The National Prayer Altar (TNPA) last week called on the Nigerian government to reverse its ratification of the policy, which equates certificates issued by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) with WAEC, NECO, NBTE and other standardised examination bodies. TNPA said such an equation distorts Nigeria’s secularity.
In the meantime, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has confirmed the compatibility of the NBAIS certificate with WAEC, NECO, and NBTE. The Islamic organization advised the Christian group and Nigerian Christendom to eschew all vestiges of colonial mentality as well as anti-Arabic and anti-Muslim paranoia.
The statement reads:
“The National Prayer Altar (TNPA), a coalition of Christians in Nigeria, last week called on the Nigerian government to reverse its ratification of the policy which equates certificates issued by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) with WAEC, NECO, NBTE and other standardised examination bodies. TNPA said such an equation distorts Nigeria’s secularity.
“We take TNPA’s position on NBAIS with a pinch of salt. Its attempt to subjugate Arabic and Islamic education to an inconsequential level is a true reflection of its colonial mentality. The British Christian colonial masters did worse to Islamic education and its judicial system during their decades of pillage, distortion and deprivation.
“But the wind has blown. We have seen the ruff of the hen. Gone are those days when atrocities committed against Nigerian Muslims go unchallenged. The chicken has come home to roost. The selfish agenda of the Christian colonialists of giving everything to Christians and nothing to the Muslims has been exposed.
“It is this same selfish agenda that TNPA and some Christian groups and individuals wish to continue. We advise our Christian neighbours to eschew all vestiges of anti-Arabic and anti-Muslim paranoia.
“Paranoia, anywhere, is a psychotic disorder characterized by delusions of persecution. In other words, it is an extreme and irrational distrust of others. It destroys friendship, love, trust and all positive human values. In its place, it breeds hatred and generates disunity. It is the last thing Nigeria needs at this material time.
“Fueled by sermons of animosity and hate speeches, the same paranoia was responsible for heating the polity when Nigerian Christians were misled to oppose Shari’ah, Islamic banking, Nigeria’s membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Arabic on naira, etc.
“Although Nigerian Muslims have Allah-given fundamental human rights to engage in all the above, even as low-hanging dividends of democracy, Nigerian Christians, misled by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), vehemently opposed the moves and even went to court over some of them.
“The fact that CAN lost eventually in all the contested matters is highly didactic, but the latest heightening of tension over Arabic and Islamic education reflects the fact that no lesson has been learnt. It also reveals the depth of anti-Muslim paranoia among Nigerian Christians.
“Why is there so much fear among Nigerian Christians? Why is hatred of anything Islamic so deeply ingrained? Christians have institutionalized the torturous and tyrannical policy of weaponizing education to perpetuate the socio-economic repression of Nigerian Muslims. They desire to permanently keep the Muslims in the back seat in all spheres of life.
“NBAIS should not be targeted for elimination by Nigerian Christians because it has come a long way while due process has been followed and all righteousness fulfilled. Its historical background confirms this.
“It was first established in 1960, mainly for Northern Nigeria as the Board of Arabic and Islamic Studies (BAIS). The board was transferred to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in 1967 as a result of the creation of states. After 40 years, the board became national and was recognised by the Federal Ministry of Education as an examination board. That was in 2011.
“Therefore, it became equivalent to WAEC and NECO, with its headquarters in Kaduna. It achieved autonomy like WAEC and NECO in 2017, and its certificate was recognized worldwide. Today, at least 26 states in Nigeria write the NBAIS examination in more than 1,200 affiliated schools spread across the country.
“We urge TNPA and Nigerian Christians in general to stop misleading Nigerians on the constitutional status of the country. We affirm clearly, unambiguously and unequivocally that Nigeria is not a secular country but a multi-religious country which recognizes the equality of all religious groups.
“We challenge TNPA to show Nigerians the word ‘secular’ in the Nigerian Constitution. TNPA must show us the chapter and section of the constitution in which the word ‘secular’ is mentioned. Secularism in Nigeria is a sham, a mirage. It does not exist.
“It follows, therefore, that TNPA’s case against NBAIS certificate melts away like ice cream under the desert burning sun for basing its case on the assumed and perceived secularity of Nigeria. Since the secularity of Nigeria is a wrong assumption, thereby a nullity and anything built on nullity is null and void, the ratification of NBAIS by the Federal Government (FG) remains valid, lawful, legal, legitimate and constitutional.
“MURIC calls on good Christians (and there is quite a large number of them) to continue to love their neighbours and wish them what they wish themselves. Nigerian Muslims are willing to peacefully coexist with their Christian compatriots. All they are asking for is equal rights, justice, equity, the right to self-identity, the right to self-esteem and parity in all rights and privileges enjoyed by their Christian neighbours. Once again, we advise our Christian neighbours to eschew all vestiges of anti-Arabic and anti-Muslim paranoia.”
