Islamic Nigeria has made a statement, a stand, and proclamation that they are the only ones born to rule Nigeria. They claim that they are the majority in population even without counting their farm animals. They feel no one else can lead that country without their political and economic support. They are willing to put Arabic on Nigerian currency (the Naira), make Nigeria an Islamic state, and put Arabic architecture on every federal building of the nation. I am in total support of all these ideas if Islam can give me the respect, health, peace of mind, and opportunities that I deserve as a Nigerian. Unfortunately, Islam will not be able to accomplish anything for Nigeria or Africa in the next million years. I will tell you why.

Unlike other philosophies that genuinely and fairly teach others to go far and wide to better themselves and their communities, Islam tends to bring everything back to Arab and to Mecca. Christians converts do not have to go to Rome, Judaism converts do have to go to Jerusalem, Hindus converts do not have to go to Asia, but Muslims are not only required to visit Mecca at least once, but must pray five times a day towards Mecca. I only imagine what our economy would have being like if every Nigerian that was "born to rule" prayed five times a day towards the oil in Delta, Cocoa in Oyo, Palm Kernel in Edo, Coal in Enugu, Kanji Dam around old Kwara, and the groundnut pyramids of Kano. I bet you that they would fight an! y force that tempered with these resources the same way they fight people who mention the name in vain or draw an image of the Arab prophet. I assure you that there will be better management of these resources.

When you bring it to the attention of an African Muslim that the word for slave, Black, or African in Arabic is the same, they are quick to reason with you that there is a difference between Islam and Arabic culture. Arabs say this to African faces in broad daylight even on African soil. A man that was born to rule is revered even by strangers. How can we separate religion from culture? Your culture is based on how you see God. An individual or society takes on the personality of their God. If it is interpreted that their God is nice to everyone, they try to be nice to everyone. If they interpret that their God hates strangers, they kill strangers. If the Arab culture from which Islam was derived say Africans are slave, then that is what you are under that religion if you are an African.

Think about it. After making all Nigerians speak Arabic, putting Arabic on the Naira notes, putting Nigeria among the Islamic nations, or getting federal grant to go to Mecca, will that guarantee constant electricity and water supply for our homes and businesses? This only means that you are truly a slave like your Arab master said and your only job requirement is to subdue your countrymen for Arab domination. When people successfully control the way you think and see things, you become their consumer instead of an independent producer that Nigeria should have been. Africa is poor today because everyone else dictates how we do! things. African Muslims will always tell you how powerful a Black man is in Islam. They say that a Black man was the first person to give the call to prayer in Islam. The shameful truth is that the Arab Prophet was determined to break the resistance of Mecca. After about 7 years of Mecca's resistance, the Prophet marched into Mecca bowed in humility. In order to defeat the Meccans (fellow Arabs) psychologically and install his new rule, he commanded one of his Black African slaves, to stand on top of a holy place to make a call for prayer in his name. According to the History or A&E Channel, the Prophet took the lowest of the low (an African by Arab standard) and placed him on what the original Meccans considered sacred. The Arab Prophet basically used the African to spit on the Meccans as a symbol of conquest. The Meccans were so offended that they left the city. This is not only as insult to Africa, but also to God that created the first human from and on African soil.

I still remember King Mansa Musa of Mali, who traveled to Mecca after he became a Muslim. Europeans even recorded it in their history books that when he came to visit his God, he brought so much gold freely that it affected the price of gold in Egypt and beyond for years. It is still studied in world history class in American grade schools to this day. Are we Africans not ashamed? Where is Mali today economically and where is its gold? Is Mali not the current ! poorest country in the world? It is like President Bush coming to Nigeria with so much corn that the price of corn drops by 90% throughout West Africa for 10 years and even China will have to record it. Instead, they will come and take our oil. What about the Islamic scholar from Sokoto, who had Arabic documents and books that were about 500 years old. People came from afar to resolve Islamic laws and history with him. Last year, a group of people who were "born to rule" came with clubs, cutlasses, and fire to burn down his library (home). They did burn down his home but did not kill him because they did not know who he was among the residents. The hoodlums were told that the scholar was not home and the reason why they came to kill him and burn his house was because what was quoted in Sokoto did not match what they said in Mecca. So they are prepared to destroy 500 years old of history and economic tourism in Nigeria just because Mecca is unhappy. This is dangerous.

Lastly, People have said that man proposes, but God disposes. We hear that Yar'Adua is so sick that he has not only gone to Germany for treatment, but also refuses to disclose his kind of illness. It seems that God is about to bring Goodluck to Nigeria, but those that claim that they were "born to rule" are interested in going against the constitution by putting the Nigerian Goodluck to the side. They want to maintain power by all means, because Yar'Adua represents "born to rule". Yar'Adua told BBC that he is healthy because he comes for medical check-up in Germany regularly and all his medical records are in Ger! many. Why not Mecca? Does that not sound like a slave and does a slave rule? Imagine the Queen of England going to Niger regularly for medical check-up or claiming that all her medical records are in Togo. Islamic Nigeria was "born to follow" and may our Goodluck from God be the beginning of the progressive trend.