YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – A leading Nigerian priest, Political Science lecturer, educator, writer and social analyst has proposed radical solutions to the persecution suffered by Christians in Africa’s most populous nation.

In an interview with Crux, Father Emefiena Ezeani called for a political restructuring: A ten-year moratorium on Fulani Muslims holding the presidency or controlling vital security sectors.

He argued that the “Fulani Muslim Caliphate has captured the entire Nigerian power structure.”

“In order to rescue the country from its suffocating grips, there ought to be a ten year moratorium on Fulani Muslims in Nigeria heading the government, and other vital and sensitive sectors such as national security for about ten years, in order to rectify the damage already done,” the priest told Crux.

To substantiate his claim of disproportionate control, he provided a breakdown of Nigeria’s leadership since 1960, showing a heavy dominance by North Muslim Fulani rulers. This moratorium, coupled with the public prosecution of all known terrorism sponsors, is presented as a necessary first step to rescue the country from what he described as a “suffocating grip.”

AS a long-term solution, the Nigerian priest called for a fundamental redrawing of the nation itself. He argued that a country cannot be governed by two conflicting legal systems, pointing to the paradox of Nigeria’s secular constitution existing alongside a widely practiced Sharia law that some consider superior.

He therefore proposed three ultimate paths forward: the abrogation of the “demonic” 1999 constitution, a restructuring of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones, or a peaceful dissolution of the country entirely.

Following are excerpts of that interview…

Crux: The U.S. recently carried out air strikes against ISIL targets in Nigeria, justifying the strikes as a response to the persecution of Christians in the country. What was your immediate reaction to the news of the U.S. airstrikes on Christmas evening?

Father Emefiena Ezeani: My immediate reaction was “Thank God, God bless President Donald Trump, who has confirmed that he is Ekwu-eme, an Igbo name which means, “A man of his words” who should be trusted. At last, God has started answering the prayers of millions of Nigerians, especially, Christians.

This military intervention also raises fears of potential escalation and retaliatory violence. Is this a concern you share?

 American airstrikes against Islamic terrorists tormenting Nigerians, especially, Christians, for many years now, did really bring tangible happiness and hope of relief, and not fear of retaliation. Why should we Christians and non-Fulani Muslims entertain any fear of retaliation when the Islamic terrorists have been killing us without any provocation?

 The U.S. government framed these strikes as a defense of Christians. Does this validate the suffering of Nigeria’s Christians or are you concerned that it could be exploited by extremist groups to portray the conflict as a ‘Western crusade,’ inadvertently putting a larger target on the backs of all Nigerian Christians?

No one should be worried about the Nigerian Government officials or the terrorists’ propaganda of tagging the American godly and humanitarian “war” against heinous and satanic forms of terrorism in Nigeria ‘Western crusade’. Many people in Africa and the world are, gladly, getting wiser regarding the antics of the Islamic terrorists to conquer, not only Nigeria or West Africa, but the entire world, including Europe and America. So, when you talk about “larger target” to mean “all Nigerian Christians”, the point is that it means global Islamic conquest of the REST of US, which those who see, know it is gradually but definitely unfolding or being accomplished.

But there is an argument, even amongst Christians and Christian leaders in Nigeria that it could be an exaggeration to label what is going on in the country as ‘a genocide?

 I get very sad when I hear some people, especially, Christians themselves say that there is no Christian genocide in Nigeria, or Islamization, or Fulanization of the rest of Nigeria. Not only that these existential threats are self-evident facts, for example, killing of indigenous peoples and taking over and renaming of their towns and villages, the Muslim Fulani Jihadists have, again and again, publicly stated that such were their ultimate goals: For example, (1) “The Quran must be dipped in the Ocean, as directed by our great ,great grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio”, (2) “Sharia Law must be practiced in every part of Nigeria”, and (3) “Fulani own Nigeria”. For goodness sake, what other proofs do some people want before they can agree to the facts of Christian genocide, Islamization or Fulanization mission of the Muslim Fulani Jihadists in Nigeria?

The Donald Trump-led American Government is very honest in calling the spade a spade when they talk about Christian Genocide, which many Nigerian politicians know is a reality but prefer adopting the stance of political correctness for very selfish but destructive reasons.

What do you believe is the true, long-term solution to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, beyond military strikes?

Speaking effectively about “the true, and long-term solution to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, beyond military strikes”, requires getting honest answers to the following questions:

(i) Can extreme thesis and antithesis, or culture of death and culture of life co-exist harmoniously?

(ii) Do Fulani Muslim Jihadists and Christians have similar ideologies, values, and aspirations?

(iii) Can Democracy and Caliphacy peacefully, justly, and happily co-exist? If they can, then Nigeria can thrive, and be peaceful.

(iv) Can two sets of people with extremely opposing values, opposing religious ideologies, and opposing life aspirations ever live in genuine peace and unity?

Let me start with a short-term solution to the Nigerian socio-political problem. It is no longer a secret that the Fulani Muslim Caliphate has captured the entire Nigerian power structure. In order to rescue the country from its suffocating grips, there ought to be a ten year moratorium on Fulani Muslims in Nigeria heading the government, and other vital and sensitive sectors such as national security for about ten years, in order to rectify the damage already done. One has to note that from 1960-2025, the  Nigerian Government has been headed as follows: North Muslim Fulani 10, North Christian Kanke 1, South Muslim Yoruba 1, South Christian Yoruba 2, South Christian Ijaw 1, South Christian Igbo 1 (six months). There is also a great need to publish all the names of the sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria and get them prosecuted.

If we are to tell ourselves the truth, the true and long-term solution to the chronic and perennial and lethal problem of Nigeria would be (a) abrogation of the 1999 Nigeria’s demonic Constitution and (b) Six-zone-geopolitical based restructuring of Nigeria or (c) Peaceful dissolution of Nigeria.

Nigeria is the only country that claims to be a non-theocratic state with a secular Constitution where the Sharia law is not only practiced but also is believed to be superior to the Nigerian Constitution. Yet, some people try to make others believe that there would be peace and harmony in a nation being ruled by two conflicting laws.

It is only common or widely held existential values, ideologies, and aspirations which can unite a people and make their country prosperous.