How The Beatles T-shirt caused stir in a Kaduna Shari’a court

Friday, October 9, 2009
What’s a T-shirt got to do with dispensing justice?, you may wonder. But T-shirts could actually ignite controversy. Hassan Ibrahim recounts the ordeal of human rights crusader, Sheu Sani, recently in a Shari’a Court.



Sani, in the controversial T-shirt




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For Shehu Sani, President of the Kaduna- based Civil Rights Congress (CRC), protecting and upholding human rights whether in a civilian or military administration is a sacred duty. That is why he often incurs the wrath of the authorities.

During the military era, he was in jail on many occasions, and was said to have even stayed in the same jail with the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. His offence was his being vocal and active in pursuit of a much better society where everybody would enjoy the goodness of life.

In Kaduna and other states in the North where it operates, the CRC, under Shehu Sani, is used to defying all odds and standing in the defence of the downtrodden, especially in the courts, as was exemplified when the congress mobilised lawyers to stand in for Baba Masaba, the man in Niger State reported to have many wives.

A few years ago, Sani and his CRC fought for the freedom of about six people, who were to have their limbs amputated. One of the culprits had stolen a bag of maize. Last week, in Kaduna, there was a mild drama at a Shari’a Court in Magajin Gari Kaduna as the Judge, Alkali Lawal Ibrahim, sent the civil rights activist, Malam Shehu Sani, out of the courtroom because he was wearing a T-shirt which had the portrait of a popular music group in UK, The Beatles.

The Beatles were a group of musicians who were even more popular than the Jackson 5, especially in Europe and the Americas in the 1960s and the 70s.They were loved mostly by the youth and till date, many remember them and cherish souvenirs that carry their portraits.

But the Shari’a judge said he had no reason to allow Sani, who either by accident or design wore The Beatles T-shirt, to remain in the courtroom. He even threatened to charge him with contempt of court if he stayed any longer in the courtroom. While narrating his ordeal, Sani said he and other rights activists were in the court to observe the proceedings and render assistance to those that might need legal services, but could not do so.

On sighting Sani in his courtroom, the judge had taken offence and told him that the T-shirt he was wearing, which had The Beatles’ portrait, was against the religion of Islam and the Northern culture and tradition.

The judge explained further that the attitude of The Beatles and other similar musicians would not augur well for Northern culture and religion, adding that he was not deliberately stopping Sani from coming to the court because he knew him as a renowned civil rights leader in the North.

“But in my capacity as a Shari’a judge, I declare that the T-shirt Shehu Sani is wearing, with the picture of The Beatles, is offensive. I know them and the kind of music they played was not for public peace and was against the authorities. They were four devil-minded personalities in the West,” he said.

The judge added that “Sometime on the 26 November, 1969, one of The Beatles, John Lennon, returned his knighthood of MBE to the Queen of England and his reason was that he was against British involvement in the then Nigerian civil war.”

The judge was of the view that John Lennon’s position was subversive to the British government because the British involvement in the Nigerian civil war assisted Nigeria tremendously to restore peace and orderliness.

“John Lennon was with The Beatles; he is not to be emulated; he is not a role model. I won’t tolerate putting on a T-shirt with his portrait,” he roared. However, Sani politely told the judge that he and his colleagues were not in court for any judicial or moral interpretation of The Beatles, but to monitor proceedings and see where they could come in and assist the less-privileged.

“John Lennon was a man of peace and The Beatles in the T-shirt I am wearing were neither trouble makers nor against the religion of Islam and our values.”

Sani said that The Beatles were successful young men who were great entertainers and offered to bring some of The Beatles CDs to the judge to watch, thus throwing the entire courtroom into hilarious laughter.

But when the judge insisted that Sani must leave the courtroom or be charged with contempt, Sani said he respected the pronouncement of the judge but would never accept that The Beatles were bad, as perceived by the Shari’a judge.

For now, the development remains a topic of discussion in Kaduna. While Sani has remained undeterred and vowed to continue fighting for the downtrodden, the public has kept its fingers crossed to await further explanations on the matter from the public court.