El-Zakzakys Acquittal and a Quest for Secular Nigeria -By Aliyu Bashir Limanci

After almost six years of detention following a stand-off that led to the massacre of hundreds of people in December 2015, it is now clear to even his staunchest enemies that Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky is a victim of state-sanctioned persecution. The killings of his six sons and hundreds of followers by the military remain the worst massacre committed by a country against its own citizens during peace time in recent memory.

Sheikh Zakzaky did not take up arms to fight the state in retaliation as most terrorists do. He held on peacefully for years just to let the society know that he is not the problem of Nigeria.

The acquittal has further indicated that a secular democracy is the best model for Nigeria. It is a system that accommodates us all irrespective of our religious or ethnic differences because with an independent judiciary, Nigerians can go to courts if their rights are trampled upon. Sadly, the reverse is the case in northern part of Nigeria where Islam holds sways. So many people are too scared to fully express themselves for fear of jungle justice, blasphemy allegations or even honor killings.

The emergences of Mubarak Bala, Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara and Sheikh Zakzaky have opened doors to so many people to question Islam or even ditch the religion. The fact that hundreds or even thousands of people straying away from the mainstream Muslims more than ever, this creates a climate of hostility and discrimination against these minorities. Sheikh Zakzaky just got his freedom back, Mubarak Bala has been in prison for over a year without charges which is illegal even in Islam and Sheikh Abduljabbar is arrested for his anti-establishment preachings deem blasphemous by the hardened Muslims. This is just to show how difficult it is for any person to depart from the mainstream Islam.

The fear of persecution is what makes many Shiites to practice taqiyya (dissimulation). The fear of jungle justice or honor killings forces ex-Muslims, atheists or freethinkers to hide and keep their thoughts to themselves. This excludes the LGBTQ communities.. These people exist in large number in our midst. But fear of negative perception, excommunication, losses of their loved ones are the driving factors that underscore how dangerous it is for the minorities to identify themselves.

Boko Haram are still posing a serious threat to our peace, and Mbororo Fulani bandits, according to some reports, are in secret talks with the ISWAP for logistic supports. In northern we have more mosques to pray but no factories to employ millions of our youths. Our religious leaders are taking us for a ride, living large and sending their children to study abroad but we are left to struggle with mess they have created by radicalizing our youths, making it impossible for our region to tolerate the views of the minorities. Our region remains the poorest, with some of the least educated people on the planet. High rate of out of school children is still worrisome. Women are being married off prematurely and divorced without supports which expose them to the danger of sexual exploitation and unending poverty. These are the existential menaces that we should worry about. However, we cannot ameliorate the situation if we continue to pin our problems on the minority people whose religious and sexual orientations differ from the mainstream Muslims.

A spate of attacks against the minorities are well recorded in northern Nigeria. So many people have lost their lives while many more are forced to flee persecution. As religious extremism continues to drive our youths into taking up arms to fight the state, it is high time we rejigged our existence.

A secular Nigeria can create a climate of peace and tolerance where Shiites, Sufi, atheists, gays can express themselves freely without being subjected to threats, attacks or jungle justice. Together we can make Nigeria work and get back up. But we must learn to live and let live. Our religious and political leaders must also realize that extremism and intolerance will never augur well for our future. The world has moved on so should we.

Aliyu Bashir Limanci wrote in from Zaria Road, Kano
08021411181
bashiralmusawi@gmail.com