Integrity Journal of Arts and Humanities

This paper examines an emerging and growing method of Islamic proselytisation in Bayelsa State. Just as evangelism is a familiar practice among the Christian church, the Muslims, for a long time, have been using Da’wah to preach and spread Islam in different parts of the world. The paper contends that unlike in the Christendom where clergies, as well as other believers, carry out evangelism; to carry out an effective Da’wah all Muslims are expected to practice gentleness, participate and be influential in politics, speech/understand a common language (Arabic) and be in a location. The creation of Bayelsa State in 1996 open the gate for more Muslims to migrant into the new State. Among these migrants were members of Muslims Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN), Federation of Muslims Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) and National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) who were at the vanguard of Da’wah in Bayelsa State. The paper reveals that, although Jihad set in motion the movement of people with its effect ricocheting areas hitherto untouched by Islam, Bayelsa, being the area under investigation took an exception to this general practice. In the area under study, Islam was introduced and propagated through persuasion and adoption process also known as Da’wah. The case of Bayelsa State was so peculiar in the sense that there was no record of a leader with a flag and the blessings of Uthman Dan Fodio who conquered the area but a systematic and a gradual spread through migrant Muslim traders making serious impact in the area. Despite this progress, the paper reveals that there was paucity of literature on Islam in Bayelsa State except for two works of Egodi which was not also extensive. Again, it is important to also note that unlike in the Northern part of Nigeria where there was a recorded incessant religious motivated violence, Muslims in Bayelsa State enjoyed moderate harmonious relations with their Christian counterpart. The historical methodology of research was adopted by the researcher and this involved the analysis of primary, secondary and tertiary sources of data. In this regard, a number of oral interviews were conducted. Information was also sourced from the internet as well as from books and journals. Therefore, the paper recommends that, though ideological differences are inevitable among a group or more or among religious faithful, it should not be allowed to take a center stage else the observed growth of Islam in Bayelsa could be hampered.