Bin Laden wins African cult status

GUSAU, Nigeria (CNN) -- Muslims in Nigeria are flocking to a state capital -- to pick up Osama bin Laden memorabilia.

In the state of Zamfara, Nigeria, where the Muslim Sharia law is practised, the curious and the fanatical are buying copies of the Koran and pictures of bin Laden.

Buyers also travel from neighbouring Lagos -- a 10-hour drive to Zamfara's capital Gusau -- to get a glimpse of pictures of the man and his message.

Bin Laden, who has also been accused of masterminding two bomb attacks on U.S. embassies in Africa, is wanted by the U.S. for plotting the suicide strikes on the World trade Center and The Pentagon.

In Gusau, street seller Sanni Ahmed Sanni says, at first, he had no idea who Bin Laden was but quickly realised with the brisk sales this was an important person.

Now he's having trouble meeting the growing demand.

"Yes yes. Very popular," he said. "Everybody buys. Christians and Muslims. It's very popular."

Sylvester Eheda, who was buying a poster, said: "I just wanted to buy it because I have been hearing a lot about bin Laden, so I want to know more information about him.

"I love seeing his poster because he's wanted. I love reading about him and knowing more about him. "

Governments are waiting to see the impact this popularity could have on their nations -- Muslims make up nearly half of Africa's 750 million people.

African involvement in the war on terror has mostly been limited to offering air-space and intelligence support. No country on the continent has been able to assist militarily or logistically to the coalition forces.

But many African countries could become unstable if Muslims and Christians clash over their national policies towards the war on terror.

Nigeria is the most populous, and plans a series of demonstrations to show growing dissatisfaction with the U.S.-led coalition.

Clerics say the interest in bin Laden is a repeat of the Islam hero-worship during the U.S.-led Gulf War against Iraq 10 years ago.

Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzak, a Muslim cleric in Zaria, Nigeria, told CNN: "Then they put up posters of Saddam and a lot of people named their children born at that time Saddam.

"If anything, it shows that America is the aggressor in every war it goes into, so who ever it has made aggression against turns out to be a hero."

The state's governor, a staunch Muslim and the man credited with bringing Sharia to Nigeria, says the country's new democratic constitution allows for such freedoms.

Alhaji Ahmad Sani, governor of Zamfara state, said: "You can find posters of the Pope, you find posters of all sorts of people.

"It is an individual's right. We are in a democratic dispensation. We have total freedom of association, total freedom of belief, freedom of religion, freedom of thought. Whatever one wants to do."

He condemns the attacks on the U.S. -- saying such violence is against the Koran. But, he adds, that does not justify an eye-for-an-eye approach.

Sani added: "Six thousand people lost their lives in America, if another 6,000 people lose their lives in Afghanistan, Americans will not feel that they have achieved something, that they have revenged what has happened to them because the lives of those of who have not been lost will not come back.

"So I think it is better for the American government to think twice, look at these innocent people who are hungry, who are living in Afghanistan and find another way of dealing with whatever problems that exist instead of bombarding the country."

He rejects the U.S. argument that it is trying to feed the hungry in Afghanistan with airborne food drops, by accusing it of beginning to behave like a schoolyard bully.

Zakzak added: " What pride has America got to make in being the richest nation in the world today attacking Afghanistan which is the poorest nation in the world…What cause has it to be proud of even if it turns out to be victorious?"

He rejects the coalition's argument that their target is the terrorist, and not Islamist.

"People think that America is the aggressor in this and the word they use often, terrorism, is also mounting a terrorist attack on innocent people.

"So even if Osama bin Laden was guilty of the offence, what they are doing is not justice."