Nigeria May Break Up
The News (Lagos)
February 29, 2000
Lagos - Abdul Oroh, Executive Director of the Civil Liberties Organisation
was in Zamfara State recently. He spoke with Ademola Adegbamigbe on the
Sharia problem.
Q: You are a Moslem, married to a Christian and you are a human rights
activist. How do you see the Sharia problem?
A: I believe, like any other Muslim, that Sharia is a process designed to
regulate the whole life of a Moslem, from cradle to the grave. But Islam
also says that there is no compulsion in religion. So, that is why my wife
is a Catholic and I am a Moslem. I don't want to force her to do what she
doesn't want to do.
Secondly, I believe that in a multi-religious society, people should leave
room for tolerance. People must tolerate the diversity of such a society. It
would be wrong for me, therefore, as a Moslem to impose my religion or
values on you. This is why I have problem with implementing the Sharia 100
per cent, in a society that is multi-religious. In the past, Sharia was
operated in some parts of Nigeria to regulate the personal lives of
individuals. It is called Islamic personal law which deals with issues like
marriage and divorce, etc. I think it should be left at that level. The
other aspect that deals with criminal jurisprudence is already taken care of
by existing laws, like the penal code in the North and the criminal code in
the South.
So, I am 100 per cent opposed to the manipulation of religion for political
ends.
Q: You were in Zamfara State recently. What were your findings?
A: By the time we were there, nobody had been flogged, no heavy fine had
been imposed on anybody. The Sharia law had not actually taken effect when
we were there. But when we came back, we started receiving reports about
people being given 100 strokes of the cane for pre-marital sex or drinking
alcohol. I think the government can regulate the lives of people through
moral suasion, not by imposing strict religious doctrines on people.
Religious lives of people should be the responsibility of such individuals.
In other words, your relationship with your God should be your private
affair. It has nothing to do with the government.
Q: What was your impression of the governor when you met him?
A: We were convinced that he was a man who was clearly determined to
implement his Islamic code and believed seriously that it was the way to go.
When we asked, him why he wanted to proclaim Sharia. He said he had to do it
because that was what the public demanded. And when we raised the
constitutionality of it, the governor said the Sharia was superior to any
constitution (of course, he swore to an oath to defend the Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria). He tried to convince us that it would
never affect Christians. That there was the case of a Christian opting to go
to a Sharia court. That if any of such thing happen again, he would want the
man to talk to the Christian Association of Nigeria first.
But then, we discovered that the resources of the state have been applied to
Sharia. I saw a bus with an inscription "Zamfara State Council of
Preachers'' with loud speakers and all. They have a ministry of religious
affairs. He bought buses for women, about 20 taxis exclusively for women,
then about 100 motorcycles for men. He made it clear that if they like,
Christians can board public transport. He tried to convince us that Sharia
was for Moslems alone.
I asked him a fundamental question that if I, a Moslem, wanted to change my
religion, how would he deal with it as a governor of Zamfara? The Governor
said that in Zamfara State laws, there was no such provision to deal with an
"apostate." But there is a constitutional provision which says you can
change your religion. He said that he would expect the family of the
"apostate" to kill him.
Q: The Governor said that?
A: Yes, to kill him! I was alarmed by such a statement, because in Arab
countries, it happens. They call it "honour killing."
Q: Sharia was introduced in Zamfara without incident.
A: The reason for lack of incidents in Zamfara is simple. The state is about
98 per cent Muslim. There was an overwhelming support for it, because the
governor had also mobilised the people along to support Sharia. But Kaduna
is a different kettle of fish. It is a melting pot of religions and
different ethnic groups.
Q: The Sharia bill has been signed into law in Niger State...
A: Niger State is a multi-religious state. I expect that something terrible
may happen there.
Q: Despite the position of the 1999 Constitution on the Sharia, the Federal
Government seems to be impotent.
A: I think the Federal Government does not know what to do really. That is,
however, not the best way to address a very volatile issue like this. The
government ought to be able to find a solution to all these.
Q: What are the implications of what is happening?
A: It could lead to the break-up of Nigeria. It could lead to a protracted
period of civil war or eventually we may have an Algeria-like situation on
our hands.
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Copyright (c) 2000 The News. Distributed via Africa News Online
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