By Prof Muhd Sani Umar R/Lemo
October 30, 2023.
In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. We are immensely grateful to Him for sparing our lives, and giving us the health and wherewithal to live to this moment.
There is no doubt that people are complaining about the rising cost of living, poverty and inflation that we are facing in the country. This is the reason why we will keep drawing the attention of our leaders to the burden of the masses resting on their shoulders. Indeed this leadership is a voluntary task that they acceded to bear; not a mere honour and privilege given them nor an opportunity for their personal pleasure and luxury. Rather, they have been entrusted with the responsibility of the millions of people under them; a trust that will surely be accounted for before Allāh SWT. He says in the Qur’ān:
“And fulfil (every) covenant. Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.” [Al-Isrā’:34]
Therefore it is the responsibility of the leaders to map ways to alleviate the distressing hardship people are currently facing in the country. Although it is known that Allah SWT is the provider of wealth and sustenance, but His provision is subject to the responsibility and role an individual plays in realizing it. When the leaders neglect to play those roles, they will be responsible for the situation it will result in.
It is important for our leaders to know and understand that one of the important pillars of leadership is the protection of lives, health, faith, wealth, property and honor of the people being governed.
Insecurity is still one of the most serious issues we are facing, although we have witnessed some of our governors making good efforts in that regard. It is our hope that all governors will join hands with the federal government and try their best, while we continue to pray for Allah’s divine help in solving the problem. We are confident in His promise that:
“And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways.” [Al-‘Ankabūt:69]
Our economy is continuously deteriorating, and the masses are plunging deeper into hardship. It is the duty of the government to find ways to ease the lives of the people. Taking actions that will further sink the masses into misery is tantamount to falling into the first category of the people in the prayers of the Prophet SAW that:
“O Allah, whoever is in charge of the affairs of my nation and is harsh on them, then be harsh on him, and whoever is in charge of the affairs of my nation and is kind to them, then be kind to him.” [Muslim:3/1828]
Every Muslim should hope to be part of the latter and away from the former category.
It is common knowledge that one of the fundamental sources of ease of doing business is the freedom to traverse between places in search of livelihood. Allah says in the Qur’ān:
“He it is Who has made the earth subservient to you; so walk in its paths and eat of His provision.” [Al-Mulk:15]
In another verse He says:
“He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others travelling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allāh” [Al-Muzzammil:20]
And He also says:
“And when the (Juma’ah) prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allāh.” [Al-Jumu‘ah:10]
Thus, to travel between one place to another is a means of seeking from the riches Allah SWT endowed the world with. Hence, giving people the freedom to traverse borders in search of things that are beneficial to them and the society is part of the rights accorded to them by Allah SWT, and preventing them from doing so is denying them that divine right for which they will have to account in front of Allah.
Recently, the federal government announced that it had directed for the opening of land borders, and lifted the ban on importation of some foods and other products needed by our people.
This measure will surely boost the commercial viability of the nation, because import and export of goods and services between societies is one of the basic transactional norms in human lives.
Unfortunately, despite the directive from the Federal Governtment, while the southern borders remain freely accessible, land borders on the northern part of the country, are still closed. This means that the respite this measure will bring to the nation will not be enjoyed by the northern people. The Nigeria-Niger border plays a vital role in the socioeconomic well-being of the Northern states, and its continued closure has dealt a heavy blow to commercial activities on both sides. Thus, persistence of this measures means that the Northern part of the country is being alienated from their national entitlement.
Yes, the recent coup in Niger Republic has been cited as the reason for taking this drastic action. Neither the people of the North nor the Nigerien people played a role in the execution of the said coup, therefore it is not right to punish either for someone else’s wrongdoing. Also, two wrongs can never make a right.
Furthermore, this coup is not the first coup that took place in an African nation nor the West African states. Yet this measure taken by our government has not been taken elsewhere in similar cases. The illegitimacy of the coup should not be an excuse to take a measure that will consequently punish the northern region. The best way to attain justice is rectify any wrongdoing through rightful means.
Similarly, it is important to remind our leaders that protecting the interest and well-being of our nation is superior to the protection of any external interest beside it. It is apparent that the border closure may be a strategy to compel the military government into submission, may serve or protect an external interest vested by some countries elsewhere and some regional bodies, but none of these interested parties experience any part of the resultant hardship.
In conventional norms, all external interests that are in conflict with our national interest should not be entertained. It is not right for the government to punish its citizens for that interest’s sake.
Therefore, we are calling on our the Federal government to act swiftly; our northern leaders, legislators, ministers and elders should speak out on this issue and draw the attention of the federal government to the wrongs being committed against an innocent people. It’s their duty to repeatedly speak on this issue, organise conferences and meet the relevant authorities involved in order to find a solution. We are living in a society where your rights are easily denied if your voice of resistance is not loudly heard. We must collectively rise, speak out, write and meet relavent stakeholders on our problems. When southern land borders remain open and their markets thrive, our northern borders that boost our economy should not remain closed putting our markets and populace into hardship.
Our leaders should be aware of their responsibility and the consequences of their actions which will all be adjudged before Allah SWT.
The Prophet SAW narrated the story of a woman who tied her cat indoors, without feeding it or allowing it to forage for food until it died, which led her to abide in the hell fire [Reported by Muslim:4/2243]
If this is the ramification of her action towards a cat, what then will be the consequence of blocking millions of people from their rightful means of livelihood without provision of another relief? For a life of a single human being in the eyes of Allah is far more precious than that of a cat. He (SWT) says: “And indeed We have honoured the Children of Adam.” [Al-Isrā’:70]
In the end we will all return to Allah SWT and stand before Him to account for our actions after this ephemeral life. “Say ‘The enjoyment of this world is little.ʼ” [An-Nisā’:77]
Our faith, religion, and nationalism should motivate us to do what is right.
(Note: This article was originally from a recorded program in Hausa transcribed and translated to English for wider circulation)
