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Letter From Africa: Culture Clash Over Nigeria's Rival Alphabets
~47.3 mins read
Image copyrightAFP
In our series of letters from African journalists, Mannir Dan Ali, former editor-in-chief of the Daily Trust newspaper, looks at what a row over Arabic script reveals about Nigeria's divides.
A lawyer has asked a court in Nigeria's commercial city of Lagos to compel the country's central bank to remove the Arabic script which appears on most naira banknotes. The lettering states the note's currency value.
He also wants the army to stop using the Arabic inscription: "Victory is from God", on its logo.
The move is likely to reopen an old controversy over the use of Arabic script, which some see as an attempt to Islamise the country.
But many seem unaware that the Arabic script used to write in several African languages is known as "Ajami".
It was the first means of literacy on the continent, centuries before Western colonisers and Christian missionaries arrived with their Roman script and its A-Z alphabet.
Among others, Swahili in East Africa, Tamashek, the language of the Tuaregs in North and West Africa, and Nigerian languages like Kanuri, Nupe, Yoruba, Fulfulde and Hausa all use Ajami.
Scholars and administrators in the Sokoto Caliphate, which dominated much of present-day northern Nigeria in the 19th Century, used Ajami to write many documents and books.
Image copyrightHEBA AMIN
Image captionA portrait of Nana Asma'u, from the book Extraordinary Women of the Muslim World, who wrote several texts in Hausa and Fulfulde using Ajami in the 19th CenturyNana Asma'u, the daughter of Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, who founded the caliphate, was a renowned and prolific poet - and probably the first woman to write several books in Hausa and Fulfulde using Ajami.
More than 150 years after her death, it is Ajami Hausa, not Arabic, that is on the naira notes.
Religious fault line
Deep division and suspicion have been the lot of Nigeria since British colonisers amalgamated the northern and southern parts of the country, alongside the colony of Lagos, in 1914.
To this day, some politicians still refer to it as "the mistake of 1914".
The divisions are fed by the different cultures, religions and worldviews of the people brought together into one country.
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Even though the label "largely Muslim north and mainly Christian south" used by the media does not reflect the true complexities of Nigeria, it does capture one of its main fault lines.
This background explains the ebb and flow of the case now before a Lagos court.
The row first began a decade ago when, to commemorate Nigeria's 50th anniversary, the 50 naira note was redesigned. Four years later for the centenary of the country's creation, the 100 naira too was updated.
It provoked a strong reaction across the Christian-Muslim divide when Roman script was used to write the value in Hausa instead of Ajami.
An article on the subject by the New Yorker magazine summarised it by saying : "Some Christians supported the move as a step towards de-Islamising Nigeria, while many Muslims called it Islamophobia."
Image copyrightMANNIR DAN ALI
Image captionThe 50 naira note has Roman script with the value written in English, Hausa, Igbo and YorubaIt is obvious that those opposed to the use of Arabic script on Nigeria's currency or emblems see it as an expression of Islamic identity owing to the origin of Arabic as the language of Islam and the initial use of Ajami as a means of spreading Islam on the African continent.
They fail to see that they are falling into the mindset of Boko Haram, as the Islamist militants who have been waging an 11-year insurgency in northern Nigeria are equally opposed to anything connected with Western education and ideas.
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionThe different scripts are intended to ensure all Nigerians can read the value of the notesThe Ajami writing on each naira note is for the benefit of the tens of millions of Hausa speakers, who can only read and write in that script, which is taught in schools across the north.
Such people could go to court to argue that their own rights were being infringed should the Ajami inscription be removed.
Africa's 'triple heritage'
As the debate about the Arabic script rages on, some on social media have been quick to show that in Israel, its currency, the shekel, has Arabic inscriptions for the benefit of the minority Arab population there.
Image copyright@HQNIGERIANARMY
Image captionArabic was included on the Nigeria army logo to deflect criticism that the star looked like a Jewish symbolThe army logo is actually in Arabic, included by its designer, a Christian from southern Nigeria, to deflect criticism that the six-pointed star that sits below the eagle looked like a Jewish symbol, the Star of David.
It may also be worth noting what the late Kenyan writer and political scientist Ali Mazrui called "the triple heritage of Africa" - its Arab Islamic influence, Christian colonial experience and indigenous culture.
None of the three can be wished away by anyone who is aiming at an inclusive society.
As one person told the New Yorker in objection to the centenary naira redesign: ''If you still have English and it is not Christianising, why is the one in Arabic Islamising?"
Whatever the court may decide on the matter, it is unlikely to be the last word on this emotive issue.
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Garbamahmud4
World Leaders Congratulate Biden, Focus On Unity.
~6.3 mins read
World leaders rushed to congratulate US president-elect Joe Biden, with many expressing hopes of unity and cooperation following four years of explosive Donald Trump diplomacy.
While Trump refused to accept the results of the election, many world leaders made it clear they backed the announcement that Biden had won with running mate Kamala Harris:
– Nigeria –
President Muhammadu Buhari, leader of Africa’s most populous nation, called for “greater engagement†with the continent.
He said he looked forward to “enhanced cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, especially at economic, diplomatic and political levels, including especially on the war against terrorismâ€.
– Germany –
“Congratulations!†said Chancellor Angela Merkel. “I wish luck and success from the bottom of my heart.
“Our transatlantic friendship is irreplaceable if we want to overcome the great challenges of our times,†she said in a tweet issued by a government spokesman.
– Britain –
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated Biden “on his election as President of the United States and Kamala Harris on her historic achievement.
“The US is our most important ally and I look forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security.â€
– Ireland –
Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheal Martin was one of the first to take to Twitter, tweeting: “I want to congratulate the new President Elect of the USA @JoeBiden. Joe Biden has been a true friend of this nation throughout his life and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead. I also look forward to welcoming him back home when the circumstances allow!â€
– Greece –
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted: “Congratulations to US President-Elect @JoeBiden. Joe Biden has been a true friend of Greece and I’m certain that under his presidency the relationship between our countries will grow even stronger.â€
– Italy –
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tweeted: “We are ready to work with the President-elect @JoeBiden to make the transatlantic relationship stronger. The US can count on Italy as a solid Ally and a strategic partner.â€
– Spain –
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted: “Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. We wish you good luck and all the best. We are looking forward to cooperating with you to tackle the challenges ahead of us.â€
– Israel –
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, called Biden a “great friend of Israelâ€, congratulating him and Harris on their victory.
He tweeted: “I look forward to working with both of you to further strengthen the special alliance between the US and Israel.â€
– Iraq –
President Barham Saleh extended “warmest congratulations†to Biden, describing him as “a friend and trusted partner in the cause of building a better Iraq. We look forward to working to achieve our common goals and strengthening peace and stability in the entire Middle Eastâ€.
– Egypt –
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt, the most populous Arab country, looked forward to “strengthening strategic bilateral ties between Egypt and the US in the interest of both countries and peoplesâ€.
– Jordan –
The King of Jordan, Abdullah II, tweeted his congratulations to the pair: “I look forward to working with you on further advancing the solid historic partnership between Jordan and the United States, in the interest of our shared objectives of peace, stability and prosperity.â€
– Canada –
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “I look forward to working with President-elect Biden, Vice President-elect Harris, their administration, and the United States Congress as we tackle the world’s greatest challenges together.â€
– Australia –
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison wished Biden and Harris “every successâ€.
“The Australia-US Alliance is deep and enduring, and built on shared values. I look forward to working with you closely as we face the world’s many challenges together,†he said on Twitter.
– New Zealand –
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a popular leader who had verbally jousted with Trump, congratulated Biden and Harris in a tweet focused on cooperation.
“With so many issues facing the international community, your message of unity is one we share. New Zealand looks forward to working with you both!â€
– Indonesia –
Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed his “warmest congratulations†to Biden and Harris. He said: “The huge turn out is a reflection of the hope placed on democracy.â€
– Japan –
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga focused his congratulatory message on security issues.
“Warm congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. I look forward to working with you to further strengthen the Japan-US Alliance and ensure peace, freedom, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,†Suga wrote on Twitter.
– South Korea –
South Korean President Moon Jae-in tweeted: “Congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. Our alliance is strong and the bond between our two countries is rock-solid. I very much look forward to working with you for our shared values.â€
– India –
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Biden’s win as “spectacular†while highlighting Harris’s Indian heritage.
“Your success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans,†Modi said in a tweet to Harris.
“Chitti†is a Tamil term of endearment for the younger sisters of one’s mother, which Harris used in her acceptance of the Democratic nomination for vice president.
– Afghanistan –
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said ties between Kabul and Washington would deepen over counterterrorism as he congratulated Biden.
“Afghanistan looks forward to continuing/deepening our multilayered strategic partnership w/ the United States — our foundational partner — including in counterterrorism & bringing peace to Afghanistan,†Ghani wrote on Twitter.
– South Africa –
President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Twitter his government looked forward to “working with you and deepening our bonds of friendship and cooperationâ€.
– Mexico –
However, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said it was too soon to congratulate Biden and he would wait for “all legal issues†in the US election to be resolved.
“We don’t want to be imprudent. We don’t want to act lightly and we want to respect people’s self-determination and rights,†Lopez Obrador, who has had good relations with Trump, told reporters.
– NATO –
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg described Biden as a “strong supporter of our Allianceâ€.
Stoltenberg, who often had to adapt to Trump making unexpected announcements about US troop drawdowns from NATO deployments, said in a tweet he looked forward to working with Biden.
“A strong NATO is good for both North America and Europe,†he said.
AFP.
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