For anyone following the latest social media trends in Northern Nigeria, the rising calls for protests, particularly among the youth in the Muslim North, are hard to ignore. These agitations quickly escalated into heated confrontations between protest advocates and Islamic clerics, who strongly opposed the planned demonstrations. Consequently, the Muslim society in the North became sharply divided, with a clear rift between the protest agitators and the Islamic clerics and their supporters.
The question of whether these protests are permissible in Islam is for Islamic scholars to decide. My aim here is not to condone or condemn but to discuss how the agitation for protests may represent a significant opportunity for the Muslim North and, more specifically, for the Ulama. Before delving further into this issue, it is important to define the Ulama's role in Northern politics.
Nigeria is an extremely religious country. As former US Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, noted, many Nigerians, both Christians and Muslims, proudly claim to live in the "world's most religious country, and the happiest." This context is crucial for understanding the role of religious figures in the public political space in Nigeria, particularly the role of the Ulama in the social and political landscape of the Muslim North.
Many argue that the Ulama's influence in Hausaland began with the arrival of Muhammad al-Maghili in Kano from the Kingdom of Tlemcen, in present-day Algeria, after he fled the Reconquista.
The fact is the Ulama have been a critical element of the Northern social and political landscape since the time of Danfodio, who established a successful theocratic state that reigned in the North for a century until its subjugation by British colonial rulers, laying the foundations for an independent Nigeria. Although the Ulama no longer rule, they continue to command unparalleled respect and unmatched legitimacy within the social and political space of the Muslim North.
The Muslim masses look up to the Ulama for moral guidance in their social life, commercial affairs, and political matters. Understanding this role makes the Ulama valuable assets for politicians vying for office when elections approach. They can influence election outcomes by directing their followers to vote for or against a politician.
Some influential Ulama may understand the power they command and utilise it for personal gain, while many others might genuinely believe they are acting in the best interests of their followers, their religion and the country.
With the immense power the Ulama possess comes the responsibility to lead and guide their congregation toward what they believe is right for the collective interests of their followers. While the Ulama are fallible and can misjudge situations, as long as the masses perceive their judgment as selfless, their legitimacy is likely to remain intact. This legitimacy is crucial for the Ulama to maintain the power, respect, and influence they have enjoyed within the social and political space of the Muslim North.
The Muslim North consistently laments the lack of genuine and patriotic Northern elders willing to selflessly pursue and protect Northern interests at the national level. Many of the Ulama echo this sentiment in their sermons and religious talks, highlighting the absence of strong leadership in the region.
The current situation presents the Ulama with a perfect opportunity to assume such leadership and selflessly guide the ordinary masses. No other group commands the kind of audience and influence the Ulama hold within the Muslim North.
Many clerics have been accused of aligning with and benefiting from the current administration during the last elections. Given the recent criticism against the Ulama for their role in supporting the current administration, which has eroded their unparalleled legitimacy, the agitations for protests present a perfect opportunity for the Ulama to assume real leadership responsibility. They could either lead the masses in a peaceful protest or leverage the public momentum and rage to unite themselves, confront elected officials, and advocate for the impoverished and insecure masses. After all, politics is a game of power and influence.
To maintain their integrity in the eyes of the impoverished masses, the Ulama need to distinguish themselves from elected politicians and go beyond their customary rhetoric. Many of the impoverished masses will no longer be convinced by sermons alone. One bold and united action from the Ulama could do more to restore their eroded integrity in the eyes of these impoverished masses than a thousand sermons ever could.
Perhaps the Ulama had the right to be outraged by one individual's call for agitators to bring down any Sheikh from their sermon podiums if they dared to campaign against the protests. In response, a large section of the Ulama wasted precious time, energy, and rage delivering sermons condemning this statement and the youth who aligned with it.
However, I believe the Ulama should not have turned this momentum into an "us versus them" conflict with the protest agitators, based on the unguarded statement of a young, frustrated man.
The energy, time, and rage the Ulama directed against the protest agitators would have been much more meaningful if directed towards the political elite responsible for the masses' frustration. The Muslim North can do with their Ulama leading the way for them against the merciless politicians bent on running the country to the ground.
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While debating how the Ulama could leverage the current agitations for protests, we should not lose sight of the role they played in the 1970s Shariah debate, which resulted in a relative constitutional victory for Nigerian Muslims. Similarly, many Ulama were instrumental in the protests for the revival of Shariah in Northern Muslim states. Under the leadership of the Ulama and other Northern Muslim elites, the Northern Muslims eventually emerged victorious in their quest for Shariah.
The current protest agitations present a pivotal opportunity for the Ulama to reestablish their legitimacy and influence in the governance of the country. To restore their standing, they must unite to address public, Muslim, and national issues effectively. The Muslim North often laments the absence of leaders who genuinely champion their interests. Now is the ultimate test for the Ulama to rise to the occasion, lead with conviction, and reassert their power and influence for the benefit of their congregations.
This moment calls for bold and united action, and in doing so, the Ulama can transform this unrest into a catalyst for positive change, reaffirming their role as true leaders of the Muslim North.
Usman, PhD, is a lecturer, Department of International and Strategic Studies, Universiti Malaya
