The conviction of Nigerian Humanist, Mubarak Bala, after a judicial process marked by irregularities jolted the civilized world. People of conscience had hoped that human rights would prevail; that after some dark nights of denial and disappearance, some light would shine at the end of the tunnel untwisting extremist imaginaries that had viciously beclouded and gripped the minds of Islamic theocrats in the region. Incidentally, this hope was misplaced and terribly dashed.
But even for the most commonsensical posts, Bala was accused and abused. Bala was maligned. Bala was indicted for offending the religious sentiments of Muslims. He was threatened and harassed online and offline by Islamists including Muslim state police and army officers. Look, the sentencing of Mubarak Bala shames us all, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It is an indictment of our collective conscience and casts a huge shadow over the quest for African renaissance and enlightenment. African enlightenment cannot be realized if Africans cannot freely question ideas or criticize religious claims without fear of being attacked, killed or imprisoned.
In such places, Muslims could be accused of blasphemy for reciting the Shahada, which is a fundamental article of faith in Islam. In non-muslim societies, the Shahada is seen as insulting, provocative and disparaging of other gods and prophets.
it's utter madness that an atheist can be sentenced for 24 years in imprisonment for blasphemy in the so-called secular Nigeria. any idiot that tries such nonsense with an Igbo person should expect a catastrophic retaliation in the south. we are incompatible, let's negotiate
Keep speaking grammar u hear!! U think people in the north gives a shit about what ur writing here