Dear Most Reverend Bishop Kukah:
Thank you very much for your statement, in which you condemned in strong terms the very inhuman act of death by lynching and arson (or burning) perpetuated against our Nigerian Sister Deborah Yakubu, sadly done in the name of Islam by murderous students of an institution named after one of the most peacful and civilized Political Leaders that Nigeria ever had, the late ex-President Shehu Shagari. What a most painful way for Sister Deborah Yakubu to die: to be knockked out cold and set ablaze, very similar in painful terms to what is happening today to innocent children and women of Ukraine! All over and helplessly, it is also: "Why? Why? Why? And, indeed, How?" Similar to Russia's senseless war in Ukraine, which the civilized world is afraid to intervene because the crooked fingers of Russia and its leaders are on their amassed nuclear arsenal at the expense of the non-nuclear nations!!
Hopefully, Bishop Kukah, a forthright religious Leader in our cruel world, will make sure that our Sister Deborah Yakubu will one day be beaitified and declared a Saint, no matter to which religious denomination she belonged, if my Patron Saint Stephen was, similarly, stoned to death (but not set ablaze). What a really painful way to die in the year 2022!!! After all, in our research for our new book manusscript, "Muhammad Ali and Africa", we heard the late heavy-weight boxing great, Muhammad Ali, loudly condeming the horrible 9/11 incident, also perpetrated in the name of Islam: Ali said clearly-cum-loudly that "Islam of our day is a gentle and peaceful religion". Was he wrong?
As I keep on thinking of the cruel as well as painful murder of Sister Yakubu in Sokoto, I also remember the 1970s' song, "Sweet Mother", with its agonizing refrain: "...Tears on my pillow". Many of ushave had tears dripping on our cheeks and unto our pillows thinking of the savagery act in faraway Sokoto, where we understand hat Muslims and Chrisinas have co-habited in peace for decades. If so, why now?
Our dear Sister Deborah Yakubu-- a future Saint Deborah Yakubu -- Rest In Peace (R.I.P.); we will all see you one day in Heaven, if we qualify -- like you did -- to get there. Amen!!!!
A.B. Assensoh.
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Rev. A.B. Assensoh, LL.M., PH.D.,
Co-Book Review Editor, African & Asian Studies Journal,
Professor Emeritus (Indiana University),
Courtesy Professor Emeritus (University of Oregon),
Department of History,
McKenzie Hall (2nd Floor), University of Oregon,
Eugene, OR 97403, U.S.A.
Telephone: (541) 953-7710
Fax: (541) 346-6576
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Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2022 7:41 PM
To: dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [External] Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Lynching in Sokoto
To all my Muslim Friends:
I hope you have been following the troubling news of the lynching in Sokoto. See one report below. The videos are hard to watch. All men and women of faith must join hands in condemning this. This cannot be justified, certainly not in the name of Islam. Even if what is claimed she said—I don't know it—is characterized as "blasphemy," education is what is needed. The behaviour of any young person, your children, my children, do not predict their behavior as adults. Maybe the statement that people are not happy with is Allah's way of reforming her.
I will call the Sultan of Sokoto, who respects me enormously, give him my condolence, and appeal that he issues a statement.
As the videos show faces of people, the state must authorize the police to do their jobs. If nothing is done, expect another one.
TF
Female Student Stoned to Death in Sokoto.
By Matthews Otalike
A 200 level female christian student, Deborah Yakubu, was stoned to death and set ablaze at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto.
Deborah allegedly had argument with fellow students online and the muslims among them claimed that she blasphemed prophet muhammad.
The interaction reportedly took place during the muslim moon of Ramadan when the College was on break. When they sighted her at the school today, all available muslim male students surrounded her and started stoning her.
They continued until she fell. They made sure she died and subsequently set her body ablaze.
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah expressed sadness that such inhuman act was carried out in Sokoto.
In a statement, Bishop Kukah condemned the act in very strong terms. He called on the Sokoto state government and the relevant authorities to investigate the incident to ascertain the cause of the action and bring the perpetrators of the act to book.
He said the only obligation owed the parents of the murdered student, her fellow students and the College is to ensure that those who carried out the act are punished, no matter their motivation.
The Bishop added that what happened has nothing to do with religion as christians have been living peacefully with fellow muslims in Sokoto over the years.
Bishop Kukah called on all christians to remain calm and pray for the repose of the soul of Deborah Yakubu.
Meanwhile, the Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto has been shut down.
Sent from my iPhone
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