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| Source: Dailypost, Nigeria. |
By Davy Fidel
(Freelance, Author)
Hannah Saliu never planned to die this way. Unfortunately, she met death at the hands of some angry youth, who felt she has committed blasphemy by using the Quran to engage in immoral acts as a means of survival. Thus, this is not to say people's beliefs should not be respected.
However, the death of Hannah Saliu that was lynched doesn't deserve such kind of assault. She deserves a life like any other girl or Nigerian, who has been killed and buried without any news from them. The right to life is a democratic right. Although, under a system of inequality and poverty like in Nigeria, such a right is vague.
Hannah's death was reported by Punch Nigeria which gave an account of how she was killed. The report affirmed that Hannah Saliu was brutally beaten to death and set ablaze at Alaba Rago. This was after consensual sex with a client, who went to patronise her. It was discovered that a Quaran was found under her pillow.
Before then, Hannah Saliu, a young girl from the northern part of Nigeria, engages in prostitution to survive and meet her daily need like every young person undergoing economic hardship. The same thing also applies to hundred and thousands of teenage girls in the sex industry wanting to break even with such means because of poverty.
The storyline of her death was that she accused the client of "stealing her money", that is, the sum of N5000 after she has rendered him service. Afterwards, the client and his group invaded her and accused her of using the Quaran to commit a sacrilegious act. This was after the consensual sex.
The brutal death of Hannah wasn't because of her protest to demand her stolen money. Her death was because of the accusation labelled on her i.e blasphemy. This is not the first time report had it that people have been accused of blasphemy and were murdered.
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| Nigeria Sex Workers Association. Source: Global Network |
Though the death of Deborah Samuel that studied Home Economics at the Shehu Shagari College of Education might not be the same thing as Hannah Saliu. However, the repeated occurrences of people being lynched to death because of blasphemy are becoming a concern for many working-class people. Especially in the kind of class society we are living in.
Of course, religion is a serious crisis in a neo-colonial country like Nigeria where the ruling elites have continued to use it to create division among the working people. Poverty, economic hardship, illusions, poor underfunding of education, unemployment etc are all by-products of what had led to the death of Hannah Saliu.
There is no way Hannah Saliu's death cannot be connected to the economic realities, that youth from working-class homes are facing. The question of what to eat, drink, shelter, building a future for yourself are all caused by the poor state of living under the system of capitalism. A system that is only interested in profit, not improving the living condition of people.
Prostitution for a lot of young people, especially girls from poor homes are seen as a means of survival. On the other hand, it is a bigger business for those who make money out of it. The Dailypost report (Undercover: Police, brothel owners make millions as child prostitution, sex trafficking reign in Osun) gave a background of this ugly situation at IIesa, Osun State.
Young girls like Hannah Saliu from the North are victims of unemployment. Statistics reveal that female unemployment in 2021 is 8.81% according to Trading Economics. If it is 8.81% in 2021, it means that in 2022 and 2023, it is a monster haunting the underdeveloped nature of capitalism in Nigeria.
This figure translates that if things continue to get worse, especially with the question of poverty, illiteracy, hunger and the vulnerability of young people's ignorance; more of this ugly situation will continue. The people who killed Hannah Saliu the police have arrested did that out of ignorance and religious indoctrination (illiteracy), which is caused by the inadequate funding of public education.
Added to it is the question of unemployment and poverty included. In an organised society where the living condition of people is improved and developed i.e. public education is free, good job and all social vices that will create mayhem are adequately addressed. What had happened mustn't have taken place? But what we have is a failed system of capitalism.
Religion and other forms of institutions under the policies of the ruling capitalist elites have continued to ride on the ignorance of millions of Nigerians. It has been used to divide the working people and the ruling elites are still using it. The development of society and the improvement of a better life for people is not guaranteed under these people.
Young people from working-class homes need to understand what is confronting us is not our belief system or our tribe but capitalism. We must begin to understand that what has happened to Hannah Saliu, Deborah Samuel, and others killed for blasphemy is because of the system of poverty, lack of proper funding for education, ignorance, unemployment etc that has caused it. Our future is socialism and we must fight for it!
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