One Umar had raised very fundamental issues on the new tax reform bills, with special regards to Muslim inheritors of a Deceased, vis a viz some provisions of the tax bills, presented to the National Assembly, currently.

Yet, it would seem he is right, because of the provisions of certain parts of our constitution that RECOGNIZE, and thus have GIVEN STAMP OF APPROVAL, to Islamic Law.

Yet again, this raises the contradictions in
Nigeria’s Constitution, which had made some critics of it to say that the Constitution is a liar.

Once such allegations are made, then it raises the issue of, both the legality and morality of us Nigerians, being ruled by a liar.

The constitution claims not to have adopted any religion, as a state religion, yet in that same constitution , it tells the lie that the people of Nigeria, gave themselves that constitution, and moreover, it inserted in that constitution, certain Islamic provisions, to the exclusion of other religions.

These are the contradictions in the Nigerian constitution and the Nigerian State. These contracdictions would seem to be saying , that indirectly,
the Constitution affirms we are not one, yet in another, you are .

In one breathe you claim you do not affirm to any religion as a state religion, yet in another , you make provisions in your grund-norm ( the Constitution ) , on a specific religion. Is it not hypocrisy by the state ?

Thank you Umar Ardo ,for your deep thoughts, and your raising of very fundamental and controversial , issues with regards to the Executive Tax Reform Bills, which, if implemented, would mean the further tinkering, with the religious injunctions, most specifically, those of the Sharia ( and invariably Islam), in the proposed tax bills ,before the National Assembly.

We do not know yet what the Christians, and the adherants of other religions, would say yet, on the implications on their religions, and their lives as Nigerians .

Nigeria had always told us the lie that it has not adopted any religion as a “state religion” .

Yet, it had copiously , made provisions, on the Sharia, which governs the Muslims, and thus adopting, silently, but albeit, loudly, Islam as a state religion.

The Muslims are right to raise this up, at this time, on the tax issue , because Islamic provisions are in our current constitution.

Flowing from this , even some Northern states, attempted to, in the past, and indeed, adopted Sharia, more specifically, and loudly, as their state law, thereby making the often declared statement that Nigeria has not adopted any religion, as a state religion, nonsensical, and deceitful.

Yet majority of Nigerians keep quiete, on this deciet.
I have even had the priviledge of listening to some Professors , who are adherents of Islam, congratulating Muslims, in their successes, albeit, incrementally, in Nigeria’s constitution– making, and I had always wondered whether we were already, either in a jihadic situation, or even in one country at all, as is often decietfully, declared.

Now would seem to be the ripe time, for Nigerians to tell each other the truth, and now, will be the time for the Nigerian authorities to take a definite stand, on the issue of religion, with regards to the state; more so now, under a Muslim/Muslim Presidential ticket.

The role of religion should be, I feel, to unite this diverse country (through the religious principles that unite humanity ), and not through the efforts of misinformed, uneducated, zealots, who may be deliberately, through their actions and words, fanning the embers of religious hate, divide, and war.

This is the time that the Federal Government should come out, by its thoughts, words, and deeds, to declare the correct status of Nigeria as either having adopted a particular religion, as a state religion, or to refute claims that it has adopted any, as a state religion. This is the time.

This is the time. We have had enough of hypocrisy and lies, on the part of our constitution, on this. If it is true that Nigerians have accepted the present state of things, as contained in their constitution, which is reputed to have told a lot of lies and contradictions, this is the time; it is the time to tell.

This is the time, to fully give the Muslims what belongs to them. This is also the time to give the Christians and other religious adherents what rightly belongs to them. This is the time.

This is the time, through a transparent referendum, to re-enact our constitution, as it should be, and give the truth instead of a lie as to all the claims in it.

This is the time to give the constitution the true title of a lie, and not a truth, and to continue to live within lie, or to change it to reflect the truth.

This is the time to think, say, and do, what is true and what is right, in the name of justice, equity, fair play, equality, and good conscience. This is the time. And this is the time.

J.D.EPHRAIM.