A dark night it was, no stars no moon in the sky, everywhere
was pitch black except for the murky light that emanated from the solar
rechargeable lamp that was placed on the floor. There had been no power supply
power supply in Adenike area for the past one year. Adenike area was a student
residential area. It was home to many students of LAUTECH. LAUTECH was a
non-residential University. Adenike area was very close to the University, a
walking distance so it was fathomable that it was a place where students
resided. Well one did not need to ask that the area was named after Adenike hostel, whether ADENIKE hostel was
the first hostel in that area or not nobody cared and nobody seemed to bother
but no doubt it was among the foremost hostel in the area.
Hamza
turned to face the congregation behind him. ‘Check if there’s anyone outside’
he said. Someone at the rear stood up and checked the surroundings of
Darul-Haqq hostel stealthily. Some moments later he came back and whispered
into Hamza’s ear ‘No one’. Darul Haqq was the first and Muslim hostel in Adenike
area. It was only befitting that it should be named after Darul-Haqq the very
early Muslims met in Makkah when Islam was practiced in secrecy. It had
produced two leaders of the Muslim Students’ society in the past and Hamza was
the third Ameer but Hamza was different he was the first Ameer that was not in
his final year. He was in his penultimate year. He was reluctant to accept the
position and he could not deny that him not being in his final year was among
the reasons but a member of the Shura committee
who was also a lecturer in the school had emboldened him that the ‘final year factor’ should not make him
decline the position. He had barely
resumed office and his regime was facing challenges he had not imagined in his
worst nightmares. It was common knowledge that many Muslims where turning
apostate to Christianity. He was frustrated at the fact that people were
trading Gold for balderdash. His regime had tried to mobilize students to attend
more Islamic gatherings were they could learn more about their deen, gatherings
where they could learnt to be Muslims by choice and not because they were born
into Muslim households but the turnout was always low. The stereotype effect had
taken over the Muslims themselves. The idea that whoever became a practicing
Muslim was a potential terrorist or better still a Boko haram member in the making.
Publicity and mobilization was of little effect so it was decided that a series
of comparative lectures be held. The comparative lecture series was a great
success, a lot of people who had turned apostate returned to Islam and also
there were some new reverts and not to forget it created a lot of doubts
in the minds if the non- Muslims about
their religion. Ever since the comparative series lecture events Hamza
had received lots of threat, sometimes he thought he had not signed up for this
when he decided to become Ameer but being threatened by the enemies of Islam
was not a new thing to those who tread the path of a Da’ee. He had decided to
brace himself for the challenges. He was still thinking of all those trouble
when he had got a call earlier in the day
