The solemn campaign of a purported Christian genocide in Nigeria by Western media, followed by a polarization debate in the Nat...
The solemn campaign of a purported Christian genocide in Nigeria by Western media, followed by a polarization debate in the National Assembly and its imminent impact on Nigeria's unity, left me reminiscing the impeccable words of the late renowned Historian, Dr. Yusufu Bala Usman, in his book The Manipulation of Religion in Nigeria 1977 - 1987.
Dr. Bala Usman succinctly captured the essence of this manipulation in his words, thus:
"The real basis of the manipulation of religion in Nigeria today is the need to obscure from the people of Nigeria a fundamental aspect of our reality: that is the domination of our political economy by a class of intermediaries who are being increasingly exposed. And this is to enable this class cover themselves with religious and ethnic disguises in order to further entrench division among our people, slow down their awakening at any cost, even the unity of our country, for which so much has been sacrificed."
There could be no better description of the state of our nation than this: religion being used as a shield—an intentional distraction to disguise and obscure the inherent pitfalls in our economy. It is sponsored to divert our attention from the dilapidated national projects, our shameful security architecture, and an overburdened national treasury eaten by a rotten leadership.
It was no coincidence the campaign began shortly after the commencement of the Dangote/PENGASSAN hullabaloo. It began to spread—a narrative that Christians are being murdered en masse in Nigeria—like wildfire. A genocidal killing of Christians, their assets being seized, and fundamental rights infringed.
From the way the narrative was sold in the past few days, myself and other concerned citizens kept looking around, trying to configure the truth. All we could decipher was the usual life of our fellow Christians—living, breathing, cohabiting, and working with full energy. As Dr. Bala Usman rightfully echoed, it's a tainted narrative after all.
Still, one will be left with no option but to question the sellers of this narrative. What could be their benefit? What could they obviously gain from selling a tainted narrative? Well, Dr. Bala Usman saved us the stress years ago by providing a valid response to the manipulation.
According to him, the narrative is purposely sold to distract Nigerians from the "business of the day". With our attention divided, our minds shifted, and our discussion drifted, who will ask questions about the economy? Who will question the dilapidated security architecture and who will advocate for effective reforms? Of course, no one. When we are all trapped in religious and sentimental debates, our "leaders" will have their ways with ease.
Though it now sounds like a cliché, Karl Marx should be applauded for tagging religion as the opium of the masses. The relevancy of the cliché could now be weighed by how useful and often it shapes our polity. And of course, nobody will dispute it. Knowingly or unknowingly, the manipulation is alive. The alleged Christian genocide is purposely sponsored to divert our attention. We must wake up to ask questions: What is wrong with our Electoral Commission? What is happening in our educational institutions? And ultimately, what is the fate of Nigerian students?
A Decade of Failed Promises...
Like the Messi and Ronaldo debate, there's also an unending debate on whether the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are right, or their employer the Federal Government, and who's on a mission to rescue Nigerian university education.
Because of the debatable nature of the argument, we often proffer sentimental arguments, sometimes to even satisfy our whims or caprice. Some of us believe ASUU are right in the struggle, others hold the opinion that strike is ill-planned and only pushes Nigerian students to the extreme end without tangible results.
On this subject matter, I recently had a long conversation with a respected chairman of one of the top ASUU branches. From my interaction with him, permit me to use the pidgin that; omo true true, wetin Federal Government do ASUU no good, FG no try at all.
On a more serious note, the struggle for liberation of Nigerian universities began over 30 years ago. Since then, Nigerian institutions have been ravaged by incessant strikes resulting in unnecessary delay in the period of stay of students in universities.
The disputing issues are reasonable, realistic, and attainable to every responsible government. Issues bewildering conditions of service, revitalization of universities, conflicts in universities’ governing councils, remittance of third-party deductions and other demands are all intended to save Nigerian universities from collapse.
Now tell me, is it a 100% salary increase the Nigerian government cannot afford?
Remember there was a 300% salary increase for Nigerian judges. What's with our professors that the Federal Government cannot afford a mere 100% increase for them? A living wage should at least be given to them.
On Proliferation of Universities...
Universities are now built as constituency projects. Every senator and House member wants a university built in his constituency. No one cares about the funding and manpower. Build the university, snap pictures, and get re-elected. That's all!
Who needs a new university when the existing ones are not adequately funded? In simple language, ASUU is saying, "Revitalize the existing universities before approving a new one." We need laboratories, we need conducive lecture rooms, students’ halls should be renovated. As simple as ABC. Until the Federal Government deliberately devises a sustainable means of funding the universities, these issues will linger and we have a long way to go as a nation.
What baffles me most is the third-party deductions. A university lecturer takes a loan from cooperatives as a result of his poor working condition. After deducting the monthly installment from their salary, to remit the money to the third party (cooperatives) is now a problem.
You failed to provide a favorable working condition and you are still checking off their alternatives?
From Scholarship to Loan...
I always wonder what my colleagues are celebrating whenever NELFUND drops an update—the monthly upkeep payment. What's there to celebrate in a loan? A loan that'll be paid back to the coffers of the Federal Government. Why did we abandon the era of scholarship? Those golden days when our fathers enjoyed a free meal, a conducive lecture room, and reasonable accommodation.
Those days, when classrooms were not filled, the lecturer-to-student ratio was commendable. No frustration, only a conducive learning environment.
Regardless of the situation at hand, our lecturers squeeze to produce world-class graduates in a third-world university. They deserve not only a lifetime of respect for sustaining our universities in the face of despair.
Until we stop shying away from throwing questions to power, advocating for reforms and change, we have a long way to go as a nation.
Sani Bello Hamza is a law student at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. He writes from Zaria and can be reached through 09013506168, sanibellohamza@gmail.com
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