26th September, 2018
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC CONDEMNS FRSC FOR EXCLUDING
MUSLIM WOMEN
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) recently conducted
nationwide recruitment exercise for which applicants were requested to appear
in white shorts, white round neck T-shirts, canvass
and socks.
Reacting to the development,
the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) described it as a deliberate exercise in
religious marginalization, economic deprivation and undisguised discrimination
against Muslim women.
MURIC’s reaction was
contained in a press statement signed by its director and founder, Professor
Ishaq Akintola on Thursday, 26th September, 2018.
The Islamic human
rights organization wondered why FRSC would issue a directive which is designed
to exclude a section of Nigerian citizens. Akintola said, “The whole world
knows that Muslim women do not wear shorts. It is therefore strange to hear the
FRSC requesting applicants of both sexes to appear in shorts. FRSC is a federal
road safety concern and its recruitment exercise should be inclusive.
“Or is FRSC telling us
that it only recognizes Christian women alone? Is FRSC telling us that it
cannot tolerate the sight of Muslim women? Is this federal agency only
interested in giving jobs to Christian women to the disadvantage of their
Muslim counterparts? Is FRSC unaware of the economic implication of this among
the Nigerian Muslim population? Is this not a deliberate attempt to empower
Christians and continuously impoverish Muslims?
“We believe it is a
deliberate attempt to exclude Muslims. We are disappointed that FRSC has joined
the clique of anti-Muslim institutions that claim secularism in order to shortchange
Muslims. Muslims are being shut out of the economy of this country. Muslims are
being dragged to the bottom of the pyramid of poverty in Nigeria. Instructions which
make it impossible for Muslims to participate in nation-building are being
rolled out on a daily basis in public and private sectors.
“We remind FRSC that the
marginalization of any section of the Nigerian population by any agency is a
violation of Section 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
which stipulates that “The composition of the Government of the Federation, a
State, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such Government or
council, and the conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such
agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of
the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of
belonging and loyalty among all the people of the Federation”
“MURIC therefore rejects
the FRSC recruitment exercise for failing to recognize the diversity of our population.
It is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional to issue directives which are
designed to exclude any section of the country. The exercise can best be
described as incomplete, sectional and discriminatory.
“To complete the
exercise, FRSC authorities must give Muslim women their own opportunity to
participate. A new date must be fixed for the recruitment of Muslim women in
the next few weeks. Nigeria belongs to us all. MURIC will not fold its hands
while our common patrimony is shared out among Christians alone.
“We advise FRSC and
all uniformed formations to take note of this observation in order to correct
the anomaly in future exercises. Marginalisation is the oil which lubricates the
engines of bitterness, animosity and rancour in any heterougeneous community
like Nigeria. Part of the problems facing Nigeria today is the failure of public
institutions and agencies to accept and fully integrate Muslims into the
system. Most institutions assume that the anti-Muslim system bequeathed by the
colonial master is the ideal thing. They never bother to look around to know if
it is all-inclusive”.
MURIC also has a message
for Muslim women. “We charge Muslim women all over the country to rise to the
occasion. Demand your Allah-given fundamental human rights and that includes
the right to employment, right to decent living and right to the dignity of
your human person. Nobody under the sun has the right to ask you to expose your
body. The Glorious Qur’an affirms that Allah Himself created mankind with
dignity. (Qur’an 17:70). Why then should you allow anyone to deprive you of
your Allah-endowed dignity?
“We
urge the Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) to sensitise
and mobilize Muslim women across the country for the coming struggle which is
aimed at emancipating Nigerian Muslim women from the clutches of
neo-imperialists. Freedom is never offered on a platter of gold. It is no
longer fashionable to be docile.
“The
Qur’an asserts, ‘Why should you not rise in the cause of Allah to defend men, women and
children who are oppressed due to their weakness? The weak ones cry out, “Our
Lord! rescue us from this city (Nigeria?) whose people are oppressors; and
raise for us from Thee one who will protect us, and send to us a helper!” (Qur’an 4:75-76).
“If you dare to
struggle, you will dare to win. Muslim women in Nigeria must keep their eyes
open. They must adopt ‘discrimination against one is discrimination against all’
as a motto. The Nigerian Muslim woman has become an endangered specie and this
is the only way she can be defended because the authorities never show any
concern for their freedom. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
“On a last note, MURIC
demands a special recruitment exercise designed for Muslim women to be
conducted by FRSC in the next few weeks. We advise the federal agency to
consult FOMWAN on the modalities.
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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