10th
June, 2019
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC EXPOSES NCEF’S ESCAPIST GIMMICK
The Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC) has described the reaction of the Northern Christian Elders
Forum (NCEF) to its statement which was published on Friday 7th
June, 2019 as an escapist gimmick, a distortion of facts and the handiwork of distractors,
agent provocateur and confusionists. MURIC’s latest statement which was
issued on Monday, 10th June, 2019 was signed by its Director,
Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The Islamic human
rights organization was reacting to a rejoinder of NCEF which was published
yesterday, Sunday, 9th June, 2019 in which the latter attacked
MURIC. According to NCEF, MURIC was trying to score political points. NCEF also
claimed that placing Shariah in the 1999 Constitution was Nigeria’s problem,
not Christianity or Islam.
“NCEF has digressed
and it is deliberate. We took NCEF up on its allegation of Islamisation and its
criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari’s attendance of the Organisation of
Islamic Conference (OIC) summit last week. But instead of addressing the
substance, NCEF has veered to the shadow.
“It is an escapist gimmick and a distortion of facts. It is
the handiwork of distractors, agent provocateur and confusionists. We supplied
facts and figures about OIC and its origin in our own statement. We said
General Gowon (rtd) took Nigeria to OIC. NCEF could not contradict this. We
mentioned the gains brought back home from OIC summit by the president. NCEF
has no response for that.
“How can NCEF be
complaining about Nigeria’s membership of OIC when many West African countries
are there: Ivory Coast, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, etc? Uganda, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique are all there. Guyana from
South America is a member. Russia and Thailand are members in observer status.
“Both the United
Nations and the African Union are observer nations of OIC. How many of these
countries have been Islamised since 1969 when OIC was founded? In fact, can
anyone embark on any Islamisation exercise under the watch of the UN? We are
not surprised that NCEF was forced to put its car in the reverse gear after
realizing all these facts.
“But instead of
admitting defeat, NCEF begins to beat about the bush. It is grandstanding. Modesty
and humility are not in NCEF’s vocabulary. It is blaming Shariah in the 1999
Constitution. How does that relate to Buhari in 2019? Was Buhari in power in
1999? How did Shariah in the constitution become Buhari’s baby? Why should he
be reported to a foreign parliament for what he knew nothing about? Is it the
federal government that is practicing Shariah? Is Buhari practicing Shariah?
When did Shariah start and when did Buhari become president? We can see clearly
that senility and amnesia are close neighbours.
“By the way, was
Shariah part of NCEF’s original statement which MURIC reacted to on Friday? The
issue was OIC. How can you jump from one subject to another without thrashing
the original subject matter? It is escapist. It is an attempt to confuse
Nigerians.
“We are shocked that NCEF now claims to be seeking ‘a peaceful and lasting solution
to current national crisis’. ‘Peaceful and lasting solution’ indeed. We have no doubt that even
NCEF does not believe itself making such a claim. Can anyone seek peaceful
solution by setting fire to the roof? Is it by inciting Christians against
Muslims that you can seek ‘peaceful and lasting solutions’? Is it by uttering
hate speeches that you can seek ‘peaceful and lasting solutions’? Or is it by
always crying wolf where there is none?
“We remind NCEF that its impertinence led the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) to disown it. We urge NCEF to first reconcile with
CAN and stop seeking undue relevance. NCEF should also examine the audio and
video clips of its preachers which are full of incitement before claiming to be
seeking ‘peaceful and lasting solutions’. Interestingly enough, Pastor Bosun
Emmanuel whose inciteful video clips proliferate cyberspace is the secretary of
NCEF. Need we say more?
“The real problem in
Project Nigeria is groups like NCEF who want to live but do not want others to
live. They are particularly allergic to anything Islamic when in actual fact
the Nigerian system was totally christianised by the colonial masters.
“We recognize and
accept the Christian way of life for our Christian neighbours but the earlier
they also recognize the Islamic way of life for Muslims the better for all of
us. Nobody can Shugaba us. We affirm clearly, categorically and unequivocally
that Nigerian Muslims are an integral part of this country and we are not
leaving any time soon.
“We appeal to NCEF and its co-travellers to drop this allegation
of Islamisation. Nobody can Islamise Nigeria. The Yorubas who reside in the
North have Obas. But is that Afeniferisation or Oduduwisation? The Igbo people
are scattered all over Nigeria and they have their own Igwes in all those
places. But is that Biafrisation?
Why then do we single out the Hausa-Fulani in our midst
and accuse them of Islamisation and Fulanisation? It is stigmatization. It is
intolerance. It is petty and crude. It is a mockery of civilisation. If
Afeniferisation or Oduduwisation is mere fancy, if Biafrisation is a mirage, we
make bold to say Islamisation and Fulanisation are mere hallucinations. None of
these ‘isations’ is in the best interest of our country.
“We should therefore
come together and drop name-calling or adopting meaningless terms to deceive
gullible Nigerians. Stereotyping has robbed us of the last vestiges of
civilization. There are criminals in all tribes just as there are decent and
law-abiding men and women in all groups. The way forward is for the good people
to unite and expose the bad eggs. Nigeria is a great nation with immense
potentials. This is how to make it greater. Let us stop these meaningless
allegations and harness our country’s human and material resources.
“As we wind up,
therefore, we invite NCEF to true tolerance which can only be found in the
principle of live and let live. NCEF must allow the integration of all religions,
cultures and ethnicities in the Nigerian project. Nigeria is for all of us. It
is not a Christian property. Neither is it for Muslims alone. NCEF has locked
up Nigeria in a Nigeria-for-Christ-project. It is time to open its windows and
allow the breeze of nationalism to come in from all directions. NCEF should
stop seeing Islamisation in its dreams. Let us all dream greatness for Nigeria
instead.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
No comments:
Post a Comment