“Man is history after his demise. Therefore, endeavour to be a pleasant history for others to read after you might have left the stage”. 

Arab poet

PREAMBLE

Man is both a product and a producer of history. He lives by history and leaves history behind as his legacy at the time of his departure from this ephemeral world. This confirms the fact that man and history are like Siamese twins. The one cannot do without the other. History makes man just as man makes history. The synergy between the two makes them look like a pair of scissors in which one blade cannot effectively function without the other.

This is a period in Nigeria when recalling history is a necessity. How did Nigeria come into being as a country and as a name? Is this name fitting and appropriate for the country that bears it? Can the name be changed and can changing it make any reasonable difference? These are some of the questions that ‘The Message’ seeks to answer today.

Accident of history

On January 8, 1897, an article appeared in Financial Times which suggested a name for the vast land around river Niger which had then been colonized by the Royal Niger Company on behalf of the British Empire. The suggested name was Nigeria and the author of the article was one Miss Flora Shaw, a 45-year-old journalist. She was then the colonial editor of Financial Times as well as the writer of a weekly column named ‘The Colony’ in that newspaper.

In coining the name Nigeria, Flora Shaw logically took many facts into consideration. One: the area in question had no specific name by which it could be called other than a protectorate of the ‘Royal Niger Company’. Two: She considered an earlier suggested name ‘Central Sudan’ as an aberration since that name already belonged to an area around the Nile River occupied by a population of Black Africans now called Sudan. She equally considered the name ‘Slave Coast’ which the colonialists had attempted to give to this area as derogatory and finally settled for ‘Nigeria’, which she coined from ‘Niger Area’.

Flora Shaw’s profile

Born at 2, Dundas Terrace, Woolwich, England on December 19, 1852, Miss Louisa Shaw (fourth of her parent’s fourteen children) was a novelist and frontline, versatile female journalist who gained fame through her pungent analyses of African colonial economy. She was later to become ‘The Honourable Dame Flora Lugard, the wife of Frederick John Deatry Lugard of Abinger who colonised Nigeria and amalgamated its southern and northern parts in 1914.

Flora was six years older than Frederick who was born in India on January 22, 1858. The two historic personalities married in 1902 and lived together without children for the rest of their lives.

Historical facts

Four historical facts are manifest here. First: the name Nigeria had come into existence far away from England and long before the country that now bears that name became a country.

Second: the name was coined five years before Flora Shaw married Frederick Lugard. Therefore, contrary to the general erroneous belief that it was Mrs. Lugard who named our country Nigeria, Flora was Miss Shaw and not Mrs. Lugard when she coined the name.

Third: it can be said that Nigeria came into existence through the efforts of a bachelor and a spinster who later became a couple.

Fourth: by sheer coincidence, Nigeria’s second First Lady, Flora Azikiwe, the wife of Nigeria’s first President, shared the same first name with the wife of Lugard: FLORA.

Lord Fredrick Lugard’s profile

Baron Frederick Lugard was a military adventurer and an ardent administrator who played a major part in Britain’s colonial history between 1888 and 1945, serving in East Africa, West Africa, and Hong Kong. His name is particularly associated with Nigeria, where he served as High Commissioner (1900-06) as well as Governor and Governor-General (1912-19). He was knighted in 1901 and raised to the peerage in 1928.

As at the time of Lugard’s incursion, most of the vast region of over 300,000 square miles (800,000 square km) was still unoccupied and even unexplored by Europeans. In the southern areas were mostly animists and in the northern areas was predominantly a Muslim population with big towns and large walled cities.

Lugard’s intention

Lugard’s intention was to merge these two areas and people of diverse cultures and spiritual inclinations together and manage them as a single people in a single nation. Within three years of his expedition, he had established a British control over the large territory by diplomacy or by swift use of his meager force.

Although in hastening to take the major states of Kano and Sokoto, he engaged the hands of his more cautious home government, only two serious local revolts marred the widespread acceptance and cooperation that he later enjoyed. His policy was to support the existing native states and chiefdoms with their laws and their courts but at the same time forbid slave raiding and severe punishments for minor offences as well as to exercise control of central authority using the native rulers as agents. Thus, to achieve his objective, he merged the Southern part of what later became known as Nigeria with the Northern part with a tacit approval for the Christian religionists to mobilise their evangelical machinery – the Christianisation of the animist Southern part of the new colony.

Historic marriage

After Lugard’s historic marriage to Flora Shaw in 1902 and the latter could not stand the Nigerian climate, Lugard felt obliged to leave Africa and accept a junior position of the governorship of Hong Kong which he held from 1907 to 1912. That was like stepping down as president to accept the post of a governor which no African Head of State has ever tried even if to display statesmanship.

And on arrival in Asia, this daring British adventurer from continued his surprising degree of success to such extent that most historians of his time became nonplused. He founded the University of Hong Kong and ensured its standardisation as well as its sustainability. Today, that University is one of the best in the Commonwealth of Nations.

A Centenary hoax

Ever since the exit of the British colonialists in 1960, Nigeria has remained a country without focus, despite the enormous resources at her disposal. In less than half a decade after independence, the crude hands of African inexperience had begun to show conspicuously in governance as ethnic and religious flavours started to reflect vividly in a republican ethos. Then, an insuperable mountain of corruption crept in with overwhelming tenacity on the citizenry and turned all hopes into a forlorn even till today.

Now, after 100 years of the indigestible absurdity called merger, why does Nigeria continue to wallow hopelessly in a paroxysm of despair as the last 17 years of the so-called fourth republic has shown an unprecedented history of relentless corruption with unbridled impunity?

As if in a nightmare, we suddenly found ourselves in a situation where figure 16 politically became higher than figure 19 and open theft was officially defined and treated as being outside the framework corruption. Billions of dollars were growing wings and flying away from our national and state treasuries through the artful pens of our so-called leaders. Thus, our foreign reserves were daily being depleted even as Legislators, Judges, Ministers and other governmental cronies began to compete with one another in living like princes and princesses under a clueless ‘Emperor’.

A Democratic tenure

Four years is a long period in a democratic tenure of a nation. It is long enough to lay a solid foundation for a nation. It is long enough to build a formidable edifice that can be inherited from generation to generation. If 17 years of a democratic dispensation cannot do any of these in Nigeria of today how can one be sure that a whole century will do? If a journey of one year cannot take a traveller off the spot of embarkation who says 10 years may be able to take him to his destination?

As an OPEC country, we have abundant oil wealth but we must import refined fuel for domestic consumption from individual Nigerian refineries built outside Nigeria from which we are compelled to import and theft is not considered as part of corruption. We have a massive army of unemployed youths and we cannot provide electricity to enable them be self-employed. Yet, we are insisting that we must continue like this even as billions of dollars are being stolen daily. Where are we going from here?

Government’s failure

Perhaps no one in the recent past has analyzed the problem of Nigeria more succinctly than Mrs. Hillary Clinton. When she visited Nigeria in 2010  as America’s Secretary of State, she took time to speak directly with ordinary Nigerians in a ‘Town Hall’ forum. At that forum she said among other things that: “….Nigeria, Africa’s biggest energy producer and second-largest economy, “faces a threat from increasing radicalisation that needs to be addressed. And describing corruption in Nigeria as unbelievable, she reiterated that the government’s failure to deliver basic services helped to foster extremism in young people…adding that: “The failure of the Nigerian leadership over many years to respond to the legitimate needs of their own young people, to have a government that promoted a meritocracy, that really understood that democracy can’t just be given lip service, it has to be delivering services to the people. She lamented poor governance and deteriorating living conditions which she said made Nigeria’s disaffected young people ripe targets for militants looking for recruits to attack the West.

Substantiating her assertion, Mrs. Clinton said, when she met with a group of Nigerians in the capital city of Abuja, “people were … standing and shouting about what it was like to live in a country where the elite was so dominant, where corruption was so rampant and criminality was so pervasive”. And “that”, according to her, “is an opening for extremism that offers an alternative world view”.

Poverty knows no tribe, religion, gender or age. It cuts across all strata of human life with no exception. That was the belief that spurred one time Chinese leader, Mao Zedong, in the 1960s, to transform China into a formidable nation of today. Any country that cannot feed her people will have no moral right to urge such people to think of a solution to any problem. A hungry person is an unreasonable person.

Obama’s advice

In his own direct presidential address to Nigerian populace on Tuesday, March 24, 2015, the American President Barrack Obama said of tomorrow’s elections and the subsequent ones as follows: “Hello.  Today, I want to speak directly to you – the people of Nigeria.

Nigeria is a great nation and you can be proud of the progress you’ve made.  Together, you won your independence, emerged from military rule, and strengthened democratic institutions.  You’ve strived to overcome division and to turn Nigeria’s diversity into a source of strength.  You’ve worked hard to improve the lives of your families and to build the largest economy in Africa.

“Now you have a historic opportunity to help write the next chapter of Nigeria’s chapter of history by voting for progress or further retrogress in the upcoming elections.  For elections to be credible, they must be free, fair and peaceful.  All Nigerians must be able to cast their votes without intimidation or fear.

“So I call on all leaders and candidates to make it clear to their supporters that violence has no place in democratic elections and that they will not incite, support or engage in any kind of violence-before, during, or after the votes are counted.

Against violence

“I call on all Nigerians to peacefully express your views and to reject the voices of those who call for violence.  And when elections are free and fair, it is the responsibility of all citizens to help keep the peace, no matter who wins. Successful elections and democratic progress will help Nigeria meet the urgent challenges you face today.  Boko Haram – a brutal terrorist group that kills innocent men, women and children-must be stopped.

“Hundreds of kidnapped children deserve to be returned to their families. Nigerians who have been forced to flee (their habitats) deserve to return to their homes.  Boko Haram wants to destroy Nigeria and all that you have worked to build.  By casting your ballot (correctly), you can help secure your nation’s progress.

“I’m told that there is a saying in your country: ‘to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done’. Today, I urge all Nigerians – from all religions, all ethnic groups, and all regions – to come together and keep Nigeria one.  And in this task of advancing the security, prosperity, and human rights of all Nigerians, you will continue to have a friend and partner in the United States of America”.

The columnist’s comment

Ordinarily, such a cross-Atlantic presidential speech would have been unnecessary if we had learnt from the examples of great African leaders such as Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Sam Njoma of Namibia, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Ahmadu Ahidjo of Cameroon. With the political change guards in 2015, most people assumed that the woes of Nigerians were over. It was hardly remembered that it is not enough to plant a crop to be qualified as a farmer. The real farmer is the one who imbibes the patience with which to wait and harvest the crop at the right time of fruition. The time of harvesting is almost here. With or without the presidential sermon of an American Obama, the reality on ground requires only a little more patience to end Nigeria’s woes of hunger. It took a long time of greed and avarice to build up the wall of hunger. It must take a reasonable time of patience to demolish it. Whatever name we now give Nigeria, positive or negative, we should not relent in saying: God save Nigeria! And we shall eventually surmount the problem of the moment.

The post Redefining Nigeria’s identity appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

“The truth has come and falsehood has vamoosed; surely, falsehood is meant to vamoose (in the presence of the truth)”.  Q. 17: 81  

Here is a season in which recalling certain aspects of Nigerian history if only to put the records straight. History is a living phenomenon that is common to all people around it in time and in space. Whether or not it is interpreted and relayed positively or negatively, the fact remains that history is not anybody’s personal property and cannot be anybody’s monopoly.

This article contains one of the most memorable aspects of Nigerian history which have consistently left a sour taste in the mouths of some of its actors. But despite the sour taste it can never get stale.

Death of an icon

One of the foremost political icons in Nigeria’s first republic and a patriarch of the political party called Northern People’s Congress (NPC), was Alhaji (Sir) Ahmadu Bello, the first and only Premier of Northern Nigeria. He became Premier of Northern Nigeria in 1954 through a popular election and was killed as Premier in January 1966 in a tribal/religious military coup plotted mainly by soldiers of Igbo extraction and led by one Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. The plotters had killed this icon in cold blood before looking for reasons to justify their heinous crime. The three reasons they later gave were corruption, tribalism and religious bigotry. It was a matter of calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

The Premiers’ flanks

Among the four Premiers in Nigeria at that time, only Ahmadu Bello could not in any way be evidently linked to corruption. Unlike others who lived opulently, Ahmadu Bello was an ascetic personality who served his people patriotically without any blemish. He left only a small residential bungalow in his home town of Sokoto at the time of his death. Who else left such a flank? Sir Ahmadu Bello could also not be singularly accused of tribalism because tribalism was the basis of all the existing political parties of the time. No Premier from 1954 to 1966 could be exonerated from tribalism directly or indirectly. They were all guilty of it.

It can be recalled that certain tribal groups such as Ibiobio State Union (IBU), Ibo Federal Union (IFU) Egbe Omo Oduduwa (EOO) and ‘Jam’iyyar Al-Ummar Nigeriya ta Arewa’ translated as Northern Elements Progressive Association (NEPA) which later transformed into Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) were all socio-cultural organizations that metamorphosed into political parties. All those parties preceded ‘Jam’iyyar Mutane Arewa’ meaning Northern People’s Congress (NPC) to which Ahmadu Bello belonged. Many other ethnic-based political parties later emerged to broaden tribalism in Nigerian politics. If anything, Ahmadu Bello was the least tribally inclined Premier of his time. Why did his killers link him alone to tribalism?

His 1959 Christmas message

Of the four Premiers in Nigeria’s first republic, only Ahmadu Bello was bold and sincere enough to allay the fear of the minority groups in Northern Nigeria by making a public policy statement about his government’s stand concerning tribalism and religious bigotry. Here is an excerpt of what he said while sending a Christmas message to northern Christians in 1959:

“…We are people of many different races, tribes and religions, who are knit together by common history, common interests and common ideals. Our diversity may be great but the things that unite us are stronger than the things that divide us. On an occasion like this, I always remind people about our firmly rooted policy on religious tolerance. Families of all creeds and colour can rely on these assurances. We have no intention of favouring one religion at the expense of another. Subject to overriding need to preserve law and order, it is our determination that everyone should have absolute liberty to practice his belief. It is befitting on this momentous day, on behalf of my ministers and myself, to send a special word of gratitude to all Christian missions”.

“Let me conclude this with a personal message. I extend my greetings to all our people who are Christians on this great feast day. Let us forget the difference in our religion and remember the common brotherhood before God, by dedicating ourselves afresh to the great tasks which lie before us….”

The fabricated version

Years after Ahmadu Bello’s unjustifiable assassination, some evil elements in the media, in active conspiracy with certain political demagogues went to fabricate another statement and credited it to the late Premier as a justification for killing him. The concocted statement was culled from an unknown newspaper called ‘The Parrot’. Here is the fabricated statement:

“The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather Othman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities in the north as willing tools and the south as a conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us and never allow them to have control over their future.” The statement was said to have been made on October 12, 1960. The question is this: how can a Christmas message in Nigeria be sent in October? But liars never think of the implications of their lies.

Truth and falsehood

Now, looking at both statements very carefully, any sensible person should be able to see clearly, a distinction between truth and falsehood. The Premier’s Christmas message quoted above was made on Thursday, December 24, 1959 through a radio broadcast and it was published by all newspapers in the country including the vociferous ‘West African Pilot’ owned by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the boisterous ‘Tribune’ owned by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the clamorous ‘Daily Times’ jointly owned privately by certain prominent individuals at that time. It was equally published by many other smaller newspapers in Nigeria. All those newspapers are identifiable in Nigeria’s media history even though most of them are now defunct. On the other hand, the place and occasion of the fabricated statement credited to Ahmadu Bello was not indicated and cannot be traced in Nigeria’s newspaper history.

Evidence of fabrication

The first time any genuinely existing newspaper ever made reference to that fabricated statement was on November 13, 2002 (42 years after it was purportedly made. And ‘The Tribune’ newspaper that published it only claimed to have culled it from an online column published on October 24 2002 by a purported Yoruba Journalist (name withheld) who entitled it ‘the northern Agenda’. It can therefore be deduced that the statement was actually fabricated not in the 1960s but in October 2002, by the so-called columnist who credited it to a newspaper that never existed. The objective was to give it an undeserving credibility. What a country! What a people! What a shame! This is a typical case of an obvious mischief by heartless mischief makers just to fetch ephemeral fame and illegal income.

The belief was that once such a fabricated article appears on the internet and is ignorantly quoted by some inconsequential writers, it would automatically become a document of facts. That is Nigeria for you.

The Coup episode

January 15, 1966 was a Saturday like no other one in the history of Nigeria. It was on that day that the bitter seed which germinated and grew into the thorny tree that now feeds Nigerians with unpalatable political fruits was planted. The evil planting marked the beginning of an agonizing voyage of destiny on which Nigerians embarked without a compass. Coming up in the sacred month of Ramadan, the day actually came to confirm the axiomatic thought of an Arab poet who once asserted in a couplet that: “Nights are heavily pregnant; they give birth to wonders in the days….”

The preceding Friday

The preceding Friday (January 14, 1966) had been quite eventful for the then Premier of Northern Nigeria, Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello who was extraordinarily busy from morning to night. He had planned to travel to Sokoto with the then Ghana High Commissioner, Mr. Yakubu Tally, who had come to spend the weekend with him in appreciation of his role in ensuring the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) through the merger of the Monrovia and Casablanca groups that had been mutually antagonistic on certain ideological grounds.

On that Friday, Sir Ahmadu Bello, as usual, observed the Jum’at Prayer in company of a retinue of his Ministers and government officials. He hosted the Premier of Western Nigeria, Chief Samuael Ladoke Akintola, (his political ally) in the newly formed Nigerian National Alliance (NNA). The latter had come to alert his colleague of a premonition hovering over Nigeria through an impending bloody coup d’etat that could clear the existing political stable wheat and chaff. His alert was not however strange to Sir Ahmadu Bello who had earlier got the same security hint.

The duo jointly reviewed the then volatile political situation in the country but failed to reach a conclusion on how to forestall the impending calamity.

Akintola’s effort

Chief S. L. Akintola, pleaded with his host to persuade the then Prime Minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to act promptly to curb the impending disaster that was swinging restlessly like a pendulum over Nigeria before it could devour them all. But Sir Ahmadu Bello was reluctant. He believed that only the will of Allah could prevail in any given circumstance. His fear was that in the sacred month of Ramadan, it would be better to be martyred than to be an assassin. To him, any attempt to foil such a virtually mature coup would be so bloody that even the country would have nothing left to bleed with. By that belief, hardly did Sir Ahmadu Bello realise the implications of paving the way for a ruinous destiny to take its course.

The whole scenario was like a valedictory drama of fate in which the actors were blind to the denouement which the viewers had vividly perceived. And when it was time for the two Premiers to part, it became apparent that they were meeting perhaps for the last time alive. In a sober but sorrowful tone, the host bided his guest “bye for now,” and the guest, whose feet were already on the staircase of his aircraft on his way back to Ibadan replied: “if we ever get to see again”.

Thus, both spoke in coded language in the presence of their entourages who could not decode their language. By the time when cities started to return to life, in the wee hours of the following morning, the die had been cast as the picture had become clear that the night had tragically discharged the contents of its cargo to the amazement of the entire world. A bloody coup in Nigeria had swept the country’s democracy away with the rulers as casualties. It confirmed the maxim of the above quoted poem and the rest has since become history.

The major casualties

The heartless rascals in Nigerian military who struck in the January 1966 coup to terminate a democratically elected government must have foreclosed the consequences of their criminal action. They killed virtually all the major key players in the then Nigerian politics except those of Igbo extraction and of course, some non-Igbo people who were then in prisons. The Prime Minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the Minister of Finance, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh were killed in Lagos. The Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, was killed with his wife and some other people in Kaduna, the then Headquarters of Northern Nigeria. The Premier of Western Nigeria, Chief Samuel Akintola was killed in Ibadan, the then Headquarters of the South Western Nigeria while some military top brass of non-Igbo extraction were killed in different military barracks across the country.

Except for Lt. Col. Arthur Unegbe who was killed for being too close to Maimalari and could not be trusted, no other Igbo man of note, politician or military, was killed in that coup. As a matter of fact, if there was any feeling of the coup in the Eastern Nigeria at all, it was that of victory and heroism. The top military officers who were killed in the senseless coup included: Brig. S. A. Ademulegun (South West); Brig. Zakari Maimalari (North East); Col. Kur Mohammed (North West); Lt. Col. J. Y. Pam (North Central); Col. S. A. Shodeinde (South West); Lt. Col. Largema (North Central); Lt. Col. A. G. Unegbe (South East); S/Lt. James Odu (Mid West) and a host of others.

The false allegations

After the dust had settled, it became evident that virtually all the planners of that coup as well as its executors were of Igbo extraction. Thus, the other ethnic groups who were severely affected saw the coup as a tribal one. But much more than that, the Muslims in the country saw it as a religious coup that could not be sensibly justified or defended, the killing of Chiefs Akintola and Okotie-Eboh notwithstanding. This was because the then Governor of Eastern Nigeria, Sir Francis Akanu Ibiam was as deeply involved in religious matters as Sir Ahmadu Bello. The one was a Vice-President of the World Council of Churches. The other was the Vice-President of the Muslim World League. If religion was therefore the reason for the coup, the two of them ought to have been killed for bigotry. But history entails a variety of interpretations especially in a society where conscience hardly plays a role.

Coup planners and executors

That overwhelming majority of the planners of that coup as well as its executors were of Igbo extraction could not have been a mere coincidence. It is particularly notable that the chief beneficiary of the coup (Major-General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi) was also of Igbo extraction. Almost all the military appointments after the coup were for men of Igbo extraction and none of these, except Hassan Katsina and Muhammadu Shuwa was a Muslim. How else could a coup be tribal and religious in? After all, as far back as 1953, a frontline Igbo politician had set such agenda for his tribe’s men when he quoted as saying that “Ibos’ domination of Nigeria is a matter of time”.

Nigeria’s founding fathers

Despite all said above, the great fathers of Nigeria’s independence left a legacy that can be called a footprint on the sands of time. By whatever standard they are measured today, the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello; Nigeria’s first and only Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; the first Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo,  Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as well as Mallam Aminu Kano, Chief SL Akintola and Chief Denis Osadebey were all exemplary in their styles of life given the circumstances of their governance, their personal weaknesses notwithstanding.

No matter what those weaknesses might be, their legacy was a fortune which amazingly turned into misfortune in the hands of their successors. Thus, the great hope which those fathers had embedded into our destiny as a people became colonized and turned into personal property by their political heirs. Were those great fathers to wake up from their graves today and see what has become of their sweat, they would just shake their heads in sorrow and return quietly into their graves without comments. Yet, the situation remains unchanged today as tribalism and religion take the front burner of Nigerian politics. Where can we go from here?

The post Ahmadu Bello’s Christmas message appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

‘And those are the days of life; we interchange them (like batons) among people….’                 Qur’an                    

PREAMBLE

All eyes, across the world, are on the 20th day of January 2017.  That is the day that the new America’s President elect, Donald Trump, will be formally ushered into the White House in Washington with a swearing in ceremony. Waiting for the event is a confirmation of America’s leadership of the contemporary world.

There is no doubt that this event will be historically electric positively or negatively. A similar wait had taken place in February 1933 when Adolf Hitler was sworn in as the Chancellor of his country. The speech he delivered on that day eventually altered the destiny of Germany and reshaped the geography of the world. Will Trump be like Hitler? Time will tell.

History as a teacher   

History is a well known phenomenal teacher. It teaches the old and the young alike. Its students are always drawn from far and near. It examines those students from time to time and gives them examination results periodically. Its lessons are generational and cut across races and cultures. Yet, it has no peculiar language. But then, it faces a fundamental problem. That problem is not in repetition that has become the culture of history but in getting mankind to understand its repeated teachings and heeding its warning.

In virtually all celestial religions, history plays such a prominent role that gives it the permanent identity of a teacher. And from its beneficial teachings, human beings build ladders of experiences with which they mount the pyramid of life.

The Bible and the Qur’an

In both the Bible and the Qur’an, we are told of arch-enemies of God’s message who dramatically turned round to become voluntary Ambassadors of the same message to which they had been antagonistic. One of such enemies was Saul, an avowed anti-Christ who dramatically accepted the message of Jesus after the latter’s departure and adopted Paul for a name.

Another was Umar Bn Khattab who had plotted the murder of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) but dramatically accepted Islam on the day he was to carry out his plot. He eventually rose to become the second Caliph of Islam and spread the dine religion across nations and continents.

Jesus had wished that Saul, a well educated person, accepted his message but that wish did not materialize until after he had left the stage. If Saul had not accepted Christianity when he did, perhaps the situation of that religion would have been different today.

In the case of Umar Bn Khattab, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had prayed to Allah to enable one of the two famous persons bearing Umar in Makkah at that time accept Islam. Although his mind was on the other Umar, it however turned out that Umar Bn Khattab was the one favoured by Allah. And Umar Bn Khattab’s acceptance of Islam became so remarkable that the Prophet was reported to have once said of him as follows: “Were there to be another Prophet after me, he would have been Umar”.

Irony of life

Incidentally, another thorny bud seems to have grown, this time, under the armpit of an unexpected American bitter tree. That proverbial human tree is an avowed racist and morbid hater of Islam that has just emerged as President elect. His physical appearance anywhere is a vivid reminder of the fact that one man called Adolf Hitler once lived in the continent called Europe. And for the first time ever, majority of Americans, through a conducted poll, have openly expressed fear and uncertainty in the leadership of their newly voted President even before his swearing into office. But it may be too early now to rule out the possibility of fruitful hope. After all, no one expected the turn of event with Paul after Jesus and with Umar in the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Whatever happens in that so-called ‘God’s own Country’ however, as from the 20th of this month, is like an incubated egg waiting to be hatched. What kind of chicken will come out of it is a matter of guess.

Future shock

The narration above may be an indicator of a future shock for which the world must be prepared. Why was it that after the conversion of Saul, the Greek Empire and subsequently the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as an official religion? Why was it that after Umar Bn Khattab embraced Islam, the whole of Arabia formally accepted that Divine Faith as their state religion? And by analogy, shouldn’t America be getting ready for a similar eventuality? The coded bile of history is ordinarily bitter but when it becomes a part of the body system, survival without it becomes impossible. It sounded odd when speculations began that Rome could adopt Christianity as state religion. It sounded unbelievable that Arabia could adopt Islam as official religion. But reality eventually prevailed and today, the rest remains a property of history.

In the same vein, far from prophesying, I foresee a day when America will become the home base of Islam to give the genuine Divine religion an impeccable reality of life. As it happened in Rome and Arabia of the past, the doubting ‘Thomases’ may commence their repugnant arguments from here. But the roots of tomorrow gargantuan tree of peace are being firmly planted in today’s fertile soil.

Terry Holdbrooks Jr.’s conversion

Terry Holbrooks is an American native of Huntsville in Alabama. He grew up a troubled kid with junkie parents that dumped him at age 7 on his ex-hippy grandparents to be raised. By 18, he’d completed both high school and trade school which is suggestive of brilliance on his part. But along the line, he indulged in drugs, illegal sex and tattoos which covered his arms from shoulder to wrist. His earlobes were stretched to a plug that a thumb could pass through.

Thus, when he walked into an Army recruiter’s office in Arizona a year after 9/11 saying he wanted to join the Army, to be able to kill people and get paid for it, the recruiter looked up briefly and turned back to his computer saying “No, thank you”.

Finally

It was only during his fourth visit to the recruitment office that he was allowed to take part in the military’s aptitude test when the recruiter realized the potential in him. Then, Holdbrooks signed up for the military police because it offered a bonus. And when his unit was transferred to Guantanamo, the sergeant detoured through New York to take them to Ground Zero where he told them to “remember what Muslims did to us and who you are supposed to protect”.

Thus, the 29 year old Terry Holdbrooks Jr., enrolled in American Army in 2003/2004 and was posted to Guantanamo Bay as a military Police officer in a detention camp earmarked for people pronounced as criminals. Part of his duties was not just to prevent those detainees from escaping but also to escort them to interrogation rooms and then return them to their cells. He knew the kind of stresses and tortures those detainees were undergoing in repeated questionings.

How Islam beckons

All along, his perception and understanding of Islam was not dissimilar from those of his military colleagues in Iraq, Afghanistan or even Guantanamo Bay. However, the thought of accepting Islam as a rightfully guiding religion crossed his mind after several months of conversation with the Muslim detainees in that camp.

Before he became a Muslim, Holdbrooks was wearing the beard of a bald Amish guy, the tattoos of a punk kid and the twitchy alertness of a military policeman. Take him to a restaurant, and he’ll choose the chair with its back against the wall. Take his photograph and he’ll prefer to look away from the camera. That was Holdbrooks before 2013 when he embraced Islam.

Horse’s mouth

To hear from the horse’s mouth here is what he said about the book he wrote on his experience: “I tell this story and I wrote the book so idiot-simple that anyone could read and understand that the existence of Guantanamo is something to be ashamed of. I just want to share information with people in depth and then let them make up their minds.”

Constructive rumination

At Guantanamo, Holdbrooks mulled over the information which the Army instructors had taught him along with others about Islam after watching the so-called terrorists, days after days. What he’d been told wasn’t lining up with what he observed. He noticed that the detainees read their Qur‘an. They kept their daily schedule of prayers and remained undiscouraged under horrendous pressure.

In appreciating their endurance, patience and courage, Holdbrooks said: “Here, I had all the freedom in the world, and I was miserable while they had nothing, and they were happy. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that something’s going on.”

“You’ve got to realize the significance of that,” Holdbrooks said, his tough bravado breaking for a moment. “He’s been in this cage for 23 and a-half hours every day. If you lose your Qur‘an, you’re out of luck. That’s it. You’ve lost everything.”

As a restless lackey that he is it took him just three nights to read the Glorious Book from cover to cover. For the first time, he found a religious text that met his logical criteria in the Qur’an. And after reading it satisfactorily, he said; “It made sense from the beginning to the end. It doesn’t contradict itself. There’s no magic in it. It’s just a simple instruction manual for living.”

He took Shahadah

And after three months of intensive study and conversation, Holdbrooks told the Muslim detainees one night that he wanted to become a Muslim. And in response, the detainees explained the implication of that to him. They said: “Converting to Islam means you would have to change your life style including your diet. You will quit drugs, drinking, profanity and tattoos. Then, be prepared for good relationship with everybody – wife, neighbours, the Army and the government”. Thus, little by little, Holdbrooks made the changes as he found a measure of health, discipline, family and peace of mind which he never had before.

“If Prophet Muhammad (SAW) were to come back to the Earth today, people would find the best examples of Islam in the United States. American Muslims have a responsibility to live their faith so that others can see a true example, not the perversions of the terrorists or the tyranny of corrupt governments. He concluded that: “For every little step I took toward Islam, Islam was taking more steps toward me”. Thus, the man who was employed to quench the glow of Islam became a propagator of Islam in America.

The same Guantanamo is now a subject of conflict between President Barrack Obama and President elect, Donald Trump. While the one thinks it should be closed down, the other wants it left open for African and Arab criminals. If Guantanamo had been closed down in 2004 as Obama planned, how could the like of Holdsbooks have become a vociferous propagator of Islam in America today? Allah’s way of doing things is full of wonders. Nothing is impossible with Him.

The post Waiting for January 20 appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

All eyes, Many readers of this column may be disappointed today and there is no apology for that. From various parts of the country, people have been calling or sending text messages or email, since last Monday, to ask yours sincerely to write today’s article on the raging controversial Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) law that is currently causing unnecessary brouhaha across Nigeria. However, having turned down the seemingly popular request, the onus is on me to explain why I refused to succumb to their pressure on that subject. As readers, they are kings and queens in their own rights just like customers in an open market. And they deserve to be so treated.

The focus of ‘The Message’

‘The Message’ is an Islamic column which does not concern itself with a matter that is unrelated to Islam. The FRCN law currently in contention does not affect Islam because the Mosque is House of congregational worship which no Muslim can claim as a private property. If any Muslim claims to own a Mosque he should be called a thief. A Muslim may build a Mosque with his money. He may offer to bear the cost of maintaining a Mosque on his volition. But as soon as the Mosque is ready as a House of worship, it becomes a public property within the Muslim community.

What can ‘The Message’ write on an idea that was initiated by a Nigerian professional body during the second republic in 1982 to serve as one of its organs for regulating the financial institutions in Nigeria? What can ‘The Message’ say now about how that organ became a subject of legislation in 2003, when Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian, held sway as Nigeria’s President? What did the readers of this column expect ‘The Message’ to write about the enactment of that legislation into an act of parliament in 2011 when Goodluck Jonathan, another Christian was the President?

The Mosque is not a family business that can be bequeathed to a son or a daughter. It is therefore not for Nigerian Muslims to jump into an unnecessary brouhaha over a law that concerns materialism much more than religion. Neither is it for them to ask ‘The Message’ to write on such an inconsequential subject. Currently, there are many crushing issues on the table in Nigeria. One of them is recession which concerns every Nigerian Christian or Muslim. And the concentration here today will be on that. Read on:

The Egyptian experience

Egypt, a North African Arab country was never a member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). She was not an oil producing country until recently. The main stay of her economy was agriculture which was well facilitated by her River Nile endowment. But of course the latter was backed up by the strategic Suez Canal that became a necessary need of all Western countries.

This North African Arab country was in economic mess in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Her ravaging war with Israel had reduced her to a virtual beggar nation. Not only did her macro economy plummet, her micro economy also dwindled to the lowest ebb. No job for the rising army of highly skilful youths and no sources of income for the majority of the citizenry. Thus, the country looked like a famine- stricken one. The best residential houses were rented out to foreigners. And most vehicles on Cairo and Alexandra roads were terribly rickety at that time.

Solution

It took an ingenuous economic management by President Gamal Abdul Nasir and his successor, President Anwar Sadat to device a means of bailing out the country from what could have amounted to self-genocide. With the meagre amount of money accruing to the nation from agriculture and manpower export at that time, the government was able to set up a food distribution centre in each ward where every family in the ward was registered.

All varieties of foods, including grains, wheat, meat, milk and eggs, were supplied to each family every week. And no family got less than what could suffice for one full week. The cost of those highly subsidised food were deducted from the salaries of those working while others were supplied free foods for survival. And to ensure that only the citizens benefited from the wonderful largess, the use of national identity card to qualify for supply was made compulsory.

Security and patriotism

This Islamic welfare business strategy did not only create a high sense of security in the citizenry it also spurred them to become die-hard patriots. With that strategy, Egypt was able to weather her economic storm of that time even as her war with Israel continued.

What could have been a major problem for the ordinary Egyptians at that time was the education of their children. But President’s Nasir’s government had taken care of that since inception. A fundamental policy of the Egyptian government introduced by President Nasir in 1954 was free education at all levels. That policy which the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo adapted for primary education in western Nigeria a year later (1954) had put Egypt far ahead of all African and Arab countries. The policy was to put Egypt in good stead in later years when the going became economically tough.

Reaping the benefit

The country began to reap the benefit by supplying all other Arab countries with their needed man power such as teachers, doctors, Engineers, pilots, accountants, pharmacists, nurses, administrators and even drivers. Those experts were officially deployed to those other Arab countries on three years renewable contract. And each deployed expert was made to remit about 35 per cent of his/her income to the government of Egypt monthly. Such remittances were not difficult to make since those expert were well paid. The remittances were made directly by the employers who deducted the agreed amount from the salaries of their employees. Thus, in those days, manpower generated from planned education was more profitable than today’s oil wells. It is a confirmation that a well planned education is an investment like no other.

Yet, countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates and others that benefited from the programme found the arrangements convenient because they did not need to employ interpreters separately as would have been the case if they had employed Americans, French, Germans and Italians for the same purpose. At least, based on Islamic principles, their languages and culture were almost the same.

Social welfare

With the provision of social welfare for the people, Egyptian government of the 1970s, led by Anwar Sadat after the demise of Gamal Abdel Nasir, was able to solve the problem of the three necessities of life: food, shelter and clothing. Not only that, the government was also very much aware that an idle hand was the devil’s workshop. It therefore provided soft loans for many university graduates to embark on small scale businesses that could boost the nation’s economy at the micro level.

With this, it became possible for most of those fresh graduates to be self employed while aiming high to mount the economic ladder of life to the very top. Today, some of those businesses have grown into gigantic industries exporting their products to many countries, including Nigeria.

If Egypt is not one of Africa’s poor countries today, it is because her government managed that nation’s meagre economy to the benefit of her ordinary citizens, despite several decades of war with Israel. Compared to the industrialised nations, Egypt may not be called a rich country now, but her preparation for the future seems to be assuring her of a front line economic position soon. Her unsurpassed investment on manpower through education is a confirmation of that.

Industrialisation

What obtains in Egypt equally obtains in most other Arab countries, especially those of the gulf. For instance, Saudi Arabia has always known that oil would not flow forever in her wells. Thus as far back as the 1970s, that country had diversified her economy by establishing two industrial cities of Yambu’ and Jubail, a project (commissioned in 1982) which the United states described as the most ambitious ever in the industrial history of mankind.

Much more have since been put in place for the benefit of the future generations. And, travellers who have visited countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria will confirm that the future of global wealth will definitely be in the Middle East courtesy of foresights of the above mentioned leaders. But the greatest assets of those countries are manpower which their free education programme is providing from primary schools through the university with impeccable foresight.

Shameless deception

Long before now, a promise of economic leap was made in respect of year 2000. That year came to pass without any effort made towards fulfilment. Then, another promise was made in respect of year 2010. That year also came to pass without any sign of seriousness on the part of the government even as Nigeria sank deeper into economic quagmire. Now it is the turn of year 2020 which will also come to pass in three years time. Haba! Is there no shame all for those running the government in Nigeria? The speedy economic train of the modern time waits for no crawling nation like Nigeria.

Blind trust

Long before the West came to know anything about the term “blind trust” at all, Islam had educated the Muslims in details on that subject. The great religion had foreseen the possibility of manipulating this term to the advantage of the exploiters in certain societies and, had thus, forbidden it.

In Islamic jurisprudence, “blind trust” simply means the transaction of business illegally between a seller and a buyer to the detriment of either of them. In this case, the buyer or seller may be an individual or a group. “Blind trust” is like a coin with two sides. In it, either the seller or the buyer can cheat. An example is a situation where a product is sold in a wrap without allowing the buyer to examine what he wants to buy before paying. This may occur in any sector of the economy. In agriculture for instance, it is forbidden to sell tubers like yam and cassava without uprooting them. Such a business is often done on a mere assumption, thereby putting either the seller or the buyer at a great risk and disadvantage.

Varieties of blind trust

Blind trust may also occur in an ordinary market of quantity grains like rice, beans, millet, bally salt or groundnuts where and when the instrument of measure is manipulated with the intention of reducing the quantity of its contents while receiving the payment in full. Also, selling wrapped dresses or textile materials without indicating their sizes, yardage or fault may amount to “blind trust”. Even, those who engage in the sale of electronics without allowing the buyers to test the products before paying are trading in “blind trust”, which is illegal in Islam. In a nutshell, any business that entails some elements of doubt and does not allow for transparency is “blind trust” prohibited in Islam. And, anybody who is engaged in such a business is deemed to be a criminal.

In retrospect

It must be remembered that the people of Madyan (Median) whose Prophet was Shuayb, faced with the wrath of Allah and became perished because of “blind trust”

In modern times, the term “blind trust” has been given a new connotation through a new manipulation. Not only is the chain of business deliberately being elongated to allow for more middlemen to allow for unnecessary inflation, the sale and purchase of public shares on behalf of some people without the knowledge of those people is being treated as a legitimate norm in capitalism. And that is the haven of corruption in Nigeria.

Today, if corruption does not wear the garb of ethnicity, it would robe in the garment of religion. When will this come to an end?

The post Recession: Learning from Egyptian experience appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Like the hands of a clock, many democratic countries in the world swear in a new President every four or five years at the exit of an old one. Now, it is the turn of the United States of America again. And the man to take charge as from today, for the next four years, all things being equal, is called Donald Trump, a man that most people including Americans, have seen as a wild surging into a china shop. In an article entitled ‘Waiting for January 20’ and published in this column two weeks ago, yours sincerely cited the example of Adolf Hitler’s oath of office and inaugural address of 1933 that culminated in the World War II which started in 1939 and ended in 1945. The dramatic events within that period of 12 years were the main determinants of today’s world history.

Oath of office

As from today, Donald Trump’s oath of office will become the symbol of authorisation for the seeming global anarchy ahead. His assumption of office as the 46th American President, subsequent to that oath, will confirm the loss of America’s long time cherished glass house that has always been a proud heritage.

From the look of things, a wild bull may be taking over in the world’s china shop in a most likely confirmation of a popular 20th century Irish poem published in 1921 by William Butler (W. B.) Yeats, the original author of “Things Fall Apart”. In that sadistic poem, Yeats really proved to be the drummer for a future dragon who would dance sadistically on the surface of a tragic brook. That dancer is the 21st century America’s Donald Trump who the world is unlikely to watch with comfort. The expectations from that scenario are better imagined than experienced. Here is the poem:

“Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity”.

Observation

If the above quoted stanza is an impetus for Trump to behave like a typical dragon dancing on the surface of an ominous brook, another poem by Rudyard Kipling may equally serve as an intoxicant that can help exacerbate the already dangerous situation of the world in which the new American President wants to be an agent. Incidentally, both Yeats and Kipling were contemporary literary men of about the same age. They were both born in 1865 but died differently within a gap of about three years apart. Below is Kipling’s own divisive poem that strengthened the enmity between the West and the East:

“Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,

Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat…”

The meaning of Trump

The name TRUMP is a short form of trumpet, a musical instrument with which the decision of a tyrant is often announced in a local cultural setting. Ever since he was declared the winner of the American Presidential election of November 2016, this Trump has been trumpeting his tyrannical plans for the world. And the jitters rolled out from that trumpet have started gripping the world with icy cold. That an American President elect had begun to rule before taking an oath of office is a clear indication of what the world should expect from the china shop in which a bull will start to operate as from today.

Fictitious comment

Meanwhile, a fictitious statement about Africans and the Arabs credited to Donald Trump, which has now gone viral online, is not true. That statement was fabricated by some African cultural renegades who intended to use a foreign name to disparage the governments of their own countries. For those who are quite familiar with English language and its usage by native speakers, it must be apparent that the writing of that comment is totally African in style and perhaps Nigerian. An average speaker of English as a mother tongue cares so much about economy of language that he will not be that pedestrian in speaking or writing. Besides, through a thorough research, yours sincerely has discovered that the comment in question first appeared online on October 15, 2015 when the campaign for American Presidential election had not commenced and not December 8, 2016 as claimed by the mischief makers.

Personal comment

It is bad enough that Donald Trump cannot guard his tongue while commenting on sensitive issues, but that cannot serve as enough excuse to put fictitious words in his mouth. Such act is typical of Nigerian literary miscreants who are fond of marauding in day dreaming and wishful thinking. In fairness to him, If Trump ever made any such unprintable remarks about the black people at all, it must have been about African Americans and some other Africans residing in America. And the comment could not have been longer than two or three sentences.

An excerpt from text of the controversial statement credited to Trump is published in this column today not to authenticate the fabricated version but to enable the numerous readers of this column to further know how evil-minded some Nigerians can be. Nigerian Muslims who have constantly been maligned through similar fabrications can testify to this assertion.

 The fabricated version

“We are not obliged, even for a second, to try to prove to anybody and especially, to blacks and Arabs that we are superior people – we have demonstrated that to the black and Arabs in 1001 ways.

The America we know today was not created by wishful thinking. We created it at the expenses of intelligence, sweat and blood…..we do not pretend like other whites that we like the blacks – We must admit without any fear, that we don’t like them and for so many, many valid reasons.

The fact that blacks and Arabs look like human beings does not necessarily make them sensible human beings. Hedgehogs are not porcupines and lizards are not crocodiles because they look alike. If God had wanted us to be equal to blacks and Arabs, he would have created us all of a uniform colour and intellect. But he created us differently. Whites, blacks, yellow, the rulers and the ruled, intellectually we are superior to the blacks and the Arabs. That has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt over the years.

I believe that a white man is an honest, God fearing person who has demonstrated practically the right way of being a humanity .By now every one of us has seen it practically that blacks and Arabs cannot rule themselves. Give them guns and they will kill each other.

Further disparagement

They (blacks and Arabs) are good in nothing else but making noise, dancing, marrying many wives, alcoholism, witchcraft, indulging in sex, pretending in church, jealousy, fighting and complaining of nonsense. Their only main concern (which according to me is stupidity of the highest magnitude) is same – sex marriages. They keep pointing fingers to us, we the west, that we have legalized it in our countries and that we always outspokenly support gay people around the world. And because they always foolishly want to demonstrate their ignorance, hatred and fear about the subject, some of them have even enacted harsh laws to condemn their own gay citizens. This shows that beyond illusions and doubt, what people do with their own bodies is Africans main concern. I hear they even strip their women publicly when they commit crimes.

Reckless assessment

Let us all accept the fact that the black man is a symbol of poverty, mental inferiority, laziness and emotional incompetence. To make the matter worse, he can do everything possible to defend his stupidity. Give them money for development and they will fight and create hatred and enmity for themselves. Drill oil wells for them and they will not have peace all the days of their life. See, for instance, what’s happening in Nigeria, Southern Sudan, Malawi, DRC just to mention a few. This proves to anybody including a stupid fool that Africans do not know what they want. Isn’t that plausible?

Therefore that the white man is created to rule the black man, Africans will always have day dreams (sic). And here is the creature (black man) that lacks foresight but only sees what is near him and still fails to know what to do. A black man is stupid to the extent that he cannot plan for his life beyond a year. Therefore how can they develop and live longer.

About corruption

Corruption in the west (and China) is a big abomination but in Africa, it’s so huge that it is slowly becoming an acceptable way of life. They sing and rejoice to their corrupt political leaders. They worship their scandal-ridden religious leaders like their gods. Lest you forget, these so called Africans are praising, dancing and praying for the people that have impoverished them, and who come to hide their loot here.

About begging

Then which fool argues that the black man is not born a beggar, grows a beggar, looks a beggar, falls sick as a beggar and dies a beggar. This has been proven beyond reasoning. I wonder why even up to now most Africans still go to school by force and those still at school are just drug addicts who don’t know what took them there.

This is a pregnant stupidity in Africa that needs Jesus’ immediate second coming. The body of Africans is a very fertile ground for all diseases in the world because they don’t fear even HIV/AIDS. This leaves me with a question: Are our eyes created the same with those Africans? I hear there are still cultures in Africa that prohibit them from using latrines which is very annoying.

About freedom

They cried for independence but have failed to rule themselves. For sure being African is a very untreatable disease that even prayers are not enough. They have minerals but they cannot do anything with it. Therefore let us (whites) go to Africa and pick what we can pick and leave what is of no use. Poverty is a disease to the whites but to the blacks it is very normal.

The worst tragedy in Africa is that if you dare stand up and speak up for what’s right, you may end up regretting. The few wise and open-minded Africans who have tried to educate these fools about civilization have met the worst. They have been pushed hard on the wall, they have been silenced and others have been killed….”

Even the other quote credited to him about Nigeria is a fabrication by Nigerian election riggers who can go to any extent to destroy the good image of any political opponent. The truth of the matter is that a former employee of Donald Trump who was playing pranks at work was once scolded by the man. While scolding the lazy guy, Trump alluded to the attitude of some Africans he had encountered and referred to him as having the trait in blacks. And that was as far back as 1991 when Trump had not developed any political ambition. An eye witness in the cited case (John O’Donnel) testified to this. The question now is this: where did Nigeria record Donald Trump’s quoted comment?

Patriotism

The issue here is not about Trump per se. There are more evil tendencies in some Africans than can be found in Trump. If an African can go this far to destroy the fabric of his own pedigree where is patriotism and what else can he not do to cause a civil war at home? Apparently, there are more Trumps in Africa than in America. And if Donald Trump, in deviance to any lesson from Adolf Hitler’s experience, unleashes his evil machination on some Africans, it will only be a good match for African evil doers. What do you say to that? As the world keeps moving, we hope the days ahead will allay our fear. Trump is welcome.

The post Welcoming a Trump of sadism appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Prologue

Looking at Islam globally today vis-a-vis the multifarious problems being faced by its adherents, there is tendency that some ignorant and parochial people will think vaingloriously that the end has come the religion. This tendency is particularly manifest in Nigeria where religion is a big business and, like a vulture waiting to descend on the carcass of a prey, its merchants will do anything, no matter how devilish, to profit from it.

Because of their untame-able avarice based on ignorance and parochialism, such merchants cannot understand that when a gargantuan  institution like Islam is about to take an unprecedented leap to further a progressive civilization, it must undergo a trying moment. Such a moment is an indication that an arrogant power somewhere is about to fall.

Those who are lettered enough to be familiar with world history will recall that a similar scenario occurred to the old Roman Empire as it occurred to the ancient Greek Empire. At least, if the once so-called Great British Empire was not eclipsed at a stage, America would not have emerged as a foremost modern day world power. More will said about this, in this column, in the near future.

 Preamble

Instinct is the main cursor of vision. It is the indicator of where today’s ship will anchor tomorrow. A man without instinct can be likened to a blind bull struggling to pass through the hole of a needle. An example is now being exhibited in the United States. Without instinct there can be neither projection nor premonition. All visionary prophecies are based on instinct.

It was only by divine instinct that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was able to prophesy the signs of the last days when he said: “One of the signs of the last days is for the sun to rise in the West and set in the East….” This prophecy is pregnant with meanings. Which sun was the Prophet talking about? Was it the physical or the hypothetical? Only a few people of other religions in history were able to comprehend that prophecy as much as the celebrated (Christian) Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950).

George Bernard Shaw’s prediction

Based on his understanding of the contents of that Prophecy, Bernard Shaw decided to study Islam through deep researches. And consequently, he concluded as follows:

“The Medieval Ecclesiastics, either through ignorance or bigotry, painted Mohammedanism (Islam) in the darkest colours. In fact, they were trained both to hate the man (Muhammad) and his religion. To them he was anti-Christ… I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing face of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him, the wonderful man, and in my opinion, far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the saviour of humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness”.

“I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today…”

Analysis

America was just emerging as a champion of the modern world when Bernard Shaw made his famous prediction quoted above. Western civilization was then restricted to Europe and Shaw had taken any emerging civilization from America as an extension of that of Europe. He had thought that whatever would be acceptable to Europe ought to be automatically acceptable to the emerging power of the New World, the former being an offshoot of the latter. He was right.

Although, Islam had reached America long before Christopher Columbus arrived in what was then perceived as a New World, very little was known about the Muslims in that country until 1886 when one Moorish immigrant, Noble Drew Ali, of North Carolina started to propagate Islamic faith to the black masses in the New World. However, that Noble D. Ali’s jihad became prominent with the growth of media influence in the United States did not necessarily make him the first American Muslim preacher.

A valid question

Today, with a Muslim population of almost 10 million and over 3186 Mosques, who says Bernard Shaw’s prediction of the early 20th century has not become a reality? If there is still any country in the world where Islam is not growing that country must be very backward.  Today, the geometric growth of Muslim population in the US has confirmed Islam as an official religion in America. Today, there are about 2000 Muslim associations and over 400,000 businesses as well as about 310 regular publications under the firm control of American Muslims. These are not only providing jobs for the residents, they are also enhancing America’s social security.

The real root of Islam in America

However, the real practical root of Islam in the US is actually traceable to 1790 when the South Carolina legislative body granted special social status to a community of Moroccans, which gave that community the freedom to practise its religion. And in 1797, President John Adams signed a policy declaring that United States had no “character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity of Musulmen (Muslims)”.

President Benjamin Franklin’s position

Then, in his autobiography, published in 1791, President Benjamin Franklin stated that he “did not disapprove” of a meeting place in Pennsylvania designed to accommodate preachers of all religions and concluded that: “even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach ‘Mohammedanism’ (Islam) to us, he would find a pulpit at his service”.

President Thomas Jefferson’s stand

Thomas Jefferson on his own defended religious freedom in America including those of Muslims and he explicitly mentioned Muslims when writing about the movement for religious freedom in Virginia. And in his autobiography also, Jefferson wrote: “When the Virginia bill for establishing religious freedom which was finally passed,… a singular proposition proved that its protection of opinion was meant to be universal. Where the preamble declares that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by inserting the word ‘Jesus Christ,’ so that it should read ‘a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion.’ The insertion was rejected by a great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend within the mantle of its protection the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometans (Muhammadans), the Hindus and the infidels of every denomination.” Thus, as a confirmation of that policy, President Jefferson also joined the Tunisian Ambassador for an Iftar (Ramadan fast breaking) in 1809.

Despite propaganda

Despite over 60,000 publications by the Western Orientalists between 1800 and 1950 disparaging that divine religion and denigrating the personality of prophet Muhammad (SAW), Islam continued to wax stronger even as it displays dynamic tendencies on a regular basis. Today, with a global population of about 1.7 billion adherents in the world and with certain mundane ideologies and philosophies crumbling like a pack of cards, Islam has remained an unstoppable religion, the implacable hostility of the West to it notwithstanding.

African American Islam

The African American involvement in the propagation of a religion of immigrants though began in 1960s/70s in the American society, Islam had actually made its way into America in the sixteenth century when Muslims were brought as slaves from Africa but were forced to convert to Christianity. These Muslims were followed by a new wave of immigrants who came in the late nineteenth century as labourers from the Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

In the second half of the twentieth century, a large number of Muslims came from virtually every country of the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia who were more sophisticated than their predecessors in Islamic understanding. As those immigrants settled in large cities and small towns, they built mosques, Islamic cultural centres, and schools. Today, indigenous American Muslims, who have grown in number to well over a million, have succeeded in transforming Islam into an American religion.

A Track Master

In 1888, the American Ambassador in Philippines, Alexander Russell Webb, surprisingly became a track master by embracing Islam and becoming the first prominent Anglo-American Muslim in history. Thus, given his stats, he became the only person that represented Islam from the US at the first Parliament for the World’s Religions in 1893.

New York Times

In an article once published in the New York Times and entitled: ‘Muslim Schools in the U.S.: A Voice for Identity’, one Susan Sachs wrote on the rising demands for Islamic schools in the U.S. saying that “across the country, Islamic schools…that offer religion and Arabic classes…are expanding and flourishing, with many becoming oversubscribed so quickly that principals are scrambling for money to build more. Thus, the surge in the number of Islamic schools may be attributed to the success and determination of a Muslim community that strives “to define itself as a cohesive religious minority in the secular American society”.

The World Street Journal

Before then, an article had appeared in ‘The World Street Journal’ on August 7, 1987, which reported thus: “At a time when Marxism is so debilitated and is being shored up by capitalism; when Christianity lacks much of the missionary fire that once drove it; when Maoism is all but entombed with its founder and when democracy sounds only a muted appeal to much of the world, Islamic fundamentalism stands out as the movement on the march”.

By and large today, not only is Islam formally recognized as the second religion after Christianity in the US, it has also become a tradition for the President and his cabinet to host Muslim leaders in that country to Iftar during the month of Ramadan.

Today, with technology virtually reaching its climax, and backed up by over 60% of the world’s oil reserve in the Islamic world, the rising of the sun from the West as prophesied by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is becoming undeniably vivid.

Were George Bernard Shaw alive today he would have nodded delightedly to that fact.

Conclusion

Given the above historical account, it is unimaginable that a 21st century American President like Donald Trump, who also has personal businesses in many other countries of the world, will want to rubbish his ancestors by destroying the solid foundation which those ancestors had laid for America’s greatness. But, if, on the other hand, if he goes ahead to play a bull in the china shop it will still not be strange. Not every child who bears a father’s name can be truly legitimate.

Through an erratic policy signed into law or a sadistic ‘Executive Order’, anything can be done to the lives of the Muslims in America but nothing can be negatively done to Islam as a religion. For the benefit of doubt, Islam is like the sun in its full regalia, any blind person who claims not to recognise its presence is only playing a fool. With or without recognition, the sun will always dwell majestically in the orbit. Today is today. Tomorrow is tomorrow. None can take the place of the other. That is a food for thought.

The post Islam’s future in America appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Looking at Islam globally today vis-a-vis the multifarious problems being faced by its adherents, there is tendency that some ignorant and parochial people will think vaingloriously that the end has come the religion. This tendency is particularly manifest in Nigeria where religion is a big business and, like a vulture waiting to descend on the carcass of a prey, its merchants will do anything, no matter how devilish, to profit from it.

Because of their untame-able avarice based on ignorance and parochialism, such merchants cannot understand that when a gargantuan  institution like Islam is about to take an unprecedented leap to further a progressive civilization, it must undergo a trying moment. Such a moment is an indication that an arrogant power somewhere is about to fall.

Those who are lettered enough to be familiar with world history will recall that a similar scenario occurred to the old Roman Empire as it occurred to the ancient Greek Empire. At least, if the once so-called Great British Empire was not eclipsed at a stage, America would not have emerged as a foremost modern day world power. More will said about this, in this column, in the near future.

 Preamble

Instinct is the main cursor of vision. It is the indicator of where today’s ship will anchor tomorrow. A man without instinct can be likened to a blind bull struggling to pass through the hole of a needle. An example is now being exhibited in the United States. Without instinct there can be neither projection nor premonition. All visionary prophecies are based on instinct.

It was only by divine instinct that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was able to prophesy the signs of the last days when he said: “One of the signs of the last days is for the sun to rise in the West and set in the East….” This prophecy is pregnant with meanings. Which sun was the Prophet talking about? Was it the physical or the hypothetical? Only a few people of other religions in history were able to comprehend that prophecy as much as the celebrated (Christian) Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950).

George Bernard Shaw’s prediction

Based on his understanding of the contents of that Prophecy, Bernard Shaw decided to study Islam through deep researches. And consequently, he concluded as follows:

“The Medieval Ecclesiastics, either through ignorance or bigotry, painted Mohammedanism (Islam) in the darkest colours. In fact, they were trained both to hate the man (Muhammad) and his religion. To them he was anti-Christ… I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing face of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him, the wonderful man, and in my opinion, far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the saviour of humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness”.

“I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today…”

Analysis

America was just emerging as a champion of the modern world when Bernard Shaw made his famous prediction quoted above. Western civilization was then restricted to Europe and Shaw had taken any emerging civilization from America as an extension of that of Europe. He had thought that whatever would be acceptable to Europe ought to be automatically acceptable to the emerging power of the New World, the former being an offshoot of the latter. He was right.

Although, Islam had reached America long before Christopher Columbus arrived in what was then perceived as a New World, very little was known about the Muslims in that country until 1886 when one Moorish immigrant, Noble Drew Ali, of North Carolina started to propagate Islamic faith to the black masses in the New World. However, that Noble D. Ali’s jihad became prominent with the growth of media influence in the United States did not necessarily make him the first American Muslim preacher.

A valid question

Today, with a Muslim population of almost 10 million and over 3186 Mosques, who says Bernard Shaw’s prediction of the early 20th century has not become a reality? If there is still any country in the world where Islam is not growing that country must be very backward.  Today, the geometric growth of Muslim population in the US has confirmed Islam as an official religion in America. Today, there are about 2000 Muslim associations and over 400,000 businesses as well as about 310 regular publications under the firm control of American Muslims. These are not only providing jobs for the residents, they are also enhancing America’s social security.

The real root of Islam in America

However, the real practical root of Islam in the US is actually traceable to 1790 when the South Carolina legislative body granted special social status to a community of Moroccans, which gave that community the freedom to practise its religion. And in 1797, President John Adams signed a policy declaring that United States had no “character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity of Musulmen (Muslims)”.

President Benjamin Franklin’s position

Then, in his autobiography, published in 1791, President Benjamin Franklin stated that he “did not disapprove” of a meeting place in Pennsylvania designed to accommodate preachers of all religions and concluded that: “even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach ‘Mohammedanism’ (Islam) to us, he would find a pulpit at his service”.

President Thomas Jefferson’s stand

Thomas Jefferson on his own defended religious freedom in America including those of Muslims and he explicitly mentioned Muslims when writing about the movement for religious freedom in Virginia. And in his autobiography also, Jefferson wrote: “When the Virginia bill for establishing religious freedom which was finally passed,… a singular proposition proved that its protection of opinion was meant to be universal. Where the preamble declares that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by inserting the word ‘Jesus Christ,’ so that it should read ‘a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion.’ The insertion was rejected by a great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend within the mantle of its protection the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometans (Muhammadans), the Hindus and the infidels of every denomination.” Thus, as a confirmation of that policy, President Jefferson also joined the Tunisian Ambassador for an Iftar (Ramadan fast breaking) in 1809.

Despite propaganda

Despite over 60,000 publications by the Western Orientalists between 1800 and 1950 disparaging that divine religion and denigrating the personality of prophet Muhammad (SAW), Islam continued to wax stronger even as it displays dynamic tendencies on a regular basis. Today, with a global population of about 1.7 billion adherents in the world and with certain mundane ideologies and philosophies crumbling like a pack of cards, Islam has remained an unstoppable religion, the implacable hostility of the West to it notwithstanding.

African American Islam

The African American involvement in the propagation of a religion of immigrants though began in 1960s/70s in the American society, Islam had actually made its way into America in the sixteenth century when Muslims were brought as slaves from Africa but were forced to convert to Christianity. These Muslims were followed by a new wave of immigrants who came in the late nineteenth century as labourers from the Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

In the second half of the twentieth century, a large number of Muslims came from virtually every country of the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia who were more sophisticated than their predecessors in Islamic understanding. As those immigrants settled in large cities and small towns, they built mosques, Islamic cultural centres, and schools. Today, indigenous American Muslims, who have grown in number to well over a million, have succeeded in transforming Islam into an American religion.

A Track Master

In 1888, the American Ambassador in Philippines, Alexander Russell Webb, surprisingly became a track master by embracing Islam and becoming the first prominent Anglo-American Muslim in history. Thus, given his stats, he became the only person that represented Islam from the US at the first Parliament for the World’s Religions in 1893.

New York Times

In an article once published in the New York Times and entitled: ‘Muslim Schools in the U.S.: A Voice for Identity’, one Susan Sachs wrote on the rising demands for Islamic schools in the U.S. saying that “across the country, Islamic schools…that offer religion and Arabic classes…are expanding and flourishing, with many becoming oversubscribed so quickly that principals are scrambling for money to build more. Thus, the surge in the number of Islamic schools may be attributed to the success and determination of a Muslim community that strives “to define itself as a cohesive religious minority in the secular American society”.

The World Street Journal

Before then, an article had appeared in ‘The World Street Journal’ on August 7, 1987, which reported thus: “At a time when Marxism is so debilitated and is being shored up by capitalism; when Christianity lacks much of the missionary fire that once drove it; when Maoism is all but entombed with its founder and when democracy sounds only a muted appeal to much of the world, Islamic fundamentalism stands out as the movement on the march”.

By and large today, not only is Islam formally recognized as the second religion after Christianity in the US, it has also become a tradition for the President and his cabinet to host Muslim leaders in that country to Iftar during the month of Ramadan.

Today, with technology virtually reaching its climax, and backed up by over 60% of the world’s oil reserve in the Islamic world, the rising of the sun from the West as prophesied by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is becoming undeniably vivid.

Were George Bernard Shaw alive today he would have nodded delightedly to that fact.

Conclusion

Given the above historical account, it is unimaginable that a 21st century American President like Donald Trump, who also has personal businesses in many other countries of the world, will want to rubbish his ancestors by destroying the solid foundation which those ancestors had laid for America’s greatness. But, if, on the other hand, if he goes ahead to play a bull in the china shop it will still not be strange. Not every child who bears a father’s name can be truly legitimate.

Through an erratic policy signed into law or a sadistic ‘Executive Order’, anything can be done to the lives of the Muslims in America but nothing can be negatively done to Islam as a religion. For the benefit of doubt, Islam is like the sun in its full regalia, any blind person who claims not to recognise its presence is only playing a fool. With or without recognition, the sun will always dwell majestically in the orbit. Today is today. Tomorrow is tomorrow. None can take the place of the other. That is a food for thought.

The post Islam’s future in America appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Information

All roads will lead to Osogbo, the capital of Osun State this Sunday.

The big event is a national prayer for Nigeria’s security and development. It is organized by Osun State Muslim Community in honour of His Excellency, Alhaji (Dr. S. O. Babalola recently, the President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria who also became the Deputy

President General (South) of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).

His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, of NSCIA will be present at the Occasion as the Special Guest of Honour while a former Inspector General of Nigeria Police, Alhaji Musliu Smith will be the Chairman of the occasion.  The Governor of the State, His Excellency, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola will be the Chief Host.

Other prominent personalities expected at the occasion are Judge

(Prince) Abdul Jabbar Bola Ajibola, the Proprietor of Crescent

University and Chairman, Board of Trustees of MUSWEN. Also to be present are traditional rulers from all parts of Yorba Land, including His Royal Majesty, the Ooni of Ife.

The League of Imams and Alfas of Yoruba Land will be led by its President General, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere Bello, who will accompanied by a retinue of Muslim scholars.

The grand prayer which will be held at the secretariat of the Muslim Community of Osun State at Ring Road, West ern Bypass will commence at 10.am prompt.

Background of the faceoff

About two years ago, Al-Jazeera Television Cable Network throbbed with breaking news, saying that a United States military aircraft strayed into the airspace of Iran and the latter promptly responded by shooting it down. Iran announced another of the like a few days after.

This disturbing development further aggravated the tension between both countries which started in 1979 with the Iranian revolution that uprooted the country’s imperial despotism that had caged the citizens of that country for decades.

In reaction, the US authorities explained that the destination of the shot aircraft was Afghanistan but its pilots lost control and strayed into Iranian territory.

Shortly before that incident, Some Iranian students had besieged the British Embassy in Tehran protesting the meddling of David Cameron’s government in the internal affairs of Iran. And in retaliation, Britain quickly evacuated her diplomats in Iran and sent the latter’s diplomats in London packing despite Iran’s regret over those students’ action.

The grand design

That grand design was first expressed in 1902 by a British Prime

Minister, Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman when he observed as follows: “There are people who control spacious territories teeming with manifest and hidden resources.  They dominate the intersections of world routes. Their lands were the cradles of human civilizations and religions. These people have one faith, one language and the same aspirations. No natural barriers can isolate them from one another….If, per chance, these people were to be unified into one state it would then take the fate of the world into its hands and separate Europe from the rest of the world. Taking these considerations seriously, a foreign body should be planted in the heart of this nation to prevent the convergence of its wings in such a way that it could exhaust its powers in never- ending wars. It could also serve as a spring board for the West to gain its coveted objects”.

The Iranian Revolution

No one believed in 1979 that a mass protest which started like a small political billow, engineered by the country’s unarmed Mullahs could eventually grow into such a great magnitude of political ‘earthquake’.

By the time the foggy dust finally settled, a new Iran had emerged from the debris of the old. Against the wish and expectation of the capitalist West, the secular, monarchy of Iran became an Islamic republic. The drama was quite electric.

Characteristic of the West, all hands were on deck, at that time, to ensure that an Islamic republic did not succeed the tyrannical monarchy headed by the Shah Pahlavi and heavily backed up by the oppressive West. America was most active in that ambitious but vainglorious effort. She would not easily allow the massive benefit she had been enjoying for decades in that oil-rich country, under the Shah regime, to slip out of her hands just like that. Thus, under the pretext of wanting to rescue her citizens from the siege laid by Iranian students on that country’s embassy, in Tehran, the US attempted an invasion of the country.  The espionage activities by the American diplomats, inside that embassy, against the new Islamic government in Iran had warranted the siege.

The strategy

While a number of US F15 bomber jets deployed by President Jimmy Carter were approaching Iran, the American President engaged his country’s entire press in a chart without giving any hint of the impending military operation in Iran. The tactics was to divert the attention of the press and that of the country from the illegal

Pentagon’s military expedition. But no sane person can ever fault the contents of the Qur’an. More than 1400 years before that incident, a verse of the Qur’an had been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) thus: “They (the unbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed. Allah is the supreme schemer”. Q. 3:54.

Jimmy Carter’s thought was that by the time he would be rounding off his press chart, the news would have reached him that America had successfully invaded Iran. He had therefore intended to announce the news of his ‘great’ successful scheme to the press as the epilogue of

his address. And that would have served as his impetus for wining that year’s election for a second term in office. But, as Allah would have

it, instead of the expected news, what he got was the shock of his life.

The failure of the Strategy

Two of the F15 fighters deployed for the operation miraculously collided in the air just at the point of entering Iran. The two planes crashed with their contents, and consumed the lives of 16 top air force officers aboard, while the other jet fighters had to turn back having run into confusion. When this devastating news reached Carter, it was too much to hide and it quickly became a public knowledge.

Thus, the mighty America failed woefully, with her technology, in circumstances she has never been able to analyze and explain convincingly. With that scheme, it became obvious that Jimmy Carter of the Democrat Party had dug his own political grave. Of course, he lost the election to the cowboy turned Politician, (Ronald Reagan) of the Republican Party. For about 444 days (well over a year), the 52 American hostages remained under the siege of the Iranian students. It took high-level diplomacy, through third party countries, to get them released.

Yet, America was not done. She went ahead to freeze Iran’s foreign reserve of $80 billion in addition to imposition of economic sanctions

with the intention of running that country’s economy aground. The only Iran’s offence in this case was to chart a politically independent

course that could liberate her citizens from the manacles of the Western imperialism. Ever since, the relationship between America and Iran has remained icy.

That relationship however, further deteriorated recently when Iran started a nuclear project with which to prop up her economy. America responded with a threat saying the United States would not tolerate any nuclear project in Iran because she could not trust that Islamic nation. And of course, America’s voice was re-echoed by the United Nations, through the mouth of the latter’s Secretary General, Ban Ki-moo.

The vicious sanction

Now, with the threat of invasion of Iran by Israel on the one hand and economic and political sanctions against her by the  NATO allies on the other, will history repeat itself? One fact has become clear about the US political trend ever since that country withdrew from her self-isolationism in 1945. Her internal politics has been regularly dictated by her foreign policy. Thus, many American Presidents have won or lost elections at home due to the foreign policy of the concerned President. Will this also repeat itself? The days ahead will answer this fundamental question as events continue to unfold with President Donald Trump’s fingers are set on the reprisal buttons of American arsenal.

The post Iran versus Trump’s U.S. appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

It was a conglomerate of crème de la crème of Nigerian Society in Osogbo, Osun State Capital, last Sunday. The scene was that of a galaxy of royal fathers from all parts of the country, high caliber Muslim clerics, top serving and retired government functionaries, prominent Southwest spiritual and temporal chieftains, distinguished heads of Muslim organisation,  reputable professionals and Muslim women of timber and caliber.

The occasion was that of a prayer for Nigeria’s peace, security and development as well as for President Muhammadu Buhari’s health recovery. It was at the instance of Osun State’s Muslim Community in honour of Alhaji (Dr.) S. O. Babalola, OON, the President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) and President General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of NSCIA, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR, mni was present as the special guest of honour. He was accompanied by the Secretary-General, NSCIA, Professor Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede and a retinue of Emirs, Obas and Obis.

How it went

The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola  was the Chief Host. He was accompanied by his wife, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, His Deputy, Mrs. Grace Titi-Laoye and a number of government functionaries. The Chairman of the Occasion was a onetime Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Musliu Smith while the Chief Missioner of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad delivered the moving lecture of the day. The multipurpose Hall that served as the venue of the occasion (the first of its type in the South West of Nigeria) is an evidence of the dynamism of Osun State Muslim Community. The history of that Community will be presented in this column in the foreseeable future, in sha’Allah.

Who is Dr. Babalola?

The question on the lips of many people who attended the occasion was the one above: Who is Dr. Babalola? This one million naira question can be best answered by the citation of the great man written by yours sincerely and entitled ‘THE CORNER STONE’. It went thus:

“This is a citation and not a summary of a biography. It is the citation of one of our iconic leaders who is eminently qualified to be cited from the pack. This citation is unconventional. Unlike other citations, its emphasis is neither on the date and place of birth nor on the schools attended and the certificates obtained. It is rather a citation from which most of us are supposed to learn how to keep the track of life without falling by the way side.

If, on an occasion like this, we come up with a citation that talks about the date and birth of a personality we gather here to honour today, it will just be a repetition of what we had been hearing. If we talk about schools he attended or certificates he obtained, it will be a mere rhetoric as usual. If we talk about his marital status or business life, it will only remind us of others like him. If we call him a philanthropist and list his chains of philanthropic gestures we may only end up clapping with a standing ovation and pouring a flattering encomium on the cited personality. Any of the above can only lead us to losing sight on the real essence of this unique citation.

The words of an elder

In the introduction to his autobiography entitled ‘My Odyssey’ and published in 1970, the first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, had the following to say about human sojourn on earth:

“Man comes into the world and while he lives, he embarks upon a series of activities absorbing experience which enables him to formulate a philosophy of life and to chart his courses of action. But then, he dies. Nevertheless, his biography remains a guide to those of the living who may need guidance either as a warning on the vanity of human wishes or as encouragement or both.” That philosophical assertion is not about an age group or a gender or an era. It is about all of these together. The elders’ words shall never cease to be words of wisdom.

The rejected stone

“While man’s desires and aspirations stir, he cannot choose but err; yet, in his erring journey through the night, instinctively, he travels toward the light”. By Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

The above poem is the parable of a rejected stone that has turned out to be the cornerstone of the house. Those who can still remember the history of Prophet Ismail, (the first son of Prophet Ibrahim) should be able to recall that he was once rejected from his parents’ home and banished to a desert asylum.  Today, see the outcome of that episode in the everlasting uniqueness of Hajj as the fifth pillar of Islam. As it was in the primordial time, so it is in the contemporary time.

We have a man in our midst here today, whose rising profile has enabled us to know that the purpose of human life is not just to live and be happy. Beneath many days of happy mood are some nights of tears. That is the secret of human experience which should serve as the first lesson for future leaders. That man is Dr. Babalola, OON, who combines humility with conscience to form an identity by which he is generally known. That is an identity that clearly distinguishes a man of honour from men of wealth. We should all know that humility based on conscience is the most active cursor of piety.

His rising profile

Perhaps, if Dr. Babalola had not been rejected as a local chieftain he would not have emerged as the President of the Muslim Ummah of the South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) which is the umbrella body for all Muslim organizations in the South West region of this country. And if he had not become the President of MUSWEN, he would probably not have risen to the post of Deputy President-General (South) of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). What could have made this possible besides destiny through the guidance of Allah?

Now, if, in the course of reading citation, we trace the background of this man to any school or any madrasah he attended at his early age of his life, what lesson are we to learn from that? If we describe him as one of the foremost but quiet philanthropists currently, and list the chains of his philanthropic gestures, what uniqueness can we derive from that for him? If we say here that he is married with children and he gave those children qualitative education how does that make his life different from the lives of his peers? All those are a common feature of common citations often presented publicly, sometimes, to the boredom of the audience.

The difference he makes

What actually makes conspicuous difference in this man’s life, which only a few people are able to focus, is his ability to identify, early in life, the factors of equanimity in human life. Those factors are contained in a poetic axiom succinctly coined by an American statesman and intellectual of renown, Williams Webster, who had the following to say in a stanza:

“If we work marble it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; if we rear temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon immortal minds, and instill in them just principles, we are then engraving that upon tablets which no time can efface but will brighten into all eternity”.

That is the guiding principle adopted by Dr. Babalola who rose from the dungeon of obscurity to a high pedestal of limelight despite all odds. But he added an addendum of his own to that principle. That addendum is that to be happy in life, you must make others happy. And to live in peace, you must ventilate a peaceful environment for others. Happiness is based on peace and peace from man to man is reciprocal.

Thus, Dr. Babalola, rising to become a towering leader was not by fortuity. He had painstakingly studied the qualities of a good leader and he has patiently imbibed those qualities through self-discipline and divinely guided inspiration.

Qualities of  a good leader

If you care to know, the qualities of good leadership which together form the ladder that this great man has mounted to this stage of his life, here they are: Meaningful focus, interminable patience, relentless confidence, untamable courage, inspired innovation, natural humility, irrepressible endurance, insubordinate assiduity, divinely-guided self-motivation, impeccable resilience, enviable transparency, unequaled generosity, plausible accountability, undeniable authenticity, intractable decisiveness, absolute contentment and of course, unpolluted conscience.

Questions

Now, which of these qualities cannot be found in this man? And which of them should not be emulated by young men and women who are aspiring to be leaders tomorrow? This reminds one of a stanza in the poem of an Arab poet thus:

“He is not a man whoever relies on the achievements of his parents to exhibit pride; a man indeed is he who can stand out of the pack with his head raised, and say: here I am today, despite all odds of life”.

Today, at the peak of his ladder of excellence Dr. Babalola has become a school for those who want to study the ladder of life and how to mount it to the peak. You can now see why this citation is said to be unconventional.  This is what a citation should be to enable future leaders to learn from it in preparation for the mantle of leadership.

Conclusion

Your Excellency, the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola; Your Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, CFR, mni; Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, distinguished guests here present, kindly permit me to round off this citation with a prayer that was once offered poetically by an American woman (J.Walch) who dedicated her entire life to the service of humanity and died on it. That prayer has since become a daily rhyme for Baba Babalola in words and in action. It goes thus:

“God make my life a little staff, upon which the weak may rest, that what so health and wealth I have may serve my neighbours best”.

We pray the Almighty Allah to preserve Baba’s life and imbue him with continued sound health, guidance and protection, that he may serve the Muslim Ummah for long. Amin.

The post The corner stone of the house appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

“Have you not seen how your Lord planted a seed of parable? A beautiful word is like a pleasant tree with firm roots and delightfully gorgeous foliages sprouting pleasantly into the firmaments of the orbit by Allah’s grace. It produces edible fruits from season to season….” Q. 14: 24-27      

Preamble

Many religious observers around the world have been wondering about the fortuitous emergence of a Nigerian Muslim Organization called NASFAT. Many others have continually been marveled at its astronomical rise and phenomenal spread across nations. It is one queer development that beats anybody’s imagination and transcends any tendentious guessing.

Observation

Two things are positively strange about this Organization. One is the timeliness of its emergence. The other is the manner of that emergence. At a time when some contemptuous non-Muslim Nigerians began to perceive and treat Islam as an anachronistic religion meant for primordial people, an infinitesimal, unassuming group of Muslim elite with diverse professional backgrounds fortuitously came up with an unprecedented stunner that held the world nonplused. It was a timely question. Never in the history of Nigeria has a Muslim Organization with so fragile a background and so mean a provision risen so astronomically within so short a time. It is unprecedented.

From a one room congregation of a few men and women of faith in Lagos, a gargantuan Islamic Organization emerged like a colossal tree with incredible foliages forming a formidably protective umbrella of faith for millions of Muslim faithful across the world. Today, NASFAT is a global case study for people in the academia as well as other research fellows with religious inclination. The evidence is undeniable.

What is NASFAT?

The word NASFAT is an acronym for an abridged verse of the Qur’an which goes thus: “…Nasrun minal-Lahi wa Fathun Qarib…” (Q. 61:13) meaning: “…With (strong) help from Allah, victory is surely attainable”. From that Qur’anic verse, the name of the Organization was formed as ‘NASRUL-LAHI-L-FATIH’ Society and shortened to NASFAT for easy pronunciation.

Initially, the Organization was conceived to be limited to Nigeria. But, unimaginably, within two decades, it rapidly outgrew even an African image and went global. Thus, whether you are in the US or UK or Germany or Canada or Netherlands, NASFAT is a familiar name with a familiar status.

Profile

NASFAT was founded as another Islamic Organization for Nigeria’s Muslim elite in 1996 by a group of young Muslim professionals. There had been a myriad of elite Islamic Organizations before it especially in Lagos and other parts of the South West Nigeria. Some of such elite Organizations include Ahmadiyyah Jamat; Jam’atu Islamiyyah; Ahmadiyyah Movement in Islam; Anwarul Islam Movement; Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria; Nawairu-Ud-Deen Society; Zumratu Islamiyyah; The Companion; Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN) and a host of others. At the advent of NASFAT, the objective of its founding was clearly reflected in its mission statement which went thus: “to develop an enlightened Muslim society nurtured by a true understanding of Islam for the spiritual uplift and welfare of mankind.”

The Mission Statement

That Mission Statement was like a dream not given a chance of realization but which turned out to be the most wonderfully realized dream of the century. If anything can be described as the 20th century success crown for Nigeria’s Muslim Ummah, it is NASFAT.

The small group that had such a dramatic dream about two decades ago has now grown in limbs and in wings into such a magnificent conglomerate drawing members in their thousands to form a non-such formidable Organization that cannot be taken for granted. Its membership comprises of young professionals, Educationist, Muslim Scholars, Civil Servants, Journalists, Company Directors, Business Executives, Computer Experts, Members of Security Forces, Members of the Judiciary, Politicians, State Commissioners, Legislators, Traders, Artisans, Students. Name it.

Today, NASFAT is, arguably, one of the fasted growing religious Organizations in the world. The similitude of NASFAT is like that of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, which was established as a Mosque by a small sunni group of Fatimids in 970 CE. The name Al-Azhar was coined from the appellation of Fatimah the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (saw) who was popularly called Zahrau (meaning adorable flower). With time, Al-Azhar University emerged from the Mosque and became one of the earliest established Universities in the world.

Now about 1040 years old, Al-Azhar University is one of the three oldest Universities in the world today. The other two are Qarawiyyin University in Fez, Morocco and Zaytuniyyah University in Tunis, Tunisia. Being contemporaries in age and reputation, the tripod came to confirm that what we call University today is an Islamic heritage.

Before Speculations

There is tendency in some idle Muslim quarters to think that this columnist must have been paid handsomely by NASFAT for a public relations job. Such a tendentious thought is characteristic of certain ignorant Nigerian Muslims who have nothing to contribute to the growth of Islam but are quick in detesting the few well known contributors around as a way of cultivating some lotus benefit for themselves.

As a thorough propagator of Islam, this columnist has never collected any gratification from any individual or group here in Nigeria or abroad. My principle is based on the Qur’anic verse that says: “We only feed you for the sake of Allah; we expect neither compensation nor gratitude from you…”. NASFAT members can testify to this.

The problem with ultra-conservative Muslims in Nigeria is that of cacophony of gossip, witch-hunting, blackmail and sticking tenaciously to retardation on the bedrock of incurable ignorance. I am quite familiar with their parochial antics.

NASFAT’s Branches

When NASFAT was fast becoming unmanageable, due to an unexpected upsurge in its membership roll, the leadership of the Organization decided to create branches nationally and internationally for the convenience of all and sundry. That was in 2002.

Today, NASFAT has over 315 branches in Nigeria and abroad cutting across the geo political zones of the world.

Impression

Whatever impression anybody may have about NASFAT’s mode of operation is immaterial at this stage as long as that Organization is not acting against the fundamental norms of Islam. After all, it is crystal clear that the real Da’wah champions in contemporary Nigeria are the Muslim elite who know little about Islamic theology, and not the so-called Imams and Alfas whose impact of theology is not felt in any way. All the above listed Organizations in Nigeria were established by progressive, non-clerical  Muslim elite including those of NASFAT. Those who feel otherwise should show us their own achievements.

Perhaps, without NASFAT, there would not have been any Islamic University in Nigeria or at least in Southern Nigeria, today. If any other Islamic University now exists, NASFAT should be credited for showing the way and throwing the challenge that woke others up from their slumber.

Note

There is a sharp difference between a Muslim University, and an Islamic University. The earlier is registered in the name of an individual Muslim. The latter is registered in the name of an Islamic Organization. In that case, ownership is the main determinant of status.

Only three of several private Universities attributed to Islam in Nigeria today are truly Islamic. These are Fountain University based in Osogbo, Osun State and owned by NASFAT, Summit University based in Offa, Kwara State and owned by Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria and Al-Qalam University based in Katsina, Katsina State and owned by an….. Others generally perceived as Islamic Universities are only privately owned by individual Muslims and not Islamic Organizations.

Fountain University

Like Al-Azhar University founded by the Fatimids in Cairo over 1000 years ago, Fountain University is one of the major achievements of NASFAT. This University was founded by NASFAT and licensed by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National University Commission (NUC) a few years ago and it held its sixth convocation just last month to the glory of Allah.

Sited on 250 hectares of land where academic activities are in full and uninterrupted swing Fountain University is operating a fully accredited curriculum of any standard University in the world. Most of the graduates of Fountain University, so far, whether Muslims or Christians, ar now proud of thorough education and not just the certificate obtained from that University.

Fountain is a University indeed by all standards. The freedom of religion entrenched in the administrative policy of that University is a clear evidence of religious sincerity on the part of the proprietors and management of the University.

Daarus-Salam

Among other NASFAT’s achievements is a Village, being planned to serve as ‘Daarus-Salaam’, (Home of Peace). That village is a model estate for Muslim families in a serene environment. The project is located on 40 hectares of land on Lagos- Ibadan Expressway, in Ogun State of Nigeria. It is meant for any NASFAT member or interested Muslim who wants to live peacefully with fellow Muslims. It is another revolutionary innovation.

Hajj and Umrah Company

As one of its achievements also, NASFAT is engaged in Hajj and Umrah Halal business aimed at making pilgrimage relatively comfortable for Nigerian Muslims without fear of exploitation. The company licensed for that business is called TAFSAN Tours and Travels.

Not only that, NASFAT also feelt so concerned about the spate of poverty among Nigerian Muslims that it established an agency which handles Zakah and Sadaqah especially their collection and distribution for the purpose of alleviating poverty among the Muslims and advancing the course of needed Muslim projects in the society.

Dawah activities

Like some other prayer groups, NASFAT is known for recitation of prayers congregationally in a book which contains selected Dua’u from the Glorious Qur’an and prayers of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) every Sunday; It is also known for Providing economic empowerment for joblessness Muslim youths; fixing up the qualified ones among those youths in employment vacancies  and granting soft loans to those who require such loans  for small scale businesses as well as assisting in financing  genuine local purchase orders (LPOs) through the NASFAT”s Cooperative arm.

There is also the Usrah (family) Classes programme where basic knowledge of Islam is imparted to couples, parents and children alike on a weekly basis. This helps not only in cementing the marital relationship of those couples but also in facilitating close relationship between the parents and their children on the basis of knowledge and piety.

Educational Programmes

Believing in education as the solid foundation of human existence, NASFAT organizes general   lectures pertaining to Islam, peace and morals for all its members who are interested in such lectures.   This programme is mostly handled by the Society’s Mission Board members including the Imams. Sometimes, guest lecturers are invited from within and outside the country to handle such lectures. Another programme is ‘Tutorial Class’ specifically designed for professional-male and female members of NASFAT and other interested Muslims   to learn the Qur’an and Hadith for the purpose of solidifying their understanding of Islam. This programme has produced about 1000 youth and adult graduates.

Another interesting programme is that of Children Classes. In this programme, various classes are organized for children to teach them Qur’an and Hadith as well as well as inculcate in them Islamic culture and values.

Scholarship Awards

Another vital programme of NASFAT is award of scholarships to indigent Muslim student in Primary, Post-Primary and Tertiary Institutions. Such scholarships are funded from the Zakat collected during the year. An addendum to NASFAT’s education promme is educational recreation that includes children’s holiday camping, women’s week, youth week and National Qur’anic quiz competition. That programme also includes social services such as welfare visitations to prison yards, orphanages, old people’s homes and the likes.

Besides all the programmes mentioned above, NASFAT has also confirmed its seriousness in acquisition of education by establishing ten standard Islamic Nursery and Primary schools and a number of secondary schools to cater for the future of Islam in Nigeria. More of such schools are still in the making.

Conclusion

If within 21 years of existence, NASFAT could achieve so much despite the hash economic environment and hostile religious tendencies, who says this unique Organization is not a front line model to be emulated in Nigeria? ‘The Message’ Column salutes the courage of NASFAT in its various activities toward the promotion of Islam and prays that such courage and the wherewithal to summon it should never, never wane.

The post NASFAT: Nigeria’s timely revolution appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Muslim women in Remo Zone of Ogun State has held a rally and lecture to make case for use of hijab in the country.

Under the auspices of the Coalition of Muslim Women in Remo, the event was commenced with a rally round the major streets in Sagamu town with variety of Islamic slogans and rhymes.

The rally which took off at about 9am at Sagamu Central Mosque to Maku road, Bright Fashion junction, Surulere,  Baruwa and  Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital Road, Ayegbami,  all within Sagamu township.

After the rally that lasted for about three hours, the crowd returned to the Central Mosque where special lecture was delivered.

An erudite Islamic scholar and Chief Imam of Ansar-ud-deen Society, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Otutu, emphasised the need for Muslim women to protect their chastity and fear Allah in their dressing, stressing that hijab is a fundamental principle of Islam that cannot be compromised.

Imam Otutu urged Muslim women to be a role model and give priority to the care and training of their wards over other worldly engagement.

The cleric used the occasion to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari.

The post Muslim women rally for hijab appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

The Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN), has offered prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari, his government and the nation.

The prayer was held during its 13th Regular Meeting at Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by its Central Working Committee (CWC).

The CWC comprise of Muslim Communities/Councils of the six states of the Southwest, the major Muslim organisations domiciled in the region including Muslim women and youth organisations.

The group thanked to Allah for responding to the prayers of Nigerians and bringing back the President in improved health.

A statement by its Executive Secretary Prof Dawud Noibi, MUSWEN expressed profound faith in the fact that the span of life of a person is not determined by the wishes or claims of detractors by but by Allah’s decree, urging President Buhari and Nigerians to put trust in Allah and ignore the whispers of rumour mongers.

The religious leaders also thanked Allah for giving the country and the armed forces victory over the Boko Haram menace and beseeched Him to complete the victory not only over the misguided insurgents but also over all other forms of threat to the security, unity and progress of the nation.

They also prayed that the remaining Chibok girls be brought back safely.

They hailed the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, for holding the forth for President Buhari so diligently over the period of the President’s absence.

“Members took the advantage of the occasion to express condolences to the family of the former military governor of the old Western Region of Nigeria, Major General Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd) as well as the people of Ekiti State and the Southest on the occasion of his death. They pray that Allah grants his family and the nation the fortitude to bear the loss,” the statement said.

The post MUSWEN prays for President Buhari appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Al-Mu’minaat (The Believing Women Organisation) has called on Federal Government to enact law that will guarantee the rights of Muslim women to dress according to her religius belief.

A statement issued by its Remo Zone, Ogun State Amirah (President), Hajia Zainab AbdulKareem, said Muslim women in the country are faced with series of intimidation and harassment for wearing the hijab.

Hajia AbdulKareem alleged that many government agencies are culprits in these acts, adding: “the list of culpable government organisations in this regard include Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the National Identity Management Commission NIMC), which always insist that Muslim women remove their hijab before they are captured”.

The Amirah decried a recent event at the Psychiatric hospital in Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, where an hijabite was prevented from resuming her duty, because she puts on hijab

“We were shocked about the incident. We therefore call on the state governor to check the excesses of officials that are perpetrating acts of oppression and injustice against Muslim women.

“We say authoritatively that Islam is against terrorism and violence and those behind Boko Haram and other terrorist groups are misguided and do not represent Islam in any way,” she said.

The post Al-mu’minaat calls for legislation on hijab appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Preamble

It cannot be strange to anybody who is well familiar with the Qur’anic contents that there are 114 chapters in that sacred book. Out of these, six chapters are dedicated to the animal kingdom, three of which are specifically dedicated to insects. They are chapters 16, 27 and 29 which are dedicated to ‘The BEE’, ‘The ANT’ and ‘The SPIDER’ respectively.

Each of these cited chapters is particularly symbolic of the purpose to which it is dedicated. But it takes only those who can reason and engage in further research to comprehend them. However, our immediate concern here is the miraculous insect called ‘BEE’ about which Qur’an 16, verse 68 quoted above is explicit.

The Insect called Bee

Most people see the bee as an ordinary insect that interacts with human life positively or negatively. They believe that honey is the only beneficial product of the bee. They also believe that if they can live comfortably without honey they can as well cope with life without bees. Such beliefs are unfortunately based on ignorance.

Honey as one of about seven products of the bee is like a message. No one can gain access to a message except through the messenger. And the messenger, in this case, is the bee that produces it. To appreciate the value of honey and other bee products, it is necessary to know something about the insect called the bee and the effect of its lifestyle on human life.

The Lifestyle of Bees

Bees are social insects living a communal life under an organized and disciplined government. Bees have male and female genders. Their males are called drones. Their females are known as workers. They all live together in an abode called hive. Such hive may be wild or man-made. Though people had been harvesting honey for thousands of years, it was not until 1851 that the idea of a definite man-made hive came into existence. In that year, an America apiarist, Lorenzo Lorrain Langstroth, discovered the principle of ‘bee space’ and designed a man-made hive that was named after its designer (Langstroth). According to that man’s discovery, bees leave spaces of about 0.6 cm (about 0.23 inches) between wax combs inside which they store honey. Thus, Langstroth’s discovery made it possible to remove individual frames from a beehive and to harvest honey and wax without destroying the hive. Through such effort, it also became possible to control diseases in the hive and to maintain a larger number of colonies. (A colony is a hive effectively occupied by bees while an apiary is a place where several hives are kept.

Types of Bee Hives

Man-made hives are of three types for now. These are Langstroth, Kenyan top bar and Tanzanian top bar. Kenyan and Tanzanian top bars are similar in shape and outlook. The one was designed in Kenya in about 1958 while the other was designed in 1962 on the template of that of Kenya.

Each of the Kenyan and Tanzanian hives can contain an average of 20 liters of honey. Langstroth on the other hand can contain as much as about 40 liters or more. Langstroth has a bigger accommodation capacity because of its double or triple Decker design with which it came.

How to hive the Bees

To get the bees to colonize the hive, what apiarists do is to bate such hives with some pure, genuine honey added to a piece of beeswax and put at the entrance of the hive. On smelling the odour of the honey, the bees will come in their hundreds or even thousands to colonize the hive. Thus, such hives become bee colonies.

Government of the Bees

Bees are governed by a female monarch called ‘the Queen’. To choose the Queen that will govern the hive, a group of queenmakers among the bees in the hive meet to select some fertilized eggs shortly before those eggs are hatched and incubate them royally. When they are hatched and become princesses, they are then fed with a special food called Royal Jelly to accelerate their growth and facilitate their longevity. After about 16 weeks, one of them is chosen and made the Queen while the rest are either taken out into new hives as Queens or left altogether to slug it out with one another in a royal battle for survival. In such a melee, whichever of them overpowers the others will emerge as the next Queen of that particular colony. The other fertilized eggs that are not selected for the same purpose are left to grow naturally until they become worker bees.

 Functions of the Drones

Drones are the male bees produced from unfertilized eggs. They neither sting nor work. Their main job in the hive is to mate with the queen which they do only once in a lifetime. As soon as they finish mating, the drones fall down and die as they have completed their destined duty. The queen also mates only once in a lifetime but she does not die as a result. Drones are very few in any hive since the unfertilized eggs that produce them are scantily laid by the Queen.

Drones constitute less than one per cent of any hive population. Their population is invariably determined by the Queen bee that lays very few big and unfertilized eggs from which the drones are produced. On the other hand, the worker bees are produced from smaller but fertilized eggs.

Culture of the Bees

By the natural culture of the bees, the Queen neither mates inside her own hive nor mated by the drones from the same hive. This is similar to the principle of endogamy (marriage within the same family) which is culturally prohibited in most African clans. Only one Queen can be found in a hive at any given time. And she has no deputy.

When it is time for the Queen bee to mate, she produces a glandular secretion with which she sends out with a powerful pheromone into the air to alert the drones in other hives around that she is ready for mating. A meeting is then arranged by the worker bees, between her and some interested drones, to mate with the Queen. And the mating is done in the air.

Breeding new Bees

To breed new bees, the Queen bee must lay unfertilized eggs in the larger chambers of the bee comb while she lays fertilized ones in the small chambers of the comb. The eggs in the larger chambers are meant for the production of the drones while those in the smaller chambers are meant for the production of the worker bees. This is because the drones are naturally bigger in size than the workers. Both chambers are expertly designed in the honeycomb by the worker bees for the purpose of breeding.

The Mystery of Bee Comb

One of the mysteries of the beehives is the building of the honeycomb by the bees. Researchers in the field of apitherapy know that the bees use wax to build honeycomb but they are still puzzled by the natural skill with which those tiny insects do it. An attempt by those researchers to manufacture similar honeycomb manually as a means of assisting the bees in reducing their workload has proved abortive as the bees have shunned such artificial comb. Honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal cells built by the honeybees in their nest to contain their larvae and store honey and pollen.

Classification of Worker Bees

Worker bees are classified into groups for the purpose of carrying out specific duties assigned to them. Some go out every morning to scout for flower nectars with which to produce honey. Some are assigned to the duty of picking tree resin with which to produce propolis. Some others are charged with fetching water to be used in the hive. Some serve as guards. Some serve as informants. But except for those assigned to internal duties, all of them travel out in groups into the wild vegetations or plantations every morning as a matter of duty. Those of them that travel to carry out such duties are called foragers.

Division of Labour

Among the other multitudes remaining in or around the hive, some are responsible for guarding the hive against any foreign attack or aggression. They are the security officers. Some are assigned to carrying out the conversion of nectars into honey. Some others engage permanently in fanning the interior of the hive with their tiny wings to reduce the heat and neutralize the humidity therein. Those are the ventilators. Some specialize in converting resin into propolis. Those are the pharmacists or apothecaries. Some are assigned to the Queen’s kitchen as special cooks and prepare royal jelly for the Queen which is the latter’s exclusive food. Those are the Queen’s royal chefs.

Some bees are kept at the entrance of the hive for monitoring the environment and for passing any gathered information to the busy workers. Those are the informants. Some are put in charge of nursing the young bees into adults. They are the foster mothers. Some are assigned to the building and maintenance of the honeycomb. Those are the colony architects and builders. Some are assigned to sterilization of the interior of the hive and the ceiling with propolis. They are also charged with the duty of embalming any predators that stray into the hive and stung to death. Such predators are stung to death to prevent any outbreak of epidemic in the hive that the decay of those predators can cause. Those are the sanitary inspectors. All of these duties are carried out by the female bees called worker bees.

Duties of Foragers

Worker bees, by their nature, do travel very far in search of water or raw materials needed to carry out their assigned duties in the hive. And they follow the principle of ‘esprit de corps’ in carrying out such duties.

This great division of labour is a daily routine which enables perfection to be attained in the hive. And all these activities are centrally coordinated by the Queen bee from her palatial chamber. The Queen bee herself is about five times bigger in size than the worker bee. She lays an average of about 2,000 eggs per day. And she lives about 40 times longer than those other bees because of the exclusive diet of Royal Jelly which she takes every day. The average lifespan of an ordinary bee is six weeks. That of the Queen bee is two and a half years but she can live for as long as six years depending on the conduciveness of her royal environment.

The Queen’s Succession Procedure

When the Queen bee becomes old or weak and can no longer lay enough eggs (of between 1,500 and 2,000 per day) with which to sustain the population of the hive, the Queen-makers in the hive meet and jointly decide to depose her by stinging her to death. Then, she is replaced with a new, vibrant Queen.

 The Bees’ Friendly and Hostile  Stings

Stinging is part of the duties of the worker bees. And each of them can sting only once in a lifetime. No bee can sting twice. Bees have both friendly and hostile stings. The one is for healing diseases in human beings. The other is like a missile reserved for an attack on enemies. The natural sac in which their venom is kept at the tail end of their abdomen is called ‘ovipositor’.

  Food of the Bees

It must be noted that the bees work and produce honey and other products for themselves and not for human consumption. Honey is the food of the bees. They work hard during the dry season to produce honey which is the food they will eat during the raining season. Bees do not work during the rainy season because they cannot cope with the wind and storm which often accompany rains. Thus, during the rainy season, they concentrate on taking care of the Queen and on nursing the younger bees. It takes an average bee about 21 days to grow into an adult from the egg status while it takes the Queen about 16 days to develop from the egg status to the royal status of a Queen.

Species of Bees

There are about 20,000 species of bees in the world. But the most prominent ones in relation to human life are seven. These are Bumble Bees; Carpenter Bees; Honey Bees; Killer Bees; Ground Bees and Yellow Jackets Bees. Some worker bees are stingless. But generally, the world of bees is a wonderful one. It takes those who know it to appreciate its value. Without bees, there will be neither crops nor farmers. It takes the bees alone to pollinate over 80% of the plants that produce foods for human consumption. No amount of narration here can expose all about the communal life of the bees. Their story is inexhaustible. The seven products of the bees, including honey, and their usefulness to human lives will be discussed in this column soonest, God willing. Meanwhile, only Islam could have provided this wonderful knowledge about the bees over 1400 years ago.

The post The insect that heals appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Preamble

It cannot be strange to anybody who is well familiar with the Qur’anic contents that there are 114 chapters in that sacred book. Out of these, six chapters are dedicated to the animal kingdom, three of which are specifically dedicated to insects. They are chapters 16, 27 and 29 which are dedicated to ‘The BEE’, ‘The ANT’ and ‘The SPIDER’ respectively.

Each of these cited chapters is particularly symbolic of the purpose to which it is dedicated. But it takes only those who can reason and engage in further research to comprehend them. However, our immediate concern here is the miraculous insect called ‘BEE’ about which Qur’an 16, verse 68 quoted above is explicit.

The Insect called Bee

Most people see the bee as an ordinary insect that interacts with human life positively or negatively. They believe that honey is the only beneficial product of the bee. They also believe that if they can live comfortably without honey they can as well cope with life without bees. Such beliefs are unfortunately based on ignorance.

Honey as one of about seven products of the bee is like a message. No one can gain access to a message except through the messenger. And the messenger, in this case, is the bee that produces it. To appreciate the value of honey and other bee products, it is necessary to know something about the insect called the bee and the effect of its lifestyle on human life.

The Lifestyle of Bees

Bees are social insects living a communal life under an organized and disciplined government. Bees have male and female genders. Their males are called drones. Their females are known as workers. They all live together in an abode called hive. Such hive may be wild or man-made. Though people had been harvesting honey for thousands of years, it was not until 1851 that the idea of a definite man-made hive came into existence. In that year, an America apiarist, Lorenzo Lorrain Langstroth, discovered the principle of ‘bee space’ and designed a man-made hive that was named after its designer (Langstroth). According to that man’s discovery, bees leave spaces of about 0.6 cm (about 0.23 inches) between wax combs inside which they store honey. Thus, Langstroth’s discovery made it possible to remove individual frames from a beehive and to harvest honey and wax without destroying the hive. Through such effort, it also became possible to control diseases in the hive and to maintain a larger number of colonies. (A colony is a hive effectively occupied by bees while an apiary is a place where several hives are kept.

Types of Bee Hives

Man-made hives are of three types for now. These are Langstroth, Kenyan top bar and Tanzanian top bar. Kenyan and Tanzanian top bars are similar in shape and outlook. The one was designed in Kenya in about 1958 while the other was designed in 1962 on the template of that of Kenya.

Each of the Kenyan and Tanzanian hives can contain an average of 20 liters of honey. Langstroth on the other hand can contain as much as about 40 liters or more. Langstroth has a bigger accommodation capacity because of its double or triple Decker design with which it came.

How to hive the Bees

To get the bees to colonize the hive, what apiarists do is to bate such hives with some pure, genuine honey added to a piece of beeswax and put at the entrance of the hive. On smelling the odour of the honey, the bees will come in their hundreds or even thousands to colonize the hive. Thus, such hives become bee colonies.

Government of the Bees

Bees are governed by a female monarch called ‘the Queen’. To choose the Queen that will govern the hive, a group of queenmakers among the bees in the hive meet to select some fertilized eggs shortly before those eggs are hatched and incubate them royally. When they are hatched and become princesses, they are then fed with a special food called Royal Jelly to accelerate their growth and facilitate their longevity. After about 16 weeks, one of them is chosen and made the Queen while the rest are either taken out into new hives as Queens or left altogether to slug it out with one another in a royal battle for survival. In such a melee, whichever of them overpowers the others will emerge as the next Queen of that particular colony. The other fertilized eggs that are not selected for the same purpose are left to grow naturally until they become worker bees.

 Functions of the Drones

Drones are the male bees produced from unfertilized eggs. They neither sting nor work. Their main job in the hive is to mate with the queen which they do only once in a lifetime. As soon as they finish mating, the drones fall down and die as they have completed their destined duty. The queen also mates only once in a lifetime but she does not die as a result. Drones are very few in any hive since the unfertilized eggs that produce them are scantily laid by the Queen.

Drones constitute less than one per cent of any hive population. Their population is invariably determined by the Queen bee that lays very few big and unfertilized eggs from which the drones are produced. On the other hand, the worker bees are produced from smaller but fertilized eggs.

Culture of the Bees

By the natural culture of the bees, the Queen neither mates inside her own hive nor mated by the drones from the same hive. This is similar to the principle of endogamy (marriage within the same family) which is culturally prohibited in most African clans. Only one Queen can be found in a hive at any given time. And she has no deputy.

When it is time for the Queen bee to mate, she produces a glandular secretion with which she sends out with a powerful pheromone into the air to alert the drones in other hives around that she is ready for mating. A meeting is then arranged by the worker bees, between her and some interested drones, to mate with the Queen. And the mating is done in the air.

Breeding new Bees

To breed new bees, the Queen bee must lay unfertilized eggs in the larger chambers of the bee comb while she lays fertilized ones in the small chambers of the comb. The eggs in the larger chambers are meant for the production of the drones while those in the smaller chambers are meant for the production of the worker bees. This is because the drones are naturally bigger in size than the workers. Both chambers are expertly designed in the honeycomb by the worker bees for the purpose of breeding.

The Mystery of Bee Comb

One of the mysteries of the beehives is the building of the honeycomb by the bees. Researchers in the field of apitherapy know that the bees use wax to build honeycomb but they are still puzzled by the natural skill with which those tiny insects do it. An attempt by those researchers to manufacture similar honeycomb manually as a means of assisting the bees in reducing their workload has proved abortive as the bees have shunned such artificial comb. Honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal cells built by the honeybees in their nest to contain their larvae and store honey and pollen.

Classification of Worker Bees

Worker bees are classified into groups for the purpose of carrying out specific duties assigned to them. Some go out every morning to scout for flower nectars with which to produce honey. Some are assigned to the duty of picking tree resin with which to produce propolis. Some others are charged with fetching water to be used in the hive. Some serve as guards. Some serve as informants. But except for those assigned to internal duties, all of them travel out in groups into the wild vegetations or plantations every morning as a matter of duty. Those of them that travel to carry out such duties are called foragers.

Division of Labour

Among the other multitudes remaining in or around the hive, some are responsible for guarding the hive against any foreign attack or aggression. They are the security officers. Some are assigned to carrying out the conversion of nectars into honey. Some others engage permanently in fanning the interior of the hive with their tiny wings to reduce the heat and neutralize the humidity therein. Those are the ventilators. Some specialize in converting resin into propolis. Those are the pharmacists or apothecaries. Some are assigned to the Queen’s kitchen as special cooks and prepare royal jelly for the Queen which is the latter’s exclusive food. Those are the Queen’s royal chefs.

Some bees are kept at the entrance of the hive for monitoring the environment and for passing any gathered information to the busy workers. Those are the informants. Some are put in charge of nursing the young bees into adults. They are the foster mothers. Some are assigned to the building and maintenance of the honeycomb. Those are the colony architects and builders. Some are assigned to sterilization of the interior of the hive and the ceiling with propolis. They are also charged with the duty of embalming any predators that stray into the hive and stung to death. Such predators are stung to death to prevent any outbreak of epidemic in the hive that the decay of those predators can cause. Those are the sanitary inspectors. All of these duties are carried out by the female bees called worker bees.

Duties of Foragers

Worker bees, by their nature, do travel very far in search of water or raw materials needed to carry out their assigned duties in the hive. And they follow the principle of ‘esprit de corps’ in carrying out such duties.

This great division of labour is a daily routine which enables perfection to be attained in the hive. And all these activities are centrally coordinated by the Queen bee from her palatial chamber. The Queen bee herself is about five times bigger in size than the worker bee. She lays an average of about 2,000 eggs per day. And she lives about 40 times longer than those other bees because of the exclusive diet of Royal Jelly which she takes every day. The average lifespan of an ordinary bee is six weeks. That of the Queen bee is two and a half years but she can live for as long as six years depending on the conduciveness of her royal environment.

The Queen’s Succession Procedure

When the Queen bee becomes old or weak and can no longer lay enough eggs (of between 1,500 and 2,000 per day) with which to sustain the population of the hive, the Queen-makers in the hive meet and jointly decide to depose her by stinging her to death. Then, she is replaced with a new, vibrant Queen.

 The Bees’ Friendly and Hostile  Stings

Stinging is part of the duties of the worker bees. And each of them can sting only once in a lifetime. No bee can sting twice. Bees have both friendly and hostile stings. The one is for healing diseases in human beings. The other is like a missile reserved for an attack on enemies. The natural sac in which their venom is kept at the tail end of their abdomen is called ‘ovipositor’.

  Food of the Bees

It must be noted that the bees work and produce honey and other products for themselves and not for human consumption. Honey is the food of the bees. They work hard during the dry season to produce honey which is the food they will eat during the raining season. Bees do not work during the rainy season because they cannot cope with the wind and storm which often accompany rains. Thus, during the rainy season, they concentrate on taking care of the Queen and on nursing the younger bees. It takes an average bee about 21 days to grow into an adult from the egg status while it takes the Queen about 16 days to develop from the egg status to the royal status of a Queen.

Species of Bees

There are about 20,000 species of bees in the world. But the most prominent ones in relation to human life are seven. These are Bumble Bees; Carpenter Bees; Honey Bees; Killer Bees; Ground Bees and Yellow Jackets Bees. Some worker bees are stingless. But generally, the world of bees is a wonderful one. It takes those who know it to appreciate its value. Without bees, there will be neither crops nor farmers. It takes the bees alone to pollinate over 80% of the plants that produce foods for human consumption. No amount of narration here can expose all about the communal life of the bees. Their story is inexhaustible. The seven products of the bees, including honey, and their usefulness to human lives will be discussed in this column soonest, God willing. Meanwhile, only Islam could have provided this wonderful knowledge about the bees over 1400 years ago.

The post The insect that heals appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Preamble

This article is a follow up to that of last Friday in which the bee was described as ‘The Insect that Heals’. Both articles are a deliberate diversion of readers’ attention from the economic and political   madness of this moment in Nigeria.

Such diversion becomes necessary as a relief from the current overwhelming tension in a country where every news item is sad and every hope turns forlorn. A worthy columnist must know when to bite and when to blow editorially if only to sustain the readership of his/her column. This is the time of mental, physical and psychological trauma in Nigeria for which there must be a soothing medicament.

Appropriate medicament

Incidentally, the most appropriate medicament for all ailments including trauma is the one prescribed by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) about 1,440 years ago which still remains as potent today as it was when it was prophetically prescribed. And it will keep remaining relevant for the rest period of human existence on earth.

Prophet Muhammad’s prescription was a practical fine-tuning of the coded medicine primordially prescribed by the first human being who bore the name Adam.

Prophet Adam, the primogenitor of mankind, was hardly one hour old when he started prescribing medicine against ailments. He was commanded by Allah to teach the Angels the names of all things which they (the Angels) had confessed not to know. By teaching the Angels, Adam thus became a teacher to the Angels and this made teaching the very first profession of man. But, those in the information sector could, as well, argue that what Adam did was more of information dissemination than teaching or prescription.

First human profession

There is tendency that a fierce debate might ensue between teachers and journalists on the one hand and both of them and the medical experts on the other over what can be called the first profession of man on earth. But the truth is that all the three professionals are right. By teaching, a teacher informs. By informing, a journalist teaches. And by medicating, a doctor helps to dispel ignorance. Thus, the three professions are mutually complimentary.

Prophet Adam as a doctor

By teaching the Angels, what Prophet Adam really did was to cure the worst disease in them as well as in man. That disease is ignorance. Shortly before the creation of Adam, Allah informed the Angels that He was going to create a new living being and put him in charge of the garden to be called the earth. But, feigning knowledge, the Angels kicked against the plan and advised their Lord not to do it. Allah then told them in a tone of finality that “I know what you do not know”. (Q.2:31). It eventually took Adam, by Allah’s command, to heal those Angels of the disease of ignorance in them.

If Adam had not taught them the names of all things on earth, as revealed in the Qur’an, the Angels would have remained ignorant forever. And, Allah’s messages to mankind, as contained in the divinely Revealed Books, would not have come mankind through them.

Categories of medicine

In ordinary man’s view, medicine is the substance required to cure an ailment. Such substance may be natural or artificial. It may also be as crude as herbs or as sophisticated as surgery. However, it is generally believed that a person does not need medicine unless he is ill. That is why the Western conventional medicine is rather curative than preventive. Illness resides in the body just as ignorance makes the mind its abode. Today, in most cases, people neither go to the hospitals nor take medicine unless they are sick.

Prophet Muhammad’s prescription

Though unlettered, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had known the different types of medicine before he diagnosed two basic ailments and prescribed two fundamental medicines for them. The first of these ailments is ignorance. The second is poverty. And poverty in this case is not lack of material wealth alone as many people erroneously believe. It is also lack of many things including health and conscience. Thus, in Islam, ailment is basically of two classes: ignorance and poverty. Many people are victims of one. Many more are victims of both.

Analysis

A person is said to be poor-sighted when he cannot see well without artificial aid. He is deemed poor in memory when his remembering ability becomes weak. He is also pronounced poor in health when some of his body organs malfunction or when he loses some active enzymes or minerals or vitamins. Thus, man may be poor, not in terms of money or material needs but despite his possession of both.

As an antidote for ignorance, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) prescribed the Qur’an. And for body ailment, he prescribed honey.

The role of the Qur’an

Qur’an is the encyclopedia of life which personifies knowledge in all its ramifications. There is nothing about knowledge, whether spiritual or mundane, in this world or the hereafter that is not fully explained in the Qur’an.

By recommending the Qur’an as medicine for ignorance, therefore, the Prophet simply provided cure for the ailment of the mind. And by prescribing honey for body ailments he encouraged elongation of life expectancy through a boost to human immune system. It is not by accident that a whole chapter in the Qur’an (chapter 16) is named after the insect that produces honey. Verse 68 of that chapter reads thus:

“And your Lord revealed to the bee (saying): Build your homes in the mountains, in the trees and in the hives which men shall make for you. Feed on every kind of fruit and follow the trodden path of your Lord’. From its belly comes forth a fluid of many hues as healing (drink) for mankind. Surely in this, there is a sign for those who can reason….”

Products of the Bee

Contrary to general belief, honey is not the only product of the bee. There are six others so far known to man. These are: propolis; pollen; royal jelly; bees wax; bee venom and bee bread. More can be discovered as research continues in line with the Qur’anic challenge. Each of these products has specific functions in maintaining and immunizing the human hormone system.

Characteristics honey

Honey is one of the products of the bee. It is the most popular of the bee products. It is a special fluid with various hues odours and flavours. For instance there are bitter, white and granulated honeys which most people do not know of. Honey is the foremost known natural product that serves as both food and medicine. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, once reportedly told his patients while prescribing honey for them thus: “let your food be your medicine and your medicine your food”. There is no known nutritional value in terms of vitamins, minerals and enzymes that is not proportionately present in honey.

Composition of honey

A raw, pure honey contains about 80 different substances that are most important for human nutrition. Besides glucose and fructose, honey contains all of the B-complex minerals like vitamins A, C, D, E and K as well as trace elements such as magnesium, sulphur, phosphorus, iron, calcium, chlorine, potassium, iodine, sodium, copper and manganese. The enzyme content of honey is one of the highest of all existing foods. Honey also contains and antimicrobial and antibacterial factors.

The composition and nutritional value of honey differ in relation to the floral sources from which honeybees do pick their raw materials. For example, a recent research supports the claim that dark coloured honey has larger amount of antioxidants than brown. The inorganic contents of honey, minerals and other trace elements, play a significant role in human metabolism and nutrition. Owing to its chlorine content, honey is appreciated as an excellent tonic and helps people to overcome suffering from constipation and other enteric problems.

Doses of honey

Whereas no synthetic medicine can and should be taken by any ill person without doctor’s prescription, honey requires no such prescription for anybody who is not allergic to it because it has no side effect. The suggestion in certain quarters that honey can cause piles is based on ignorance. As a multipurpose natural food and medicine, honey can be taken alone or along with other foods albeit in moderation.

And as an antiviral and antibiotic substance, honey is the best medicine for the eye and the ear diseases as well as tooth ache, insomnia, staphylococcus, constipation, whitlow, burns and wounds. After many centuries of disputing these facts ignorantly, conventional doctors finally came to realize that no medicine is as effective in sealing up surgical wounds and healing sores as honey. Today, honey is used for these purposes in most public hospitals in various parts of the world including Nigeria.

Products of the Bees

As mentioned above, the products of the bees are seven. These are: honey, propolis, pollen, royal jelly, beeswax, bee venom and bee bread. Each of these products has a potent value in the life of man. For instance, royal jelly is the secret of the longevity of the Queen of England and even that of her mother called the Queen mother just as pollen was the secret behind the strength of a onetime American President, Ronald Reagan at old age.

Honey

To produce honey alone, the bees make contact with about 250,000 plants picking and metabolizing their flower nectars. It is possible for them to contact more plants depending on the richness of the vegetation in which they dwell. (Nectar is the main raw material which the bees use to produce honey).

Propolis

Propolis is produced by the bees from the resin of certain specific trees identifiable only by the bees themselves. Through research, propolis has come to be known as the strongest anti-biotic ever discovered by man. This product is used not only to protect the living but also to preserve the remains of the dead as well. At least it is on record that the famous historic Egyptian mammies were embalmed with propolis several millennia ago. This same propolis is the product used by the bees, themselves, to sterilize their bodies against bacteria and secure their hives against viruses brought in by predators. Whenever they sting such predator to death, it is propolis they use to embalm it to prevent its decaying body from polluting the hive.

Pollen

Pollen is the secret of strength in old age.  It heals almost all the old age diseases like prostate, arthritis, pneumonia and bronchitis. It rejuvenates the nerves and reinvigorates the hormonal glands especially in the aged.

Royal jelly

Royal jelly is the bee product that prolongs life and solves the problem of infertility in men and women. It is the exclusive food of the queen bee which enables her to lay an average of 2000 eggs per day.

Bee venom

Bee venom is a natural antibiotic vaccine which strengthens human immunity against all diseases. It works like magic in the human system especially when applied through the natural acupunctural points in the body.

Beeswax

Bees wax, as distinct from other products, is used to produce non-chemical cosmetics and to coat pharmaceutical and capsules like multivites to protect the potency of the substances used to produce the.

Bee bread

Bee bread is the lava of the young bees. It is used by the apitherapists to prevent or heal children’s diseases.

The use of each of these products to heal human ailments depends on the extent of knowledge of apitherapy possessed by the user. (Apitherapy is the use of bee products to prevent or heal human or animal ailments). A specialist in this field is called apitherapist.

The uniqueness of using these products for healing or prevention of diseases is in the fact that they do not entail any negative side effect because of their natural potency. And that is a major sharp difference between them and the synthetic drugs manufactured chemically by the conventional pharmacists.

Summary

If most people were knowledgeable about the efficacy of the bee products in preventing and healing diseases, hospitals would have been less congested and substantial percentage of their incomes would have been saved to enhance the quality of their lives. The world of bees is a wonderful world. It takes only those who know it to appreciate it and benefit from its healing miracle.

Through divine instinct, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had known this almost one and a half millennia ago and he had recommended it to mankind for their survival. The case of the bee and honey is like that of the hen and the egg. No one can tell with precision which of them first came into existence. The fact that honey is still a subject of scientific research today is a further confirmation that the prophecy of the unlettered Arabian man called Muhammad (SAW) is truly divine.

Conclusion

Without the bee there can be no honey. And without honey, the bees cannot exist since honey is the food upon which they depend for survival.

The story of the insect called bee is inexhaustible despite centuries of research on it. It is therefore impossible to tell it all in a one page column of this type. That Prophet Muhammad (SAW) knew this much even as an unlettered person at a time when the world was assailed by blatant ignorance and primitivism is a further confirmation of Michael Hart’s classification of him as the greatest human being that ever lived.

Information

Four Muslim brothers across three Universities successfully delivered their inaugural lectures recently. They are Professor Lai Olurode of the Socology Department, University of Lagos; Professors Ishaq Lakin Akintola and Lateef Adetona of Religious Studies Department, Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria and Professor Fehintola of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The Message Column joins many well wishers in congratulating them all and in wishing them further higher pedestals in their respective academic careers. Amin.

The post The Prophet’s medicine appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Monologue

The world is dynamic. It moves with time and in space. And people who are inclined to civilization and dynamism move progressively with it. The only thing that is permanent in this world is CHANGE. Unfortunately, that is the word that most Nigerians do not want to hear of even when no man or woman can survive without change.

Whether in terms of weather, taste or fashion, man has always been an agent of change. Yet, most people are resistant to the process of change. This is typically characteristic of Nigerians who regularly enjoy the benefit of change but constantly abhor its process.

Without change, there would not have been anything called Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Without change, there would not have been Permanent Voters Card (PVC) that has now come to give respite to Nigerian voting system. Without change, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) that is now a major means of curbing corruption in Nigeria would not have come into existence.

The new innovation in JAMB

When the current JAMB Registrar,  Professor Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede, OFR, FNLA, assumed office in August 2016, he did not only indicate by his utterances, actions and body language, that further change might be pursued for the betterment of JAMB, he also embarked on series of consultations with people who know to solidify the new innovations. Besides, he has organized series of seminars, workshops, conferences and retreats with many stakeholders from all parts of Nigeria including some past executives of JAMB in attendance.

The latest of those retreats were the ones held in Abeokuta and Kaduna recently. At those retreats, participants were classified into groups with each group deliberating on a particular segment of the new innovation and coming up with a relevant resolution collectively arrived at.

Below is the opening remark of the JAMB Registrar at the Kaduna retreat held at Arewa House on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 and titled: ‘Strategic Planning Retreat on Monitoring and Supervision of 2017 UTME.

Preamble

“…..On behalf of the Management and staff of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, I happily welcome participants to this Strategic Planning Retreat on the Structure of Supervision and Evaluation of the Conduct of the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

When we sent out invitation to you and gave you a very short notice, we were skeptical on your finding time out of your tight schedules to honour our invitation. However, this large turnout has further confirmed our identification and choice of you as critical stakeholders with genuine and undiluted interest in this Nation’s education sector in general and in its assessment and evaluation sub-sector in particular where the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board plays a major role. I therefore thank you and appreciate your presence here today.

In retrospect

On my assumption of office as the fifth Registrar of the Board, I pledged to revisit and revamp the original ideals of those who thought it most appropriate to have a body like this Board and to pursue with vigour and passion their original objectives. I therefore salute the vision of the Vice-Chancellors of the then six (6) Universities who introduced the idea of synergy of their mandate in the areas of entrance examination and admission into the few universities that the Nation had. If synergy, peer review, cost saving, elimination of wastages, collaboration, cooperation and enhancement of academic excellence were identified and recognised then with only six Universities, these salient attributes, ideas and ideals are now more than ever before the basic of all requirements that are most critical for the integration and cohesion of the Nation’s Tertiary Education.

Though a lot of water has passed under the bridge between 1977 and today, the idea of inclusiveness is still as germane today as it was many years back. This is why between August 2016 when I assumed duties and this month, March, 2017, a period of eight months, I have visited various Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, where I met with the Managements of the various institutions in order to renew and restrengthen our relationship and partnership. The Management of the Board has also met with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, Committee of Rectors and Committee of Provosts. We have equally met with the Managements of National Universities Commission (NUC) and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). We have taken the Board’s major events and activities to the Bayero University, Kano, Baze University, Abuja, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, University of Lagos, and others.

Supervision and evaluation

It is therefore in our stride and continuation at bringing all stakeholders on board our inclusive train that we have organiZed this retreat to take another look at the Board’s supervision and evaluation of its conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The aim of this retreat is to adopt an all-inclusive mode of examination supervision and evaluation. Recognising the stakeholding of major players in the Tertiary Education Sector, the Board wishes to give operational responsibilities to the major players in the administration of the Board’s examination. It is not enough for Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) to visit examination centres with sirens and large entourage of government functionaries with very little impact to show for their participation, other than to be under television camera lights and beamed same to the whole world when the outcome of the examination is laced with stories of examination malpractices. This time around, the major players with requisite integrity, intelligence and appropriate knowledge of the assessment would be fully engaged to actively participate in the supervision of the examination.

Sale of application documents

As part of our approach to the ideal of Inclusiveness, we invited all Central Bank of Nigeria approved commercial banks to participate in the sale of the 2017 Board’s Application Documents. Sixteen (16) commercial banks and NIPOST honoured attended the interactive session where we explained the reason and need for all of them to partake in the exercise.

After the interactive session, thirteen banks as well as NIPOST signified interest to participate in the sale of the 2017 Application Documents. Between the date of commencement of sale on Monday, 20th and Tuesday, 28th of March, 2017, the following nine banks had paid for the number of Application Documents they required in the first instance. The banks are as follows:

Zenith Bank; Union Bank; Sterling Bank Unity Bank; First City Monument Bank; Fidelity Bank; First Bank; Skye Bank and

As a policy, no bank needed to know the Registrar or any Management member or even anybody at all to be patronized. Rather, every bank was given the opportunity to participate in the exercise. This is to affirm that JAMB is for everybody and belongs to everyone.

The Pin Vending System

Emerging from a retreat in Abeokuta, the Board introduced a new sale of application method that has come to eliminate scratch cards while adopting a cost-saving procedure of PIN Vending System. This is a secure system devised to address the sharp practices hitherto associated with the use of scratch cards.

Problem of New Salr Format

We are aware of the teething problems attendant to the introduction of the new sale format, and as a responsive body, we have taken steps to ease the initial challenges and in a few days, the results will be a seamless registration exercise all over the country.

Supervision of UTME

It must be noted that the JAMB has no university of its own. Thus, it is our desire that all stakeholders should take the UTME as their own and make it a successful project through cooperation in the overall interest of the examinees who will end up in our various tertiary institutions and eventually emerge as leaders of tomorrow.

The current preparation being carried out by JAMB towards the conduct of the 2017 UTM examination should be viewed with good intention and trust because if that examination is not well supervised, it may not produce the expected results.

A clarion call

The Board is using this retreat as a clarion call on all stakeholders to ensure that all hands are on deck to make the conduct of this public examination better in Nigeria. It must be remembered that the conduct of the examination by the Board is the foundation of the quality of education in Nigeria. In view of this, I urge all the stakeholders to see this year’s UTME and their involvement in its process as a call to national duty and personal sacrifice.

I also urge leadership of our tertiary institutions to be actively involved in the supervision of the Board’s examination as that will boost the quality of candidates that will be admitted into the various institutions in the country.

Computer Key Board Without Mouse From the general feedback on the adoption of the Computer Based Test (CBT), we have noted the challenge of computer low level literacy of some candidates, especially the phobia of such candidates for the use of mouse. This has been partly responsible for the call by some people for reversal to the Paper and Pencil Test mode. Thus, in order to ensure equity and level playground for all candidates the Board has designed a system that will allow candidates to use only eight (8) keys without the use of the mouse.

By this new system, all that the candidates need to do is to press letters A,B,C,D as relevant for responses (answer) to the questions. The keys are arranged as follows:

P = Previous Question

N = Next Question

S = Submit after candidates might have finished answering all the questions.

R = Reverse (when candidates want to reverse their submission).

Distribution of candidates to centres

As part of standardisation of the Computer Based Test (CBT) centres in terms of capacity, two hundred and fifty (250), candidates would be distributed evenly to each centre without any discrimination. This means that no Centre will be favoured or discriminated against.

The JAMB examination Schedule has been designed, streamlined and synchronized in such a way that the examination will start and end on the same day, except otherwise dictated by the number of candidates in a few states with low subscription.

The Blind Candidates

In order to expand the frontiers of equity and inclusiveness, we met with the Executive Committee of the Association of Blind Persons in Nigeria  at the Board’s Headquarters in Abuja in February 2017 and we also met with prospective blind candidates from a school for the blind in Lagos at the University of Lagos recently.

Visually-Impaired Candidates

Secondly, the Board has also approached the Digital Bridge Institute to partner with it to set up examination centres for the Visually Impaired Candidates where those candidates can be trained all year round. Now, the Institute has agreed to set up these dedicated centres in Abuja, Lagos and Kano in 2018 and the Board will support the centres with all necessary inputs that can make teaching, learning and assessment at the centres seamless. The centres will also have residential accommodation for the blind candidates and their guides.

Awaiting result

For the umpteenth time, I would want to seize this opportunity to emphasise that awaiting result candidates are eligible to register and sit for the UTME.

However, since candidates would not be considered for admission on awaiting result status the Board hereby urges all candidates desirous of admission to upload their O’ level results on the Board’s portal the moment they receive them and before the commencement of admission exercise as their O’ level results would form a crucial part of their registration requirements.

Determination

We are determined to make a change with this examination as we are aware of the strategic role our examination plays in deciding the direction of tertiary education in Nigeria. We appeal to all Nigerians to give us the required support.

The guiding principle would be to formulate ideas and map out strategies that would ensure the maintenance and sustenance of the integrity of the Board’s examination and the sanctity of its process.

Thank you all and God bless”.

The post JAMB: The 2017 UTME brouhaha appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Preamble

It was another day of history, last Friday, at Ile-Ife, Osun State. The actively mobile train of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) moved to the ancient city that is the cradle of Yoruba nation.

The delegation was led by the President of MUSWEN, His Excellency, Dr. Sakariyahu O. Babalola, OON, who is also the Deputy President General (South) of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). On his entourage was a galaxy of who is who from all the six states of the Southwest. These included MUSWEN’s BOT Chairman, His Eminence, Justice (Prince) Bola Ajibola SAN (retd), KBE, LLD, D. LITT who was represented by Alhaji S. O. Aweda and the Executive Secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Daud O. S. Noibi, OBE, D. Sc.

Others were the Chairman, MUSWEN’s Finance Committee, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti FCA, (from Lagos); the Chairman, MUSWEN’s Task Force, Barr. Y. K. O. Kareem (from Lagos); the Chairman, MUSWEN’s Education Committee, Professor M. O. Opeloye (of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife); the acting Chairman, Osun State’s Muslim Community, Alh. Mustapha Olawuyi; the former Chairman, Ekiti State’s Muslim Community, Alh. S. Afolabi Ogunlayi; the Chairman, MUSWEN’s 2017 General Assembly Planning Committee, Dr. Wole Abbas (of the University of Ibadan). Also on the entourage were the National President, National Council of Muslim Youth Associations (NACOMYO), Alh. Kamal Akintunde (from Ogun State); the Chief Imam, Ife Central Mosque, Sheikh Abdus-Sami’ Abdul Hamid and a host of others.

Mission

The mission of that visit was to pay a sympathy and solidarity visit to the people and residents of that city over the recent fortuitous crisis that pitched the Yoruba residents of the city against their Hausa counterparts. Coming unexpectedly, the sad incident held the nation spellbound.

MUSWEN’s first point of call in the city was the palace of His Royal Majesty, Oba Kayode Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, where the delegation was received with the grandeur of customary royalty and uniqueness of Yoruba traditional hospitality.

MUSWEN president’s speech

Below is an excerpt from the speech delivered by the President of MUSWEN who led the delegation of prominent Muslims from the six states of the Southwest of Nigeria:

“Your Majesty, first, on behalf of the leadership of the Muslim Community in the Southwest region, under the auspices of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), I want to congratulate you on your ascension to this great throne.

We had planned last year to pay a courtesy call on Your Majesty after your coronation, but owing to some unavoidable circumstances, the plan could not materialise.

Peaceful coexistence

Your Majesty, we are glad that Allah has chosen you to occupy this majestic office at this particular time. Your efforts to promote peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the Southwest region and beyond are widely acknowledged. Indeed, within this short period of your ascension to the throne, you have earned your place of honour as a global ambassador of peace.

Incidentally, this is what Islam teaches as accentuated in the Qur’an thus:

“O mankind! We (Allah) created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know (and interact positively with) one another. Verily the most honourable among you in the sight of Allah are the most righteous of you. Allah has full knowledge and He is well acquainted (with all things).”[Qur’an 49:13]

In Islam, home is wherever a Muslim finds himself. Islam neither makes a distinction among people on the basis of ethnicity nor elevates any race or tribe above another. Rather, Islam treats as sacred the life of every human being.

The recent crisis

Your Majesty, against this background, we were greatly alarmed on learning of the recent disturbances within this ancient city that has all along provided a peaceful home for indigenes, settlers and foreigners alike. However, we were greatly relieved by your words of assurances and  actions in providing the much-needed balm with which to calm the unwarranted tension thereby  preventing the crisis from escalating. Your royal action in the circumstance especially your call for forgiveness rather than retaliation and your strong words of caution to those who wanted to give the sad incident unnecessary ethnic and religious colouration further confirmed your standing as a model of the well-cherished ‘omoluwabi’ values.

This extraordinary display of grace is in concomitance with Qur’anic characterisation of believers as:

“Those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loves those who do good” [Qur’an 3:134]

Commiseration

Your Majesty, on behalf of all Muslims in the Southwest region, we commiserate with you and all the good people of Ile-Ife on the recent crisis. We pray Allah to grant you more wisdom and courage to do what is right, just and fair at all times.

I want to use this opportunity to appeal to all Muslims and indeed all the people of Ile-Ife, the Southwest region and Nigeria to choose the path of peace in the interest of all as no people or nation can develop in the absence of peace.

We must also remember, at all times, that we are all citizens of the same country and brothers and sisters in humanity. As members of the human race, we all are indigenes and settlers, once and at the same time depending where we find ourselves individually or collectively.

While praying the Almighty Allah to grant us sustained peace here in Ile-Ife, in Yoruba land, in Nigeria the entire world, I wish to thank Your Majesty for granting us audience and royal hospitality despite the short notice of this visit. May your reign continue to be peaceful and prosperous”.

Ile-Ife Muslim Community

After leaving the palace, the delegation also paid a visit to the city’s Muslim community at the Central Mosque where Jum’at service was jointly observed and peace prayer was collectively offered to the nation. Thereafter, the delegation proceeded to pay a similar visit to the Hausa Community in its Sabo settlement where the Sarkin Hausawa with his chieftains and other Hausa residents received the MUSWEN delegation. Each group expressed delight over MUSWEN’s visit and gesture.

 In retrospect

Last Friday was not the first time that the topmost echelon of Nigerian Muslim Ummah paid a courtesy visit to Ile-Ife. The President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affiars (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, had severally paid similar visits to Ile-Ife in the recent past. On one of such occasions, His Eminence drew the attention of all and sundry to the symbiotic relationship between the Hausa community of Northern Nigeria and their Yoruba counterpart of the Southwest. Yours sincerely was on the entourage of His Eminence on every occasion he visited Ile-Ife and below is an excerpt from an article I wrote in this column on a particular occasion:

Confluence of cultures

It was a confluence of cultures at Ile-Ife, Osun State where a galaxy of Nigerian juggernauts assembled on the invitation of that ancient city’s monarch the late Ooni of Ife, His Royal Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade. The Sultan and a retinue of Emirs from the north, the Obi of Onitsha and several Ezes from the East and the South-South as well as a galaxy of Obas and Chieftains from the Southwest were all present in full regalia. The venue was Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University (OOU). The State’s Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, was not represented as the chief host at that occasion. He was personally present. Some other Southwest Governors who could not afford to come were ably represented by their Deputies.

The occasion was for the public presentation of a book on the history of Ile-Ife, Yoruba monarchs and their domains.

Apparently, the Ooni invited those great Nigerians to the event not much for the purpose of the book presentation as for the symbolic national unity which Nigeria needs very much as a country.

Sultan’s speech

What interested the column called ‘THE MESSAGE’ most on that occasion, was the speech delivered by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of NSCIA. It went thus:

“…Let me start by expressing my deep gratitude to the Ooni of Ife for his kind invitation and several reminders to attend this undoubtedly great occasion. I am particularly glad to be here not just to listen and learn, but also to witness an epoch in the history of the Yoruba people. I come from a culture and tradition that has great respect for books and which places a high premium on learning. As many of you may have known the founders of the Sokoto Caliphate together wrote over three hundred books and tracts. I therefore feel very comfortable with both the occasion and the location”.

Components of identity

“The history of a people represents a key component of their identity. It brings out their origin, their exploits and their relations with other peoples and delineates their culture and values. We have a lot to learn from our pre-colonial history, particularly the appreciation of those values and precepts that inform the frame of mind of the majority of our people. Our post-colonial democratic institutions will do well to take into account these values which still dominate our socio-cultural environment.

Your Excellencies, your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Guests, please join me in congratulating the book’s author, Prince Adelegan Adegbola, a renowned Journalist, who has been widely acknowledged as a Custodian of the history and culture of the Yoruba people, for his hard work and dedication, in coming up with this masterful work. We commend him most sincerely and we earnestly call upon other writers and intellectuals to emulate the worthy example of Prince Adelegan Adegbola and to bring to light more of the hidden treasures of our history and culture”.

Dissemination of knowledge

“Distinguished guests, the history and culture of our people, precious as they are, must not be left as the preserve of the elders. We must endeavour to disseminate this knowledge especially among the younger generations. It is in connection with this important task that I wish to call upon the Federal Government, especially our educational agencies, to re-introduce the teaching of history as a compulsory subject in our Primary and Junior Secondary Schools. A situation whereby the majority of our school age population is totally disconnected from its past, and the cultural norms and values it embodies, is not only counter-productive but portends great danger to the development of the country. Our future leaders must be imbued with a clear understanding of the history of our diverse peoples, their character and identity and the value systems which mediated their societal life. We can only ignore this vital aspect of nation-building at our own peril”.

Inter-relationship

“…We must also understand our history as the record of our collective struggle to interact with one another, and to understand and accommodate one another. The ancient State of Katsina for example, because of these dynamic interactions, was aware of the developments in Yoruba land as early as the seventeenth century. One of its most erudite scholars, Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Umar Al- Kashnawi, popularly known as Dan Masani, who died in 1667, wrote a book which he entitled ‘The History of Yoruba Land’, under the Arabic title of Azhar al-Ruba fi Akhbar Yuruba. Unfortunately, that book is now presumed lost. Similarly, the Nupes and several other peoples also interacted actively and for several centuries with Yoruba land, thereby producing a complex web of relationship which subsists up till today. The point being   raised is that the interaction and the inter-relationship between our various peoples were not created by Lord Lugard in 1914. It goes much deeper. We must re-enforce these sturdy historical foundations if we wish to build a virile nation”.

Triumph of history

“Finally, I wish to state that the triumph of history and its attendant glories, should always serve to strengthen of our efforts in uniting our people and in bringing peace and harmony. We must strive to acknowledge the universality of our common humanity and the favours which God Almighty has bountifully bestowed on us. We must always remember the noble words of the Holy Qur’an when it says:

“O Mankind, we created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know oneanother (not that you may despise one another). Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is most righteous. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things) [Qur’an 49:13].

From the hind view

“From the available records, Islam is more than a millennium old in West Africa. From isolated Muslim communities in the 9th century to the trading entry ports of the 10th century, Islam grew by leaps and bounds. However, it was not until the 11th century that it began to emerge as a State Religion. According to Al-Bakri, a historian of the region, it was the Kingdom of Takrur which first acquired this status followed by the Kingdom of Kanem under the Syfawas.

“By the 12th century, Ghana had become Islamized while Mali emerged in the 14th century only to be taken over by Songhai which hosted the Sankore University in Timbuktu in the 16th century. Sankore University was the first University in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Islamization of Hausa States of Northern Nigeria began in earnest from the second half of the 14th century”.

Islam in west africa

“The establishment of Islam in West Africa had always been predicated on multi-ethnic and multi-racial basis. Merchants and traders came from different parts of the world, including Morocco, Tripoli, Yemen, Iraq and Egypt. Scholars also came from those countries bringing various Islamic intellectual traditions which interacted and enriched local ones. These traditions flourished and helped to sustain veritable centers of learning including the famous Universities of Timbuktu and Birni Gazargamo as well as similar institutions in Kano, Katsina, Zaria and other Hausa States.

“The emergence of the Sokoto Caliphate in the early years of the 19th century, led by the erudite scholar, Shaykh Uthman Ibn Fodio brought a dramatic transformation of the Islamic scene in West Africa. The Sokoto Caliphate was a political as well as an intellectual revolution. Politically, it initiated an extensive process of state formation which spanned across several states in Western and Central Africa. The political legacies of the Sokoto Caliphate could be found in present day Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and the Republic of Cameroon.

Sokoto caliphate

“Intellectually, the Caliphate also succeeded in putting scholars at the helm of public affairs. And as true intellectuals, they had to argue their way through almost every major decision they took and had the time and the foresight to record their thoughts, ideas and justification of their actions for posterity. The Sokoto Triumvirate, namely: Shaykh Uthman Ibn Fodio, Shaykh Abdullah Ibn Fodio and Shaykh Muhammad Bello authored over 300 books and pamphlets. Other Caliphate leaders were also prolific writers (despite the enormous state responsibility with which they were saddled). Nana Asma’u (a woman) alone wrote over 70 poems and tracts.

“But despite these achievements, probably one of the Caliphate’s most enduring legacies had been in the areas of values. Next to this is primacy of Justice as the basis of good governance. Shaykh Uthman Ibn Fodio was emphatic on this when he said: “Seeing to welfare of the people is more effective than the use of force…. And the crown of the leader is his integrity while impartiality is his strong hold even as his wealth is the prosperity of his people”.

From the above, it is evident that human life is like a building, the foundation of which is solid education, the structure of which is value-based culture and the roof of which is Justice. These three are closely interrelated. And whoever toils with them toils with life. Can anybody fault that?

The post MUSWEN’s train in Ile-Ife appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Preamble

What can we say of a man who fixes his eyes on the sun but does not see it? Instead, he sees a chorus of flaming seraphim announcing a paroxysm of despair.

That is the parable of the country called Nigeria. Like the Israelites of yore, most Nigerians have become unbelievable gypsies wandering aimlessly in the wilderness of forlornness and wallowing helplessly in abject poverty even in the midst of abundance.

Our world is mysterious. And the more efforts made to demystify it the more complex it becomes. Not even humanity’s greatest footprint (science and technology) has succeeded in demystifying the phenomenal web we call “the world”.

In retrospect

A few years ago, while yours sincerely was browsing through the internet, I fortuitously stumbled on a strange news report that was nearer to fiction than to reality, yet it was real. In the report, far away in Thailand, a young man of about 28 years of age was reported missing for some days by his relatives. By the time his dead body was eventually found somewhere in a thick forest, journalists in that country were bracing up for writing an exclusive

Story.

First mystery scene

Incredibly, bruises of snake bite were found all over the young man’s body. And, surprisingly also, a monstrous python was found lying lifelessly by his side. On examining the python, the police discovered human bites all over its body. There and then, it was concluded that perhaps a furious duel had taken place between a man hunter and a reptile which led to mutual death. But the story did not end there.

Second mystery scene

The young man’s body was also found to be pants down with a dangling condom firmly fixed to his manhood. This unbelievable scene suggested the possibility of an attempted bestial sex that could be linked to a ritual act. Could the young man have attempted to rape the python? That was a mysterious question begging for a mysterious answer.

Personal reflection

On a personal reflection, yours sincerely arrived at a guess that the young man might have lured a beautiful damsel into a hideout perhaps for an illicit sexual orgy. But on getting to the point of action, the damsel decided to show her true self by turning into a python, and a duel ensued. Or why would a young man wearing condom be found half naked in such a circumstance with such a brutal reptile? This strange story quickly reminded me of an article I once wrote in this column which was entitled “THE WORLD OF JINN”.

Linkage

Linking that article to the episode in Thailand, just relayed above, may provide a possible clue to the mystery surrounding the death of a man and a python almost arm in arm. The similitude of the above episode is like that of Nigeria and her epidemy of corruption. I therefore decided to recall that article here today as an illustration of the linkage between the two articles if only to enable those who did not read the earlier article when it was first published. Please read on:

 The world of Jinn

“…The world of Jinn is, to man, an imaginary world entirely wrapped in mystery. The details of how man and Jinn came to share the planet called the earth are known only to Allah. But who actually, are the Jinn? Jinn are living beings created by Allah from the flames of fire and given free will. They live on earth in a world parallel to that of man. But they are invisible to human eyes in their natural form. The Arabic word “Jinn” is from the verb “Jannah” which means to hide. Some other words from the same verb root are given names such as Janin and Janan meaning embryo and heart respectively to reflect their hidden nature.

Categories of Jinn

Jinn, like human beings, are as much in genders as in races and tribes. Their activities are elicited by their various cultures and traditions. Some of them are called fairy. Some are called demons and some are called devils depending on their roles in the lives of human beings. In Islam, the unbelievers among Jinn are called Shaytan (Satan) the plural of which is Shayatin and their paramount king is called Iblis. We first heard of Iblis in some Qur’anic verses revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) by Allah in the city of Madinah.

Analysis

According to the contents of those verses, shortly after the creation of Adam, Allah (SWT) asked the Angels (with Iblis in their midst), to prostrate to him (Adam). They all did except Iblis who bluntly refused. And, when asked why he refused to obey the commandment of Allah, he said he (Iblis), having been created from the flame of fire was superior to whatever was created from the earth. That was the beginning of hostility between man and Jinn as declared by Iblis on the premise of envy. Noting this hostility, Allah warned Adam and Hawau (Eve) to steer clear of the antics of Iblis and his disciples in order not to be lured into perdition. But with cunning and intrigue, Iblis succeeded in demoting the first human couple. The rest is history.

Types of Jinn

Jinn are of various heights, sizes and colours just like humans. They also have different languages and cultures depending on the race or tribe to which they belong. But one unique feature with which they are commonly endowed and, which man lacks, is the ability to transform into anything they want at will.

Jinn’s earlier life

Jinn are believed to have lived on earth for millions of years before the creation of man.

It was from the experience of their lawlessness and bloody existence while they held sway on earth that the Angels got the idea which informed their initial objection to the creation of man. Without such experience the Angels would not have attempted to advise Allah “not to put on earth again those who would vandalize it and shed blood therein”. Q. 2, Verse 31.

Environments of the Jinn

Jinn are everywhere in the world today. They are in every home, community, country and continent. The Jinn live in trees, mountains, rivers as well as in people’s homes and in people’s hearts and wombs. It is possible to marry jinn as a wife or as a husband without knowing. This may sound odd but the truth is that most people keep jinn in their homes even in the name of children. There are Jinn in schools, in the markets, in the industries, in the offices, as well as in the Mosques and Churches. They share the lives of humans anywhere, everywhere.

The Jinn in human environment

The constant human tampering with the ecosystem has compelled the Jinn to change their style of living. Hitherto, they lived exclusively in places like forests, mountains, rivers, inside trees and in certain animals. But as towns and cities emerge from the ravages of the forests and mountains the Jinn take to human homes as abodes thereby sharing man’s immediate environment in all aspects. Today, Jinn do not only live in human houses, farms and offices, they also live inside their hearts, brains and blood.

Colonisation

If there is anything called colonization in the real sense, it is the occupation of human space and time by the Jinn. That human marriages which were once sacred do not last any longer and societal harmony, once taken for granted, has become a luxury are a sign of Jinn’s demonic grip on earth.

Human Jinn

Most people in authority who we call Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings, Queens, Governors, Ministers Legislators and Judges have significant traits of Jinn which have transformed into humans. Politicians are particularly fitting very accurately into a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) which described hypocrites as persons who lie with relish while speaking and renege on promises and betray trust.

Why are Jinn so called?

The word Jinn is originally Arabic. And in In Arabic language, a person is said to be demonized (majnun) when his/her conduct is devoid of human feeling. To be demonized is to act deliriously especially where human touch is expected to take the front burner. It is not a surprise, therefore, that some people in authority reflect some traits of lunacy or that of megalomania in their bid to display power. Such people are, no doubt, from the yoke of Jinn. However, Jinn, as special creatures, do not represent all that is bad. There are good ones among them. Some of them are even more pious than human beings. In Islam, the good Jinn are said to be the disciples of Ifrit.

Jinn in the Qur’an

In the Qur’an, Jinn are mentioned about 35 times in relation to their activities and good or bad nature. A whole chapter of the Qur’an (chapter 72) is dedicated to the Jinn especially the good ones among them. It is about this category of Jinn that Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) thus: “Say it is revealed to me that a group of Jinn listened to Allah’s revelations and said: “We have heard a wonderful revelation (The Qur’an) giving guidance to the right path. We believe in it and shall henceforth serve none besides (Allah) our Lord. Exalted is His glory. He has taken no wife neither has He begotten any child. The ignorant ones amongst us have uttered wanton falsehood against Allah even though no man or Jinn is supposed to say what is untrue of Him…” Q.72, Verses 1-7.

Explanation

Just as good people are scarce so are good Jinn. The latter associate only with good people and relate to them as comrades in faith. In the same vein, the evil Jinn relate to evil people in the spirit of give and take. No evil Jinn can be so friendly with any human being as not to demand 10 advantages in return for only one he has offered. Men who cultivate friendship with Jinn for the purpose of getting rich quick usually and invariably pay dearly for such. When you hear of mysterious death of a wife or that of a husband or even that of a child, watch out, a Jinn is at work somewhere around. Such Jinn are not known for serving man for free.

Rivalry

The Jinn see humans as permanent rivals who must be dealt with for displacing them on earth. And their active way of dealing with human beings is to offer carrot which they know that evil men will not reject. To them, carrot is not a free offer. It must be followed by stick. It is not by accident that children are born these days with two heads, four legs and at times without faces.

The workings of the Jinn

The workings of Jinn are more effective in the dead nights or in the day when the sun is at its peak. Pregnant women who wander about at these odd times are likely to have encounters with the evil Jinn. And, in such a situation, the Jinn easily supplant the foetus in them leading to the bearing of strange monsters in the name of children.

Cohabiting with the Jinn

While good Jinn live or mill around Mosques and cemeteries with the intention of cleansing those environments, the evil Jinn live in the toilets, refuse bins and the like. That is why Muslims are not supposed to talk inside the toilet except for emergency. And they should not stay a second longer than necessary therein. Most people do not know the danger inherent in leaving the toilet doors of their homes ajar especially when such toilets are un-kept. It is an ignorant way of providing abode for evil Jinn who fuel matrimonial crises from time to time and use reptiles and insects like spiders and wall echoes to harass the inhabitants. The situation of the world today is such that human beings are the ones living in the midst of Jinn and not vice versa.

Jinn’s Working Instruments

Using wealth, women and wine as fetters, Iblis seems to have conquered the world from the orient to the occident by gild-washing evils and trivializing good even as his agents are actively furthering his course on all fronts. Today, there are men everywhere but no husbands are available. Women are as numerous as the sands of the desert but only a few of them can be called wives in the Islamic or African cultural sense. Today, on the instruction of Satan, parents are scorned by their children, students treat their teachers with disdain, teachers take undue advantage of their students before letting them cross the huddles of examinations. Doctors and nurses who were once seen as good Samaritans are now the merchants of death and sellers of foetus and human parts. People who are designated judges are the custodians and incubators of injustice. People trusted with our treasury are the thievs looting the same treasury with impunity.  Religious sanctuaries have been turned into satanic shrines where men and women are duped or satanically hypnotized daily. Those we once venerated as clergy have audaciously become Lucifer reincarnates. Fathers impregnate their daughters. Mothers seduce their sons into abominable sex even as gays are consecrated as Bishops.

Allies of the Jinn

All the abominations against which we were warned in the Qur’an and the Bible have now been turned into ‘profitable’ trades and professions. And the yardstick for measuring which crime should be punished and which should not is the social status of the criminal. If, for instance, you are not a legislator, a minister, a Governor or a chief executive of a bank or a politician of note, do not pilfer. If you do and are caught, you will liable to the full wrath of the law. And on the other hand, you can only be said to have embezzled and not stolen if you are one of those wielding power in the country. In other words, embezzlement is for the upper class while theft is for the pedestrian masses. And the one deserves official forgiveness while the other must be forced to pass through the whole length of law process. The law of the land has no meaning to the satanic forces governing the country. Once you belong to the right cult you are above the law. As a result of this, Nigeria, a country of natural boom is now a nation of satanic doom.

The big question

Who will rescue this land from the scourge of demons? Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had proffered solution to all these evil forces when he asked the Muslims to listen to the words of Allah by reading the Qur’an and speak with Him (Allah) by prostrating to Him in prayer. Those are two things that the evil Jinn do not want to see or hear of. They flee from where the Qur’an is constantly recited and from where human beings often prostrate to Allah. Who says evil Jinn do not have strong Dallis in Nigeria?

The post This mysterious world appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Preamble

The media is like a spider web. A small object that approaches it easily gets ensnared. But if the object is big, no time is wasted in attempting to tear the web apart. That is the parable of the media in the hands of power wielders.

It is no longer news that the State House correspondent of the Punch newspaper , Olalekan Adetayo, was expelled from the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Monday. And the expulsion was allegedly carried out on the order of the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Mr. President without any consultation with the Presidential media team in the same Villa. Thank God, a fine professional like Femi Adesina was up to the task as he immediately rescued the situation and thereby saved Mr. President of another embarrassing media dent that could have dangerously robbed on his image with a lasting effect. The incident is a further confirmation that the Presidency lacks synergy in its internal operations and the public is not oblivious of this.

Going through the history of Punch newspaper, one will discover that the paper was founded on a platform of radicalism in 1976 by two gentlemen of professional competence. These were the late Chief James Olu Aboderin, a Chartered Account and Samson Oruru Amuka Pemu, an Editor from the then Daily Times stable. The latter is now the Chairman and Publisher of Vanguard newspaper. The radical background of Punch newspaper was the reason for adopting the slogan: ‘Pack a Punch’ which was popularly known with the Punch in 1970s and early 1980s.  It was for the same reason that the Beattle Car was used as its hypothetical symbol of ruggedness. “You can’t kill the Beattle”.

Media waves

When the Nigerian media waves throbbed with the breaking news of Punch correspondent’s expulsion incident, it quickly became a reminder of several similar incidents in that same Villa since the inception of the ongoing 4th republic. It will be recalled that the first Presidential media spokesman in that Villa in 1999 was Dr Doyin Okupe (a medical doctor) who was generally perceived as a square peg in a round hole as far as that office was concerned. He had to be unceremoniously removed by President Olusegun Obasanjo after two years of intolerable performance in office.

But the generality of Nigerian journalists as well as the enlightened members of the public had known that Okupe’s sack was just a matter of time. The office required professionally trained personnel in the field of information and communication management. Thus, putting a medical doctor in that office was like putting a bull in a china shop.

Tunji Oseni’s Era

When the first experiment failed, the same President Obasanjo went out in search of a versatile journalist of international repute, as a replacement for Okupe. That impeccable qualification was found in the late Tunji Oseni. And the gentleman’s appointment brought a great relief to most Nigerian media houses in the belief that with Oseni in the saddle, the practice of journalism in relation to governance at the federal level would strengthen democracy in the country.

Obasanjo’s perception

Unfortunately, however, President Obasanjo did not see the job in that light. His seeming perception of the post of Special Adviser to the President on media was to use the office to silence the opposition and curb the perceived recklessness of the media. But Tunji Oseni was too refined to engage in such a butcher’s job. Thus, in less than two years again, President Obasanjo became fed up with Oseni’s civility and professional handling of the Presidential publicity management. What he (President Obasanjo) seemingly wanted for that office was brutality and not civility. He therefore fired the gentleman called Tunji Oseni through a humiliating radio announcement and then searched for another crack journalist of international repute who would however do the bidding of the President, irrespective of professionalism.

The late Remi Oyo

It was that presidential search that brought the late Remi Oyo to the Presidential Villa as Nigeria’s first female journalist to occupy the seat that was hitherto seen as a special preserve of the male gender. Although Mrs. Oyo was well equipped for the job, it was another matter if she would do it according to Presidential expectation at the expense of her professional prowess.

Professional parasites

It was that uncertainty on the part of the President that led to the employment of two ‘rental criers’ to handle the unprofessional angle of Oyo’s job. One of them was Femi Fani-Kayode. The other was Akin Osuntokun.

Sensing that Remi Oyo might not be courageous enough to operate differently from the way Tunji Oseni did, the President decided to rely on the duo of the bulldozers who were given different innocuous titles to justify their pay.  Thus, through their bulldozing approach to publicity at the Presidential Villa, those men relieved Mr. President of his professional allergy and thus prevented him albeit inadvertently, from ending up in hiring four Special Advisers/ Assistants on publicity in eight years of his tenure. But it is on record that he used three Advisers with the period.

Tunji Oseni’s narration

Narrating his ordeal after leaving office, Tunji Oseni said Mr. President suddenly walked into his (Oseni’s) office strangely one day and said to him: “Tunji, I am thinking of making you an Ambassador in one of the foreign countries.” And, when he (Oseni) mildly objected to that proposal saying that he was satisfied with the job at hand, the President just walked away without uttering a word. About ten minutes later, he (Oseni) heard of his sack on the radio. And within a couple of hours, some security men told him to quit his official residence within 48 hours. That is the extent to which professionalism is accorded respect in Nigeria. Tunji Oseji never got over that shock till his death.

If a renowned professional of Tunji Oseni’s status could be so humiliated what else is there to say about the expulsion of a correspondent from the Presidential Villa by a boss of another sector?

Expulsion of ‘The Monitor’ correspondent

While Remi Oyo held sway in that office, the State House correspondent of an Ibadan-based newspaper, ‘The Monitor’, was not just expelled from Aso Rock, he was physically bundled out of the Villa on the order of Mr. President who was supposed to be the father of all. The young man’s offence was to have asked a question that was considered as obnoxious to the Presidential power of that time.

From all these, it became evident that calling the media the Fourth Estate of Realm is a mere political nomenclature that is totally abhorrent to Nigerian political class. Perhaps that was why President Olusegun Obasanjo vetoed the Freedom of Information Bill for about five years from 2002 to 2007 and refused to sign it into law till his exit from that office.

Whistle Blowers’ risk

It was the former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, who first blew the whistle by drawing the attention of the world to the extent of corruption in Nigeria. He said emphatically that “Nigeria is a fantastically corrupt country”. That could be called his parting gift for our country on his way out of office as Prime Minister. But he had hardly completed that sentence when the noisy Nigerian press descended on him and took him to the laundry. As usual, our press rained abuses on him and asked him to proceed to the gallows. But now, less than six months after he made the statement, who is right? And who is wrong? Today, the man is globally acknowledged as a speaker of the truth at least in that respect.  And ever since, the Nigerian press has kept silent on the matter burying its ugly head in shame.

Not patriotism

Patriotism is not about blindly defending one’s country even where the truth is obvious. Going deep into the causes and effect of corruption in Nigeria, our press can hardly exonerate itself. Here is a press that blatantly paint the truth black and shamelessly clad falsehood in a cloak just for selfish reason.

Yours sincerely is not just a veteran journalist but also a member of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE). But whatever the situation may be, calling a spade a spade is the hallmark of patriotism. Those who claim to love this country must show it not in words by in action.

Whistle blowing is yielding positive results. The looters of this country and their satanic accomplices must be ready to go to the gallows if need be. A trillion barking dogs cannot stop the surging train on its rail. Nigeria must survive.

The post Nigerian media and the Presidency appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.