President Muhammadu Buhari’s Timely Homily
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Timely
Homily
President Muhammadu Buhari’s piece
titled “Don’t Politicise Religion in
Nigeria” published by Church
Times can be viewed as a timely homily that is very crucial to our
existence as a nation. The citation of a biblical apophthegm in Amos 3:3 should
resonate with all peace-loving people genuinely interested in peaceful
coexistence. Though, religion has already been politicised, Nigeria can still
manage the manifestations of religious politicisation.
In the article, President Buhari stated, “Along with the millions of Christians in Nigeria today, I believe in peace, tolerance, and reconciliation”. He further mentions his belief in “compassion”. Having analysed Nigeria from a socio-religious viewpoint for decades, religiosity without compassion is very much prevalent. The lack of compassion towards others, especially those of other faiths, including the faithless, is becoming more widespread, and the pulpit is partly to blame for the depravity.
The crux of President Buhari’s message is for those dutifully striving to make political capital from religious divergences. Religious conflict serves no good. Though such conflicts may possibly pay arms dealers - quite literally, and benefit misery merchants, it definitely doesn’t pay the generality of Nigerians.
Citing President Buhari’s political
journey as an example, I doubt any candidate has had to endure the
ethno-religious excoriation he has been subjected to over the years. Curiously,
there’s no record of Muhammadu Buhari ever being accused of religious extremism
or fundamentalism during his years of army service. All those who served with
him in the army never accused him of anything relating to his religion. Even as
a former Head of State, with a fellow Muslim (Tunde Idiagbon) as de facto vice
president, Buhari didn’t face such religious-oriented defamation, nor was he ever
accused of an agenda to “Islamise” –
a term that causes me much bemusement.
So where exactly did the religious fundamentalist toga emanate from?
When Buhari decided to go into politics, he became a threat to certain vested interests. During a 2012 interview, Buhari revealed his issue with Obasanjo was the mobilizing of Nigerian voters against him. When Buhari first contested in 2003, it was against Obasanjo, who was the incumbent. Scaremongering tactics were employed to portray Buhari as a religious extremist. Obasanjo eventually won the elections, but the hatchet job done by those from the ruling party (PDP), at the time, tainted Buhari since that period.
A lot of malicious material was spread locally and internationally, often with words taken out of context, to tarnish Buhari’s image. It wasn’t until the 2015 elections that the hackneyed religious fundamentalist toga attributed to Buhari was somewhat subdued. Though Buhari won the elections, the damage had been done. For this reason, Buhari still has to write an article stating the obvious. Despite his reticent disposition, this is not the first time Buhari has had to take such measures.
A similar address was made before the 2015 elections, titled “One Nation Bound in Freedom, Peace and Unity”. In his speech, Buhari emphasized why ‘unity, peace and progress’ surpassed any political consideration. He stated that he was ‘extremely sad’ he had to give such an assurance to fellow citizens.
So where exactly did the religious fundamentalist toga emanate from?
When Buhari decided to go into politics, he became a threat to certain vested interests. During a 2012 interview, Buhari revealed his issue with Obasanjo was the mobilizing of Nigerian voters against him. When Buhari first contested in 2003, it was against Obasanjo, who was the incumbent. Scaremongering tactics were employed to portray Buhari as a religious extremist. Obasanjo eventually won the elections, but the hatchet job done by those from the ruling party (PDP), at the time, tainted Buhari since that period.
A lot of malicious material was spread locally and internationally, often with words taken out of context, to tarnish Buhari’s image. It wasn’t until the 2015 elections that the hackneyed religious fundamentalist toga attributed to Buhari was somewhat subdued. Though Buhari won the elections, the damage had been done. For this reason, Buhari still has to write an article stating the obvious. Despite his reticent disposition, this is not the first time Buhari has had to take such measures.
A similar address was made before the 2015 elections, titled “One Nation Bound in Freedom, Peace and Unity”. In his speech, Buhari emphasized why ‘unity, peace and progress’ surpassed any political consideration. He stated that he was ‘extremely sad’ he had to give such an assurance to fellow citizens.
Notably, in the 2015 address,
President Buhari chastised the then ruling party (PDP) for adopting “divisive” and “false narrative” strategies to create an environment of fear
through religion and ethnicity.
For instance, Nigeria’s elections came up during the ‘Fake news’ inquiry on March 27, 2018 by the UK parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee. The former director of research at Cambridge Analytica turned whistleblower –Chris Wylie, revealed to UK MPs the “shocking lengths” taken to manipulate Nigeria’s 2015 elections in favour of PDP’s Goodluck Jonathan. Cambridge Analytica’s primary objective was to scare the Nigerian electorate from voting for APC’s Muhammadu Buhari. Wylie stated, Cambridge Analytica utilised “incredibly anti-Islamic and threatening messages portraying Muslims as violent”.
Thankfully, majority of the Nigerian electorate weren’t intimidated by such virulent tactics and the ruling party lost in 2015. Four years later, the 2019 elections are coming up. If PDP as the ruling party adopted the politicisation of religion as a strategy in 2015, what strategy would it adopt as a party now in opposition for the 2019 elections? The answer is pretty obvious. Politicking via the inglorious path of fake news, coupled with an ethno-religious slant has internecine consequences.
A recent report by BBC titled Like Share Kill details the damage fake news is doing to our polity. There have been instances of recycling old images from incidents that occurred in other countries to foment violence in Nigeria. Sadly, such images often lead to deaths. More worrying is the fact that some of those responsible for generating such images are causing mayhem from the comfort of their homes abroad! So when carnage is unleashed, the fomenters are not directly affected.
For instance, Nigeria’s elections came up during the ‘Fake news’ inquiry on March 27, 2018 by the UK parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee. The former director of research at Cambridge Analytica turned whistleblower –Chris Wylie, revealed to UK MPs the “shocking lengths” taken to manipulate Nigeria’s 2015 elections in favour of PDP’s Goodluck Jonathan. Cambridge Analytica’s primary objective was to scare the Nigerian electorate from voting for APC’s Muhammadu Buhari. Wylie stated, Cambridge Analytica utilised “incredibly anti-Islamic and threatening messages portraying Muslims as violent”.
Thankfully, majority of the Nigerian electorate weren’t intimidated by such virulent tactics and the ruling party lost in 2015. Four years later, the 2019 elections are coming up. If PDP as the ruling party adopted the politicisation of religion as a strategy in 2015, what strategy would it adopt as a party now in opposition for the 2019 elections? The answer is pretty obvious. Politicking via the inglorious path of fake news, coupled with an ethno-religious slant has internecine consequences.
A recent report by BBC titled Like Share Kill details the damage fake news is doing to our polity. There have been instances of recycling old images from incidents that occurred in other countries to foment violence in Nigeria. Sadly, such images often lead to deaths. More worrying is the fact that some of those responsible for generating such images are causing mayhem from the comfort of their homes abroad! So when carnage is unleashed, the fomenters are not directly affected.
Evidently, there are foreign
forces aligned with local saboteurs that would gladly fuel any conflict for pecuniary
benefits.
The sad reality is that when an environment is deliberately polarized through the ethno-religious machinations of desperate politicos and their conscious and unconscious lackeys, we are all victims. Furthermore, such distractive strategies are employed to rouse religious sentiments among the populace, whilst the pilfering of the nation's resources by a united political class continues.
The sad reality is that when an environment is deliberately polarized through the ethno-religious machinations of desperate politicos and their conscious and unconscious lackeys, we are all victims. Furthermore, such distractive strategies are employed to rouse religious sentiments among the populace, whilst the pilfering of the nation's resources by a united political class continues.
Existentially, religion is an integral part of people’s lives and can’t be extirpated from society. In view of this stark reality, people must come to the realisation that not everyone will believe what you believe, and beliefs cannot be forced on anyone – so live and let live!
The clergymen must avoid being used as pawns by those with political motives - often laced with diabolical objectives. To assist in our quest for national cohesion, religious bodies need to prioritise the preaching of compassion, love and tolerance, and sanctify peaceful coexistence in speech and deed.
Generally, people need to unite, and spread peace and love.
“Then one of them, which was a lawyer,
asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”
- Matthew 22: 35- 40
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”
- Matthew 22: 35- 40
God Bless Nigeria!
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