Because He is A Muslim.

Dear Nigerian Husband,

I’m not in the best of moods this morning, so pleasantries will have to wait till another letter.

I may not show this often and I may not say this out publicly a lot of the time, but my family means the world to me. I’m very aware of the fact that should anything happen to me, friends may leave me but family will stick closer and longer than anyone else.

With that said, my younger brother is one of the folks on earth I can literally take a bullet for. If I had the world, he’d lack nothing.

I woke up a few hours ago in a very sour mood because in my dream someone ill-treated my baby brother (He’s almost 21, I probably should quit calling him’baby-brother soon.)

In this dream, my brother who for some reason was still in primary school decided to audition for a role in a movie. He was fortunate that among hundreds of other contestants, he got to meet the judges. He was asked to act out a scene and before he could even begin, some official came and whispered into one of the judges’ ears that my brother is a Muslim and he shouldn’t be allowed to even be there for audition.
That broke my brother’s heart, he just sat at a corner weeping. I was passing by and saw him crying and decided to ask what was going on, I was enraged when he told me what happened. He clearly had a chance of getting a role in the movie, but wasn’t even allowed to say a word before he was thrown out.

Of course, I couldn’t let that official go free without giving her a piece of my mind. I took my brother my the arm, we walked in and I demanded to know who she was and what gave her the right to discriminate against my brother. I told her she should quit denying people of opportunities just because of their religious beliefs.

In the dream he wasn’t actually a Muslim and just happened to have a relative who was muslim. In reality, he isn’t a Muslim either.

So Nigerian Husband, this is where you come in.

When I woke up, it got me thinking. In a few weeks, hopefully, you and my fellow country men and women will head to the polls to decide the fate of our dear country for the next four years.

I’ve been trying to stay away from politics/election talk for so long. The insults and blatant disrespect of others’ opinion and choices that I’ve read and heard on social media over the last few months has been so heartbreaking and embarrassing to say the least.

But with this dream I couldn’t help but let the feelings I’ve had out. I’m hoping you and others will make the right choice with your votes. I’m hoping you and other electorates will choose a leader who will ensure that my baby brother, and for goodness’ sake, the children we will have shall not be discriminated upon or denied opportunities just because they choose to acknowledge a higher being/God differently from others.

Please, as you decide who to elect in a few weeks, I hope you think carefully on why you are choosing that person. Will that person Muslim, Christian or traditional worshiper create an environment healthy enough for our children to strive? Will this leader Muslim, Christian or traditional worshiper make our children safe at school? Will this person assure me and ensure that I can go to the market to shop for the family without being scared for my life? WIll this person make it possible for Nigerians to stop lining up for miles for oil/gas/petrol- something that we have in so much abundance in the country?
Dear Nigerian Husband, will this person- Christian, Muslim or traditional worshipper fix the economy and finally restore the value of the Naira?

My Dear Nigerian Husband, I hate to be a nag, but please put all these into consideration. I’ll like to see a different Nigeria. I’ll like us to raise our kids in Nigeria, where they are sure to have the same or close to the same upbringing as what we had. I’ll like to see a Nigeria where our kids can attend a public university and graduate in actually four years and not only be graduates, but be educated citizens that will create opportunities for themselves and not only wait on government. Will the next leader ensure that corruption decreases exponentially by actually prosecuting offenders? Will the next leader make it possible for Nigerians to have proper health care so much so that our leaders won’t have to go overseas for treatment? Nigerian Husband, will the next leader make it easy and possible for us a young couple to own a home?

I’m getting overwhelmed just thinking of these questions. Please Nigerian Husband, I just want a better life for my brother brother and the children we will someday have. Please make the right choice. Think through all the political nonsense floating around the place. Look at these candidates critically, access their leadership and the legacies they both have and make a sound decision. Put aside religious bigotry and choose a leader Nigerians need.

I have work to do.

Yours in marriage eventually,
Me.