by Eze Eluchie,
When United
States President, Donald Trump, announced a dramatic and expected change in US
policy to now recognize the ancient biblical city of Jerusalem as the capital
of the State of Israel, there had been expectation in several quarters in
Nigeria that the unfolding spate of violent riots/demonstrations across the Middle
East and Muslim-majority countries of Central Asia, against the US policy shift
would be replicated in several cities in Nigeria’s Northern regions.
The expectation
of the replication of the mindless violence and hateful riots in Nigeria was
rooted in the reality that on several occasions when similar pro-Islam riots
had broken out in the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia had resulted
in near-spontaneous outbreak of orgies of senseless violence in such Nigerian
cities as Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Minna and at more subtle, though equally
intimidating processions in areas such as Sokoto, Maidugri and Gusau.
Earlier instances
when reaction by Islamists in foreign climes had been replicated in Nigeria
include the riots against the publication by Thisday newspapers in Nigeria of a
story deemed blasphemous of the Prophet and the issuance of a Fatwa (death
sentence) on the author of the said piece in 2002; the publication of cartoons
featuring Prophet Muhammed by a Dutch newspaper (Jyllands Posten) in September
2005, which led to widespread destruction, burning of churches and the death
of over 100 persons in resulting riots across several cities of Northern Nigeria;
the commencement of the various Intafada between the Israeli’s and their
Palestine neighbours have also been replicated across Nigeria with violent
protests in our northern fringes.
There had
been palpable apprehension on the first Friday after President Trump’s
groundbreaking policy change that after Friday prayers, people should generally
steer clear from streets, particularly the areas around major mosques in such
cities as Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Zaria. The streets had indeed been quiet. Oddly
however, nothing - no violence, no skirmish, no burning of churches, no
beheadings of innocent bystanders, absolutely no violence occurred. As the continuing
violent riots and demonstrations against the recognition of the Israeli capital
by the US continued on a daily basis, not a whimper whatsoever was heard from
the often vociferous Nigeria-based Islamists and Ulama’s who in prior times had
cried more than the bereaved, causing far more destructions, mayhem, killings
and murders in Nigeria than would be occasioned to the territories where the
initial harms/issues were domiciled.
What is the
secret for the new found peace and quiet in Nigeria after US recognition of
Jerusalem as capital of Israel? Had the umbilical cord which linked violent
extremism with Islamists across the Sahara desert been cut? Were the youngsters
used to perpetuate pro-Islamist violence in Nigeria over issues that happened
so far away from our shores now suddenly wiser and less violent? Or do the
characters who instigated and orchestrated earlier copy-cat Islamist-related
violence feel that there was presently no need to disturb the polity since they
were presently in control of the reins of power? Did someone in Nigeria’s seat
of power not want to risk upsetting US interests by allowing urchins to go
about burning churches, killing, looting and causing carnage (erstwhile useful
tools to discredit earlier regimes) over the issue of Jerusalem?
Whatsoever is
the reason for the peace and quiet being experienced in Northern Nigeria over
the issue of Jerusalem whilst violence rages across Gaza, the West Bank and
much of the Middle East, let the peace and quiet be maintained. Let it also be realized
that previous acts of pro-Islamist mass mayhem which had earlier been thought
to be spontaneous and ‘free-will’ were certainly centrally organized, premeditated,
well planned and executed acts of intimidation and terror geared towards
attaining political and socio-economic advantages.
The fact that no one, not any single person, has been tried and found guilty or in any way held accountable for previous acts of religion-based violent crimes in Nigeria, gives life to the theory that powerful interest blocks orchestrate and give cover to the use of religion as an instrument to perpetuate violence in Northern Nigeria. The fact that a man, Muhammadu Buhari, who had severally championed the cause of extremist Islamist philosophies currently occupies the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and would not ordinarily want to attract greater undue US attention, is certainly a factor in the non-replication of Islamist riots over the issue of Jerusalem in Northern Nigeria. Without doubt, at other times, perhaps when other persons mount the saddle of rulership over the Nigerian State, the spectre of pro-Islamist violence remain a ready tool to attain political goals.
The fact that no one, not any single person, has been tried and found guilty or in any way held accountable for previous acts of religion-based violent crimes in Nigeria, gives life to the theory that powerful interest blocks orchestrate and give cover to the use of religion as an instrument to perpetuate violence in Northern Nigeria. The fact that a man, Muhammadu Buhari, who had severally championed the cause of extremist Islamist philosophies currently occupies the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and would not ordinarily want to attract greater undue US attention, is certainly a factor in the non-replication of Islamist riots over the issue of Jerusalem in Northern Nigeria. Without doubt, at other times, perhaps when other persons mount the saddle of rulership over the Nigerian State, the spectre of pro-Islamist violence remain a ready tool to attain political goals.
Picture: Likely news that would have
emanated from Nigeria over US recognition of Jerusalem – avoided by those who
instigated previous fatalistic and violent riots
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