Abimbola Adelakun: What a Muslim/Muslim ticket will do for Nigeria in 2015

by Abimbola Adelakun

798973_Buhari_and_tinubu_jpg35850fbbaa7037d47d95fcb59a62c5a2

Does the pair of Buhari-Tinubu (if they ever emerge candidates) represent the change Nigeria needs or not? That’s the germane question. Are they better prospects than the PDP candidates they intend to dethrone or this is merely change for its sake?

The question of whether a mono-religious presidential cum vice-presidential ticket (such as a Muslim-Muslim combination) will fly in Nigeria shows, once again, that religion in Nigeria is principally about politics; its aspect of devotion to God is just a major side attraction.

Religion is the opium of opiated Nigerians

It is ludicrous that the discussion about the possibility of pairing Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) and ex-governor Bola Tinubu as presidential candidate and running mate respectively has been swallowed up by which religion they practise; as if that is the sole thing wrong (or right) about that sort of ticket. For me, religion is like sexuality; it is entirely up to you to do your thing as you choose. It should not be dragged out for approbation, opprobrium or for the sheer exhibitionist sake.

If the pair should ever be presented as potential candidates on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, the only viable alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party currently, their religion should be the least of our problems. Yes, that sounds idealistic but then the furone about their religion – especially for both men to be Muslims in the age of religious terrorism – shows that it will be a major talking point.

That says how religion will serve us in 2015: It will be a major diversion, real issue; politicians will deploy it like a weapon to distract, divide and despoil us. Most likely, it will succeed because seeing people in power share the same tenet of faith with you provides a vicarious pleasure that is almost like being in power yourself. That feeling makes their odiousness rationalisable. By the time it is all over, and we are stuck with a clueless leadership all over again, we would wish we had paid attention to substance rather than the shadows. But we would still have learnt nothing.

Rather than the obsession with prospective candidates’ religion (or lack of it), the biggest questions should be about their qualifications for the highest offices in the land. Does the pair of Buhari-Tinubu (if they ever emerge candidates) represent the change Nigeria needs or not? That’s the germane question. Are they better prospects than the PDP candidates they intend to dethrone or this is merely change for its sake? Have these people demonstrated that they have a profound understanding of Nigeria’s problems and can work together to dig the country out of the muck she is stuck in? Or, this is just an improbable marriage by two incompatible fellows who just want power to fulfill their personal ambitions?

It is probable both men are genuine in their desire to rescue Nigeria but that is not enough. We need to properly find out whether they can truly effect the needed structural changes or their soteriological drive is mere delusion. If the men are not the ones for the job, we should toss them out quickly and move on to more worthwhile people. Religion should not even come up in our calculations at all. How does the God both Tinubu and Buhari worship factor into their understanding of, and sincerity, about Nigeria’s situation?

The trouble with the politics of religion in Nigeria is that the goat has already escaped its tether. The constant pandering to religion as a defining factor in our political system has come to stay, at least for a long time to come. From state sponsorship of people on religious pilgrimages to President Goodluck Jonathan’s announcement that he would be worshipping in a different church every week, religion has become fossilised into politics. To try to curb it now would be incurring the wrath of Nigerians who, for lack of many meaningful things to anchor their lives to, hold on to religion tenaciously. If the argument is true that Nigerians will not vote either a Christian-Christian or Muslim-Muslim ticket, then, it shows that Boko Haram is not only the religious group with an intolerance streak; what differs is the scale of destruction everyone is willing to invest to make their point.

Even the most uninformed Nigerian knows that religion is never enough to incommode our leaders when they want to steal, yet, its spectacle is a permanent smokescreen. By now, everyone knows that Jonathan’s knees are never far from the floor. Before you know it, he starts his self-effacing rhetoric and begs for prayers. He is every pastor-politician’s dream because his presence in your church endorses your prosperity gospel and increases your cultural power. His devotions to God are always in your face, like the Pharisees whose public worship Jesus condemned. It is not that he cannot distinguish between private and public acts, he simply manipulates both. But when it comes to issues that should rightly be public, like his assets for instance, he just does not give a damn. So, what does his religiosity truly contribute to his ethics/morality as a public officer?

Why, again, I wonder, are people fixated on religion of their candidates when God will not help us run the country?

This is how I see it: Religion, for most Nigerians, forms a locus of identity. While self-categorisation on the bases of ethnicity, gender, and even regionalism are strong, religion is perhaps more powerful because it is a sentiment overlaid with retributive fear. To the Muslim, kicking against a Christian-only ticket might as well be a service to God. The same goes for Christians whose resistance of a Muslim-Muslim ticket is Jihad against a “Boko Haramisation” of Nigeria.

In a deeply superstitious society like ours, doing God the favour of preserving His politics is a script that is replayed all the time. When we do it, it makes Him love our abject souls more. And in the course of it, we become pawns in a bigger political game played by those who manipulate our religiosity. If you can hear the mind of a religious bigot, it will go something like this: I know all politicians are the same but I might as well choose someone like me to rob me. To be robbed by someone of another religion is to be twice screwed! As much as we can try, we cannot wish away religious politics for now. Maybe, when we become a truly industrialised nation; when we have grown to become a society that places emphasis on the mind rather than the metaphysical.

—————————

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

Comments (2)

  1. Let the religious drum beaters start sounding their trumpets…..

    Nigeria has been a country of people who don't do what they articulate, I know who's on your mind and I surprisingly don't mean politicians here, because if i do, all Nigerians have become politicians.
    Just a few months back, the talk was 'not to bring religion into politics', in fact, it has been the issue at the tip of every Nigerians tongue, sadly and very predictably, as elections draw closer and closer, people have started to renege on their own words.
    Truth be told, we are all religious fanatics; Fanaticism doesn't have to do with weird Islamists and christenists who got found with guns screaming Allahu Akbar and Hallelujah, both of which are good phrases, but because we have been conditioned like Pavlov's dog which salivates on hearing a bell ring, thinking that it's time for feeding…. our minds have been conditioned by our own perceptions to think that every Muslim who screams Allahu Akbar, or/and Christian who screams Hallelujah is a fanatic, when virtually all Muslims and Christians scream those two phrases….
    Sure, it has to worry a Muslim, seeing two Christians holding the two leading positions in the country, or a Christian seeing two Muslims holding those two high positions…..

    The above makes sense if you are in a Christian monarch or in a Muslim Caliphate, neither of which Nigeria is; you might want me to sound like a devout Muslim and say that we are Muslims or Christians before being Nigerians, but I take the other course, my devotion or lack thereof is reserved for God alone to judge, so say whether you like it or not, we are Nigerians first before being either Muslims or Christians, you don't believe me?
    Go to a random place in the United States or Israel and say you are a Nigeria, no doubt it will be overlooked, but the moment you mention that you're a Muslim, a seat will be reserved for you at the appropriate interrogation authorities, the same applies to a Christian visiting Saudi Arabia…..

    But imagine the same person sticking with his Nigerian identity and not his Religious one, he is more likely to be treated better…
    this stresses how your nationality actually carries more water than your religiousness (if that's even a word)
    We can always choose to be fanciful and show somewhat what devout religious people we are by thinking you are either Muslim or Christian before being a Nigerian… but that is mere thinking and possibly saying, Being Nigerian is what affects how you speak, eat, behave and even look; your religiousness doesn't determine any of that, maybe religion determines how you think, but I assure you that an Atheist, a Hindu, a Buddhist and a star gazer will be more worried about your nationality than religion and a non Muslim or non Christian Nigerian Jew, atheist, Buddhist, Hindi or start gazer looks more like You and nobody else, he's more worried about your Nigerianness, except maybe if your religion has an old beef with his which he can't forget……

    Punchline- The Nigerian Governance model does not conform to either the Muslim caliphate or Christian Monarchical systems, so calm your tits and either stop being a fanatic, or move to some monarchy or caliphate….

    The fact that you suggest that it should be a Muslim-Christian ticket or a Christian- Muslim ticket makes your claim that 'a muslim-Muslim ticket or a Christian-Christian ticket is unfair' A joke, a frivolity, a fanatic act, you make the domain of your thinking be Muslim or Christian………. Why don't you expand your domain to include Competence, Trustworthiness, Integrity and vision etc…… In a democratic system, thinking out of the religious hat is legal, don't bother what your fanatic peers would say, I assure you that God doesn't care if Muslims or Christians are ruling a democratic Nigeria giving both Muslims and Christians the chance to practice their religions perfectly…….

    Let it be atheist-atheist ticket, If the people are good and would move the country forward, let it happen, Nigeria doesn't need fanatics….

  2. Let the religious drum beaters start sounding their trumpets…..

    Nigeria has been a country of people who don't do what they articulate, I know who's on your mind and I surprisingly don't mean politicians here, because if i do, all Nigerians have become politicians.
    Just a few months back, the talk was 'not to bring religion into politics', in fact, it has been the issue at the tip of every Nigerians tongue, sadly and very predictably, as elections draw closer and closer, people have started to renege on their own words.
    Truth be told, we are all religious fanatics; Fanaticism doesn't have to do with weird Islamists and christenists who got found with guns screaming Allahu Akbar and Hallelujah, both of which are good phrases, but because we have been conditioned like Pavlov's dog which salivates on hearing a bell ring, thinking that it's time for feeding…. our minds have been conditioned by our own perceptions to think that every Muslim who screams Allahu Akbar, or/and Christian who screams Hallelujah is a fanatic, when virtually all Muslims and Christians scream those two phrases….
    Sure, it has to worry a Muslim, seeing two Christians holding the two leading positions in the country, or a Christian seeing two Muslims holding those two high positions…..

    The above makes sense if you are in a Christian monarch or in a Muslim Caliphate, neither of which Nigeria is; you might want me to sound like a devout Muslim and say that we are Muslims or Christians before being Nigerians, but I take the other course, my devotion or lack thereof is reserved for God alone to judge, so say whether you like it or not, we are Nigerians first before being either Muslims or Christians, you don't believe me?
    Go to a random place in the United States or Israel and say you are a Nigeria, no doubt it will be overlooked, but the moment you mention that you're a Muslim, a seat will be reserved for you at the appropriate interrogation authorities, the same applies to a Christian visiting Saudi Arabia…..

    But imagine the same person sticking with his Nigerian identity and not his Religious one, he is more likely to be treated better…
    this stresses how your nationality actually carries more water than your religiousness (if that's even a word)
    We can always choose to be fanciful and show somewhat what devout religious people we are by thinking you are either Muslim or Christian before being a Nigerian… but that is mere thinking and possibly saying, Being Nigerian is what affects how you speak, eat, behave and even look; your religiousness doesn't determine any of that, maybe religion determines how you think, but I assure you that an Atheist, a Hindu, a Buddhist and a star gazer will be more worried about your nationality than religion and a non Muslim or non Christian Nigerian Jew, atheist, Buddhist, Hindi or start gazer looks more like You and nobody else, he's more worried about your Nigerianness, except maybe if your religion has an old beef with his which he can't forget……

    Punchline- The Nigerian Governance model does not conform to either the Muslim caliphate or Christian Monarchical systems, so calm your tits and either stop being a fanatic, or move to some monarchy or caliphate….

    The fact that you suggest that it should be a Muslim-Christian ticket or a Christian- Muslim ticket makes your claim that 'a muslim-Muslim ticket or a Christian-Christian ticket is unfair' A joke, a frivolity, a fanatic act, you make the domain of your thinking be Muslim or Christian………. Why don't you expand your domain to include Competence, Trustworthiness, Integrity and vision etc…… In a democratic system, thinking out of the religious hat is legal, don't bother what your fanatic peers would say, I assure you that God doesn't care if Muslims or Christians are ruling a democratic Nigeria giving both Muslims and Christians the chance to practice their religions perfectly…….

    Let it be atheist-atheist ticket, If the people are good and would move the country forward, let it happen, Nigeria doesn't need fanatics….

  3. Let the religious drum beaters start sounding their trumpets…..

    Nigeria has been a country of people who don't do what they articulate, I know who's on your mind and I surprisingly don't mean politicians here, because if i do, all Nigerians have become politicians.
    Just a few months back, the talk was 'not to bring religion into politics', in fact, it has been the issue at the tip of every Nigerians tongue, sadly and very predictably, as elections draw closer and closer, people have started to renege on their own words.
    Truth be told, we are all religious fanatics; Fanaticism doesn't have to do with weird Islamists and christenists who got found with guns screaming Allahu Akbar and Hallelujah, both of which are good phrases, but because we have been conditioned like Pavlov's dog which salivates on hearing a bell ring, thinking that it's time for feeding…. our minds have been conditioned by our own perceptions to think that every Muslim who screams Allahu Akbar, or/and Christian who screams Hallelujah is a fanatic, when virtually all Muslims and Christians scream those two phrases….
    Sure, it has to worry a Muslim, seeing two Christians holding the two leading positions in the country, or a Christian seeing two Muslims holding those two high positions…..

    The above makes sense if you are in a Christian monarch or in a Muslim Caliphate, neither of which Nigeria is; you might want me to sound like a devout Muslim and say that we are Muslims or Christians before being Nigerians, but I take the other course, my devotion or lack thereof is reserved for God alone to judge, so say whether you like it or not, we are Nigerians first before being either Muslims or Christians, you don't believe me?
    Go to a random place in the United States or Israel and say you are a Nigeria, no doubt it will be overlooked, but the moment you mention that you're a Muslim, a seat will be reserved for you at the appropriate interrogation authorities, the same applies to a Christian visiting Saudi Arabia…..

    But imagine the same person sticking with his Nigerian identity and not his Religious one, he is more likely to be treated better…
    this stresses how your nationality actually carries more water than your religiousness (if that's even a word)
    We can always choose to be fanciful and show somewhat what devout religious people we are by thinking you are either Muslim or Christian before being a Nigerian… but that is mere thinking and possibly saying, Being Nigerian is what affects how you speak, eat, behave and even look; your religiousness doesn't determine any of that, maybe religion determines how you think, but I assure you that an Atheist, a Hindu, a Buddhist and a star gazer will be more worried about your nationality than religion and a non Muslim or non Christian Nigerian Jew, atheist, Buddhist, Hindi or start gazer looks more like You and nobody else, he's more worried about your Nigerianness, except maybe if your religion has an old beef with his which he can't forget……

    Punchline- The Nigerian Governance model does not conform to either the Muslim caliphate or Christian Monarchical systems, so calm your tits and either stop being a fanatic, or move to some monarchy or caliphate….

    The fact that you suggest that it should be a Muslim-Christian ticket or a Christian- Muslim ticket makes your claim that 'a muslim-Muslim ticket or a Christian-Christian ticket is unfair' A joke, a frivolity, a fanatic act, you make the domain of your thinking be Muslim or Christian………. Why don't you expand your domain to include Competence, Trustworthiness, Integrity and vision etc…… In a democratic system, thinking out of the religious hat is legal, don't bother what your fanatic peers would say, I assure you that God doesn't care if Muslims or Christians are ruling a democratic Nigeria giving both Muslims and Christians the chance to practice their religions perfectly…….

    Let it be atheist-atheist ticket, If the people are good and would move the country forward, let it happen, Nigeria doesn't need fanatics….

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail