GIVE US JUNE 12, NOT MAY 29

28^th May, 2017

PRESS RELEASE:

GIVE US JUNE 12, NOT MAY 29

The Federal Government has declared Monday, 29^th May, 2017 as a holiday to mark this year’s Democracy Day.    

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) rejects May 29 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day. It is fraudulent, unrealistic and escapist.

May 29 was picked by the last military regime of General Abdul Salaam Abubakar because it marked the day that the military handed over power to civilians after decades of military dictatorship. But the soul of Nigerians is in the June 12, 1993 general election whose result was criminally annulled by the military.

It is our considered opinion that June 12 should be Nigeria’s real Democracy Day because June 12 election was adjudged by both local and international observers as the most orderly, most peaceful and most democratic election in the annals of Nigeria’s history. That election remains celebrated today as the only one that was free of rigging, ballot box snatching, thuggery, hooliganism and other related ugly incidents.

June 12 1993 was the day all Nigerians decided to sink religious and ethnic differences. They voted for the Muslim – Muslim ticket of Chief M. K. O. Abiola and Babagana Kingibe. Nigerians spoke with one voice on that memorable day from Enugu to Kaora Namoda and from Sokoto to Bayelsa. The churches rejoiced with the mosques on June 12 1993 and Nigeria truly became one.   

One of the reasons for our failure to resolve the problems facing Nigeria is the inability of our leadership to face reality, to admit mistakes and to made amends. May 29 was a grievous mistake. June 12 is the way forward. If we do not know where we are going, at least we know where we are coming from. June 12 is where we are coming from. Let us go back to it in order to jog our people’s memory, ignite their passion and rekindle their patriotism.

Those who picked May 29 merely wish to switch attention from our collective will. May 29 is enslavement and captivity. June 12 is freedom and liberty. It symbolizes unity and epitomizes unconditional love. It is emancipation from the claws of bourgeois politics, ethnic jingoism and corruption unlimited.

June 12 removed the veil from our eyes. It taught us to seek leadership in competence, integrity and decency, not mediocrity, religious affiliation or ethnicity. On June 12 we stand.   

In conclusion, MURIC urges the Federal Government and the ruling party to keep faith with the change mantra by going back to June 12. Nigerians were promised change. We want that change to manifest in the day recognized as Democracy Day. It must be the people’s day, not the day picked by a tiny cabal. It must be the day of unity. It must be the day of unlimited love. Give us June 12.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

MUSLIMS MUST EMPOWER THEIR IMAMS

26^th May, 2017

RAMADAN MESSAGE:

MUSLIMS MUST EMPOWER IMAMS 

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has directed Muslim faithfuls to look out for the moon from today Friday 26^th May, 2017. Nigerian Muslims are, therefore, most likely to commence the annual Ramadan fasting within the next 48 hours.    

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) seizes the opportunity of the commencement of the Ramadan season to call the attention of Muslims throughout the country to the socio-economic plight of Imams. It is tragic, pathetic and embarrassing. It demands an immediate and radical solution.

In a country where the average citizen lives on less than $1 per day and per capita income is less than $300, the current recession has worsened the plight faced by Imams. It must be noted that while a few Imams receive stipends from Islamic organizations, more than 90% of them have no reliable source of income whatsoever. This is quite embarrassing.

It is also paradoxical that government establishments do not recognize the Arabic certificates obtained by them even after spending close to twenty or thirty years in various Islamic schools and centers. To make matters worse, elite Muslims expect Imams to go for another vocational training like carpentry and tailoring in order to make ends meet. This amounts to gross socio-economic injustice. It creates a wider gap between the rich and the poor and promotes class compartmentalisation.

The Imam’s daily routine is so enormous that labour activists cannot but see it as slave labour. He begins the day’s work in the mosque from 5.30 am in preparation for the Subh prayer. He must be there to lead the congregation for Zuhr between 1 and 2 pm. ‘Asr prayer is between 3 and 4 pm and he must not miss it. He is still in the mosque for Magrib (around 7 pm) and for ‘Ishai around 8 pm.

Yet that is not all. He takes charge of funeral matters when any member of the congregation passes away. He washes the corpse. He shrouds it and leads the salat al-janazah (prayer offered on the dead).  He is there for the solemnization of marriages (nikah). The Imam is overworked, overtasked but underpaid. 

To get back at his oppressors, the Imam capitalizes on wedding (nikah), naming (‘aqiiqah) and funeral (janaazah) and graduation (waliimah) ceremonies by turning them into bazaars in order to rake in their dues from the negligent congregations. This is often done to the chagrin of envious elites who complain endlessly of extortion and exploitation.   

But the fact is that none of those educated elites and critics of the Imam who argue that the Imam should go for some vocational training can bathe their dead relations. They will call the Imam. None of them can solemnize their daughter’s marriage by themselves without inviting the Imam. They fail to accept the fact that Islamic scholarship is a profession by itself and a most noble one too and no Imam should be expected to set out to learn any other vocation. Or have lawyers been requested to learn carpentry or tailoring?

MURIC contends that the Imam is badly shortchanged and the time to appreciate him is now. We are not talking of Islamic scholars who are in government institutions. This is about Imams in private mosques and those employed by Islamic organizations. They only receive seasonal tokens. It is a big shame that Islamic organizations pay their Imams the poorest salary in this country.

This Ramadan season offers a unique opportunity for sober reflection on the way Imams have been impoverished by their followers and pauperised by Islamic organizations. We remind Muslim faithfuls that Imams also have family responsibilities. Their children must pay school fees. Their wives buy from the same markets like all other consumers even in the face of rising costs and the current recession. The Nigerian Imam is in economic bondage.

MURIC charges the Muslim Ummah to set the Imams free. Why is it that some mosques are built without any provision for the Imam’s quarter? This practice does not conform with liberation theology in Islam. Our religion is essentially welfarist. Every individual Muslim has a duty to extend a hand of fellowship to his or her Imam. Making the Imam comfortable is the only way to stabilize the Imamate institution and make Islamic studies attractive.

Have we not seen the recent drift in choice of courses by students in universities? How many Muslim parents want their sons and daughters to read Islamic studies? How many of them want their children to become Imams in future? Most Muslim parents want their children to read accounting, banking, insurance, law and other materialistic though glamorous courses. Is it not because even the Muslims look down on the Imam and pays him a pittance?

We appeal to Islamic organizations to embark on an upward review of the salaries of their Imams without any delay. We urge leaders and officials of Islamic organizations to fear Allah by according the Imam his rightful place of respect, honour and dignity. The gagging of Imams and the usurpation of their powers by religious bureaucrats must stop.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

MURIC REPLIES CONTROVERSIAL BRITISH LAWMAKER: PRESIDENT’S HEALTH IS NIGERIA’S INTERNAL AFFAIR, STOP YOUR COUNTRY FROM SITTING ON NIGERIA’S MONEY

25^th May, 2017

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC REPLIES CONTROVERSIAL BRITISH LAWMAKER: PRESIDENT’S HEALTH IS NIGERIA’S INTERNAL AFFAIR, STOP YOUR COUNTRY FROM SITTING ON NIGERIA’S MONEY

Controversial ex-British parliamentarian, Eric Stuart Joyce, who earlier claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari is dead, has urged Nigerians to ask questions about President Buhari's health. Joyce said in a democracy, Nigerians should not be kept in the dark about the president's health.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) thanks Mr. Joyce for his advice. We agree that satisfying the electorate’s curiousity engenders robust debate in a democracy. But that is only ceteris paribus. There are other more important factors which may determine whether or not it is advisable to disclose the president’s health. Ours is a democracy of voodoo, death-wish, bolekaja, kleptocracy, ethnic jingoism and religious fanaticism. This is contrary to what obtains in free democracies like Britain and the United States.

While we may want to stop short of asking Mr. Joyce to desist from interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs, we are constrained to seize the opportunity of his interest in our country to plead with him to divert his interest to the billions of sterling  pounds siphoned from Nigeria’s shores to British banks and other investment sources in England.

It must interest Mr. Joyce that the British economy is being propped up with money stolen from Nigeria. We are urging the ex-parliamentarian to use his connections particularly among his friends who are still in parliament. Nothing stops the ex-lawmaker from issuing a public statement to compel the British government to repartriate money stolen from this country.

MURIC contends that Britain and the rest of Europe, particularly Switzerland which operates secret bank account system thereby shielding thieves from exposure and subsequent prosecution are aiding and abetting corruption in the Third World. The looters of our common wealth would not have succeeded without the existence of such leeways.

Mr. Joyce will agree with MURIC that countries where stolen money is kept is an accessory after the fact. Again, countries that benefit in any way from the proceeds of stolen money have a burden of morality on their conscience. But is Mr. Joyce ready to help free Britain from its moral burden?

In conclusion, we assert that the ball is in Mr. Joyce court. Whether to give the issue of Nigeria’s stolen money in British banks (oiling British economy) the same publicity as he gave the president’s health remain to be seen in the next few days. Joyce may want to use his influence in the House of Commons (where we believe he must still have many friends) to stir up a debate on the need to repartriate Nigeria’s stolen money. This will be more honourable than stirring up needless controversy on the Nigerian president’s health.   

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

IG SHOULD STOP FAYOSE’s THUGS NOW

 

23^rd May, 2017

PRESS RELEASE:

IG SHOULD STOP FAYOSE’s THUGS NOW

Hoodlums are currently destroying the petrol station of Alhaji Sulaiman Akinbami. This is a developing story. The attack started this morning and it is still ongoing as we go to press. 

The thugs are believed to be acting on the orders of the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose. The governor was alleged to have threatened to deal with Alhaji Akinbami yesterday during his media chat. He reportedly complained that he could not tolerate Alhaji Akinbami’s business ventures because the latter is from Osun State and not an indigene.

It will be recalled that the governor had threatened to bulldoze the business man’s petrol stations a few weeks ago because there are mosques inside the complex.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) strongly condemns this impunity. We call on the Inspector General of Police to quickly intervene and restore law and order. We demand adequate protection for Alhaji Akinbami and his properties in the state.

Governor Fayose is victimizing Alhaji Akinbami for being a practicing and committed Muslim. Akinbami is not really Fayose’s target. It is Islam. Fayose has demonstrated his hatred for Muslims in several ways before. He insisted that he would bulldoze the mosques inside the petrol stations if they were used for Jum’ah prayers. In obedience to the draconian order, the owner, Alhaji Akinbami, stopped worshippers from coming for Jum’ah service.

Yet Fayose was not satisfied. He gave orders that the evening Arabic classes attended by little children should stop and pronto, the owner complied. Again he instructed them to stop the Sunday morning Asalatu activities. Akinbami also obeyed. But Fayose appears dissatisfied. He would not stop until he has destroyed his perceived enemy and that is exactly what he started this morning.

It is a flagrant abuse of power to threaten a law abiding and peaceful citizen. Every Nigerian citizen has the right to domicile in any part of the country. We charge the IG to act immediately before an innocent man and most probably many others along with him are viciously crushed by a marauding and lawless governor.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)