By Aisar Fagge
There were growing anger and threat between the Niger Republic and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) since the military coup in July that ousted the democratically elected government of Muhammed Bazoum. The ECOWAS, under the chairmanship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanded that the military junta should handover power Bazoum or else face its wrath.
Several media reports indicated that all attempts by the ECOWAS to peacefully restore power to Bazoum had failed, a development that exacerbated the already worse situation. On Saturday, the leaders of the Islamic groups from Nigeria met with the coupists in Niger. In this interview, Professor Salish Shehu, one of the Ulamas, detailed The Daily Reality about the purpose of their visit, how fruitful it was and what they have achieved.
TDR: Prof., can you please detail The Daily Reality about the purpose of your visit to the Niger coupists?
Prof. Salisu Shehu: The purpose of our visit to Niger is very clear. The purpose is for reopening, so to say, the windows of dialogue on AMFAS between ECOWAS, on one hand, and the military junta in Niger. There is an apparent breakdown of communication since the refusal by the junta to receive the former head of state, General Abdussalam Abubakar and his eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto. You know people generally across the two countries are becoming increasingly anxious and are becoming increasingly afraid that violence may breakdown – there is palpable fear, actually. A collection of some Ulama felt that we need to meet the president of Nigeria and discuss this matter with him. And, when we met him, we emphasised the fact that dialogue should be the only thing and dialogue should prevail in this matter and he accepted. We asked him that he should give the chance to the Ulama to play their own role, to contribute to ensuring that dialogue prevails and to ensuring that the crisis is resolved amicably through peaceful means. And, therefore, it was for the purpose of contributing to the promotion of dialogue, contributing towards broadening consultations and engagement, that was actually the reason why we went to Niger and to meet the new military administrators in Niger with the view to engendering a sort of reconciliation process between the two purpose.
TDR: Sir, you said the visit was constituted by the group of some Ulama. Can you please tell us about the members of your entourage?
Prof. Salisu Shehu: The entourage constituted of scholars from different Islamic groups and Islamic sects. That why you can see that all the Islamic groups and organisations were represented in the composition. Beginning from the group of scholars that met with the president, foremost was Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, represented by his eldest son, Ustaz Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau of the Izala group, Sheikh Qarbibullah, the leader of Qadiriyya in the whole of Africa; and then there academics like us and other da’awa wokers, like Professor Mansur Malumfashi, Prof. Mansur Ibrahim Sokoto, Imam Abdurrahman Ahmad; the Chief of Ansaruddin, Sheikh Jalo Jalingo, Sheikh Muhammad Haruna Gombe, Sheikh Yakubu Musa among others. These were also some few government officials that accompanied us.
Sheikh Bala Lau was the one that led us to Niger and he was the leader of team and he was the one that introduced us to the military leaders. We met the military leaders together with the scholars of the same kind of categories we went in Nigeria. So all the the leaders of the groups – the Tijjaniyya, the Qadiriyya, the Izala groups, we all met in Niger. It was such a successful paternal visit.
TDR: Sir, what have you discussed and was your visit any meaningful?
Prof. Salisu Shehu: I can only tell you about the general discussion we had. But, it is not possible to broadcast the nitty-gritty details of our discussion, especially some of the very very specific issues we discussed with them. But, what we actually generally discussed was about the fact that we came as a group of scholars from Nigeria, having been permitted and approved to come by the president. Therefore, we were in Niger with the consent of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of the ECOWAS, that we could come and discuss with them as a demonstration of acceptance of dialogue and reopening of communication between them. So we emphasised the need for dialogue. We drew their attention to the fact that as long as we don’t reopen the door of dialogue, the animosity will keep increasing. And, hence, it is not going to be good for us. So, we made it very clear to him that we went there in order to avert violence, to avert military intervention and to promote peaceful and amicable resolution to the problem, actually. And, we also emphasised the need for the give and and take in the matter. That it will do no good for both of them and the entire West African sub-regions, that if both of them were not ready to give something and take something, if both of them maintain extremist positions, then it is not going to be good. And, they actually accepted. They were already told to make some concessions on the matters.
TDR: What have you have achieved in your meeting with the coupists?
Prof. Salisu Shehu: The most important achievement in this regard is the fact that that option of dialogue have so much sufficiently be promoted. And it is hopeful that this our visit has led the foundation for peaceful engagement between the two. So, I think this is an achievement. Another tremendous achievement is the fact that across the two countries, the palpable fear, that was so preponderant, has been allied and the people’s hope regarding the fact they will continue to live in peace, they will continue to leave as brothers and sisters, they will continue to live as neighbours, that spirit has really been rekindled even if it was about to die. People have so much been at rest and at ease now because of this visit. People have become more assured that there won’t be violence. And, I believe this is the most important achievement as far as this visit is concerned. Like I said, there is no reason actually to keep on avoiding meeting and discussion. So, we have to intervene in this way. And because we are not supposed to give specific details, there is no any discussion about the terms of agreement we had with them.
