23rd July, 2018
PRESS RELEASE:
STOP CRUSADERS IN IKOYI
IMMIGRATION OFFICE
Following reports that the
premises of the Nigerian Immigration at Ikoyi has been taken over by religious
zealots who compel staffers and applicants to join them in morning devotions, the
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has cried out to immigration authorities and the
Federal Government to save the department from religious crisis.
In a press statement signed
by its director and founder, MURIC complained that its headquarters had been
inundated with reports that Nigerians who visit the immigration office in
Ikoyi, Lagos early in the mornings are being made to partake in Christian
prayers and evangelical devotion without any regard for their religious leaning.
According to Akintola, “The
Ikoyi office of immigrations has been taken over by Christian fanatics who
force everyone who arrives early to join in Christian prayers. They insist that
there must be morning devotion before starting work every morning. The fact
that they have Muslims among their staff and applicants means nothing to them.
They invoke spirits and imaginary angels. They shout and scream at the top of
their voices. It is madness in official quarters.
“Muslims need protection in
this country. We cannot just stand by watching as Muslims are embarrassed and
denigrated by overzealous Christian officials in immigration office. It is not
only ridiculous but also unacceptable. It is hard to believe that Ikoyi
immigration office is owned by the Nigerian government. It looks more like a
Christian evangelical office.
“When did Nigeria descend to
this level? How can a government department of such high status become a tool
in the hands of gymnastic crusaders? We are demanding immediate cessation of
this rubbish. It must also be investigated. All government offices are there
for staffers to work and for visitors to receive quality service. How can we
get that quality service when you force us to go down on our knees contrary to
our belief? By the way, how can we allow civil servants to mess up tax payers
for crying out loud? No serious nation will allow its work force to descend
into the labyrinths of mythical religiousity and Treasure Island miracle
mentality.”
MURIC affirmed that
Nigerian Muslims are tax payers and major stakeholders who deserve quality
service. The Muslim human rights outfit decried the compulsion of applicants to
join in morning devotion of any kind in Ikoyi immigration office in particular
and any other government department for that matter.
“This phenomenon is now
common in many ministries, parastatals, hospitals, clinics, market places, etc.
Some Christian extremists just assume that they own this country. They
arrogantly ask everyone to close their eyes in government offices every
morning. They ask them to kneel down and pray. They should be told that Muslims
pray in their homes every morning before going to work. So what is the essence
of forcing us to pray in the office in Christian fashion? This ignoble practice
is common where Christians are heads of department. It happens where Christians
are directors. This bedlam must be brought under control.
“If anybody wants to pray
in the office, let him or her pray silently and privately. It is an
infringement on Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslims to compel them to
kneel down and pray in Christian manner just because the boss in that office is
a Christian. This is something Muslim bosses will never do and we are demanding
immediate stoppage.
“It is paradoxical that the same
Christian bosses and directors who force Muslims to join them in prayer are the
same people who spread the misleading propaganda that Nigeria is being
Islamised. This new revelation proves that they are the ones Christianising
Nigeria but accusing the Muslims in order to deceive Nigerians. Our neighbours
are adept at deception, outright lies and fake news.
“It may be argued that
Muslims also pray at work but while that is true they never drag non-Muslims to
join their prayer. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
guarantees freedom of religion and that is why whoever wants to worship should
do so briefly without compelling others to join him or her. MURIC will continue
to expose those who tramp upon Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslims”.
The Muslim group lamented
the Nigerian irony where there is excessive show of religious devotion without
a commensurate level of transparency and accountability in public office.
“Our advice is that
Nigerians should stop this hypocritical show of piety in criminality. How can
we spend hours on our knees yet we are ‘fantastically corrupt’? How can we
compel people to join in morning devotion but demand bribes from the same
people minutes later? Those who waste so much time kneeling down in prayer during
working hours do not deserve full salary because they did not render full
service to their country. They are cheating on government”.
MURIC also explained that it
does not oppose Christians praise-worshipping in workplaces since Muslims also
observe Salat (ritual or canonical prayer) at work. The organization insists
that the Christian spiritual exercise should involve Christians alone and that
no Muslim should be invited or forced to attend or participate. It argued that
such Christian praise-singing at work should not be done where both Christians
and Muslims are waiting for public service.
“It is necessary to clarify
our position before we draw the curtain in order to avoid deliberate
misinterpretation by mischief makers and war mongers. We Muslims are not saying
Christians cannot or should not worship in work places. We also worship in our
places of work but it is Salat which
has prescribed time and special genuflections as we are commanded in the Qur’an
‘Observe regular Salat because it is prescribed
at stated times’ (Qur’an 4:103; see also Qur’an 2:238; 23:9; etc). It must be
noted that Muslims who observe Salat in their places of work are neither
showing off nor being fanatical because such prayer (e.g. between 1 pm and 2 pm)
is mandatory and those who ignore Salat are
cursed (Qur’an 107:5).
“Nonetheless, our Salat is an all-Muslim affair. We do not
invite or force Christians to join us. So what we are saying is that Christians
can also assemble for religious purposes in their places of work but they
should not invite Muslims talk less of forcing them to join in morning
devotion. Morning devotion by Christians in immigration office is legitimate
with the proviso that it is an
all-Christian affair. But it becomes illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and
unconstitutional the moment Muslims are coerced to join. It is religious
intimidation of the highest order. Do your own alone and let the Muslims do
their own alone. “For you your religion and for us our religion” (Qur’an 109:6).
“As we draw the curtain, we demand full
investigation into the Ikoyi morning devotion affair. A circular should go out
in all ministries and parastatals warning against forceful morning devotions.
Defaulters should be punished as deterrents”.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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