Mubarak Bala has learned the hard way that Nigeria is a religious country and there is little or no tolerance for individuals who are outspoken about their lack of faith.
The young Chemical Process Engineer who hails from Kano State, is the son of a leading Islamic cleric in Nigeria. The only problem is he no longer believes in Allah or any other God for that matter.
For his Twitter biography, he wrote “Religion insults human conscience &reason, duped me that I have another lifetime. #AgnosticAtheist”.
His handle @mubarakbala accompanies his Twitter Name ‘Exmuslim’.
His strong views about his lack of religion drew ire from his father, who has had him committed to a psychiatric evaluation ward at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Ironically several days ago, Islamic insurgents blew up the Kano School of Hygiene, another government hospital in the State.
On June 15th, Mubarak Bala tweeted photographs of his new home:
My psycho ward pic.twitter.com/8bsYV2baiq
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
He complained of sleeplessness due to inability to sleep due to medication given him at the facility:
My new psycho-brothers, in the dungeon. Haven't slept due to pills messing my brain. pic.twitter.com/oRJ9z0C9Lu
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
He then finally explained why he had been committed, after one of his followers curious about the pictures asked him if he was a doctor:
"@AgnosticMuvment: You a doctor/psychiatrist? "@mubarak: My psycho ward pic.twitter.com/8bsYV2baiq"" an inmate, they treat atheism as a disease.
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
"@riwasaku: @mubarakbala You're in a psychiatric institution?" Positive! For saying there is no God, nor Adam, they said I deny 'history'.
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
On June 16th, he said his family would have him committed probably until he re-accepted the Muslim faith:
"@AgnosticMuvment: @mubarakbala *jaw drops* damn!!!!!! How long are they gonna hold u in there?????" Dunno, till I rediscover my maker
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
He explained how he was able to tweet from a Psych Ward:
"@imWaya: How can one be in a Psych ward and yet have a phone? Beats my imagination" I'm currently in the toilet, someone sneaked it for me.
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
Then he shed light on the fact that officially he was now being treated as insane by Psych Ward personnel:
"@QueenAtheist.." They won't even summon the doctor for me, I'm treated as equal to other patients, my words hav no meaning, it now official
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
He explained how his family members assaulted him, then sedated him in order to ship him off to the Ward:
"@TicklemeBender: @mubarakbala @AgnosticMuvment Were you taken by force?" I was beaten and chocked by the neck, I passed out, I woke up here
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
Some Twitter users who encountered his tweets wanted to know where he was from:
"@labrahuggables: @muba What country are you in? @TicklemeBender @AgnosticMuvment" Northern Nigeria, it allows state to practice Sharia Law.
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
"@TicklemeBender: @labrahuggables @AgnosticMuvment Is there anythin we can do?" Not at the moment, bt if I could get out, I'll need support.
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
Other Twitter users volunteered to help by sending airtime, or sending people to inquire of him:
"@deezer234: @QueenAtheist what's the name of your hospital and…I want to send someone over." Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, dunno the no.
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 16, 2014
His Twitter TL went blank for a few days, and then became active on June 20, he thanked people for their support:
I send out a big appreciation to all you, working hard to see me free, I sent out mails when I had my phone, I permit @quranifyme to share.
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 21, 2014
I'm trying to be as resourceful as anyone could be, locked up in a psychiatric hospital with pSychos and semi-literate staff, its been 8days
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 21, 2014
He then narrated the assault by his family again, in June 21st he tweeted about how his older brother, a Medical Doctor who practices in Saudi Arabia sedated him. His brother Auwal Bala Muhammad is also on Twitter. His bio states, “A passionate Public Health/Family Physician…Health Columnist, Blogger..”
My brother @auwal_Muhammad gave me intravenous injection and I woke 30hours later in AKtH male psychiatric ward,still in there being drugged
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 21, 2014
He expressed fears of being held incommunicado again after his family discovered the tweets:
https://twitter.com/mubarakbala/statuses/480171033396531200
I permit anyone who has access to rights organisations in Nigeria to get me a visitor, a counsel or access to management, I wronged no one!!
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 21, 2014
On June 20, he tweeted about how his father declared a Shahada for him on Facebook, according to religionfacts.com, the first of the Five Pillars of Islam is the shahada. Shahada is the Muslim profession of faith, expressing the two simple, fundamental beliefs that make one a Muslim:
La ilaha illa Allah wa-Muhammad rasul Allah.
There is no god but God and Muhammad is the prophet of God.
Hours after sedating me, I later discovered my father declared a shahada for me, on my facebook wall, to tell friends I'm now a Muslim.
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 21, 2014
Then he explained why his father was so upset about his lack of Faith in Allah:
https://twitter.com/mubarakbala/statuses/480173847824850944
I've been patient with the lies & preposterous 'proofs' of my 'insanity', & threats by family, only thinking they'll learn to live with me..
— Secular | Humanist (@MubarakBala) June 21, 2014
https://twitter.com/mubarakbala/statuses/480190188376031232
https://twitter.com/mubarakbala/statuses/480194402644942848
Then he tweeted about how he is afraid for his safety, because he alleged his people ‘the fulani’s’ would never forgive him for renouncing Muslim faith:
https://twitter.com/mubarakbala/statuses/480195572188868608
https://twitter.com/mubarakbala/statuses/480200030507532288
His brother, Auwal Mohammaed, the Doctor who sedated him, insinuated that his brotheer may be sufferign from Mania or Bipolar disorder:
https://twitter.com/Auwal_Muhammad/statuses/481672837338394624
Observers are not convinced. How could a Chemical Process Engineer suddenly be deemed insane. The more plausible reasonfor Mubarak’s detention is due to his lack of faith and the embarassment it has caused his family.
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