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Nigeria: Catholic Archbishop says hostility between Christians and Muslims arose because Islam came to country first

Nov 29, 2018 2:20 pm By Robert Spencer

Saith Kaigama: “One may ask why the competitive spirit and even the hostility and intolerance between the two main religious groups in Nigeria? Perhaps it is because Islam was the first to arrive and the arrival of Christianity much later which like Islam, sought significant and visible presence among local populations, as well as strong and fast numerical increase of its members, triggered the unhealthy rivalry.”

Or maybe it’s because Islam has doctrines mandating warfare against unbelievers that have led Muslims throughout the 1,400-year history of Islam to pursue that warfare everywhere they have gone, as is abundantly documented, often from Islamic sources, in The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS.

But the Catholic Church is committed to ignoring and denying that there is a jihad at all, and silencing those who dare to speak the truth about this threat. In light of that, it’s no surprise that Archbishop Kaigama would be so grievously unaware of the real reason why there is hostility between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria and elsewhere.

“Why hostility, intolerance, violence persist between Muslims, Christians in Nigeria, by Kaigama,” Sun News Online, November 29, 2018:

Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Kaigama, has identified reasons behind the competitive spirit, hostility and intolerance between adherents of Islamic and Christian religions in Nigeria.

Kaigama made the disclosure during a paper presentation on Religious Freedom in Nigeria at the Presidential Palace, Malta….

Kaigama said the early arrival of Islam in Nigeria before Christianity gave rise to the unhealthy rivalry.

He also said that what probably is the reason for tension and violence between Muslims and Christians is perhaps the perception by Christians that Northern Muslims in Nigeria seem to consider their culture and religion to be superior to theirs.

Kaigama further said the uneasy relationship the two religions had elsewhere before their arrival in Nigeria, influenced the competitive spirit, inexplicable tension, suspicious and sometimes, hostile relationship between Christian and Muslim adherents….

“It is not contested that more Muslims populate the northern part of Nigeria while the South is more populated by Christians even though there are significant and vibrant Christian and Muslim groups in both the Northern and Southern part respectively.

“Their significant numbers cannot and should not be underestimated, glossed over or ignored. Doing so is what ignites serious inter-religious tension and squabbles.

“It is also noteworthy that there is more openness to peaceful coexistence, inter-religious marriages and common celebrations of feasts between Muslims and Christians in the southern part of the country than in the North where a hypersensitivity to the issues of religion exists so much so that the mere mention of a word that is thought to be blasphemy could lead to great conflagration and loss of lives.

“The Miss World contest in 2002, when about 200 lives were needlessly lost because of the disapproval of some who felt that the whole exercise was unethical and the publication of the cartoon of Prophet Muhammad in far away Denmark in 2005 which led to many deaths and before it, the new dimension of Sharia introduced in 1999 and propagated by the former Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Ahmad Sani Yerima, which almost polarised the nation, are cases in point.

“One may ask why the competitive spirit and even the hostility and intolerance between the two main religious groups in Nigeria?

“Perhaps it is because Islam was the first to arrive and the arrival of Christianity much later which like Islam, sought significant and visible presence among local populations, as well as strong and fast numerical increase of its members, triggered the unhealthy rivalry,” Kaigama said.

Kaigama said another reason for uneasy relationship between Christians and Muslims is the fact that the British Colonial authorities favoured the North in their policy of ‘indirect rule.’

He added that the Hausa and Arabic languages were used just as Muslim chiefs were imposed to rule over non-Muslim populations, saying that the situation in no small way, aided the penetration of Islam and the Islamisation of what is today Northern Nigeria….

“What may be the reason for tension and violence today between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria is perhaps the perception by Christians that Northern Muslims in Nigeria seem to consider their culture and religion to be superior to theirs which they refer to as pagan peoples (infidels) who must be subjected to Islamic rules and institutions. This sort of negative stereotyping gives rise to tension and eventual violence,” Kaigama stated.

Concluding his presentation, Kaigama said no doubt religion plays a very crucial role in the lives of Nigerians, adding that the unhealthy rivalry between adherents of Islam and Christianity always pushed the nation to religiously inspired violence, especially in the North.

He noted that violence occurred in the name of religion, but added that deep at the roots, there is social, economic, political and ethnic discontent by minority groups begging for attention….

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Filed Under: Catholic Church, Featured, Nigeria Tagged With: Ignatius Kaigama, Jos


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Comments

  1. Andy says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    Off Topic

    What’s REALLY in the UN Migrant Compact

  2. John Marks says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 3:17 pm

    Wrong! Hostility between Christians and Muslims arose because Islam is a violent ideology with zero tolerance of non-believers.

    • Ambrosie says

      Nov 29, 2018 at 4:04 pm

      He has no idea what he is talking about. Islam is a very hostile religion and muslims that follow Islam have no love for infidels whether christian, Jews, Hindus, Atheists and other non-muslims! But above all they hate Jews!

    • ninetyninepct says

      Nov 30, 2018 at 11:30 am

      Perfect.

      Hi, I am a Muslim and follow Islam, the religion of peace. Convert or i will kill you.

  3. Nona says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    Why is this man thinking it’s betw xtianity and islam? BEFORE either religion there was and IS, the Earth religions, that each in their arrogance disdain and just sweeps aside, as if it never existed!!

    Yes, Virginia, the Earth Religions were there before islam and xtianity. And I don’t mean vudu, but the direct connection to the Creator.

    You’d think that, at least, xtianity, TODAY, would respect the Originals!!!!!

    • Ecosse1314 says

      Nov 29, 2018 at 6:19 pm

      You are talking nonasense.

      • Wellington says

        Nov 29, 2018 at 8:54 pm

        Seconded.

    • gravenimage says

      Nov 29, 2018 at 9:30 pm

      Christians are not threatening animists, Wiccans, neo-Pagans, neo-Druids, or any other ‘earth religions’.

      Would that we could say that of Islam…

  4. Graeme Howarth says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 3:54 pm

    I think he’s trying to speak some truth while endeavouring to keep the peace.

    Overall it seems to me that the Bishop speaks in a way reflecting his delicate position in Plateau State. He’s pretty much saying all the correct things but trying to be delicate in the delivery.

    He does correctly note the history of conversion along tribal lines to each religion which served to exacerbate existing frictions but then he also notes that life for Muslims in the Christian south is much easier than life for Christians in the Muslim north, thus making Islam shoulder the blame.

    Like many Coptic leaders he can’t just come out and say the truth: “It is 100% the fault of Islamic doctrine” because the followers of the Religion of Peace would start burning and murdering to prove him, er… wrong.

    He actually says some harsh things about Islam and Nigerian Muslims and I think perhaps he probably goes as far as he can go publicly on the matter without provoking a riot.

    • boakai ngombu says

      Nov 29, 2018 at 6:51 pm

      GH. the metropolitan does seem to be seeking to “save face.”

    • Nwaeze says

      Jan 20, 2019 at 2:52 pm

      You are a balanced thinker. Bravo!!!

  5. Ibrahim itace muhammed says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 6:24 pm

    Mr spencer, Archbishop kaigama lives in Jos and knew when dirty and ugly Birom mithraist christians killed more than 50,ooo Hausa muslims in jos, a city developed by Hausa muslims while wild Biroms as animists were living inside caves, under the trees and on top of mountains before the arrival of British colonial Masters. when the British mithraist christians came most wild Biroms converted to mithraist christianity, which is closer to their heathen way of life, and the British mithraist christian colonialists removed Hausa Muslim ruler and replaced him with wild Birom mithraist christian, but Hausa muslims remained the majority in Jos and dominated business activities there because primitive Birom do not know how to conduct modern business to creat wealths. Then primitive Birom mithraist christians became jealous to wealthy Hausa muslims and embarked on ethnic cleansing of Hausa muslims from the city to take away their wealths. as a result jos ceased to be the commercial hub in Northern because Hausa muslims relocated their businesses elsewhere and jos is now becoming a ghost city.

    • gravenimage says

      Nov 29, 2018 at 9:49 pm

      Ibrahim itace muhammed wrote:

      Mr spencer, Archbishop kaigama lives in Jos and knew when dirty and ugly Birom mithraist christians killed more than 50,ooo Hausa muslims in jos,
      ……………………..

      I can find no such story. Citations, please.

      More:

      a city developed by Hausa muslims while wild Biroms as animists were living inside caves, under the trees and on top of mountains before the arrival of British colonial Masters. when the British mithraist christians came most wild Biroms converted to mithraist christianity, which is closer to their heathen way of life, and the British mithraist christian colonialists removed Hausa Muslim ruler and replaced him with wild Birom mithraist christian, but Hausa muslims remained the majority in Jos and dominated business activities there because primitive Birom do not know how to conduct modern business to creat wealths.
      ……………………..

      This was a center of the horrific Muslim slave trade. This is probably what the appalling Ibrahim itace muhammed is referring to.

      More:

      Then primitive Birom mithraist christians became jealous to wealthy Hausa muslims and embarked on ethnic cleansing of Hausa muslims from the city to take away their wealths. as a result jos ceased to be the commercial hub in Northern because Hausa muslims relocated their businesses elsewhere and jos is now becoming a ghost city.
      ……………………..

      Actually, Jos has a population of 900,000, and is the sixth largest city in Nigeria.

    • Riky says

      Nov 29, 2018 at 11:10 pm

      Sounds like the lousy dirty Christians were probably defending themselves

  6. boakai ngombu says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    itace, hadn’t heard of these histories you mention. a new twist, so to speak.

    but I note (OT) you present with such disdain, with a tad bit of anger and maybe rage to add. (rage is often found inside the umma)

    did you know that anger and rage are not gifts of Holy Spirit? and the Bible (which you despise) notes consistently that anger is most often either sin or accompanied by sin against God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).

    let the angry beware.

  7. Wellington says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 8:57 pm

    The problem is not wrapped up with “firstness.” Rather the problem is Islam’s unremitting allowance for its followers to use force in this world to spread Mo’s creed.

    • gravenimage says

      Nov 29, 2018 at 9:50 pm

      +1

  8. P. Douglas says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 9:06 pm

    Any group that goes on a murderous rampage over a simple cartoon needs to be isolated and contained until it/they either come to their senses OR starve to death!
    We have no reason to keep putting up with their insanity!

  9. Riky says

    Nov 29, 2018 at 11:06 pm

    Wow he is looking to kiss some Papal behind what a ridiculous commentary pope communicatus will be promoting him shortly

  10. Krishna says

    Nov 30, 2018 at 12:50 am

    Always it’s the Muslims who start first and when non muslims act for defense the Muslims start to play victim card

  11. duh swami says

    Nov 30, 2018 at 2:34 am

    I don’t trust anyone who wears a pink hat….

  12. Ibrahim itace muhammed says

    Nov 30, 2018 at 4:02 am

    Liar Gravenimage as devout mithraist christian should join the choir in Jos or kaduna during Xmas with Wild mithraist christian barbarians chanting in Hausa (the common language in Northern Nigeria used in church services because mithraist pagan Bible was translated into Hausa ) :”mutashi mutashi, mutashi zuwa sama inda Ubangiji (we rise up we rise up, we rise up to the heaven to meet our God )”.

    • Hector Archytas says

      Nov 30, 2018 at 6:00 am

      christian are not worshipping mithra.
      The Bible iis part of the Talmud which is the medina part of the Coran.
      Singing is not barbarian.

    • gravenimage says

      Dec 1, 2018 at 12:15 am

      Ibrahim itace muhammed wrote:

      Liar Gravenimage
      ………………………..

      Notice that–as always–Ibrahim itace muhammed is unable to cite a single point where I was incorrect.

      More:

      as devout mithraist christian should join the choir in Jos or kaduna during Xmas with Wild mithraist christian barbarians chanting in Hausa (the common language in Northern Nigeria used in church services because mithraist pagan Bible was translated into Hausa ) :”mutashi mutashi, mutashi zuwa sama inda Ubangiji (we rise up we rise up, we rise up to the heaven to meet our God )”
      ………………………..

      Of course, it says no such thing. Hausa to English translation gives this rough translation: “his body, ascend up where the Lord”.

      This is almost certainly a reference to Luke 24:

      Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

      2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

      3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

      4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

      5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

      6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

      7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
      ……………..

      In other words, this is about the Resurrection of Christ at Easter.

      But Ibrahim itace muhammed has repeatedly made the bizarre claim that Christians where “winged gowns”–whatever they are–and “jump up to heaven”. When I was gone from Jihad Watch for a week some months ago due to computer problems, he asked if I had “jumped up to heaven” in the interim.

      But clearly the main problem here is not that Ibrahim itace muhammed is so ignorant about Christianity, but that he and his fellow Muslims are so eager to slaughter Christians on the basis of this ignorance.

      Note that he has nothing critical to say about Muslims enslaving and murdering their victims.

  13. Ray Jarman says

    Nov 30, 2018 at 5:09 pm

    “What may be the reason for tension and violence today between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria is perhaps the perception by Christians that Northern Muslims in Nigeria seem to consider their culture and religion to be superior to theirs which they refer to as pagan peoples (infidels) who must be subjected to Islamic rules and institutions. This sort of negative stereotyping gives rise to tension and eventual violence,” Kaigama stated.

    This is pure non-sense. The Fulani don’t care about history; they only want to slaughter the Christians who are simply farmers who also raise some livestock. Nowhere in Nigeria are the Christians attempting to eradicate the muslims but if the time comes that there in internecine between Christians and the pernicious cult, the Christians will be the winners. If Nigeria were to split into two nations, the Hausa areas would certainly suffer since there would be little in no taxes collected since Lagos and River State pay the most in taxes. One can look at Nigeria similarly as one observes the differences between India and Pakistan where India is a thriving nation with many high technological firms and major production of all sorts while Pakistan languishes in poverty. Both nations had the same opportunities at the beginning. Also let no one forget that Boko Haram preys on the villages of both Christian and Hausa.

  14. Bukkdem Jizheads says

    Dec 2, 2018 at 4:04 pm

    All of N. Africa was Christian, by voluntary conversion, long before Islam. Southern parts of Kenya, Ethiopia, the Sudan, Chad and Nigeria are the dividing line, predominantly Christian, constantly fighting for their existence.

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