It was few weeks ago when the whole world learnt that in Northern Nigeria, you could be declared insane for being an atheist. Mubarak Bala was kept in a psychiatric ward by his family against his will because of his atheism.

When the news about his placement in a psychiatric ward came out, many christian and muslim commenters on nairaland that commented accepted that he was mad. Worse, many muslims kept quiet on the issue. On the other hand, majority of nairaland atheists were either in doubt about his "madness" because of his twitter posts or were asking for more evidence before they could accept that he was mad. Some christians actually wanted Bala to be free, which gladdened me. There was one muslim (Tintingz) though who asked for Bala to be free.


Finally, Bala was released and clearly deemed not to be insane. However, soon after being released, Bala got death threats. I think muslims should give this guy all their support rather than this happening to him after all he has been through.


However, don't you think that there is something wrong with Nigerian christians and muslims in general when this matter had to be resolved with the help of foreign humanist/atheist organisations? Also kudos to the Nigerian atheists who helped spread the news in the first place. Even when the story came out, how many christians and muslims did anything or even offered a comment in support of Bala's human rights?



These where the threads from which I got info about the muslim/christian commenters;
https://www.nairaland.com/1793182/family-denies-holding-son-captive
https://www.nairaland.com/1789445/locked-up-being-atheist-nigeria

Here are some interesting comments from christians and muslims on the issue

Pastor Kun: Jokes apart, all atheists neeed to get their heads examined.

Ishilove: Wonders upon wonders. So the guy is truly a mental case? He wasn't been held against his will?

Lmao! It means some of these Nairaland atheists need to have their heads checked...

iKid iKid!

Front page please. We gast to calm all the foaming in the mouth atheists who have been raging about Mubarak's issue. It seems their brother in atheism is actually a nut case and NOT a prisoner.

Wow, FTC. Wonderful

usba: I remember stating in the other thread that something could be genuinely wrong wit the boy and people were simply making their hateful comments out of their ingrown hatred for Islam. There is a high probability that he might be suffering from schizophrenia, who knows. At 29 he still squatting with his parents, that is a tell tale sign something is wrong. Poor atheist though, the boy detention had it been true, meant the world to them as it seemed to validate their discomfort of atheism.

usba: Like I stated earlier, the boy might be truly be suffering mental illness or abusing drugs, that he proclaimed himself governor could be true, the facts are that those who are insulting and attacking muslims are only doing do because they choose to believe the boy who might really be ill and needs help, if it was the other round, we would see all sort of strange comments trying hard to explain why it is so, after all non of us live with the boy, except his parents, reminding of the story of that igbo lady that converted, her parents claimed she was bewitch etc, and all we saw from the sudden defenders of freedom of religion then was an even stranger explanation of what was given by her parents, the truth is u guys would use any guise to vent ur hate!

Two things to note

1) It is always funny how mulsims on nairaland always avoid discussing important issues like this.Was there a thread on the islam section discussing this issue from an islamic perspective? I have always stated that many muslims on foreign forums would be ashamed of their brethren on nairaland.


2) If your comment was quoted here, you deserve to make an apology here to Bala. At least, religions do focus on repentance and forgiveness

Another atheist on the loose. Keep waiting for an apology that will never come

TheBigUrban2: It was few weeks ago when the whole world learnt that in Northern Nigeria, you could be declared insane for being an atheist. Mubarak Bala was kept in a psychiatric ward by his family against his will because of his atheism.

When the news about his placement in a psychiatric ward came out, many christian and muslim commenters on nairaland that commented accepted that he was mad. Worse, many muslims kept quiet on the issue. On the other hand, majority of nairaland atheists were either in doubt about his "madness" because of his twitter posts or were asking for more evidence before they could accept that he was mad. Some christians actually wanted Bala to be free, which gladdened me. There was one muslim (Tintingz) though who asked for Bala to be free.


Finally, Bala was released and clearly deemed not to be insane. However, soon after being released, Bala got death threats. I think muslims should give this guy all their support rather than this happening to him after all he has been through.


However, don't you think that there is something wrong with Nigerian christians and muslims in general when this matter had to be resolved with the help of foreign humanist/atheist organisations? Also kudos to the Nigerian atheists who helped spread the news in the first place. Even when the story came out, how many christians and muslims did anything or even offered a comment in support of Bala's human rights?



These where the threads from which I got info about the muslim/christian commenters;
https://www.nairaland.com/1793182/family-denies-holding-son-captive
https://www.nairaland.com/1789445/locked-up-being-atheist-nigeria

Here are some interesting comments from christians and muslims on the issue









Two things to note

1) It is always funny how mulsims on nairaland always avoid discussing important issues like this.Was there a thread on the islam section discussing this issue from an islamic perspective? I have always stated that many muslims on foreign forums would be ashamed of their brethren on nairaland.


2) If your comment was quoted here, you deserve to make an apology here to Bala. At least, religions do focus on repentance and forgiveness

You sound like logicboy. Are you logicboy? If you are then STOP BEING SO DRAMATIC! I doubt anybody will apologize for anything.

The Constitution is Involved in Sparking This Crisis Too
Recently, topics like oil contracts and the exportation of oil by the KRG(Kurdistan Regional Government) have been key issues between the KRG and the central government of Iraq and have stayed still (without any solution). To discuss various perspectives on this crisis, we have managed an interview with Mr. Hidayat Faysal, an expert professor in oil and gas law.

Is the Erbil-Baghdad issue a political or legal issue?, How much are the KRG's steps regarding oil and gas constitutional? In response to these questions, Mr. Hidayat said: "The issue is both political and legal. Those who said that the contracts were unconstitutional, now say that they are constitutional and they are even ready to pay the expenses of the oil companies but with the condition that only they (Iraqi government)should sell the oil. So the constitution is involved in this issue too because it does not talk about this topic clearly".

Concerning the legality of the contracts, he said: "I believe the KRG's steps are both legal and constitutional in discovering oil and gas because in 2005 the Iraqi constitution gave the Kurds this right, the Article 111 quotes 'Oil and gas are the property of all Iraqis.' Also the Article 2 and in the first chapter it quotes 'The central government manages the production of oil and gas with its regions or provinces.' Here it only talks about the fields that were discovered before writing the constitution and the constitution was written in 2005, so it does not talk about the fields that were discovered after 2005. According to these two articles, regions and provinces owe those fields that were discovered after 2005.''

Regarding the KRG's steps in the future, Mr. Hidayat stated: "KRG's step in oil and gas is to create an independent economy so as to get rid of subordination and those annual sanctions that Baghdad imposes on it. If Kurdish state is formed, this step is very important because to be a state you need an independent economy. Oil and gas have also made job vacancies for the citizens and due to oil the KRG has been able to form a strong relationship with Turkey.

This expert says that the KRG should have created an economic independency because Baghdad has not been able to do so for the KRG. But regarding oil sale, he believes that "the KRG should have not exported its oil before the election but after the election, this is to use it as a pressure card against those whom it discusses the formation of the Iraqi government. The policy that the KRG is using is one that is used by the developing countries and this is convenient

There should be no compulsion in religion,let go him na

@ big urban. You must be high on beans and egg fart. Apologise my black asss

LaraiBoluwaji:
You sound like logicboy. Are you logicboy? If you are then STOP BEING SO DRAMATIC! I doubt anybody will apologize for anything.

I wonder how dramatic you would be if someone detained you in a mental ward for being a christian

Ishilove: @ big urban. You must be high on beans and egg fart. Apologise my black asss

After, you would clai8m to be a christ like christian.

You have no empathy.

you and the religious bigots in his family were claiming falsely that he was insane.

I cant force you to apologise. I will leave you to yourself. You are destroying yourself with this wickedness

Redoil: Another atheist on the loose. Keep waiting for an apology that will never come

Another heartless anti-atheist bigot

Given that all of Mubarak's communications have been lucid, there are good grounds for believing that he is sane. The man was able to rally support for his case from a hospital bed where mind altering drugs were being administered to him. He should have been given the benefit of doubt by some people. His case is definitely interesting. But some people, having learnt that he denounced God, feel his plight should be ignored. Fortunately there are people that truly care about their fellow man, irrespective of creed.

Some of you Christians are really showing your ugly side in this thread. Just admit that you misspoke, apologise, and move on. It costs you nothing, what's the big deal?

You're not exactly covering your religion in glory right now.

EvilBrain1: Some of you Christians are really showing your ugly side in this thread. Just admit that you misspoke, apologise, and move on. It costs you nothing, what's the big deal?

You're not exactly covering your religion in glory right now.

thank you

I think it's pretty clear who are the insane ones in this story.

AmunRaOlodumare: I think it's pretty clear who are the insane ones in this story.

Ishilove, you see yourself?

AmunRaOlodumare: I think it's pretty clear who are the insane ones in this story.

Dont mind them. Claiming to be righteous while condemning a innocent man to be insane

My post was hidden. why?

Dragonking: My post was hidden. why?

Your fight with Ishilove was derailing a bit.

Sorry for the inconvenience

TheBigUrban2:


Your fight with Ishilove was derailing a bit.

Sorry for the inconvenience

Ok bro..but i wasnt really fighting with ishi, only putting her in her normal place. I dont fight with girls

Dragonking:

Ok bro..but i wasnt really fighting with ishi, only putting her in her normal place. I dont fight with girls

I understand, she is a very heartless christian.

The type of christian that would kill an atheist and feel good about it.

Imagine, she doesnt want to even admit that she was wrong by claiming that Bala the atheist was mad.

TheBigUrban2:


I understand, she is a very heartless christian.

The type of christian that would kill an atheist and feel good about it.

Imagine, she doesnt want to even admit that she was wrong by claiming that Bala the atheist was mad.

The irony of it all is that they will still go around to preach that the bible god loves everyone (including the atheist, satanist, muslims etc) yet their hearts are as darkened than darkness itself.

Dragonking:

Ok bro..but i wasnt really fighting with ishi, only putting her in her normal place. I dont fight with girls

In your mind you were putting me in my place? I dont have your time. If i did, we would have known who is putting who in what place. Smh. Mscheeew