The pounding of maize is a daily ritual in the small villages that dot the landscape. They survive on subsistence farming, but they are sustained by a deep faith in Islam. With little else to cling on to, they seek at least to protect their traditional values. In the village of Shuwarin, the local teacher, Abdul Majeed, fears that prostitution and alcohol are corrupting the young. He says that the resurgence of Sharia will restore moral standards.
People are overwhelmingly in favour of it.
The problems lie in northern Nigeria's large cities, with their substantial Christian populations. The national anthem carries a call for unity amongst all Nigerians. However, many Christians have seen the divisions in the country at first hand. They come from the northern city of Kaduna, where more than 1,000 people have been killed this year in fighting between Christians and Muslims. They are raising funds for their bereaved brethren.