Muslim delegates to the ongoing National Conference on Wednesday faulted claims by representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria that the 1999 Constitution was skewed in favour of Islam.
Two CAN representatives, Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese of Catholic Church, Joseph Bagobiri and Pastor Emmanuel Bosun (Ogun State), had on Tuesday raised the issue which they described as unfair to Christians and Christianity in the country.
They had both submitted that the constitution of Nigeria was skewed in favour of Islam and Muslims with a call on delegates to ensure that the imbalance was corrected.
Bagobiri said the Nigerian constitution did not have any mention of Christianity or the church, but Islam was repeatedly mentioned.
He also argued that the adoption of a particular religion by states must be done away with, adding that in a country like Nigeria, neutrality was needed.
Countering this position, Muslim delegates claimed that the Nigerian constitution was a Christian document, contrary to the submission by the two Christian leaders.
A retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Argungu Usman Mohammed, who recalled his days on the bench said all courts in Nigeria, except Sharia courts and customary courts, applied Christian laws.
Mohammed said: “I want to correct one misleading statement. Yesterday, two members of CAN, Bishop Joseph Bagobiri and Pastor Emmanuel Bosun made statements concerning the constitution of Nigeria. They said it was an Islamic constitution. I am sorry to hear this from people who are educated like them.
“When the British conquered northern Nigeria, they met two religions in that part of the country. Islamic and the customary religions were in place. They introduced their own common law. Common law is of Christian origin. They also introduced statute of general application which is also Christian law. They made these three laws to work together. They brought some provisions of the Islamic and Customary laws which they said were contrary to principle of natural justice, equity and good conscience. The laws have continued to exist together.
“I became a magistrate in 1966 and rose up to Supreme Court. I am an Islamic scholar. As a magistrate, I worked with the common law. As a High Court Judge, I worked with the common law.
“I was at the Court of Appeal as a Justice of the common law and a justice of the Shariah.
“A misleading report was given yesterday. To say that Nigerian constitution is an Islamic law is absolutely wrong. Nigerian Constitution is Christian”, he added.
Another Muslim delegate, Alhaji Yusuf Kawu, cautioned that no nation could succeed in an atmosphere of distrust.
According to him, Nigeria must believe in the spirit of give and take.
He lamented that religious bigotry was threatening the unity of the country.
“We should be very careful. Today, it is already in the papers that religion is tearing us apart”, he added.
Kawu advocated independent candidacy in elections for people to have an alternative to political parties.
A Christian representing the minority from Bauchi, Dr. Salae Dauda, in his own presentation informed the conference that it was almost impossible for Christians to secure parcels of lands to build churches.
“Sometimes Christians have to go underground in order to worship. In some states in the north, you cannot get a plot of land to build a church. Northern minorities have been so marginalised. We are advocating the creation of a separate geo-political zone for the minorities in the north,” Dr Dauda advocated.
Prof. Ibini Ekpe, an Igbo Islamic leader from Ebonyi State complained about the under-representation of Igbo Muslims at the Conference.
He said, “I am sad. I am the only Igbo Muslim at this conference. We are not few as people think we are. We are grossly under-represented.”
In his presentation, the elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, appealed to delegates to speak as Nigerians and not as Christians or Muslims.
He said religion had been taken to a height threatening the peaceful coexistence of the people.
He said, “I have a slogan which is becoming national. When you are 70 years and above, you are in the departure lounge and on your way to board. But God has allowed us to stay to clean the mess we created when we were in office. Nigeria belongs to all of us. No one is inferior to the other.
“There is no first-class or second-class citizen. Anybody should be free to aspire to any position. Let us accept one another. I have seen that some of us have taken religion so far. Nigeria was already in existence before those who brought religion did that. Let us be patriotic. If you are a Northerner or a Southerner and we do not come together, there will no basis to be here. We are not here as Christians or Muslims. Let us live together.”
Prof. Lai Erinoso, who expressed fears about the emotion attached to religious issues, said he almost took the exit door on Tuesday when the atmosphere became charged.
“When we begin to discuss issues like resource control and religion, emotion will go high. Let’s conduct our debate in civility. Let us cultivate the sprit of give and take”, he appealed to other delegates.
A former Inspector General of Police and a delegate from Katsina, Ibrahim Coomasie, said what Nigeria needed was a true leadership which must emerge through transparent and credible elections.
“They must lead by example by ensuring justice, fairness and equity in all their dealings. They must also discharge their constitutional responsibilities by providing the security and welfare of the people. Economic, social and cultural rights have been provided in the constitution; these rights must be justiceable.
Coomasie lamented that the North had been affected by insurgency. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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For Nigeria to move forward, we need to work on our level of tolerance. We must be able to accommodate each other and respect each others point of view even if those not correspond with yours. Of late religion has fuelled the vehicle for our retrogression. People have used it to their own selfish benefits. If we do not learn to tolerate each other, such dubious people will continue to get the better of us. One love naija.
ReplyDeleteIts sad how our delegates r so attached 2 religious issues.
ReplyDeletePls dese kind of sentiments will take us no where.....God save us all
The Nigerian constitution is no doubt christian. Can somebody out there estimate how many billions of naira Nigeria is not earning because we observe sabbath on Saturdays and sundays? I didn't use the word "lost" because of my respect for Christianity n christians. Muslim countries work on saturdays and sundays and observe their 'sabbath' on Fridays. But I was amazed to watch 'educated' Christians on TV describing the Arabic texts on naira notes and the advent of Jaiz Islamic bank as attempts to islamize nigeria. Make we think.
ReplyDeleteThose people that caused the problem should not have been invited to solve it. They have proven totally that they have no vision and the federal house will block any rare agreement presented.
ReplyDelete@Evafrank, the ones we earn monday to saturday, where are they? If u think is a crime to rest on sunday
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