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What Makes "Boko Karam" By Abu Firdaus
Boko is an ideology. Far from its literal meaning (of Latin education), it represents the present state of leadership in Nigeria and the system of governance. A system that is far from the ideals of the people, their ideology and world views. With corruption at its peak, perpetuated by “yan-boko, with mismanagement of the vast resources of the country, with failure in every aspect of socio-economic life, with a political system that is built on rigging and corruption with no end in sight, boko has failed Nigeria and Nigerians.
Boko-Haram is an anti-thesis of the boko ideology. The followers of this world view may not be “educated” the boko way; but they see the havoc facing their society, failures of leadership and governance, poverty in the midst of plenty and the uncountable contradictions in the Nigerian society. They are propelled into action to change the wrongs not just in their minds, but by speeches and actions.. And it is here they come frontally face-to-face with the beneficiaries (and hence protectors) of the boko system; who are not ready to give in by an inch. Boko Haram were consequently over pounded with shells and motors, grenades and gunfire; their children, women and even neighbours were not spared, the typical boko way. Even the Niger Delta fighters were not given these horrendous attacks. In fact the Niger-Deltans are now receiving the carrot for their vandalisation of the oil and gas facilities, kidnappings and killings of Nigerian soldiers.
But by the way, what is wrong with holding non-conventional views; when has it become a crime to express a different opinion in a society that upholds “freedom of creed and speech”? Where is the demo(n)cracy we are daily bombarded with? What of the UN convention on human rights? Is the Nigerian state oblivious of all these? Even if the Boko-Haram attack police stations (they were not attacking the ordinary people anyway) are there no laws to handle them. Must they be massacred? Do we need to pound them with motors and shell their neighbourhoods? Every Nigerian knows that the Police symbolise the corruption of the Nigerian society, the instruments of political vote rigging, the “high priests” of the boko ideology. That’s why they are the targets of attack for anyone who wishes to dismantle the boko system.
One is not shielding the Boko Haram movement. They were products of the frustrations of the Nigerian corruption and grinding poverty. Even in the Islamic Sciences, they have not gone deep to study the process of dismantling corrupt societies, which essentially consist of the four stage model of Daawa-Baraah-Hijrah–Nusrah as expounded by the Rasul (SAW). And our “Ulema” have failed to engage Muhammad Yusuf and his followers and educate them because some of the Ulema prefer to chase and leak the boots of the Yan-boko leadership for their worldly benefits knowing very well that most of them got there by Haram ways. No one is going to pay these Ulema if they engage and build understanding with fellow Boko Haram leadership in the process of bringing them into the mainstream. As a result of this failure of the Ulema, hundreds of Muslims have now been killed unjustifiable by the Government, able and capable soldiers of the Deen have been lost and the clock of socio-economic progress of the Ummah pushed backwards.
Boko Haram is not over. From their 2004 “Yobe Taliban” days, to the present 2009 encounter, the movement seems to be improving in its membership. And as long as Nigeria remains corrupt, leadership insensitive, elections are rigged, freedom of speech and creed denied, poverty at its peak, the breeding of Boko Haram shall continue unabated. For the protectors of the Boko ideology in Nigeria, it is good news that Boko-Haram have no link, so far, with AlQaedah; but once this link is formed the end of the Boko ideology in Nigeria is close to sight. And all that remains shall be our prayers that may Allah guide us and lead the Ummah out of this fitnah.
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