A story is told of a religious man who took a taxi from the airport of one of the busy cities in Europe. The driver slotted in what he thought was an appropriate music to keep him and his passenger entertained for the journey. The passenger protested in consternation from the back prompting the driver to look back in surprise through the car mirror. ‘No music’ the visibly agitated passenger said ‘there was no music like this during the time of the Holy Prophet’. The driver became pensive for a while after which he quietly pulled over. He got out of the car and opened the passenger door to meet the enquiring look of his passenger. ‘There was no transportation like this too during the time of the Holy Prophet. I think you should look for a donkey’.

This story starkly illustrates the dilemma of those who see going back in time as a sign of piety. They want to dress the way it was done some two thousand years ago and insist others do the same. They want use the language and phraseology of the ancient times as proof of religiosity. They want, in short, to recreate a society they assumed existed at the time of the holy scrolls. In trying to do this, they want to put themselves and those who are under the sphere of their influence in a time capsule. They are prepared to use violence if need be to subjugate any dissenting will. And because of this, they are very unwelcoming of visitors especially people of other faiths for fear they would ‘corrupt’ their preferred way of life. The dilemma – not to talk of the cant and hypocrisy - of these people come to the fore when they find the use of technology inevitable in their day-to-day living and even in the propagation of their faith. Much like the man illustrated above who sees nothing wrong in using an airplane and a car but finds secular music offensive, those who claim western education is ‘Haram’ find themselves using the product of that same education in their daily lives. The contradiction is obvious to everybody except those who are blinded by bigotry. They want a decent, financially stable society but only on their strict religious terms. They frown at the hospitality business for example, but love the feel of the money it brings. Their youths, especially their girls, are not expected to give expression to their talents in areas like sports, drama, fashion and beauty pageantries for fear they would ‘expose’ their bodies and thus compromise their moral values. Yet, these vocations among youths, are some of the things that lead to a more plural, more liberal and inevitably more prosperous society. But those who see Afghanistan as their model society, choose to close their eyes to the advantages of plurality, inclusiveness and tolerance. And because they want to close their hearts to the tenets of other faiths, they inadvertently close their doors to other ideas and enterprises. The result is the grinding poverty we witness in Afghanistan and places that tend to toe the same strict religious lines.

This same religious intolerance is manifesting in certain parts of our country as we speak. An alleged blasphemy happens somewhere in Europe and some Nigerian youths go on rampage. The Koran is allegedly defaced or burnt in far-away Australia and some properties go on fire in Nigeria. It is the same intolerance that led to the barbaric stoning of Deborah by her classmates in what can only be described as an orgy. That the daylight killers got away with it is a sad pointer to the direction the society is heading. We also see this religious intolerance in the unilateral banning of the Isese cultural festival by an enlightened Emir. He says it was to prevent violence. But why should other people’s religion or mode of worship to the Almighty cause violence in a plural society? And why should that level of intolerance come from a town that traditionally belongs to the most religiously tolerant tribe in Nigeria? And a people who have interfaced with culture and religion for ages? My concept of God is that of an All Powerful, All Seeing Being who does not need my puny hands to defend Him. He existed before the two major religions were formed and He will continue to exist because He is spirit and those ‘who worship him should do so in spirit and in truth’.

A Muslim classmate who retired as a Professor and Vice-Chancellor once posted a Christian joke on our class platform. I responded with ‘religious intolerance’. He explained that it was sent to him by a Christian friend. But he missed my point. I had no problem with the post. I could take the joke and have taken worse. But he has to prove his liberalism and tolerance by posting ribald Muslim jokes as well. After all, the clip singer Davido is being roasted for today would not have raised any eyebrow if the theme had been Christian.

Have those who claim to be defending God noticed what is happening in Saudi Arabia since a new Crown Prince took over? This once conservative home of Islam is opening up. Many concessions have been granted its women that would shame some of our brethren in the north. Today, Saudi Arabia has the most lucrative golfing tournament in the world and might soon have the most lucrative soccer tournament in the world. In neither was it looking at religion. Just talent and raw ‘commercial drawing power’. I would not be surprised if the Kingdom had a female soccer team in the near future, assuming it doesn’t have one yet. The Emirates had long opened its doors and embraced technology alongside people of diverse cultures and religions to position their countries for the next Industrial Revolution. Their people are educated and this has reflected in a rising standard of living. Nobody is flogged on the streets for not wearing hijab or for wearing trousers for that matter. Their airlines which are among the best in the world serve alcohol. Their airport lounges which again rate among the best, serve alcohol. Yet, there is no denying that these are Muslim countries. The key words are tolerance and respect for other people’s faith. Some of our Muslim youths in the north are doing the exact opposite. They are deep in the mire of intolerance and still digging. As a result, illiteracy is on the rise, poverty is on the rise and violence is on the rise. Aided and abetted – some would say manipulated – by some bigots who claim to be clerics, they are slowly but inexorably walking the road to Afghanistan.

•Muyiwa Adetiba is a veteran journalist and publisher. He can be reached via titbits2012@yahoo.com

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