Southern Kaduna, dogmatism and media exaggeration
The recent call on Christians to kill any Fulani on sight near church made by specifically Apostle Johnson Suleman, Bishop Oyedapo (though he denied) and even the incumbent governor of Taraba state is very unfortunate and uncalled for. For those who are familiar with 19 state of northern Nigeria from Sokoto to Taraba or from […]
The recent call on Christians to kill any Fulani on sight near church made by specifically Apostle Johnson Suleman, Bishop Oyedapo (though he denied) and even the incumbent governor of Taraba state is very unfortunate and uncalled for.
For those who are familiar with 19 state of northern Nigeria from Sokoto to Taraba or from Borno down to Benue knew that Christianity does not belong to only minority ethnic group but also there are significant numbers in thousands of Hausa/Fulani Christians across the region.
The problems with those so called men of God never been in the core North to ascertain the Christ followers in that region they mainly depend on fallacies and fabricated stories of unprofessional newspapers. However they are always reluctant to conduct a competent research or to liaise with “Kungiyar masihiyyawan Nijeriya” which represent the interest of Hausa/Fulani and Kanuri Christians led by retired Gen. Isiaku for credible information rather than believing in propaganda spread by mischievous newspapers and social media bloggers.
In Plateau state if we recall between 1999 to 2015 hundreds of minority Hausa/Fulani(Muslim) have been killed and thousands displaced in the guise of indigene-settler conflicts, have there been any call ever made by any Muslim leader/scholar or Sultan to kill Birom on sight? Aren’t they feeling the pains of killing their followers? Though they always accused Muslims as intolerant, however it’s has been established that communal or ethno-religious crisis does not emanate from Muslim dominated areas in Kaduna State.
The term Hausa/Fulani has been used to deceive gullible Nigerians. Most of those categorised as Hausa/Fulani understand neither Hausa nor Fulani languages. They are only tagged as Hausa/Fulani in order to be victimized due to their Islamic beliefs. Take a look at Igala, Nupe, Igbirra or a Yoruba Muslim who has nothing in common with Fulani except perhaps religion of Islam could be tagged and killed as Fulani. So many instances like that happened in Zonkwa during 2011 genocide in which many Yoruba Muslims had been killed as Hausa/Fulani.
The southern Kaduna of today which formally known as Southern Zaria, comprises of seven local governments and inhabited by over 32 ethnic group including Hausa/Fulani. This particular region (Southern Zaria) metamorphosed to Southern Kaduna around 90s by unscrupulous political gladiators within the region to create confusion as if they have nothing in common with Zaria.
Among those who consider themselves as indigene may not know that history had it in record that, they migrated and settled in today’s southern Kaduna after they were chased away by Sayawa tribe of Tafawa Balewa region in present Bauchi state. Reliable information showed that they met Fulani there about 400 years ago. To buttress this point, some Emirs and chiefs of Southern Kaduna are of Fulani extract.
The whole issue of Southern Kaduna crises is nothing more than a quest for political power and inability to accommodate everyone regardless of his/her religion affiliation by some ethnic groups. If not why no such crises in Northern part of Kaduna or any Muslim dominated area?
Aminu Dolekaina, Abuja