Sectarianism comes to Nigeria

The battle between Sunni and Shia isn't restricted to Iraq, it's come to Nigeria...

Grrr

I'v spent all morning trying to get the damn Kalu HARDtalk interview into an editable format so that I can edit, and then upload. So far, so bad. Interestingly, it hasn't been put on the HARDtalk website, and I can think of several reasons why. For starters, interpreting and subtitling Kalu's heavy abuse of syntax would task even the greatest Egyptologists, and two, the Beeb isn't used to broadcasting what could be seen as "bare faced lying". I will have the interview from a more reliable source tonight, and barring Google video censoring me for fear of being wrapped over the knuckles over copyright issues, it will be on here by midnight GMT.

In the meantime, you can regale yourselves with altogether more eloquent Nigerians. Femi Kuti was on Radio 4's Midweek (listen) - he's starting his UK tour this week. And the Guardian profiles Peter Akinola (or Peter Aky-nola, as the Brits pronounce it), and asks if he's the most powerul man in the Anglican communion. The backdrop is the Communion's chinwag being held in Tanzania this week.

Secularism, fundamentalism, religion

The Guardian is ostensibly a secular non-religious newspaper. In the past week though, it has given voice to people decrying the loss of a moral compass on the Left, and an article championing the cause of religion. Neal Lawson writes from the perspective of an atheist, while Tobias Jones expounds on the view that the secularists are the new extremists. As someone who believes in God, but also wishes that Western liberal democracy need not clash with religion, these are lucid supportive articles.

The Imam & the Pastor

The imam, Muhammad Ashafa (on the right), and the pastor, James Wuye (on the left), have been touring media houses in the UK, giving an account of the story behind their documentary - The Imam & the Pastor. In this period of double festivities, Christmas and Eid ul-Adha, (Eid el-Kabir in Nigeria) which takes place from December 31 to January 2, it is only right that such a film comes out now.

Ashafa and Wuye were once on opposing sides of the religious divide in Kaduna, members of muslim and christian militias respectively. These were men full of religiously induced sectarian spunk, whose very existence was for the destruction of the other. When you think of all the recurring episodes of religious strife in Nigeria, these two would've played their part somehow. Wuye has the scars to show for the defence of his religion, a missing hand.

But many roads lead to Damascus, people in Kaduna can chart their paths on the famous road of conversion if they're willing to yield. They were converted, not from their faiths, but to friendship and mutual existence. It's the kind of spirit Nigeria needs.

Most of us can remember festive periods in our neighbourhoods - the food dishes left the house empty and came back packed with goodies. The Christians supplied the neighbourhood with food during Christmas and Easter, and the Muslims returned the gesture during any Eid festivals. Since this was the kind of harmony we were used to, eruptions of violence always came as a shock.

My worry is that The Imam & the Pastor will tour all the festivals, the great and the good will laud it, but those that need to see it will not. The people in Jos, the people in Ajegunle, the places where bodies litter the streets when religious militias retaliate over a pinprick. Places where "a man steals another man's chicken" becomes "a Christian steals a Muslim's chicken". They won't get to see this film, and that is the tragedy.

It is the season to be merry, however, and the existence of the film is ipso facto commendable. I will get the DVD, and I also urge others to get it. Watch the trailer here.

Heresy

The Catholic thinks the Evangelical is a heretic, who thinks the Anglican is a heretic, who thinks the Orthodox is a heretic, who thinks the Baptist is a heretic, who thinks the Anabaptist is a heretic, who thinks the Pentecostal is a heretic, who thinks the Restorationist is a heretic, who think the Shias don't worship the one true God, who thinks the Ismaili is a heretic, who thinks the Wahabbi is a heretic, who thinks the Sunni is a heretic, who thinks the Orthodox Jew isn't worshipping Allah, who thinks the...

I could go on. We're all heretic, somehow.