By SALAHUDEEN YUSUF
I listened to a faceless crusader who tried to wipe up religious sentiment in other to foster religious dissatisfaction in the message he sent out recently. He tried to misinform the public with his tirade and falsehood through the spurious things he said particularly about Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which he referred to as Organization of Islamic countries. He not only concocted lies, but ranged abuses and insults on some Muslim leaders. That is a manifestation of deep-seated prejudice. Actually, what he said about OIC are blatant and offensive lies.
I decided to comment on his falsehood so as to put the record straight and disallow him from scoring cheap political points.
The public need to know that;
Firstly, it was General Yakubu Gowon (a Christian) who registered Nigeria into OIC not General Babangida.
Secondly, nowhere in the OIC charter is it stated that, if a Muslim member of OIC rules a country for 8 or 10 years, that country automatically becomes an Islamic or Muslim country.
Thirdly, Nigeria is not the only African country in OIC and not the only countries with multi-religious population. Other African countries that are members of OIC are; Benin Republic, Cameroon, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mozambique and Uganda. In fact, except for countries such as Guinea Bissau and Cote d’ivoire, the remaining countries listed above, have Christians in the majority in their respective countries.
African Countries in OIC with their religious representation
| Country | Population
2022 millions |
Christian % | Muslim % |
| Benin Republic | 12.45 | 78 | 22 |
| Cameroon | 27.22 | 82 | 18 |
| Gabon | 2.279 | 90 | 10 |
| Guinea Bissau | 13.5 | 42 | 58 |
| Cote d’ivoire | 27.05 | 42 | 58 |
| Liberian | 5.18 | 83 | 17 |
| Mozambique | 32.16 | 81 | 19 |
| Uganda | 47.12 | 86 | 14 |
This table shows that a country need not be an Islamic or majority Muslim population to join the organization.
Since the enrollment of these countries into OIC there has not been any report of inter-religious crisis or controversies in any of these countries as is the case in Nigeria?
More than 25 years ago when these countries with majority of Christian population joined the OIC, none has become Islamized but they have rather remained faithful and committed Christian. And neither do they go to Jerusalem for pilgrimage (since it is not commanded in the Bible) as done in Nigeria nor do they raise any dust over Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca or Muslim’s girls wearing hijab.
Any right-thinking person should reflect over these questions;
Why is it that thirty-six (36) years after Nigeria joined OIC the issue continue to resonate becoming more controversial and acrimonious in Nigeria only?
Is there any particular benefit Nigeria Muslims derived from OIC that put the Christian at a disadvantaged? Does membership of Nigeria in OIC deny or deprive the Christian their basic or fundamental right? The claim by CAN at the time that the government gave 2 billion naira to OIC turned out to be a ruse.
As a matter fact, the panel that Babangida government set up to look into the implication of Nigerian membership of OIC in 1986, were composed of both Christian priests and Muslim scholars. The panel, came to the conclusion that, Nigerian ‘membership of OIC does not make Nigeria an Islamic state and neither does it infringe on the freedom of worship of Christians nor does it pose any threat to the sovereignty of Nigeria’. (Members of the panel include Archbishops Okogie and Ezeanya, Bishops Ganaka, Adetiloye, Bada and others who represented the Christians and Muslims were represented by late sheikh Abubakar Gumi, late Ahmad Lemu, Nurrudeen Alao, Babatude Jose, Sulaiman Onyeama, Adamu Ilori and others.)
One needs to ask,
Is this faceless individual truly a Christian? Is he truthful and faithful to the teaching of the Bible? My worry is that, the faceless commentator neither respect Jesus nor follow the teaching of the Bible because the Bible admonished Christians not to lie. The Bible says,
*“A false witness would not go unpunished and he who speaks lies shall perish.” Proverbs 19: 9.
*”Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an axe, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow”. Proverbs 25: 1.
*”The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. Proverbs 12:22.
Truth is universal and timeless.
Concerning falsehood, the Quran also says, “And do not mix the truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while you know (it). Quran 2:42.
By now the Muslims should be used to non-Muslim antics. We should therefore take solace in the verse of the Quran, 3:186 that says,
“You shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who receive the Scripture before you and from those who ascribed partners to Allah, but if you persevere patiently, and become God-fearing, then verily, then that will be determining factor in all affairs.” (Quran 3, 186).
*Saint John of Damascus (d. 650-750) was the first Christian who laid the foundation of polemics against the Muslims. Since this commentator imitated Saint John of Damascus by writing spurious things about Islam, hence reference to him as Saint John of Gangere.
Salahudeen Yusuf, Chiranci Quarters, Kano.
