I am tempted to write this open letter after listening to Sheikh Kabiru Gombe’s lecture titled ‘An fake da guzuma don a harbi karsana’ which he delivered on July 27, 2024, at Umar Bin Khattab Mosque Abuja. For the records, Gombe is the Secretary-General of the JIBWIS, and he delivered the lecture at the organisation’s headquarters in the presence of the National Chairman, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau. Therefore, I am not wrong if I attribute Gombe’s words to the organisation’s stance.
I see it necessary, categorically, to state that I am a bonafide member of JIBWIS. I have been a member since childhood, and I don’t see myself quitting until death. My message should not be misconstrued as one born from hatred or disrespect. I decided to go public for two reasons: one, so the message will reach a more comprehensive network of the leadership, and two, because Gombe clearly stated that they accept constructive criticism, hence the reason they decided to overlook the insults some ignorant rained on them and accepted to go and see Mr President.
First, Sheikh Kabiru and especially Sheikh Bala Lau should be reminded that they are the face of the largest Sunnah organisation in sub-Saharan Africa. Their actions and inactions are not just personal choices; they should carry the weight of representing the voiceless. Second, Gombe sounded very angry yesterday. But while I frown at the despicable behaviour of some of our youth who chose to insult our respective scholars just because they harbour different opinions, I want him to remember that this is the price that comes with leadership. People are angry, and they don’t feel represented anymore.
Sheikh Kabiru, Sheikh Bala, the whole leadership of JIBWIS and even other Sunnah clerics who are not directly inclined to JIBWIS should understand that they have a bunch of enemies who always want to take advantage of their missteps. The reason they should tread with caution. What an ordinary cleric can do and have his way with it, a cleric of their calibre may have himself under serious scrutiny if he attempts it.
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Therefore, I found Gombe’s anger at people who mischievously created fake bank alerts/receipts or those who shared their videos with politicians and mock or insult them unnecessary. People who don’t like them would always spread lies and false information against them. They, however, must not give room for that. They should watch their back.
In his one-hour lecture, Gombe kept citing examples of pastors and bishops flying private jets worldwide and living lavish lifestyles, yet their disciples respected and never questioned them. Well, it sounds logical. But sheikhs are not pastors. People look up to them. They cannot be romancing politicians, suddenly becoming super rich, and then, boom, stop telling the hard truth and still claiming sainthood or blaming those who no longer trust them. They give the room. Having a lot of money is not the problem, but not telling the bitter truth to power is.
Sheikh Kabiru also mentioned that the Atikus, Tambuwals, Kwankwasos and Sarakis all contributed to doing away with PDP/Jonathan in 2015; and asked why are people not pointing accusing finger at them, too? But what the sheikh missed is that all those he mentioned retracted their words and apologised since 2019 when it became obvious the change APC promised was a deception. But what about you? Even yesterday, you cursed Jonathan’s administration but spared the worst one, the Tinubu’s. Why?
Saturday’s lecture needed to clarify something. Remember, the bone of contention is why the sheikhs no longer descend heavily on President Bola Tinubu’s government as they did President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. What has changed? The killings or the extreme poverty? It is an open secret that sheikhs romance the government, so people lose hope in the sheikh’s ability to voice out their predicament.
I expected Gombe to inform us of the outcome of their meeting with President Tinubu, but not just “we told him”. That is not enough.
If sheikhs would come hard on the poor because some of them disrespected them on social media, I expect them to use the same pulpit to go hard on the leaders who subjected the poor to this extreme hardship. The plight of the poor is a pressing issue that demands immediate attention. Everything needs to be fixed with Nigeria now, and all these diplomacy talks, and leniency won’t yield positive results. Both sheikhs felt disgusted that people accused the Muslim-Muslim ticket of neglect. Unfortunately, it is what it is. These people rode on a particular religious ticket, and the only good they could do for the religion was to market it by handling the poor with care.
In summary, instead of convincing President Tinubu to bring back our subsidy, he convinced you that he granted local government autonomy; he did this and that. Ultimately, he asked you to ask the poor to quench their thirst for the protest they plan. But then, what do you have for them? Hakuri, as usual? There is an urgent need to find a lasting solution to their predicament. Otherwise, they will settle for a peaceful demonstration as an alternative, regardless of whose ox is gored.
Dukura resides in London, United Kingdom
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