26th July,
2014
SALAH MESSAGE:
SET NIGERIANS FREE
The month of Ramadan
is grinding slowly to an end and Muslims all over the world are warming up for
Id ul-Fitr which is the festival marking the end of Ramadan.
The Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC) reminds Nigerians of the lessons inherent in the fasting
exercise. Apart from its
health-related gains, Ramadan instills piety, reduces the propensity for
profligacy, compels empathy, pegs immorality and engenders high-level
discipline. These gains will be lost unless Nigerians allow these lessons
to reflect in their lives ad infinitum.
According to the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the beginning of Ramadan opens the door
of blessings, its middle facilitates spirit of forgiveness while its end
symptomises emancipation.
MURIC therefore calls on Nigerians to show mercy to their
fellowmen, to forgive those who have offended them and to liberate all those in
bondage.
With respect to the
commencement of Ramadan which epitomizes the manifestation of mercy to one another,
we appeal to state and
local governments as well as wealthy Nigerians to set up ‘stomach welfare
centers’ where hungry Nigerians can eat at least once daily.
The Federal Government should also establish a new ministry
to be called ‘Welfare Ministry’ to serve this same purpose.
On the middle of
Ramadan which signifies forgiveness, we call on Christians, Muslims and
Traditionalists in Nigeria to evolve joint orientation programmes where emphasis
will be placed on the lessons of love, tolerance and forgiveness. Fate has
joined us all together in this country and the best we can do is to think first
of saving our country from disintegration and total destruction.
As the end of Ramadan teaches liberation, we charge
Nigerian authorities to immediately review all anti-people policies wherever
and in whatever form they are being imposed. Let Nigerians go!
Too many people are suffering. Too little people are enjoying. The masses only
hear of trillions and billions of naira. Yet there is no bread on their tables.
Examples abound of
such draconian policies: the new vehicle licence plate number should be given
free to those who already have old ones. Vehicle owners did not obtain the old
plate numbers gratis. Now they are being made to pay twice for the same
product because plate numbers do not expire. It is out-Heroding Herod to compel vehicle owners
to pay for the new one.
Motorcycles
confiscated from okada riders should be returned to them after three weeks. The
seizure should be temporary, not permanent. The policy which allows permanent
seizure lacks human face. It is spreading hunger and recruiting desperate foot-soldiers
for robbery kingpins.
On the demolition of
structures, adequate compensation should precede demolition and not vice
versa. Aesthetic beauty is good for our environment but not at the expense
of depriving people of their means of sustenance and places of abode.
Still on liberation as
an integral part of the lessons at the end of Ramadan, MURIC charges governors
to visit prisons at the end of this Ramadan to free prisoners awaiting trial, those
whose offences are not so serious, elderly ones, nursing mothers and pregnant women
among the inmates.
President Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan should seize the opportunity of the Ramadan freedom package to
take a decisive action capable of securing the freedom of the Chibok girls who
are now in their 104th day in Boko Haram hideout. To Boko Haram leadership, MURIC
says, “Let our girls go!”
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC)
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