“I just tell the truth and the other side thinks it is hell.” - Harry Truman, U.S.
President 1945-1953
Believe me we shall definitely get to what Alhaji, Alhaja means but for now allow me to use this medium to say a few pressing things. At a moment of weakness
last week, I lashed out at Gamji’s Web Chief for non-publication of my sharp reply to Umar Bello. Upon being made aware why mine was never posted I became overwhelmed
with remorse. He simply had hoped to get a hold of Umar’s first before publishing
mine that way the readers could follow the thread. So, here for the second time is for Gamji
Chief since I already sent a private note of contrition. Please accept my unreserved apology for any disrespect
or distress that fiery note might have caused you. It comes with the job. Sorry, sir.
What folks should understand is that my
people have gone beyond hell in that concoction they call Nigeria.
They have suffered enough contusion that one would think intelligent people regardless of their ethnicity would
speak up against it. I just don’t like a situation where it looked a bribe might be needed before one’s essay is
posted. Let all hang out. Let the readers slug it out. I am happy though for the opportunity other sites offer
me because you just never know, down the line it might become overbearing for those who hate freedom of expression.
I heretofore withdraw the promise to stop sending my essays to Gamji to the chagrin of
those who love censorship of course. I am sure their premature celebration is abridged by my about turn. Not so
fast guys. To those gentlemen who wrote kindly to me, please realize that those with your type of mindsets are
excluded from those I refer to as barbarians. I see your grief.
What is peaceful about snuffing the life
out of innocent civilians who do not share their Islamic faith? In a court of law for instance, the prosecutor
might wish to share a defendant’s past juvenile record with the jurors. If on the other hand however, a
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Judge had earlier ruled the juvenile’s past transgressions inadmissible but on direct the defendant and his counsel
out of their own volition sneaks in that information to help their case, they open themselves up for the prosecutor’s
cross on the same subject. The northern Islamist imported their lies and whatever they worship in our discussion
when Ahmad kollere wrote his lies. It is unnecessary to throw tantrum on cross-examination.
They should deal with it. I bet they never saw mine coming.
My straight reply to Ahmad Kollere raised a couple of Islamic eyebrows, three to be exact even when I cautioned that it should be
seen from a scholarship angle. We learn when we engage in honest exchange of information and ideas. This position
is right on what I hope to accomplish with my participation, not here to baby-sit. The Islamists do not appreciate
the amount of work it took to get deep into what makes the fanatical Moslems tick. Because the opinions of a few
Islamic scholars I cited in that article were unfavorable to Umar Bello’s propaganda, he took it badly. But who cares, I don’t! His rave only reinforces my resolve to expose
more of their crap. I have tried to balance diligence with firmness by avoiding certain things the readers ought
to know but I choose to ignore for now unless folks like Umar pushes me to the brink.
Oh boy! Like Harry Truman, I too get into
wahala for telling the truth but my father would thus say to me, “Son,
it is healthy to do so.” You should be reminded that the peace overture peddled by Moslems is just a ploy to deceive
as sanctioned by the Quran. The term for Islamic deceit is Taquia.
Most Moslems are familiar with the principles of Islam because believe it or not, the Quran
encourages them to lie to get away from a dire situation. Unlike the Moslems who in a heartbeat lie to get out
of a jam, the Bible says only the truth shall set someone free. Hello! Instances are given where it’s ok for them
to tell a lie as seen by this passage from the Hadith. "The sons of
Adam are accountable for all lies with these exceptions: [ok to lie] During war because war is deception, to reconcile among two quarreling men, and for a
man to appease his wife."
It is the height of balderdash when a putative
Holy person to instruct his followers to lie to their wives to appease them. What for?
You may consider the preceding as a digression
from what is about to be discussed today. I will again continue the process started not by my making, rather circumstance
surrounding our discussion compelled me to directly shine the light on this “Alhaji, Alhaja” stuff. In this essay, the full
and complete meaning of Alhaji, Alhaja - feminine gender will be shared to keep the education process alive.
So, allow me to ask, what in the world does Alhaji mean, do you know? Sit tight we shall get there. The answer
would definitely come but for now a direct punch at some craziness by a bunch of wayward Nigerians, called titles
and the probable reason behind her bastardization. This is by no means exclusive to the Hausa because I intend
to register my disappointment with my Igbo flock too regarding their noisy accolades in my next expose.
What is it about titles that drive Nigerians
to stupidity? What makes a somewhat exposed and learned ‘gentleman’ to pile junk upon junk to his prefix? We do
not need the services of a trained psychotherapist to understand what exactly compels a man to leave the simple
person he is supposed to be and pile more dump to his name. The inordinate use of multiple titles by these attention
seekers can be traced to inferiority persona induced by years of feeling worthless. It seems that they are ever
in search of who they are. In their attempt to match the naïve northerners who walk about with Alhaji glued
to their prefixes these other Nigerians commit a greater blunder with miles of titles. Coming attraction, the abuse
of titles by the Igbo! But for now, no hesitation will be employed to inform the readers what the commonly used
title, Alhaji means.
And here we go. The true and full meaning
of Alhaji, a word loosely used everyday in Nigeria
is not so grandiose because it literally describes someone on a short visit to Mecca, in other words, a visitor.
Yes, you read it Alhaji means VISITOR! All those visiting for the yearly Haijj performance in their holy land are given this title, name tag if you wish for identification purposes
yet after their arrival back in the same dark country, Nigia; they continue to
wear this embarrassing tag as if it is God given. Imagine a situation after visiting an office building or being
part of a convention, you continue to wear the visitor name tag that was issued to you years after the fact. So
what is the difference? Religion? I am like this, religion or not, if something does not make a shred
of sense nothing would change that abnormality simple as that. Does this mean anyone who at one point or another
had a Visitor tag is then an Alhaji? So let’s hear jare!
For a so-called educated person therefore
to bear a title without the benefits and implications of the full meaning tells a lot about that individual. What
pride is
there for one to wear a pinup that glaringly says that you are visiting even after the use for such is no longer
appealing? People this simple but serious question has been with me for a while. The ridiculous use of “Alhaji”
by our northern and some western neighbors has reached a point where it ought to be dropped for good. Consequent
upon that, we should instead get down to the basics, the rudimentary ness of life to be able to advance and appreciate
the simple things of life without the meaningless concern for undue vanity. To me, these bloated names; titles,
positions so on has become unattractive. It’s been overused for sure. To those of you that have visited Mecca and Medina I have zero doubt you understand this to be the case, so encourage
your people to drop the silly appellation they wear like a holy name. It is not! That title is meant to show that
you were part of a gathering just the same way we get ID’ed when we visit a high-rise
office or apartment buildings. After such visits we drop the tag so what’s up with you, Visitor or is it Alhaji?
On August 24, 2004, I called the embassy of Saudi for clarity on why anyone should bear the Alhaji title
even though it is an ID given to visitors to Mecca. My direct and blunt question dazed the person on the other end a bit. Sensing trouble, the lady
transferred me to someone else who practically agreed that Alhaji is just for distintion, not permanent. To be doubly sure, on the same day I initiated a dialogue between
some Islamists in their chat room by asking.
Me:
“Hello
people, I did like to know what the word ‘Alhaji’ means? As I understand it, it simply
means Visitor to the land of Mecca.” (I already knew just wanted to burst
their bubbles).
Among
the excuses and answers I got were, A
"hajji" is a person who has made this pilgrimage. "Al-" is Arabic for "the". So,
"Al-Hajji" is simply a title applied to a hajji. Performing
these rituals, known as the Hajj, is the fifth pillar of Islam and the most significant manifestation of Islamic
faith and unity. Undertaking the Hajj at least once is a duty for Muslims who are physically and financially able
to make the journey to Makkah.
The emphasis on financial ability is meant to ensure that a Muslim takes care of his family first. The requirement
that a Muslim be healthy and physically capable of undertaking the pilgrimage is intended to exempt those who cannot
endure the rigors of extended travel.”
Me:
“Thanks
for your interest but I still don’t get it. I am not asking for the ceremony involved I
only wanted to know if
Alhaji is a substitute for a visitor to Mecca.”
The
dialogue continued with the Islamist saying, “Hajj" is Arabic for the required pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Mohammedanism. Its root meaning is "celebration".
A "hajji" is a person who has made this pilgrimage. "Al-" is Arabic for "the". So,
"Al-Hajji" is simply a title applied to a hajji. Simple "Hajji" can also be used.”
Me:
“If
‘Al’ means ‘the’ and ‘hajji’ means ‘celebration,’ wouldn’t ‘Ahaji’ mean ‘THE
CELEBRATION?’ And it’s ok to wear
‘The Celebration’ year round?”
Shima
weighed in with, “Haj is an old arabic annual ritual. In this ritual the visitors
run around a couple of hills,
move around a piece of rock a few times and then bow down to the rock. They slaughter lots of animals, dress all
white, pay some money to Saudi mullahs, stuff like that.
Hajji is somebody who's been to mecca (visited)
for this ritual. Every muslim is supposed to do this. The main reason is because in old times when muhammad and his successors attacked all nations around them
and made them submit to arab leadership, a lot of plunder money was going back to Arabia as war booty.” It is symbolic of
showing arab supremacy, and control over people. Today millions of muslims become hajjis by
doing the ritual anually.”
And thus I ended this rather unusual and funny exchange. “Thank you, in other words a VISITOR? ‘Someone who has been
to mecca’ according to you meaning a visitor as stated in my introductory paragraph on top of the page.”
It is therefore not by coincidence that
the vice president of their cassava nation,
Abubakar Atiku in 1999, begged the
press to desist from addressing him as Alhaji. I guess he saw the foolishness associated with the continued use
of a six-letter word given to those on a visit to Mecca to
differentiate the visitors from inhabitants. Almost all of us at one point visited somewhere or something of interest
where the visitor label was clearly pasted on our chest pockets or wherever and at the end of the visit, the name
tag found itself on the floor, in a garbage bin or somewhere on the street where it belonged. Yet none of us today
lay claim to this title that naïve Nigerians converted to something special oblivious to its real meaning.
You still wonder what the problem with that society is, right? Now, if you carry this tag after a visit to Mecca, would you also want to be called Prisoner so and so for those of you who had been one? The politicians
who are now robbing your country dry at some point were under lock and chain so they too deserve the Prisoner prefix.
They were guests to (visited) some prisons in the not so distant past so the Prisoner title is
appropriate too but I don’t see them wearing it. How is that?
How this historic visit
to Mecca translated into permanent titles for Nigerians is
another sign of backwardness. If someone who
stepped foot in Mecca for a couple of days pins the Alhaji tag years after his return from there to his primitive
cave in Nigsharia, what should be the proper title for the inhabitants of Mecca and
Medina? Do they become; Super Alhajis, Resident Alhajis, Alhaji Emeritus
or Everlasting Alhajis? How about Alhaji Squared? Now, you know!