FOISTING A MUSLIM-MUSLIM PRESIDENCY ON THIS COUNTRY MAY SPELL THE END OF NIGERIA AS A SECULAR NATION, AND THE KILLINGS CONTINUE By Dr O. Chima Okereke 

Foisting or imposing a Muslim-Muslim Presidency on Nigeria may lead to the end of religious secularity in the country. The words “Foisting” and “Imposing” have been chosen advisedly because information, in the public domain, on the recently concluded Presidential election suggests that such a presidency cannot be said, without a shadow of a doubt, to be the will of the majority of Nigerians. 

The case on the election is in the court. Therefore, in spite of the conflicting views, claims and counterclaims, this write-up will not dwell on who won or lost the election. What is crystal clear, however, is that as a nation, we have been unable to conduct a free and fair election. When the result of an election has to be decided most times in the courts, it means that we are not yet able to determine the will of our people through the ballot box. 

Consider a scenario in which after an election, the votes are counted in such a transparent manner that the representative of every party endorses the result. The contestants themselves stand together as the results are announced. They not only accept them as correct but also shake hands with the winner. Such a scene is repeated at all votes collation points across the nation. The result of such an election is welcome as demonstrating the will of the electorate. This transparency is such that when the results of votes, in about seventy-five percent of the total collation centres, are announced, some candidates concede victory to the winning contestant even before all the votes are counted. This is because they know that the will of the electorate has been accurately determined. 

With all the best will in the world, what INEC presents to our country, practically after every national presidential election, is a far cry from this described scenario which produces a true manifestation of the people’s will. Again, with all due respect to the niceties of the court, their judgement cannot be equated to a representation of the people’s will. No, it is the ballot box and not the judge’s gavel that should be used to determine the will of the people. The least INEC should do for this country is to produce a transparent result endorsed by every contesting party at each votes collation point. This is what this nation requires. This is what happens in most developed countries. This INEC has so far failed to deliver. 

Dubious Situation in which people are disenfranchised, and the Killings Continue 

Going on to impose a Muslim-Muslim Presidency in this dubious situation is a disservice to this country especially as people who voted against it have been effectively disenfranchised by INEC. We are realistically no longer practising democracy but the imposition of a government by a Judge’s fiat. Sadly, this country has continued to witness most undreamt-of killings of Nigerians, especially Christians, in cold blood. In the past five years, Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen have been decimating the lives of thousands of Nigerians and getting away with their dastardly wicked and evil atrocities. These killings have continued as briefly presented with excerpts in the next paragraphs. 

ISWAP Kills Pastor, Herdsmen Slaughter 134 Christians in Nigeria 

Terrorists of ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) reportedly killed a pastor, Rev. Yakubu Shuaibu, of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN). He was killed in his house in Madlau, Biu County, Borno state on April 4th 2023. They also attacked predominantly Christian villages of Njimtilo, Pulka and Ajiri Mafa at the same time the pastor was slain. “During the attacks, they destroyed houses of Christians and looted their homes of food items,” Joseph a resident in the area reportedly narrated. 

Herdsmen killed 134 Christians in Benue state in the first week of April. This was from April 2nd to 10th, as confirmed by the Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom in a press statement. These killings are in addition to alleged killings in the 23 local government areas of the state, 18 of them have been ravaged by herdsmen attacks, and most Christians in these council areas displaced. The herdsmen also attacked the local government areas of Makurdi, Guma, Otukpo, Apa, Logo, and Kwande County, as reported by Dominic Anza, the President of the Universal Reformed Christian Church (NKST). 

Fulani herdsmen attacked a church service in Akenawe village, Logo County, on April 2, killed a Christian and took four others captive at gunpoint, said community leader Hemen Terkimbi. “Christians were in the church worshipping during a night vigil service when herdsmen attacked them,” Terkimbi said. “A Christian worshipper was killed, five other Christians were injured, and four Christian worshippers including the resident pastor, the Rev. Gwadue Kwaghtyo, were captured and taken to an unknown place.” 

Another community leader, Eche Akpoko, said that in four months, herdsmen killed more than 89 Christians in 31 area villages, including Ope-Ikobi, Ochi-Ikobi, Ijaha-Ikobi, Imana-Ikobi, Oleoke-Ikobi, Ebugodo-Edikwu, Ankpali- Edikwu, Olegijamu-Edikwu, Olekele-Edikwu, Ukpogo-Edikwu, Edikwu-Icho, Edikwu-Oladoga, Okwiji-Edikwu and Ojecho- Edikwu. 

References: ISWAP Kills Pastor, Herdsmen Slaughter 134 Christians in Nigeria – Morningstar News. Terrorists Collect Another N3 Million Ransom, Fail To Release 85 Abducted Zamfara Residents, April 29, 2023. The terrorists who kidnapped 85 people in Wanzamai village in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State have failed to release their abductees despite collecting an additional N3 million ransom. Abubakar Na’allah, a resident of the locality, said the terrorists sent a message requesting an additional N3 million for the abductees’ final release. The 85 people were kidnapped by the terrorists about four weeks ago in the community. 

Bleak and Uncertain Future 

The Morning Star News reports that some Christian leaders in Nigeria have said that they believe that herdsmen from millions of Muslims from the Sahel conduct attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Their objectives are to take over by force Christians’ landed properties and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds in their normal location. 

This appears to be the overarching explanation for the unbridled killings of Christians. It is reported that Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith in 2022, with 5,014, according to Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List (WWL) report. It also led the world in Christians abducted (4,726), sexually assaulted or harassed, forcibly married or physically or mentally abused, and it had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons. The report stated that: “Militants from the Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and others conduct raids on Christian communities, killing, maiming, raping and kidnapping for ransom or sexual slavery.” 

References: ISWAP Kills Pastor, Herdsmen Slaughter 134 Christians in Nigeria – Morningstar News 

Comments 

These killings of Nigerians are continuing with the present government failing woefully to stop them. If they claim to have succeeded, why are the killings continuing? How many of the terrorists are imprisoned or arrested and awaiting trial? 

With a Muslim-Muslim government being imminent, the future remains bleak for the following reasons: 

• The killings may continue because the killers are still around. The Muslim herdsmen have been free to run riot in the country without being restrained or arrested. With their continuing movement from the Sahel, the whole of the country is at their mercy. 
• Kidnappings and other forms of lawlessness continue as exemplified in the case of Zamfara residents. 
• Islamisation of the country may not be a surprising development in a Muslim-Muslim government, this could be implemented through the imposition of Sharia on the whole country.

Conclusion 

With the looming imposition of a Muslim-Muslim presidency, the country could be forced to lose irredeemably the vision of our founding fathers, which is: “a nation where no one is oppressed.” 

Sadly, oppression appears to be comparatively a soft touch in a nation where people are killed in cold blood because they are Christians and the government fails woefully in its fundamental responsibility of protecting the lives of all Nigerians. 

In the same vein, it could be inimical to the welfare of this nation to go on with this dubious installation of a regime that portends the continuing killings of innocent Nigerians, and the Islamisation of the country. Therefore, everyone who partakes in their installation or acquiesces to it will remain answerable for the results. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns (and is a reproach to) any people” NIV Proverbs 14: 34. Efforts need to be made to save the nation from the curse that awaits us if attempts are made to eliminate Christianity in our country. Lastly, the ongoing killings of Christians and other innocent Nigerians are recipes for imminent and inevitable national disaster. Every effort should be made to stop them. 

Disclaimer: 

The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely that of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are obtained from the public domain