Biafra: The Release Of Ibrahim Zakzaky And The Fulani Game Of Suppression

Author: Elochukwu Nicholas Ohagi

The news of the release of the Hausa Islamic cleric and the leader of Shia Muslims in Nigeria by the Fulani led Sunni Government of Nigeria didn't come to me as a surprise.

Nigeria Government has held Shia leader Ibrahim Zakzaky since 2015, after Nigeria military went to their headquarters and killed more than 1000 of them, for blocking a federal road in protest. Fulani controlled Nigeria government have suddenly released him. The question we should be asking ourselves is this. Why?

To start with, the Fulani until now believed that Ibrahim Zakzaky and his group should be suppressed, reason they killed and buried hundreds of them in a shallow graves in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Ibrahim Zakzaky is Hausa by origin and a Shia adherent, with tie to Iran. His type of Islam is in contrast to the type of Islam practiced by the Fulani ruling class in the Northern part of Nigeria. They are Sunni with tie to Saudi Arabia. Do not forget that till this day, Iran and Saudi Arabia still stand at loggerhead. The problem between them is rooted in religious ideology. Same thing existing between Fulani and Ibrahim Zakzaky's group.

In the North, Religion is politics, while politics is religion. You can't separate the two, for they can't exist in isolation. Whoever holds religious power, controls the politics. The Sultan and the Emirs are in charge. Even the governor are subject to the sultan. When the president is a Muslim, he listens to the Sultan. It is painful to every Muslim should a Christian who is regarded as an unbeliever leads over them. This is the length religion plays in the North
The sudden rise of Ibrahim Zakzaky became a dangerous threat to the leadership of the Fulani. And being of Hausa origin made it worse.

The Fulani in 1804 have declared a political war against the ruling Hausa landlords in the disguise of a religious jihad. Uthman Dan Fodio accused the Hausa kings of practicing corruption. He also claimed that he wanted to purify Islam. The peasant Hausa people were fooled, just like many southerners were fooled about Mohammadu Buhari fighting corruption in 2015 and they ended up electing jihadists and terrorist sympathizers into power. These peasant Hausa people helped in defeating their own leaders.
After the war, Uthman Dan Fodio and his Fulani brothers claimed victory and shared the war booty only to themselves. Hausa rulers were either killed, enslaved or dethroned and Fulani made themselves new rulers. This is why till this very day, you can't see a single Hausa King in the entire North. This is how Fulani tookover the entire core North.

The rise of Ibrahim Zakzaky became a threat to the Fulani reign. Allowing him to grow more bigger might give a voice to the Hausa people, since religion gives political power in the North. So putting him off became necessary. But why releasing him now?

We must understand that the Fulani has a bigger plan, which transcends taking over Hausa land. The plan is to take over the entire Nigeria and use it to settle more than 60 million Fulani people scattered around Africa. That's the bigger plan, and for the sake of this bigger plan, it is important that Ibrahim Zakzaky is released.

The North won't entertain division amongst themselves at this critical time in their quest to conquer the entire country. They have seen the South uniting, so dividing themselves at this present time will be suicidal. Like they used Hausa to take over Hausa land, they are ready to use Shia and the willing tools from the South to take over the entire South.

The abduction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the arrest of Sunday Igboho prompted the release of Ibrahim Zakzaky. It is a strategic move. The Fulani is playing games. They are repositioning and planning for war. It is only the Southern leaders that keep shouting 'we don't want war', while the Fulani keep preparing for war. The release of Ibrahim Zakzaky is in line to this preparation.
Will Shia and Sunni unite to fight against the South? The answer is a yes. Will Bandits with the capability of shooting down a jet fighter unite with Boko Haram and ISWAP Terrorists to fight against the South, the answer is also a yes. The Fulani knows the importance of militias, reason they named a dangerous terrorist group bandits, and using the government apparatuses to protect them. They have paid millions of ransom to them, as to enable them acquire weapons.

With the release of Ibrahim Zakzaky, his aggrieved members have been settled. They will unite for the Northern interest. Didn't Ibrahim Zakzaky and his group join hands in 2015 to produce Buhari presidency? One thing both Sunni and Shia Muslims holds in common is their resolve to keep Nigeria forever One. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu spoke in condemnation, the illegal detention of Ibrahim Zakzaky. Will he and his group speak against the illegal rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu? Your guess is as good as mine.

The game of the Fulani is real. They are coming in full against the South. The question is, are southerners prepared for them and their willing tools?

Elochukwu Ohagi, Philosopher, Teacher And Activist, 2021.