Wednesday, February 12, 2025

DON’T INTIMIDATE EL-RUFAI: MURIC TELLS FG – MURIC

 


12th February, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

DON’T INTIMIDATE EL-RUFAI: MURIC TELLS FG – MURIC    

The former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday disclosed that there were rumours that the Federal Government (FG) was planning to arrest him.

Reacting to the development, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has advised FG against intimidating the former governor. The group argues that doing so will stain the good name of the Tinubu administration as a democratic government.

The full statement reads:

“The former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday disclosed that there were rumours that the Federal Government (FG) was planning to arrest him (https://crimechannels.com/tinubus-govt-planning-to-arrest-detain-me-el-rufai-cries-out/).

“Considering the immense contribution of former Governor El-Rufai to the victory of the ruling party at the 2023 general elections as well as the big role played by him in the emergence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the indisputable occupant of Aso Rock today in spite of all odds, we will like to advise FG against intimidating the former governor if the rumour is true.

“Doing so will stain the good name of the Tinubu administration as a democratic government and portray it as one willing to crack down on dissent. On the contrary, with the realization that we now live in a global village, allowing El-Rufai to move freely in and out of the country will continue to earn FG humongous modicum of respect from the rest of the world.”

#El-Rufai

#DontIntimidateEl-Rufai

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Sunday, February 9, 2025

GOV ABIODUN SETTING TRAP FOR OGUN MUSLIMS – MURIC

 


10th February, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

GOV ABIODUN SETTING TRAP FOR OGUN MUSLIMS – MURIC    

The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, 4th February, 2025, claimed that he had rejected the establishment of a Shari’ah court in Ogun State. He also called on those behind it to immediately ‘disband the illegal entity and all its apparatus’.    

However, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has described the governor’s statement as speculative, provocative, manipulative and opportunistic.   

In a statement captioned ‘Governor Abiodun Setting Trap For Ogun Muslims’ and circulated to the media on Monday, 10th February, 2025, the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, accused the governor of attempting to outdo Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in scapegoating Muslims, profiling and stereotyping them.

According to MURIC:

“The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, 4th February, 2025, claimed that he had rejected the establishment of a Shari’ah court in Ogun State. He also called on those behind it to immediately ‘disband the illegal entity and all its apparatus’ (https://punchng.com/abiodun-kicks-as-group-launches-ogun-sharia-court-invites-litigants/).    

“Abiodun’s statement is speculative, provocative, manipulative and opportunistic. He danced to the gallery created by unrepentant irredentists, sugarcoated mouthers, social media megaphones and merchants of anarchy.

“It will be recalled that Governor Abiodun’s neighbour and co-Redeemer, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, issued similar threats against Muslims of Oyo State on 24th December, 2024 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/12/makinde-responds-to-sharia-court-controversy-vows-to-uphold-the-law/).  

“It seems Governor Abiodun wants to outdo Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in scapegoating Muslims. This informal executive competition in which the two governors seek to out-Herod Herod in making life unbearable for Muslims in their states must not go unchallenged. Yoruba Muslims must use every legitimate means available to stop the oppression.

“The governments of Oyo and Ogun states are weaponising state paraphernalia to stem the practice of Islam and the proper worship of Allah as He should be worshipped in Yorubaland. These governors are clamping down on Muslims. They want to silence the voice of Islam. They are intolerant Christian governors.

“We affirm emphatically that Muslims are aware that they can demand Shari’ah courts but they cannot establish it. Only the state government can establish Shari’ah courts and this is not in contention. But Muslims can establish Shari’ah panels because the latter are ordinary committees operated inside mosques.

“Shari’ah panels constitute alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanism recognized by law and Muslims are free to use their mosques for the settlement of disputes among themselves without seeking approval from any government before establishing them. There is no law anywhere in the Nigerian Constitution that makes the establishment of Shari’ah panels illegal.

“To Muslims in Yorubaland we have this to say: Do not fear those who are harassing you on the issue of Shari’ah. It is mandatory that you know your Allah-given fundamental human rights. Shari’ah is your right.

“You have the right to assemble in your mosques for worship, for meetings, for settlement of disputes (as in Shari’ah panel), for Islamic weddings, for naming ceremonies (‘aqiiqah), for Qur’an graduations (Walimah), for turbanning and for similar programmes.

“It is not the business of any state government in the South-West or elsewhere to dictate to Muslims how they should worship Allah or how they should use their mosques so long as those using the mosques do not disturb public peace or constitute palpable threat to the lives of other citizens.

“What MURIC will not support is violence, whether against fellow Muslims, against Christians, against traditionalists or any group or individual whatsoever. Islam is a religion of peace.

“We charge Muslim leaders and Islamic organisations to break the suffocating yoke of silence. Muslims must speak out. We must put an end to this mental slavery imposed on Yoruba Muslims by the imperialists. This mental enslavement of Yoruba Muslims was first perpetrated by the British Christian colonialists and it is currently being perpetuated by agents of feudalism, neo-colonialism and neo-imperialism.

“The witch cried yesterday, the child died today, is there any cause for postmortem? Makinde cried three weeks ago. The Eleyi of Ogun State wailed last week. What else could be more symptomatic of an executive conspiracy to wipe off all vestiges of Islam from the land of Oduduwa?

“It is a coordinated affront. With this approach, the governors of Oyo and Ogun, in particular, give the impression that they have constituted a council of Christian governors whose sole mandate is to wage a vicious war against Islam and the Muslims in the South-West.

“Ekiti governor does not appear to actually belong to this category because of his liberal approach to governance. He has shared power with Muslims and he continues to do so. The anti-Shariah uproar in his state did not come directly from him.

“But we find the governors of Oyo and Ogun states complicit in the emerging threats, harrassments and intimidations against Muslim leaders, activists and proponents of civil Shari’ah in the land.

“In saner climes, those who issue threats are treated as terrorists and made to face the full wrath of the law. But these two governors turned blind eyes at those who threatened violence against Muslim leaders and members of their families as well as supporters of Shari’ah.

“Surprisingly, the two governors started firing from all cylinders at the same Muslims who were being threatened. Without any tangible evidence, they accused Muslims in their states of establishing Shari’ah courts. Seyi Makinde in particular wrongfully and ignorantly labelled Shari’ah as unconstitutional.

“This was how the duo of Makinde and Abiodun used the paraphernalia of their states to incite non-Muslims against Muslims. They claimed Muslims had set up ‘illegal’ Shari’ah courts whereas it was not true. What the Muslims have are ordinary Shari’ah panels or committees which have no power of enforcement.

“Interestingly, these Shari’ah panels have been in their states long before the two became governors and have remained functioning since their inauguration as governors. That of Oyo State was established on 1st May, 2000 and it sits inside Oja Oba Central Mosque, Ibadan. Ogun State Shari’ah panel has been meeting interested Muslims inside Egba Central Mosque, Kobiti, Abeokuta, since 2018 to date. So what’s the hocus-pocus about?

“To actualize a game plan, Muslims who have jumped the fence are rail-roaded into publicly challenging Muslim leaders. Sometimes, fake Muslim names and hitherto unknown ‘Islamic’ organisations are used to issue threats against Muslim leaders. This is the regular pattern. This is their sinister modus operandi.

“The operation enjoys robust funding, perhaps from the ‘Ogas at the top’. Firstly, those using the fake Muslim names are encouraged to issue statements against Shari’ah and to threaten mayhem. Next, the governors go public, declaring Shari’ah illegal and threatening its proponents with a crackdown. It is a well known pattern.

“In the latest attempt to set a trap for Muslim leaders in his state, Abiodun cried wolf, claiming that a Shariah court was about to be established. Yet our investigations revealed there was no substance in the chief executive’s alarm. No single Muslim leader in the state seemed to know about the planned launching of a Shari’ah court.

“Yet a Shari’ah panel has existed in the state since 17th January, 2018. Perhaps this was his target? Was it a trap? Was the noise designed to scare Muslims away from the existing Shari’ah panel at Kobiti? Well, Governor Abiodun will have to do more than that.

“To that extent we hold Abiodun and Makinde responsible for scapegoating Muslims, for stereotyping and profiling them. We note the way Governor Abiodun has been setting traps for Muslim leaders in his state. Ditto for the Eleyi of Agodi.

“We urge Islamic organisations in Yorubaland to remember who to hold responsible should there be any attack on their persons, families and properties by irredentists and Muslim-haters in the nearest future. Responsible governors do not incite their citizens against any individual or group of people.

“Fortunately there are international organisations whose jobs are to fish out those who commit crimes against humanity. Holding an executive government position is no immunity against prosecution in future. Neither is being a separatist agitator a licence. We will finger all big and small collaborators if Muslims are targeted for killing. So will other Islamic organisations.

“Jean-Pierre Bemba of the Central African Republic (CAR), Laurent Gbagbo of Côte d'Ivoire, Saleh Jerbo of Darfur, Germain Katanga of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), etc are still cooling their heels in jail after being indicted at the Hague for crimes against humanity. Anyone who starts attacks on Yoruba Muslims is warming up to join them at the Hague. The world is a small village.”

#GorvernorAbiodun

#GovernorMakinde

#StopAnti-MuslimAntics

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Thursday, February 6, 2025

ALAAFIN: MAKINDE IGNORED RASAQ ADEGOKE FOR RELIGIOUS BIAS – MURIC

 


7th January, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ALAAFIN: MAKINDE IGNORED RASAQ ADEGOKE FOR RELIGIOUS BIAS – MURIC    

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has alleged that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State ignored Prince (Bar) Rasaq Ademola Adegoke, who was the authentic choice of Ifa divination conducted in Oyo town, due to religious bias the same way he ignored another Muslim prince, Lukman Adelodun Gbadegesin, who was the choice of Oyo kingmakers.    

In a statement issued on Friday, 7th February, 2025 by the Executive Director of the Islamic human rights organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC submitted that Makinde’s religious agenda is already an open secret.

The full statement reads:

“Contrary to the claim by the Oyo State government that Ifa divination selected Prince Akeem Owoade as the next Alaafin of Oyo, it has been revealed that an authentic Ifa consultation led by Ona Onimole, the recognized Ifa priest of the Oyo Kingdom, took place in Oyo town on September 24, 2024.

“The consultation which was allegedly done with the knowledge of the state government, was attended by notable traditional stakeholders, including Baba-Iyaji, Ona Isokun, Elope Iseke, Bale Oloja, and representatives of the Oyomesi ( Agbaakin, and Iba Samu) as well as various Ifa priests such as Ona Ilemole, Oluwo Alaafin, Oluwo Isale Oyo, and Oluwo Iseke and others.

“The divination resulted in the emergence of five out of the 62 princes vying for the revered stool of the Alaafin. The five princes were Prince (Barrister) Rasaq Ademola Adegoke; Prince Majeed Gbadegesin; Prince Muideen Adekunle Oladigbolu; Prince Afolabi Rafiu Wasiu and Prince Olamilekan Ismael Owoade. However, Prince Rasaq Ademola Adegoke allegedly emerged most favoured by the oracle.

“While Ifa divination allegedly favoured Prince Rasaq Adegoke and the Oyomesi picked Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, Makinde bent over backwards to shop for a candidate that best suits his religious agenda. He jettisoned the Ifa oracle which reportedly spoke in Oyo town for another that reportedly spoke in the white man’s country. This action has buttressed the allegation of religious bias on the part of the state governor.

“The wind will soon blow and we will see the ruff of the hen when the 30-day ultimatum given by the Oyomesi expires (https://punchng.com/alaafin-owoade-reverse-appointment-in-30-days-kingmakers-tell-makinde/). We stand with the gallant Oyomesi and the good people of Oyo town. No retreat, No Surrender.”

#PrinceRasaqAdegoke

#AuthenticDivination

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Sunday, February 2, 2025

ELONGATION MAY WEAKEN POLICE STRUCTURE – MURIC

 


3rd February, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ELONGATION MAY WEAKEN POLICE STRUCTURE – MURIC    

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has waded into the ongoing controversy surrounding the elongation of the tenure of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.  

According to the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the tenure extension given to the IGP is capable of eroding efficiency, breeding division within the force and diminishing public confidence.

MURIC’s intervention came via a press statement circulated to the media on Monday, 3rd February, 2025.

The statement reads:

“Our attention has been drawn to the ongoing controversy over the tenure elongation given to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun who attained retirement age of 60 years on 4th September 2024 but whose tenure was extended by the Police Service Commission (PSC) after the Police Act was amended.

“For whereas Section 18(8) of the Act says: ‘Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier’, the amended part stated, ‘Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (8) of this section, any person appointed to the office of Inspector General of Police shall remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment in line with the provisions of Section 7(6) of this Act.’

“An executive bill passed by both the green and red houses on the same day paved way for a new Section 18(8A) of the Police Act to enforce Section 7(6) of the Act.

“While conceding the fact that the issue of the extension of the IGP’s tenure does not fall within the immediate ambit of promoting and protecting Allah-given fundamental human rights of Nigerian Muslims which is the main focus of MURIC, there is no gainsaying the fact that the matter has a bearing on the security and welfare of all Nigerians of whom Muslims are an integral part.

“We nurse the fear that the tenure extension given to the IGP is capable of eroding efficiency, breeding division within the force and diminishing public confidence. This is not good enough for a security institution that has just started gaining public confidence through effective policing.

“With the exception of a few bad eggs, the police institution has tremendously improved the security architecture of Nigeria in recent time. Hundreds of kidnap victims have been rescued while several high-profile crimes have been solved. This tempo should be maintained while anything capable of dampening the morale of serving policemen should be avoided at this time.

“As the 22nd IGP, Egbetokun will be remembered for improved security network in his own time. Our sincere advice is that he should bow out now before this controversy gets messy and an hitherto clean record gets tarnished. Real heroes leave the stage while the ovation is loudest.”

#InspectorGeneralOfPolice

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

Thursday, January 30, 2025

STOP PLOT TO UNLEASH VIOLENCE ON SW MUSLIMS – MURIC

 


31st January, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

STOP PLOT TO UNLEASH VIOLENCE ON SW MUSLIMS – MURIC    

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Security and other security agencies in Nigeria to stop the plot to unleash violence on South West Muslims. Making the call on Friday, 31st January, 2025, was the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

In a widely circulated public statement, Akintola disclosed that there has been a plethora of threats in video clips and articles circulated on social media which were directed at Yoruba Muslims and their leaders over the ongoing Shari’ah controversy.

The full statement reads:

“We are constrained to call the attention of the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies in Nigeria to stop the plot to unleash violence on South West Muslims. The plot thickens on daily basis as new threats are issued by different Yoruba groups.

“The latest is a statement issued by one Ahmed Saliu Olokoju (names likely to be fake) who called himself the Secretary General, Yoruba Islamic Salvation Front (YOISF), an hitherto unknown group.

“In an article captioned ‘Shariah in Yorubaland: The Fulani Grand Plot to Destroy Yorubaland’, Olokoju labelled Yoruba Muslims who are supporting civil Shari’ah in Yorubaland as ‘Fulani agents’. This is ethnic bigotry and incitement of one ethnic group against another.   

“He also engaged in criminal name-dropping by directly mentioning the names of Muslim leaders and that of a prominent Muslim traditional ruler. He wrote, ‘The game changer to destroy Yorubaland is to introduce Sharia. The rogues, criminals supporting them are one Akintola from Ile Ife who lectures at Lagos State University, the Oluwo of Iwo, Mahmud Adesina and a few others whom we understand have been paid some $10m in advance. To them, religion is profit.’

 

“This was followed by direct threats to wage ‘holy war’ against proponents of Shari’ah, ‘to seek them, their children, their wives and their businesses’. According to him, ‘…To mobilise and wage holy war against these promoters of Sharia and their agents in Yorubaland. We shall pursue them and seek them, their children, their wives and their businesses wherever they are. Yorubaland must never and can never have Sharia. That is a call for war in families and in communities.’

 

“Olokoju also mobilized his audience to join his murderous group for training in terrorist acts against Yoruba Muslims. He said, ‘If you are reading this, pass it on, and if join YOISF in your locality for the training and preparation for Jihad against Yoruba rogues, criminals and bastards who are bent on using religion to cause civil war in Yorubaland. We shall stop them with their own SWORD and GUN.’

 

“This should not be treated with levity. It is no longer a joke. The threats are coming from the right, left and center and it is always against Yoruba Muslims and their leaders, all because we refuse to be forcefully converted to Christianity. We refuse to be assimilated. False Muslim names are being adopted by blackmailers and Christian terrorists who masquerade as Muslims. It is the height of cowardice.

 

“Above all, it should be noted that all the threats emerging from Yorubaland have emanated from faceless Yoruba groups against Yoruba Muslims. Meanwhile Yoruba Muslims have remained cool, collected and unperturbed without responding in like manner.

“We want the security agencies to take note of this and to rise to the task. Nobody should change the narratives after Yoruba Muslims have been attacked. It is clear now that the first threats came from the other side. It is only logical to assume that the first attack or attacks will also come from the other side. The security agents can prevent the mayhem if they move now.

“Besides, the presidency cannot afford to ignore threats of war coming from the president’s own people. This is the time for Aso Rock to pay attention to religious rumblings in the president’s backyard.

“In like manner, we call all religious leaders in the geopolitical zone to take necessary steps towards dousing tension on the Shari’ah imbroglio because any religious war in Yorubaland will spell doom for the whole South West population.

“MURIC will not make provocative statements. Neither shall we incite Muslim youths. But the latter are equally watching the scenario. They are not fools. We are also aware that there is a limit that we can continue to hold their reins. This is why the security agents have a duty to stop the spate of threats. Non-Muslims have no right to dictate to us how to practice our religion.

“We have confidence in the professionalism and non-partisanship of the Nigerian security agencies. Those threatening to unleash violence on Muslims must be stopped. The time is now.

“We appeal to all Yoruba Muslims and their brethren in faith all over the country to remain calm and patient. There should be no inflammatory remarks or provocative writeups.

“We urge the entire Nigerian Muslim Community to abide by the principle of peaceful coexistence laid down by the leadership of the Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). We are a disciplined people and ours is a religion of peace. Let us be good ambassadors of Islam.”

#InspectorGeneralOfPolice

#DirectorGeneralStateDepartmentDSS

#YorubaMuslimsUnderThreat

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

ISLAMOPHOBIA, AMNESIA RESPONSIBLE FOR OPPOSITION TO SHARI’AH – MURIC

 


29th January, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ISLAMOPHOBIA, AMNESIA RESPONSIBLE FOR OPPOSITION TO SHARI’AH – MURIC    

Islamophobia and amnesia have been identified as factors responsible for the current bitter opposition to Shari’ah in Ekiti State. This was disclosed by Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Founder and Executive Director of an Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

In a statement released on Wednesday, 29th January, 2025 Akintola said hatred for Islam and its adherents as well as collective amnesia were two major factors responsible for the kind of opposition to Shariah which we are witnessing in some parts of South-West Nigeria, particularly Ekiti State. According to the statement, other factors include deliberate misinformation, ignorance and religious rat race.

The full statement reads:

“In view of a thick cloud of tension which has enveloped Ekiti State in the past two weeks over the Shari’ah controversy, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) recently put together an ad hoc Think-Tank group which identified the factors responsible for the current bitter opposition to Shari’ah in Ekiti State as Islamophobia, collective amnesia, ignorance and religious rat race.

“Among the findings of the Think-Tank is that there is an intrinsic abhorrence for anything Islamic among a large section of non-Muslims. It is inherent in their thinking faculty and it beclouds their logical rationalization. This islamophobic proclivity is innate in all victims of anti-Islam indoctrination as well as ‘assimilated former Muslims’.

“The second correlate responsible for the rejection of Shari’ah is collective amnesia. People who have taken large doses of indoctrination and hate propaganda tend to forget the past en mass particularly about the benefits accruing to objects of their hatred.

“It is the same with the benefits accruing to Shari’ah in particular and other things associated with Islam and the Muslims in general. Whereas Christians cried wolf over Muslim-Muslim ticket in the run up to the February 2023 general election (https://punchng.com/2023-northern-christians-warn-against-muslim-muslim-ticket/), the same Christians are now applauding Muslim-Muslim rule after they saw magnanimity in Muslim style of administration.

“For instance, Northern Christians changed their song as early as September 2023. That was barely three months after the presidential election of February 2023. (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/09/northern-christians-to-tinubu-youve-allayed-our-fears-on-muslim-muslim-ticket/).

“Even more than a year later, about three days ago, the Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) still affirmed that President Tinubu has allayed their fears over the Muslim-Muslim ticket (https://leadership.ng/tinubu-has-allayed-fears-over-muslim-muslim-ticket-northern-can/).

“Yet these are people who threatened hell and brimstone before the election, cursed the Muslim presidential candidate and his Muslim vice. The trend is the same all over. Christian extremists will oppose any programme that has connection with Islam even after the proponents have given full explanation of the benefits. They will mislead the public by claiming ‘it is unconstitutional’, ‘it will undermine security’, ‘it constitutes a threat to peace’, etc.

“It happened during the first days of the introduction of Shari’ah in Zamfara State in 1999. Hell was let loose. After misleading Christians that Shari’ah was unconstitutional, CAN’s national body filed a suit in an Abuja High Court but it hurriedly withdrew the case after discovering the truth (‘Shariah: CAN Withdraws Suit Against Zamfara’, Vanguard, Wednesday, 28th June, 2000, page 9).

“But instead of telling Nigerian Christians the truth (that Shari’ah is constitutional), the president of CAN at the time, Dr. Sunday Mbang, preferred to save his face. He simply said, ‘As we don’t want to go and fail, so the better thing was to withdraw’ (Ishaq Akintola, Shariah in Nigeria: An Eschatological Desideratum, Shebiotimo Publications, Ijebu Ode, 2001, page 132).

“It is the rat race, a vicious struggle to retain membership and get new converts for the church. This religious rat race has brought monumental losses to the country. It is responsible for the tramadolisation of faith. It has pushed religious leaders to dissipate more energy on the indoctrination of adherents at the expense of upholding the truth.

“Going back to the lanes of history, we will find a number of Islamic programmes and initiatives which were vehemently opposed by Nigerian Christians but which turned out to be beneficial today after ignoring their opposition.

“We can cite Islamic banking as an example. CAN went to town with verbal halitosis, threats and vitriolic attacks when the Central Bank of Nigeria under Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi came up with the idea of zero interest rate in 2011 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/can-flays-cbn-over-non-interest-banking/). But who are those enjoying the fruits of Islamic banking today?

“Another good example is the sukuk, an Islamic bond investment mechanism which Nigerian Christians under the misguidance of CAN resisted with all the force they could muster. CAN’s Secretary General at the time, Rev. Musa Asake, labelled sukuk as ‘Shari’ah loan’ and rejected it because, according to him, ‘Nigeria is not an Islamic country’ (https://punchng.com/sukuk-bonds-are-sharia-loan-nigeria-not-an-islamic-country-can/#google_vignette).

“But today sukuk has achieved a lot for the country. There are roads built with sukuk funds in all parts of the country including the Abuja capital territory. The question we want to ask is ‘How do the leaders of CAN feel when they ply these sukuk roads? Do they jettison them and take other routes? Are there, really, other routes? Or do they simply pretend not to see the sign ‘sukuk’ boldly displayed along the sukuk roads?

“MURIC jogs the minds of the good people of Ekiti regarding the forgotten benefits of Islamic banking and sukuk mentioned above. It is our prognostication that opposition to Shari’ah panels in Ekiti will melt away in due time just as bitterness about sukuk congealed and later dissolved like red palm oil on hot yam.

“Besides, the Shari’ah panel is for Muslims alone. Christians have the magistrate court, the high court and also the Supreme Court. Traditionalists also have the customary courts but Muslims have none because even customary courts cannot adequately handle technical Islamic civil cases.

“Jesus (peace be unto him) said ‘Love your neighbour according to yourself’ (Mathew 22:39). The Muslims of Ekiti are neighbours of their Christian brothers. But how much are they being loved if Ekiti Christians enjoy this much judicial luxury while the Muslims wallow in judicial penury and denial of the dividends of democracy?

“MURIC urges the good people of Ekiti to ponder over the above findings, to seek more knowledge about the Shari’ah panel, to allow logical rationalization and to shut their doors to the persuasion of emotions and the incitements of agent provocateur. We have no iota of doubt that there are many good Christians in Ekiti who want to be like Jesus by loving their Muslim neighbours like themselves?”

#LikeSukukLikeShariah

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)