Chief David Ogaba Attah, journalist, administrator and former member of House of Representatives representing present day Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency (Benue State), was Chief Press Secretary to late General Sani Abacha. In this chat with Group Politics Editor, FRANCIS AGBO, Attah dissects ethno-religious crises in Nigeria.?
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Ethno-religious crises
Insecurity in Nigeria is frightening, what did we do wrong as a people to deserve this? Nigeria has had a history of violent ethno-religious crises occasioning untold destruction to innocent lives and properties especially in the northern part of the country. The problem has acquired such a monstrous dimension and complexity that even the most undeserving in our midst can see the great danger it poses to our internal security and continued existence, if not nipped in the bud.
It is time to dissect the problem, isolate its nature and character, identify the underlying causes, find out why it has become a recurrent decimal in our national life and endeavour to provide solutions. One may say that the luck we have had this far, is that the menace has not extended beyond the old northern region of Nigeria. At the moment, it is either in Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Maiduguri, Kafanchan, Tafawa Balewa, Zogon Kataf Jos and other parts of the North.? For how long the problem will be confined to the North, cannot be ascertained.
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Be that as it may, let it be stressed that the peace of the North is critical to the peace and stability of Nigeria.?? What is more, the peaceful co-existence which was enjoyed by the North and greatly admired and esteemed by the South was predicated on the twin principle of religious tolerance and unity in diversity.? It is sad that this noble principle is today in serious jeopardy.
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Boko Haram
The sad pity of the situation is that nobody can tell for sure what the Boko Haram adherents want.? This is because their demands or the issues they want the federal government to address have not been articulated for public consumption thus, leaving people to speculate and indulge in conjectures on their real intention.
However, what freely emerges from the speculations on their intention, is that they are against Western education and culture.? How do we dismantle the western culture we have imbibed and enmeshed in over the last 51 years?? This raises more questions than answers.
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Since we are short on the details of how to de-westernise our structure, it is plausible to say that because of its influence and prevalence in the international system, it is pretty difficult to distinguish between what is western, modern or universal.
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The Solution
It is better to engage Boko Haram constructively in a dialogue.? Perhaps, that process will give us a glimpse into their real intention and the way their mind is working generally. It is sad from what we read from newspapers that they are reluctant to enter into dialogue particularly with some highly revered traditional rulers like the Sultan of Sokoto and some other Emirs, the Boko Haram sect see as being part of the problem.
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What Islamic scholars must do
Learned Islamic scholars and clerics as well as other psychologists should not relent in trying to get the rest of us to really understand the phenomenon of Boko Haram.? At the moment, the government is at loss on how to go about dealing with the menace. Recently a security chief who should know better said the suffocating incidence of Boko Haram was not an insurgency or an insurrection but what it is he didn’t say.? The actual concern of the citizenry is to arrest the spread of the attendant violence and for government to restore faith and confidence in the system.
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The Rumour / sponsors of Boko Haram
The dangerous rumours, the lack of knowledge and accurate information which the incidence of the sect has triggered off is injurious to the socio-political health of the nation.? Two of such rumours or speculations are particularly disturbing.? One is that the sect may have infiltrated our security apparatus.
The second one suggests subterranean forces being behind the violence.? Here again it is not easy to ascertain the veracity of this suggestion.? But suffice it to say that the rather unguarded pronouncements of some of our leaders give rise to this kind of unhealthy insinuations.
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This is the more reason why our leaders should endeavour to show maturity in their public statements.? In the process, they can be caught off guard and may send out wrong or suspicious signals in the eyes of the public.
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The sad episode in our history defies any rational analysis given the state of stupor in which we now seem to find ourselves.? The questions keep resonating.? Is the problem essentially religious in character?? Is it a violent social protest against the government?? It is terrorism pure and simple?? Be it what it may, the answer is blowing in the wind.
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One thing however, is undisputable.? Our historical powerlessness over the forces that determine our socio-political destiny is a primary condition of our inability to deal decisively with the perennial ethno-religious crises in Nigeria especially in the northern part of the country.
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For instance, about 20 years ago, worried by the incessant religious crises in different parts of the North, concerned and well-meaning leaders under the Solidarity Committee decided to wade in to arrest the deplorable situation before it got out of control.
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At the meeting of the Solidarity Committee held on as far back as January 23, 1993, the Solomon Lar Sub-Committee was mandated to review existing documents on religious and other sociological crises.
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The following documents were considered:
(i)? Report of the meeting of elders and religious leaders on promotion of religious peace and security in Nigeria.
(ii) Report of the Shehu Shagari Consultative Forum.
(iii) A booklet by Mallam Lawan Danbazau, entitled, “Siyasa Da Addini A Nigeria.
(iv) A memorandum circulated by the late Ambassador Jolly Tanko Yusuf entitled, “Causes of crises and Conflicts”.
(v) A paper submitted by my humbleself, David Attah entitled, “Extinguishing the Seething Cauldron – A Challenge facing the former Northern Region”.
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The various reports reviewed contained insightful analysis of causes and effects of the ethno-religious crises in the North and some profound recommendations.? One of the recommendations was the setting up of a Commission for Religious Affairs reporting directly to the Presidency to co-ordinate the functions of Pilgrims Boards and other Agencies responsible for propagating peace and unity in the country.
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The Commission should have offices in all the state capitals which should co-ordinate cells of activities at ward level.? These cells are to serve as early warning points and points for disseminating information and other propaganda materials.
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Among other recommendations, government was advised to expand the NDE Scheme to the local government level and make each tier of government responsible for providing employments for its youths as idleness is one of the root causes of religious disturbances which have often led to arson, killings and looting by the youths.
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The federal government should see the need to respond promptly to panels’ reports as soon as they finish their investigation instead of allowing them to linger.? White Papers should be issued as soon as reports are submitted and genuine efforts made to implement those recommendations capable of ameliorating the situation.
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Jos Carnage
The senseless killings in Jos and environs are regrettable and uncalled for. Unfortunately, successive governments have not been able to muster enough will power to nip killings in the bud in the Plateau by implementing all the reports turned in by the various panels set up to tackle to recommend solutions to the problems. The reports of several panels are still pending and awaiting government response.? There are Prince Ajibola Panel, Emmanuel Abisoye Panel and very recently, the Solomon Lar Panel.
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The current religious situation in the country induces a feeling of nostalgia for the past when northern leaders spoke so confidently and proudly about their operating ethno-religious philosophy of religious tolerance and unity in diversity.? In fact, this created an impression of a monolithic North in the eyes of southerners.
The late Premier of the North, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto personified and exemplified the spirit of religious tolerance even as the Deputy President of the World Muslim League.? All the conversion exercises embarked upon by him were peaceful and voluntary.
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Members of his Cabinet were both Muslims and Christians with such names as Mr. Michael Audu Buba, George Ohikere and Mr. Abutu Obekpa.? Leading Christian personalities like the late Sunday Awoniyi were the closest people to him. At the time, Wusasa deep in Zaria, a traditional Muslim Emirate enjoyed maximum religious harmony.? Wusasa produced such Christians like Dr. Dikko, Professor Ishaya Audu and General Yakubu Gowon, a former military Head of State.
This has led some persons to lay the problem at the feet of our present crop of leaders who are totally lacking in breath of vision and generosity of mind.? They use religion to pursue personal ends at the expense of the nation and the citizenry.
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With the benefit of hindsight, when the malignant malaise moved to Plateau State, initially, Governor Jonah Jang was made the scape-goat and held responsible for a problem he had no hand in creating.? He was called names, maligned and personally abused thus, leaving the problem scratched on the surface.
Unfortunately Jang was left alone for too long to grapple with what is at one a collective problem.? As usual, government allowed itself to trail after events, after the problem had already taken firm roots and incalculable and avoidable damage had been done to lives and properties.
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Today everybody will agree that the ethno-religious crises in Plateau State is not Jang’s creation nor an exclusively a Plateau State affair, although Jos may unfortunately be the current theatre of conflict.? It is clearly a Nigerian problem more threatening to our corporate existence than even the 30-month civil war. The Jos carnage and the menace of Boko Haram constitute the greatest threat to survival in the core North and the corporate existence of Nigeria.
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People in authority should therefore, recognize the importance of rapid response to crises especially of ethno-religious nature and the corresponding need to demonstrate the commensurate will to deal decisively with them before they spiral out of control.
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The Boko Haram sect has been allowed through official indifference to loom large beyond control attacking banks, police stations and government offices daily with alarming ease.? This national malaise must be given the attention it deserves without further delay.