Religion, politics and impunity

I  recently  wrote that politics is ubiquitous and you  find it in all aspects of human life. I  intend to dilate further on that  today especially with regard to  politics, religion,  the media  and diplomacy. I was prompted on this repetition of the ubiquity  of politics  by  two  incidents here in Lagos this week. The first happened when my good friend Dr Demola  Farri, a  veteran psychiatrist  called  me’ Kashoggi ‘ as I entered  the premises of the Yorubal Tennis Club this week and  I did  not  know whether to laugh or cry.  This  was  because  I had  been very  bothered  about the disappearance of  the  Washington  Post Saudi  columnist  who entered the Saudi Arabia embassy in Istanbul the Turkish  capital  and has not been seen alive since.

The  second event  was  the  statement  by the Catholic Church  that the  role of the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Matthew  Kukah  in the reconciliation of former President  Olusegun Obasanjo  and his former Vice Abubakar Atiku, now a Presidential candidate    was’ hijacked  and politicized’. Indeed  both  events are very political  and  there  is no  doubt  that  they show  the ubiquity  of  politics.  The  Catholic  Church  should  know better than  to use  the word ‘politicize ‘  in  the defence  of its bishop  as  the Catholic  Church  historically    and  till  now has been  the  seat  of erudition, learning  and  was  once  the government  at a time when  Church  was the state. And    the Kasshogi  disappearance showed  the ubiquity  of politics  in a rather  tragic  and grim  manner that  lacked any  trace of  good humor  except  perhaps the morbid type  and being called Kashoggi greatly  upset  me and set  my mind on writing  on the subject today.

To  appreciate  what Bishop Matthew Kukah  did as a  form  of political  intervention  in reconciling  two  Nigerian  leading politicians,  one  should take a look  at the concept  history  of Liberation theology which  the Catholic  Church used  and endorsed for  its    bishops  in Latin  America. It  was an activist theology that showed  that the Church  could not  be idle in the face of tyranny, persecution  of the poor  and the enslavement  of  the masses. Matthew Kukah  may  not mention Liberation  Theology in Nigeria but he has always spoken out against injustice and discrimination in the Nigerian  polity. If  he chose to mediate between Obasanjo  and Atiku  he was simply living up to his billing as an activist,  patriotic  Nigerian cleric.  To say  that  his role was hijacked  and politicized  was begging the issue  and apologetic and a  disservice  to his reputation as  a well known  and well meaning  Nigerian  bishop  and priest. To  say  his role as reconciliator  and peace maker  was politicized  is  absolutely uncalled  for  and in poor  taste.

In  addition whether Kukah  intervened or  not politics  has always had  ample  room  to accommodate religion  in  Nigeria,  both  at Abuja  and  the  Federal  Level  and right  here in our  commercial capital, the beautiful  city  of Lagos the  capita  of  Lagos state.

Religion  was what  led to the APC  fielding Ambode in the 2015  guber elections  and religion  has  led  to his being replaced  by  another Christian.  The strategy  has served  the party  well  and  has placated Christians who  were  getting restive that past governors had been more Muslims  than  Christians. It  was also  the strategy that had a Christian Vice  President of  Nigeria in the illustrious and performing Professor  Yemi  Osinbajo  in Aso  Rock  to  support President Muhammadu Buhari as President  of  Nigeria. It  is a strategy that paid off for APC in 2015  and  since  you don’t  change a winning team  it  is the ticket  of the party for 2019  presidential elections.

The  opposition too  is not immune to the influence  of religion. That is who Peter Obi, a former governor  and Christian,  has been chosen  to be  the running mate of  Alhaji  Abubakar Atiku  a Muslim. The  PDP  believes  this is a winning ticket  mainly  because the South  East of Nigeria  is predominantly Christian. Indeed  Atiku hails  from the North  East  which  housed  the Karnem  Bornu  Empire a Kanuri  Muslim  kingdom  which  boasted  that it was never conquered  by  the Fulani Caliphate and  was a Muslim Empire  with its own Islamic  sovereignty outside  the  ambits  of the famous Sokoto  Caliphate.  So  Atiku  is throwing  two  caps into  the Nigerian  political ring for presidency. One  is the challenge of the North East to the dominance of the North West  in the competition for power in Nigeria. The  second is  the bringing in of the Christian Igbos into  the main stream  of Nigerian  politics after  the bitter civil  war. It  is a very  interesting challenge in terms of history, politics  and religion  in  Nigeria. It  is  really  going to make  the 2019  presidential  race in Nigeria very challenging and exciting  and we are watching very keenly.

The  Kashoggi  Disappearance  provides  a great lesson in the misuse of  diplomatic immunity with impunity. That  actually  was  what has aroused Turkey’s  outrage that  a murder  has been carried out in the Saudi Embassy  on Turkish territory  and there is not much Turkey can do because the Saudi embassy  is sovereign territory. In international  law that explained  why  Britain cannot  enter  the embassy in London where  the Wiki  Leaks editor  has been  hiding  for years. In  Kashoggi’s  case  the Turks  raised  alarm  and alleged the journalist  has been killed  and his body broken into  parts but they had no proof. Turkish investigators were only able to enter the Saudi embassy  two weeks after Kashhoggi  went there to get his divorce  papers. A good  enough time for the assassins to clean up their act. It  is very  much like closing the stable doors  after the horses  have bolted. Clearly  a good journalist  has  been eliminated  because  he dared  and wrote  that  the powers that be in Saudi  Arabia  must  reform  and rule  with  compassion and understanding  of their people and make reforms to  make leadership and use of power in the kingdom  accountable  and  transparent. I pray  for  the repose  of his soul  even  though he has not been declared dead but there is no doubt that this is state murder on foreign soil.  It  is indeed  a slap  in the face for international law and diplomacy.

It  is interesting  that  both Turkey  and Saudi  Arabia  have historical  grudges  that  is playing itself out in this Kashoggi saga. The  grudges are both historical and religious .At  the height of the Ottoman Empire which  was stopped in terms of expansion and rule of Europe in Vienna, the Turks  dominated the Caliphate and provided military leadership  for a Muslim Empire founded in  Saudi Arabia. A famous  historian  once wrote that as the Ottoman Empire became military in leadership and as the Turks took  over that leadership, the Empire became Turkish.  Such  historical  rivalry is still very much at play  in the way Turkey’s modern Emperor President Tayyip  Erdogan is taking on the house  of Saud, the ruling dynasty in power in modern Saudi  Arabia. Erdogan  is very  indignant in crying  foul over the Kashoggi  tragedy  on Turkey’s  soil.  It  is not a false  alarm or crying wolf where there is none. It  all  the same has its roots  not  necessarily  in this Kashoggi  matter  but in an ancient  and    historical Islamic  feud  and enmity. Once again long  live the Federal  Republic of Nigeria.