Sigh. Usually, the most tricky topic for me to discuss regarding Nigeria’s nationhood is religion and ethnicity. Difficult to discuss not because I’m afraid of being verbally molested and splashed with mud, but because emotive issues hardly lend themselves to reason. Ethno-religious matters are so emotionally charged that reason is always the first casualty. When emotions trump reason, we can never reach a consensus on finding lasting solutions. Yet it is solutions, not emotions, that we need in these trying times. We badly need peace. You will say there cannot be peace without justice — and I will add that there cannot be justice without reason.



Whenever I read reports and comments on the southern Kaduna crisis, the first question I ask myself is: so what exactly is responsible for the latest round of killings? I am yet unable to put my finger on the justification for the carnage. I may here recall historical tensions between the Christian and Muslim communities in northern Nigeria. I may allow myself to speculate that these historical tensions habitually reach a tipping point with the slightest hint of friction. I am thus induced to think that the Kaduna carnage resulted more from age-long deep-seated mutual hate and animosity rather than recent events. It takes only a little spark to start another explosion.



To understand the context, I cannot doubt that the issue of framing is at play in the Kaduna crisis . It has been successfully framed in the media (not by the media) as a
religious war. This is understandable. Southern Kaduna is predominantly Christian and the Fulani herders are Muslims. It is somewhat expected to be cast as Christians vs Muslims rather than Kaura, Sanga et al vs Fulani herders.



This is the same way the
Berom vs Fulani in Jos north was cast as
Christians vs Muslims . It just so happens that people in the same local grouping are not unlikely to be of the same religion. Ethno-religious framing is thus inevitable, even if the core issues have nothing to do with religion.
Indeed, in northern Nigeria, primary identities are constructed around religion. You are first a Muslim or a Christian before you are a northerner. Whenever there is a clash, therefore, the issue at hand does not really matter — Christians (including those from southern Nigeria) will automatically queue up behind Christians and Muslims behind Muslims.



Compare and contrast with the south where conflicts are not framed around religion, insofar as religion is not the actual cause. If southern communities fight over economic issues, such as land and water resources, it is automatically treated with the template of communal clash.
In Ebonyi state, Ezza and Ezillo communities in Ishielu local government clash quite often over land. On a single day, December 31, 2011 to be specific, 66 persons were killed, including pregnant women, men and children. It was a communal clash since they are all Igbo Christians. Recently, 40 persons were killed in a communal clash between Ntan Obu-Ukpe in Cross River state and Ikpanya in Akwa Ibom state. Also recently, 10 persons died in a communal clash between Usumutong and Ediba in Cross River. But 800 people were killed in a religious war between southern Kaduna villages and Fulani herders. Religion catches more national attention, in any case.



Down south, identities are, in the main, constructed around ethnicity but rarely religion. You are first a Yoruba, Igbo, etc
before you are a southerner. When Mr. Babatunde Fashola, as governor of Lagos state, “deported” homeless Igbo to Onitsha in 2012, it was framed as Yoruba vs Igbo . It was not treated as a case of Muslims vs Christians
even though Fashola is a Muslim and the “deported” Igbo are Christians. (Let me quickly digress: northerners will complain about the number of federal appointments based on the number of northern Muslims on the list — whereas southerners will first look at the number of Igbo, Yoruba, etc, before other criteria.)



If Malam Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, were to “deport” homeless Berom to Plateau state, it has to be Muslim vs Christian
since el-Rufai is a Muslim and the Berom are Christians. Contrast with Mr. Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau state, “deporting” homeless Tiv to Benue state. Since Lalong is a Christian and the Tiv are mostly Christian, the “deportation” will be framed differently. That is why even though bandits (most likely the same people operating in southern Kaduna) have for long been terrorising Zamfara communities, killing over 300 in the last one year, it is not framed as a religious war but banditry . After all, it is Muslims killing Muslims.


We may, at this point, return to the southern Kaduna carnage. What is basically a case of
criminality has taken the colour of a religious war. Not unexpectedly, our religious fault line is being magnified one more time by agents of war. Identity, twinned with political preferences and limited economic opportunities, are not only mobilisable but highly combustible. Predictably, Christians are queuing up behind Christians and Muslims behind Muslims. The real issues of criminality and insecurity — which bedevil all Nigerians irrespective of tribe and tongue, region and religion — are hardly discussed. Most reactions start and stop with religion.




I must think that in all our outpour of emotions, we need to address the root causes of this carnage. I have not set out to deny that there is a religious content to the crisis in Kaduna. Instead, I have sought to prove the source of the tensions, suggesting that religion is latent rather than pertinent. It gets even worse when political leaders and security agencies are thought to be looking the other way while these killings are being perpetrated. I am compelled to that I have not set out to further inflame passions. I am unable to compete, in this regard, with the clerics who are spitting fire and threatening brimstone rather than playing the role of the blessed peacemakers.



In these challenging times, what would Jesus do? What would Jesus preach? What would Jesus advocate? An eye for an eye? I understand the frustrations and the disappointment with government handling of the carnage, but under no circumstance must we advocate more violence as the solution. Our energies, I propose, should focus on how to end the bloodbath. We should seek to be problem solvers, not problem multipliers. We should demand that the government live up to its responsibility. Truth be told: in southern Kaduna, Nigeria failed its citizens. This led to reprisal and self-defence. When the state fails in its duty, anarchy is the consequence.



The primary reason there is a government is to prevent anarchy. The state exists principally for the purpose of security, law and order. Monetary policies and siren-propelled convoys are secondary. Every local government in Nigeria has at least one security attaché from the Department of State Services (DSS). The job of the attaché is to gather intelligence. Where were these security attachés before the Kaduna killings erupted? What intelligence did they gather? What reports did they file? When tension started building up, did they report it? If they did, what action did the authorities take? Do people pile up arms and start killing one another within one hour?


It would seem to me that the DSS and police are more interested in the politics of Rivers and Ekiti states than the security of lives and property of Nigerians. The energies they have devoted to playing politics could have been better utilised protecting the lives of defenceless Nigerians. I repeat: the Nigerian state has woefully failed its citizens. The blood of the people killed in southern Kaduna — whether Christians or Muslims — will continue to haunt the Nigerian authorities who failed to protect them in their hour of need. In civilised societies, heads of security agencies would have resigned by now for their ineptitude. But, remember, we’re discussing Nigeria here. Sigh.

Source:
https://www.thecable.ng/bloodbath-southern-kaduna

3 heartly cheers for the writer and who share it, excellent write up,

I recommend this for front page if any mod is reading this.

Lalasticlala, Nairaland may not be the best place to even post this because before we say "El", be it Zakhzaky or Rufai, emotions trump reason. The level of tribalism on Seun's website is an indication of the mindset of the average Nigerian.

Isam needs to walk the so called peace they preach.

I'm inthe north and i can tell you every carnage has a religious undertone

ROCE:
Lalasticlala, Nairaland may not be the best place to even post this because before we say "El", be it Zakhzaky or Rufai, emotions trump reason. The level of tribalism on Seun's website is an indication of the mindset of the average Nigerian.

If only ICC can try Mohammed by exhuming his bones for causing uncountable deaths with his write up

Since its Christians they r killing, the

"president cant comment on everytin that happens!"

His dog n baboon blood theory is been practice.
Why should he?

May God heal this land! The blood of the innocent souls that r crying daily to him, is earth full!

Our level of intolerance is high. Sometimes the fight could be about land or something worldy.

When hausa Muslims stole IDP foods did you hear anything. when niger delta christians have been collecting communal funds for their personal use. Did you anything.

We love to blame the other side and point fingers and start fights that are unnecessary.

Read Charly boy's write up. You prefer to blame a newly appointed hausa president when you have not asked your Ibo governors to give account for all the trillions they have received.

The worst part is the people that stole your money would want you to keep on fighting that imaginary enemy so that you can never come to ask for your rights from them.

They divide us so they can cheat us.

Na so dem begin to raise prayer point against the so called children of bond women in my church, so that the children of bond women will not take over the country.
I immediately realize that they want us to pray against Buhari becoming the president of Nigeria, as if the incumbent Christian president care about Christians.
I value my relationship with God, no fake Christian will make me go against the word of God.

By default, an average Nigerian find someone to blame for his woes. We feel like once we can blame somebody, it takes the load off our chest and we carry easy and go back to what we were doing. Blame the leaders, blame the pastors, the Muslims, the northern elites, the Niger Deltans.

perhaps, we should dare now to look inwards and collectively find a solution

Brilliant article.....unfortunately, most of the noise makers would have the patience to read.

Very many Christian Uncle Toms abound; who are ready to 'reason' away the gruesome slaughter of Christians and systematic wiping out of Christianity in the North.

Why is it difficult for the likes of Simon Kolawole to call for the arrest and prosecution of Fulani terrorists who have been responsible for these mass murders?

Is it the definition or narrative of the crisis that is more important than apprehending the blood thirsty savages who are bent on killing their way down to the Atlantic Ocean?

What does it matter if the matter is Christian/Muslim or Fulani/Kaje or Kataf? Is murder not murder? Does it mean if Fulani kills Berom we should be okay with the killers since it is after all not a religious conflict?

Can this man show us a single instance in his numerous examples where no arrests were made of the suspected killers/murderers of these "ethnic conflicts"?

Is there anywhere the governors of these states went out their ways to pay the murderers to stop slitting the throats of the children, pregnant women and the men he mentioned?

ROCE:
Sigh. Usually, the most tricky topic for me to discuss regarding Nigeria’s nationhood is religion and ethnicity.




In these challenging times, what would Jesus Mohammed do? What would Jesus Mohammed preach? What would Jesus Mohammed advocate? An eye for an eye? I understand the frustrations and the disappointment with government handling of the carnage, ...
It would seem to me that the DSS and police are more interested in the politics of Rivers and Ekiti states than the security of lives and property of Nigerians.
But, remember, we’re discussing Nigeria here. Sigh.

Source:
https://www.thecable.ng/bloodbath-southern-kaduna

nice one by kolawole

Origin:
Our level of intolerance is high. Sometimes the fight could be about land or something worldy.

When hausa Muslims stole IDP foods did you hear anything. when niger delta christians have been collecting communal funds for their personal use. Did you anything.

We love to blame the other side and point fingers and start fights that are unnecessary.

Read Charly boy's write up. You prefer to blame a newly appointed hausa president when you have not asked your Ibo governors to give account for all the trillions they have received.

The worst part is the people that stole your money would want you to keep on fighting that imaginary enemy so that you can never come to ask for your rights from them.

They divide us so they can cheat us.

excellento! We are quick to point fingers at other people misdeed while we ignore our own mistakes. Its quite unfortunate that most people in this country see everything from religious point of view.

BayLord01:
3 heartly cheers for the writer and who share it, excellent write up,

I recommend this for front page if any mod is reading this.

white u wan see the mods for this kind of writeup when it doesnt concern MMM or snakes