THE NEW PASSPORT/ VISA POLICY FOR 2009 HAJJ

Editorial

Abubakar Usman

On his courtesy call to the comptroller General of the Nigeria immigration service, the chairman national hajj commission (NAHCON) Mal. Muhammad Musa Bello, disclosed the directives as contained in a letter from the Saudi Arabian authorities to the commission as regards 2009 hajj passports and visa issuance. According to Mal. Mohammad Bello, the issuance of the visas will only be
on international passports and not on hajj passports as used previously. The chairman averred that, “the new policy intends to make hajj operations hitch free...” and that it applies to all countries of the world and not just Nigeria alone. He added that the new measure could go a long way in curbing the menace of immigration irregularities.

Positive new developments are always welcome and are desirable for the good of all operations. What makes new development important is its substance and relevance in the light of its objectives.

Hajj operations are by every means beyond a mere immigration exercise. So it is contestable to say that the new policy would result in hitch free hajj operations. Immigration remains an aspect of hajj operations which’s success cannot translate to hitch free hajj operations as a whole.

More so, It is contestable to say that the policy can solve common immigration problems as standard international passports have always been used for the purpose of umrah and hajj by tour operators. And the kinds of immigration problems that the new passport regime seeks to address are still prevalent and unabated. Even the nascent experiment with the E-passport did not perform any miracle either.

However, the new system may be said to have some inherent benefits. It can actually help in checking the problem of other people using passports meant for others. Though not any different from what the hajj passport can still do. The new passport is also like a re-alignment with new global developments. It can be laudable for its susceptibility to modern high-tech processes.

As the chairman said, the policy is applicable to all countries of the world. But countries like India have since despatched a delegation to Saudi Arabia to canvass for a two year moratorium on the implementation of the policy for India. Even though according to them, they are fully ready to comply.

It is our opinion that the National Hajj Commission, whilst working to conform with the policy demands, should also brainstorm along with all stakeholders on the real underlying issues involve in the policy and how it affects Nigeria and the way forward. By these we may have a case to register with the Saudis just like the Indians.

THE BLACK STONE, A Marker and a Tradition

THE BLACK STONE

By Nazir Asri

The black stone or hajr Aswad set up five feet from the ground in the south-eastern corner of Ka’aba has always been an object of interest for Muslims and non- Muslims alike. The black reddish coloured stone, with

a 30-centimetre diameter and surrounded by a silver frame, is the starting point for the Muslims doing tawaf of the Ka’aba.

Tawaf is an Arabic word meaning to circle, compass or move around something. A person performing hajj, umra or just visiting the grand mosque in makka is required to circle or circumbulate the Ka’aba seven times to complete tawaf. Each one of the seven rounds begins by kissing or caressing or by simply waving at the black stone.

The holly Quran refers to Makkah and harram as: “the first sanctuary appointed for mankind was that at Bakka a blessed place, guidance to the peoples.” (Ali Imran, 96)

Since hundreds, and even thousands of people circumbulate the Ka’aba round the clock at times it is difficult to reach the black stone. Scholars agree that in such a situation it is enough to simply wave in the direction of the black stone from any distance at the start of each round. There are neon lights on the ground floor as well as on the first and second floor indicating the direction of the black stone.

Until recently there use to be a line on the floor of the haram showing the direction of the black stone on the line at each round to read the starting supplication. Many people even started offering sallah (prayer) on the line itself thus coming in the way of smooth flow of people moving around the Ka’aba. So the authorities removed the line to the relief of pilgrims in general.

The Ka’aba is nearly in the middle of the haram as it was built through the centuries around this most holy of sites, in the shape of a big, high cube with a height of 15 metres.

The door is at its eastern wall. Two meters above the ground. It is made of solid gold but has changed throughout history. The four corners of Ka’aba are the Black Stone corner, the shami corner (referring to the most north-eastern corner), the yemani corner (the south-western corner) and the Iraqi corner. The top of the northern wall there is the mizab a water drain element which is made of pure gold.

The black stone, though having such a significance as the starting point for the tawaf, is not been mentioned at all in the holy Quran. But we do find some traditions of prophet mohammad (pbuh) regarding the black stone. Kitab Al-Haj in tirmidhi quotes the prophet as saying: “The black Stone descended from heaven, when it was whiter than milk, but people’s sin has blackened it.”

In Bukhari, volume 3 book 26, number 667 Abis bin Rabia is quoted as saying: “caliph umar came near the black stone and kissed it and said, ‘No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah’s apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you.”

A Jeddah based scholar Dr Syed Saeed Ahsan Abdi has debunked the belief that the black stone is the right hand of Allah Almighty and whoever caresses it, he pledges never to violate his rules or that, those who did not have the opportunity to express allegiance at the hands of prophet mohammad (pbuh) can do so by caressing the stone. He said the hadith is totally fake because one of its narrators was Aban Bin Abi Ayash, who was known for inventing Ahadith.

Though the black stone is the starting point for tawaf, there was a period in Islamic history when it was missing from Ka’aba. But this did not come in the way of the tawaf. In the year 317 H /980 AD. The karamathians removed the black stone during their mad merry making. They carried it away with them to their territory in Al-ahsa (in the Arabian gulf). After keeping it there for over 20 years, they returned it back to Makka in the year339 H. In such an event the shariah maintains that the pilgrim shall perform his tawaf without the black stone. Instead of the black stone the pilgrim shall touch its place at the corner of the Ka’aba or point to its spot and continue with tawaf. Thus the total absence of the stone itself makes no difference in the validity of tawaf and pilgrimage.

Culled from Hajj and Umra magazine

SUCCESSES AND STILL COUNTING

By Abubakar Usman
elsardyx@yahoo.com

As a wise saying goes, “No matter how big your success is, there is always room for improvement…..and perfection, though seemingly remote, is the goal of the ambitious.
For all progressive minds within and outside the hajj industry, the hallmark of successes in the hajj business in Nigeria has been epitomized remarkably by the
national honors award scored within the sector earlier in the year.
There are some salient issues that need to be highlighted to buttress the real worth of the national honors award scored by a hajj practitioner within the industry-for excellence in the field.
The national honors’ is like a contest among diverse national sectors both the prominent and the less prominent and stemming from uneven chances and positions. Just as it is a contest among several thousands of notable performers around the nation. The tightness of the road leading to becoming an honoree of a nation makes the credentials for such attainment really worth some salt even without any mention.
Also, considering the lowly position of the hajj sector in the scheme of priorities of Nigeria’s political will, any contribution that was able to attract such an a glory to the way of hajj practice most be extraordinarily awful. .
This is what makes that award not just the pride of Mal. Abdullahi Muktar, the executive secretary of Kaduna state Muslim pilgrims welfare board but the pride of Kaduna. It is even more the pride of the Nigerian hajj sector.
But fundamentally and most importantly it is more the pride of the dedicated members of management and staff of the board who are the policy drivers and foot soldiers but the unsung heroes of the successes of the institution. The award simply shows our mutual productivity under the spirited stewardship of the executive secretary. We therefore share fully and directly in the glory just as he dedicated it.
Indeed, it is the contribution of the spirits of right leadership and followership that results in achievements unimagined. It is the prevalence of such a positive spirit in Kaduna state Muslim pilgrims welfare board that has resulted in Kaduna state been an undisputed role model in the hajj business Nigeria over. Is it not a dictum that “Kaduna initiates, innovates and experiments and others adopt? Is it not a thing of pride that other states come to us to under-study the way we operate with a view to improving their operational base just like Niger state did last year? Wise people say you never appreciate your true worth until others come calling or when changes set in. Our achievements for last year’s/hajj can be said to surpass all our ambitions. More grease to our elbows.
As we continue to sow the seeds for better hajj delivery and continue to count our successes, let us exalt with praise of Allah. Indeed he is the beneficent.

2007 elections: A do or die affair indeed

By Abubakar Usman Yusuf

elsardyx@yahoo.com

Expressions and remarks are normal reflections of mindsets which are further manifested by actions.

Some months leading to the 2007 elections, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo the president of Nigeria remarked that, “2007 election would be a do or die affair. A lot of commentators, critics and opposition forces took him up for such a callous statement. The criticism thus appears to center on the fact that such a statement was unbecoming of a leader. And also that it tends to indicate the possibility of

rigging the election at all cost.

Taking into cognizance the events surrounding the elections, one thing that the critics of Obasanjo’s remarks seem to have underestimated was the actual weight of such a remark.

Most people thought it was going to be rigging as usual or at most with slight modifications and aggressiveness. Some opposition parties were hence confident that whatever the president was up to, the masses could checkmate it especially by way of “ A kasa, a tsare a kuma raka” a Hausa dictum as propounded by General Muhammadu Buhari to mean mandate protection as adopted by the masses in kano in 2003, and Bauchi in 2007.

However, Buhari’s theory failed the test of 2007 election because we are dealing with a president who really appreciates the threats of mandate protection at a national scale. The discomfort of Mr. Obasanjo to the threat of mandate protection was indicated by the unprecedented well orchestrated media campaign sponsored by INEC to discourage mandate protection movement and portray it as an “illegitimate act”. By this campaign people were constantly reminded to cast their vote and leave the election venue immediately. As if 2007 is the beginning of mandate protection in Nigeria.

As an election observer in Kaduna, having waited from eight o’clock am to around 3’oclork pm without any sign of polling officials coming to the polling station or any other one around, and couple with the news I recieved over the BBC world’s English service radio, that the problem is a common one, I decided to take a ride around to other areas of the metropolis to see things for my self. As I go around confirming same, I was perplexed as to whether the elections have been shifted or else we are about to witness the incidences of 2003 by which certain states in which election did not take place came up with and announce election results.

The most astonishing part of my fact finding ride was when I came about a group of people recounting the problem of absence of electoral officials at polling units. In the cause of their conversations one of them, in reference to the unavailability of election materials said, “I did not know that they fear Buhari this much!” It was as if a pinch of inspiration has been injected into me.

I immediately remembered Obasanjos remarks that, the election was going to be a do or die one. I als recalled the unprecedented warlike magnitude of security beef up around the metropolis and some other factors. Together these mutually re-enforcing factors synchronized in my memory to assure me that we are indeed in for a do or die election.

More’ so the president couldn’t have made such a sarcastic remark for nothing.

But then, be as it may, a callous political statement, what could have been the motive for such an unguarded remark which has been followed by actions? What else could have led an out going president to go to such an extent in altering the mandate of over 140 million country men at gun point? Shouldn’t a septuagenarian lame duck president be working or thinking of what good legacies to bequeath to his nation? Why most the imposition of leadership go to the extent of do or die?

I ask these questions because I know that credibility is a feat that every one struggle to attain and maintain. The crave for credibility among humans is common. Even dictators, despots, robbers, mischief makers and even devils aspire to be credible regardless of there nefarious activities. This is why such persons conceal and disguise their activities. But in a situation where the president acts publicly to squander his own hard earned credibility without a hoot, and at a time when he needs it most calls for even more questions.

If we are to apply the African adage, “ whatever drives a lizard into fire most be hotter than the fire its self” in appraising Mr. presidents remarks and actions we would be left with no answer than the fact that, what is at stake is more disgracing than the remarks and actions of Mr. president.

In order to better appreciate what is at stake to warrant the president’s actions it is good to review his actions in decoding what actually is at stake.

The president started this game by aiming to be a life president which a lot of spectators have identified but was only confirmed on the occasion of the botched 3rd term brouhaha which attempted to use every available means especially the criminal means of altering constitutional review draft resolutions but to no avail. After the failure of the third term agenda, Mr. president drew the battle line to deal with all the forces that fought his botched agenda. He proceeded to intimidate the presidential aspirants in his party by way of EFCC and further stage managed the PDP primaries to pave way for his anointed candidate, umaru musa ‘Yar’Adua. After pacifying his party for his anointed ‘Yar’Adua, he crossed over to the formidable opposition party the ANPP and again using the EFCC he succeeded in getting two governors of the party to cross carpet to his party. Another two had to forsake the party and when the heat became more some of these governors moved to exile in disguise. As if this is not enough the president went further to use his INEC chattel to illegally disqualify some other presidential candidates found to be threats and easy rides. After all he bore his mind to Nigerians that the election was going to be a do or die affair. He realized this threat by using INEC and state security apparatuses to coerce, intimidate and frustrate the will and resilience of Nigeria for change. A do or die affair indeed.

To discern what is at stake by deductive reasoning it can be said that the president’s action cannot be said to have arose out of party fanatism as he would have allowed a free and fair party primaries and work for the party at general elections. The president cannot also be said to be acting in gratitude since he has bite the fingers that fed him. IBB in 1999 and Atiku in 2003. He is not also doing it for the fun of it as he is injuring himself in the process. If we go on and on we would be left with naught but question what is skeleton is in the president’s cupboard? All the shoddy and shadowy deals of the regime as embedded in the so called economic reforms of the regime, the unprecedented increase in wealth in the light of verifiable expenditure, disposal of Abacha loot, fraudulent privatization and sales of public utilities and assets etc. It is noteworthy that the pivot of the economic reforms (Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala) had to be disgraced out of office for not compromising. We can also remember the publicisation of the monthly earnings of Ota farm to around $250,000 (N30, 000,000) perhaps to justify and neutralize any possible reference in the future. Still fresh in our minds is the botched Transcorp deal in which the president assumed a position in a private company and with a paid up stake that could not be justified by the presidents own purse. He lied to the nation that it was a loan he got from a bank. He was however muted when asked about the collateral security he used to obtain the loan.

As a saying goes, there is a lot more to that which meets an eye. So also is it that, a lot is at stake than that which meets our eyes as to warrant a do or die elections. However, another saying goes, sun is going to shine on everything you do. The late Dele Giwa also once said, “No evil shall go unpunished…, if not now then certainly later, if not by man then God. Lo! Those who connived and rob over 140 million people of there mandate cannot be said to fear God or whatever happens in the hereafter no matter how they profess or claim to be religious.

The problem of Nigeria has always been that of efficient and selfless leadership. Leadership ineptitude has been the bane of all other problems surrounding the country. Nothing that works excellently well in other countries seem to work even at the lowest tolerable limits in Nigeria. And the people have to remain helpless because the change of leadership baton is in their hands only in principles. But in practice the baton is exchanged from one pre-anointed and favored person to the other at all cost. Worse still is the fact that there is no end in sight.

Nothing good should be expected from a government of stolen mandate or is it a robbed mandate? This is because such an illegitimate government like a military rule derives its mandate from greed and selfishness and would thus remain to serve such a cause. The cause of the people is just by the way. A similitude can be drawn from president Obasanjo himself. Been a person who has never been in power by the will of the people, virtually all his policies are anti people. The last illustration is in the 2007 elections. Another good example of stolen mandate is that of President Bush’s unpopular policies in the United States. Further more, a person whose motive it is to actually work genuinely for the betterment of his people most be a principled person who wouldn’t have succumbed to lead in such a completely dubious arrangement.

Any nation that cannot boast of an inch of progress in organizing the minimum most tolerable limits of an acceptable elections at 47 years of age and is in reverse retrogressing from bad to worse is the most unserious nation on earth. Its future is bleak while it treads towards the quintessential abyss.

As a youth growing in a like nation, my feeling is that of disappointment and disenchantment with the scheme of things which cannot be changed in my country because our votes do not matter. No one can get anything in Nigeria without influence, there is no level playing ground, competence and handwork are of no value etc. what manner of a nation? Should the only option left be to take refuge in other countries? If so what class of a refugee could we constitute? Economic immigrants? Political immigrants? Or may be a new form of refugee status for Nigerians- s“frustrated immigrants?! (Sic).

We are in a real dilemma, God forbid. May God see us through.

Abubakar Usman is of No 25 gwamna \

Road,po Box 2059 Kaduna.

Email: elsardyx@yahoo.com