Abuja Declaration (1989)
The Abuja Declaration is the name frequently given to the communiqué issued after the Islam in Africa conference held in Abuja, Nigeria between 24 and 28 November 1989. The conference was organised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (at that time called the Organisation of Islamic Conference[1]) and it agreed to set up the Islam in Africa Organisation (IAO).[2][3]
The declaration was to the effect that Muslims should unite throughout Africa, the curricula at "various educational establishments" should conform to Muslim ideas, the education of women should be attended to, the teaching of Arabic should be encouraged, and Muslims should support economic relations with Islamic areas worldwide. It noted that Muslims in Africa had been deprived of rights to be governed under sharia law and they should strengthen their struggle to reinstate it.[2]
In 1990 another declaration was promulgated purporting to be from the 1989 conference and which Frans Wijsen, Professor of World Christianity and Interreligious Relations at Radboud University Nijmegen, regards as a forgery because it does not correspond with declarations made at the conference.[4] Regarding Africa, it said, amongst other things, that only Muslims should be appointed to strategic posts, non-Muslim religions should be eradicated, Nigeria should become a Federal Islamic Sultanate, western law should be replaced with sharia. Wijsen regards this as indicationg a more militant aspect of Islam in Africa and comments that some aspects directly conflict with official Islamic teaching.[4] The East African Centre for Law and Justice reports thw declaration verbatim but goes on to quote two other objectives which it says were omitted from the IAO website. It goes on the severely criticise what it regards as the real objectives of the IAO.[5]
The nl was formally established in July 1991, also in Abuja.[6] It has stated its objectives.[7] John Chesworth has reviewed the procediings at this 1991 conference.[8]
References
- ^ "OIC rightly changes its name". Pakistan Observer. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ a b Wijsen, Frans Jozef Servaas (2007). Seeds of conflict in a haven of peace : from religious studies to interreligious studies in Africa. Amsterdam: Rodopi. p. 64. ISBN 978-9042021884.
- ^ "Islam in Africa". Islam in Africa Organisation. Islam in Africa Organisation. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008.
- ^ a b Wijsen, Frans Jozef Servaas (2007). Seeds of conflict in a haven of peace : from religious studies to interreligious studies in Africa. Amsterdam: Rodopi. p. 65. ISBN 978-9042021884.
- ^ "The Abuja Declaration". East African Centre for Law and Justice. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ Bugaje, Usman Muhamad (18 June 1994). "Islam in Africa Organisation". Webstar. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008.
- ^ "Objectives". Islam in Africa Organisation. Islam in Africa Organisation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008.
- ^ Chesworth, John (2007). Wijsen, Frans (ed.). Global Christianity : contested claims. Amsterdam: Rodopi. pp. 120–129. ISBN 9789042021921.