Dr. Gummi’s Satanic Remarks

By

Barrister Rafindadi Mohammed

rafindadimohd@yahoo.com

The name Gummi is certainly one that rings a bell at its mention in almost all the nooks and crannies of the old Northern Region of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardaunan Sokoto and the Premier of the region in the 60’s. The late Sheiokh Abubakar Mahmud Gummi had lived an exemplary life worth emulation by all muslims, his children, disciples and even non Muslims. Late Gummi had while he lived conducted himself as an erudite selfless scholar, Islamic judge, orator and mobilser. His daily incisive Tafsir, translation of the Holy Quran transmitted live by the popular Radio Television Kaduna and other state Radio and Television stations in the North during the month of Ramadan had no doubt earned him the respect of a number of Muslim listeners. The Tafsir took place at the Sultan Bello Mosque at Unguwar Sarki in Kaduna, the then regional headquarters of the old North.

Though late Gummi was seeing to controversial in some respects about his comments on democracy and Islam, he had no doubt served as an eye opener for Muslims to fully involved in politics and to be involved in all facets of our national lives like enrolment in the Army and Police Services among others.

Before Gummi’s demise in the eighties, not much is not about his children. But from the blues, one of the children of the late Sheikh Gummi, Dr Ahmed Gummi emerged in the nineties from far away Saudi Arabia and took over the daily Tafsir at the Sultan Bello Mosque at the demise of Sheikh Lawal Abubakar who took over from Late Abubakar Gummi.

The much that people and Muslims in particular know about Dr Ahmed Gummi is that he deserted the army and relocated to Saudi Arabia after his father’s death.

The look- alike son of the father has since then become more controversial and contradictory of the stands of the father on national and international issues. In fact some Kaduna residents are of the view that he has once more been igniting the ambers of religious intolerance in a state that is seeing to be one of mixed religions and cultures and one that has till date become the leading melting spot of religious uprisings since after the civil war.

Some others say that Dr Gummi’s unguarded utterances are capable of breeding religious intolerance among Muslims and Christian who have of recent understood and appreciate the need to live together despite the differences. Dr Gummi’s utterances at the Tafsir and other forum have been very inflammatory and capable of setting Kaduna state in particular and the country in general on fire.

Since he started his annual Ramadan tafsir, Dr Gummi’s utterances have been inciting and inflammatory against the Christians in Kaduna state in particular and the country in general. The authorities, particularly security agencies, Kaduna state government among others need to keep their eyes on him before it gets too late. He needs to be stopped before he wreaks havoc on the now peaceful Kaduna state.

For the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, it also needs to act swiftly by using its regulatory powers to first caution the radio and television stations that air his Tafsir to stop airing inciting utterances of the Sheikh or face the wrath of the commission. 

A case in point is the interview Dr Ahmed Gummi recently gave the Weekly Trust in which he said that ‘Atiku and Buhari must in line with Islamic teachings withdraw their petitions against Yar’adua’. One begins to wonder where Dr Gummi got his inspiration from. One wonders which Islam Dr Gummi is talking about. Though I am not very well learned in Islam but I know for sure that the Islam that Prophet Muhammad, SAW brought to mankind has decreed injustice in whatever form. And it has gone further by asking any one who feels cheated to seek redress.

To me and all well meaning Nigerians and non Nigerians the April 2007 elections was not by any standard an election but robbery of the votes of Nigerians. It was described by even UN, EU and other observers as the worst elections ever. And in compliance with our democratic practices, the election petition tribunals were constituted to look into complains on cheated candidates.

What Buhari, Atiku and all other aggrieved candidates at the last elections have done by presenting their cases to the tribunals was nothing abnormal but in compliance with our electoral act and the 1999 constitution. One can confidently say that even Islam has not banned its adherents of seeking their stolen mandates. Dr Gummi needs to specifically tell Nigerians Muslims which part of the Quran or Hadith forbids Muslim from challenging the outcome of elections in lawfully and constitutionally constituted tribunals. Unless that is done one will go with the impression that Dr Gummi has compromised himself to the Yar’aduas. Need I say more?