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Religion in Nigeria has been serially abused, misused, and ridiculed for selfish interest. It becomes more horrible when it is manipulated for politics without human face. People speak in the name of God even when they have quarantined themselves from what is godly. This is why we are arguably one of the most religiously ungodly people on earth. If that sounds oxymoronic to you, it means you get the point.
In my piece last week I described as anti-masses any attempts by any governments (federal or state) to subsidize hajj for intending pilgrims. This amounts to robbing the taxpayers to promote spirituality—spiritual “upliftment”—of some few individuals. That singular act will likely exacerbate the distrust the masses have for their rulers.
Many Nigerians are dying of hunger not because they are lazy but because the economy has become so battered that diligence does not necessarily translate to food. In some cases, it pays not to work but to queue for palliatives. In recent months, palliatives have been associated with fatal stampede. Yet, it pays, and it makes economic sense, to the hungry masses, to brave the consequence of palliative stampede (which might be death) than to search for impoverishing jobs.
It is safe to say that many of these intending pilgrims who sought for hajj subsidy from government are probably those who, despite the grinding poverty that dehumanizes family and friend members, saved money for the once-in-a-life-time spiritual journey. They are probably not well-heeled enough. If they are rich enough, topping the hajj fare (though it is quite unfortunate) with N2 million should not be a reason why government should be cajoled to intervene by all means.
Nigerian rulers treat this act of worship (hajj) which is strictly a personal thing as an emergency issue. Can anyone imagine that the Federal Government could cough out N90 billion within few days just because some people are about to miss their flight to Saudi Arabia? It is high time we realized that budget does not determine government’s spending in Nigeria. Whenever the government says a demand cannot be met because it is not budgeted for, that is a euphemism for what she intends not to do. If Nigerian government intends to do anything that requires huge financial commitment, it does not matter whether it was captured in the budget or not.
Hajj subsidy under discussion is an instance. Because the government does not want to offend a few well-fed-Nigerians, it immediately coughed out huge unbudgeted money notwithstanding the fact that hunger mercilessly and magnetically pulls the masses to their graves. I don’t know when Nigerian Christians will be performing their pilgrimage. The government must be ready to democratize subsidized pilgrimage to Israel too (or is it Jordan?), since Israel is currently killing non-Jews (Christians and Muslims).
I don’t know why idol worshippers and the eparipas (Nigerian witches and wizards) do not enjoy some of these dividends of democracy? And for the record, Nigerian witches and wizards have been active in politics recently. I can recall with clarity that they campaigned for Buhari’s Presidency and he won. They were also solidly behind Tinubu’s Presidency; he is now the President.
I once wrote: “What would be Christians’ and Muslim’s reactions if the idol worshippers in Nigeria decide to incorporate pilgrimage into their rites too and seek government’s sponsorship? They may wish to choose India or China as their holy site.” Perhaps they have not lobbied well enough or they are yet to be a political force to reckon with.
As I write this piece, Idol worshippers are the only religious group in Nigeria that are not officially parasitic—they do not feed on our national cake. They might be unofficially parasitic as we learnt that some so-called Muslim and Christian politicians visit them. History always reminds us of Okija Shrine and a former short governor of Anambra State. We may also be curious to know why witches and wizards associations now publicly declare support for candidates of their choice during election. While it is democratic as the democratic space accommodates everyone, it is unusual to see witches flying in broad daylight.
The point is: if we don’t kill this “religion” which is draining our resources unjustifiably despite the widespread poverty in the land, I don’t see Nigeria coming out of its miserable economic doldrums. The money earmarked for hajj subsidy can create a million jobs for the Nigerian jobless. Let’s assume President Tinubu government which is full of “technocrats” is bereft of ideas on how to create jobs, if N90 billion were to be distributed equally among 100, 000 jobless Nigerians, each would get N900, 000. This, to many, would be a life-changing financial support.
If the federal government surprised you, money earmarked by some northern state governors for hajj subsidy should shock you to the marrow. Kebbi State reportedly approved N3.34 billion as hajj subsidy. Bauchi State approved N2.1 billion. Kano State is to spend N1.4 billion for same purpose. Jigawa—a very poor state—announced N1 million for each intending pilgrim. A record shows there are about 1,200 intending pilgrims. Do the multiplication, that is N1.2 billion. This is a region that has the highest number of out of school children. A region that is plagued with the menace of almajirinci. A region that the few who manage to go to school are regularly being herded by bandits and kidnappers to some notorious dens. A region that is synonymous (rightly or wrongly) with abject poverty. A region where begging is a profession such that it exports beggars, year round, to other parts of the country.
There is this logic-turned-upside-down in support of this infamously unsupportable hajj subsidy. You know when logic is spelt as cigol (i.e. from the last to the first letter), you have argument like “N90 bllion is not a direct subsidy for intending pilgrims but rather a contribution by the Federal Government to reduce the gap in exchange rates.” I hope the Federal Government make contribution to importers to reduce the gap in exchange rates of every imported items into Nigeria. Government should make contribution to every Nigerian travelling abroad because exchange rates have affected flight tickets of all travellers; not only pilgrims.
Government should make contribution to Nigerian students who could not pay school fees as those who manage to pay, pay through their nose. What government did was to sign Student Loan Bill. No subsidy (or rather contribution) for education that can bring about development in all ramifications; but there is subsidy for spiritual journey which only benefits some pilgrims; not the nation. What is more, the government is subsidizing ignorance. It is common knowledge that many (if not most) of Nigerian pilgrims are ignorant of hajj rites which makes their hajj more touristic than spiritual.
People are seriously brainwashed by “religion” in this country. A governor of one of the most ravaged states (courtesy of bandits) in the north went to perform the lesser hajj along with members of his family. What is funny is that it was said that the governor decided to undertake the lesser hajj as a display of his commitment to both his personal faith and the welfare of the people he serves. I am just wondering how the governor’s hajj—along with his little kids—amounts to the welfare of the people he serves. To reiterate what I said in my previous article, any Muslim has the right to perform hajj with his money even if some members of his family are dying of hunger. After all, it is their money. What we are saying is: government has no business in subsidizing hajj when people are dying of hunger.
May I use this medium to commend and thank Daniel Amokachi , a former Nigerian footballer. If he had been a Muslim, perhaps he would have been preparing for 2024 hajj—or already on lesser hajj—along with some of his family and friend members to catch cruise while his neighbors are consumed literally by hunger. Amokachi distributed Ramadan palliatives to Muslims within his neighbourhood in Kaduna State in their hundreds if not thousand. This is not an exaggeration. Readers can watch the video clip here. It was well organized, females were segregated from males in two different very long queues. Each person reportedly got 10kg of rice. May Allah continue to show Amokachi mercy and guide him in all his affairs.
My dear rich but tight-fisted Muslims, are you not shamed by Amokachi’s generosity? Of course, there are generous Muslims who must have spent billions of naira as charity during this Ramadan, may Allah reward them nicely. But some are yearning for hajj subsidy; may Allah have mercy on them. Our forefathers, we read, went on foot. If we want to be religious, then let’s also be godly. But this “religion” that turns the poor to punching bag and robs Peter to pay Paul must be eliminated so that we can breathe. May Allah forgive this writer and all seekers of Allah’s forgiveness.
Happy ‘Idul Fitr in advance. If it is bid’ah (innovation) to say so, please ignore it.
Abdulkadir Salaudeen
salahuddeenabdulkadir@gmail.com
