Hijab, Khimar & Passionate Brothers

The issue was how corporate she should dress to be 'Islamically' acceptable. His idea is to have her comply completely with the Prophetic tradition which says the only part of a woman's body that should be visible to the public is only (this) the palm and (this) the face. Yet, he is comfortable to claim dharura in his dealings with other women who show over sixty percent of their body as enticement or confirmation of their beauty. Yes, he lives in a society that is mixed and the only way he thinks she should spite the others is claim a heritage - an Islamic heritage openly and unambiguously. Alhamdulillah! Brother is angry because they ventured to ask that 'we got our priorities right.'

I think we should get our priorities in order. My dear brother was reacting to Madina Dauda (married to Nadabo of FRCN Kaduna; reporting for the Voice of America Hausa Service) when she invited Dr. (Mrs) Bugaje to offer an opinion on the best answer to demands for compliance to corporate dressing on Muslim girls and women by some organisations in Nigeria. Both of these working women (Mrs Bugaje - a medical doctor (surgeon) and Madina - a journalist) hold the view that a particular outfit which covered every part of the body without being too 'flowing' is acceptable. Madina wore a good example. Mairo Bugaje wore a wrapper outfit and a neat headgear. Incidentally, Dr. Mairo is active in the Federation of Muslim Women of Nigeria, FOMWAN. Really, brother was angry that these 'educated women' should make this assertion and presume to reach the conclusion that it was time we got our priorities right and deal with other issues than dwell on HIJAB and/or KHIMAR.

One of the issues, I think, which Mairo and Madina thought we should worry about was how journalists, Muslims, could contribute to the fight against corruption in Nigeria. The occasion at which this interesting encounter took place was the Ramadan seminar organised by the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria Abuja Chapter. With former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Rd. Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais as chairman, the seminar sought to proffer suggestions for the involvement of Muslim journalists in this campaign. Journalists where asked to see the profession as a challenge to stand up for Islam. Everybody listened.

One man who had every body's ear was former member of the House of Representatives, 2003-2007(?), (Hon.) Dr. Datti Baba Ahmed. It is not just what he said that stood him out but also what I perceive he actually represents. His comments, nonetheless, sufficiently contradicted themselves to cause me to ponder. Unlike his father, he gave in to the system and won an election. Out of office, he was unable to meet the demands of the system. He knew this. His anecdotal comments on the response of his constituents to his gifts during the Ramadan underscored how each of us gives in to the corrupt tendencies which we are claiming to want to fight. Is there really corruption in this country. I am proud to say that I remember the Tudun Wada residence of Baba Ahmed in Zaria. Some thirty-five years ago, I had to ride past the house to reach my grandfather's house in that ancient town of Zaria. Tudun Wada was a beautiful place. Knowing this family, let me say Dr. Datti did not live up to Baba Ahmed's standards by his 'obligatory gift' of Ramadan materials to his 'ungrateful constituents'. Or so I think.

Dr. Datti listed what he said he had and was willing to give to his constituents and how they advised him to go to Abuja and do 'whatever' it took to get more in order not to disgrace them. This simply indicates that they expected him to give more. He must have been doing so - I mean giving substantially (which is not wrong, unless you assume it is part of the political culture of patronage in Nigeria) to those in need (or maybe it is to those he needs since that is the political lingo). We are in trouble. Why are we saying there is corruption in Nigeria?

Journalists, who according to Abubakar Jijiwa (Director General, Voice of Nigeria, VON), take envelops should stop. That will be the day. Maybe Alhaji Jijiwa is aware of how to deal with the 'barbecue reporters' in the United States of America. I recall Ananpoor emphatically saying CNN was not catered for by Obama on his celebrity style France outing. Yes, we are a long way coming.

While it is time Muslims got their priorities right in respect of Hijab and Khimar, we should also ask Muslims to get their priorities right and shun corruption. Only the individual can fight himself. Do we emulate the Prophet Mohammad (SAW) or ....?

Loosing a smile, or what?

Real or imagined, there are not many things Nigerians laugh or even smile about. You must look to the stress they cause themselves to go through daily. You do not have to come to Abuja or Lagos to see how tensed up they are. Visit any 'public service' town anywhere in the country and you have the picture. That means visit any local government or state headquarters and be dumbfounded!

Have you ever noticed how aggressive Nigerians are within their own shores? These are the only people I know who think 'fastness' is the same thing as intelligence. They make you feel you are wrong for being slow, if and when slow and steady is what the situtation demands; and wrong when you go fast if going fast is in response to the consition at hand. Nigerians will cause you pain if you agree that there are rules that should be followed in any situation. They would create new rules, all to their individual advantage. These are a people who think they survive because 'God loves them.' You remember FunmiIyanda's blog? Oh dear me! Look it up. You will see and feel what I am talking about. She has drive, but what is it with the b**ls**t all through? The nature of the potential available in this great country can only be other's envey. We do not have to lend a hand towards the 'disgrace' and 'messing up' of our motherland.

Islam: Making the distinction betweem me and we.

Somehow, nothing may make me feel you are bashing me. Sometimes, I ask what causes your fear. Often I realise you misunderstand me. Your rationalizaton is honest, even though limited in its perception and perspective. You delibrately make believe that yours is the only 'right' way. You refuse to agree that there are some other absolutes, even when insisting the absolute you accept is to reject an absolute. I do not fear knowing I defer from those you call them. Me, I am not part of your they, I do not form part of a we collective. I am me, nontheless.

I understand why you may dislike me. I am a teetotler. Is that an English word? If it means you may not make profit out of me, then that is what I mean. To be otherwise means I allow you relieve me of my hard earned income. I refuse. I refuse your interest loaded financial system. I refuse your unwholesome foods. I refuse to display more than I would ordinarily display. I wear a beared. I know your fear. You are not responsible for it. You were meant to grow into it. That is the only way you may hate me. Yet, before he departed, he muigrated and lived within a more diverse populaion, just like you are propagating. Yet, his teachings are the things you hate me for, because there is no profit in my life style for you.

I remain me, yours sincerely.

Ossetia or what? How far Georgia

I discover I no longer fear reading Nigeriaworld.Com. With all its virtuperative content, I am confident it only reflects the freedom which many take for granted. It is the freedom to express your opinions that makes the world go round - including the Nigeriworld.Com. However, how much of self determination do the Georgians have today? being as it is that Russia has successfully stepped in and divided the country in two (15/08/08). The fact is that there is much more than meets the eye.

The intercession of France (and several European countries after) is simply a planned action. What a Russain invasion claiming Ossetia portends is anyone's guess. My guess is that the story will soon be told of how this action is the reason for the remaking of the Caucasses. That is the aim. It is not merely the objective of Russia. It is the objective of Europe. It is the objective of the United States of America. And dear Africa ... it is the sound of the approaching invasion. Beware soul brother.

Nuhu Ribadu et al

Finally, nemesis has caught up with Ribadu. But I am not impressed by the actors. Why do we have to wait for another administration to 'demote' the anti-corruption tsar? This is a sad and uncomplimentary commentary on the nature of government and government functions in Nigeria. This country seems to dwell in the 'personality cult' kind of leadership.

While it is not bad to have a charismatic leader, it is bad to insist that we cannot challenge any such leader when we see him going wrong. Or is it because we are indeed responsible for the advice that produces the policy reflected in the action? We make the monsters that we later come to fight. We are our own enemies. Yes, this is probably the only country that hates itself. It is not the 'God's Own Country' but it is the country that produces for that country: Remember the Okwesilizes, the .... of the dollar salary structure? Yes, we know how to arrive. So why should I be bothered that Ribadu is demoted, two levels below? From the rank of Assistant Inspector General (back) to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police! Wow.

Should government be run like this? Should we 'cheat' to defend. Defend and cheat? Should we lose ourselves to find our course? Should I cry for a tsar?

The Virtures of Selfishness (2)!

I have not left the issue yet. I am not done. Though I have not looked up the dictionary meaning of selfishness, I hold the acquired emotional connotation that makes any 'selfish' act bad. I agree, to some point, that some acts could be bad if done for interests that create difficulties for others. But I do not call that selfishness. I call it greed or gluttony or animosity or hate: all acts done in furtherance of ill and malicious thought. Banish that thought!

My selfishness is to want you to understand me. I will take whatever step is necessary to make you know me, hear me, see me, talk to me - understand me. You may come to appreciate me. That way I would have reached and gained what I wanted. I, selfishly, would have achieved something dear to my heart. That is my selfishness.

You know, I pray that what I do does not hurt you. That is not my aim. I aim instead to have you understand my reason(s) so that you will understand where I am coming from. Remember I am not going very far. No matter the distance, the journey is short and it is not because you are in charge of the roadmap. Check your map and see. How many road signs have you missed? My world may not be like yours, but we inhabit the same surface. We do not own it. We cannot own it. Can we share it? Here is the place where we must all be selfish.

If you assume you must have it all, you are not selfish. You are something else. Does that make sense? I hope not.

August is here. My family, oh my!

There is something about having family. You take them all: stock and barrel. Yes, there are some things that must cause you to worry. Others that will make you go wow, how did I get myself in this situation? You did not. I did not. We have to make the best of it. Yet there is no compulsion in any action. Even doing the right thing once in a while is not compulsory. You have a choice. You will always have a choice.

Have you ever asked yourself why you are doing the things you do? Think the way you think? React the way you rect to any situation? Long windy questions. Full airbags. Make no sense. Hi, wait, but making sense of nonsense is living. You should sort yourself out of any situation you find yourself in. That is the spirit. My, oh my. This month promises to be something else.

I hope we don't end up not enjoying the Chine Olympics!