ISLAMIC BANKING IN A SECULAR SOCIETY, AN AFFRONT TO NON MUSLIMS!

 

Icheoku is highly alarmed by the decision of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi's controlled Central Bank of Nigeria to venture into Islamic Banking, so called? What is the need one may ask, of setting up a parallel Islamic banking system in a country that is supposedly secular and already operating a world standardized banking policy; and at this time of great turmoil in the land with Boko Haram murderously trying to forcefully Islamize the whole Nigeria, with other disparate nationalities within the geographical entity vociferously agitating for separatism. It is crass stupidity except that this particular man is not stupid but had carefully chosen this very opportune time to impose his Islamic agenda and/or banking policy on Nigerians for maximum impact. 

Icheoku is convinced that this is yet another smart by half ploy by Northern Nigerian Islamists to impose their way of life on the rest of the country, and to them it does not matter whether or not other non Muslims Nigerians like it. The previous Arabic words on the Naira having been successfully removed therefrom, this Imam serving as governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, on behalf of his fellow Northern Nigeria Islamists, is now trying to smuggle Islamic influences on our monetary policies and on a grander scale. Icheoku queries, why have an Islamic parallel banking system when there is no Christian Banking system or one designed specifically for Atheists and other denominations, including non-denominational Nigerians. 

Millions of Nigerians would like to know who the sponsors of this religious banking system are and why President Jonathan is still keeping quiet over such a highly sensitive case. Our suspicion is that it is the usual Islam propagating suspect, Saudi Arabia, that is behind this latest attempt by the Muslims of Northern Nigeria to force an Islamic Banking system on a country which is not an Islamic Republic. Were Icheoku President Jonathan, this arrant nonsense of a parallel Islamic banking system would not have see the daylight but nipped in the bud earlier. If Mallam Imam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi does not like it or says or thinks anything otherwise, just fire the SOB. Admitted he could still be fired for trivializing his office and using it to pursue a sectional and parochial Islamic religious agenda against the general interest of all Nigerians irrespective of their religious inclinations or lack thereof. 

President Jonathan should speak up now and call his Central Bank governor to order or strip him of the position for deviating from the course of what is normal for a secular country. If Islamic Banking was that so good, why did Somalia economy fail? Why is it not solely practiced in Islamic Pakistan, Indonesia. Iran as well as other Islamic republics. Icheoku concludes that the introduction of Islamic banking in Nigeria is ominous and would be used as a conduit for both money laundering operations for religious propaganda and manipulation of the Nigerian economy by the Middle East. 

Central Bank Governor of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, should resign now or be fired for playing religious politics with his office, mixing banking with religion. If Sanusi wants to become an Imam, so be it; but he must first resign his office as governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and desist from the control and management of Nigeria's secular financial system. But to continue to insult our general sensibilities, using the instrumentality of the state as governor of Central Bank to pursue a parochial Islamic agenda in Nigeria is highly unacceptable. His job is a regulator of Nigeria's fiscal and monetary policy but not an advocate or campaigner for Islamic causes including the establishment of an Islamic parallel monetary policy in a secular Nigeria. Icheoku calls on Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to just quit the office now as he has wandered off the reservation!