tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post1331379687725684113..comments2014-08-13T13:14:14.054+01:00Jeremy[email protected]Blogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-36404309729397260002008-03-05T07:10:00.000+01:002008-03-05T07:10:00.000+01:00good journalism, pure class.obinna izeoguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17637096581195044492[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-76643043991640747492008-03-05T05:33:00.000+01:002008-03-05T05:33:00.000+01:00I grew up with a number of Muslim friends and classmates in a catholic girl’s high school and they never suffered persecution to my knowledge. I had a friend who told horror stories of why they had to move from Kano due to religious persecution, against the Igbos and non-Muslims. Like the Yorubas, most northerners believe if you are not Yoruba or Hausa, you are Igbo. My friend's family is Isoko from Delta State. I have later met others whose families had to flee either Kano or Kaduna cos of the same religious persecution. People who had lived all their lives in relative comfort fled with just the shirts on their backs, never to return or when they attempted to return, had been relieved of their jobs due to abandonment, lost goods or had factories looted and burned down, lost savings in the banks and really could not afford legal fees to claim what was theirs. At the end most were just glad for the fact that they had their families and had to start from scratch.<BR/><BR/>I remember as a kid being very angry with every report coming out of Kano or KD about more deaths of southerners, the target being Igbos due to religious intolerance. And feeling that the Christian Organizations were wimps cos they always called for peace after these attacks, and as an adult feeling a sense of satisfaction after another attack I believe in Kano?, men from Abia State and to some extent Rivers State took matters into their own hands and attacked the "Slaughter/Hausa Quarters" (there’s one or the other in most states in the South/East).<BR/>It took both state governors more than 5 trailers to get the rest of the men as well as women and children out of their states for a while. I left Nig not too long after that, and I remember thinking, maybe now that they know that the Christians will no longer be so non reactive, they will slow down before rushing into the streets to kill "Yamiri".<BR/><BR/>I believe there are people who profit from these religious tensions, I have heard from a Muslim how poor beggars- Almajiras (sp) are incited and provided with machetes and other weapons, after Friday prayers. These people jerking the chains of the poor using religion are the same people who profit from inter-faith talks, provision of private security et al.The poor man opium is religion, and no where is that milked for all it is worth, than in Northern Nigeria. The Imam's sons and daughters are never involved, how many reports have you heard of, of said offsprings being attacked, they are usually safely tucked away in another state or the closest country to their border.<BR/><BR/>The poor people are manipulated and used like rags in these circumstances, after a couple of words, it is business as usual. At the height of these raids and attacks, the rulers were Muslim, Buhari, Babangida, and Abacha. Like the story I cited above, in retrospect, what hand did the poor mallam killed in Abia state play in Kano? Absolutely nothing. He was minding his business tying to earn a living, and since he was of the same religion as those who had killed the Igbo man's brother, he had to go. It makes absolutely no sense, the poor innocent pays for the crimes of the poor mallam used as a killing machine. At the end of the day, Peace is all we are looking for and let us just get along and tolerate each other. When you try to force your faith on another or hate because of your faith differences, or abuse others or trample on their rights based on the perverted words of your faith, you my friend are most definitely not pleasing GOD.<BR/><BR/>J, T.Anonymous[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-34844135891514037072008-03-05T00:19:00.000+01:002008-03-05T00:19:00.000+01:00I learn more about my own country from your links than I ever did growing up. My small world was pretty much about Lagos but alas, Nigeria is so much more. Please continue to share these insightful articles with us as you find them.Anonymous[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-66349071523148544372008-03-04T18:46:00.000+01:002008-03-04T18:46:00.000+01:00Hi Jeremy,<BR/>Powerful article.<BR/>Thanks.<BR/>Take care.<BR/>SandrineSandrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01142232421649134500[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-91609595556807479322008-03-04T15:22:00.000+01:002008-03-04T15:22:00.000+01:00Dr J, <BR/>That was an extra ordinary thought provoking article. <BR/>Keep it going man.Mr Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13803221051713367036[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8686769.post-38652594591115104832008-03-04T14:20:00.000+01:002008-03-04T14:20:00.000+01:00WOW. I didn't know it was so...open. Well,I knew but not between Hausas like this, more between Igbos and Hausas.Idemilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763485139867070256[email protected]