El Rufai’s controversial bill and the ignorance of Apostle Suleiman
Editor’s note: When Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna made it known that he was going to sanction public preaching in the state and issue a license to preachers, religious fanatics hit the roof. They said the governor was trying to take charge of religion in the state. Other said he was going to tamper with the fundamental rights of the people to religion. The loudest uproar was from the Christian sect who claimed El-Rufai was going to stamp out Christianity in the state. The onus now rested on the shoulder of religious leaders to explain to their folks what the governor’s bill meant. It was a disaster.
Religious clerics came out in force to condemn the bill. In unwavering tone, they warned the governor to stop his chaotic move and allow Islam and Christianity to operate unhindered in the state as any attempt by the governor to place rules on its operation was tantamount to occupying a position seen as anti-religious. Religion was a considered a sacred enterprise which was beyond any political or state control.
The most shocking outburst came from Apostle Johnson Suleiman who called the governor to a challenge and warned him to revoke the bill or die. He began by saying: “I want to place a CURSE on those that fight the gospel…” In what might be considered a fatwa, he warned the governor to withdraw the bill or die and the congregation went wild in excitement. It was a disaster
What really does the bill talk about?
Governor of Kaduna state Nasir El-Rufai
The so-called ban-on-religion bill The Kaduna state religious bill was first passed into law in 1984 and was then known as the “Kaduna State Regulation of Religious Preaching Edict No 7 of 1984” and amended in 1987. The law has been dormant but El-Rufai is seeking to repeal and update the law. The law if passed will regulate the religious activities in the state.
“The two major religions in the state shall be regulated by the following bodies:
(a) a committee of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam with equal representation of Izala and Darika religious groups in the case of Muslims, and
(b) A committee set up by the Christian Association of Nigeria, in the case of Christians
(c) An inter-faith Ministerial Committee to be appointed by the Governor.”
There is also the contentious license to be issued to religious preachers in the state which is renewable every year. According to Apostle Suleiman, the issuance of the license will be made easy to Muslims while Christian leaders will find it tough getting the license.
There is also a section that sanctions hate speech and inciting violence through preaching. The punishment for the breaching any of the laws is a fine of N200,000, or a two-year imprisonment or both.
Why a law on religion and religious activities?
The world is witnessing a rise in religious extremism and violence perpetuated in the name of religion. Terrorism in the guise of religion has seen the world unfortunately unite to fight religious extremism. Nigeria is battling the Boko Haram menace which has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.
READ ALSO: Governor el-Rufai takes drastic decision on religious preaching
Kaduna state has witnessed religious riots and violence in recent years perhaps more than any other state in the country. The possibility of recurring incidents is very likely and this is due to the sort of teachings that go on in religious centres. The genesis and growth of Boko Haram can be traced to extreme interpretation of the Quran and misapplication of the Islamic Sharia law. Families have been torn apart and the future of survivors of these gruesome attacks remains bleak. While soldiers are on the front battling the already seemingly unchangeable terrorists, religious laws can prevent the indoctrination of more terrorists and prevent more attacks on humanity.
Apostle Suleiman and his death fatwa
The death pronouncement on El-Rufai by Apostle Suleiman is ironically the sort of religious act that the governor wants to prevent by proposing a license for all preachers. In the video, religious congregation was visibly charged by the call on death on El-Rufai. The effect is that if given the chance, some of them might want to carry out the bidding of their superior religious leader which is the danger unchecked religious activities breed. Suleiman exhibited the sort of religious misgivings that has brought about tension in the country and has given El-Rufai more reasons why this bill needed to be passed into law.
The apostle claims the bill is targeted at Christians and churches while in fact, mosques and Muslims are more likely to be at the receiving end due to the rise of Boko Haram. More violence have been committed in the name of Islam by ignorant Muslims than any other group in Nigeria in recent years and if peace s to be achieved, it is likely Mosques would face stiffer scrutiny.
No man is an island
Especially where knowledge is involved, no man is an island. A religious cleric might be an ‘expert’ on religious matters but it does not automatically place him above the doctor where medical issues are concerned. Apostle Suleiman obviously danced to the reactions of some Nigerians on social media concerning the bill with very few actually reading the content. While the bill itself might not be perfect, its content is clear. For the benefit of doubt, a legal practitioner would probably explain it better. It will not belittle Apostle Suleiman – and other religious leaders – to find out what the true content of the bill is instead of spreading the false news that the bill is targeted as Christians. Religious leaders should know more as their followers depend on them for true information and in cases where they do not know – which is not a big deal – they should not fail to seek for knowledge instead of leading their flocks astray.
This opinion was written by Yusuf Omotayo.
This article expresses the authors’ opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com or its editors.
Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@naij.com — drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Naij.com’s step-by-step guide for guest contributors.
We’re ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App.
Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Naij.com Opinion page!
The post El Rufai’s controversial bill and the ignorance of Apostle Suleiman appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.