Nigerian Man Says He Was Declared Insane For Being Atheist

http://iheu.org/nigerian-man-detained-on-psychiatric-ward-for-atheism/

A Nigerian man has been detained and medicated for over a week on a psychiatric ward in Kano state, Nigeria, on the grounds that he is an atheist, his lawyer confirmed today.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) is deeply concerned about the case, for the welfare of the detained man, and the human rights violation that his detention represents.

Mubarak Bala from his bed in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital




Communicating by email and Twitter from a secreted smartphone, Mubarak Bala was able to raise the alarm that he has been held against his will at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital since Friday 13 June.

Reaching activists online early last week, he explained that he had been detained at the hospital on the grounds of a “personality change” because, having been raised in a Muslim family, he is now an atheist.

After one doctor dismissed claims of psychiatric problems, Mubarak’s family alleged that he also made delusional claims that he was a “governor”, Mubarak said. They also told “other trivial lies they could come up with”, including insinuations that his writing and activism on the Almajiri was a sign of madness, simply because it is “too big for me to initiate change”.

He wrote: “And the biggest evidence of my mental illness was large blasphemies and denial of ‘history’ of Adam, and apostacy [sic], to which the doctor said was a personality change, that everyone needs a God, that even in Japan they have a God. And my brother added that all the atheists I see have had mental illness at some point in their life.”

Mubarak had been somewhat open about his disagreement with religion, in a deeply Islamic part of the country. Soon after he was detained at the hospital posts appeared on Mubarak’s Facebook profile indicating that he was now a Muslim again. However, from the hospital, Mubarak wrote: “The fact that immediately I’m sedated they could take my phone and post [on Facebook] the Islamic Shahada proved their real intent, and family members (females) have been wailing that I’m bound for hell, so they had to make a move.”

Instructed by Bamidele Adeneye, secretary of the Lagos Humanists (an IHEU member organization) a lawyer has visited Mubarak in the hospital and has taken up the case.

Bamidele told IHEU, “Kano is a Sharia state and there are many similar cases occurring, where people are forcefully oppressed just because of their beliefs or for conservative religious reasons, or for the “honour” of their family. Often though you only hear about it afterwards, if at all. This is a rare chance to intervene while someone is in dire need and is still alive.”

For IHEU, Bob Churchill said, “It appears that a warped notion of family honour is the motivation to pressure Mubarak in this appalling manner, to conform to religious views that he simply doesn’t hold. This is an abhorrent violation of his freedom of thought and belief.

“In addition we are seriously concerned about Mubarak’s deteriorating condition. At his request, the lawyer has tried to take him some decent food, because Mubarak is weak and his hands were shaking after a week under medication. Also Mubarak’s messages, when he was still able to get messages out, have gone from almost bemused at his situation — saying “how funny” it was that his family equated atheism with mental illness — to quite desperate in recent days as the prospect of a quick release has diminished.

“We are joining with humanists and human rights advocates in Nigeria and the activists who have worked to highlight this case, in calling for an immediate re-evaluation of Mubarak’s case by a doctor who is entirely independent of the family, and for his swift release. We stress that holding naturalistic or atheistic views is a normal and reasonable position, that no one should be detained as a psychiatric patient for holding such beliefs, and that holding such beliefs is a human right under Article 18 of the relevant international treaties.”

 

Not physically safe to be Gay/Athiest/Christian in Nigeria right now. Very sad.

 

Good ol Nigeria. :smt009

Not that I'd ever go to Nigeria, but this just further solidifies shit.

 

It's not safe to be Muslim in some parts either. It is so sad to see Africa importing Middle Eastern and Western European religious fanaticism when there are so many domestic challenges it has to face.

 

What do you mean "importing...Western European religious fanaticism"?

 

Neither Islam nor Christianity is indigenous to Western Africa and it is upsetting to see, with all the challenges Africa already faces, its people killing each other over imported beliefs and disputes. Modern Islamic fundamentalism is part of general retrograde tendencies in Arab society and modern Christian extremism is largely a manifestation of the U.S.A. (as the heir to Western Europe's role in the world and a nation with a relatively large fundamentalist population).

 

Preach!

(No pun intended.)

 

My sentiments exactly.

 

LMAO

I long to see a free, independent Africa, using its resources for the benefit of its own peoples and their development, as opposed to them being shipped off to China, Western Europe and the USA at fire-sale prices, with the meager profits siphoned off by the corrupt indigenous African business and governmental class.

 

I'm very disturbed as well by what's going on. Africa's a lovely continent with some amazing scenery, but it's been marred by the exact things you've mentioned. On top of that, adopting some attitudes from the West to divert the attention of economic problems as a whole and sedating the classes there just will make everything much worse.

South Africa's pretty much the only progressive country, but it's heavily marred with crime and the congress there is a bastardized concoction of what Mandela once helped established.

 

:smt043:smt043:smt043

 

I was reminded of something...

[YOUTUBE]Os5DlODMoNg[/YOUTUBE]

 

There was a time 20-25 yrs ago would have taken 1 for that man, Islam was slammed down our throat, thought "christians" were still with the "man",,
You ask me today about any imam rev minister priest and I see entertainer

 

While I am not a fan of Louis Farrakhan (or any other religious figure, for that matter), the relationship of the industrialized West/North and the global South has been one of exploitation of people, land and resources. He is spot on with that point. And that history makes the West a poor judge of the problems of the global South.

This right here.

 

Entertainment?
Please see the movie God Loves Uganda

 

Disclaimer: No poop were harmed, but eaten, during the making of this documentary.

P.S. EAT DA POO POO!

 

Yes, but the continent is still making progress, slowly but surely. If only they could get their hands around indigenous control of their natural resources with the proceeds directed toward broad-based, societal benefit in the areas where it is most needed: free universal education, health, infrastructure, and environmental protection.

 

They should consider adopting ideas pertaining to human rights as well, especially when it comes to women and LGBT. But still, progress is far too slow beyond reproach.

 

Agreed. A little more science-based approach to solving society's problems rather than religion or tradition driving the bus would be a positive.

 

Secular humanism being exercised in Africa as a whole would prove to make it all the better. That and adoping a more progressive ideology pertaining to human rights, which would help them realize there's greater economic potential than the free-market mess they are holding towards Western countries and other nations.