Tohib Adejumo wrote:
Reflections on the Nigerian Christian
Years ago, I was a junior secondary school pupil of Government College, Ibadan. Early morning on assembly ground, I would watch
as Miss Jimoh or Mrs. Oyerinde, stand eyes closed in prayer, cane in hand, while concluding each prayer sentence with “in the name
of Jesus!” Young as I was during those years, there was something unsettling about their prayers.
You see, GCI had a rule, or so I had learned from old boys, that the school was secular in the sense that on assembly grounds
prayers favoring Christianity or Islam may not be made, but God can be used because of its neutrality to both religions. But these
teachers, wittingly or not, broke the rule, and it was okay. Many years later this praying style lends me a view to the Nigerian
Christian mind.
Lately, I have been thinking of my Nigerian Christian friends and their privilege (which most are unaware of its existence) in the
academic institutions and workplace. Many of our Nigerian Christian friends never had issues stemming from their conscience
conflicting with the system, so when a fellow Nigerian compatriot who is a Muslim say he or she has a conflict with the system,
they’re fast to think that the person is just being unnecessarily stubborn and being a cry-baby. Those Muslims are extremist
anyways.
But what the Nigerian Christian friend forget is the fact that even though both Muslims and Christians are full citizens of the country,
the system of the country had been designed primarily with the needs and accommodation of one person in mind – the Nigerian
Christian. Not the Muslim.
The British Imperialists who colonized us were Christians so every aspect of life touched by them was designed to naturally favor
their way of living which has Christianity at its center. This is not to say that there was a cynical attempt to make the systems
exclusively favor one religion over the other, because such an assertion would be ludicrous. They were just doing what came
naturally
to them, and had Muslims colonized Nigeria, the same would have been true as well. So returning to the point, Sundays were no
school days, Christmas and New Year celebrations fell wholly in holiday seasons, and there was nothing prohibiting the use of
crucifix
in schools.
You will remember that most of the public schools were once missionary schools. In Ibadan, we have Saint Annes Girls School, Saint
Teresa, Baptist High School, Methodist High School, and many more. This again buttresses the point that everything is in favor of
the
Nigerian Christian student. He never has to worry about his Sunday church service conflicting with WAEC schedule as we have seen
in recent years for Muslim students, when the examination commission in a cavalier way set an exam time to conflict with the time
for Jumua service.
Nigeria has been independent for a while now (some 57 years) and I do think the recent public debates on the violations of Nigerian
citizens’ constitutional rights to freedom of religious expression should call the Nigerian Christian student to a somber reflection of
his or her own privilege. The Nigerian Christian should understand that she is called freely to the bar without any buts or ifs because
of the privilege that comes with being Christian in Nigeria. She should therefore rise and hold the hand of the Nigerian Muslim
woman
and demand that she too must be called to the bar with no ifs and buts.
She should understand that putting a scarf on one’s head as required by one’s faith should have no bearings on once admission to
nursing school at all. He should know that, just like shaving the beard clean is of no consequence to one’s office job, keeping it
should equally be inconsequential.
In short, the Nigerian Christian must look into the privilege his religion affords him in this country of ours, and make sure that other
Nigerians be afforded similar rights and privileges. No one should have to choose between identifying as a Christian, and being a
journalist. I think you and I will agree on this.

Ahmad Holderness
Islamizing a Christianized community!
After reading Tohib Adejumo 's post, I had this nostalgic feeling that has shaped me into having a version of myself that I don't like
morphing into.
Unlike many that had gone to Christian schools, I went to a Muslim school/Muslim owned school all my life. The first, Jomade Nur
and Primary School was the place the foundation of Islam was embedded into me. I do have some vivid memories of the place even
though I left there around five to a second school, Latols prep Nur and Primary school which is also owned by a Muslim.
The owners of Latols have become good family friends with mine and I could easily call myself their son based on the impact they
have had on my growth. Chai. Sweet Memories. One of such sweet memories though was not a very sweet experience.
The school had a music teacher, Mr. Emmanuel, the guy will beat me to the pulp for not learning the keyboard and Christmas carol. I
remember vividly as he struggled to teach me this hymm, 'fight the good fight, with all thy might, Christ is the king and also the
light: So so so so, do te do te, do te, so so do la, la la te do!'. chai. who says cane doesn't make a child remember! Omo, I could
write musical scores then ooo!
Now, I have never called this man terrorist and the worst my parent did was complain to the proprietress. The assembly ground
prayers were shared and thankfully, we had an Islamic studies teacher and prayed Jumah within the school premises.
My next stop was Ansar-ud-deen College, Isolo. Established in 1952/53. Despite been government owned, it was almost entirely a
proper Muslim school with many Christians. The Assembly ground had no room for Christian prayers, it was an automatic dua; As-
solaatu wa salam, ala Rasulullah...' and as far as I can remember, Christians recited it and knew it automatically, just as I knew 'the
Lord's prayer' from my primary school.
What I don't recall however that a Christian was ever forced to say this words. The school had Christian teachers and used berets,
not hijabs. Our principal and vices were Muslims, we prayed Jumah in the school and had a boarding house with housemasters that
were Muslims. and they would invade the hostel at dawn to beat those who have not come for Solat. One interesting thing is that
Alhaji Buhari, our vice principal and also house master, knew those who were Muslims from Christians. I don't know of any Christian
compelled to pray Solat and not pray in her own way.
The truth was, Islam, especially in the west, was just having a foothold. I mean, I can't count the number of churches that
surrounded my house then, or the number of tele-evangelist that disturbed my peace in the Molue or interstate bus going to Ibadan.
Trust a boy with good MSS and Izarul-Haqq background, we shocked many when we started praying in the bus too and right there it
was apparent that when someone who has been considered docile, ignorant and coward decides to fight back, any of his or her
action will be seen as draconian!
One thing is very clear, many of us, if not all are reverts from an animist religion that has been practiced before the import of
monotheistic religions, so why can't we tolerate each other?
I am aware that many Muslims have also trampled upon the rights of some Christians. However, I am also aware that Islam does
not teach this and even more aware that Christianity does not teach the art of cheating as well!
When there is a mutual distrust based on the improper understanding of the laws that guide our faith, how will we not heat the polity
that we don't fully understand?
How can we be good neighbors without promising each other fire and brimstone either knowingly and coincidentally? How can't we
see and think and react based on wisdom? How can we follow a constitution that tramps on the rights of one over the other in a
nation where two parties are almost equal in percentages? How can we fight without fighting and amend the constitution to give to
Ceaser what belongs to Cesar and to Habeebat what belongs to Habeebat!
if none of us are thinking of how to accommodate one another in this globalized age, then let us all prepare for war by blinding each
other with lies and hatred and our collective foolishness to always make a mountain out of a molehill.
As for the hijab issue, please note: It is not 'them: Christians' that made these laws, it was the Britons who interestingly have
amended their law now excusing lawyers to wear the wig in civil or family court cases! it is not Christians touching on our toes, it is
a system of unwise people, that includes Muslims!