What would you say is the favorite
sport of Boko Haram? I can imagine what you would say. Zainab Usman, a blogger said,
"Of course, it would be maiming, Killing and destroying. Boko Haram thrives
on and draws its strength from the fear it inflicts on government and the people."
Boko Haram is a Jihadst militant
movement, which has carried out a series of deadly attack across northern Nigeria,
strongly opposing man-made laws and westernization. The group seeks to establish
Sharia in the country. But lately, they've been attacking government, Muslims and
Christians - bombing Mosques, Churches, government and diplomatic establishments
such as the bombing of UN building in Abuja.
But Ahmed Saikida, an under cover
journalist, which had such good access to Boko Haram said, he plays the only sport
approved by Abubakar Shekau - leader of the group. Perhaps, what you would call
a desert version of the beautiful game. Played as past time along the axis of Niger,
Chad and Malian sand dune, where the militants intermittently train their recruits.
It's the favorite sport in West
Africa, the young generation in northern Nigeria really like football. Every boy
child in the region may have learn the game on the streets and neighborhood spaces.
So it's natural that members of Boko Haram indulges the game.
Saikida said, he usually argue
football with Shekau during his lighter mood and most members of Boko Haram are
passionate supporters of Kano Pillars, a popular football team in the north as well
as El kanemi warriors of Maidugiri.
Well this may sound crazy, but
I am thinking football solutions could be the best alternative to Amnesty and I'll
tell why.
Abubakar Shekau has come up to
say that his group has no need for amnesty. Boko Haram has done no wrong and so
an amnesty wouldn't be applicable to them. It was Nigeria government that is committing atrocities against Muslims...
This is an indication that government
may have been applying the wrong weapon in fighting the insurgence. You can't stamp
out a set of believes with military might rather, it's making Boko Haram more popular
among restive youth.
Zainab Usman in her blog wrote,
"There's need for JTF to stop killing innocent people and there by providing
a ready supply of recruits and suicide bombers to Boko Haram from a pool of angry,
spiteful, vengeful and disillusioned orphans. The logic here is apparent; the more
you kill fathers in the presence of their impressionable teenagers and brutalize
innocent young men, the more likely the victims are to fall into the willing embrace
of Boko Haram or just refuse to help government.
Indoctrination is usually a war
of the mind that no physical weapon can destroy. The more you kill present members
of Boko Haram, the more they recruit disgruntled youth. The principal weapon of
Boko Haram isn't the bombs, it's the word implant in the hearts of their converts.
As it is said, a man with conviction is a dangerous man. This is the reason they
call Shekau - Imam.
1. Government needs to realize
the pivotal role of winning the hearts and mind of the people, especially the younger
generation. Football has the capability to hold the mind of the youth into positive
sporting activity and deny Boko Haram any sort of popular support.
2. We may say Boko haram is faceless,
but their members lives among the people.The neighborhood youth can sure identify
them.
Many of them are likely to be
among the thousands of fans that troop into Sani Abacha Stadium to watch Kano Pillars
play. The national orientation agency should take advantage of such platform to propagate
powerful messages across the stadiums that will soothe the mind of the already disgruntled
youth.
