Also published in DAILY TRUST
When recently a Facebook friend
cynically threatened to report the state governments that refuse to pay the
18,000 minimum naira wage, to Boko Haram, I found her comment quite funny
indeed. And even when I read how a self-acclaimed radical Islamic scholar in
Kano retracted a “negative” comment he reportedly made against Boko Haram,
after he had apparently realized the possible consequences, I still never
thought that Boko Haram evoked such scare in people.
In fact even when Boko Haram were
reported to have warned the Chairman National Revenue Mobilization Allocation
and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), to stop his purported plans to increase the
allowances of Nigerian legislators, in view of the abject poverty in the
country, I still never gave a damn, instead I even wondered scornfully if the
warning was as a result of a complain someone had lodged with Boko Haram against
the commission, and I predicated that, the commission might shelve the idea
altogether, which is apparently the case, since there has never been any update
from the commission regarding the issue.
However, my interest began to grow
when I read how National Assembly members were reported to have avoided
deliberation on Boko Haram in their chamber, in fear of their personal safety
and indeed the safety of their relatives. This is in addition to how the vast
majority of Muslim clerics deliberately skip discussing Boko Haram ideas in
their public lectures for the same reason. After all, many of them who had
overcome their fear and discussed the issue have paid dearly with their lives.
Late Ja’afar Mahmud Adam is believed to have been the highest profile victim of
Boko Haram among Islamic clerics. Incidentally, what particularly inspired this
particular article was the recent murder of another Islamic cleric in Maiduguri
shortly after he finished a public lecture, where he had apparently made
“negative” comments against Boko Haram.
Now to cap it all, it has been
reported that, judges are also scared to handle the cases involving suspected
members of Boko Haram, citing the same security concern. They had been reported
to have refused to handle the cases before them under the pretext of the non
availability of anti terrorism law in Nigeria. However, since the recent
enactment of the law, and yet they are reluctant to handle the cases, it has
become obvious that, they are actually afraid of their safety and that of their
relatives.
With this development, I have grown
seriously nervous and indeed wonder; if the country’s legislature, judiciary,
traditional and religious establishments are scared to address this challenge,
how on earth this crisis can be solved. This is particularly considering the
fact that, the security measures taken against them only make them more
stubborn and defiant.
Admittedly, my newly found
realization seems quite overdue, as I have realized that, I was such a naïve
and cynic as regards Boko Haram’s formidability simply because I am not in the
country to practically assess the extent of the danger they pose, in the face
of a largely and unjustifiably helpless government.
As the crisis stands now, government
can only address it by exploring effective means to engage the leaders of Boko
Haram in indirect talks through respected Islamic clerics from among the
Sunni/Salafi persuasion, who possess the necessary intellectual expertise and
hence are well-informed about the misconceptions that make them (i.e. Boko
Haram) conceive such ideas and pursue that course, after all this phenomenon is
not unprecedented for that matter.
Through sustained rounds of talks in
a favourable environment between such clerics and the leaders of Boko Haram,
they are likely to properly understand the actual meaning, purpose and
objectives of the very religious rules they misunderstand. However, this should
not be at the expense of the necessary security measures on the ground. This is
the only way to find a sustainable solution to this persistent crisis.
Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that,
only good governance that delivers real hope and meaningful life can prevent
the frequent emergence of organized violent crime syndicates that emerge from
time to time in various areas of the country under various pretexts.
