I wish Nigerians were interested in and read Nigerian history. I wish we understood the reasons why we are so different from each other. The things we glorify today, I wish we knew their history. How many for example have read the treatise upon which the jihad was premised?

How many have read or know of Wathiqat Ahl al Sudan, which represented the formal declaration of jihad by Shehu Uthman dan Fodio? About the status of a country being that of its leader, namely, a Muslim country is that governed by a Muslim. Have you even heard of this?

The treatise suggests that it was unlawful for Muslims to live in a non-Muslim country. Sheikh Zakzaky for example tangentially invoked this in rejecting formal Sharia in northern Nigeria in 1999. His position was that you cannot have true Sharia in a country led by a non Muslim.

The treatise itself is instructive in understanding the position of the Shehu who became the caliph. Also it is short. But it also requires some context. This is an old translation as published by A. D. H. Bivar.

The larger context of what triggered this in the State of Gobir and how dan Fodio became the “reformer” that he is largely deemed to be today is also important. But more than this is the implication for minorities in the region, which very very few scholars focus on. What of them

The mountain tribes in what is now the north east. The tribes in what is now southern kaduna, Plateau and Nassarawa. Even Niger. What were the implications for these people who were considered “pagans” or “heathens” or “infidels”, or in Arabic, “kafirun”? How does this affect us?

I keep saying, there is nothing happening now, which has not happened before in Nigeria, particularly in northern Nigeria. From jihadism to slave raiding to kidnapping to the suppression of minorities and the primacy of majority religion and its instrumentalisation in oppression.

At this point I will ask you all to buy @DoubleEph and @FolaFagbule ‘s book “Formation”. They are among many, including the fabulous @maxsiollun who are making Nigerian history accessible. Charlatans with Google search may be among us, but we know those doing the work.

These thoughts were triggered when I read Chuma Nwokolo’s tweet about our heroes being villains. And studying history, all our heroes have interesting stories. Our kingdoms, our caliphate, our politicians. Much of it is ugly. Not many come out clean. Studying is important.

The conversations that need to be had about how we got here are necessary. This is why I think Nigerians have no business talking with Americans about reparations and racial politics when we have so much baggage to deal with at home. From slavery to the suppression of minorities.

We must talk. Seriously. We must engage in the kind of national discourse that heals. We must air the skeletons in our stuffy closets, not for outrage and cheap retweets, but so that we can ask why we are here. And where we go from here. There are several books in the rant but