IGBO CULTURE AND THE PROSPECTS OF ISLAM IN EASTERN NIGERIA
Written by MICHAEL O. MADUAGWU, PHD | | |
ABSTRACT
There are two main religions in Nigeria today, Islam and Christianity. Generally, it is assumed that while the North is predominantly Islamic, Southern Nigeria is predominantly Christian, although there are some significant numbers of Christians in some parts of North as there are also significant Muslims among the Yorubas in the then Western Region of Nigeria. On the other hand, it is still generally believed, at least on paper, that Islam is nonexistent in the former Eastern Region of Nigeria. The reality, however, is that Islam is gradually gaining foothold in the latter, including the Igboland. In fact, some Igbo scholars are now concerned that the coming of Islam to Igboland portends “a danger to Igbo interest and survival” (Nnorom 2003). Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was credited with a statement in 1947 to the effect that but for the British the Muslims would have continued their jihad conquest of Southern Nigeria. Today, it would seem that what the North could not achieve through jihad it is now accomplishing by peaceful proselytizing of Islam. This paper sets out from the premise that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees religious freedom, including its peaceful propagation. It argues that if Islam is peacefully spreading to Eastern Region it would be an interesting development which could lead to more tolerance between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. The question, however, is whether Islam, especially given its doctrine of sharia, would be able to adapt to the culture of that area. The paper, therefore, addresses the prospects of Islam in Eastern Region of Nigeria vis-à-vis the Igbo culture.
Introduction
Nigerians are a very religious people. Indeed, it is an acknowledged fact that the African people are traditionally very religious. Long before the coming of Islam and Christianity, the African peoples, contrary to the cynicism of Emil Ludwig, that "untutored" Africans cannot conceive God, had their own concepts of the "Deity" or God.1 In fact, the prejudice of this racist scholar was already contradicted by the observation of other contemporaries who were quoted to have observed that Africans are "incurably religious people" (Parrinder 1974: 9). John S. Mbiti (1969: 1), an African theologian, has this to say:
Africans are notoriously religious and each people have its own religious system with a set of beliefs and practices. Religion permeates into all the departments of life so fully that it is not easy or possible always to isolate it.
African traditional religions have been variously described as animism, fetishism, juju, or paganism. Whatever the authors of these terms might mean, the fact is that African traditional religions are forms of worship of a deity or deities who may be approached through animate or inanimate objects such as trees, animals, rocks, rivers, and sculptures. Traditionally, most African peoples believed in the Supreme as well as lesser gods and spiritual forces.
Thus, the success of Christianity and Islam in Africa could only have been possible because a fertile ground of religious faith was already in place. In Nigeria today, for example, Islam and Christianity have become the dominant religions of most people, with the traditional religions fast receding to relics of the old ages. Even then, syncretism is still strong among many Nigerians.
It is important to note that while in most industrialised nations, religion in general, since the Age of Enlightenment, has been facing serious challenges by other ideologies, including Marxism and atheistic humanism, religious life and practice has remained very fervent in Nigeria, as in other African countries. Nothing better illustrates this fact as the resort to prayers by most Nigerians when it appeared that there was no other way to resolve the political crisis that had engulfed the nation as a result of the annulment of the presidential election of June 12, 1993 and, in particular, during the political impasse at the height of the Abacha regime. Many religious groups of both the Christian and Islamic persuasions embarked on organised national prayers to God to save Nigeria from what appeared to be a certain national catastrophe. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria issued a special “Prayer for Nigeria in Distress” on 27th November 1993 and asked their followers to say the prayer every Sunday. The prayer read in part, “Lord, we are weighed down not only by uncertainties but also by moral, economic and political problems … Spare this nation Nigeria from chaos, anarchy and doom”. Interestingly enough, a former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, was in the forefront of the prayer campaigns with his movement of "Nigeria Prays". Indeed, the final resolution of the “June 12” crisis in Nigeria that started with the dramatic demise of Abacha and Chief Moshood Abiola, within only an interval of one month between July and August 1998, and culminating in the return of democracy in May 1999, has been attributed to “divine intervention” by the generality of Nigerians. Then again in 2010, Nigerians of all religious persuasions embarked on organized national prayers for the ailing President Musa Yaradua until his demise on 5th May 2010.
Nigeria's national life indeed is very much characterized by religious belief and practice. It is quite common to see churches and mosques even in government establishments. In addition to the National Anthem, government functions, especially since the return of democracy in 1999, are usually preceded and concluded with prayers, led by a Muslim and a Christian or vice versa. Since about the Second Republic, Nigeria devotes about three national holidays every year in respect of both Muslim and Christian festivals. During these occasions, the President or the Head of State and other political leaders participate in special religious worships and join the religious leaders in sending goodwill messages to Nigerians. Both the federal and state governments collaborate with the Islamic and Christian groups in their annual performance of pilgrimages. In short, religion is taken very seriously in Nigeria not only by individuals and the religious organisations but also by the government.
The irony, however, is that Nigeria, despite the religiosity of the generality of its people, cannot be described as a land “of saints and scholars” as was the case of Ireland in the Middle Ages. In Nigeria there is no correlation between the outward manifestations of the religiosity of the people and the general lack of moral values in the land, as evidenced by pervasiveness of corruption, cheating, wanton destruction of lives and property, sometimes in the name of religion, armed robbery, human trafficking, ritual killings, insensitivity of leaders to the plight of the people and general indiscipline and lawlessness.
This paper, however, addresses the emergence of Islamic religion in South-East Nigeria, a region hitherto considered to be exclusive domain of Christianity. The coming of Islam to the South-East Nigeria, which is the homeland of the Igbo people of Nigeria, is being perceived by many Igbo people as portending “danger to Igbo interests and survival” and therefore to be resisted by the Igbo people (Nnorom 2003). This raises a number of questions: why should it be dangerous for Igbo people to embrace Islam if it was not dangerous for them to embrace Christianity? Is Christianity inherently compatible to Igbo culture while Islam is inherently incompatible? Then, would resistance to peaceful propagation of Islam in Igboland not be a violation of religious freedom guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution? These are among the main issues to be addressed in this short paper.
Overview of the Coming of Islam and Christianity in Nigeria
Before the coming of Islam and Christianity to the geographical entity now called Nigeria, the indigenous peoples practiced various forms of African Traditional Religion (ATR). The various forms of ATR have been characterized by different names such as animism, fetishism, juju, or paganism. Although today, Islam and Christianity have become the dominant religions of Nigerians while adherents of ATR are fast disappearing, it is important to stress that both Islam and Christianity are alien religions to Nigeria. Incidentally too and perhaps not realized by most Nigerians, both Islam and Christianity originated from the same region of what is today called Middle East, the former from Arabia and the latter from the ancient Palestine. We briefly present an overview of the establishment of both religions in Nigeria.
Islam
Historians have established that Islam could have already reached Kanem-Bornu (Bornu is now spelt Borno) during the early decades of the religion in the 7th Century AD (Balogun 2000: 211). However, the more acceptable date of the coming of Islam in Kanem-Borno was in the 11th Century. It was in the late 11th Century, according to Borno records, that Humai, son of Selemma, is said to have reigned as the first Muslim ruler in Kanem-Borno (Balogun 2000: 211). The Kanem-Borno Empire, as is well known, includes some parts of the present-day Northern Nigeria.
The bearers of Islam from North African regions were essentially merchants. As time went on, there followed itinerant Islamic scholars and preachers. With both the rulers of Kanem-Borno and ordinary people embracing the religion, Islam soon became the official religion of the Empire. It is said that Dunama who succeeded Humai performed the pilgrimage to Mecca twice and got drowned in the Red Sea during his journey for the third hajj (Balogun 2000: 212). By mid 13th Century, Islam had gained strong cultural base in Borno. Indeed so strong was the Islamic tradition in Borno that it became a major centre of Islamic learning in West Africa and also in the application of Islamic principles to the conduct of government. Borno was said to be especially famous for the specialized knowledge of its scholars in tafsir (i.e. in the explanation and interpretation of the Quran) (Balogun 2000: 213).
It was from Borno that some Islamic scholars migrated to Hausaland and propagated the religion there. The Kano Chronicle credits the introduction of Islam in Kano to the Wangarawa – a group of Mande Dyula Muslim merchants and clerics from Mali. This was during the reign of Sarkin Kano Yaji (1349-1385) (Balogun 2000: 213). Irrespective of the actual date of the coming of Islam in Hausaland, by 15th Century, there has emerged strong Islamic tradition both in Kano and Katsina. It was not only the Wangarawa Muslim scholars and clerics that were the early propagators of Islam in Hausaland. Following them were also the Muslim Fulani with books of law and theology. Gradually Islamic religion and system of government became the order of the day and replaced the ATR and customs of the Hausa people.
How did Islam reach the Yorubaland? It would be recalled that the bearers of Islamic religion to the present-day Nigerian areas were Muslim merchants. One of the oldest north-south trade routes connected Kanem-Borno with North Africa, specifically Tripoli area. By 15th Century the trade routes from North Africa to West Africa had connected Hausaland. By the middle of 17th Century some Islamic influence had reached Nupe in the present day Niger State of Nigeria. According to the lineage of Nupe Kings, the Etsu Nupe who reigned from about 1670-1679 was Muhammad Wari, obviously an Islamic name (Balogun 2000: 217). Many of the succeeding Etsus bore similar Muslim names, including Etsu Jibril (1746-1759) who was recorded as the first Muslim ruler by tradition. It is suggested that to be so described could mean that Jibril might have distinguished himself more than his predecessors as a more committed Muslim king.
From Nupe, some members of Islamic cleric, known as ulama moved further south into Yorubaland about 17th and 18th Centuries (Balogun 2000: 218-219). But it is also claimed that apart from Nupe Islamic influence into Yorubaland also came directly from Borno (ibid). By the middle of the 17th Century a Muslim community had existed in Oyo. By 18th Century Islam had spread not only to Oyo but also to Igboho, Kisi, Saki, Iseyin, Ikoyi, Ogbomoso, Owu, Ijana, Ketu and Baagri (ibid). And, before the end of 18th Century, the Yorubas were not only receiving the Islamic religion, they were also exporting it to Dahomey (ibid). This is notwithstanding the fact that the Yoruba converts to Islam at the time were still in minority vis-à-vis the followers of ATR.
Right from inception Islam had always to contend with non-Islamic customs and practices not only among followers of ATR but also from its own followers. Indeed, for a long time Islamic converts in Nigeria were compromising their ATR practices with the new religion of Islam. That was the situation up to the end of the 18th Century, when a group of Muslim scholars led by Uthman dan Fodio led the famous jihad in order to reform Islamic practices in Northern Nigeria. Dan Fodio’s jihad, also known as Fulani War against the Hausa Kingdoms was very successful and led to the Fulani Empire with its capital or Caliphate in Sokoto.
Christianity
As is well known, the first attempt to bring Christianity to Nigeria dates back to 16th and 17th Centuries. As at that period Portugal had established trade relations with the Kingdoms of Benin and Warri. At the request of the Oba of Benin, Portuguese Catholic missionaries came to evangelize in the Kingdom. According to historians, the first batch of the missionaries arrived Benin in August 1515 but the Oba was away, fighting the Idah War ((Ajayi 1965:2). A year later, the Oba returned and allowed one of his sons and others of his chiefs to be baptized and taught to read. However, the Oba was more preoccupied with wars than learning about Christianity. The efforts of the Spanish missionaries who had come after the failure of the Portuguese also were ineffective. The strategy of the missionaries to concentrate on converting the Oba so that his subjects would follow suit could not work. This was also the same story with regard to Warri within the same period. In the latter case, however, the Olu allowed his crown prince to be baptized and educated. According to history, this prince later sent one of his sons to Portugal to be educated and he later returned with a Portuguese wife (Ajayi 1965: 3). This development could have led the foundation of Christianity in Warri and perhaps to other parts of Nigeria but it did not. The evangelization was confined to the palace of the Olu. Despite the existence of Christian presence in Warri for one and half centuries, 1570-1733, Christianity was later completely overwhelmed by ATR. Thus, by the beginning of the 19th Century there were only a few relics to show that Christianity ever came to Warri. These included “the huge cross in the centre of the old Warri and a few church decorations surviving among the traditional shrines” (Ajayi 1965: 3).
The success story of the coming of Christianity to Nigeria was the second phase in the 19th Century and this time around the port of call was Badagry. In this phase, the Methodist missionaries led the way. The Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman was the leading Methodist missionary. He arrived in Badagry in September 1842 and was followed shortly by Henry Townsend, a lay missionary of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) (Ajayi 1965: 31-320). Four years later, Presbyterian and Baptist missionaries also arrived to join in the evangelization of Nigeria.
For the history of the origin of Christianity in Nigeria, however, the role played by the freed African slaves takes a central place. The liberated African slaves, many of whom were from Nigeria, were brought back to Sierra Leone where they were educated and converted to Christianity. Many of them later returned to Nigeria and became pioneer Christians and missionaries in Nigeria. Ajayi has detailed the account of this in a chapter titled “The Return of the Exiles” (Ajayi 1965: 25-52). A leading figure among the liberated African missionaries was Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther of the Anglican Church.
The story of Bishop Ajayi Crowther is fascinating. He was the first African Anglican Bishop. He was born in Oshogun, in the present-day Oyo State in 1891. He was captured and sold to the Portuguese slave traders. But before they sailed, the ship was captured by the British Navy and Ajayi was taken to Freetown, Sierra Leone. Freed in Freetown, the CMS took him and educated him and he served as interpreter to the Niger Expedition of 1841. He was ordained in England in 1843 and sent back to Sierra Leone to prepare for a mission to Abeokuta by beginning to conduct services in Yoruba language (Ajayi 1965: 33). In 1846, Bishop Ajayi, accompanied by Rev. Henry Townsend and others worked to consolidate the CMS mission in Abeokuta. Then in 1857 Rev. Ajayi led the CMS Niger Mission to Onistsha and environs to evangelize the area. He was elected Bishop in 1864. The Anglican Church also had to secure a base in Lagos which became a Diocese in 1919. The Niger Delta Diocese was inaugurated in 1952; Ibadan also in 1952; Northern Diocese in 1959. Other Dioceses came on stream after Nigeria’s Independence, including Benin in 1962 and Enugu in 1970.
Having failed in the 16th and 17th Centuries, the Catholic Church returned in the 19th Century, this time led by the Holy Ghost Fathers. Through the assistance of Bishop Ajayi Crowther, the Obi of Onitsha donated a site to the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1885 to begin their mission. It was said that the first converts of the Catholic Mission were redeemed ex-slaves. By 1900, the Holy Ghost Fathers had established three Christian villages made up of ex-slaves. When Rev. Father, later Bishop Shanahan came on scene in 1902, he intensified the policy of evangelization via education. He was credited with the saying that “it is through the schools that we will win over the whole country”. Recognizing the importance of education for evangelization, Shanahan ordered schools built in every village under his jurisdiction. The outcome was the upsurge of Catholic Schools throughout South-Eastern Nigeria. Under him the Roman Catholic Mission was able to evangelize and educate people in Igbo, Ibibio and Ogoja provinces, east of the Niger.
The Emergence of Islam in Igboland
For the ordinary Igbo person, Islam is a strange religion in Igboland. The general belief is that if the religion exists there at all, it is only being practiced by the Hausa-Fulani strangers in the Igboland. It would seem that the reality on ground today shows otherwise. Nnorom (2003) paints this picture:
… while Ndigbo are being religiously, ethnically and economically cleansed from the predominantly Islamic states of Nigeria, Igbo Imams, Sheiks, Alahajis (sic), Alhajas and mosques, once few and exotic, are now a common sight in one of the most homogeneous Christian regions in Africa.
In fact there is evidence to show that Islam might have been planted in Igboland by an Igbo Muslim as far back as 1957, even before Nigeria’s Independence (Ottenberg 1971 quoted in Nnorom 2003). According to Ottenberg as recounted by Nnorom (2003), it was one Okpani Egwani of Anohia village of Afikpo in the present day Ebonyi State who had brought Islam to that village. Egwani had been away from his village for several years. The villagers had believed that he was dead and had even performed funeral rites for him. However, as it turned out, Egwani had joined the Nigerian army in 1944. After his discharge he stayed in Lagos and was converted to Islam. He was said to have travelled far and wide, visiting such countries as Egypt, Gabon and the Congo. He joined the Islamic sect of Tijaniyya. When he returned to his village in 1957, he was said to have come in a company of some Muslim strangers from the North who assisted him to establish Islam in his village. Egwani had changed his name to Alhaji Ibrahim.
As would be expected, the initial attempt to establish Islam in Afikpo met with serious resistance. The villagers ridiculed the converts. However, the seed of Islamic religion had been sown in that area.
According to a recent studies (Nnorom 2003; Uchendu 2010) Islam is gaining strong foothold in many parts of Igboland. Nsukka is said to have 14 mosques and therefore “undoubtedly the Islamic capital of AlaIgbo [Igboland]” (Nnorom 2003). Two institutions have been identified as playing major roles in the propagation of Islam in Igboland. There is the educational institution known as Jama-al-Nazral School, said to be originally based in Enugu but has been moved to Ntezi village in outskirts of Afikpo where it has existed for nine years. Nnorom (2003) claims that “No connection has been established between this institution and the remnants of the Anohia Islamic community.”
As at 2003, Jama-al-Nazral School is said to have 500 students selected only from Igbo-speaking States of Nigeria. It awards scholarships to all its students, from kindergarten to high school and offers lessons in secular subjects as well as in Arabic and Islamic studies. The female students dress in traditional Islamic style and are separated from the males. The males also dress in traditional Hausa/Arabic long clothing.
The Jama-al-Nazral School is said to have no sign in front of the property to indicate its name, affiliation or mission. It is claimed that it is being funded by Saudi Arabia. The majority of the teachers are said to be foreign although the School was being headed as at 2003 by one Alhaji Haruna Ajali from Afikpo. Most of the teachers are said to be nationals of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and India and are recruited from Kaduna.
One other prominent Islamic educational institution in Igboland is the Al-Haudaa Muslim School in Enugu. This school is said to have been established in 1990 by Igbo Muslims in Enugu and was approved by the former Anambra State Government. As at 2003, it had 150 students, ages 3 – 12. Like Nazral, Al-Haudaa awards scholarships to all its students. However, unlike Nazral most of its teachers are Igbo. It is said that “about 90% of the teachers at the Islamic School in Enugu are Christian” (Nnorom 2003). The teachers are said to be paid higher salary than their counterparts in public schools and are allowed to practice their Christian religion. The school authorities were unwilling to reveal the sources of funding of the school, although one of them claimed that it was being funded by “Moslem authorities” (Nnorom 2003). The Chief Imam of the school as at 2003 was Igbo while his Deputy was Yoruba.
The story of the propagation of Islam in Igboland would not be complete without mentioning some prominent Igbo Muslim leaders. Most prominent was the late Alhaji Suleiman Onyeama who until his death several years ago was the chairman of the Jama’atul Nasril Islamiyya (Society for the Victory of Islam) of Enugu State. Currently, two of the most well known Igbo Muslims are Alhaji Abdulaziz Ude and Alhaji Yahaya Ndu (Nnorom 2003). The latter from Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State was the Presidential Candidate of the African Renaissance Party (ARP) in 2003. The Chief Imam of the mosque at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) is Sheik Adamu Abdullahi Idoko from Nsukka. Nsukka is reputed to be the key base of Islamic expansionism in Igboland (Nnorom 2003). Then Alhaji Dauda Oneagocha is the Chief Imam of the Owerri main mosque in Imo State, which is located near the Government House. Although the controversial Senator Arthur Nzeribe has not yet officially converted to Islam, he is said to be one of the benefactors of Imo State Muslim community. He is alleged to have donated N5 million toward the construction of the Owerri Mosque (Nnorom 2003).2
In terms of the population of Igbo Muslims, this is rather controversial. An interesting article about the Igbos and Islamic religion has this title: “Islam Does Not Belong to Them” (Anthony 2000). The import of this title could be that the number of Igbo Muslims is so insignificant that it is not worth noting. This may explain why there was no statistics of the population of Igbo Muslims among the listing of the populations of the larger ethnic groups in Nigeria in the current World Christian Database (quoted in Wikipedia 2010; see the Appendix). However, the 25 October 1993 edition of the Nigerian news magazine, Citizen carried a cover story on the “Igbo Muslims” (Akoshile and Ummuna 1993). Alhaji Suleiman Onyeama, then Chairman of Jama’atul Nasril Islamiyya, Enugu State, claimed that there were between 6,000 and 10,000 Muslims in the State at the time. Even if the upper limit of this number was accurate and exclusively Igbo, it would still be insignificant in a population of 3.1 million, as the 1991 Census had put Enugu State.
It would seem that the current Igbo Muslim leaders are not very forthcoming on the statistics of their members. Nnorom (2003), states that the Igbo Muslim leaders were not willing to reveal vital information on their religion, including the size of their membership. Efforts to get the statistics of the current Igbo Muslims by this writer also proved abortive. One Alhaji Suleiman Ogah, the Chairman of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board of Ebonyi State, could not provide any statistics on the Muslims in the South-Eastern States nor even of Ebonyi State, only saying that research was still ongoing and would be provided when completed.
However, regardless of the numbers, one thing is certain about Islam in Igboland. It is making inroads there and the number of Igbos embracing Islam is increasing. In fact, sooner than later, Igbo Muslims would no longer have to hide their identities by adopting Hausa or Arabic names or even clothing. This was the case of the first generation of Igbo converts to Islam in Northern Nigeria who had to “Hausanise” themselves (Anthony 2000: 427). But is this a plausible forecast or should Igbos organize and prevent the peaceful Islamic evangelization in Igboland? What are the prospects for the survival of Islam in Igboland?
Islam in Igboland: To be or Not to Be?
For the generality of the Igbo people, the two major religions in Nigeria, Islam and Christianity have also ethnic identities, Islam being the religion of the Northerners or Hausa-Fulani while Christianity is for the people of Southern Nigeria. Not many Igbos are aware that there are as many Yoruba Muslims, or even more, as there are Yoruba Christians. Again, not many Igbos realize that there are also large populations of other ethnic groups in Northern Nigeria, other than Hausa-Fulani, who are Christians or Muslims, to say nothing of the fact that there are also some Hausa-Fulani who are Christians.
This perception about the religious-cum-ethnic divides in Nigeria was especially pronounced in the 1960s. Thus, Ojukwu (1969) in the famous “Ahiara Declaration” during the Nigeria-Biafra war could assert:
The Biafran struggle is, on another plane, a resistance to the Arab-Muslim expansionism which has menaced and ravaged the African continent for twelve centuries.
Our Biafran ancestors remained immune from the Islamic contagion. From the middle years of the last century Christianity was established in our land. In this way we came to be predominantly Christian people. We came to stand out as a non-Muslim island in a raging Islamic sea. Throughout the ill-fated Nigerian experiment, the Muslims hoped to infiltrate Biafra by peaceful means and quiet propaganda, but failed. Then the late Ahmadu Bello, the Sarduana of Sokoto, tried by political and economic blackmail … to convert Biafrans settled in Northern Nigeria to Islam. His hope was that these Biafrans of dispersion would then carry Islam to Biafra, and by so doing give the religion political control of the area.

It would seem that the phobia about Islam is still widely felt by many Igbo people, including scholars, as has been passionately presented by Nnorom (2003). Indeed, Nnorom (2003) has used Ojukwu’s statement to buttress his proposition that Igboland is the land of Christianity and should not be allowed Islamic penetration. Of course Ojukwu’s statement is more of propaganda than anything else. He knew more than anybody that the Nigerian-Biafra war was not a war between Northern Muslims versus Igbo Christians. Gowon, the Nigerian Head of State at the time is a Christian as were many of the Nigerian soldiers.

It is true that until recently, Islam was virtually non-existent in Igboland. However, history is not static. Nigeria is no longer as religiously, culturally or even ethnically as compartmentalized as was the case 50 years ago. It should, therefore, not be surprising that Islam is now being openly embraced both by some Igbos living in Northern Nigeria (Anthony 2000) and also some Igbos in Igboland (Nnorom 2003; Uchendu 2010).

The answer to the Shakespearean question above is simply yes. Both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. As long there is no compulsion, Nigerians are free to belong to any religion; to change their religion and to propagate their religion. Indeed, the Nigerian Constitutions of 1979 and 1999 have provisions encouraging associations, including marriages, across religious and ethnic divides in order to promote national unity and integration.

In recent times, there has been upsurge of ethno-religious conflicts in Northern Nigeria, especially Plateau State. The Plateau State crisis is becoming protracted and difficult to resolve. Perhaps what has exacerbated the crisis in Plateau State could be said to be the fact that the two protagonist groups, the Hausa-Fulani on the one hand and the Beroms and other ethnic groups on the Plateau, on the other hand, predominantly belong to the two religions, Islam and Christianity, respectively. That is why once the crisis erupts, it easily takes religious colouration. Would the crisis in Plateau State have been so intense and protracted if there were no sharp religious divide between the Plateau people and the Hausa-Fulani? Obviously not!

I would argue that if Islam succeeds in Igboland, it would contribute to the polarization of Islam among the major ethnic groups in Nigeria. Then, contrary to the fears being expressed, in some quarters, the polarization of Islamic and Christian religions in Igboland and across Nigeria would lead to more religious tolerance than to religious crisis in the future generations.

With regard to compatibility of Islam with Igbo culture, this is an open question. Those who argue that Igboland is or should be a Christian society may have forgotten that when Christianity first came to Igboland, things fell apart. If Christianity has succeeded in Igboland, it could only be because it has learnt to adapt and assimilate the Igbo culture. The same would apply to Islam or any other religion that wishes to survive in Igboland. The Igbo Muslims would be advised to look up to the Yoruba Muslims if they hope that Islam would survive in Igboland. In fact, the rest of Nigerians would be advised to study and emulate the religious candour of the Yoruba.

A cursory study of religious practice in the South-West (NIPSS 2004) shows that among the Yorubas, religion is not divisive. It is not uncommon feature to find within a family, members who are Christians, Muslims, and adherents to ATR or even free-thinkers and yet they all live harmoniously together. For the majority of Yoruba, religion is a personal affair of the individual. In Yorubaland, during festivals whether Islamic, Christian or ATR, people come together to celebrate. Religion is not a factor in marriage as there are instances where the husband could be a Christian or a Muslim and vice versa for the wife. Given the attitude of the Yoruba towards religion one Ajayi (2004) has this to say:

The Yoruba provide us an example of the three dominant religions existing side by side. In a family, there could be a Bishop father, Imam son and Babalawo uncle, all living happily with one another.”

Nigerians, including the Igbo people, should learn to accept the trend of events of the contemporary world. In the 21st Century and beyond, contrary to the predictions of the likes of Huntington (1996), the world would not be characterized by “the clash of civilizations” but increasingly cultural dialogue and religious tolerance. This is despite the current ethno-religious crises in Nigeria or the unfortunate episode of “September eleven” 2001.

The world has come a long way. It is anachronistic and unrealistic to continue to live in fear and suspicion that historical Islam of Prophet Mohammed era evokes. And so to continue to think of Islam from the perspectives of jihad, Sharia or the negation of fundamental human rights, including those of women would not be in tune with the contemporary world. It should not be forgotten that Christianity also had unpleasant past. From the perspective of contemporary world, so many atrocities had been committed in the name of Christianity. This is not the place to go into details of all this. Suffice it to say that any religion that would not march with the times and incorporate new ideas and new knowledge about humanity and human affairs would sooner or later die a natural death.

The expectation of the place of Islam in the contemporary world has been recently expressed by no less a personality than President Barack Obama (2009) in his address to the Muslim world in Cairo on June 4, 2009. In that address, Obama said, inter alia:

I have come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.
Noting that the opportunities for the American dream are open to all Americans, including about 7 million American Muslims; and that within America there are over 1,200 mosques, President Obama goes on to say:
So let there be no doubt: Islam is part of America. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or situation in life, all of us share common aspirations – to live in peace and security; to get education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.
Thus, for Islam to survive in Igboland, Igbo Muslims must look for inspiration across the world for the best practices of Islamic religion. We have already cited the example of the Yorubaland. For the international best practices, apart from the United States, Indonesia and Turkey are good examples of moderate Islam and where there is harmonious coexistence between Muslims and other religious adherents.
Conclusion
Until recently, and even presently to some extent, it is unthinkable that an Igbo person could become a Muslim. The first generation of few Igbo who converted to Islam did so in Northern Nigeria. They hid their Igbo identity by adopting Hausa (or Arabic?) first and surnames; they also adopted Hausa mode of dressing and other mannerisms. They had to disassociate themselves from Igbo meetings and unions in the North and had little or no contacts with their home people. That was before the Nigerian civil war. The second generation of converts were also mainly in the North. Some of these were bold enough to maintain their Igbo identities by retaining their Igbo surnames while adopting Hausa first names. Some also registered with Igbo unions in the North. The latter did not feel compelled to Hausanise.
A new development is that Igbo converts to Islam are no longer confined to the North. Islam is gradually penetrating Igboland, hitherto thought to be exclusive domain of Christianity. Some Igbo people are alarmed at the prospect of Islam having a foothold in Igboland. They believe this is dangerous for Igbo culture. This way of thinking corresponds to the historical reality of how Islam and Christianity came to Nigeria. Islam and Christianity evolved in such a way that they became identified with particular ethnic groups. The major exception is the religious experience of the Yoruba. Among the Yoruba due to historical factors, as we have seen, could be found, almost in equal numbers, both Muslims and Christians.
This paper argues that, provided Islam is being peacefully propagated in Igboland, its coming to Igboland should not be seen as portending any danger. In fact the outcome of such a development could be positive for future generations of Nigerians. For, if many Igbos embrace Islam, sooner or later neither Islam nor Christianity would be exclusively identified with any particular ethnic groups in Nigeria. Such a development would eventually lead to more peaceful coexistence and tolerance among all the various ethnic groups in Nigeria. This is the prognosis about Islam and Christianity in Nigeria.

Notes
1. One Emil Ludwig was said to have remarked on a visit to Africa thus: "How can an untutored African conceive God? ... Deity is a philosophical concept which savages are incapable of framing". See Smith (1966:1).
2. It would be recalled that the Nigerian media widely publicized that Arthur Nzeribe would formally convert to Islam on 19th December 1989 at the Emir’s palace in Kano but he never showed up.

References
Akoshile, M. and I. Umunna 91993), “Igbo Muslims: Their Trials and Triumphs”, Citizen 4(40), 10-19
Anthony, Douglas (2000), “‘Islam Does Not Belong to Them’: Ethnic and Religious Identies among Male Igbo Converts in Hausaland”, Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, 70(3), 422-441.
Ajayi, A. (2004), “Promoting Religious Tolerance and Cooperation: Example of the Yoruba”, Lagos: The Guardian, May 2, 2004.
Ajayi, J.F. Ade (1965), Christian Missions in Nigeria 1841-1891: The Making of a New Elite, Illinois: Northwestern University Press.
Balogun, S.A. (1980), “History of Islam up to 1800”, in Groundwork of Nigerian History, ed. Ikime Obaro, Ibadan: Heinemann.
Huntington, Samuel P. (1996), The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, New York: Simon & Schuster.
Mbiti, J.S. (1969), African Religions and Philosophy, London: Heineman.
NIPSS (2004), Religious Coexistence in Nigeria: A Case Study of the South-West (Unpublished Term Paper submitted by IRG 2, SEC No. 26 to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru, June 2004).
Nnorom Aham (2003), “Islam in Igboland: Lessons in History” (Paper delivered at the International Conference on Igbo Studies A tribute to Simon Ottenberg, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, April 3-6, 2003) http://writersblock.biafranigeriaworld.com/revnnorom/2003apr25.html, Retrieved 20th Dec. 2009.
Obama, Barack (2009), Remarks by the President on a New Beginning, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, June 4, 2009, Washington: United States Department of State
Ojukwu, Odumegwu (1969), “Ahiara Declaration”, in Kirk-Greene, A.H.M (1971), Crisis and Conflict in Nigeria: A Documentary Sourcebook 1966-1970, London: Oxford University Press, Vol. II, pp.376-393.
Parrinder, E.G. (1974), African Traditional Religion, London: Sheldon Press.
Uchendu, Egodi (2010), “Being Igbo and Muslim: The Igbo of South-Eastern Nigeria and the Conversions to Islam”, 1930 to Recent Times, The Journal of African History, 51: 63-87
Wikipedia the Free Online Encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Nigeria Retrieved 20th Jan. 2010.
APPENDIX
MUSLIM POPULATIONS OF LARGER ETHNIC GROUPS IN NIGERIA
· Hausa Arab, Shuwa
(19,880626) (204,890)
· Yoruba Bura (11,823)
(8,38,832) Igala
· Kanuri (107,350)
(Yerwa) Zerma
(4,039,901) (76,911)
· Fulani Bariba
Sokoto (65,808)
(2,211,792) Esan (61,529)
· Fulani, Haabe Gbari, East
(2,205,150) (40,639)
· Fulani, Bororo Gun (29,373)
(1,952,558) Tuareg
· Fulani, (23,442)
Adamawa Chamba
(973,222) (Daka (17,546)
· Fulani, Bauchi Arab, Syrian,
(700,459) Somali
· Kanuri (11,722)
Manga Maguzawa
(616,806) (11,721)
· Fulani, Igboro Egyptian
(519,901) (651)
· Egba
(418,030)
· Bade
(309,235)
· Songhai
(259,429)
Source: World Christian Database quoted in Wikipedia (2010).



Copyright © 2010 ---.
All Rights Reserved.

Ejiné: I think muslims of Igbo extraction should be 'cleansed'

i wanted to reply before, but when i see your ID, i logged off my laptop, took fallon 5, slept off for 5 hours, logged in again, enter another thread to discuss with sensible nairalanders...mtchwwwee

Ejiné: I think muslims of Igbo extraction should be 'cleansed'

What is the different btw you and BOKOHARAM, they kill Hausa xtains and if given the oppurtunity, you will Do worst than Boko Boyz, Odee omo yanmirin

There is nothing like Igbo muslim. Take it or leave it!

aryzgreat:

GBAM! GBAM!! GBAM!!!

Infact to accept islam as an igbo is akin to osu! or worst! Damn! LovePeddler betides any igbo dat tries to pollute our blood with islam

I know dat the press are trying to form federal character with dat "igbo muslim" rubbish. Such does'nt exist and any greedy bagger dreaming of such knows he cant come back to igboland. He will be an efulefu till he dies and buried in da north!

Ignorance. I'm a Christian Igbo, but each person to their own destiny.

God in his wisdom allowed the emergence of all the religions, we had no choice in the religion of our birth, and HE allowed man the freewill to choose.

Most people here do not even understand the central tenets of their Religion. They just follow it like those die hard EPL fans that cannot name nine starters on their team squad.

Garba Oheme, from Enugu Ezike in the old Nsukka Division of northern Igboland is widely acknowledged as the first Igbo Muslim convert; Oheme was converted in 1937.

Chyz*:
They are going to pull it down anyway. Let them try anything they know both MASSOB along with other Igbos there around will just finish them there. Let them pull that thing down and let Onitsha breathe. Its long overdue.

Do you have Families in the North

Antivirus92: The op is not serious. There are no igbo muslims. Why must the op lie against us by including "igbo muslims" which up to 98% doesn't exist.

mumu who told you there are no igbo muslims, those mosque in igboland who pray in them...i know muslims who are igbos

U pple claim to be educated but most of you are ignorant of ur worshiping i was born an igbo and and i am still an igboman for life but that is not a licence for me to follow every other ignorant igboman to hell fire i was once in love with christianity and that pushed me to do more research to streainghen my faith and that was how i discovered islam and from then i stoped calling jesus christ God becouse in the bible there no verve that jesus called himself God the bible tells us that devil tempted jesus for 40 day (mark,11:12)the same bible tells us that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and ,enticed(james,1;14)what a contradiction from a supposed book of God.i will be willing to help you out of ignorant my number is 08035696230.

Anybody who never complained about marginalization of christians and the 'almost banning of christian religious activities' in places like Kano really shouldn't be complaining about demolishing a mosque in Onitsha for town planning purposes. Outside Sabon gari where else are christians allowed to worship openly in Kano And you want to block the headbridge with your mosque? Next, they'll want the Awka goverment house designed like a mosque!

Hey, contact me if you are keen on finding an Igbo Muslim from before the Biafran Nigerian war. callymo2j@gmail.com I have a few information to give you.I am Igbo, am Catholic but dont be amazed when I tell you I got a muslim blood and no one from my linake is from any part of the world other than Igboland.

There are lots of Igbo Muslims all over the world. You don’t belong to that community so you will not find them. They are plent and live like every other Igbo man. They speak and do things in the Igbo man way. You may not identify them by their look. Many of them are highly educated.
To find out more about them visit Igbo Muslim Forum on Face Book or visit their website on http://www.igbomuslim.org or simply mail us at igbomuslim@yahoo.com

Rencent u must be a useless he-goat to claim igbo! amadioha cripple u dia! Aboki!

manny4life:

They want more by erecting Mosque and their random place of worship. Sooner or later, the house will pass a bill that all states MUST accommodate them. If you're a Muslim, STAY IN YOUR HOUSE. No one wants you outside, because their religion is NOT of peace but WAR and VIOLENCE. I'll rather have a Buddhist, Jewish, than have an Islmaist...tufia.

Yes we're taking away their sanctuary, they can erect another if they choose, after all we're not taking away their right to worship. Worship isn't about the place people gather but the sincerity of the practice. So they can go to the bush and still build their sanctuary...

..So you detest Muslim that much huh?Remember we once met on a thread where you were preaching freedon of association..I KNOW YOU ARE ATLEAST A STRONG SUPPORTER OF HOMOSEXUAL AND PROBABLY A GAY(I have my proof).Did you get that from your bible?..Now i know Homosexualism is part of Christainity..Shame on you bottom bleeper.Hope you still put on your diaper...leaking ass christain.

aryzgreat: Rencent u must be a useless he-goat to claim igbo! amadioha cripple u dia! Aboki!

YOU MUST BE MAD.....when did i type am igbo....GOD FORBID....na ur family go be igbo...NITWIT

Ejiné: I think muslims of Igbo extraction should be 'cleansed'

Yes we do not want even one Igbo man to be part of that satanic religion

Ileke-IdI:


And then you guys get mad when Eko-Ile starts saying the same thing about Igbos in Lagos.

I see.

Good point...He was also mad when people were opposing homosexualism..Selective justice.

manny4life:

Did you say religious intolerance? Have you been smoking again?

Tell that those Islamist bigots who have killed scores of Christians around Northern Nigeria, Africa and even globally. Abeg, leave that story, how can you speak of religious intolerance when Islam brought the fire upon itself?

“Then Abishai the son of
Zeruiah said to the king,
“Why should this dead
dog curse my lord the
king? Let me go over and
take off his head.”…
And there is also with you
Shimei the son of Gera,
the Benjaminite from
Bahurim, who cursed me
with a grievous curse on
the day when I went to
Mahanaim; but when he
came down to meet me at
the Jordan, I swore to him
by the LORD, saying, I will
not put you to death with
the sword.’ Now
therefore hold him not
guiltless, for you are a
wise man; you will know
what you ought to do to
him, and you shall bring
his gray head down with
blood to Sheol.” (2
Samuel 16:9, 1 Kings 2:
” When they came into
the house, as he lay on his
bed in his bedchamber,
they smote him, and slew
him, and beheaded him.
They took his head, and
went by the way of the
Arabah all night, and
brought the head of
Ishbosheth to David at
Hebron. And they said to
the king, “Here is the
head of Ishbosheth, the
son of Saul, your enemy,
who sought your life; the
LORD has avenged my lord
the king this day on Saul
and on his offspring.” (2
Samuel 4:7)
“That is not true. But a
man of the hill country of
Ephraim, called Sheba the
son of Bichri, has lifted up
his hand against King
David; give up him alone,
and I will withdraw from
the city.” And the
woman said to Joab,
“Behold, his head shall
be thrown to you over
the wall.” Then the
woman went to all the
people in her wisdom. And
they cut off the head of
Sheba the son of Bichri,
and threw it out to
Joab.” (2 Samuel 20:21)
“at Jezreel by this time
tommorrow…And when
the letter came to them,
they took the king’s
sons, and slew them,
seventy persons, and put
their heads in baskets,
and sent them to him at
Jezreel. When the
messenger came and told
him, “They have brought
the heads of the king’s
sons,” he said, “Lay
them in two heaps at the
entrance of the gate until
the morning.”. (2 Kings
Chapter 10 verse 6)
“God has now fulfilled
the prophecy of the
prophet Elijah. So Jehu
put to death all who were
left of the house of Ahab
in Jezreel, as well as all of
his close friends and
priests, until he had left
not one single
survivor.” (2 Kings
Chapter 10 verse 10)
“He put to death all of
Ahab’s house, who
were left there and so
blotted it out, in
fulfillment of the word
which YAHWEH had
spoken to Elijah.” (2
Kings Chapter 10 verse 7)
“When the LORD your
God brings you into the
land where you are
entering to possess it,
and clears away many
nations before you, the
Hittites and the
Girgashites and the
Amorites and the
Canaanites and the
Perizzites and the Hivites
and the Jebusites, seven
nations greater and
stronger than you. And
when the LORD your God
delivers them before you
and you defeat them,
then you shall utterly
destroy them. You shall
make no covenant with
them and show no favor
to them.” (Deuteronomy
7:1-2)

Rencent: There are lots of Igbo Muslims all over the world. You don’t belong to that community so you will not find them. They are plent and live like every other Igbo man. They speak and do things in the Igbo man way. You may not identify them by their look. Many of them are highly educated.
To find out more about them visit Igbo Muslim Forum on Face Book or visit their website on http://www.igbomuslim.org or simply mail us at igbomuslim@yahoo.com

abeg tell them o...I wonder if igbos are only christians and ritualist and no muslims among them?

gurujoe: there is notin like igbo muslims. So, 4 dose of u sayin 'there is' u mst by high wit d ogogoro in yr ablutn kettle. Nonesense! My advice 2 d threatenin muslims d earlier u leav my CHRISTIAN REPUBLIC (SE n SS) d beta 4 u.

SS.?..doest that include Edo state?..you must be dreaming then..The problem is that most of you are Villagers who has never been to city to know whatz up..There is no difference between u guys and Boko haram cos you christains fanatics.

manny4life:

Thank you... Tell that to the architects of 9/11 and all the atrocities since the inception of time

Tell yours to your fellow christain crusaders..

Antivirus92: Anambra state=97% christians, imo=98%christians,abia=98%christians,enugu=96%christians,ebonyi=99%christians. Note that a very large population of igbos are traditional worshippers, many again are artheists,zionists,budhists etc, please where is the space for islam here? THERE ARE NO IGBO MUSLIMS!

Do you know the difference between 100% and the figure you stated above.What happen to the rest percentage in each group?Pls get some education..People like you and Manny4life would have done the worst harm to Christainity if you were in existence then..Have you read the history??Make enquiry from you Father or Grandfather(Idol worshippers) about what they did to those who brough christainity to them.

manny4life:

Your point?

The Bible said our God is a "LOVING GOD", yet he's a Consuming fire. He fights his own battles and doesn't sleep waiting on humans to fight his own battle for him.

As for that chapter, YES, God did not encourage violence but delivered Jericho into their hands because it was somewhat like a war. You need to read the accounts of the "Wall of Jericho" again.

“Now therefore, kill
every male among the
little ones, and kill every
woman who has known
man intimately. But all the
girls who have not known
man intimately, spare for
yourselves.” (Numbers
31:17-18)

manny4life:


This is the reason why you need to come close to GOD and leave you islamism somewhere else, else you meet your fate. If you read the Bible rather than posting "cut and paste", let me put it in summary for your understanding. Sometimes when cases that were difficult for the community to decide, perhaps no witnesses, or evidence was insufficient, or even unusual circumstance made the truth hard to see, when this happened, the case was taken into God's sanctuary before a High priest whose words were FINAL. This was the only was to settle cases fairly and when one disobey the voice of the high priest of God, it's simple... PUNISHMENT. Even God stated, and every Christian believes, for the wages of sin is death. If a court grants a judgement today and you violate it, what is that?

However, when Jesus Christ came into the world to die for our sins, till the time he ascended into heaven and sat on the right hand of God, he atoned for our sins with his blood. So you see why Jesus Christ plead with his father to die so we might be redeemed through his blood. Therefore, the Bible is very specific that GOD doesn't condemn stoning people to death because you disobeyed his words. If you disobey, you will have your punishment on the last day and if you repent, you will be saved... NEXT

Which of the Jesus?Hopd you are not reffering to Nel gibson..You worship his picture in ur room?..You have them around ur wall?Your Jesus has bears and u keep insulting muslims.

Mr.Obi,am solidly behind u.dnt mind them.NDI ARA ! Dnt waste time coz Onitsha is d 1st place anybdy must enter b4 any oda Igbo land so we av 2 make it luk fantastic.Mosque! Go 2 hell.

Dawdy: "If they gain dominance over you, they will be your enemies and
will stretch out their hands (force) and
tongues (media) towards you with evil
intent. They love to see you turn
away from your faith ". (al- quran, 60: 2)

Islam has a way of stirring its followers up for violence. I don't think its a secret anymore.
The world is watching. Our children are learning.

akthedream: Which of the Jesus?Hopd you are not reffering to Nel gibson..You worship his picture in ur room?..You have them around ur wall?Your Jesus has bears and u keep insulting muslims.

.u ar very sensless i cn c dat in u.wat do u knw.go and read bible.fanatic!

I am highly disappointed by the display of religious intolerance and bigotry by some of my Igbo brothers starting with their dumb Eze Igbo NL gburubguru Onlytruth.

Can't we all just get along? Rodney King (RIP)

I personally don't have anything against Islsm, but I think as someone said in another thread the history of the Nigerian Civil War has a lot to do with the negativr connotations Islam has in SE Nigeria.

Its hard to convince a man to be tolerant of a religion shared by the same people who committed violent acts towards his people. Even though those actions extent to that one person who happened to share that religion and not to every practitioner.

Its something Igbo people will have to contend with and the violence of BH has added even more to the negative opinion of Islam.

This thread is really becoming longer n interesting however i believe there are few muslims in enugu ezeagu precisely which may hav been contribtd by abdulaziz ude a waethy biz man who may have got rich for that purpose. then Nsukka and ebonyi which their culture and dialet hav been influenced by benue. The re hausa/muslim in oweri str enugu that has fogoten thier roots an speaks ibo. But not Anambra thats like a holy chrtian land been headquaters to the two mother church Anglican and Catholic

Rencent: U pple claim to be educated but most of you are ignorant of ur worshiping i was born an igbo and and i am still an igboman for life but that is not a licence for me to follow every other ignorant igboman to hell fire i was once in love with christianity and that pushed me to do more research to streainghen my faith and that was how i discovered islam and from then i stoped calling jesus christ God becouse in the bible there no verve that jesus called himself God the bible tells us that devil tempted jesus for 40 day (mark,11:12)the same bible tells us that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and ,enticed(james,1;14)what a contradiction from a supposed book of God.i will be willing to help you out of ignorant my number is 08035696230.

This comment interests me...

Rencent: Hey, contact me if you are keen on finding an Igbo Muslim from before the Biafran Nigerian war. callymo2j@gmail.com I have a few information to give you. I am Igbo, am Catholic but dont be amazed when I tell you I got a muslim blood and no one from my linake is from any part of the world other than Igboland.

Here I thought he was being serious..

Rencent:

YOU MUST BE MAD.....when did i type am igbo....GOD FORBID....na ur family go be igbo...NITWIT

THIS IS EPIC MADNESS...
How the hell is a psychiatrist gonna treat this?

Ejiné: I think muslims of Igbo extraction should be 'cleansed'

Exactly, this is what Ogbuefi okonkwo would have done to igbo christians. If Okonkwo had lived in the last 5 decades, a christian Ojukwu would have no chance of making it to Abidjan.