Two months ago, an article was featured on this blog titled "Religious Marshals: Kano, Nigeria", where it was told how the once lively and cosmopolitan city of Kano in Northern Nigeria appeared to be regressing, thanks in no small part to Islamic religious fundamentalism. The government of Kano State (the province of which Kano city is capital), like those of most other states in Northern Nigeria, decided to implement Sharia law—an Islamic legal code—half a decade ago, i.e., the moment Nigeria returned to democratic civilian rule.

But few Northern Nigerian states appear to have taken Sharia to the same height as Kano and Zamfara States. When the government of Kano State decided to ban women from using the same public transportation vehicles as men a few months back, it appeared all was not well. Even worse was the fact that they decided to use so-called religious marshals, popularly known as Hisbah, to enforce this edict. The Hisbah were entrusted with ensuring that people lived up to the moral expectations of the state (in public that is). Without a doubt, most of these religious marshals are illiterate folks who should be in school. Rather, the Kano State government opted to keep them busy by venturing into a territory which should be under the purview of clerics—religion.

Well, the federal government of Nigeria is now accusing the Kano State government of "seeking foreign funding to train an Islamic militia", according to reports from the Nigerian Guardian (not archived). The Nigerian Minister of Information is reported as saying that the Kano State government is trying to turn the Hisbah into a parallel police force. In his words:

"The Kano State Hisbah Board has, with brazen disregard for the overriding imperatives of national security, sought the assistance of foreign governments for the training of '100 jihadists' in the areas of 'intelligence' and 'practice of jihad'."

Reports indicate that the leader and deputy of the Hisbah have been arrested by the Nigerian police and are currently in detention. The Kano State governor appears angered by this move.

You see, some states in Northern Nigeria appear to be playing the Sharia card so well. Rather than opening up avenues for people to discuss how to improve their socio-economic conditions, every ill in society is blatantly blamed on immorality: alcohol, prostitutes, pig-eaters, women putting on mini skirts or tight clothing, or couples holding hands in public…these have become the new enemies, and they must be dealt with using "God's law". One is left wondering what happened to education, healthcare, provision of infrastructure, opening up of public debate for the advancement of society. Since Sharia is an absolute law, anything it does not approve of cannot even be debated.

If it is true that the Hisbah Board of Kano State actually sought foreign assistance to train jihadists on Nigerian soil, its leaders should be fully dealt with under to the law. The federal government of Nigeria, as a matter of primary importance, also needs to look into the concept of states being allowed to have religious police. This is the 21st century, and the average Nigerian business man or tourist who travels to Kano would not want to be harassed by some illiterate religious law enforcer. It appears that the governor of Kano State takes more pride in making the province he governs look more like Afghanistan under the barbarous regime of the Taliban.

Like other religions in Nigeria, Islam surely has a role to play. But there could be no greater danger than politicians hijacking religious teachings and dogma for selfish use. Sooner or later, probably within a generation, a public debate on the role of Sharia law in Northern Nigeria would have to be opened. The sooner Northern Nigeria realized that it is doing itself more harm by choosing to fully mix religion with politics, the better it would be for it.

As for the government of Kano State, if it really has an urge to be an "purist Islamic State", it might just as well carve itself out of Nigeria and move closer to Saudi Arabia—it will surely not be missed. The alternative is for it to realize that it is part of a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious federation in which the rights of every individual ought to be respected. It could also do itself some good by disbanding the so-called religious marshals and taking its place amongst the comity of 21st century Nigerian provinces.

Related News Item: Crackdown on Nigeria Sharia group (BBC)

Labels: Government, Nigeria, Religion