By Alh Sanusi Sama’ila Moyi
To err is human and to forgive is divine. Sometime we err and make blunders in making decisions, believing that such decisions are correct, only later in life to realise that those decisions were incorrect. We are all victims of such blunders and mistakes at a given time. We all have our past and that is following us, and if we are to judge by our past, for sure we would all fall victims and guilty.
In the early 200s when we were in the universities and then terrorism was at it is early stage, we see terrorists groups like Al-Qaida under the leadership of Osama bin Laden and Taliban under the tutelage of Mullah Omar as heroes of Islam who are waging a holy war or Jihad against the original terrorists, the USA and its allies who invaded many sovereign Muslims territories and jurisdictions for their selfish scramble for territorial control but, disguising to be fighting terrorism. We are all living witnesses on how these unwise decisions and policies of expansionism have turned places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria among others. Millions of lives have been perished and other millions rendered homeless seeking refuge in neigbouring countries like Turkey, Germany and France etc. this is in addition to uncountable internally displaced camps scattered all over these jurisdictions and Arab nations.
Back in those days, millions of Muslims in the North were in support of these hardliner groups, because they don’t really understand who really were they? All people know was these groups were fighting their number one enemy, America. Then, it always gladden most of Muslims and the Muslim’s world to hear news of bomb attack on America and its allies, not because they hate USA as a country or because it is a non Muslims nation, not at all. They were simply happy because of America’s atrocities towards Muslims nations. Waging war on them and attacking innocent and vulnerable Muslims communities who were almost handicapped or unequal to them in terms of strength, therefore has no capacity to retaliate with same full forces America has attacked them. As such, Muslims see any group that attack USA as courageous heroes of Muslims and Islam; they praise, eulogies and venerate them; they were regarded with high esteem.
Most of our people had blindly believed in their course until when the other related or affiliated terrorist group (Boko Haram) reached our doors; only then their eyes opened and clearly come to term with reality. They understand that what these so called jihadists were doing was contrary to the right teaching of Islam. They misinterpret the holy books by killing and maiming innocent citizens in the name of waging a holy war, also known as, Jihad. Thousands of innocent citizens were killed, women were raped, extortion and force labour became rampant, and many more illicit conduct. The North especially, the north east became a lawless territory.
Unfortunately, Dr Isa Ali Pantami was happened to be one of those millions of Muslim northerners who from the initial stage were seeing ALQAIDA and TALIBAN groups as a true Jihadists rather than enemies of state. But that was then when perhaps he was young and in the university like many of us. Whosoever wish to know the truth and willing to say the truth and give a fair hearing to this situation knows that, Dr. Pantami is neither a pro terrorists nor a sympathizer to terrorist groups who called themselves Jihadists. His previous Videos of engagements in debates with leader of Boko haram, late Muhammad YUSUF are all over the internet.
During those days he has been engaging Muhammed Yusuf and other extremists with proves and evidences from the holy Quran and Sunnah; challenging and disproving their stands on many lopsided Islamic verdicts they were spreading among the youth in the North particularly, on the issue of “Western education” which they declared to be Haram, and many other hard lines and extremist views and ideologists. Himself and other Sunni clerics like the Late Albany Zaria and late Sheikh JAAFAR Mahmud Adam were so vocal and critical in challenging these extremist groups and their ill-ideologists. To silence their criticisms, Boko Haram has masterminded the elimination of these scholars through well articulated assassinations. Only God almighty has protected Pantami, but even now he is in their black lists. On many occasions they made mention of him in videos they periodically release to public, instilling fear and apprehension to citizens.
The government claims could be right; it is the opposition that are pushing these campaign of calumnies to discredit Pantami and the government. Looking at the laudable strategic policies he and government are putting towards turning the current bad situation to a fortunes; the impact and headways he is making on Tech. Innovation; his good policies such as NIN Registration, aimed at reducing violent crimes which resulted to the blockage of millions unregistered SIM Cards may be unpopular to some big men. May be along the line he may have touch some influential individuals hence, out to rubbish him and force his untimely removal.
Nigerians are being clouded with sentiments and nepotism. Ethnic chauvinism and religious jingoism has entered in our veins. We align ourselves with anything related to these twin evils. Apart from politicians other criers for Pantami’s removal are some few religious bigots from both Christians and Muslims (sect difference), seeing him as a threat perhaps due to his utmost adherence and devotion to his religion therefore, pushing for his removal by digging his past which we all have.
I am wondering, if we don’t support religious men and women and people of good characters who would we support? No wonder people with blood money, and people with questionable characters, and ex-convicts from foreign jurisdictions are the ones dominating our today’s politics. And whenever good people attempt to make inroad into politics, they would be hacked and attacked by all sorts of criticisms just to condemn and rubbish them. This has discourages many good citizens to join politics, therefore leaving it in the hands of rascals and criminals whose aim is to squander our commonwealth. With these approaches, the change we are all yearning for would hardly come.
Time has passed, and people and their opinions – often rightly – change”. Dr. Pantami and many of us who eulogized and venerated terrorists like Abu Musa Al-Zarqawi, Mullah Omer and Osama bin Laden etc. have come to term with reality. We come to realize these people are nothing but bunch of terrorists who cause havoc to their people and painted Islam blue-black in the eyes of international community.
Like I said in the beginning, to err is human and to forgive is divine, we all have past. I therefore urge Nigerians, the opposition and otherwise to please sheath their sword, forget and forgive Dr. Isa Pantami for his previous utterance which he himself have denounced. God bless our dear country Nigeria.
Sanusi Moyi, a concerned citizen.
