Right now, half the country is angry, and calling for the head of Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, over his 'past' involvement in acts or terrorism against 'unbelievers' in the country, and across the world.
Pantami did renounced his controversial past, but there's much more to the whole thing than meets the eye.
First of all, it is worth noting that his appointment as Minister by President Muhammadu Buhari, was by no means a coincidence.
Recent revelations regarding the past life of Sheikh Pantami, has shown that the minister was heavily involved in a lot of horrible things especially plans to wipe out Christians in the North.
A man this involved in so much atrocities against 'unbelievers' cannot be appointed as minister for no reason.
So, it is safe to say that what we are dealing with right now, is something much more than just a man whose past eventually caught up with him. We are talking about an organized crime against Christians and Christianity as a whole, and Pantami is only but like a drop in the ocean.
Simce becoming President in 2015, Buhari's intentions were made clear by his style of governance, and lopsided appointments. A lot has been said about this, and hopefully you are very much conversant.
There were of course, plenty of outrage and condemnation over Buhari's style of governance and obvious acts of nepotism, yet the man in the Villa batted no eye. He came with an agenda, and knew the right people to help him achieve it.
Buhari or whoever is in charge in Aso Rock, knows exactly what they are doing, and Nigerians are right to take Pantami's words when he said he is "happy" when those he described as "unbelievers" are being killed, more seriously.
Nigeria today, is reportedly atop the list of countries where Christians suffer persecution. And take it or leave it, we now know that Pantami was part of the organized crime, and perhaps earned his call into Buhari's cabinet for his then jihadist exploits. An arrogant Buhari surely values the young man's zeal, and sees him as an important addition to the crime family.
The Buhari we know, cannot be trusted. This makes it difficult to trust Pantami as well, despite his renunciation. The fact that Pantami wasn't part of Buhari's agenda at his most recent FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, speaks volume.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, while briefing newsmen after the council meeting said the issue was not raised at the meeting.
“I am not going to go into the issue of whether the government is comfortable or not. I will answer your question directly. It was not discussed at the council meeting,” was the minister's response when pressed my newsmen who sought to know whether the FEC discussed the matter during their closed-door meeting and whether the government was comfortable with the burden on the nation’s reputation.
Let's talk about Southern Kaduna a little. This may surprise anyone reading this, but Pantami is also believed to have played heavy roles in the carnage being perpetuated in Southern Kaduna.
As earlier reported, which we recommend you read, the Minister is once again, alleged to have chaired a meeting where the assassination of former Kaduna State Governor, late Sir Patrick Yakowa, was planned, back in 2010, according to a report by the People's Gazette.
According to the report, Mr Pantami chaired the July 13, 2010, meeting of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), a foremost Islamic body led by Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar, where it was agreed that Mr Yakowa and his family must be eliminated because he was a Christian leader leading a state in the Muslim-dominated North.
“We must either use the security or other means to eliminate the governor, his family and all those they perceive as supporting him,” Mr Pantami and other leaders said in their communique adopted at the meeting held at Bauchi Central Mosque.
Yakowa eventually died in a helicopter crash in 2012, a few months after he contested and won a substantive four-year term in the State's 2011 governorship election.
Since then, war was literally declared on Southern Kaduna people as can be seen in the many wave of attacks and gruesome killings of innocent people in the region. Now, about 11 years later, we have Pantami serving as a minister under the same man who prior to 2015 presidential election, said in his Kaduna residence, that the "dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood."
“If what happened in 2011 (alleged rigging) should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood," he said in 2012, following his defeat to Jonathan in the 2011 presidential election.
Pantami could be a victim of his past life. But Nigerians have the right to not take his repentance seriously, if for nothing, but the fact that the government in which he serves, has failed to assure Nigerians, especially Christians, that he is not a religious bigot.
The Senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, only recently told us that Buhari cannot be muzzled into acting against his wish, to appease anyone. Therefore, it would be interesting to see what becomes of Pantami, as calls for his resignation continues to resonate.