A History Of Religious Violence

 

A History Of Religious Violence

 

Abstract

Violence in general terms has been a cancerous complaint that has continued to eat deep into the fabric of our society. Religious violence has for long hampered growth, concinnity and development in our society and our country at large. The conflicts had been studied by colorful scholars in an trouble to reconstruct the birth of the whole issue in Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria and Nigeria at large. still it’s on the bases that this design reconstruct the history of religious violence as it affect the people and government of Kaduna state from 1987 to 2011. It bandy religious violence, its causes and consequences in Kaduna. The experimenter concludes by advancing that within the period of study violence has been a recreating miracle in the History of Kaduna and also recommend ways or means through which this violence can be perfected.

Chapter One

Background Of The Study

Preface

Religious violence has its roots deep in the history of Kaduna State. As a state, Kaduna came into being in 1987 and in the same time religious violence erupted. Historically, Kaduna was part of Northern region in the three( 3) indigenous structures of 1954. Present day Kaduna was the capital of Northern region when Nigeria was restructured into twelve( 12) State on 27thMay 1967. It was named North Central State and latterly changed to Kaduna State in 1976. The old Kaduna had two businesses, Katsina and Zaria. On 23rd September, 1987 the state was resolve into two, Katsina fiefdom came a new state named Katsina state, while Zaria retained the name Kaduna.1 The name Kaduna is deduced from the Hausa word “ KADA ” meaning crocodile, and Kaduna is the plural word for crocodile. Main municipalities in Kaduna are Kaduna( megacity capital), Zaria, Kagoro, Kafachan, Kachia and Zonkwa. Kaduna State correspond of twenty- three( 23) different original government areas and there are Birnin, Gwari, Chikun. Giwa, Igabi, Ikara, Jaba, Jema’s, Kachia, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Kagarko, Kajuru, Kubau, Kudan, Lere, Makarfi, Sabon Gari, Sanga, Soba, Zangon Kataf and Zaria Local Government Areas. There are fifty- seven( 57) different langue spoken in Kaduna which includes Acipa in Eastern Birnin Gwari LGA, Amo in Saminaka LGA, Ashe Kachia in LGA, Aten inJema’a LGA, Atsam in Kachia LGA, Ayu inJema’a LGA, Bacama in Northeast of Kaduna city, Begbere- Ejar in Kachia LGA, Berom inJema’a LGA, Bina in Saminaka LGA, Cinda- Regi- Tiyal in Birnin Gwari LGA, Cori inJema’a LGA, Doka in Kachia LGA, Dungu in Saminaka LGA, Gbagyi in Kachia LGA, Gbari Gbiri- Niragu in Saminaka LGA, Gwandara in Kaduna State, Kachia LGA, Ham in Kachia andJema’a LGA’s, Hausa Idon in Kachia LGA, Idun inJema’a LGA, Iku- Gora- Ankwa in Kachia LGA, Ikulu in Kachia LGA, Irigwe in Saminaka LGA, Izere inJema’a LGA, Jere in Saminaka LGA, Jju in Kachia andJema’a LGA’s, Kadara in Kachia LGA, Kagoma inJema’a LGA, Kaivi in Saminaka LGA, Kamantan in Kachia LGA, Kaningkon- Nindem inJema’a LGA, Kanufi inJema’a LGA, Kinuku in Saminaka LGA, Kono in Saminaka LGA, Kurama in Saminaka and Ikara LGA’s, Kuturmi in Kachia LGA, Mada inJema’a LGA, Mala in Saminaka LGA, Nandu- Tari inJema’a LGA, Ningye inJema’a LGA, Ninzam inJema’a LGA, Nkwak in Birnin Gwari LGA, Numana- Nunku- Gwantu- Numbu inJema’a LGA, Piti in Saminaka LGA, Pongu Small figures In Kaduna Town, Ruma in Saminaka LGA, Shamang in Kachia andJama’a LGAs, Shama- Sambuga in Kaduna State, Birnin Gwari LGA, Sheni in Saminaka LGA, Surubu in Saminaka LGA, Tumi in Saminaka LGA, Tyap in Kachia, Saminaka, andJema’a LGA’s, Vono in Saminaka LGA, Yeskwa inJema’a LGA, Zhire in Kachia AndJama’a LGA, but Gbari and Hausa are the major bones .2

The issue of religious violence gained ascendance and came exacerbated in Kaduna State after the state was created in 1987. Religious violence in Kaduna State began in 1987 when there was a clash between Muslim and Christian scholars during the observation of the periodic evangelical week of fellowship of Christian scholars( FCS). The violence started at the College of Education in Kafanchan and latterly spread to Zaria, Kaduna and Katsina.3 Between 1988 and 2011, there were several cases of religious clashes in Kaduna State in which over 50,000 lives were lost. Over one million people were internally displaced and billions of naira lost.4 The continuity of this extremity ignites scholarly interrogation. This exploration work thus reconstructs the history of religious violence in Kaduna State. From 1987 up to 2011 several religious violence passed in the State, utmost of these violence surfaced from dissensions either between scholars or youths in the society and latterly exploded to clashes between Christians and Muslims in the State leading to losses in lives and property.