MURIC APPEALS FOR CALM AFTER AFENIFERE REFUTES STORY

 

28^th July, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC APPEALS FOR CALM AFTER AFENIFERE REFUTES STORY 

   

The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, yesterday refuted the report making the rounds that it compared Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a. Igboho. Thereafter, Nigeria’s Muslim human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), appealed for calm.  

 

 

MURIC’s appeal was issued on Tuesday, 28^th July, 2021 by the director of the organisation, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has refuted the report that it compared Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a. Igboho (https://emporiumreporters.com.ng/we-never-liken-igboho-to-prophet-muhammad-afenifere/). Although the report generated a lot of tension as it angered millions of Muslim faithfuls in the country, we are appealing to Muslims nationwide, particularly Muslim youths to consider the refutal as a retraction and to accept it in good faith.

 

 

“In a new statement released yesterday, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt, that no such insinuation was intended. Some phrases and sentences in the statement also confirm that Afenifere did not intend to insult Prophet Muhammad.

 

 

“For example, Afenifere said, ‘Giving the recognition members of Afenifere have for all religious faiths and the high regards we have for Prophets of God, there is no way we would liken an individual to these prophets, least of all, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)’. Even the headline of the story read, ‘We Never Liken Igboho to Prophet Muhammad’ while the phrase ‘highly referred (sic) Prophets’ was used in reference to Prophets Muhammad and Moses. We also noted that the traditional salutation (SAW, i.e. may Allah bless him) was added by Afenifere after the Prophet’s name

 

 

“In the same vein, we urge Nigerian Muslims to extend the same spirit of forgiveness to Sahara Reporters (SR), the media house which amplified the story. We call for the discontinuation and withdrawal of an online petition against SR which has already been signed by hundreds of Muslims. We equally implore all those who have since unfollowed the media house to rescind their decision and make SR popular just like before this ugly incident. The fact that SR pulled down the story from its portal and even went another extra mile to publish an apology shows that it never intended to subject our Prophet to any public opprobrium.

 

 

“In view of the above, MURIC appeals to Muslims nationwide to overlook the incident based on the principle of Inamaa al-a‘maal bilniyyaat (actions are judged according to intentions). The Glorious Qur’an also implores Muslims to forgive even their adversaries and to repay evil with goodness (Qur’an 41:34).

 

 

“As we rise from this intervention, we urge the leadership of Afenifere to draw the leadership of the Yoruba Muslim community closer and enter into dialogue with them, particularly on burning issues like hijab in schools and civil shariah in Yorubaland. We affirm clearly and categorically that Yoruba Muslims are bona fide Yoruba indigenes. Therefore, Afenifere should manifest concern for the plight of Yoruba Muslims who have been undergoing religious persecution in Yorubaland the same way it exhibits solidarity with the civil liberty of the Yoruba people. #MuslimYorubasmatter

 

 

“We are of the humble opinion that a single hour of rapport with recognized Muslim leaders will be more effective in resolving grey areas than spending days, weeks and months with individual Muslims. For the avoidance of doubts, the only recognized Muslim leadership in Yorubaland is the Muslim Ummah of South Western Nigeria (MUSWEN) whose current president is Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo.”  #MuslimYorubasmatter

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 

 

MURIC TO AFENIFERE : APOLOGISE FOR YOUR ILL-ADVISED COMPARISON

 

27^th July, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC TO AFENIFERE : APOLOGISE FOR YOUR ILL-ADVISED COMPARISON 

   

Nigeria’s Muslim human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has demanded unreserved apology from Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group,  comparing Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a Igboho, to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Afenifere had compared Igboho’s current travail in Benin Republic to that of Prophet Muhammad in Madinah.

 

 

In a press release issued by the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the human rights group said Afenifere’s statement was not only sacriledgious but outrageous and audacious. MURIC advised Afenifere to compare Igboho to any of the Yoruba heroes if they must idolise him.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has compared Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a. Igboho, to Prophet Muhammad. This is totally unacceptable. It is not only sacriledgious but outrageous and audacious. Afenifere has manifested categorical desertification of discernibility coupled with an alarming height of tramadolised hero-worshipping. It is provocative, preposterous, repugnant and nauseating.

 

 

“The circumstances surrounding the migration of Prophet Muhammad in 622 C.E. to Madinah differ a lot from those that sent Igboho to Benin Republic in July 2021. Muhammad was invited to Madinah by the Madinese whereas Igboho was not invited by the people of Cotonou. Muhammad was a prophet of God, Igboho is not. Muhammad’s constituency is the whole world while Igboho’s activities are restricted to South Western Nigeria.

 

 

“It was therefore an exercise in excessive exaggeration for Afenifere to have compared Igboho to a universal prophet whose followers in their billions spread across all the continents and countries of the world. This, to say the least, is an attempt to diminish the immense popularity of Prophet Muhammad, whittle down the influence of Islam on the world as a whole and trivialise the essence of the Abrahamic faiths.

 

 

“We remind the supporters and fans of Igboho to be wary of the antics of Afenifere. They should note that a thick fog of mystery still covers the travails of the great Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Moshood Kashimowo Abiola. We are not sure that the hands of Afenifere are clean in both matters of these great sons of Oduduwa. They should not allow the same Afenifere to goad Igboho into oblivion.

 

 

Igboho is not to blame in this blasphemous matter. He never compared himself to any prophet. Therefore, MURIC has nothing against him. Our problem is Afenifere. People should not give labels that are above Igboho to him. Afenifere did not stop at comparing Igboho to Muhammad. It also compared him to Moses (Prophet Musa, peace be upon him). Moses was a prophet of God for crying out loud. But is Igboho a prophet?

 

 

“What does Afenifere want to turn Igboho to? Another prophet? Afenifere’s goal is to exert influence on Igboho and to gain total control of him. Afenifere should leave Igboho alone. It should stop playing politics with the young man’s life.

 

 

“If Afenifere is so desperate to compare Igboho to a great personality, the Yoruba socio-cultural group should pick any of the heroes of the Yoruba people. Or is Afenifere no longer proud of Yoruba heroes? We know that the Yoruba people parade a host of great men and women. Why not compare him to one of them? Why raise this young man to the clouds without any pillar to support his feet?

 

 

“Ogedengbe Agbogungboro of Ijeshaland, Timi Agbale Olofa Ina of Ede, Bashorun Ogunmola and Ibikunle of Ibadan, Sango and Gbonka in Oyo are all Yoruba heroes. Why couldn’t Afenifere pick one of them? None of them were armchair heroes. They were highly mobile, always on the move. Even the female among them, Moremi Ajasoro of Ile-Ife, (Olowo Aremo, Abowo gboogbo ti yo omo re lofin). Why did Afenifere look down on Yoruba heroes and bypassed them to pick a faraway prophet of God from Arabia? Is it inferiority complex?

 

 

“This is a bitter lesson for Yoruba Muslims who have swallowed the Yoruba nation propaganda hook, line and sinker. We told you before that Afenifere has no respect for Muslims. You have entered ‘one chance’. They opposed our civil shariah, stigmatised our hijab and shunned our Islamic banking. Afenifere has never deemed it fit to intervene in any of the cases of persecution faced by Yoruba Muslims.

 

 

“Just as Yoruba Muslims are not given any special recognition in Yorubaland, just as their daughters, their wives and their mothers are treated with contempt and publicly humiliated in schools, hospitals and public offices, their prophet, the Seal of all prophets, the greatest man that ever lived, Muhammad the son of Abdullah, is now being denigrated.

 

 

“It is just a taste of the pudding. This is just a tiny fraction of what awaits Yoruba Muslims in an Oduduwa republic. MURIC calls on all Yoruba Muslims who are supporting the Yoruba nation agenda to retrace their steps with immediate effect if indeed they believe in Allah and in Prophet Muhammad as the last prophet. We will not follow those who deride our prophet.

 

 

“No true Muslim will do that. They know the eschatological consequences. Any Muslim who fails to withdraw his support for the Oduduwa Republic campaign after Afenifere insulted Prophet Muhammad will be held accountable by Allah yaom al-Qiyamah (on the Day of Judgement). This is not a fatwah. Rather, it is a fundamental teaching of Islam that Muslims must withdraw their support from those who malign their faith.

 

 

“We are aware that Sahara Reporters, the media house which published Afenifere’s blasphemous statement, has apologised. We take its apology in good faith. Sahara Reporters has shown respect for the sensibilities of Nigerian Muslims. It now behoves Afenifere to follow the footsteps of the media house by tendering its own apology. We will soon know whether or not Afenifere has any scintilla of respect for Yoruba Muslims, nay, Nigerian Muslims.

 

 

“In the interest of peaceful coexistence and mutual cooperation, and on behalf of the teeming population of Nigerian Muslims, we hereby demand unreserved apology from Afenifere for denigrating the person of Prophet Muhammad whom Muslims throughout the world hold in high esteem.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 

 

 

CALL POWER APOSTOLIC CHURCH INT’L TO ORDER – MURIC

 

26^th July, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

CALL POWER APOSTOLIC CHURCH INT’L TO ORDER – MURIC

   

The Power Apostolic Church International, Ojoo, Ibadan, Oyo State, is planning the official inauguration of the Yoruba Nation Christian Association (YORNCA). The event is billed to take place on Wednesday, 28^th July, 2021.

 

 

However, the Nigerian Islamic human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has kicked against the inauguration. According to MURIC, such an act will give the impression that the agitation for the establishment of a Yoruba nation is a Christian agenda. MURIC therefore called on leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Yorubaland to prevail on the leadership of the Power Apostolic Church International to shelve the inauguration plan.

 

 

A statement signed by the group’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Monday, 26^th July, 2021, described the inauguration plan as reckless, immature and an attempt to put the cart before the horse.

 

 

The press release reads:

 

“The inauguration of a certain group to be called the Yoruba Nation Christian Association (YORNCA) is billed to take place on Wednesday, 28^th July, 2021 at the Power Apostolic Church International, Arulogun Road, Ojoo, Ibadan, Oyo State. Already, a letter of invitation has been sent out to guests. Unfortunately, however, the letter of invitation has leaked and gone viral on social media.

 

 

“We assert that the inauguration of an organisation that bears the name of a non-existent ‘nation’ is, to say the least, reckless, infantile and an attempt to put the cart before the horse. Which one should come first, the ‘nation’ or the organisations that will be formed within it?

 

 

“Do we have a Yoruba nation already? Has the Nigerian Constitution which describes the country as ‘one indivisible and indissoluble Sovereign Nation’ been amended yet? Can you build an illegality on an illegality? Can you build something upon nothing? YORNCA or whatever it calls itself should therefore wait. It cannot exist in a vacuum.

 

 

 

“MURIC pays special attention to the last sentence in the last paragraph of the letter of invitation where the organizers gave the reason for forming the organization (YORNCA) : ‘The reason being that, it is now we can catch our Land for the Lord. Shalom!’

 

 

“We find this sentence worrisome. Because it presupposes that the real motive behind the agitation for a Yoruba nation is to ‘catch’ Yorubaland ‘for the Lord’. Well, the cat is now out of the bag. All the noise about marginalization is therefore mere smokescreen intended to deceive Yoruba Muslims in particular and the general public in general.

 

 

“So the question must be asked by rational people. Is the Yoruba nation project a Christian agenda? If not, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) should call the Power Apostolic Church International, Ojoo, Ibadan, to order. We are aware that CAN had earlier dissociated itself from all kinds of separatist and insurrectionist projects. That puts CAN in the right position and gives it the moral right to call any church which is promoting chaos to order.

 

 

“For the avoidance of doubt, MURIC does not consider the Yoruba agitators as enemies. But we disagree with their methods. They are becoming overzealous and they can only make things worse for the same people they claim to be fighting for. They must eschew violence, threats, blackmail, subterfuge, false propaganda, intimidation and coercion.

 

 

“For the records, we reiterate the questions posed by MURIC to Afenifere and other Yoruba groups in our press statements of 16^th April, 2021. We asked Afenifere and Yoruba agitators, ‘What do you have in stock for Muslim children and women? What is your plan for hijab? Is it as dictated by CAN? Is there any provision for civil shariah which Yoruba Muslims have been demanding for ages? The response of the agitators to these questions will go a long way in determining their readiness to tolerate Muslims or it will only confirm the plot to continue oppressing us.’

 

 

“The above were the questions we asked Afenifere and other Yoruba groups four months ago but no response has been given to date. Then out of the blues came this letter inviting guests to the inauguration of a new version of CAN in the yet to be realized Yoruba ‘nation’ claiming ‘…it is now we can catch our Land for the Lord. Shalom!’

 

 

“So we must ask again, is the Yoruba nation project a Christian agenda? Are Muslims and other groups just being used to actualize another crusader dream? Is CAN listening?”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)