The predominant religion of
northern Nigeria is Islam. Nigeria first came into contact with Islamic
education in the ninth century. It was
however in 1800s that Islam was firmly established in north of the country
following a successful holy war by Othman Dan Fodio who was of Fulani extraction.
His war was waged against the Hausa people that predominantly inhabit the
north. This led to the establishment of
Sokoto town from where the religion further spread to other parts of the
northern region.
Western education came to Nigeria
in the mid-nineteen century. This was in the southern part of the country. It was
only in 1907 that the first western-styled school was established in the north
in the town of Zaria but lasted for only two years. An enduring western school
was later established in 1909. There was, thus, a long period of maturity of
Islam in the region between the 1800s when it was introduced and 1909 when the
first conventional school found a foothold in the region.
Around the world, there is always
rivalry between Arabic and Western cultures. In Northern Nigeria, this is not
only the case but the rivalry appears very severe. This explains why
introducing western cultural elements in the north has always been extremely
difficult compared to doing the same in the south. The challenge in education
is the same. The girl-child school enrolment rate according to a United Nations
report of 2011 is as low as 20% and 25% in the northeast and northwest of the
country respectively compared to 85% in the Southwest and Southeast.
The north of the country where
there are these low school enrolment figures are among their poorest in the
country. on the other hand, other states with high school enrolment figures are
seen to relatively lower poverty rates and are also comparatively peaceful.
Also nations with high level of educational enrolment and high literacy rates
boast of high level of tolerance, progress and peace.
The fighting that broke out in
Jos in 2001 was a result of a dispute over who should head the National Poverty
Eradication Program (NAPEP) in Jos-North of Plateau State. The indigenous
tribes felt a Hausa leader of the agency will not be fair to them while the
Hausa settlers also felt an indigenous leader will not be fair to them. Thus
poverty was the main drive that sparked the conflict that year. One of the most effective way of avoiding
poverty and preventing conflict is by educating and empowering the people to
find good-paying jobs.
Educational institutions like
schools bring people across tribal and religious lines into one classroom.
Sitting in a common class for many years results in better understanding and
trust for people across these lines of division. Being in the same class also
builds a feeling of fellowship and ‘brotherhood’ among people from diverse
backgrounds and minimizing chances of conflicts. This underscores the
significance of integration in avoiding conflict and disturbing the peace of a
community.
People with education are in a
better position to travel widely around the world. The exposure enables them to
study other nations to see how an overwhelming level of literacy has helped to
entrench peace and prosperity in those nations. This realization is also
possible through studies of the developed nations. Only educated people are in
a position to get involved in such studies that help people to see the
connection between education and peace.
Education also enables people to
understand the laws and policies of governments and to try to comply with these
laws and policies. A recent incident
that has, again, shown the linked between illiteracy and conflict was the
killing of 23 policemen on May 9th, by a cult group named Ombatse in the
central Nigerian state of Nassarawa. The group justified its action by saying
that they were conducting their activities without bordering anyone and asked
why the police should interfere with their activities by following them to
their shrine with the intention of arresting their leader. Only education can
help people to understand that nobody is above the law and that people are
expected to cooperate with the police in its efforts to ensure safety and
security in the land.
Education changes the mindset of
people by making them disciplined, self-esteemed and orderly. Often they prefer
to stay in quieter and peaceful parts of towns usually referred to as Government
Reserved Areas (GRA). The experience in
Nigeria is that whenever there is a conflict, such parts of town are usually
not affected.
Educated people often have big dreams or
ambitions. They plan their lives to enable them achieve such goals. They are
aware that the absence of peace brings a chaotic atmosphere under which their
dreams cannot be achieved. On the other hand, uneducated people are mostly
despondent. This despondency is what often pushes them into causing disorder so
that every one becomes a loser. At times criminal elements among the poor cause
such disorders and use the disorderly circumstance to loot.
Prevention of conflict and
engendering peace in northern Nigeria can only be achieved through serious and
concerted efforts towards educating the people. This can be achieved through making
education compulsory within the region and working hard to enforce the law
backing such a policy.
One factor that has worked
against educational progress in Nigeria is the lack of decent learning
environments. Thus the Provision of the infrastructural base necessary for the
improvement of education and constantly maintaining them to ensure a decent,
attractive and conducive learning environment will go a long way towards
encouraging school enrollment in the region.
Better education can also come
from comprehensive curriculum. Thus upgrading the curriculum to improve the
quality of education within the region will go a long way towards bringing the
good returns of good education including peace.
Any ambition of providing
education will not work in a society where the teachers lack interest in the
job. teachers must be paid adequately and regularly to encourage them in their
jobs and avoid a steady exodus of manpower in the sector as we have seen over
the decades.
Nigerian electoral laws demands a
candidate to, among other qualifications, possess a minimum of a School Certificate
to aspire to any political position in the country. In view of the fact that
the school system in Nigeria has been neglected for so long, many holders of
such certificate are actually poorly educated. It is the reason why using
education to build peace and prevent conflict must also involve the proper education
of some of the leaders. Leaders must be educated to understand the significance
of sacrifice by being contented with what is duly and legally theirs. It is the
only way resources can percolate from the administrative offices at the top to
the classroom at the bottom.
Since fairness and justice is
imperative in peace building and conflict prevention, leaders must be educated
to see the significance of non-interference in judicial processes when
relations are involved. The steady pressure mounted on President Goodluck
Jonathan by the northern leadership forum to grant amnesty to Boko Haramists
that have killed about 4000 people in its bid to introduce Sharia Law in
Nigeria from 2008 is seen by many as rocking the boat of justice, a situation
which will only complicate the shattered peace in northern Nigeria.
Leaders must be educated to understand the
significance of integration of people. In places like Kaduna and Jos where
conflict has led to the segregation of living quarters and markets for instance,
the local and national political leaders seem to be doing nothing to bring the
people together. This represents stagnation in efforts for peace and should
end.
Non-Governmental Organizations
must continue to receive encouragement through funding to continue educating
people on how to build peace and prevent conflicts that could occur in future.
It is only when these or some of
these issues are earnestly addressed that a lasting peace could be attained in
Northern Nigeria.
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