Activities of Islamic civic association in the Northwest of Nigeria: with particular reference to Kano State

Tahir Haliru Gwarzo

Africa Spectrum, 2003, vol. 38, issue 3, 289-318

Abstract: Islamic civic associations have been in the vanguard for the reclamation and reas-sertion of people's power in Northern Nigeria. The relationship between the state and Islamic associations is not uni-linear; rather it is characterized by varying cur-rents. Radical Islamic civic associations, for example, can connect and disconnect with the State without necessarily being compromised. Islamic civic associations lack the capacity to raise funds from within, thus they tend to rely on non-institutionalized philanthropy and handouts from the State. These associations do not receive any substantial funding from international or bilateral aid of Arab coun-tries, as is generally thought by outsiders. Islamic civic associations engage in advo-cacy work to promote legitimate interests of the Islamic world in Northern Nigeria. The range of activities spreads from promoting good governance or girl-child educa-tion to women empowerment. These civics in Kano state do not possess the capac-ity, skills and training for social or general administration. Nevertheless, even com-munity policing has been promoted by associations like Hisbah through its instru-mentality in the detection of crimes, and the rule of law has been greatly helped with its formation. However, critics of Hisbah equate it with extra-legal justice, and cer-tainly it has the potential to degenerate into that if care is not taken.

Date: 2003
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