Many of us who live abroad can bear witness to the high levels of intolerance bothering on racism prevalent among the citizens of our host nations, but the risk of losing life and limb remains very, very low, because of a well grounded system of rule of law which keeps potential offenders at bay.  The implication is that the average Southern Nigerian is guaranteed more security of life and property abroad (even in other African nations) than he could ever dream of  within the boundaries of his supposed country in Northern Nigeria.

Northern Nigeria is a region that has over the years become an area of crass intolerance and notorious killing field of  other Nigerians  in shameful   barbaric spectres of constantly reoccurring bloody religious violence which actually began in 1945. As a  consequence, Nigeria  has been indicted  as a nation that has consistently failed in the primary responsibility of  the protection of life and property of her citizens and acquired the ignoble image of a lawless jungle nation..

Newspaper and online  reports  http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07100005.htm  have once again since Sunday the 30th of September been reporting another ritual of religious violence in the tudun wada area of Kano which has so far claimed the lives of 9 people including a youth corper, and led to the destruction of many shops. The riots as usual was reportedly provoked by a trivial online publication  said to have been pasted online by someone from Bangladesh which ironically is a Muslim nation.

For a nation that is not at war, Nigeria has broken  world records for religious violence. The last riots was incited by a cartoon published in faraway Denmark that had nothing to do with Nigerians, yet hundreds  were  brutally hacked to death  in the “notorious North” for that incident. Of all the nations that protested the Denmark cartoons including core Muslim middle east, Asian and North African nations only Nigeria recorded casualties, more so of her own supposed citizens for a cartoon that originated in faraway Europe.

Religious violence has become an instrument of terrorism inspired and sponsored by Northern religious and political leaders whose clear indictment and tacit support is evident by their unusual silence each time such barbaric riots reminiscent of the stone age occurs. Yet this same Northern leaders; the Babangida’s, the Buhari’s, etc would be the first to mount the podium  preaching their fake “one Nigeria” which they neither practice nor believe in.

The Nigerian government on its own part has remained complicit by its refusal to prosecute those who have made it their way of life to kill other Nigerians with impunity at the drop of any pin. Our constitution  which dedicated a great part of its text to the ideals of rule of law and protection of life and property maybe no better than a toilet paper.

How can we talk of having a nation when the most basic of rights are constantly violated? How can we in the least claim to be civilised when human beings are constantly hacked to death without the perpetrators facing any trial? How  can we as a people or nation be respected by others when we have proved ourselves incapable of civilised human conduct by the unpunished barbarities that happen in our clime? How can we in all honesty challenge a racist white man who believes black Africans are inferior when shameful incidents in our nation make us look more like a people who live in a jungle?

The greater tragedy of course is that even Nigerians who live in the Diaspora carry a tragic mentality of protesting violence abroad, but accepting violence at home. Recently when a Nigerian  Mr Osamuyai Akpitanhi was killed in Spain, Nigerians in the Diaspora mobilised from internet forums, notably the NVS to sign petitions against the Spanish authorities yet when innocent Nigerians are killed at home the Diaspora community stays silent. Malcolm X once said that “if violence is wrong abroad, it should be wrong at home.” It makes no sense to rail against those whose societies to a large extent guarantees human rights and the rule of law, but stay silent in our societies that  flagrantly  violates the basic right to life of her own citizens.

If the 9 people killed in Kano, or the genocide committed by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in Odi and Zaki-Biam  were to have been targeted at Nigerians or blacks in Spain or elsewhere in the Western world, Nigerians  would typically have raised a lot of dust, but because they have been killed in Nigeria,  there is a grim acceptance of its being business as usual. This mentality is at best shameful and the height of hypocrisy. Human life is human life anywhere. If we cannot protest  the violent cycle of bloody religious terrorism in Northern Nigeria, and other abuses by the Nigerian government, it is hypocritical  to protest abuses in the Western world.

The ball is now in the court of both Diaspora and other Nigerians resident in Nigeria to formulate and sign petitions condemning this latest violent assault on innocent Nigerians in the North as they did for Mr Osamuyai Akphitanhi, and call for the arrest and trial of the perpetrators of the crime. This is the minimum we can do to stand on the side of justice. As the saying goes, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Comrade Lawrence Chinedu Nwobu
Email: lawrencenwobu@yahoo.com

Robot  Villager

# 1 The greater tragedy of course is that even Nigerians who live in the Diaspora carry a tragic ment...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 05.10.2007 01:16

SOC Okenwa  Villager

# 2 NVS Admin, This article by Comrade Nwobu had appeared last week on the Square. Or I am dreaming? I was wondering when reposting an article, or posting same article under the same subject has become fashionable here. Someone in the Admin crew should answer me. Posted by SOC Okenwa| 07.10.2007 11:15

Palamedes  Villager

# 3 The greater tragedy of course is that even Nigerians who live in the Diaspora carry a tragic mentality of protesting violence abroad, but accepting violence at home. Recently when a Nigerian Mr Osamuyai Akpitanhi was killed in Spain, Nigerians in the Diaspora mobilised from internet forums, notably the NVS to sign petitions against the Spanish authorities yet when innocent Nigerians are killed at home the Diaspora community stays silent... Sir, it is called patriotism: Read the western newspapers when the murderer or criminal is a foreigner and compare the tone of language to report of more serious crime by an indigene. For instance, in BBC's eye, every Brit embroiled in criminality abroad must be innocent. Put another way, if a member of your family steals from you, it is no less wrong than when an outsider steals from you but rarely would you call the police. I don't recollect anyone blaming religion in the conflict that lead to the civil war. It was called a Hausa/Igbo conflict; now perhaps with some propaganda for greater and wider impact, every conflict is amplified and is either North vs. South or Muslim vs. Christian--how times have changed. But Of course, you are right to blame religion; we live in a different world with different dialectics. Imagine my surprise when I read the case of Shiite and Sunni having a go at each other in Nigeria –“In Nigeria?”, I had inquired. Nevertheless, blaming all Northerner Nigerians for felony of a minority of Nigerian religious fanatics (trained by Arab religious fanatics) is wrong and silly. These zealots are a threat to peace and security of all Nigerians. Sir, your demand is overzealous and shows the sort of hostility against Northerners that the religious zealots show against the rest of us. These zealot receive their “oxygen” from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and until we stop the flow, the problem will continue. Posted by Palamedes| 07.10.2007 12:32

gwobezentashi  Villager

# 4 =cdimkpa;20917555>Yes, ritual killing is bad enough and it cuts across the entire regions of Nigeria. BTW, are you by any stretch of imagination rationalising the religious killings in the north as per ritual killing which IYHO, takes place only in some places and not others? Well, it is my pleasure to remind you that only recently, several ritual killers where arrested in Kwara, Kebbbi, Gombe and right there in the caliphate (sokoto- the one caught with a human head). I never knew until now that religious killing is acceptable to at least one Nigerian. What a shame. One by one the bad pennies of irredentism pop out with their bogus arguments to be worsted all over again. See how this one unashamedly exposes his bias in choosing his examples afterall the dead bodies in Okija and the various shrines around his village came from the north or the otokoto murderers are in the north. Religious killings only exists in the morbid imagination of these plonkers. Instead of encouraging the pursuit of criminals hiding under the guise of religion, these jokers exhibit their misapplication of their misunderstanding to their unfulfilled ethnic agenda. Of course Alhaji Gwobezentashi Janinjaka of Malumfashi will never rationalise killing of any sort. But this shameless peddler of half truths and prejudice was probably one of those jubilating here not too long ago when reprisal attacks against northerners were carried out in the east as if two wrongs can ever make it right. Again, in their very warped and corrupt minds, they can make the arguments seem credible. What did he say when northerners were being killed by Gani Adams in the west? Good for them? As another of their brothers here said, if they keep killing your people in the north, why do you keep returning there? There must be something you find attractive there or it must be that the danger is being sensationalised by those with their hidden agenda who have failed to make any impact politically or socially. Please go and sit down. Ewu religious killing! Aluta! Gwobezentashi Posted by gwobezentashi| 07.10.2007 12:33

cdimkpa  Villager

# 5 @Gwobe, In the reprisal killings that took place in the east, northern muslims were regretably killed. Those were northerners. What were they doing in the east? Is there something that keeps bringing them back to th east so that they are always available for reprisal killings? Ewu rationaliser of religious killings? Posted by cdimkpa| 07.10.2007 14:22

Big-K  Villager

# 6 =SOC Okenwa;20917545>NVS Admin, This article by Comrade Nwobu had appeared last week on the Square. Or I am dreaming? I was wondering when reposting an article, or posting same article under the same subject has become fashionable here. Someone in the Admin crew should answer me. SOC, You're right. The article was published earlier in the week, but it wasnt properly linked from the frontpage and we have to republish. In the meantime, here's a public note to the author - not every technical issue amounts to "repressing" of views. 'Nuff said. Posted by Big-K| 07.10.2007 14:40

gwobezentashi  Villager

# 7 =Big-K;20917577>SOC, In the meantime, here's a public note to the author - not every technical issue amounts to "repressing" of views. 'Nuff said. Haba Mallam Big-K. It's called paranoia! Aluta! Alh Gwobezentashi Janinjaka Posted by gwobezentashi| 07.10.2007 14:45

surulere007  Villager

# 8 Religious killings are handiworks of fanatics and it will continue to prevail especially in the Northern region as long as value is not given to life. It’s a known fact that chicken and goat are held in high esteem than the life of a fellow non-northern Muslim in northern Nigeria. The first question that needed answer from the government at the center and local levels is what is the value of life in Nigeria? Until we place value on life, senseless and religious cleansing might continue in the name of Allah. This must cease and a culture of embracing and tolerance must be eschewed. Posted by surulere007| 07.10.2007 15:18

Dr. S Adetunji  Villager

# 9 Nigeria: 10 Christians slaughtered, 61 injured, 9 churches burned, hundreds displaced after rumored Mohammad cartoon. Kano; October 7, 2007. (WND) Rampaging Muslims have killed 10 Christians, injured 61 others, destroyed nine churches and displaced more than 500 people in northern Nigeria, according to eyewitnesses – all because Muslim high school students claimed a Christian student had drawn a cartoon of Islam’s prophet, Muhammad, on the wall of the school’s mosque. The rampage occurred Sept. 28 in the town of Tudun Wada Dankadai, in Nigeria`s northern state of Kano. According to Compass Direct News, which specializes in reporting on Christian persecution worldwide, there are 1,500 students at the high school, called Government College-Tudun Wada Dankadai, of which only 14 are Christians, and only seven of those actually live on campus. The Christian students at the school insist no one ever saw the alleged cartoon, and furthermore that no one in the tiny minority group of Christians would have dared such a feat, especially during Ramadan. "How can we take such a risk when we know that we are a minority and cannot stand them?" Christian student Shehu Bawa told Compass. "This is a lie created to have a reason to attack us." Eighteen-year-old student Iliya Adamu told Compass he was getting ready to go to class when a group of Muslim students stormed into his dorm and began to beat him. "I was surprised that they were beating me without telling what I did," Adamu said. "I asked to know what was happening, and they claimed that one Christian student had gone to their mosque to draw a cartoon of Muhammad. In spite of my denying the act, they kept beating me." Seeing the Muslim mob beating a Christian classmate named Sule La’azaru, Adamu ran to the principal`s office for refuge, soon to be joined by the remaining Christian students there, according to the report. Despite the attempts by the Muslim teachers to stop the rampage, Muslim students began throwing stones at the Christian students through the window of the principal`s office, wounding student Ayuba Wada in the head. "I was inside the office of our principal, with the others, when suddenly the Muslim students began throwing stones at us," Wada told Compass. "It was through this way that my head was broken. I was bleeding, and no help came as the situation became more riotous." Eventually, the rampaging Muslim students broke into the principal`s office, but the principal`s arrival saved Wada`s life, while the other Christians holed up there managed to escape the mob. One of the Christian students, Shehu Bawa, told Compass his arrival on campus that morning was punctuated by shouts of "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is Great) "all over the school." In fact, he said, "The Muslim students were now attacking every Christian student on sight. Four of us ran into the office of the vice principal, but when it was finally broken into by the Muslim students, we ran out and escaped." What about the alleged cartoon of Muhammad, rumors of which instigated the attacks? "We suspect that either one of the Muslim students in the school did this to create an excuse for us to be attacked, or that a Muslim fanatic from the town might have done this to spark off a fight among Muslims and Christians," said Bawa. "How could we have done this when Muslim students are always around the mosque day and night because of the Ramadan?" The rampage spreads far and wide After attacking the few Christian students in their school, the rampaging Muslim students poured into the streets of Tudun Wada, joined now by other Muslims. For the next four hours, reports Compass, the growing mob burned down Christian churches, vandalized Christian property and murdered innocents. Among the churches burned were: St. Mary’s Catholic Church; St. George’s Anglican Church; Evangelical Church of West Africa; Assemblies of God Church; First Baptist Church; a Pentecostal church called the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church; an African independent church, the Cherubim and Seraphim Church; and two other Pentecostal churches, The Chosen Bible Church and Deeper Life Bible Church. The 10 Christians murdered included: Augustine Odoh and his younger brother Cosmos Odoh, both members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Another Catholic, Joseph Eze, was also killed. When Compass filed its initial report, the corpses of the three Catholics were lying at the City Hospital in Kano city. Seven other Christians murdered were buried in a common grave Wednesday, but government workers did not allow relatives or church leaders to identify the corpses. The dozens of injured are being treated at the Assumpta Clinic, Nomansland in Sabon Gari area of Kano city. According to Musa Ahmadu Haruna, the priest of St. George’s Anglican Church, Tudun Wada Dankadai, whose church was burned, no Christian student in the school could have drawn an image of Muhammad. "None of these students is capable of drawing a cartoon on a mosque," he told Compass Direct. "That is a frame-up to find a reason to attack us." Another pastor, Rabiu Danbawa of the Evangelical Church of West Africa, said that upon hearing of the waves of attacks on Christians, he moved toward the town`s center to see for himself what was transpiring. "I stood as they set fire on our churches one by one," he told Compas Direct. "There was nothing I could do," he said, adding, "I did not know the fate of my wife and my children." When he went to the local police station for help, Danbawa found the police turning away Christians who had run there to escape the attack. "We were told to leave, as our safety could not be guaranteed," he said, in tears, according to Compass Direct. "Women and children all scampered to the bush, only to be attacked by the Muslims who had already hid themselves in the bush awaiting their Christian prey." It wasn`t until several days later that Danbawa found his wife and children safe. Accoroding to reports from Compass, Danbawa and his family are now refugees in Dogon Kawo village, along with other Christian victims. None have food or shelter, he said. Even Christian policemen were not immune, with about 30 officers and their families being attacked and their homes looted and set on fire. Last week`s massacre comes in respose to a call in July by the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar III, to Muslims in northern Nigeria to rise against Christianity. Kano`s state government has led the way in northern Nigeria for the implementation of sharia Islamic law. Mark Lipdo, director of the Stefanos Foundation, which ministers to persecuted Christians in Nigeria, told Compass he`s shocked that the Nigerian government has done nothing to help the injured and displaced. "It is surprising that an overwhelming thing like this that has displaced thousands of Christians is not known to the Nigerian government," he said, noting that the government initially downplayed the mass rampage. "The government must act to check such unprovoked attacks against Christians." And Haruna of St. George’s Anglican Church said, "We are living under persecution in Kano state, and yet, we are being told that we are under a democratic government. Do Muslims really want us to co-exist together as a nation? I doubt so." As WND reported in May, Christians in Nigeria, who make up about half the population, fears the imposition of Islamic law throughout that nation. Indeed, as WND has reported, Muslim rioters in Nigeria in 2006 were incensed over cartoons of Muhammad published in Denmark, and more than 130 Christians in the Nigerian cities of Maiduguri and Onitsha were slaughtered. WND also has reported nearly 1,000 homes of Christians and many churches have been destroyed in these regions. "If you go around villages, you will see people missing one hand or one foot," explained Rev. Obiora Ike. "Do you think that`s the result of an illness? That is the result of sharia law." More than 10,000 Christians have been martyred in the region since the Islamic law was imposed in the region in 1999, and Voice of the Martyrs has helped surviving family members through its Families of Martyrs Fund with Care Packs, Village Outreach packs and words of encouragement to believers who stand for their faith "amidst volatile, uncertain conditions ............................................................................................................................................................... God save Nigeria from these blatant murderers. Apparently, they even kill their fellow northerners who are not muslims. Posted by Dr. S Adetunji| 07.10.2007 15:22

gwobezentashi  Villager

# 10 Last week`s massacre comes in respose to a call in July by the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar III, to Muslims in northern Nigeria to rise against Christianity. Kano`s state government has led the way in northern Nigeria for the implementation of sharia Islamic law. - Dr S Adetunji This is the sort of outrageous and nonsensical propaganda that stokes undue tensions. The Sultan never said this and he dare not! That write up is worryingly inaccurate and sensationalist. The quotes from priests are just being manipulated to play into the hands of the criminals who have committed the mayhem. It is not a systemic problem but some people have been trying to turn it into one for years and have so far failed. It’s a known fact that chicken and goat are held in high esteem than the life of a fellow non-northern Muslim in northern Nigeria -surulere007 Spoken with all the self assuredness of one reasoning through his cake kole. Aluta! Gwobezentashi Posted by gwobezentashi| 07.10.2007 15:36

---

The conversation continues in our forum. Click here to read all comments

---