ISLAMIC (SHARIA) BANKING IS A DECLARATION OF WAR - BISHOP AKINOLA?

Icheoku agrees with this opinion and have severally written against the imposition of a banking system that is purely Islamic on the entire secular Nigeria. However, nothing stops these mullahs and Imams of Northern Nigeria from introducing their ideological based banking system within their enclaves in the north, in the same manner and way they introduced their Sharia law therein; but without the unnecessary and provocative general application of a Sharia-based banking system on the entire country. It is simply a cannon of the golden rule of do unto others as you would done unto you - if you cannot eat something, please do not serve it to others. If those mullahs love their Sharia banking system so much, let them keep it for themselves but save the rest of Nigerians such intrusive interference on their freedom of religion as well as their right not to be discriminated against in the financial services industry because of the mode of worship they have freely chosen.

Fortunately enough a true apostle of Christ have finally, bravely risen to the challenge of protesting this absurdity of an Islamic Banking whatever; and have even gone a step further by alerting Nigerians that such a bigoted imposition of a very restrictive ideological banking system on everyone in the country could result to a religious war in the country with non Muslims taking up arms to defend their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion and right to assembly. Icheoku says this man of God is indeed right and sees no reason why Christians and other minority religions as well as non religionists would not resist such imposition by all means necessary including but not limited to vehement protestations; and if this results to bloodshed, so be it since anything worth living for is usually worth dying for. Icheoku says please do not force me to knock my head on the grounds in prayers or have to wash my privates each time I answer the call of nature. If they so love it, why not keep it exclusively instead of forcibly trying to force it on the rest of the country. It is sinister as it is very dangerous.

How much is really too much for these mallams and mullahs to demand of other denominational Nigerians? Icheoku salutes the courage and bravery of the immediate past Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, The Most Reverend Peter Akinola, for calling the Sharia banking system for what it is - a weapon of mass destruction of Christians and Christianity as we know it in a supposedly secular society, Nigeria. According to Primate Akinola, Islamic banking system is a time-bomb waiting to explode and which can lead to the final and complete disintegration of the country - Nigeria.” Icheoku completely, fully and totally agrees with Primate Akinola's stand on the need for this Islamic Banking to suffer a premature death as an unwanted and highly divisive and super-charged cataclysmic phenom capable of shaking Nigeria to its foundations or even tearing her apart. 

In his words, Primate Akinola said - "Why must a banking system with Islamic background be forced on the throat of a country that is plural in religion? It should not be accepted or else Nigeria is heading towards disintegration. The Nigerian constitution is completely neutral about religion, so to use a religion to foster a personal agenda is nothing but illegal and unconstitutional, it must not be allowed to happen." Icheoku agrees intoto and hereby call on all other religious leaders in Nigeria including Archbishop Okogie, Oritsejafor, as well as none Muslim leaders to join the protest and at best, let those Muslims keep their banking system in their ten states Sharia enclaves, period! This moment calls to mind, Wole Soyinka's admonition that the "man dies in him who keeps silence in the face of tyranny" and it is tyrannical for the Muslim North to cunningly try to impose their ideological banking system on the rest of the country. Time for compromises or the proverbial golden silence is since over on this religious matter - those mullahs got away with Nigeria surreptitious membership of OIC and now they want to take another step towards a full Islamisation of Nigeria? Hell No!

Further the assurances of Okonjo-Iwealla not withstanding, Muslims of Nigeria should have domiciled their Islamic banking system within their political and religious geography only and without much ado or the braggadocio of trying to impose it on the rest of the country. The Nigerian Central Bank involvement and championing of this issue, as led by the Governor of the Central Bank, Imam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, is where the cookie crumbled. Icheoku asks, why must it be the CBN that is the tip of the sword in this debate instead of just concerning itself with managing Nigeria's receipts and expenditures as well as regulating the financial industry? Why must it be now that the north's military wing, Boko Haram, is on a military campaign to rid the north of anything Christian that this Imam at the helm of affairs at the Central bank is championing his own financial jihad? The coincidence and lack of understanding of the very touchy nature of the subject of Islamic banking at this particular time in Nigeria under the spell of Islamic terrorists Boko Haram, suggests a willful indifference on the part of Imam Sanusi or a meticulous execution of an agenda well scripted. 

It becomes more alarming as the north is known for its exclusiveness and reclusiveness in doing their own things, starting since 1957 when they did not want to be part of an Independent Nigeria. It is on record that Nigeria would have become independent in 1957 alongside Ghana but because the north was not ready yet to join the entity, it was deferred for three years to enable them make up their mind to be part of the country. The North does not ordinarily like to do things together with the rest of the country which led to the splintering of Nigerian Law School into so many campuses just to make it convenient for them to churn out mediocre-lawyers who cannot compete on a national level. They also have or had their Bank of the North which caters for Northerners; New Nigerian Newspapers was also their idea to take care of Arewa news business. They also in defiance of then President Olusegun Obasanjo's advise unilaterally introduced Sharia law in their ten northern states enclave only. But now that they have a hidden agenda to pursue and prosecute through their Imam at the Central Bank of Nigeria, suddenly they are flying the flag of Islamic Banking system for one Nigeria? 

Icheoku says this is extremely suspicious and calls for other denominations and various religiosities, including atheists and non believers alike to rise up in defense of their spiritualities in opposition to this planned imposition of Islamic banking system or rather, the spread of SHARIA throughout Nigeria. If these mullahs have their way through with introducing the banking system, they might make it a condition precedent to securing a non-interest loan that an applicant prove his "Muslim-ness" or immediate plans to convert to Islam. And assuming that they say such loan is not obligatory so you do not have to take the loan if you are not a Muslim; then by necessary implication, Muslims in Nigeria are being provided an unreasonably over advantageous business position over other faithfuls. Their taking these Sharia non-interest loans automatically gives them an edge over their competitors who obtained their own loan through the traditional interest-charging banking system as their cost of doing business will be drastically cheaper. As a correlation, Muslims can then sell at a cheaper rates, bid for contracts at a cheaper rates as well as have a wide marginal advantage over all their competitors who must factor in cost of their loans as they pursue their obligations. 

Nigerian non Muslims should not forget the bible story of Esau who was forced by hunger to sell his birthright for a pot of porridge; and pawning off religious faith or denouncing one's previously held belief just to secure an interest-free loan from a Sharia Bank might not be out of the ordinary should this Islamic Banking anomaly gain roots. Unfortunately the last time Icheoku checked, Vatican and Canterbury have no plans to match Riyadh with a competing Christianity Banking system that gives to Caesar what is due Caesar and to God what is God's with their own discounted loan facilities. There is a great urgency of now in resolving this matter and the best outcome is a still-birth for this Sharia instigated ideological banking nonsense being championed by Imam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Nigeria could still outlast the fifteen years permutations of certain country's intelligence service if the right things are done and done NOW!