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So much is being said regarding the current socioeconomic challenges bedeviling the the Northern part of the nation. They range from the too familiar crippling insecurity, the growing number of out-of-school kids, the (mis)understood "Almajiri" phenomenon, and the massive sea of unskilled and unskillable youths. All, underpinned by challenges of governance, capacity and vision.
Challenges of
governance in the North is however just part of the equation. The other being
the attitude of the governed born out of decades of bad governance and
centuries of what sociologists call "socialisation process". In the
context, it is a process whereby "an individual's standards, skills,
motives, attitudes and behaviours change to conform to those regarded as
desirable and appropriate for his or her present and future role in that
engender in any particular society" through widely used clichés of
culture, tradition and aspects of faith, in day to day interaction and
communication.
Psychologists and
sociologists posit that "we become what you think." And what one says
frequently and for a fact impact attitude in a fashion known as
"language-attitude" connection or "talk-back". A famous
quote says "watch what you tell yourself, you are likely to believe
it". Another asserts that "words matter and the words that matter
most are the ones you say to yourself." Where the thoughts and talks are
motivating and development, the actions so become. Spoken words
(interpretation) have both negative and positive energies that shape life.
However, a lot of
popular clichés across sections of the North do not seem to challenge
individuals to rise up to the vagaries of socioeconomic conditions. Thoughts
and words may have created a social disposition that doesn't seem to imbue the
spirit of persoal struggle, development and positive "worldview."
Thus there is the need to reflect on the effects of some of
these widely used catch-phases, clichés and adage with a view to minimising
their inherent inappropriate connotations and negative consequences.
1. Allah Ya hana bincike: Literally, it means,
curiosity is ungodly or that the Almighty prohibits investigation. Many take
this injunction to mean turning a blind eye or never be curious towards
inequities or wrong doings. This cliché and believe have seriously numbed many societies'
ability to smell corruption and impunity.
Living by this adage has afforded individuals with shaddy
characters to manifest and thrive on corruption under the very watch of society
as people are seldom held to account contrary to what the Almighty says to the
effect that each and every soul should and shall be held accountable.
2. Idan mutum ba zai faÉ—i al'khairi ba, ya kame bakin sa: In
literal sense it implies the need to say something good or shut your mouth.
This injunction was aimed at promoting peace and harmony among communities. It
has however been turned into condoning damaging character flaws.
Society hardly,
openly reprimands deviants for fear of infringement. Say something good about
someone then shut your mouth. A phenomenon that has turned society into
conspiracy of silence in most northern communities thereby enabling persons
with moral deficits to have a field, contrary to most religious injunctions.
3. Bakin da Allah Ya tsaga ba zai hana shi abinci ba:
God shall always provides is the import of this saying. As true as this
assertion is, it's misinterpretation has made communities to cultivate attitude
of indolence. They treat education, innovation and skills acquisition with
contempt.
People literally wait
for manna from the heaven and so hardly struggle to improve their lot. A
disposition that is contrary to what the Almighty ordained that, "people
should seek for them to find" (Man jaddah wa jaddah).
Others, (non-Muslims)
say "no food for lazy man" (Proverbs 13:4, 20:13). And in
corroboration, the Qur'an 53:39, says "Laisa Lil Insana Illa Ma Sa'a"
(There is nothing for Man except what he strives for). The poor appreciation of
these injunctions has left a large cross section of the North in a serious
socioeconomic jeopardy of monumental proportion.
4. Bin na gaba bin Allah ne (unless): This statement
seeks to promote loyalty towards leadership. It is however a conditional
injunction based on the fact that the leadership is a "just" one (mai
adalchi). Over time however it lost this context to mean "any leader"
sort of. This development had turned people into blind followers of even
corrupt and oppressive leaders in the North.
People have
systematically been divested of the capacity to hold their leaders (traditional
and political) accountable thus enabling them (such leaders) to continously
sustain a strangle hold on them, including choices.
5. Jarrabawa ce daga Allah: Simply put, it is a
test/trial or a matter of Almighty's destiny. Nothing is literally wrong with
this belief. It however becomes self defeating when caution is thrown to the
wind as found among many individuals of Northern extraction.
Because the phrase
has been interpreted upside down, it has often been cited to justify all forms
of carelessness, excesses and outright stupid tendencies in the areas of
safety, preventive health and other intrepid behaviour. When people fail to
obey traffic lights/highway codes and are involved in accidents or get knocked
down they still put blame on the Almighty as a trial or test. The very Almighty
that has admonished them to be cautious and operate in moderation.
The misunderstanding of the phase "jarrabawa ce daga
Allah" has led to serious and inherent character deficits among many
communities in the North with enormous costs.
6. Allah swt Ya ba da dama or dama ce daga Allah: Here
people are referring to their God given rights over things such as polygamy,
the size of family especially number of kids etc. A lot of communities in
Northern Nigeria jump at this "rights" without considering the
conditions that come with them. One, for instance, is allowed to marry up to
four and have a number of kids but on the condition that one will cater to
their basic needs fully and also raise the kids with love and guidance as
prescribed by the Almighty.
A larger preponderance of Muslims across the North simply
discount the context of these rights and kept marryng and breading kids that
they are incapable of taking care of. The consequences of these and other
twisted understandings, including such phrases as "zafin nema ba ya kawo
samu", "abin sai addu'a" or "a koma ga Allah swt"
(literally surrendering everything to the Lord) naturally manifest in growing
incidence of poverty and disease in the society. People, most times invoke the
phrases while making little or no effort to improve their lives by making use
of God-given abilities. The resort to fate is usually employed as a escape
route from reality, rather than as a measure of piety. This and similar
mindsets have been partly responsible for the challenges of endemic poverty and
social strife in Northern Nigeria.
The misinterpretations simply demotivate! They undermine the
spirit of "do your best and leave the rest to Him; the Almighty"
Therefore, the body of the Muslim clerics should come to the rescue of the
Ummah (society) by preaching the true meanings of the phrases the less informed
faithfuls use daily, but largely out of context.
Copyright:
A. G. Abubakar
agbarewa@gmail.com
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