Re: in

Re: In Pursuance of the Yoruba Agenda

Thanks for the article, In pursuance of the Yoruba agenda, I have carefully read through it and I am beginning to agree with my initial reaction. You mentioned me referring to "Nations" as tribes, I will start by saying that I am not one who spends time placing emphasis on the obvious. If I say my Tribe, Nation or Ethnicity was of a certain stock I am sure people would understand what I mean. We could debate the most valid term and it would not change anything. It's like the PC words we use today, calling someone a Chairperson or Chairman in my opinion is of no relevance.

What people should concern themselves with, is the positive treatment of others. That is why Blacks could be called African American in the US but will still be treated as second class citizens. It is not the name, it is the perception. I will come back to this a little later.

In your reply to Faiz Mohhamed, all I could see was insults, insults and more insults. You sound a clever man so I find it really strange that you can not find more effective ways of spreading your message. I took the opportunity to read another of your articles about Abubakar Atiku and yet more insults. You even mentioned that the points which you found contentious were alleged, so why condemn a man before he has been found guilty.

If you read the article by Sanusi L. Sanusi Between the Shariah and Barbarism I get the feeling he was referring to your article and this exactly portrays my point. From his article all I could gather was defensiveness, he spent time attempting to rebuff your article rather than telling us the virtues of "Shariah". He even admitted that Shariah would not stop someone from committing a crime, it only creates an environment where temptation is reduced. If we assume that crimes are created in the mind then obviously Shariah is not going to solve anything.

That said, how people practise their faith is up to them, so if people want Shariah so be it. So long as they don't force it on non Muslims. To refer to someone else's faith as Barbaric is in it's self "Barbaric" and shows a lack of respect and tolerance. You can not say because Mr X is intolerant then I have to be intolerant also. In this day and age, "an eye for an eye make the world go blind "

Lets just agree with you that the Governor of Zamfara state does not know how to read and write, that does not make him a stupid man as you are trying to imply. One the one hand you seem to disagree with Western Imperialism and on the other hand it seems you are quite willing to use their standards and values in making sweeping judgments on others. Whether we like it or not the Western culture and value is here to stay. We can spend the rest of our lives debating this to no avail. This is why I believe that we should strive to take the best of their culture and blend this with our culture. From this perspective an Islamic scholar is just as relevant as a Western or let me say Yoruba, Ibo or Hausa Scholar.

I get this feeling that you are well educated in the Western context, this does not mean that others are stupid or ignorant. You seem to think that any one who can't write, read or talk to your standards is to a certain degree lower than you. My grandmother in the village did not go to school yet she is a very clever woman. Yes, I will compare you to Mr Mohammed or Sanusi because you are all making the same mistake. Instead of being positive and proactive you guys are being negative and reactive. What has happened in the past should remain in the past. This is not to say we should forget the past but we should learn from it. Nigeria has had problems not because of the "Nationality" of her leaders but because of greed and stupidity.

Thus, this is where we should place our emphasis. Obasanjo is a Yoruba man claiming to fight corruption yet people like IBB are still walking free. So lets not be shallow by putting a tribal slant on things and fight the real enemy, our corrupt leaders, irrespective of where they are from. A lot of our politicians now are the same people during IBB and Abacha's regime yet nobody says a word. Instead we have educated men like yourselves slagging of each others "tribe" no offence Mr. Awosika-Coker.

Please put your efforts in being positive and fight the real enemy, corruption. From now onwards I will take it upon myself to regularly keep abreast with the National journals and I be to be writing regularly to express my views. I really hope that some of the points have been taken on board. This goes for Mr Sanusi also.

The writer wrote in from London, UK