What now, Nigeria?

About one out of every four Africans is Nigerian, if one believes that Nigeria's population is 140 million and the continent's is 600 million.It may not be exactly true that when Nigeria catches a fever, Africa catches influenza; that saying may be true in the case of South Africa, four thousand miles to the south. Nevertheless, what is happening in Nigeria is of tremendous significance for the stability of the West African region and other parts of the continent where there are significant Islamic populations.It appears at this stage that what is happening in northern Nigeria is not religious strife in the classic sense of the word, pitting one religion against another. We seem to have a challenge to secularism as represented by the Abuja government. In fact, we understand that economic grievances are a better explanation for the current violence.One can only hope that other Islamic populations elsewhere in Africa are not moved to get involved in this crisis, otherwise we would have to brace up for a regional conflagration which will inevitably lead to inter-religious strife.So far, the Nigerian government does not seem to be doing a good job of handling this matter, judging by reports of executions and indiscriminate shootings.Barely a decade after emerging from military rule, Nigeria must not be allowed to stray from its already meandering route towards towards a more prosperous future for all its peoples through the actions of an inept federal government.