By Sunny Ikhioya
Extremism is a one way approach to issues of life when there are multiple approaches, it does not allow for alternative views, even in situations where lives are involved. It is the antithesis of democracy.

Democracy does not thrive where people of extreme views are in control of government.

There are different forms of extremists but the one that is turning the whole world around now, is the one that relates to religion. It has destroyed nations, caused wars and presently threatens world peace.

The causes are many; greed, wrong ideologies, illiteracy, poverty, oppression of a group over another, politicians, wrong association, bad government and so on. Countries like Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya are all lying prostrate because of factors related to extremism, that is why the whole world is on the alert for such groups as ISIL, Al Queda and our own Boko haram because of their recidivist tendencies.

And, it is something we must be careful of in Nigeria, we are beginning to witness the infiltration of foreign and negative ideologies into this country, taking advantage of our poor, naive and illiterate population, such that promote extremism and violence. If the government in power is not careful, they are easily sucked into such groups.

The best way to tackle extremism is to allow for an environment that will promote freedom of ideas and associations, that way, the people are exposed to diverse cultures and open to other ideas. When such occur, there is unity in diversity and the people are easily carried along by the activities of government.

A government that wants to curtail extremism must be ready to allow the rule of law to prevail, because justice is said to be blind to any form of sentiments, be it race, religion, friend or foe. She decides as she sees it. When such occur, there is unity in diversity and the people are easily carried along by the activities of government. When you operate in an environment where the rule of law prevails, where there is fairness, equity and justice, you will be putting away the potentials for extremism.

When a government is bias in the appointments of personnel and the distribution of resources , it is in a way, sowing the seed for possible extremism. That is why we must put under scrutiny the behaviour of people in government. Extremism is such that we just witnessed in the Osun gubernatorial election. Extremism is when a government decides to have sixteen of seventeen top security chiefs from one part of the country and religion, in a multi ethnic and religious country like Nigeria.

As the debate of having sixteen, out of seventeen top security chiefs from one side of the country and religion goes on, it is pertinent to ask the question of what it desires to achieve? Is it to provide the President real security or, an ethnic agenda or, to effect the domination of a particular tribe and religion or, is it plainly to get the best for the country?

What does our constitution say about geographical spread and secularity of the state of Nigeria? Some have argued that it is not possible to impose one religion on this country and for one ethnic group to dominate all others given the complexity of the Nigerian nation but the framers of our constitution , those we considered wise men, did state clearly that, there must be equitable spread in the appointment of people to positions in government and that the nation must remain a secular state.

That is, Everyman is free to practice his own religion and must be so respected. That is the only way forward, any attempt to truncate this and to do otherwise will only destroy, rather than build the nation. Some people, in position of power, have tacitly supported the domination of one religion over others but has this ever worked? Governor Yerima, formerly in charge of Zamfara state, made so much noise as he formally introduced the Sharia into governance in his state and other like minds followed cue.

Today, what has become of the Sharia law in Zamfara state, have the people’s lives improved? The solution to peace and progress in any society is the mutual respect between citizens on the one hand and between citizens and government on the other hand. For those who have lived in Jos city in the past, the city was an eldorado, a melting pot for all tribes, religion and cultures. Today, with religion and ethnic extremism, the city is now a shadow of its former self.

The city of Kaduna is today trying very hard to maintain its status as the former capital of the whole northern region, that embraces everyone.

Can we move forward if our leaders continue with the one sided approach to governance? On page 11 of John Hagee’s book “Jerusalem Countdown”, Dr Manouchehr Ganji, former Iranian scientist and minister under the Shah of Iran before the Islamic Republic overthrew the Shah, was quoted in an interview as follows; “Well first and foremost, the outcome of the past twenty six years rule by the Clerics in Iran, is their general belief that there is no Islamic alternative to the society and the Iranians have found out they want to represent an Islamic alternative but the Iranian people have found out that there is no Islamic alternative to the society’s economic, political and social problems.

In Iran today, there is the general feeling that the whole pretence to Islamic rule is a big lie, and the tide of public opinion has turned strongly in favour of secularism, even among the top government technocrats, officials and high up…” please take note of the word secularism in his statement. Every country that has tried to practice extremism in the past few years have taken their people ages backwards.

Anywhere the extremist try to impose their authority, through their peculiar laws, there have been problems. That is why the tendency of the President to always look at only one side in his allocation of personnel to positions and the skewed distribution of resources must be viewed seriously. Extremism destroys, it never builds. It is destroying the world, it should not be allowed to fester here.