EANT (1991) – There are two agendas pursued by the Kaduna Mafia (certain Northern power brokers) in Nigeria:

1. Islamization of the country (jihad).
2. North (Hausa-Fulani) domination of the rest.

I’ll explain…

#MondayMotivation #mondaythoughts

The Kaduna Mafia exists as an interest group to project their particular interests & sub-culture as those of the Nigerian nation.

They believe this can be a reality if they control a modern day caliphate based on the Usmania tradition for Nigeria.

Their goal was/is longrun.

And it began before the death of Ahmadu Bello.

To them, Islam isn’t complete without political domination. That is the Hanbali-Wahabi school of thought. It’s this class of extremism that further works & activities of some Islamic scholars (eg Mahmud Tukur & Gumi) originate from.

This excerpt by the Ecumenical Association of Nigerian Theologians (1991) captures it vividly.

The Kaduna Mafia with Mamman Daura, Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew & backbone was cited ‘to have dictated to Shehu Shagari how Nigeria should be managed’ during his tenure in 1979-1983.

Aside: Mamman Daura was director at BCCI which was regarded as ‘the terrorists’ favorite bank’.

The inner caucus of the Kaduna Mafia see themselves as Usman Dan Fodio’s legatees.

The writings of Dr Mahmoud Tukur, a former director of ABU’s Institute of Administration, Zaria & a one-time VC of Bayero University, Kano reflected the political bearing of Usman Dan Fodio.

That shaped the outlook of the Kaduna Mafia.

Dr Mahmoud Tukur also served as minister under the Muhammadu Buhari administration (1984-1986).

The mafia religious & philosophical outlook appear to be those portrayed in the teachings & actions of Sheikh Mahmud Gumi.

Sheik Mahmud Gumi was the religious adviser to the Premier of the North. He was also the Grand Khadi of Northern Nigeria.

It is noteworthy that both the political outlook, as captured in Dr. Mahmud Tukur's thesis, The Philosophy, Goals and Institutions of the Sokoto Caliphal…

Administration, their Relevance to Nigeria (1976) & Sheikh Mahmud Gumi's thoughts, teachings & public pronouncements paint a common ideological perspective & urge the same action commitment: the Rebirth & Expansion of the Usmania (the Sokoto Caliphal Empire) on two models.

1. A more puritanical and
2. Islamic state model in Nigeria.

Then in what form is the process being actualized according to Ecumenical Association of Nigerian Theologians (1991)?

1. Manipulation of Social Forces.

The fact is that the old Fulani Empire wasn’t created through the efforts of any Fulani fighting forces. Dan Fodio & his cohorts only manipulated the social forces of the day. All they provided was leadership guided by an Islamic ideology. Similar to this: https://twitter.com/coolboy_lanre/status/1371530884818608133?s=21

2. The New Concept of Jihad
Jihad (Islamic war) has taken a new meaning over the years. Advocates of resurgent Islam urge Muslims to take advantage of every social advantage they have (political power, economic power, bureaucratic control or even cultural advan­tages). Why?

To increase the fortunes of fellow muslims & to con­sider doing so as Jihad because it leads to the ultimate advancement of the cause of Islam.

3. Controlling the Growth & Expansion of Other Faiths

The Hanbali-Wahabi school of thought is a very jealous Islamic sect…

And this is the sect the Kaduna Mafia belongs.

As the experiences of Egypt & other North African countries show, the growth & expansion of other religious faiths especially Christianity get checked officially, once such fanatics predominate & control the policy making pro­cess.

This may be brought about by the combin­ed effects of policies like those involving:

– Nationalisation (government take-over) of Church welfare services: schools, hospitals, vocational centres.

Remember when President Buhari signed CAMA Law? Screenshots of implications below:

– Restriction of access to land & other property rights, to Churches & Church-related institutions.
– Promulgation of restrictive rules to control worship ac­tivities.

Remember when Nasir El-Rufai signed bill to regulate preaching in Kaduna? Screenshots below:

– Prohibition of local or foreign missionary (proselytisation) projects; Restriction of access to political/public service offices to non-muslims.

Note: Denial of those will come. In Islam, it’s called Taqqiya (English meaning: precautionary dissimulation in the face of threat).

4. The Usman Dan Fodio Model

The ideological under-pinnings of Usman Dan Fodio can be found in the Hanbali-Wahabi school of thought as evident in his book – Bayan Wujub al-Hljra – which served as the ideological book for the Fulani-led jihad.

There’s something worth noting in this book for non-Muslims especially Christians.

Fodio gave instruction to apply the principle of Dhimma – a pact or covenant giving minimum conditions on which non-muslims could be ‘tolerated’ in an islamic territorial state.

The pact is claimed to have·been drawn up during the reign of Caliph Umar Ibn Abdal Azeez (717-720) & allegedly ‘agreed to’ by the dominated Christians of Syria.

That can be conceived as the long-term agenda for the Nigerian space.

5. Bureaucratic Control

The Kaduna Mafia targeted/target the manipulation of the Public service institutions in the country by strategically placing their faithfuls into most sensitive government institutions.

The purpose is to translate bureaucratic power into economic power.

Towards this end, three sectors of the Nigerian economy have been targeted:
–the financial sector
–the petroleum sector
–the security & intelligence agencies.

Like that, they will automatically guarantee to themselves the power to determine & control the politics in the country.

In conclusion, the Kaduna Mafia will succeed in attaining their goals and objectives so long as non-musllrns, especially Christians, remain individualistic, materialistic and therefore easy targets for manipulations because they are vulnerable due to fear and greed.

Some of the members of the Kaduna Mafia as popularly mentioned in different articles are:

https://naija.yafri.ca/have-you-heard-of-the-3-m-men-of-the-kaduna-mafia/