Emir Sanusi’s and Sultan Abubakar’s poor and insecure Northern Nigeria

The comments of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar during the 108th edition of the Islamic Vocation Course (IVC) organised by the Zone B Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) recently held at the IVC camp along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with the theme ‘The Unification’, sounded funny to me.

Sanusi’s submissions came in three main parts. First, he lamented the spiral increase of poverty in the North where he holds sway. Since the amalgamation of Nigeria, the North has been a parasite to the South. With over one century of this lopsided union, it is saddening that the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria is rehashing this overrated truth. Hear what the Emir said when comparing poverty across the country: “Poverty in the South West is twenty per cent; in the North, it is eighty per cent; Lagos is eight per cent; and Zamfara, it is ninety-one per cent.” He added that if the country continues this way, forty per cent extreme poor people would be in Nigeria.

Second, he implored Nigerian Muslims to give birth only to the number of children they could cater for. This is the best family-planning advice of the year. “Instead of having many children, why don’t you have the ones you can cater for? These are the fundamental questions we should be asking ourselves,” he charged. This is the least question to ask. The fundamental questions are: Why is the North still indulging in early marriage? And, why do they, in the name of religion, encourage marriage to more than one wife? Many wives, in the house of a poor, uneducated man, is tantamount to a factory for making children.

Lastly, the Emir decried the growing effects of the Almajiri, insisting that the syndrome is a social issue, not a religious one, that needs urgent attention. “We have been talking about the Almajiri for over thirty years. Why are people having families they cannot maintain?” It is disappointing that the Emir said “we have been talking about the Almajiri” instead of “We are fighting or tackling the Almajiri”. The Almajiri menace, a well-known socio-religious practice, cannot be trimmed by merely talking about it. Sometime ago the federal government wanted to abolish the Almajiri system, but some Islamic leaders and extremists kicked against it, saying it is their way of life and belief.

On the other hand, the Sultan of Sokoto’s submissions are probably linked to the recent disagreement between the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over the United States Department of State listing Nigeria among countries that failed religious tolerance test. This is not surprising because Nigeria would always fail international tests, and only pass the local ones through malpractice. While CAN sided with the report, stressing how Christians are being persecuted in the country, the Sultan insisted that nothing like that existed. But look around, with objectivity and sincerity, and decide who is right or wrong in this regard.

It is still trending in the news how eleven Christians were beheaded on Christmas day by Islamic terrorists, not to mention the reoccurring Fulani herdsmen attacks on Southern lands. The recent call by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, to incorporate Sharia laws into the constitution, which was supported by many Islamic leaders, and also the fact that the lawmakers championing the Social Media Bill and the Hate Speech Bill—in an attempt to silence free speech and democracy—are Muslims, point to the fact that there is some level of verity in the United States report. The Sultan should not be quick to take sides with government or religion. This matter requires objectivity and tolerance, which his office and person demand.

While urging Muslims to continue to fight for their rights under the constitution, the Sultan added, “My appeal to Muslims in the country is that they should not be provoked by any utterance from either any political or religious leaders but continue to be law-abiding.” This is what we hear everybody when non-abiding terrorist wreak havoc on Nigerians. And it is not enough for him to urge a failing government to deal with such people. The reaction from President Muhammadu Buhari as regards the Christmas massacre of Christians was: “Don’t let terrorist divide us.” Everybody knows terrorists have succeeded in doing that, even with impunity.

Nigerians want to know what the offices of monarchs like the Sultan are doing to curb these attacks on Nigerian people and state.

The various Northern and religious situations the Emir and the Sultan are lamenting about are not new to Nigerians. For decades, the encouragement of early marriage and polygamy, in the name of religion, is fostering poverty and the Almajiri course. Today, many Islamic leaders and northern politicians use the Almairis as foot soldiers for election butchering, terrorism and banditry. Some months ago, one northern politician bragged that the North will always rule the country because they have the numbers. What numbers? Greater number of poor, uneducated, misruled and misinformed people who are more of a liability than asset?

The sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, envisaged this current northern crisis more than thirty years ago. He said, in what had turned out to be a prophecy, that if you do not educate the people, the Almajiri will become bandits. Today Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto and other parts of the North are seriously battling with bandits and terrorists to the extent government is offering them tax-payers’ money to appease them.

Without mincing words, this critical mandate should be extended to Emir Sanusi and Sultan Abubakar and other monarchs in the country.

Kingsley Alumona is with the Nigerian Tribune