INDEPENDENCE DAY MESSAGE

29^th September, 2012

NIGERIA AT 52: QURANIC PARABLE OF A BLESSED BUT WASTED COUNTRY

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) congratulates all Nigerians as the country clocks 52 on Monday 1^st October, 2012. The only cheering news in our independence anniversary is that we are still alive to witness the occasion and that in spite of all odds, this country is still intact, at least to the ordinary eye.

 

The Glorious Qur'an appears to have encapsulated the Nigerian phenomenon in its parable of the blessed but wasted city when it says, "Allah sets forth the parable of a city enjoying security and peace, abundantly supplied with its needs from everywhere, yet it failed to appreciate the favours of Allah, therefore Allah made it taste hunger and fear because of the evil handiworks of its people" (Qur'an 16:112).

 

Nigeria has failed to harness its vast human and material resources and this has resulted in the tragedy staring us in the face today: unemployment, hunger, insecurity, disunity, corruption, bad roads, poor health facilities, epileptic power supply, leadership failure and boot-licking citizenship.

 

Nigeria has all it needs to be a great nation if both the leaders and citizens change their mindset. Leaders must be prepared to render selfless service. Followers must be transparently honest in places of work. Parents and guardians must properly discipline their children and wards. Above all, the fear of God and the love of our fellowmen must be the first consideration in all our dealings. Until this is done, Nigeria remains a blessed but wasted country.

 

ADEGBITE'S DEATH: NIGERIA LOST A GEM

28th September, 2012 PRESS RELEASE: DEMISE OF DR ADEGBITE: NIGERIA HAS LOST A GEM   The sad death of Dr. Abdul Lateef Adegbite was announced this evening by the Ogun State Government. Dr. Adegbite was until his death the Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Seriki Musulumi of Egbaland. He was 79.   We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) receive the news of his death with equanimity, submitting to the will of Allah since Islam teaches the philosophy of death as sine qua non. We commiserate with the government and good people of Ogun State, the President-General of the NSCIA Sultan Abubakar III, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul Azeez Arisekola Alao, the Nigerian Muslim Ummah, the Federal Government and the generality of Nigerian citizens.   Dr. Adegbite was the founding father of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) in the early sixties. He also played a vital role in the establishment of the NSCIA in 1973.   He lived a life of devotion and piety. He promoted the golden qualities of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Even at the peak of the worst crisis and irrational provocation, he never uttered an angry word. He worked assiduously for the progress of Nigeria. He was a great statesman, a patriot primus inter pareil, a lover of peace, a preacher of love and forgiveness and an exemplary leader.   Generous to a fault, Dr. Adegbite was a friend of the weak. He projected the enviable principles of non-violence and constructive dialogue. A team player nulli secundus, he steered the ship of the Muslim Ummah with the dexterity of an egg-vendor and the skill of a juggler simultaneously spinning several breakables in the air yet breaking none. Nigeria has lost a gem.   We pray that Allah in His Infinite Mercy will forgive him and repose his gentle soul in Al-Jannah Firdaws. Professor Is-haq Akintola,  Lagos State University, P.O. Box 10211, LASU Post Office, HO 102 101, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel. 234-803-346-4974        234-818-211-9714 Website: www.ishaqakintola.com Blog: drishaqakintola.blogspot.com Twitter:  ishaqakintola Facebook: facebook.com/ishaqakintola Twitter: ishaqakintola   I remain oppressed untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the sick healed and the homeless sheltered

ANTI-ISLAM FILM: CRIMINALIZE BLASPHEMY

26th September, 2012 PRESS RELEASE: ANTI-ISLAM FILM: CRIMINALIZE BLASPHEMY   The whole world was recently jolted by news of a film disparaging Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Provoked Muslims in many parts of the world reacted angrily. There were violent demonstrations in several Arab capitals. Libya was worst hit as the American Ambassador in Benghazi was killed along with three of the consulate's staff. Muslim demonstrators also suffered casualties as many of them died during clashes with the local police.   The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) condemns violent demonstrations. We prefer dialogue even in extreme provocations. We believe that superior argument is capable of disarming the worst enemies. Violence is a square peg. Provocation is a round hole. What we fight for is not always what we gain at the end of the day. In fact losses often outweigh the gains in such circumstances.   The world today is sandwiched between two hydra-headed monsters: Muslim fanatics and Western extremists.  Yet only a change of mindset on the part of Western countries can bring lasting solution. The West asks the Muslim world to check its fanatics but fails to restrain its own extremists from irresponsible publications. MURIC rejects this double standard in very strong terms. It is true that there is freedom of speech, but one man's freedom stops where he starts to breach the liberty of others. Licentious publications and reckless productions targeted at other religions are manifestations of religious intolerance. They constitute palpable threats to peaceful coexistence.       Cases abound in which the West defends its own religious fanatics when the latter act recklessly. Salman Rushdie became a baby of Western countries in spite of the outrage in the Muslim world over his provocative Satanic Verses published in the 90s. The author of the Danish cartoon enjoyed the same protection. Now the same West is asking Muslims to ignore this outrageous film. The list of anti-Muslim acts is endless. Pig-heads are thrown inside mosques in the US. Faeces is thrown on the floors of mosques. Hate-pouring graffiti is painted on mosque walls overnight and the US government does nothing to stop all these in its own territory.   MURIC is of the opinion that the West is sponsoring Islamophobia. This impression will remain so until countries of the West redefine their concept of free speech. Britain can extradite Abu Hamza to the US to face charges of hate-preaching but the same Britain sees nothing wrong in a hate film. Posterity must judge whether or not the West is guilty of hypocrisy. Chamberlain had earlier remarked that the problem with the world is "brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution".     We strongly believe that blasphemy against any religion must be criminalized to serve as deterrent against potential blasphemers. The West must unleash some control mechanism on the advocatus diaboli within its system. We will hold the West responsible for the recklessness of its citizens until this is done. Muslims have suffered immense psychological trauma from this name-calling and witch-hunting. Taking a cue from the unfortunate event which took place recently in Benghazi, Libya, the West must learn the limits of sponsoring and arming dissidents in Muslim countries. Finally, MURIC calls on governments around the world to legislate against blasphemy. We urge the Nigerian National Assembly to take this very seriously and act on it most urgently. We nurse the fear that the world may not be the same again after the next blasphemous act. Professor Is-haq Akintola,  Lagos State University, P.O. Box 10211, LASU Post Office, HO 102 101, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel. 234-803-346-4974        234-818-211-9714 Website: www.ishaqakintola.com Blog: drishaqakintola.blogspot.com Twitter:  ishaqakintola Facebook: facebook.com/ishaqakintola Twitter: ishaqakintola   I remain oppressed untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the sick healed and the homeless sheltered

CELEBRATE PARALYMPIC HEROES

16th September, 2012 PRESS RELEASE: PARALYMPIC HEROES MUST BE CELEBRATED   Nigeria's hopes were dashed by the poor performance of its Olympic team which came back home recently with no single medal. But light came at the end of the tunnel through the heroic performance of our physically challenged athletes. They came home with six gold medals and a lot more!   The lesson in this must not be lost on Nigerians. It is a reminder that Nigerians must not lose hope in their country. We will survive as a nation. Our industries will come alive again. The education, health and all other sectors will bounce back with full force though with a proviso: we must revive that political will which brought our past heroes together to build a nation where no man is oppressed.   The success of the Paralympic team amplifies the existence of great talents and skills in our young ones. Nigeria can still regain its lost glory if we can share the dream of this team that was determined to win in spite of challenges in its way. We can take Nigeria to the next level if we can resolve as a people to stop and shun corruption, materialism, tribalism and religious bigotry henceforth.   In the meantime the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) strongly recommends that the Federal Government should reward the Paralympic heroes and heroines.   We suggest, among other things, that the juicy portion of land in Abuja over which the former First Lady and the current one are at logger heads be given to the best female Paralympic athlete. Secondly, that the $15 million involved in the Ibori bribery rigmarole should be shared among the athletes without any delay. Thirdly, that all Paralympic athletes who won medals for Nigeria should be given national awards.   This will go a long way to prove that the Jonathan administration is not there to spoil political challatans, boot-lickers and court-jesters in Aso Rock, but determined to reward those who toil truthfully for this country.     Professor Is-haq Akintola,  Lagos State University, P.O. Box 10211, LASU Post Office, HO 102 101, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel. 234-803-346-4974        234-818-211-9714 Website: www.ishaqakintola.com Blog: drishaqakintola.blogspot.com Twitter:  ishaqakintola Facebook: facebook.com/ishaqakintola Twitter: ishaqakintola   I remain oppressed untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the sick healed and the homeless sheltered