Alhaj (Amb) Nasir Awhelebe Uhor, JP; Rivers State Islamic Leader; Vice President General, Rivers State Council for Islamic Affairs; Chairman, Association of South-South Muslim Ummah of Nigeria & Veteran Journalist.
Muslims in Rivers state have thrown their total loyalty and support behind the suspended Rivers state Governor Siminilaye Joesph Fubara. They are vehemently against the proclamation of state of emergency in the state by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In an exclusive media chat with Chukwudi Ejimofor, the South-South Regional Editor Summitnews National Online Newspaper; Alhaji (Amb) Nasir Awholibe Uhor JP, the Rivers State Islamic leader spoke on the state of emergency in Rivers state, the essence of Ramadan in the life of Nigerians irrespective of their religions and other topical national issues.
EXCERPTS:
Alhaji, may we know you?
My name is Alhaji (Amb) Nasir Awhelebe Uhor JP, I am Rivers State Islamic leader, vice President-General, Rivers state council for Islamic affairs, and I am the chairman Association of South-South Muslim Ummah, and a veteran Journalist.
Thank you Alhji. What is the take of Muslims in Rivers state on the declaration of state of emergency in the by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.?
Like I have said in different fora, Muslims in Rivers state completely disagrees with the state of emergency in Rivers state; it was uncalled for, it was imposed to please the FCT Minister. They have been clamoring for state of emergency. They tried to remove the governor, it didn’t work out. We are here in the state, is there any day his people were not clamoring for state of emergency? And so they are party to it and it pleases them. Are they not the only one commending the Mr. President? The majority of those commending Tinubu are the supporters of the FCT Minister, meanwhile the majority of Rivers people, residences in the state and in fact Nigerians as a whole are condemning it, they can not all be wrong. If Muslims in the state are condemning all these, people can not be wrong also.
Where is the insecurity happening here in Rivers state? Even the Administrator came and said everything is peaceful in Rivers state. Where was that insecurity that will warrant the break down of law and other in Rivers Rivers state?
Again, the service commanders in Rivers state, who are saddled with security have not complained to the President that they are experiencing security situation that is above them or above the normal run of security in the Rivers State?
But Alhaji, during President Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast about the state of emergency; he complained that the indices of democracy is winding off in Rivers state, because the three arms of government are not functional? What is your reaction to this?
That is fine, who made the democracy not to work? Who made all the democratic setting not to be functional? You don’t just say, without telling us why it’s not working. We are not saying that the Gov. Fubara is perfect. Let us ask questions, before the legislature stopped working were there no problems? The FCT Minister said there was agreement he signed with the governor that he is not implementing and so he should be impeached that was how they started impeachment move. The governor said what was that my offense. Has anybody answered that question? Now the issue went to the presidency, they gathered and came up with eight point programmes which the governor came back and implemented, even the commissioner that resigned on their own was reinstated. The reason given for that state of emergency is very sperious. It’s not sustainable. The supreme court judgement among other proclamation directed that you must release the state allocation to unelected institution. Now the President has directed that they should release the allocation to an Administrator. Is that not an aberration?
President Tinubu’s administration in three years; your assessment?
My assessment is that President Tinubu’s administration can still do better. The potential to do better is there. This three years could have been better for him not to jeopardize the living standard of the people. There was no reason for this hardship we are facing. There is enough money in Nigeria. There is enough resources in Nigeria. They are not willing to tap the resources for the betterment of the people. So, Tinubu’s administration has the opportunity to reorder things. In security in Nigeria is still claiming life Amotakum in the West, Zanfara and Kebi they are daily facing insurgency and yet we know them and we are shielding them.
What is your advice to the Administrator?
In all honesty, if I am the Administrator, knowing my reputation I wouldn’t accepted that appointment, I have been appointed against the constitution, the constitution does not recognize me. And anything now is unconstitutional because the constitution is already infringed upon.
Alhaji, in all of these, do we have spiritual undertones in Nigeria situation, because you said it’s the spiritual that governs the physical?
Yes, the spiritual leaders should tell the truth to the authorities, calling them back to spiritual rejuvenation. When Chief Iman tells you this thing you are doing is against the law of Allah is not good. We should keep on pumping this to them. They are hard hearted because of the gains they are gaining from sin. You mobilize the people also tell them to learn how to shun their evil deeds, because when you go to central bank and steal, when you come back you become a hero. Nobody will ask you come on what’s happening, how did you make this money. You will be honoured with chieftain titles. We have to revert to our value system and come back to Allah. Because Allah has said…”I will not change the condition of the people until they themselves desires and work towards that change” the spiritual leaders must continue to harp on them and show their displeasure over this kind of exploitative governance and encourage their own followers to key into their kind of leadership so that the people should frown at anybody who does differently.
Ramadan Fast, Eid-El-fitr celebrations, Nigeria’s democratic system and the insecurity in Nigeria, your take?
All these are happening across the country for the simple reason that we have stubbornly abandoned God’s instructions. When you say you know more than Allah, you get into problem, because you didn’t create the world you’re leaving in.
The way forward is to go back to Allah and the way we can go back is if you are elected to lead the people, there is a mandate; you govern the people with the fear of Allah. You know those things required to serve the people. You are not there to be served. Jesus Christ washed the foot of his followers. How many Governors will wash the foot of the people they governing, even visit them? When leaders serve the people with the sincerity of Allah, there will be no problem, insecurity will just filter out. In security in Nigeria is as result of dishonesty leaders, the greed of the leaders and the abject disdain for equity, justice and fair play. When you remove justice and equity in the affairs of men, what you get is 25 crate problem. That is just the issue. If the people has the fear of Allah and come up with the policies to serve the people. All we need is for the leaders to say enough is enough let’s go back and come up with good policies
Alhaji this is the month of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid-El-fitr, what does it mean to Muslims?
Eid-El-fitr is celebrated after the 29 or 30 day Ramadan fast. The Ramadan fast is a period of purification. One denial himself many basic things both those that are permissible and those that are not permissible daybreak and before you go to bed, and keep yourself away from the vices that has been condemned, (abstain from telling lies, fornications, embezzlement, and all kinds of corruptions) keeping yourself very pure for the sake of Allah the Almighty. It’s in the month of Ramadan you are closest to Allah, therefore, whatsoever you ask from Allah in this period, Allah will grant it. The blessings in the month of Ramadan is one thousand times than the ordinary months. It’s a huge basket of blessings of Allah’s mercies. That is why genuine Moslems do not want Ramadan to end, but then, they have to comply when Allah said fast for thirty days or 29 days, then rest, the rest are the periods of enjoyment. You can go back to the normal allowed pleasures of life, the chain is off! But, you are not expected to continue with the vices you have left behind. The core lesson of Ramadan is you don’t go back to the vices that destroys you and distance you from Allah”.
What is the theme of this year’s Ramadan fast?
The Ramadan is ordained by Allah, it will continue until the end of dispensation. Everything about the Ramadan you needed to know has been packaged, you just have to obey and follow the instructions. The themes are already there and they are not plural.
How has these teachings reflected in the Behaviors of Muslims?
Allah has created us individually and gave us power of choices and the choice is ours. Allah will not held you responsible for what he has not given to you. The compliance ratio is something you cannot determine because you don’t need to go individually to find out whether they are obeying. Ramadan is self assessment exercise. Allah has declared that he is one that oversees the unseen events of this earth and the heaven. That is why he said in the Holy Koran that I am the one that knows everything (the hidden things of this world and the unseen world) there are two worlds, the physical and spiritual; they are open books to Allah. He judges from your intention not what you say, because there is no way you escape from your actions. That is why the Holy Koran encourages you to think good, say good, do good. These are the three things which Allah will use to judge you. What you think is hidden from any other person, but is not hidden before Allah.
Allah has placed CCTV on every one of us. It’s there in the Holy Koran, when Allah said I have place on you two angels; one to the right one to the left. As soon as you’re an adult everything you intend to do, you do or you say are recorded. And for each of good deed you do Allah rewards you ten folds. And the opposite is if you commits an infraction you punishment is one.
The disparagement of Islam in the Southern Nigeria, what is your take?
We should know that we are all human beings. The blood that runs in a Muslim is that same blood that runs in people in other religions, that make us one. We should relate to each other on basis of the fact that we are all human beings. We are all descendants from Adam. We are one, irrespective of the religions we follow.
There is never a time any country or the world will be totally Islamized. It can’t happen anywhere, not even in Saudi Arabia or in the Italy. And same about Christianity. They controls 95% of the media in the world, they have not been able to Christianize the entire world.
In Nigeria here we have been running auto pilot Christian oriented governance since 1914, but it not been able to Christianize the entire country. When people talk about shara law, I laugh, because we have been operating christian laws we got from England, which they got from the church, the Bible and other religious forms. They now export it and we model our laws in English. We are operating English industrial commercial systems and Christian legal system up til today. All the banks; we have just two Islamic banks in Nigeria out the whole lot.
When all these things are happening the Muslim were not quarreling, they were still in Christian oriented politics; everything done was auto pilot till today. The military auto pilot because we copied from England. The forced the removal of Arabic in the oath of arm of Nigeria military, which says victory and help comes from Allah. Go the Nigeria Ports Authority, look at their logo it’s written in Latham language, dead language! It’s been operated till today, nobody complained. The county has been going auto pilot English.
The only time they wanted to introduce law for Muslims in their area; they say no, you are Islamizing the country. But nobody has been talking about Christianizing the country all these years since 1914 till now. You can see that there is huge discrimination because christians has been controlling the status quo. Any attempt to initiate the views of the other side it’s seen as Islamization.
The solution is the way we can recognize ourselves successful is by recognizing that as a human beings, I have my own right to practice my religion and you have yours to practice. Allah says if I have wanted every soul to be a Muslim, it would have been an easy thing. In other words no matter how you try the entire world can not be either Christians or Muslims. Practice your religion directly the way you believe in it and allow him to practice his also. It’s Allah who will judge who exactly worship him sincerely, be him a Muslim or a Christian. Let us here in Nigeria recognize this fact and accept ourselves as brothers in this country. Brothers of the same origin.
What is your message to Muslims for the Ramadan?
Although the Ramadan fast has end the ethics and lessons of Ramadan never ends, they should be domesticated in our daily life until the next Ramadan. The reason is that if you domesticate the virtues and lessons of Ramadan, by next Ramadan there will be less sin in your life. The more you commit to Ramadan ethics the lower the degrees of your sin continues to depreciate as you head towards the next Ramadan. And by the time you spend couple of years you will found out that you are near perfect. The Ramadan is meant to purify you towards your days of life; it’s not something to be jocked about. It is deliberately ordained for our own good. The good thing is that out of the five pillars Islam; that is you must declare your believe and worship one God, the daily prayers, the fasting, the zakate obligatory charity, the Haji visit to the Holy land at least once in your lifetime, the Ramadan is the only one Muslims performs for the sake of Allah, the rest is for our own sake.
