"Boko Haram" & Promoting Tolerance in Nigeria

If you've been monitoring world news recently you've probably come across some concerning headlines in Nigeria. Here's the scene from the past few days: Islamic militants in one corner, Nigerian federal troops and police in the other, and hundreds of civilians sucked in the middle of the chaos. Over 180 people have been killed following days of unrest instigated by plots and attacks lead by these Islamic militants. Armed with "home-made guns, petrol bombs, machetes and knives" the government is responding to plots and attacks on various public facilities. Authorities are hunting "house-to-house" for "radical preacher" Mohammed Yusuf and have threatened to prosecute any civilian who harbors members of his radical Boko Haram Islamic sect. But who are they?Nick Tattersall recently wrote an article in Reuters taking a close look at this group.

Based in the northeastern Nigerian state Borno and under the leadership of self-proclaimed Islamic scholar Mohammed Yusuf, the group is adamantly opposed to Western education and wants Nigeria to fully operate under Sharia Law. "Boko Haram" is Hausa for "Western education is sinful." Followers believe their wives are not to be seen by other men nor wear Western-made goods. They also believe their children should have a solely Qur'anic education and are held in similar isolation. In a nut-shell, anyone who doesn't follow this ideology strictly - "whether Christian or Muslim"- are consider an "infidel" by followers of this sect.

Intending on forcing their views on Nigerians, the sect has been gathering intelligence & weapons for years and consequently has been attracting attention from security agencies. Violence finally broke out after authorities arrested some followers thought to be plotting an attack on police stations, and sect members responded with weapons and rampage leading to large unrest in northern Nigeria. The results, as recent headlines indicate, have been devastating.

Intersections recently hosted Nigerian Pastor James Wuye and Imam Muhammad Ashafa. Among many anecdotes they shared at our West End Lecture series, was their personal experience with religious violence at home. Nigeria has the largest population of Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa, and its' Christian population is roughly equal. It's important to remember that the "Boko Haram sect" is not representative of the belief system of the overall Nigerian Muslim population, nor the overall relationship between Muslims and other members of Nigerian society.

Imam Ashafa and Pastor Wuye underscored the need for Nigerians to promote tolerance and positive relationships between believers of different backgrounds. They are leading this effort within their respective religious communities by communicating these ideas in actions and words. Though recent headlines have focused on the government crackdown that was instigated by this sect, the more troubling issue is the Boko Haram's belief that those who don't strictly follow their ideology are reduced to the status of "infidels." Many Nigerians, including Pastor Wuye and Imam Ashafa, are working to promote just the opposite. They are promoting tolerance, one of the most important values religious communities should embrace.