By: Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia
Over the week, there have been discussions brought about by the CAN’s rejection of the closure of schools in some predominantly Muslim states in the North. Along the line I saw another article published by the Daily Trust on the same subject, but that one is by a Muslim, or at least someone bearing a Muslim name, at least I don’t know his faith.
It is only this morning I took some time off the assessment of my students to read the articles. It is not fair to react to a statement one has not read.
I read the press release by the Christian Association of Nigeria a few times over, per chance I might find some wisdom. Unfortunately, I couldn’t. CAN is its usual self, apprehensive of anything Islamic out of fear for losing relevance. Christianity in Nigeria, like I always say, is only surviving because of Islam. For example, if Muslims were to stop going on hajj, all the Christian pilgrims’ boards including the central one in Abuja will die off naturally. It is only when Muslims speak about Shariah that Christians remember that there is something called Ecclesiastical law which most of them know little about. The examples are many.
This time around, CAN understands that closing schools “for an extended period disrupts academic schedules and threatens the educational advancement of millions of students”. What CAN has forgotten is that Nigerian schools have always been closed for the same “extended period” of at least one month since our colonial days for the purpose of Christian festivals. In fact, the Nigerian school calendar is designed to close all schools for at least two weeks each for Easter and Christmas celebrations. These Christian holidays have been officially recognized and embedded in our school calendar in a so-called secular country. If CAN were concerned about religious balance as they falsely claim, they would have advocated for the cancellation of Christmas and Easter holidays and proposed something neutral.
Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the signatory to the press release wanted Nigerians to believe that closure of schools during Ramadan would compromise the education of Christian children and devalue Christian communities in the North. This is an admission by the CAN President that education of Nigerian Muslim children has always been compromised and that Nigerian Muslims have no value in Nigeria since their children are forced to remain out of schools for Christian festivals.
I am waiting for CAN President and his team to go to court as they have threatened. What I would like to assure them is that Nigerian Muslims are now wiser. CAN hasn’t yet seen nothing. All traces of Christianity as imposed on other Nigerians must be removed from our national life. It is just a matter of time.
The opening argument of the Daily Trust writer is that there is no single injunction by Islam mandating the closure of schools in Ramadan. I wish he told us where Islam mandates the closure of schools for Christmas and Easter. Islam is a complete way of life. Isn’t that what he is trying to argue out? Does Islam not prevent us from blind copying of Jews and Christians?
From the beginning, Muslims have been paying for the unity of the North and indeed Nigeria with their religion and in some cases their blood. This must stop somewhere. If we are to remain united, then the rights of Muslims must be recognized and given.
The people who colonized us were Christians. That explains why Christianity is embedded in almost every aspect of our national life. Now that Muslims are saying no, some people are shouting unity. A shared Northern identity? Yes. One Nigeria? Yes. One religion? No, we are Muslims and would not continue to accept the imposition of another religion on us.
Finally, let me call on our Governors and indeed the Federal Government to embark on a comprehensive reform of our school system with a view to making it in line with our values and beliefs. All neocolonial items should be removed.
