The fuss generated by the conversion to Islam of Miss Charity Uzoechina now known as Aisha Uzoechina has brought to limelight the story of another Ibo woman, Hajia Jemilat Chinwe Aiyelabegan who, unlike Uzoechina, became a practising Muslim without much ado owing to the support she got from her immediate family. Currently married to Alhaji Abdulwaheed Aiyelabegan Mohammed of Aiyelabegan compound, Ode Alfa Nda in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Jemilat changed her faith in 2000 and is now propagating Islam through her Radio programme for Ibo listeners on Radio Kwara AM. She has also launched two books on her new faith. She shares her experience.
Weekly Trust: Can you give an insight into your background?
I was born Onovo Chinwe Nnenna; my parents are from Enugu state. I was born and bred there, my parents are Ibo. So, I am a full-fledged Ibo woman. I am married to a Muslim and now a Muslim. I am known as Hajiya Jemilat Chinwe Aiyelabegan.
When did you become a Muslim?
I became a Muslim in 2000, that is about 14 years ago. I married a Muslim in Abuja. My conversion to Islam came as a result of my conviction because when I married my husband, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Aiyelabegan Mohammed, I was not forced to accept the religion. I, on my own, started studying Islam. Like I said I was born a Christian and I want to add here that the first Methodist Church that was started at the University town of Nsukka was started in my father’s house. In fact it is my father that donated the first building that was used for Methodist Church in Nsukka then. So, I met my husband in 1999 in Abuja, I was still an undergraduate at University of Nigeria, Nsukka then. He didn’t force me, neither did his family force me. I just took interest in the religion and started studying about it. I started doing what they call comparative study of Islam and Christianity. But my studying of Islam was based on using my bible. I read through the bible, literatures, consultations, I had people telling me about Islam but they never forced me.
What prompted me to convert to Islam was because of some verses which I read in the bible. For instance, I read in the book of Isaiah chapter 29, a portion of which says, “And the book was given to he who cannot read and said read and he said I cannot read”. So, when I saw that verse contained in the book of Isaiah Chapter 29 in the old testament, I also found a similar thing in the holy Quran in Surah al-Alaq, that is Quran chapter 91 where it said, “Read in the name of Allah who created you”... So, when you compare the two, it is almost the same thing. This is the bible making reference to something that was contained in the Quran. So, in fact that was what made me to accept Islam. Today I am happy I am a Muslim practising my religion in spirit, and in truth.
Prior to your conversion to Islam, did you ever think of the reactions that your change of faith would generate especially from your parents?
When I decided to marry a Muslim at the first instance and told my parents about it, they asked who the young man was because my parents know I am a kind of very determined person, when I want to do something. They know I must have really thought about it, they were very liberal about it. My parents were very happy. In fact my mother told me, “If that is where your destiny lies”, that she will give me her full support, her blessing and everything. My parents were never against me and even my siblings. My parents come to visit me, my children go to their place to visit on vacation. Even my parents call my children by their Muslim names. So, they never had any regret.
But you know that doesn’t rule out the fact that my conversion to Islam would raise some dusts. From my own immediate family they were never worried but the extended family, they were like... In fact if it had been easy they would have ostracised me because of my conversion. In my mother’s church, they were disappointed. The thought of my extended family and the larger society didn’t matter to me. What mattered to me was my immediate family who gave me their support in their own little way. Their disaffection to my conversion was at a subtle level.
What were the challenges you faced at the beginning?
The challenges I faced were from fellow Muslims. When you move into a new faith, it is very important that the people you are going to meet should be willing to accept you and help you find your bearing but I have a few people who were really supportive. People like Professor Badmus Lanre Yusuf of the Department of Religions, University of Ilorin, he was there for me. I had my husband, he has always been there for me. I had people like Imam Imale (Deputy Chief Imam) of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulhameed, he was very supportive. I have so many of them in Ilorin who supported me. It was really tough as a woman, newly married with new faith. I looked around, I couldn’t find Muslim groups, women to help me to learn about the religion. I found it difficult settling down but Alhamdulillahi (Glory be to Allah) 14 years down the line, I am a lot better, I can do a lot of things and that is what prompted me to do something for converts like me.
When did you start learning about Islam?
As soon as I got into the faith in 2000. The people I have mentioned earlier on gave me literatures which helped me a lot. My brother-in-law, Brother Muritala Aiyelabegan was the one that gave me the first gift of the English version of Holy Quran and I read it like a novel. I read that Quran like my life depended on it. I read it and I found out that Islam has so much respect for all those prophets that are mentioned in Christendom. I read about Jesus Christ in the Quran; I read about Mary, the mother of Jesus in the Quran; I read about Abraham, Ezekiel, Jacob, a lot of prophets I have read about in Christianity are found in the Quran.
How were you able to publish a book about Islam and what is the thrust of the book?
Like I said when I started learning about Islam in 2000, maybe because of my background as a professional communicator, I read Mass Communication at University of Nigeria Nsukka. So, probably as a communicator, it helped me. I started carrying out a lot of research; I went online, I talked to people, I had series of interviews. I was eager to find out about the religion and I found out that there are so many misconceptions about Islam that people do not know. You know the religion, Islam, is different from Muslims and like somebody added, Muslims are different from Mu’meen or Mu’meenat. That somebody is a Muslim by name does not mean that that person understands Islam. Take for instance, the issue of security challenges in the country, that it is being perpetrated by Muslims does not mean that is what Islam preaches. In fact the word Islam is peace and ever since I came into that faith, staying in Ilorin has been very interesting.
So, I found about this religion in 2000, I decided to begin to disseminate it to people who do not know. I started with a Radio programme at Radio Kwara Ilorin where we call it “Fountain of Life” and it is propagated in Ibo language for the Ibo audience so that they would understand the true meaning of Islam and the principle and the tenets of Islamic monotheism. I decided to extend the message with a book. For now we have two books which we have written. The first is titled, Islam: The Fountain of Life and now we have written another one which is on one of the pillars of Islam, titled, Hajj, A Journey of Spiritual Rejuvenation.
What have been the reactions to your Radio Programme?
When I started that Radio programme through the encouragement of Professor Badmus, it was tough and it is still tough. I had people sending threatening messages. People were calling me names, threatening my life on the Radio programme but we have never stopped it. The Radio programme has been on since 2006 on Radio Kwara and we pray Almighty Allah would continue to help us with the programme.
Your conversion to Islam appears to be smooth but for some it is not easy, as is the case with Charity Uzoechina who is now known as Aisha....
(Cuts in) I read about my sister, Charity Uzoechina who is from Delta State. Like you said my conversion to Islam, the challenges come in different aspects. The challenges she is facing or that some other converts might be facing might totally be different from what others face. My family at times, they kind of withdraw when it comes to telling the world that I am a Muslim but personally it is not a challenge to me probably because of the age at which I converted. I converted as an adult and a graduate from the University. So, it was easier for me. Immediately I converted, I got married. So, you could see that transition. If I had stayed in my place to practise the religion, my brother I don’t think it would have been easy.
For those people who are facing such challenges, now if you make up your mind to convert, leave one faith to another, of course it is not going to be smooth sail, it is not going to be a bread and butter business but that is where the Muslims and Islamic organisations have to come in. They need to assist converts. They need to provide the enabling environment to help them find their feet in their new faith.
In Nigeria, for instance, we have freedom of worship and an adult now decides that I have found succour in another religion, that is not a big deal. Every day we hear of people leaving Islam to convert to Christianity and nobody plays politics with it, and nobody makes noise about it because it has to do with conviction. Like I said it was biblical conviction that made me change to Islam. I got my conversion based on what I read in the bible. So if somebody now says she wants to convert, I don’t see why it should be political because I see all these things as playing politics with religion. If somebody now comes out to declare that I am a cult member, nobody would raise eyebrows about it, no dust would be raised.
The challenges that come with conversion is that somebody who leaves his own faith might be disowned by his family. For instance the issue of Charity, her parents have been against her, she is facing challenges from home and it is not going to be easy. Somebody who is dependent on the family and the family disowns such a person, it won’t be easy. You don’t have to throw that person out, you have to offer support.
Charity’s case is still generating heat. The father accused the Etsu Nupe of hypnotizing her, what do you have to say in this regard?
When I read the story of Charity in Weekly Trust, I was surprised because we are talking of somebody who is 25-year old; if you look at it she is a full-fledged adult. She is a woman in any ramification and for me the question is, can a 25-year old woman be abducted against her will? And I looked at a personality like Etsu Nupe, abducting somebody. Why would he want to do a thing like that? I spoke with the young woman, I got in touch with her and I talked with her, we had series of discussion. And the first question I asked her was, Charity (Aisha), “Between you and your God, did anybody force you to accept Islam?” She told me, “No. I got convinced and I wanted to become a Muslim and I am still praying that my parents allow me”, that was what she was telling me.
I decided to find out because if somebody forces you into the religion, I don’t think you would practice it very well. I asked Aisha, did somebody force you, she said “no”, I asked her repeatedly, that she should sleep over it; she slept, the very next day she sent me text messages saying, “Mummy nobody forced me to accept Islam. I accepted Islam because I saw Muslims and I loved the religion and I want to be practising the religion”. Even during this Ramadan period, I asked if she was fasting, and she said yes.
So, I see it as a kind of playing politics with religion but the religion goes beyond politics. Religion is not about politics. Playing politics with it, I will say it is preposterous as far as I am concerned because there is no big deal in it. The same way people are converting to Islam is the same way people are changing to Christianity. We had so many people in our society where we had family where the husband would be a Muslim and the wife would be a Christian and they are harmoniously co-existing and along the line the other person might get the conviction. So for Aisha or Charity if you like, getting the conviction that made her to convert should not be politicized as far as I am concerned. In fact the lady told me that there is no way you can remove the fact that her father is still her father; there is nothing there, there is nothing stopping the family from relating with her amicably. I want to use this opportunity to even appeal to her father, her mum, you have loved this girl for 25 years and you want to lose that for just something God has planned? Allah is a perfect planner as they say in Islam. So, the father should pray for her, my parents prayed for me in my new found faith. I expect her family to do the same for her. I look forward to a day that all of us will sit together and re-enact on this thing. So, I don’t even see it as a controversy, it is not controversial. This is a matter of choice. What she needs from her family now is their support because it can be psychologically destabilizing.
They should challenge her about her new found faith like my mummy used to do. My mummy would ask me what does Islam say about this. She has a copy of Quran, she asked for it and I gave it to her. When my mummy comes to stay with me and my children, whenever it is time for Salat, my mummy would call the children, have you gone to pray? Even as I am with you now my mummy would call them on phone and ask them have you gone to Madrasat (Arabic school). My mum knows the place where my children go for Madrasat in Ilorin.
Now let me tell you something: my children were on vacation in my mummy’s place, she bought kettles for their ablution; she said she was looking for where they are selling praying mats in Iboland to buy for them. She now asked me that I should look at the house and tell her where Qibla is so that she would know where my children would be facing when they are praying.
You are planning a foundation for Muslim converts, how far have you gone with it?
I decided that as a convert who has been there, I know how tough it can be. I now decided that I am going to set up this foundation which would be called ‘Fountain of Life Islamic Foundation’ with the main objective of propagating the message of Islam to non-Muslims across the globe. We would be extending support to converts, we counsel them, we offer them financial assistance, give them vocational skills and help them to find their feet in Islam and so on.
We have extended our kind gesture to Charity and the young woman is ready. She is ready to cooperate and she is happy my foundation is reaching out to her. We are glad and I am also using this opportunity to tell her that, “Aisha, you have support in people like us who are willing to make you happy”. And I also want to tell her father that “you shouldn’t worry, your daughter is in safe hands. I can assure you that Insha Allah (By the grace of God), she would be happy and you would also be happier.
Having a good knowledge of Islam is very essential, we should not be biased, because sentiments and bias are the things that constitute problem, let us be open-minded in accepting our faith. May it please Allah to continue to guide all of us aright, give us the understanding, give us the wisdom to be able to co-exist harmoniously with our brethren from other faith. Like I said I co-exist harmoniously with my brothers, my sisters who are Christians, who are living with me in my house. On Sundays they would go to church and pray and come home. I also go to mosque and come home and when we have issues to discuss, we sit down to analyse it peacefully, harmoniously and we are existing. So, let us allow commonsense to reign in our everyday life and that will help us to continue to exist in this country as one, there would be no disintegration anywhere. Just like it has been written in the Quran, there is no compulsion in Islam because the right path has been made distinct from the wrong path.



http://weeklytrust.com.ng/index.php/new-news/13505-it-is-wrong-to-play-politics-with-religion-says-igbo-convert

faroukbabs:
When I read the story of Charity in Weekly Trust, I was surprised because we are talking of somebody who is 25-year old; if you look at it she is a full-fledged adult. She is a woman in any ramification and for me the question is, can a 25-year old woman be abducted against her will? And I looked at a personality like Etsu Nupe, abducting somebody. Why would he want to do a thing like that? I spoke with the young woman, I got in touch with her and I talked with her, we had series of discussion. And the first question I asked her was, Charity (Aisha), “Between you and your God, did anybody force you to accept Islam?” She told me, “No. I got convinced and I wanted to become a Muslim and I am still praying that my parents allow me”, that was what she was telling me.

I decided to find out because if somebody forces you into the religion, I don’t think you would practice it very well. I asked Aisha, did somebody force you, she said “no”, I asked her repeatedly, that she should sleep over it; she slept, the very next day she sent me text messages saying, “Mummy nobody forced me to accept Islam. I accepted Islam because I saw Muslims and I loved the religion and I want to be practising the religion”. Even during this Ramadan period, I asked if she was fasting, and she said yes.
So, I see it as a kind of playing politics with religion but the religion goes beyond politics.

http://weeklytrust.com.ng/index.php/new-news/13505-it-is-wrong-to-play-politics-with-religion-says-igbo-convert

Thus is the most important part for me
People leave Islam and we live with it
People should also be able to enter Islam without drama

Aliamdulilahi...

Islamic scholars were in Enugu as far back as two centuries ago, i doubt there are no Igbo muslims from the area since then.

My favorite part of this interview is isiah chapter 29 verse 12
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.Qur'an chapter 96 Read in the name of your Lord Who created.
96:2He created man from a clot.
96:3Read and your Lord is Most Honorable,
96:4Who taught (to write) with the pen
96:5Taught man what he knew not.