DATE=4/3/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=SHARIA REACT / NORTHERN NIGERIA
NUMBER=5-46070
BYLINE=WILLIAM EAGLE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
NOT VOICED:
INTRO: The controversy over Islamic law continues in
Nigeria. Some northern states would still like to
fully implement Sharia - whose criminal penalties can
include flogging for adultery and amputation for
stealing. But some southern groups want the Nigerian
Supreme Court to determine whether the criminal and
social aspects of Sharia violate the coutry's
constitution. From Washington, William Eagle asked a
few northern Nigerians their views on the issue.
TEXT: What do Nigeria's northerners think of Sharia,
Islamic law? The answers vary - reflecting, in part,
the religious and ethnic differences in a region that
is primarily Muslim.
Jolly Tanko Yusuf [THAN'ko YOU'-soof] is a 76-year-old
retired Nigerian diplomat living in the northern city
of Kaduna.
Ambassador Yusuf - a Christian - is critical of
Sharia's harsh penalties for theft, drinking, and
adultery.
The former statesman says it is politics, not belief
that is behind the Sharia crisis. He says the dispute
is erupting during the administration of Nigeria's
second civilian president, Olusegun Obasanjo - a
southern Christian.
Ambassador Yusuf says Sharia was never raised during
nearly four-decades of rule by northern Muslim
generals. Nor was it raised during the short tenure
of Nigeria's only other civilian government of Shehu
Shagari [shah-gah-REE'] - a northern Muslim. He was
ousted from power in the 1980's by Major General
Muhammadu Buhari. Three more military leaders ruled
until a retired southern general, Olusegun Obasanjo,
was democratically elected to office last year.
/// TANKO YUSUF ACT ///
I ask this question: why was it when [General]
Murtallah Mohammed overthrew General Gowan,
there was no Sharia? Why is it when [General]
Buhari overthrew Shehu Shagari, no Sharia? When
[General]Babanguida overthrew Buhari, no Sharia?
When [General] Abacha took over, no Sharia?
When Abubakar who handed over power to Obasanjo,
no Sharia? No one can answer it in Nigeria
today.
/// END ACT ///
Ambassador Yusuf's theory is that by cracking down on
corruption President Obasanjo angered the northern
ruling elite, recovering money they allegedly funneled
out of the country into foreign bank accounts.
/// OPT /// Some people are proposing a
constitutional conference not only to clarify possible
contradictions between the constitution and Sharia -
but also to determine how much power states should
have to determine their own affairs.
Ambassador Yusuf would rather have constitutional
matters settled by the current National Assembly. He
prefers to replace the 36 states that exist today with
more compact and powerful regions - based on six
geographical zones within Nigeria. /// END OPT ///
Ambassador Yusuf says if the National Assembly decides
a solution, it can be put to a referendum. He says if
voters decide the north should have Sharia, so be it.
/// YUSUF ACT ///
Do Nigerians want their country divided? That
is the question. If the answer is no, there
should be no criminal side of Sharia - no
cutting of hands or stoning any human being.
But, if the majority of Nigerians prefer to
divide the country and the Muslims go their own
way, I can assure you, that from Kaduna in the
North down to the southwest, all of us
Christians from the majority would rather go to
the south where we can drink our beer and eat
our pigs.
/// END ACT ///
On the opposite side of the issue is Alhaji Tanko
Yakassi [THAN'koe yah-kah-SEE'], a northern Muslim -
and former advisor to civilian president Shehu Shagari
in the early 1980's.
Mr. Yakassi agrees that President Shagari never
pressed for Sharia during his term. But he says that
is because the military had forbidden the
constitutional conference that preceded Mr. Shagari's
election from debating the matter. He says the
military governments that followed Mr. Shagari did not
allow popular support for Sharia to determine
government policies - as they can today in a
democracy.
/// YAKASSI ACT ///
The country has been run under military rule for
some time. The procedure under military rule
was that the head of state appointed the state
governors, and they in turn appointed local
government chairmen. But now there is a
democracy with the separation of powers between
the [federal], state, and local governments.
Each has its own legislative body and different
powers of jurisdiction. They can make laws as
long as they are not in conflict [with the
jurisdiction of the other law-making bodies].
[Elected officials] now want to use democratic
freedom to exercise that power.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Yakassi says any conflict, between the
constitution and Sharia, should be settled by a court
of appeal or the Supreme Court.
He denies the north wants to destabilize the
government. He says northern voters put President
Obasanjo in power - and have no reason to turn against
him.
/// OPT ///
He denies stereotypes held by some Nigerians that the
largely Muslim north is backward, under-developed, and
run by a corrupt oligarchy (government of dominant
class).
/// OPT: YAKASSI ACT ///
It is true that we have traditional
institutions, but there are also traditional
institutions in the south. So if we are an
oligarchy, so are they. I am not in an
oligarchy. I was in an opposition party during
colonial era called Northern Element Progressive
Union - we were the only party called
progressives. ...Our traditional rulers have no
power now - all their powers have been
transferred to elected local representatives.
As for the belief that northern business
interests benefited from military
dictatorship... Multi-billionaires are far more
in the south than they are in the north.
/// END OPT ACT ///
Mr. Yakassi blames the Sharia crisis on those he calls
mischief-makers. He says some are trying to black-
mail the north - and to intimidate people from voting
their conscience in future elections.
/// END OPT ///
For others, Sharia is not politics - it is security.
Yahaya Hashim [YAH'-yah hah-SHEEM'] is with the Center
for Research and Documentation in the northern town of
Kano. He says Sharia is popular in the north because
people are tired of crime and inefficient courts.
/// HASHIM ACT ///
[Secular law] has failed. In the northwest part
of the country [there] is a high level of
insecurity. Armed robbers and bandits come from
northern [neighbors] Chad and Niger, and cause
havoc in northern [Nigeria]. So, along with the
increase in crime and the lack of justice in the
courts clearly the arguments for Sharia [become
more valid]. [People] have always argued this
is what their religion lays down and this is
what will work.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Hashim says Sharia is also a part of what he calls
identity politics. He notes that there are calls for
autonomy and even separation from the southwest and
east of the country. Likewise, he says northerners
see Sharia as a way of asserting what they consider to
be their identity - as Muslims - and as a way to
improve their image.
/// HASHIM ACT ///
I remember a [group] discussion I witnessed when
the debate over Sharia started. [These
individuals] said they wanted Sharia [because]
they [were] tired of the northerner being [seen
by others as] the looter of the treasury, a
thief. [They said] this is a disgrace to Islam,
dragging its name in the mud. [They said] Islam
has to redeem its honor and dignity as a
religion of piety, truth, and
straightforwardness. We want Sharia to cleanse
society of these people.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Hashim says debate over Sharia had barely begun in
the north - when it was side-tracked by critics from
other parts of the country. He says northerners have
been cornered into defending themselves when they
could be debating the implementation and
constitutionality of Islamic law.
Mr. Hashim says many families are worrying about what
Sharia might mean if women are not allowed to work
outside the home and provide a second income. But he
says those issues do not sell papers - violence and
name-calling do. (SIGNED)
NEB/WE/RAE
03-Apr-2000 14:22 PM EDT (03-Apr-2000 1822 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
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