On Muammar Ghadaffi and Nigeria Ethno-Religious Violence

The recent comments by the Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi on Nigeria’s ethno-religious crisis seems to have sparked off a bitter diplomatic row between the two countries. Following the recent ethno-religious killings in Jos, Muammar Gadaffi was quoted to have said that Nigeria should be partitioned into two nations (Muslim-North and Christian-South) to prevent further bloodshed. According the Libyan press Gaddaffi said splitting Nigeria “would stop the bloodshed and burning of places of worship”. In Gaddafi’s opinion, the Jos violence is a religious crisis caused the “federal state, which was made and imposed by the British, in spite of people’s resistance to it”.


Considering Col. Gadaffi’s penchant for making outrageous and offensive statements, one will expect that such statement will be taken with a pinch of salt. This was the same person who once said the nation of Switzerland should be divided between Germany, Italy and France (!). There’s no gainsaying that Gaddafi has a reputation for eccentricity, bloody-mindedness..However, it seems our moronic leaders have seen this has a perfect opportunity to flex their muscles.

When attention was drawn to Gadaffi’s comments on the floor of the Senate, the Senate President, David Mark replied "Why do you want to give a mad man that level of publicity”. And yes, I quite agree with Senator Mark. The likes of Gadaffi are fond of spewing controversial and, sometimes inflammatory statements, just for the sake of gaining cheap popularity. And he’s not alone. The Robert Mugabe, Hugo Chavez, and Mohammed Ahmedinejad of this world, all fall in same category. These are leaders, who are stuck in their local political wilderness, and thus have lost international relevance.

What I cannot seem to understand however, is the rationale behind Nigeria’s foreign ministry decision to recall its Ambassador to Libya because of what it described as “irresponsible utterances of Col. Gadaffi”. I also find the decision to summon the Libyan Ambassador by the House of Reps quite laughable. How I wish the National Security Adviser or the Director-General of SSS was summoned with same urgency after the Jos killing. But alas, our (dis)Honourable members were busy debating a bill, seeking to immortalise dead members(!).

There are no doubt that Col Gadaffi’s statement smacks of utter ignorance. It’s quite clear from the statement, that Col. Gadaffi has no understanding of Nigeria’s religious and tribal complexities. When he said Nigeria should be divided into north and south, the question I’ll like to ask him is, where will the line be drawn? Or do we take River Niger/Benue has the north/south divide? As a foreigner, I don’t expect Col. Gadaffi to appreciate the difference between Nigeria’s geographic north/south, ethno-religious north/south.

But in all of these, I think its high-time we need to start telling ourselves some home truths. We need to start engaging in serious discussions that are devoid of religious and ethnic sentiments. Whether we like it or not, the fact remains that the entity called Nigeria, in its current form is not working. What’s the point in deceiving ourselves and pretending to be living in harmony? The nation’s ethnic and religious disunity cannot be over-emphasized! So if that’s the case, what exactly has Gadaffi said that is new? Has he told us anything we haven’t heard before? So what’s all fuss about?

Therefore, what’s the point of the current diplomatic stand-off with Col. Gadaffi, when there are urgent issues we need to deal with? Why do our leaders love chasing shadows? When the CIA issued a report few years ago that Nigeria will disintegrate by 2015, why didn’t we recall the Nigerian Ambassador to the US? Why didn’t the National Assembly summon the US Ambassador? For me, the US prediction if anything is far worse than Gadaffi’s comments. I wouldn’t at be surprised if we are told that a House of Reps delegation will embark on an “all expenses paid” trip to Libya for “high level diplomatic talks” with the Libyan govt.

As the Yorubas say, “a fi ete le a npa lapapa”. Barely over a week ago, more than 500 people were slaughtered in Jos, however the National Assembly did not see it a matter of urgency to summon the head of the nation’s security agencies. The only action taken so far by the govt was the sacking of the National Security Adviser, and only to be replaced by a recycled retired Army General. So what about D-G of SSS? What about Inspector-General of Police? What about the Army GOC, who is responsible for enforcing the imposed curfew? What about the state commissioner of police? What about the state “chief security officer, Gov. Jang?

You need not to study political history to understand the deep-rooted ethnic and religious prejudice in Nigeria. And instead of addressing these fundamental issues, our leaders either engage in diversionary tactics or play the proverbial ostrich. Truth be told, Col. Gadaffi is not our problem; neither will the recall of Nigeria diplomat provide the solution to our ethno-religious crisis. The question now is, how can we forestall another ethno-religious killing?

Our leaders need to start focussing their energy on acts of nation building. The national assembly and executive should stop playing to the gallery. It was the same way they issued the US govt a 2-week ultimatum, when Nigeria was included in the US list of terrorist nations. Enough of all these comedy!

And if they like, let them continue to hue and cry over Gadaffi’s statement, it will be Robert Mugabe next, who will be advising us on how to manage our economy.

Jos on my mind.......

The web has been inundated with comments in the last few days over the recent killings in Jos. The issue has been analysed from different viewpoints. Social commentators have even offered suggestions on the way forward.

Although opinion seems divided on the real cause of the Jos crisis, one fact remains, we have a big CHALLENGE going forward - be it religious or ethnic. It is also clear from all discussions that this ‘contraption’ (or call it whatever you like) is not working or has stopped working – at least in the last 25yrs or so.

I do not intend to regurgitate all that’s been said, however I will like to pose a few questions, based on my observations in the last few days.

1. In light of the recent genocide in Jos, does it still make sense for us to be calling for the resignation of President Umaru Yar’Adua? I’m sure some will be wondering what’s this guy talking about. For me the sickness of President Yar’Adua has somewhat become a secondary issue. The current threat to our national existence is more than President Umaru Yar’Adua’s sickness.



2. Also, why the deafening silence from religious leaders? It seems most of our religious leaders have decided to adopt a ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ strategy. If the Catholic Pope can call for restraint in ethnic/religious violence in Jos from far away Rome, then where is the Sultan of Sokoto? Where is the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)? Where is the Pentecostal Federation of Nigeria? Where is the Christian Association of Nigeria?



3. I also find the lackadaisical attitude of the civil society to Jos crisis appalling. When Farouk AbdulMuttalab was arrested in Detroit last December for trying to blow up a US airliner, we were all quick to shout “WE ARE NOT TERRORISTS!”. In fact a group on a social networking site, had about 250,000 members within three days of been created. So what about Jos? What are we doing about the innocent boys and girls been butchered in the middle of the night? So which is a greater act of terrorism between a boy trying to blow an airplane, and marauders slaughtering fellow human under the guise of religion? President Barack Obama must now be convinced that we are indeed NOT terrorist.



4. Which is more important, electoral reform or sovereign national conference? If nothing, the events of the last few days, as once again brought to fore, the deepening religious and ethnic intolerance in Nigeria. And unfortunately, the legacy of intolerance has been passed from one generation to the next. The last civil war has left indelible marks on our parents and created some much distrust among various ethnic communities. It is suffice to say that some children of my generation have been deliberately encouraged by their parents to be intolerant towards people of other ethnic groups.

There’s no doubt that the foundation is very faulty. We claim to be a federal state, but all our legislation and administrative elements run contrary. We have metamorphosed from a unitary nation (under Military) into pseudo- federalism. We claim to be secular, yet we are members of Organisation of Islamic Conference. We state government with theocratic administration within a democracy. We have no state religion, but every year billions of naira is wasted on sending people on holy pilgrimage.

Even if we able to implement the best electoral reform in the history of world democracy, I very much doubt if it will make any difference. I doubt if it will remove the threat to our national existence. I doubt if it will heal the wounds of ethnic marginalisation. I doubt if it will make us a more tolerant society.

This is in indeed a time for sober reflection. It also provides a renewed opportunity for us to redefine our terms of engagement. If my brothers in the north want to be chopping off the hands a pick pocket, whilst celebrating pen robbers, let them feel free to do so. If my brothers in the south want to legalise nude/strip clubs, so be it. However, none of these should be forced down the throat of anyone. We must sit down and discuss it in the open.

This entity called ‘Nigeria’ must be redefined!