The National President of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde, speaks with SAHEED SALAWU on some salient national issues.
The crisis in Southern Kaduna has remained worrisome. What should the government do to arrest the situation?
The crisis is becoming a repeating decimal and this is very unfortunate. A reconciliatory meeting of key elements and leadership of the warring ethnic groups will unravel the cause of the renewed hostilities with a view to finding a lasting solution. What was the magic wand in resolving Ife/Modakeke crisis of yesteryears? Could we find a clue from that intervention? Ethnic hostilities must stop. It is against the law of humanity.
How does NACOMYO see the bill on Christian court, which has passed the second reading in the House of Representatives?
The Ecclesiastical Court Bill undergoing second reading is an irrelevant juxtaposition with the Shari’ah system if passed. It is simply a display of prejudice and intolerance against Muslims. There is no basis for it because the common law or conventional court is tailored along the Western culture, which is rooted in Christianity. I wonder what fear is being nursed here.
Are the two religions competing? What is at stake, the Kingdom of God, His favour or the hereafter? These are begging questions, because Christians’ reactions to genuine concerns and/or demands of Muslims are nothing short of undue competition. This was the case with compliance with the financial system (or non-interest banking), hijab and, of late, the hostile reaction to the Federal Government’s declaration of one day extension of last Idul-Fitr public holiday.
The system we are operating favours the Christians, including Saturday and Sunday resting days and the cross symbol in public health institutions. While the lopsidedness was understandably informed by Christian-tailored British colonisation, Christian faithful should be tolerant and stop the seeming competition with the Muslims. The adherents of the two faiths should be guided by the teachings and tenets of their faiths and coexist for the advancement of humanity. A passage of the bill creates more problems than it can solve. The establishment of such a court is of no significance. Will such the court serve the orthodox or Pentecostal? In the event the bill is passed, the National Assembly should be prepared to consider bills and concessions seeking rectification of imbalances, injustice and lopsidedness.
The eventual signing of the bill into law will, no doubt, bring a lot of confusion to the legal system due to non-availability of experts in the fresh legal system. It will renew agitation for the creation of Shari’ah courts in south-west Nigeria. Universities will have to come up with Christian law studies and expatriates who will teach the course.
It is pertinent to state that Islam recognises the existence of other faiths, hence, Muslims and Christians have been coexisting since time immemorial. Unfortunately, the political class hide under the cloak of religion to advance their interests.
The followers of the two faiths should recognise their doctrinal differences, respect and accommodate one another in the overriding interest of the nation. We are all strategic to the realisation of the national goal. Inter-faith cooperation is critical to the realisation of the Nigeria project. The two religions preach peace, love, justice, patriotism and fear of God. It, therefore, behoves the followers to imbibe these virtues for the progress of the country.
Also, a bill seeking gender equality has passed second reading in the Senate, what is your take on it?
Islam is not only a religion but it is also a way of life. It has taken care of all creatures as may be provided in The Qur’an. The females have a chapter in The Qur’an, ‘The Women’. It shows how much premium the religion places on women. The gender parity bill is an affront on the Islamic faith as it violates our religious and cultural values. The sacred books, including The Bibl, have accorded women certain prerogatives, rights and responsibilities. Any bill that seems to reorder people’s valued system under any guise or international protocol is unacceptable. In other words, any bill that tends to protect women’s rights and check abuses should not run in conflict with our religious values.
However, I will advise government agencies, religious and traditional institutions to evolve a synergy and intense propaganda against practices that predispose women to abuse, maltreatment, ill conditions and exploitations.
The Shi’ite sect has been tagged an insurgent group by the Kaduna State government with the group’s leader still being detained by the Federal Government. How do you view the lot of this embattled population of Muslims?
Shi’ite is a group of people who profess Islamic faith and operate under a certain fundamental set of beliefs. Their recent conduct which tended to breach public peace must have been what informed the government’s decision to tag them insurgents. But since there is freedom of association, the group should be allowed to exist within the framework of the laws of the land. The leadership and followership of the sect should also operate within the confines of the law and avoid acts that could undermine public peace cause confrontation with the authorities. They should comport themselves every time, knowing that maintenance of public order is sine qua non to freedom of practice and worship.
Recession is biting hard in the country and Nigerians are facing hard times. How would you advise the citizens to keep their heads and retain their moral compass?
The Nigerian economy is sick, no thanks to the managers, whose concerns were selfish. Again, our dependence on oil, a mono-economy as against a diversified and multi-economy, has made matters worse. However the government is taking the initiatives to ameliorate the situation and improve quality of life. It has taken the bull by the horns by asking Nigerians to patronise locally made products. This initiative, no doubt, will boost local production and assist the growth of local industries. The industries must also ensure quality production to enhance massive patronage.
Besides, we must address corruption, the bane of our development. The present government has demonstrated political will and commitment towards fighting the menace. And there must be no sacred cows. The onus lies on Nigerians to join hands with the government and eschew corruptive tendencies that have become a national lifestyle. Moreover, religious-minded people must join politics and help sanitise the system.
Despite high hopes at the beginning of the current political dispensation, Nigeria has remained at the doldrums. Where does the country go from here? What is the Islamic model for good governance?
The present government is doing its best within the limit of the available resources. Our country is a land of ‘milk and honey’, yet we are suffering in the midst of plenty. The government has been making efforts to revamp the economy through some salient policies and programmes but most policies fail at the implementation level, largely due to greed and materialism and this is inimical to our system.
In Islam, government entails sincerity, fairness, justice, equity, commitment, trust, accountability, transparency, fear of God and rule of law. In fact, all these constitute good governance and a government that stands on these virtues and as its own guiding principles is the best for our country.
Do you subscribe to the celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad with pomp and ceremony as is the case with a good number of Muslims today?
The Prophet is not reported to have commemorated his birthday. It explains the rationale behind the reason non-celebration of Maulud Nabiyy in strictly Islamic settings. However, the Prophet used to fast on Monday, being the day he came to the world.
Maulud celebration is dependent on the school of thought you belong. While the celebration is regarded as bidi’a (innovation) in some quarters, it cannot be ignored in other localities, because of the Prophet’s greatness and being a mercy to mankind.
The fact is that such an occasion rekindles our memories of the Prophet’s life and teachings and engenders our rededication to the ideals of Islam. However, Maulud is better limited to the month of Rabiul-Awwal, being the month the Holy Prophet was born otherwise the essence of the commemoration is defeated. Besides, a sufficient knowledge of the religion will guide people’s thoughts and reshape their minds on the subject.
How is NACOMYO meeting up with its mandate in the face of challenging times and the proliferation of Muslim groups and organisations?
It is not challenging, really, being the apex Muslim youth body fostering unity and promoting the cause of Islam and Muslims in the country. NACOMYO is delivering on its mandate, including coordination, collaboration, cooperation and networking. And it encourages its state and local chapters to fill in as occasion may demand.
The organisation has sustained its role of being at the vanguard of projecting, promoting and defending the cause of Islam and Muslims through press statements and interface with authorities on matters that concern Islam and Muslims.
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