Is Africa’s Most Populous Nation Headed for a Christian versus Muslim War? (225 hits)
(Taylor Media Services) By late last week the Nigerian government was claiming victory over the radical Islamic group known as Boko Haram. The claim appeared justified. The Nigerian newspaper Daily Independent was reporting that the group’s charismatic leader Mohammed Yusuf had been killed and his followers - numbering in the thousands - were fleeing into neighboring Chad.
Oil-rich Nigeria’s 140 million people are about evenly divided between Christians in the South and a mostly Muslim North. Strict Islamic law known as Shariah has been partially implemented in several Northern states. But Boko Haram wanted full Islamic law implemented throughout the country and an end to all Western-style education. The government claims the sect was preparing to launch a Jihad - holy war - in a bid to take complete control of the country - including the predominantly Christian South.
The fighting around the group’s compound in Maiduguri lasted several days. But in the end Boko Haram’s light arms proved no match for government tanks and planes.
Unless another charismatic leader emerges, it may be difficult for Boko Haram - the so-called Nigerian Talaban - to re-emerge. But two factors fueling discontent in Africa’s most populous nation remain: poverty and corruption. Despite their oil wealth, most Nigerians, especially in the Muslim North, remain very poor while a ruling and well-placed elite has gotten very wealthy. This mal-distribution of wealth was one of Boko Haram’s biggest complaints.
