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RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS IN NIGERIA: ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

 1.0     Introduction 

Many will attest to it that the Jos crisis vividly exemplifies or by locus classicus describes a rancorous experience against religious intolerance. In a nation bound with vast geographic and vast ethnic and religious differences, these religious differences aid conflict which is a basis for showing religious biases and prejudices with the adherents being too fundamentalistic and extremistic in nature.

            Naturally, the psycho-social description of man shows him as genetically selfish, fighting for his own interest alone. However, this does not necessarily explain or construe the religious nature of man. With various descriptions of the religious nature of man especially Africans, Mbiti have described him as ‘notoriously religious’.1 Maybe this can adequately give a hypothesis for action that is behind religious conflict in Nigeria. But how rational or how plausible is it for two notable religions to fight against each other, killing and giving a psychological aftermath or psycho-negative effect since God can neither be described as a Christian nor a Muslim?

            However, the underlying principle for religious conflict is not purely religious but also political as we have seen in the last six years with the encounter with the Islamic fundamentalist known as Boko Haram.  The episodes of mass killing structured or engineered by this extremism is enormous. However, all written above has not defined what religious conflict is but has only given us an introduction to what the researcher tends to discuss.

1.1       Background to the study

The quest to understand what religious conflict is starts from the breaking down of the two separately from the basis for a rational clarification. But we must understand that the basis for a religious conflict is one to different ideologies, beliefs, values etc. The social network coordinated by belief system is so strong that as it can make heal, so it can be used to champion a cause of war or struggle. This was what Dawkins tried to explain when he elucidated that,  

Imagine … a world with no religion. Imagine no suicide bomber, no 9/11, no 7/7, no crusades, no witch-hunts, no gunpowder plot, no Indian partition, no Israeli/Palestinian wars, no serb/croat/muslim massacres, no persecution of Jews as Christ-killers’…2

In defining religion, Dawkins noted that it is a false, a delusion similar to scotosis or insanity. He said, ‘when one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity, when many suffer from a delusion it is called religion’.3 But is religion truly a delusion? If it is, then what do we mean by delusion? ‘It is a persistent false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence, especially as a symptom of psychiatric disorder’.4 However, what is important to note here, is that it is the belief in religion that serves as the mechanism engineering the prominent attacks against the other religion. But is belief the only thing embedded in religion? According to Wood,

For a group or philosophy to be protected as a religion under current human right legislation in the United Kingdom, it must be able to demonstrate a combination of (a) belief and/or conviction, (b) practice and/or ethics, and (c) a sense of belonging or community. Belief and practice are separated in this definition, and the element of belonging in interesting because it recognizes the role of social relationship is religion.5

But what we call sense of belonging must be as a result of the belief which has been binding on the individual which make him react to another since they both belong to a particular religion. So ‘Belief’ is fundamental and exerts great strength and psychological strength upon the individual in question. Religion as a word is used as something relating to religion. Religion therefore pertains to God and belief, it is derived from;

 The term “religio” refers to four latin verbs, relegere, religare, reeligere, relinguere. … Religion could be defined as a reading over of things or phenomena, which pertain to the worship of God (relegere). It could be define as a bond, which binds the visible, and the invisible worlds (religare). It could be taken as a repeated choice of what has been neither lost nor neglected. Being created (first election), man is chosen again to enter into relationship with the creator (reeligere). Religion is also considered as an act of leaving certain things in order to be submitted to others, maybe to a supreme being (relinquere).6

                        But all these etymological sayings are not enough to explain the divers religion of the present with the atheistic, Godless philosophical religions and the pantheistic religions, therefore, “…all these ways are nominal and etymological definitions; they are important but not sufficient”7. And even the etymological definitions were words of various individuals and therefore can be criticized as ‘subjective views’ which is in negative to the objective word called religion. In a nutshell, it should be noted that religion is multi-dimensional and therefore, cannot be pinned down into a definition. 

Looking to the other side of the coin, we see conflict as a disagreement, between two or more parties that can either be physical or psychological. In other words, ‘conflict may be defined as a struggle or contest between people with opposing needs, ideas, beliefs, values, or goals’.8 The words conflict was gotten from the latin word ‘conflictus’, past participle of confligere which means “to strike together, be in conflict”, from com- “together”  fligere “to strike”.9 We therefore can see religious conflict as a disagreement drown out through religion. However in Nigeria, religious conflict does not only carry religious motive but also politically inclined such that according to Marshall, recently, the president of Nigeria was forceful in saying the Nigerian conflict has nothing to do intrinsically with religion, that is used as an excuse by politicians’10. Nigeria, in view, is a country blessed with vast geographical landmarks, a nation with vast ethnic groups and many dialects with major languages, English, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. It has three major religions which are Islam, Christianity, and African traditional religion. But specifically, the first two are notable while the last is not notable. In a journal entitled, curbing violence in Nigeria (11): the boko haram insurgency, it is noted that;

Nigeria is a fractured state’. It is rich but Nigerians are poor, many extremely so,… its members are from different ethnic, political and religious communities; when they agree on how to share the spoils, all is well, but when they disagree , they politicize, manipulate and instrumentalize ethno-religious and regional differences. With the failure of governance and development, an ever increasing number of ethnic militias, separatist groups and millenarian religious movements are being mobilized, both for self-defense and for pressing ideological and practical goals...11

                    In plateau one of the states in Nigeria, precisely, the capital of Jos. There have been series of rivalry between different groups, therefore changing their license plate as “Home of peace and tourism”12 to home of crises and religious conflict, this was what Campbell and Harwood meant when they maintained that;

But Jos is no longer a West African paradise. Bloody “religious” riots, ostensibly between Christians and Muslim in 2001, 2008, and 2010, split the community. The latest round, starting in 2011, continues. According to the council on foreign relations’ Nigeria security tracker (NST), there have been 785 sectarian related deaths in plateau state alone between May 29, 2011, and June 30, 2013. Between January and June 2013, 481 people were killed; 61% of the total since May 2011…13

     

                    Furthermore, no religious conflict in the nation is purely religious without ethnicity playing its way in it. Nigeria, as a nation, is bound by various ethnicities or ethnic groups, thus Higazi noted that, ‘the dominant discourses in the conflict refer to political exclusion on the basis of ethnicity and religion…14. As regards the political end which religion is used as a means, it must be noted that violence in Jos is as a result of, ‘…discrimination and bias in government, and the narrow ethnic and religious politics among both Christians and Muslims increased tension and polarization along communal lines’15.The fact that religion and politics are deeply interwoven in Nigeria is exemplified from the Islamic religion such at Igboin stated that:

When one observes the trend of these actual and attempted attacks, it is noticeable that… Muslim people are involved and that Islam as a religion has received a negative public image leading to islamophobia, radicalization of the religion and a reinforced, deliberated or in advertent interest in the debate on the symbolizes between religion and politics…16

                    However, it is crystal that the most religion that has caused conflict is nothing more than Islam. In recent techno-centric times, the religion has been at long headed war with modern and techno-logical advancement stating that, Islam embraces a composite view of life, which incorporates both the sacred and temporal spheres into single and undifferentiated whole with a divine mandate or guidance. These structures are perceived as incompatible with modernity and its pluralist values…17.Therefore, the removal of God therefore, as perceptibly done by the west, is an invitation to jihad in contemporary society…18

                    Another important issue in that the cause of conflict is that there is fear of domination. This is aptly stated when Higazi elucidated that ‘the dominant discourses in the conflicts refer to,… on the Muslim, and fears of religious and cultural domination among plateau christains’.19 Furthermore, Higazi noted that, ‘ there is much political propaganda, inciting religious and cultural fears- such as the Muslim conspiracy to Islamize Nigeria…’20 while speaking on the cause of ethic- religious conflict, Owutu noted that, ‘One of the main causes of this problem is mostly the struggle between rival ethnic groups or organizations seeking to maintain or gain control of state power’.21 He elucidated further that:

 When one group gains access to power, it uses state institutions to distribute economic and political benefit preferentially to their ethnic brethren, discrimination against subordinate group members. Consequently, this aggravation a sense of shared deprivation and strengthens identification with their group, thereby providing a basis for political mobilization along ethnic line.22

               Another sacrosanct point is noted by Owutu as the cause of religious conflict which Akowonjo described as the indigenship  and settlers division.23 This is notable according to these two writers in the plateau ethnic and religious crisis.24 Furthermore Ibrahim noted by Owutu explain that, ‘religion and ethnicity were the major variables that influence the 2004 ethnic- religious reprisal attacks in Kano state…’25 All through to 2009 before the emergence of the sect known as Boko Haram, there have been causes of religious conflict from 1990. On may 1990, in Zaria (Kaduna state), there was disturbances in Zaria during which property belonging to mainly Christians were destroyed. So also on December 1990, in Kano where there was a riots by maitatsine sect, where 4,177 people died and extensive properties were destroyed.26 It is worthy to note that immeasurable lives had been lost while properties had been burnt and displaced owing to religious conflict in Nigeria. However, what is the solution? This calls for religions dialogue among the religions involved. Inter-religious dialogue is done in other to promote peace, security and most especially, to erase the prejudices of the fundamentalist. The truth is, instead of us fighting to kill or to maim in the course of protesting that our religion is worthy above all others, we must recognize at the back of our minds what Comte sees as the religion of humanity which in my own microscopic eyes, calls for sanctity of humanity and human lives. Similarly, according to Kaigama, ‘there must be a shift from competitiveness to genuine encounter.  Meaningful dialogue between communities is needed… we need to reclaim its integrity and promote peace and reconciliation’.27 But what then do we mean by dialogue;

Dialogue is an encounter of people of different religions and faiths in an atmosphere of freedom and openness for each partner to listen and understand himself and the other. One person speaks and another listens and responds and vice versa. [Furthermore] dialogue is working and walking together in search of what is good and right with the desire of living together and in communion. Dialogue is living together in spite of our differences…28

And moreover, the understanding of the nature of God is a perennial problem as opposed to the simple view of man’s sanctity of life. However, the God-consciousness is ultimate different in these two religions while the object ‘God’ is universally indifferent from these two religions. What entails the conflictuum in these two religions is nothing than the perception of God but phenomenologically speaking; reality is indifferent and can never be tied to anyone of these religions. If it can, this will be a major havoc of God negating his absoluteness. By value of religious dialogue cum tolerance, man sanctity of life depends on the golden rule, a simpliciter that sustains the life of everyone. If both religions emphasizes strictly on the golden rule, religious conflict would be thinking of the then and not of the now. Comparatively, ‘he who knows one knows none’ in the science of religion, the knowledge and belief of Christianity can never be used to justify the knowledge of belief and others and neither can the other be able. It is therefore important that both religions must see themselves as human regardless of the belief and their knowledge.    

               However, all written above is just an interview of what the researcher intends to explain in the research work. Further exposition would be given in the research work.

1.2      Statement of the problem

   At the height of religious crisis and conflict, is religious bigotry, biases and prejudices which has resulted in to maiming of various individuals as a result of one religion claiming to be superior, more important than the other. Furthermore, the inability of the government to manage the challenges faced also pose another form of problem. diversity is not the problem parse but the interplay is that of the inability to join each religion under one single and formidable government apart from religious diversity, is also cultural diversity, Therefore, it can be summed up as “religious cultural diversity” posing a fundamental and perennial problem within the state. It is as a result of the above problem or issue that calls for religious dialogue to eradicate such preconceived conceptions and notions and also to put an end to killing and destruction of various properties.

1.3      Aims and objectives

   It is of absolute necessity to note that Nigeria is a country of multi-ethnic groups and built on religious pluralism.

      This research work mainly aims at determining the solution to religious bigotry which is a mechanism for violence, conflict and crises. It also aim at explaining what religious conflict is and also enable various adherents of various religions to see the similarities as well as the differences between their faith, enabling them to see that no religion is great or better than the other.

1.4          Limitation and scope

    Due to wideness of the country, the research work would not be able to get primary sources from the victims involved in religious conflict. Furthermore, there would be financial constraint which would serve as a limitation. But the researcher shall try as much as possible to gather fact, even when he encounters books that will be detrimental due to their own biases and prejudice.

1.5          Methodology

   The method I will adopt during the course of this research work will be analytical. It will analyze comparatively religions in the country, so as to provide a meaning resolution. It shall also focus largely on secondary materials which are textbook, journals, newspaper, online materials. Etc.

1.6          Definition of terms

     Religion; is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural system, and world views that humanity to an order of existence.29

     Conflict; A serious incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or interests.30

      Nigeria; A republic in West Africa: members of commonwealth of nations formerly a British colony and protectorate. 356,669 sp. mi.(923,773 sp. km). Capital: Abuja. 31

    Solution; The method or process of solving a problem, or the answer to or disposition of a problem.32

1.7        Conclusion

      In conclusion, this chapter has explained briefly what the research is all about. It has explained what conflict is and what religious conflict is and not only that, but has also explained it within the scope. The following chapter shall therefore review the works of scholars who has contributed immensely to the research.       

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[12:24, 3/21/2018] Mingo 1: Deutsche Welle
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AFRICA
AFRICA

Religious conflicts on the rise in Africa
A study by a German academic says religious conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa have been on the rise for decades. Researcher Matthias Basedau says weak African states are a major cause.

DW: In your study on the subject of religious conflicts in Africa, you claim eight out of ten active armed conflicts have a religious dimension. Why are countries in sub-Saharan Africa so vulnerable to this kind of conflict?

Matthias Basedau: Conflicts that have a religious dimension are becoming more common worldwide and sub-Saharan Africa is no exception. The region is generally vulnerable to conflicts because many states in sub-Saharan Africa are often weak. It also has to do with the fact that religious conflicts spill over from North Africa and the Middle East; either directly from Libya or Algeria or indirectly through the spread of more radical versions of Islam. However, religion is only one aspect of these conflicts - they can also be ethnic conflicts, or conflicts over power or resources. There is no conflict based purely on religion.

You also mentioned in your study that countries with a heterogeneous population and religious communities are particularly susceptible to religious conflicts. Somalia is one of the most unstable countries in Africa; it is also one of the most religiously homogenous countries on the continent. In Nigeria the Boko Haram Islamists also frequently attack Muslims. How do you explain this phenomenon?

Basically, one must distinguish between two types of religious conflicts. In inter-religious conflicts, the conflict parties differ in their religious affiliation - for example, Christians and Muslims. This can overlap with ethnic identities, and it is clear that heterogeneous societies are more vulnerable to triggering conflicts along these lines. This is different from theological conflicts which are mostly about religious ideas. Such conflicts can arise in majority Muslim societies, such as Mali, Somalia or Northern Nigeria. But we are also aware of examples of Christian rebel groups in sub-Saharan Africa who have theological demands. The parties involved may differ on the question of what role religion should play in the state. For example, radical Muslim groups demand the introduction of Sharia law. A weak state allows these kinds of groups to be active in the first place - their radical ideology becomes more attractive to people if the state does not provide adequate public services and the politicians are corrupt. But of course, not all Muslims in these countries are radical Islamists.

Why do radical groups from North Africa and the Middle East have an interest in stirring up these conflicts?

Active radical groups have a more direct influence in North Africa, such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), or offshoots of the so-called Islamic State. They have an interest in creating branches in other countries. They have supported rebels in Mali and there are indications that they are also doing it in Nigeria and Somalia. Other Middle Eastern states are more likely to have an indirect influence. It is about spreading a radical version of Islam. Sub-Saharan Africa traditionally was home to a rather moderate form of Islam, for example, Sufism. Countries like Saudi Arabia or Qatar are spreading Wahhabism, or similar variants, which can indirectly create a radical ideology that leads to violence. But it is not entirely clear how this influence is spreading or how strong it is.

What role has globalization and social media played in increasing religious conflicts?

Globalization - the simplified flow of information, goods and finances - promotes these kinds of issues, not only in Africa, but also elsewhere. On the other hand, thanks to globalization, governments can also improve their networks to implement de-radicalization measures. 

What counter-measures would have to be taken to stop the advance of religious conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa?

The counter-measures must be based on a careful analysis of the causes. We do not know everything yet, but some measures are likely to take hold. Firstly, we need to be aware that there are both religious and non-religious causes that must be dealt with at the same time. On the religious side, one can carry out de-radicalization measures, thus strengthening peaceful interpretations of faith. From a non-religious point of view, this is mainly about long-term development. In other words, governments and states must offer their citizens better prospects. It is about good governance and security. Several measures will be required but the good news is that some of these are already in place. African governments must do most of the work with the support of other countries. In Burundi and Nigeria for example, Germany supports pilot projects through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as well as the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). But we should not expect that this alone will make a quick and sustainable difference.

  Watch video42:36
Quadriga - Beyond Belief - How Religion Fuels Conflict
Political scientist Professor Matthias Basedau conducts research on peace and security at the GIGA Institute of Global and Area Studies in Hamburg. He recently published a study on the rise of armed religious conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa.

The interview was conducted by Gwendolin Hilse

 

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Extremists are increasingly shaping the image of Islam in Africa. But despite warnings that Islam is becoming increasingly conservative in Africa, experts say the religion is also becoming more diverse as a whole. (28.05.2017)
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In northwestern Nigeria, a lethal conflict between the authorities and the outlawed Islamist group IMN continues one year after hundreds were killed in clashes. The group refuses to register as a religious movement. (14.12.2016)
Nigerian land conflict sharpened by religious divisions
Hundreds have been killed in Kaduna State, Nigeria, in recent months in a long-running conflict between farmers and semi-nomadic herdsmen. It's about land usage, but there are also ethnic and religious undercurrents. (13.02.2017)
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AUDIOS AND VIDEOS ON THE TOPIC

Quadriga - Beyond Belief - How Religion Fuels Conflict
Date 23.09.2017
Keywords
Religious conflicts, sub-Saharan Africa, radicalization, Christianity, Islam
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HOME / NATIONAL / GLOBAL SOLUTIONS TO RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

Global solutions to religious intolerance
— 14th April 2017
By Razaq Bamidele

Religious intolerance is a global malaise that has triggered anarchy and turmoil in several parts of the world. Since the ‘70s, Nigeria has had more than a fair share of religious conflicts.
Studies have shown that between the Kano Maitatsine riot of October 1980 and the recent crisis in southen Kaduna in 2017, Nigeria has experienced over 100 incidences of violent religious conflicts that sadly resulted in killings, maiming and wanton destruction of property.
Against this backdrop an Islamic organization, Anwarul-Islam Movement of Nigeria decided to celebrate its 101st Annual Conference with a three-day seminar to commence with a lecture entitled; ‘Emerging trend of religious intolerance: Causes, Issues and Solutions.’
Addressing a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday to herald the commencement of the National Conference, the Movement’s National President, Alhaji Mubashir Adekunle Okanlawon Ojelade said the topic of discussion was apt and in line with the mood of the world at large and Nigeria as an affected country.
Ojelade, a lawyer told the newsmen that, “the annual parley, which will hold between Friday, April 14 (today) and Sunday 16 promises to be exciting, fulfilling and will deal with a subject that must be of interest to us as Muslims and Nigerians.”
Speaking further, Ojelade, who stressed the need for proper education, correct information and basic and relevant knowledge about religions, particularly Islam, recommended a nine-point solution to the malaise of religious conflicts across the globe.
The recommendations, according to him, are:
1-  Religious education in schools (including comparative religious studies) to promote religious understanding and prevent radicalization particularly among the youth
2-  Teachers of religious studies must be well-trained and groomed themselves.
3-  Support and funding for the National Inter Religious Council and the state chapters of the council.
4-  Regular parleys and dialogue between religious leaders and government at the federal and state levels. (The initiative by the Lagos State Government on this regard is commendable.)
5-  Moving in promptly and decisively (not necessarily violently) to deal with crises when they occur. Government must act fairly and must not be one-sided in its intervention.
6-  Government must address the socio-economic problems and unemployment in the country and the resultant deprivation, pain, frustration, agony, hunger and anger of the citizens (particularly the youth) which make them vulnerable and susceptible to crime.
7-  The security agents must be well-trained and adequately equipped to carry out intelligence and surveillance on religious bodies and preachers that show tendencies toward extremism and radicalism.
8. As much as possible, religion should not
[12:41, 3/21/2018] Mingo 1: Homepage
Opinion
Historical phases of corruption in Nigeria, by Prof. Aliyu Liman
By Daily Nigerian - 11 months ago
     
Professor Abubakar Aliyu Liman
Corruption in Nigeria is analogous to the parable of an adulterous woman in the Bible. In the famous Gospel of John 7:53-8:11 titled Pericope Aduiterae, it was narrated that a group of Pharisees confronted Jesus and urged him to pass judgment on a woman accused of adultery. The Jewish zealots eager to have the woman severely punished even asked Jesus to permit the application of the laws of Moses in which stoning was prescribed for the sin of adultery. Jesus became a little bit unsettled by the request of the moral police of his time. Jesus suddenly demobilized the laity with the wisdom of his reply. Jesus said, “One who is without sin should cast the first stone” on the accused adulterer. On hearing that the Jewish clergy became disoriented and downcast. One after the other, they melted away from the scene into the streets feeling disappointed. This anecdote could as well be a metaphor for our pandemic corruption in Nigeria.

Public sector corruption has been with us since the colonial days. The difference between then and now was the strong legal instrument that was put in place by colonial officials to punish corruption. Anybody caught in the act would be made to face the severity of the law. Hardly anybody caught on corruption charges escaped going to jail. Many top ranking officials have had their careers unceremoniously terminated. The system brooked no corruption. There was zero tolerance on corrupt individuals saddled with management of public affairs. But that was then, and now it is something else. Just catapult events and experiences to the post-independent nation-building period in which the underbelly of our administrative incompetence becomes exposed. Corruption in the public sector is everywhere nibbling at our body politic. Corruption has now become the normative, the ground rule in the discharge of our duties and responsibilities as public officials.

As the phantom of corruption began to gather its momentum, we started hearing bizarre stories of how our public officials became enmeshed in fantastic tales of corruption. In one instance, a certain commissioner of agriculture in the defunct Northwestern State was reported to have informed a panel of investigation that in the previous night of the inquiry mysterious whirlwind had swooped down on huge tractors and farming implements, and then hurled them into the deepest recesses of the atmosphere. Incredibly, everything disappeared into the thin air. At the federal government level, there were some super permanent secretaries and commissioners that really helped one another with our collective patrimony. Those were the 1970s, the not so innocent years of military rule under the twelve-state unitary structures under of General Yakubu Gowon. Acts of corruption then were still hush-hush. Again, only very few top public officials engaged in corrupt practices. Corruption index in the country had remained relatively low throughout General Olusegun Obasanjo’s first coming with the coup that terminated the life of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed.

The political transition to democratic civilian rule in 1979 and the expensive America presidential system adopted had however created a situation in which enormous powers were concentrated in the executive arm of government. Instead of leveraging economic growth and social development, the system churned up massive executive corruption. Bad and ugly sides of the elites in their selfish and blind determination to fleece the nation began to rear themselves unabated. In this process of national disorientation, transition to democracy from the long spate of military rule did not help to arrest downward trends in the way officials handle government affairs.

Consequently, the first Executive President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, had appeared to be a lame duck and helpless in the face of mammoth corruption under his nose. Shagari’s civilian rule, despite its scorecard of competent hands and experts that were strategically embedded in key positions of the technical sectors, was obviously characterized by how officials embarked on reckless and thoughtless white elephant projects, misplacement of priorities, nepotism, capital flight and mismanagement of public resources. There was indeed gargantuan fleecing of Nigeria through the planning and execution of, often, ill conceived projects. The level of corruption in the second republic was the key reason for the return of military junta to power by toppling the civilian regime. A new leadership of stern General Muhammadu Buhari came into place.

Little wonder that Buhari initiated what he called War Against Indiscipline (WAI) as the cardinal principle of his regime, an article of faith which of course included unflinching determination to clean the Augean stable of corruption in both the formal and informal sectors of the Nigerian economy. Buhari’s single-minded resoluteness to stamp the tide of corruption in Nigeria gradually metamorphosed into personal obsession where both culprits and innocent individuals were indiscriminately treated as suspects. The regime almost became paranoid in its drive to stamp the tide of corruption in the Nigerian society. Creative and imaginative means of waging corruption fight were ignored for a regimented type of approach to issues.

In fact, the greatest shortcomings of Buhari’s short tenure could be found in its stubborn refusal to listen to rhythms of suffering in the land in its firm commitment to narrow economic logic of solving mounting social problems afflicting Nigeria. Eventually, Buhari’s doggedness had ironically turned out to become his greatest undoing going by the way he remained aloof to human rights abuses right under his nose. This has since become the albatross that sealed the fate of his regime in the hands of a much cavalier bunch of blindly ambitious, corrupt and insensitive military clique under the stewardship of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the self-styled military president of Nigeria.

Truth must be told! It was under General Babangida that Nigeria began to witness mindless institutionalization or rather palpable personalization of public funds. Like a precious jewel, corruption became part and parcel of Nigerian culture. Its allurement under such a regime was wholly unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. Henceforth, it was no longer profitable to be honest, sincere and hardworking. These qualities no longer paid anybody. In the bid to return Nigeria to the brutal firmament of global capitalism in which Buhari naively attempted to delink the country based on his resolve to tackle obscene debt trap, inhuman economic reform packages of the Breton Woods institutions as well as his introduction of the policy of countertrade, Babangida however sought to undo Buhari’s dire social engineering through externally induced package of reformation, reorganization and reordering of the nation’s economic priorities along the path of economic liberalism.

He introduced IMF inspired structural adjustment policies and programs (SAP) with all the zest and gusto he could muster as a willing tool in the service of imperialist restructuring of postcolonial Nigeria. In addition to existing statutory ministries and departments, Babangida also created special outfits in the public sector like Better Life Program, National Directorate for Employment, Community Bank, MAMSER and DFRRI where he installed his cronies to head them. Billions of naira were sunk into those programs geared towards empowerment and poverty alleviation without tangible results. Later on, these organizations turned out to be conduit pipes for draining the nation’s resources. In his frenzy to upset our familiar patterns of social development, he even attempted to overhaul the totality of our mode of social existence, including cultural, moral and spiritual values that used to define our relationships. The clergy from the main religious bodies were politicized and financially corrupted.

The horrible legacies of Babangida’s regime have since become the measure upon which subsequent crops of leaders approximated themselves in the governance of Nigeria. As it turned out, both General Sani Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar did not significantly depart from Babangida’s profligacy. The corrupt status quo remained intact up until the second coming of General Olusegun Obasanjo as a civilian president under a liberal democratic arrangement. At this point the pervasive spread of corruption was so deep that the country was rated very high in global corruption monitoring index. Under Babangida, there was the alleged disappearance of $12 billion Gulf war oil windfall and other sundry cases of financial improprieties. Invariably, the cankerworm of corruption had to force Obasanjo to establish anti-corruption institutions like the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Similarly, the instrumentality of the Code of Conduct Bureau was strengthened. But as soon as the fight against corruption started in earnest, the sinister intentions of President Obasanjo began to manifest as he tacitly turned the anti-corruption institutions into hounds for witch-hunting political opponents. If you are a friend of government, you become immune from scrutiny; on the contrary, if you are an opponent, you are made into a target of ICPC and EFCC. The treatment of politicians that refused to fall in line was a classical case in point.

However, corruption in Nigeria appeared to have reached its zenith under President Obasanjo’s imposed successors. The health condition of late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua created an opportunity for especially members of his kitchen cabinet to dip their sticky fingers in government finances. The criminal proclivity of people around President Yar’adua was short-lived only because of his morbid condition. Then came the grandest thievery of it all under President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the man that succeeded Yar’adua. One important quality of Jonathan’s rule was his seeming indifference to corruption. This was the man who thought stealing by government officials was not corruption. Government officials under him appeared to be helping themselves with so much recklessness. Institutions responsible for tackling corruption cases such as the ICPC and EFCC were rendered ineffective.

Jonathan’s tenure was characterized by living above means by government employees. You would recall how the oil industry was wrecked by sacred cows like Diezani Alison Madueke; the putrid corruption in the defense sector where the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, was just sharing money meant for the purchase of military equipment to prosecute war against Boko Haram under the regime of pervasive kickbacks in government departments. Nothing gets done without money exchanging hands. Political appointments were the surest passports to getting rich quickly in Nigeria. Even ordinary clerks in government offices were alleged to own estates in Abuja and other posh urban centers across the country. Things got so bad that corruption itself became the biggest security threat in Nigeria. Under the watchful eyes of the regime, a new class of jet flying, fabulously rich spiritual merchants emerged. President Jonathan himself and members of his family got entangled in the web of inconceivable profligacy.

At this critical stage, Buhari’s anti-corruption mantra began to resonate with ordinary folks across Nigeria. He believes that if corruption is not destroyed in Nigeria, corruption will surely destroy Nigeria. Buhari’s easy victory at the polls against the incumbent President Jonathan was clearly as a result of how the 16 year-old PDP governments were soiled in unspeakable corruption. However, Buhari’s rhetoric and action on corruption are still trailed by controversy. There is this lingering perception that his anti-corruption crusade is not holistic enough. To its critic, the war is merely targeting recalcitrant PDP members. They also believe that Buhari’s anti-corruption war is slanted because most politicians around him that carpet-crossed from PDP to APC were not affected by the EFCC arrests. Though some of these politicians have files with EFCC, it appears that their cases are being overlooked. This has cast doubt about the motive of Buhari’s corruption war in several quarters.

Despite the spectacular successes of Buhari’s ingenuity on TSA and whistleblowing policies to reduce corruption, a lot more needs to be done on President Buhari’s unswerving resolve to bring corruption to an end in Nigeria. He needs to redouble his efforts on structural reforms, move away from the temptations of oil economy, encourage agriculture-based industrialization, vigorously diversify the economy, prioritize budgetary allocations, remove direct executive control over government finances, fiscal federalism, and create enabling environment for legitimate pursuit of businesses.

Without these bold steps, it would be difficult to stem the tide of corruption in Nigeria.

TAGS Abubakar Aliyu Limancorruption newsEFCCGeneral Muhammadu BuhariGoodluck JonathanIbrahim BabangidaICPCMuhammadu BuhariMurtala MohammedNigeriaOlusegun ObasanjoSambo DasukiShehu ShagariTafawa BalewaWAIYakubu Gowon
    
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HOME » NEWS » ‘Corruption in Nigeria originated from Britain’
‘Corruption in Nigeria originated from Britain’

ON MAY 25, 201611:33 AMIN NEWS0 COMMENTS
     
By Emma Amaize
*Blasts Buhari for spineless response to Cameron’s outrage

FORMER Commissioner of Police, Chief Ikechukwu Aduba, Tuesday, fired at the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, over his comments that Nigeria was a ‘fantastically corrupt’ country, saying that corruption in Nigeria originated from Britain.

Aduba was also not happy at the way President Muhammadu Buhari reacted to Cameron’s insult, which he described as cowardly.

His words: “Corruption in Nigeria originated from Britain whose exploitative tendencies started when they came to colonize us uninvited. Over the years, Britain has remained a hiding place for corrupt Nigerians. British banks are harbouring stolen funds from Nigeria and using same to develop their economy. Corrupt Nigerians are buying up streets in Britain to the eternal joy of British Estate business.”

According to him: “The comments of British Prime Minister, David Cameron that Nigeria is a fantastically corrupt country can be justifiably termed as “outrageous”, “undiplomatic” and naive” to the core.”

“He should dust his books on ancient and contemporary history and seriously study them. Having done this, Prime Minister David Cameron should book an appointment with Queen Elizabeth II for tutorials on the history of British Empire,” he said.

“Part of the tutorials Cameron will receive from the Queen will dwell on British conquest of Nigeria (1900-1960), towards the end of 19th century, European countries converged in Germany on the invitation of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the German leader to discuss on the amicable balkanization of Africa among European powers.”

“This unholy Convention was later known as “Scramble for and Partition of African in History. African Countries, Nigeria inclusive were subjugated with a combination of deception (Treaties) and superior firepower. In 1900, the British hoisted the Union jack at Lokoja. This signified British official presence in Nigeria after years of economic and religious co-opertion between both countries,” he said.

Aduba continued: “In 1914, there was amalgamation of Nigeria under Lord Frederick Lugard with his wife Flora Shaw, a journalist with Times of London christening the areas around the Nigeria River, Nigeria. From1900 to 1960, Nigeria was under the general tutelage of Britain. Colonial era was a period of wanton economic exploitation of Nigeria by British Empire. Our raw materials (palm produce, cocoa, tobacco, cotton, hides and skins) were exported at exploitative prices to Britain. “

“Since example is better than precept, Royal Niger Company, an amalgam of British firms bought palm produce worth two hundred thousand pounds (E 200,000) at the cost of thirty five thousand pounds (E35,000) worth of goods specifically paid in special cheques usable only in the company’s shop. Apart from raw materials, the British looted our art treasuries (Bini and Ife Bronze works, woodcarvings, totems and artifacts.

“The most expensive cars and jewelries in Britain are being bought by dubious Nigerians to the benefits of their economic status. Somebody should tell Prime Minister David Cameron that those living in glass houses should not cast stones. If a country like Denmark had made the disparaging remark about Nigeria’s corruption, one could swallow the insult but not Britain, a country that turned imperialism into an art form in the past,” he asserted.

The ex-police chief admitted:
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Brief history of corruption in nigeria since independent

Mikky Jaga
Well-Known Member
STEALING IS NOT CORRUPTION! : BRIEF HISTORY OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA SINCE INDEPENDENT {1960 TILL DATE} BEFORE WE DECIDE AGAIN...,

1. 1960 - 1966: Sir Abubakar Tafawa - Balewa's tenure - no public funds stolen

2. 1966: Major - General Aguiyi Ironsi's. brief tenure - no public funds stolen

3. 1966 - 1975: General Yakubu Gowon's tenure - very little corruption creeping in

4. 1975 - 1976: General Murtala Ramat Muhammed's tenure - zero tolerance for corruption and indiscipline

5. 1976 - 1979: General Olusegun Aremu Matthew Okikiola Obasanjo's tenure - rulers started owning large properties running into millions of dollars

6. 1979 - 1983: President Shehu Shagari's tenure - characterised by weak leadership. Ministers and other top functionaries had a field day looting all the lootable public funds and properties even though the President himself was not stealing any dime!

7. 1984 - 1985: Major - General Muhammadu Buhari's tenure - zero tolerance for corruption, indolence and indiscipline. Corrupt politicians were jailed a minimum of 100 years in prison each!

8. 1985 - 1993: General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida's tenure - freed all the corrupt politicians jailed by General Buhari. These same freed politicians are majorly the same set of politicians ruining Nigeria now. During Babangida's tenure public funds were being carted away by public servants like confetti. In one fell swoop, about 12 billion dollars mysteriously vanished!

9. 1993 - 1998: General Sani Abacha's tenure - five billion dollars and more stolen in his five years tenure

10.1998 - 1999: General Abdulsalami Abubakar's

11 months tenure - About 2 billion dollars were alleged to have been stolen. Anyway the man is among the wealthiest people in the country today!

11. 1999 - 2007: President Olusegun Matthew Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo's second tenure - His bank account grew from twenty thousand naira after emerging from prison to being a multi- billionaire with choice properties in Nigeria and major cities of the world. Public infrastructure declined massively and gangsterism became the order of the day by his party, the PDP. Corruption prospered massively in his tenure! In one fell swoop, 16 billion dollars just vanished, allegedly for
electric power projects but darkness was supplied and is still being supplied in large quantity! In another mysterious disappearance the sum of 300 billion naira (2 billion dollars) meant for road projects also vanished into thin air!

12. 2007 - 2010: Late President Yar'adua's tenure - A quiet reserved and the messiah that did not live long to be! The noiseless tenure. But due to perpetual ill-health was unable to tame corruption which is the character and perfume of his party men and women in the PDP.

Had a slightly large family but he never allowed public funds to be spent on feeding the first family!

13. 2010 - Present: President Nnamdi Azikiwe Ebele Goodluck Jonathan's tenure - Full of noise but empty of substance. Spends about a billion naira per year for food for himself, wife and two kids.

In the 2011 election year about 2.6 trillion naira just disappeared from the public till, which is the highest disappearance of public funds per year in the country's history! Intolerant of criticisms.

Suffers acute inferiority complex and seems to dislike any war against corruption.

A former Education Minister and Vice President of the World Bank, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili accused his government and that of his immediate predecessor of not accounting for about 67 billion dollars! Since then his government has been responding in the manner of a headless chicken. They are busy insulting the woman instead of stating in facts and figures what they did with the money.

In fact, the SUNDAY PUNCH newspaper of 25/11/2012 pointedly said about 31 billion dollars were stolen since his government came to being on May 6, 2010. And there's more, but his government looks promising to hold the medal for the most corrupt in the world! And the beats go on!!

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#1Mar 11, 2015

Anonimi
Well-Known Member
Mikky jaga said: ↑
Then, wait till the courts pronounce their verdict before you continue selling your rumours.

I am sure you have court verdicts for your above FACEBOOK source post, not so
 
#2Mar 11, 2015

Uzuk
Well-Known Member
Mikky jaga said: ↑

9. 1993 - 1998: General Sani Abacha's tenure - five billion dollars and more stolen in his five years tenure

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Buhari was among the few key decision makers in the Abacha regime - inner circle member sort of.
In fact, many would prefer to call the regime Abacha-Buhari regime, because Abacha was sickly much of the time, Buhari was more like an overseer.

If Buhari is an anti -corruption czar, he could have shouted out or resigned over the looting going on then.

Abacha had to open a slush Petroleum Trust Fund for Buhari to provide infrastructure in Nigeria. Who would expect a President Obasanjo to truly probe the affairs of Buhari PTF many years after?

Since Abacha died intestate, Nigeria was able to trace some of his loots, but Buhari has contested about four presidential elections since then with payments to post-election tribunal lawyers.

.

Worse, many years after Abacha died, Buhari mounted the podium and told Nigerians that Abacha was not corrupt.
 
#3Mar 12, 2015

Mikky Jaga
Well-Known Member
uzuk said: ↑
Buhari was among the few key decision makers in the Abacha regime - inner circle member sort of.
In fact, many would prefer to call the regime Abacha-Buhari regime, because Abacha was sickly much of the time, Buhari was more like an overseer.
Any link to the above fallac