faith.
Lagos sheikhs, in unison, are campaigning towards their Muslim brother. They declare voting Sanwo-Olu will reinforce Muslim-Muslim ticket. They declare voting out APC in Lagos will create drawback for Tinubu, and that Lagos governor can’t be in opposition to Nigerian president as a result of Lagos is strategic, and that Lagos shouldn’t be allowed to be hijacked by outsiders and so on. I’ve by no means heard an absurd argument like this in my complete life from discovered students. Spiritual texts had been additionally quoted on pulpits, in what many take into account a desecration of the Prophet’s pulpit and abuse of revealed texts, to assist Sanwo-Olu’s governorship.
Even when we assume they don’t consider in the identical religion ticket anymore which stipulates {that a} Muslim have to be a frontrunner in Nigeria, I anticipated them to reel out a few of the excellent achievements of Sanwo-Olu as governor to woo voters for him since clerics at the moment are campaigners. This might have been extra convincing than saying opposition’s win in Lagos will probably be an issue to the Presidency.
I can’t recall that Late President Yar’adua or former President Jonathan ever complained that they had been having problem to rule Nigeria as a result of opposition get together dominated Lagos throughout their tenure. It was solely throughout former President Obasanjo’s tenure that there ensued a disagreement between Lagos State and the Federal Authorities which was concerning the creation of further native governments. And even then, it was the Federal Authorities coping with the Lagos State Authorities on constitutional difficulty; not the reverse. No governor, by being in opposition, can take care of the Federal Authorities. Whether it is claimed that Tinubu, being the President, will take care of Lagos if received by PDP or LP, then let him destroy the Lagos they allegedly declare he constructed.
What these clerics are telling us is that Muslim governor in Lagos will represent a severe problem to Muslim-Muslim presidency in Abuja. What sort of pondering is that this? Now, Nigerians will understand that it isn’t about faith, it’s about egocentric curiosity. It’s only painful that a few of these revered clerics had been naively drawn into this soiled factor as pliable instruments within the palms of savvy however dishonest politicians within the identify of faith. I pity their naivety.
Nevertheless, I ought to single out a cleric—and his ilk—for commendation. It’s not that his alternative (Sanwo-Olu) which different Muslim-Muslim clerics are campaigning for is my alternative if I had been to vote in Lagos; however it’s as a result of I share his philosophy. That’s Sheikh Abdul Rahman Ahmad, the nationwide missionary of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria. He’s of the opinion that competency quite than non secular persuasion or tribe of who turns into President or Vice President of Nigeria ought to be thought-about. He reportedly mentioned this round July final yr. He describes critics and opponents of identical religion ticket as hypocrites and encourage voters to vote whoever can efficiently steer the Nigerian sheep in the proper route.
So, so far as Nigerian democracy (as presently constituted) is anxious, I don’t care who turns into a governor or president. Whether or not she or he is a MONKEY, offered there will probably be justice, progress, improvement, selfless service to the nation, and most significantly non secular freedom and a leveled enjoying floor, I don’t care. Anybody can name me an apostate or a ineffective Muslim, I nonetheless don’t care. I counsel Lagosians to vote correctly for candidates of their alternative.
As I used to be writing this text I learnt {that a} cleric in Kano State has been dragged into the police internet for inciting violence. Although all contestants are Muslims in Kano, this NNPP non secular fanatic believes the gubernatorial election in Kano remains to be a jihad. One wonders who this cleric is waging jihad at. He mentioned they are going to all die in INEC workplace if their candidate isn’t declared winner. He additionally assured his hypnotized followers that in the event that they die they are going to go to Paradise. Die for democracy and go to Paradise? Anyway, I’m not a sheikh to know. However sufficient of this clerical stupidity. Could Allah have mercy onus and on our sheikhs.
Abdulkadir Salaudeen
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