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Friday Sermon: Alumongiri

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By Babatunde Jose

My late paternal grandmother used to refer to the beggars that pass in front of our house at Alagomeji as ‘Alumongiri’, a corruption of the word Almajiri, but at the same time an apt description of them because for all intents and purposes they were seen as beggars. These ones were even adults. But the real Almajiris are supposed to be children in search of education who today support their life of deprivation by begging for alms: Their most conspicuous possession being a begging bowl. But, this was not the intention of their progenitors. And it never used to be like this.

Almajiri’ is a Hausa word that refers to itinerant children in search of knowledge or Quranic education. There are however doubt about the correlation between this coinage and the Arabic word Muhajirun. See; The Almajiri Palaver in Northern Nigeria: How Islamic? Dr. Yakubu Tahir Maigari. Muhajirin refer to those knowledge seekers who move from one place to another in search of knowledge like the Quranic school teacher and his pupils, during the time of the Prophet.

Almajiri refers to ‘children’ sent from their homes and entrusted into the care of Islamic teachers (Mallams) to learn Islamic studies. Almajiri system started in the old Borno Empire by its rulers as a means of education of its people; seven hundred years later, the Sokoto Caliphate after its founding adopted the system with modifications such as the establishment of an inspectorate of Quranic literacy, with inspectors who reported directly to the emir of the province, concerning all matters relating to school.

The system however, started on the road to decline with the incursion of the British colonial rule in Northern Nigeria. The British abolished state funding arguing that, they were religious schools. With loss of support from the government, its immediate community and the helpless Emirs, the Almajiri system collapsed. ‘Karatun Boko’, western education was introduced and funded instead. The pupils now turned, Almajiri together with their Mallams, having no financial support resorted to begging and other menial jobs for survival. This is certainly the genesis of the predicament of the Almajiri system.

Today, Curriculum contents, teaching methods, teachers’ qualification, infrastructure and administration have been compromised, therefore the Quranic School has become  archaic and an anachronism. Consequently, the Almajiri has become a social problem than a useful member of society. Almajiris are vulnerable to being manipulated and used by political leaders and their benefactors who take advantage of their lack of formal education. They are considered as great security risks as many of them have breeding grounds for anti-social elements.

The system that was hitherto organized and well charted has now been bastardized and abused. Couple with this is also the government’s nonchalant attitude of  fending for the citizenry that result in millions of our youths daily roaming the streets looking for what to eat. And this is not only about Almajiri.

The National Council for the Welfare of Destitute (NCWD) puts the current population of the Almajiri at about 7 million; and it might be more. A whole generation of children being wasted: The system as it is presently being practiced has outlived its usefulness.

Suffice to say that in the past the system produced the first crop of literate people in the North, howbeit in Arabic language and they provided the first crop of clerks and civil servants for the budding traditional local administration. The schools were maintained by the state, communities, the parents, ‘Zakkah’, ‘Waqf’ and supplemented by the teachers and students through farming. “Bara” (begging) as it is known today, was completely unheard of; teachers and their pupils, provide the community with Islamic Education, reading and writing, in addition, to the development of Ajami i.e. writing and reading of Hausa language using Arabic alphabets.  Based on this system, the then Northern Nigeria was largely educated with a complete way of life, governance, customs, traditional craft and trade.

As it was rightly observed by Prof. Idris A. Abdulkadir, there seems to be a conspiracy of silence between the parents, authorities and the society at large.  For the parents, the system provides an outlet, and a drainage for the excess children at home, for the authorities, it is a relief that they do not have to budget for about 7 million Almajiri children’s education and welfare.  As for the elites, they care less as long as their own children are not involved.

This phenomenon represents a scar on the face and a sad commentary on the elite of Northern Nigeria. Islam enjoins man to work, to use his brain and hands in order to eke out a living for himself.  It is when all this fail, that, one could resort to begging.  For any person, who is hale and hearty, it is ‘Haram’ to resort to begging.

As for the North, yes, it is true one could blame the British almost (100%) for deliberately destroying the indigenous education system but we could not blame them for the collective negligence in allowing the system to continue unabated in its present form.

1. Most of the Almajiri in the metropolis and towns are denied basic needs.

2. The curriculum offered in the schools does not provide opportunity for literacy and it is not adequate. It does not prepare them for living in contemporary times.

3. Poor funding from government is a major challenge facing the Almajiri system of education.

4. Provision of infrastructural facilities by government is a problem facing the Almajiri system of education.

The bottom line however, is that in view of today’s reality; the system should be abolished while the education of our children should be considered a matter of utmost urgency and priority. No child should be left behind. Those rulers who pretend as if nothing is happening in their domain will soon hear ‘ween’! It shall be a day of weeping and gnashing of teeth. They will cry but shed no tears; and they will run but their legs will not move. It will be a day of woe!

It is important to end this narrative with the story of a boy, Alhassan.

Born in Bebeji, Kano Emirate in 1877, his father, Abdullahi died when he was eight. His mother, Amarya, then left for Accra, and left her children in the care of a slave named Tata. Tata sent young Alhassan to an Almajiri school in Bebeji, where he worked, and learned from a Tijaniyya Mallam. At age 17, Alhassan went to Accra to see his mother, and after a year or two, he returned to Bebeji.

From his foster mother, Tata, he learned thrift, and from his Mallam, he learned hard work. This knowledge, he put to work and by 1906, Alhassan was using steamships to move merchandise between Accra, Sekondi and Lagos. By the time Alhassan Dan Tata died, he was the wealthiest man in West Africa. He was the great-grandfather of Aliko Dangote, the richest man in Africa and he had been an Almajiri.

There is a nexus between Islamic and Western education, and it is our job to find it, and urgently. The wider issue that needs contemplating upon is that of out of school children:  A survey conducted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicates that the population of out of school children in Nigeria has risen from 10.5 million to 13.2 million, the highest in the world. … Most of the children are out of school while some have never been to school. It is an epidemic. The consequence is too chilling to contemplate.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

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Friday Sermon: Ramadan: Time for Religious and Divine Reflection 2

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By Babatunde Jose

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it.” – (Al-Bukhari)

We want others to put themselves in our shoes and view the world from our perspective. That is empathy – putting oneself in someone else’s shoes. We feel close to the person who is empathetic to us, find it easy to share our thoughts with them, go to him or her when we’re in trouble and seek solace. Each of us has a natural sense of empathy through which we connect to others. 

There are two aspects of empathy: cognitive and affective. Cognitive empathy is about understanding another person’s point of view, their emotions and needs at the intellectual level. Affective empathy is about actually feeling an emotion that another person is experiencing.

If only our leaders would empathise with the suffering multitude, they would do the needful and set the country on the path of sustained development. They should feel the hunger being experienced by the people, their sense of want, deprivation, and impoverishment.

But they would not. These are stone-hearted people who are bereft of the milk of human kindness. The Prophet attested to this when he said: “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his brother what he likes for himself.” (Al-Bukhari) A man without empathy will therefore be devoid of faith.

This hadith necessitates cognitive empathy. You must firstly imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes and think from their perspective to understand what you would do in their situation. If only the leaders would come up with solutions to the growing poverty in the land occasioned by their policies.

A believer who has achieved excellence of faith will feel this special love for others.

The Quran stresses that righteousness is not in precise observance of the rituals but in acts of compassion and kindness.  It says that the litmus test for true belief and genuine worship is that it leads to compassionate living:

It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards the East or West; but it is righteousness – to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and to practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing. (Quran 2:177)

This verse talks about a set of beliefs and then a set of good deeds, the intricate relationship between the two escapes many if not most. 

In his commentary, Yusuf Ali said: “As if to emphasize again a warning against deadening formalism, we are given a beautiful description of the righteous and God-fearing man. He should obey salutary regulations, but he should fix his gaze on the love of Allah and the love of his fellow- men. We are given four heads: (1) our faith should be true and sincere; (2) we must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellowmen; (3) we must be good citizens, supporting social organization: and (4) our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in all circumstances. They are interconnected, and yet can be viewed separately.

“Faith is not merely a matter of words. We must realize the presence and goodness of Allah. When we do so, the scales fall from our eyes: all the falsities and fleeting nature of the Present cease to enslave us, for we see the Last Day as if it were to-day. We also see Allah’s working in His world and in us: His Angels, His Messengers and His Message are no longer remote from us but come within our experience.

“Practical deeds of charity are of value when they proceed from love, and from no other motive. In this respect, also, our duties take various forms, which are shown in reasonable gradation: our kith and kin; orphans (including any persons who are without support or help): people who are in real need but who never ask (it is our duty to find them out, and they come before those who ask); the stranger, who is entitled to laws of hospitality; the people who ask and are entitled to ask, i.e., not merely lazy beggars, but those who seek our assistance in some form or another (it is our duty to respond to them); and the slaves (we must do all we can to give or buy their freedom). Slavery has many insidious forms, and all are included.”

Every Friday in the second part of the sermon, Muslims all over the world hear a verse, which stresses, justice, kindness, and natural mutual love as among the closest blood relatives:

Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you that ye may receive admonition. (Quran 16:91)

He makes His relationship or His Providence to the common man, conditional to common human compassion, by claiming that those, who wish to find Him, will succeed only if they are kind and compassionate to the common people:

Fasting cleanses your soul and makes you appreciate all your blessings. Fasting humbles you; it makes you feel compassion for the poor who experience that type of hunger ev­ery day. At the end of the day, however, we have a big dinner; the poor don’t have that luxury. That is why Muslims are required to give zakat on an annual basis. Many choose to do this during Ramadan. This money is either given personally or through a charity. The main thing is that it must be paid.

We are taught to not only fast from food and drink but to try to refrain from conflict, anger, and mean words. Our prophet (peace be upon him) says, “Saying a nice word is like giving to charity.” And he also said, “To smile in the face of your brother is like giving to charity.” We are to be kind and loving to each other. We are to be forgiving, not only in this month but in every month. But for some reason, this month brings out the best in everyone. 

During this holy month, we spend a lot of time reading our Quran: We also spend a lot of time praying, trying to help those who are less fortunate and performing good deeds, which in turn cleanses our hearts and souls. For one month, we truly do become less selfish, less self-centred and more focused on what really matters in the world.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, in sharing his wishes, for all observing the holy month of Ramadan, urged action on behalf of millions of forcibly displaced people worldwide. 

 “Through our reflection, we come to recognize that while words may reassure, it is only through action that we can truly see tangible change,” he said. “We continue to live in extremely complex times where violence is multiplied, conflicts are protracted, and tens of millions of people are forcibly uprooted or on the move. This has created unprecedented levels of human suffering and desperation.

“Millions of people like you and I are living in a constant state of conflict, insecurity, and persecution: Their loved ones torn from them under inexplicable circumstances. Think of civilians in Syria or Yemen. Think of the plight of the Rohingyas in Myanmar, Bangladesh, and the other countries to which they have fled”. 

And I urge you to also think of the castrated and emasculated people of Palestine: Between 7 October 2023 and 6 March 2024, at least 30,717 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 72,156 were injured, according to MoH in Gaza. A sad Ramadan for Gaza as Israel continues attacks. Amid Israel’s war, the people of Gaza don’t feel the joy of the holy month. Pray for them and remember them. “Then, surely with hardship comes ease:” “Surely, with hardship comes ease,”(Quran 94:5-6)

May Allah make it easy for us, Ameen.

Barka Juma’at and Ramadan Kareem

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Friday Sermon: Ramadan: Time for Religious and Divine Reflection 1

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By Babatunde Jose

Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Koran, as a guide to mankind, also Clear (Signs) for guidance and judgement (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.  (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:185)

The holy month of Ramadan is here again, and Muslims welcome the holy month with simple and minimal festivities as it does not stand as a celebration but as a time for religious and divine reflection. It is a time for spiritual stocktaking and moral revival. It is a time of rejuvenation of religious and moral piety and reaffirmation of faith.

During the month, the mosques are filled to capacity and the whole community assumes an atmosphere of religiosity: A time when even the confirmed sinners seek the benevolence of Allah; a time when evil and vile men seek atonement for their iniquities. Such is the month of Ramadan.

Perchance, our leaders will take advantage of the promise of forgiveness from Allah to turn a new leaf and do the needful in making our life better and seek the path of righteousness. There is much suffering in the land, widespread hunger, penury, impoverishment, deprivation, and in short, grinding poverty.

Yet, with the resources with which we have been endowed, there is enough for everyone to bask in the prosperity of our God-given provisions. But when a few conspire to deny the majority their rightful share of the commonwealth, they sentence the people into penury, want, misery and poverty. Ramadan is therefore, an opportunity for sober reflection and a chance for meaningful and positive change on the part of our leaders.

Abu Huraira narrated that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said: “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” [Bukhari] 

Fasting in Ramadan is therefore a shield from Hell; fasting subdues sinful desires and reduces their severity: It is these desires and lusts that lead to Hell Fire.

The Hadith of our beloved Prophet Mohammad (SAW), are clear in this regard; Abu Said al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (SAW), said: “No servant fasts on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the Hell Fire seventy years further away from his face.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Abu Said al-Khudri also relates that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the Fire” (Ahmad, Sahih)

`Uthman Ibn Abil-`Aas relates that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah, Allah places between him and the Fire a trench like that between heavens and the earth”. (At-Tirmidhi and at-Tabarani, sahih)

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (Sawm) to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran. In the Quran, the only month mentioned by name was Ramadan. Allah named it Shahr Ramadan, giving it special status in the annual life of the Muslim.

The month of Ramadan traditionally begins with a new moon sighting, marking the start of the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. … This is considered as the holiest season in the Islamic year and commemorates the time when the Quran is said to have been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is considered to be one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Adult Muslims fast from dusk until dawn, unless they are ill, pregnant, or diabetic, breastfeeding, or traveling.

Muslims fast as an act of worship, a chance to get closer to God and a way to become more compassionate to those in need.

O you who believe! Guard your own souls: If you follow the right guidance, no harm can come to you from those who stray. The goal of you all is to Allah. It is He who will show you the truth of all that you do.  (Quran 5:105)

A deep reflection on the institution of Fast reveals the various ways in which fasting helps in the mending of habits and development of character and God consciousness.

With the onset of Ramadan, it behooves each fasting person to open a page from the book of muhasabah (critical self-evaluation) and to reflect on what is being achieved through the month.

What benefits are derived, which behaviors are adjusted, what good practices are adopted, which bad habits are being relinquished? How does the prayers and fasting during Ramadan influence attitudes and perspectives; how is it improving relationships with families, friends and neighbors; how much has it increased consciousness of responsibility towards the destitute; how is it impacting on the body, the heart, the mind and the soul?

If there is a genuine effort towards the spiritualization of one’s being, the moralization of consciousness, empathy in attitude and goodness in conduct; then perchance a concerted effort is being made of treading on the pathway towards the objective of fasting – the attainment of taqwa (piety). Truly, the month of Ramadan is a season for spiritual stocktaking and moral evaluation.

In a world, increasingly amoral, perception is considered reality. How one appears to the world has overtaken the substance of who we really are. Taqwa is in reality character development coupled with God-consciousness. Character is not only the face in the mirror, but the real person behind the face.

The pursuance of piety begins by making our reputation a reflection of our character. Reputation may be reflected in your epitaph, what people write about you on your tombstone, but  character is what angels report about you to Allah; and that is the most important.

Ramadan is an ideal training period for filtering out bad habits and developing virtuous character. It is therefore a good time for our leaders to turn a new leaf, lest ‘we the people’ decide to chase them out like Oliver Cromwell did the ‘Long Parliament’ in 1653.

Cromwell’s speech aptly reflects the character of our leaders today: “It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

“Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you has not bartered your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth? Ye sordid prostitutes; have you not defiled this sacred place, and turned the Lord’s temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation”.

If only they would change in the spirit of Ramadan! Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Your practice of faith will not be correct unless your actions are correct, and your actions will not be considered correct unless your heart is correct.” 

Ramadan is therefore a period for spiritual rejuvenation and moral reconstruction as it offers the opportunity for a unique expression of worship.

From ethical and moral perspectives, we should contemplate the higher purpose and the deeper meaning of our lives, trying to live meaningfully, balancing our physicality with our spirituality.

While fasting, we are far more aware of the hunger of the poor and the suffering of the oppressed and are therefore instructed to be more generous this month. This promotes attentiveness to social responsibility, interest in the welfare of society and inspires a continued spirit of big-heartedness.

The Qur’an refers to the fasting ones as sa’ihin/spiritual wayfarers. So, the journey of Ramadan motivates each person to perpetuate the positive spirit being imbibed and to continue on the spiritual journey towards fulfilment and excellence.

It is easy to talk about the world’s problem of hunger. We can feel sorry that millions of people go to bed hungry each day. But not until one can actually feel it in one’s own body is the impact truly there.

Compassion based on empathy is much stronger and more consistent than compassion based on pity. This feeling must lead to action. Fasting is never an end in itself; that’s why it has so many different outcomes. But all the other outcomes are of no real moral value if compassion is not enlarged and extended through fasting.

It is therefore in the interest of our fasting leaders and those not fasting to shed the toga of iniquity, selfishness, self-aggrandizement and corruption and for once think of the poor masses who are not only defenseless but also hungry. It is only by doing this that the fast can have spiritual reward and meaning.

Today, ‘ebi n pawa oo’ has rented the national atmosphere. Our leaders should provide adequate palliative to stem this rising tide before it gets to a crisis level. Ramadan offers a good opportunity to do this.

As the prophet Isaiah said, “The kind of fasting I want is this: remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor” (Isaiah 58:3-7)

May Allah accept our fast, prayers and supplications, Ameen.

Barka Jumu’ah and best wishes for the month of Ramadan.

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Friday Sermon: Long Walk to Protests and Possible Revolution

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By Babatunde Jose

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There is no leader who closes the door to someone in need, in hardship, and in poverty, but that Allah closes the gates of heaven to him when he is in need, in hardship, and in poverty” – Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1332

Protest is an invaluable way to speak truth to power. Throughout history, protests have been the driving force behind some of the most powerful social movements, exposing injustice and abuse, demanding accountability, and inspiring people to keep hoping for a better future.

‘World Protests: A Study of Key Protest Issues in the 21st Century’, is the work of a team of researchers with German think tank Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the Initiative for Policy Dialogue, based at Columbia University.

Studying more than 900 protest movements across 101 countries, the authors concluded that we are living through a period of history “when large numbers of people rebelled against the way things were, demanding change.”

The authors highlight one particular problem: democratic failure. Their research found that a majority of the protest events they recorded were prompted by a perceived failure of democracy. Other themes included inequality, corruption, and the lack of action over climate change.

In reality, we are living in the age of protests. Why we seem to be insulated from this movement is understandable. The proverbial lethargy and resilience to suffering of our people accounts for this. But it is changing. People are increasingly getting restless and fed-up with the turn of events: Their impoverishment, deprivation, incessant hunger, food insecurity and exposure to kidnapping and violent encounters with devilment.

To many Nigerians, democracy seems to have yielded few benefits or dividends. Hence, the low turnouts are recent elections. Between 2015 and 2022, the democratically elected government of Buhari presided over worsening security, continuing corruption, and two recessions.

The ENDSARS movement showed the democratic dynamism of young Nigerians. And technology has helped demands for better government to transcend old ethnic, religious, and linguistic divides. Unfortunately, ENDSARS did not produce a political party, but it showed a hunger for more democracy, not less, among Nigerians and a solidarity among Nigeria’s enormous population of young people.

In most African countries the relationship between the states and citizens is fragile. Engaging in violent conflict by different segments of the state, as a means of registering discontent on bad governance, has become a perennial occurrence. Such socio-political conflicts in Nigeria are wrongly profiled or tagged ethnic conflict and have heightened trust-deficit among different ethnic groups that make up the Nigerian plural state. These conflicts have also exposed the states’ lack of capacity to deal with past and recurrent complex security and conflict matters in a plural society.

In addressing socio-political conflicts, the Nigerian state is found wanting. It is always prone to the use of force, even during the colonial days. An excursion into past experiences would suffice.

December 6, 1929, Aba Women’s Riot, Eastern Nigeria. The women protested against tax levies imposed by the colonial government. It was brutally repressed and led to the death of many of the women.

Abeokuta Women’s Revolt, 27 November 1947, Abeokuta Women’s Union led by Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.          The women protested against an unfair tax regime which led to the abdication of the then Alake of Egbaland, Oba Sir Ladapo Ademola II and the abolition of the tax regime by the colonial government.

The Enugu Colliery Massacre took place on 18 November 1949, when a British Superintendent of Police, F S Philip, commanding a number of British and Nigerian Police Officers ordered the shooting of unarmed coal miners of the Iva Valley Coal Mine who were on strike.

Immediately Nigeria got her independence in 1960, all the existing geopolitical regions witnessed political violence which arose from the contradictions left behind by the British imperialist government. The manifestation of these political problems in the Middle Belt region especially to the present-day Benue State was the Tiv riots of 1960 and 1964, which was the earliest sign of an impending turbulent political system witnessed in this part of the country. The Tiv riots were eventually quelled by the army.

Before Emeka Ojukwu declared the Republic of Biafra in May 1967, Isaac Adaka Boro had declared the Niger Delta Republic in February 1966. Aguiyi-Ironsi ordered Odumegwu-Ojukwu to hunt down Boro. Mbiama and environs was surrounded by federal troops. To save the people from the siege and attendant harassment by the federal forces, Boro and his comrades had to come out and surrender themselves. In 1967, General Gowon created Rivers State and Boro was released from prison and absorbed into the Nigerian Army. He died mysteriously the following year during the war.

April 17, 1978, Ali Must Go Riots. Universities nationwide were on the move over a 50 kobo increase in student feeding fees.

If there are enough protesters, the policies of those in power may become unworkable. When the UK government introduce the flat-rate Poll Tax in 1990, huge numbers of people protested and refused to pay the tax. It became clear that prosecuting everyone who refused would be impossible, chaos threatened, and the government abolished the tax.

The two main sources of grievance are political exclusion and inequality. This may be the result of marginalization, oppression, intimidation, or violence. Typically, revolutions take the form of organized movements aimed at effecting change, especially socio-economic change.

Here in this clime, let us not be deceived that a widespread protest cannot become a revolution. With all the catalogue of grievances brewing in the land, revolution is imminent and possible.

Take a cue from protests in other lands and realize that we are sitting on gun powder. Remember the Arab Spring?

On December 17, 2010, a young Tunisian who sold vegetables from a barrow set himself afire to protest against police harassment. Mohamed Bouazizi died on January 4, 2011, but not before his gesture went viral, sparking protests against the cost of living and the country’s authoritarian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Ben Ali’s 23-year-rule ended 10 days later when he fled to Saudi Arabia, becoming the first leader of an Arab nation to be pushed out by popular protests.

The protests inspired a wave of revolts across the Arab world as people rose up to protest against authoritarianism, corruption, and poverty. It became known as the ‘Arab Spring’.

On January 25, 2011, thousands of Egyptians marched in Cairo, Alexandria, and other cities, demanding the departure of President Hosni Mubarak, who had been in power for 30 years.

On February 11, as more than a million took to the streets, Mubarak resigned and handed control to the military.

The most violent protest in history was in 1947 – Partition riots, India, and Pakistan. The hardest hit region was the densely populated state of Punjab (today divided between India and Pakistan), death toll estimates between 500,000 and 2,000,000, the deadliest riots known to humankind.

Protesters may organize a protest as a way of publicly making their opinions heard in an attempt to influence public opinion or government policy, or they may undertake direct action in an attempt to enact desired changes themselves.

Political protest is on the rise in almost all countries.

In 2020 there were protests against responses to the COVID-19 pandemic – a series of protests around the world against various governments’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly lockdowns.

2020–2023 United States racial unrest ‘Black Lives Matter’– a series of protests against racial inequality and police brutality, sometimes in favor of abolishing or defunding the police. George Floyd protests. Breonna Taylor protests. Kenosha unrest.

2020 Malian protests, also called “Malian Spring”. And the End SARS protests to abolish the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Nigeria.

In 2021 we had the Tunisian protests, Senegalese protests, South African unrest and 2021-2023 Eswatini (Swaziland) protests.

All these are not far from home and the causes are not too far-fetched. There is no gainsaying the fact that we have had it coming. The various grouse we harbor did not start yesterday. Incidence of hunger, high food prices and worsening socio-economic conditions have been with us since the coming of civil rule. Power deficit, housing deficit, infrastructure deficit, food insecurity, health, and education decay; closure of universities for a whole session, and corruption scandals of unimaginable proportion. Sixteen years of the PDP locust and the last 8 years of APC impoverishment and pauperization. And the past 8 months of socio-economic perambulation.

In its editorial of last Monday, titled: ‘The Ominous Pall of Nationwide Industrial Unrest’, Premium Times pointed out that, “The majority of citizens can no longer feed themselves.”

It continued: “Ironically, no regime of palliatives, whether at the federal or sub-national levels, can pull Nigerians out of the seeming cul-de-sac the economic policies…have hauled them into. Everything is wrong with their execution. It appears that corruption and profiteering – two market leviathans have come into the mix. They need to be dealt with.

“The government has to discover where it got it wrong, fix things and arrest the seething cauldron the country has become. No Nigerian wants to live on tokenisms with their ephemerality. Consequently, the economy must be made to work for all!”

According to Bismark Rewane of Financial Derivatives, the economic regression of the country is well documented, and this has been going down the hill for over 30 to 40 years and nothing done to reverse the trend, but lip service. Indeed, it has been a ‘long walk to protests and possible revolution’.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever is appointed over the affairs of people in any way, and he conceals benefit from them, Allah will conceal benefit from him on the Day of Resurrection.”

Source: Musnad Ahmad

 Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend.

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