AN APPRAISAL OF THE SOCIO-POLITICAL STATUS OF MUSLIMS IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA (original) (raw)

2023, Fountain International Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies (FIJAIS)

The objective of this paper is to comprehensively evaluate the socio-political standing of Muslims in Taraba State, Nigeria. Primary and secondary data were collected through structured interviews and analysis of documentary sources. The findings indicate that Muslims enjoyed a high socio-political status in the past, which was also appreciated by non-Muslims. However, between 2003 and 2020, the socio-political influence of Muslims experienced a decline due to divisions along political, ethnic, sectional, and sometimes organizational/sectarian lines. The paper identifies various factors that have contributed to this decline, including internal conflicts arising from disagreements and power struggles, lack of cohesive unity, divisions over trivial matters, lack of patriotism, pursuit of vengeance, illiteracy, limited exposure, fear and greed, among others. These factors have significantly impacted the socio-political status of Muslims in the state. As a result, the study proposes several solutions to address the challenges facing Muslims in the state. By adopting the measures, it is believed that the issues affecting the socio-political status of Muslims can be alleviated