The conversion to Islam of 25-year-old
Charity Uzoechina, daughter of Pastor
Raymond Uzoechina of Redeem Christian
Church of God, Kwankwashe, Suleja,
continues to generate controversy.
Her father accused the Estu
Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubukar,
of hypnotizing his daughter,
who has since changed her
name to A'isha, to embrace Islam. A'isha,
who hails from Asaba, Delta State, came to
Abuja at the age of 10 when her father
relocated from Lagos.
After her secondary school education at
Army Day Secondary School Asokoro, Abuja
she got admission into Federal Polytechnic,
Bida to read Public Administration. She,
however, withdrew from the course in her
first year. She embraced Islam on February
15, 2013. A'isha said since her family
relocated to Suleja, Niger State, she has been
in the midst of Muslims, which accorded her
the opportunity to have several Muslims
friends and learnt a lot about Islam.
The travails of A'isha began when she ran to
the Estu Nupe's palace in Bida on March 1,
this year to seek protection against any
aggression she may face should her family
know about her conversion to Islam. This
led to a controversy that is still ongoing,
with her father accusing the traditional ruler
of kidnapping his daughter. Along the line,
several meetings were organized between
A'isha and her father Pastor Uzoechina and
his daughter at the instance of the Estu
Nupe, who also involved some members of
the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
But despite that, A'isha refused to follow her
father, alleging that he has threatened to
deal with her by taking her away to a place
that she will not be able to practice her new
religion. A'isha has taken the matter to a
Shariah court in Bida and the court is
expected to rule on August 1, 2013 whether
or not the 25-year-old should be released to
her parents or not. She speaks exclusively to
Weekly Trust.
Excerpts: Weekly Trust: What is your name?
Aisha Uzoechina: I was formerly known as
Charity Uzoechina and now A'isha
Uzoechina. Why the change of name? I
changed my name because I have accepted
Islam.
What brought you to Bida?
I came to Bida in 2012 to read Public
Administration at the Federal Polytechnic,
Bida.
Are you still a student of Federal Polytechnic
Bida?
No, I am not. I have withdrawn from the
school.
Did you go back home?
No, I did not go home. At the beginning I
was planning to go back home, because I
wanted to tell my father that I have
converted to Islam. When I converted, I was
afraid to tell my parents, because of the way
my father would behave. I know he will not
take it lightly with me. So, for that I refused
to go back home.
Did anybody force or enticed you to join
Islam?
I joined Islam on my own. Nobody enticed
me with anything to join Islam. What
informed your decision to join Islam? I
converted to Islam because I love the
character of Muslims, particularly the way
they behave. You know Muslims believe in
God. I have Muslim friends and I watch what
they do, that enticed me to join Islam. I used
to read Qur'an when I was a Christian. I
always join them to read Qur'an and
through that I found out that it is the same
one God they worship. So I embraced Islam.
How did your father come to know about
your change of faith?
When I ran to the palace, I told you, it was
very difficult before I could see the Emir.
When I saw him, the emir refused to accept
me, because my father did not know about
it. He, therefore, collected my father's
number from me and called him. The
following day my father came and said he
wanted to see me. When we met we talked
one on one.
What did you tell him?
Well the emir told him that I have converted
to Islam. When my father talked to me, he
said let's go home, but I refused. I told him
that I will not change my faith, because I
have already accepted Islam and this is
where I want to stay. He, therefore,
threatened me so much so that I became
scared of him.
What did he do to you amounting to a
threat?
In the first place you know, I put on Hijab
(veil), he said I should remove the Hijab. He
was angry and used some harsh words on
me, directing that I should remove the Hijab,
but I refused. He threatened to take me to a
village where nobody will set his eyes on
me. So I became scared of him, therefore I
refused to follow him. That is it.
Did the emir intervene?
The emir gave him one week to come back,
but he came back even before it reached
one week. He said he must take me home.
He will not take me to our house, but he'll
take me to somewhere that nobody will set
his eyes on me. I quickly ran back to the
emir and to the Shari'a Court for protection.
I don't want to go back to my father,
because he is threatening me.
How did you come to know about the
Shari'a Court?
I found out from people. I went to them on
my own to formally lodge my complaint.
Why Shari'a Court?
They have to protect me. You know when
you take a case to court over life threatening
issue, the court must protect you. That is it.
Did your father come back after you refused
to follow him?
He came back. He kept on coming back. The
other time he even threatened to bring
some people to kidnap me.
Is it true that at a time your father came
with the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN) officials to you?
Yes. Is it true that you also went to the
Jama'atul Nasril Islam (JNI)?
Yes.
Why did you go to JNI?
I told you and I'll still repeat it, though I
don't want to repeat my words again. I
want them to intervene on my behalf, the
threat is too much. Now I can't go
anywhere, I cannot even continue with my
schooling. I cannot do anything because of
the way he has been threatening me. He is
still bringing people up till now to keep
watch on me.
How do you know that your father has
assigned people to keep watch on you?
There was a time that I wanted to go out,
information came to me that my father was
around and I had to stay back since I don't
want him to take me away. I know that if I
gout anytime,I he'll pick me up.
How did you come to know about JNI?
I have been reading about them. That is why
I went to them.
How did you present your case to JNI?
I wrote to them seeking for their
intervention, because I do not know how to
go about convincing my father. I also learnt
that the emir wanted to hand me over to my
father, because the burden of my case is
becoming too much for him to bear.
If your father should promise to allow you
to practice your new faith, will you go with
him? I'll not. In a family that you are the only
Muslim, how can you practice in that house?
You know when he (my father) came along
with my mother the other time, his actions
and the harsh words he used, even if I go
back home, my life will not be secured in his
hand. That is why I said I'll not go.
Did you start learning anything about Islam?
Yes, I started learning how to perform
ablution. I have learnt how to recite Surah
Al-Fatihah, I am now in my second surah.
Do you pray five times a day?
Yes I do. I am even fasting now. I have been
fasting since the beginning of the month of
Ramadan.
What is your massage to people wanting to
join Islam?
I have only one massage. Islam is good.
Muslims are truthful, everything they say,
they believe in God and they carry people
along. Once a person converted to Islam,
he'll be carried along until he is strong to
stand on his own.
What is your appeal to your parent?
I am appealing to my parents not to be
angry with me. My conversion to Islam will
not separate us. I still love them, even
though I am here. They can come and visit
me and I can also visit them. They shouldn't
think my new faith will take away the love I
have for them. It will not. I am very sorry

SPEECHLESS.

Redeemed

amazed

Smh for the girl. Its her life sha, her parents should keep praying for God to touch her and deliver her from whatever is wrong with her.
Amen.

Al hamdulillah

What a pity. Her parent should just pray that God should deliver her, cos I'm sure she has been brainwashed. Cos some muslims do take their wayward childrens to afa's in Ilorin then, before you knw it the wayward child would start wearing jalamia and tying those lawani. I jst wonder what they do to them.

What a pity. Her parent should just pray that God should deliver her, cos I'm sure she has been brainwashed. Cos some muslims do take their wayward childrens to afa's in Ilorin then, before you knw it the wayward child would start wearing jalamia and tying those lawani. I jst wonder what they do to them..

- I suspected her father is not clean.the daughter shld better tell the world wat the gods of her father is.

And this issue would spiral into controversy?
Why na? This girl is an adult for God sake, people should be allowed to take decision when they are of age.
SMH on all those Christians who say she must have been brainwashed, if a Muslim had converted to Christianity, it would have been the work of God abi? Or do you think Allah is not able to draw up converts to Himself? Do you all know that all of Africa are converts to both Islam and Christianity, the great grand father of the pastor would be disappointed the pastor is not worshiping the god of his ancestors. That is it, even the Christians of today are converts.
I may want to fault the girls impression on life, who told her she can't be a Muslim with her parents, would her new found attitude endear are parents to Islam if she is bent on drawing up controversy from it? My girlfriend of 6 years is a Muslim, I intend to get married to her, my family are strong practicing christians and her folks are strong practicing muslims. Every Sunday she calls me on phone and reminds me not to miss church, I encourage her not to miss any fast and every morning after her Sahur during this month of Ramadan, we spend the rest time with ourselves before the day starts proper. I love her and she loves me and our parents understands that, and I do not in any way intend to compel her to convert, if she'll remain a Muslim after our marriage so be it and if she decides to convert, it will surely not be because I forced her into it. The world we live in today should not be bordered by religious fault-lines because one thing I sure as h*ll knows is that, love conquers all.
If truly her dad is threatening her, then I don't think it is a sound advice telling her to go with him, as I still think involving CAN, JNI and shari'a court in this is equally not a sound advice. She should try her luck in school again and I'm sure that the Emir and the Muslim umma can fend for her education if they so choose. What goes around comes around, muslims convert to christians, so too do christians convert to islam, religious people become atheist and atheist become religious, that's the world we live in, when will people stop being surprise about this?

my family are strong practicing christians and her folks are strong practicing muslims. Every Sunday she calls me on phone and reminds me not to miss church, I encourage her not to miss any fast

na wa for you young people!

your story sounds too far out to be believed sha.

tpia@:


na wa for you young people!

your story sounds too far out to be believed sha.

Its left for you to believe it or not, I have said my piece. Not only do we have different faith, I'm from the north (Benue St.) and she's from the south (Edo st.). We are as different as could be but that has never defined our relationship.

well, if you put it that way. . . . . . . . . .

effect of eating free suya. I have been warning christian girls especially in the north to stay away from all these muslim guys they can be so diabolic