Christian leaders like Isuwa Dogo are fiercely critical of the new democratic government's refusal to take a firm position on the sharia controversy. It's simply deplorable. You don't just sit down and wish this problem away. I think the government and the national assembly have done nothing and if we don't act, this problem will consume us. Unity at risk Muslims are at pains to point out that Sharia has existed in northern Nigeria for hundreds of years.
Christians say the supporters of sharia are endangering Nigeria's unity.
We know we have a wonderful country, we want it to continue. In Jigawa's dusty capital, Dutse, the old and the blind have gathered outside a warehouse for free hand-outs of grain. This is zakkat, a form of Islamic charity that is part of the Sharia tradition. For the poorest of the poor, Sharia offers a safety net. It evokes memories of a more gentle, caring society.