No country has ever benefited from religious intolerance. Every religious divide has insidious sentiments against the other but the ability to manage angst is what differentiates some people from beats. Religious based hate which most people cannot understand yet harbor against the other religion is why we are so fragmented.
Violence is contagious, simply because nobody, no institution is a monopoly of violence. Soon the killings of Christians in Nigeria by bigoted Muslims loaded with octane high hate may get the attention perpetrators seek. The recent death of Deaconess Eunice Elisha in Kubwa, Abuja is indeed a huge test on the security integrity of the government in power and subsequent capacity in managing surreptitious acts at decapitating the practice of Christianity in Nigeria.
Let me intimate that a research by Pew Center has revealed that violence and discrimination against religious groups by rival faiths have reached new highs in all regions of the world except the Americas. The research added that 198 countries in the world are enmeshed in religious induced violence. Some people are fast pulling the strings to be part of the ignoble roll call in Nigeria.
I am older and wiser to know that the problem of Nigerian Christians is based on biblical principles, which stipulates staying away from acts of killing, revenge or vendetta. The Church of God however suffers violence on account of the new testament preaching by Jesus Christ prescribing “turning the right cheek for the left cheek” to receive slaps.
I am indeed older and wiser to realize that each time a Christian is killed by twisted minded spineless killers based on religious hate, their actions has severe consequence on our social existence. I am older and wiser to understand that the more we continue to take Christian lives for granted, the closer we get to anarchy.
I am older and wiser to realize that racism is not restricted to color discrimination alone. I am now aware that racial segregation on religious bases is growing in Nigeria with far deadlier consequence than the Nigerian civil war, insurgency, militancy all put together. I am older and wiser to agree with some thinkers that religious discrimination and intimidation has come to stay in Nigeria.
I have also come to realize that the Igbo race presently arming themselves preparatory to actualizing secessionist agenda are indeed justified on account of bigoted members of our society. Aside any other mundane considerations, some have realized there is a looming religious violence about to consume Nigeria. They will never see anything good in our protracted union if despicable discrimination continues.
It is indeed sad some bigoted urchins are freely taking the lives of useful Nigerians. These misfits are not only misguided but on a mission to destroy Christianity in Nigeria. The recent killing of Mrs. Eunice Elisha in Abuja has shown that some Islamic preachers are indeed responsible for these bestial actions. They promote hate, and engineer the killing beast of the low lives they control.
The deceased, Eunice Elisha narrated to her husband how an Imam of a nearby Mosque expressed displeasure at her sermons. She did not hurt anyone or contravene any law the courts cannot interpret. She was however summarily hacked based on raw hate. If she was a nuisance, the law would have been dragged in to arbitrate, but killing seems to be the easiest way for social misfits to deal with the matter.
Analysis in very recent times has shown that, Bridget Agbaheme was killed in Kano for alleged ‘blasphemy’. In Pandogeri, Niger state, a man was killed for ‘blasphemy’,. Francis Emmanuel was stabbed many times for ‘eating’ during Ramadan in Kaduna state. In Nassarawa, a Reverend was butchered. Fulanis are still on the rampage in the North central and Southeastern part of the country killing Christian communities.
I am older and wiser to assert that it is time we deal with this hydra headed demon with the severity it deserves. We are quick to give excuses but very slow to wield the stick. We are quick to generate blames instead of condemning the devious developments. We are even quicker to declare that “the head was not removed”. The head on the neck of those murdered hasn’t in any way changed the fact that the person is dead in the hands of bigots!
It is also very sad to realize that many Muslim elites have decided to remain mum, pretending nothing has happened. They look away and “allow Christians to handle their wahala”. Once they discover that the “noise” is becoming too much, they fire back, drawing puerile examples, mostly generated from the pit of lies. The murderers get stronger and satisfied they are on a justified mission.
In America, the death of a citizen is seen as a national disaster. Whites killing Blacks as seen in the recent ‘race’ based killings was not allowed to slide just like that. President Obama reacted immediately. No country allows a segment of the society constitute themselves into government. No group of people at the receiving end of attacks folds hands and do nothing. A time for reprisal might just be very near. Already Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has made its position known in a letter titled “Nigeria: A Macabre Dance of Death”.
I am older and wiser to remember that Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sadaunan Sokoto once preached religious tolerance. I am older and wiser to force myself to believe the inaugural speech of President Mohammadu Buhari “I belong to everybody, I belong to nobody’ mean, religion, political, social, economic orientation does not count in his administration.
I am indeed older and wiser to know that the good Muslims can get rid of the evil ones among them. They can force bigots to change their mode of preaching. We must all be older and wiser to know that Nigeria will be a better place without religious racism. We must realize that my rights begin where yours terminate.
Written by Israel A. Ebije
ebije05@gmail.com, ebijeisrael@yahoo.com
@israelebije.com
