UK FUEL CRISIS : TIME TO APPRECIATE BUHARI - MURIC

 

29^th September, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

UK FUEL CRISIS : TIME TO APPRECIATE BUHARI - MURIC

                                   

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the ongoing fuel crisis in the United Kingdom as an opportunity for Nigerians to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari whose administration has registered near zero fuel queues in the six years of his administration.

 

 

MURIC’s observation came on Wednesday, 29^th September, 2021, via a press statement issued by its director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The statement reads:

 

“Britain has been enmeshed in fuel shortages resulting in long queues at petrol stations in the past two weeks. Of a total of 8,000 filling stations in Britain, up to two-thirds of 5,500 fuel stations have run out of supply. The British army has been put on red alert to intervene while the government of Boris Johnson has offered temporary visas to 5,000 foreign fuel tanker drivers. Britain holds its breath and trembles.

 

 

“The development has triggered socio-economic crisis in Britain. There are food shortages, street brawls, particularly at petrol stations. The fuel queus last for hours. In addition, the government is considering the closure of schools. (https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/world-economy/hourslong-fuel-queues-food-shortages-brawls-in-the-streets-and-possible-school-closures-the-united-kingdom-in-crisis/news-story/4a1b05f241364faa35f8b0fac0f59496).

 

 

“The situation has sparked chaos and panic. Consequence upon this, Britain’s three giant petrol companies, Shell, Texaco and British Petroleum have imposed a buying limit of 30 British pounds (https://punchng.com/uk-fuel-crisis-texaco-others-impose-30-purchase-limit-to-ensure-access/). Rationing is also being considered by other petrol companies. There are fears that doctors, teachers and other workers may not be able to get to work (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/28/panic-buying-of-fuel-in-uk-sparks-fears-doctors-teachers-wont-get-to-work.html).

 

 

“In sharp contrast, MURIC recalls that the long queues which used to last hours and which forced many Nigerians to sleep at petrol stations for three or more days have not been experienced since President Muhammadu Buhari took over in May 2015. This is a verifiable and unassailable fact.

 

 

“Nigerians must give it to Buhari. It is necessary to appreciate this administration particularly with regards to the absence of fuel queues if we want to be sincere. Mass amnesia may be one of our worst weaknesses but the records speak loud and clear.

 

 

“Nigeria: Obasanjo Begs on Fuel Scarcity’ was the bold and embarrassing headline of a popular print newspaper of 19^th September, 2000 (https://allafrica.com/stories/200009190010.html). Obasanjo’s efforts at nipping the fuel crisis in the bud could only scratch the sufface.

 

 

“In 2009 the Yaradua administration blamed saboteurs for fuel shortages and long queues but found no solution for it (https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/national/govt-blames-saboteurs-for-fuel-scarcity/). Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan inherited this quagmire but nibbled at it for six years.  

 

 

“Fuel crisis in Jonathan days induced unprecedented nationwide protest in the year 2012 (https://www.reuters.com/article/ozatp-nigeria-strike-20120110-idAFJOE80900A20120110) and no solution was found between that time and 2015. It led a leading online newspaper to declare that fuel queues grounded Nigeria while Ex-President Jonathan ‘snored away’ (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/183627-fuel-crisis-nigeria-grounded-as-jonathan-govt-snores-away.html).  

 

 

“The implication of the above pieces of evidence is that Buhari was the leader who found solution to the problem of fuel scarcity that plagued Nigeria for decades and proved elusive under three Nigerian presidents. At the risk of being labelled as sycophants, we place the facts before honest Nigerians. We reiterate that posterity will remember Buhari as the Father of Modern Nigeria”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

PANTAMI’S PROFESSORIAL CHAIR SAGA : IT IS STIGMATISATION - MURIC

 

27^th September, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

PANTAMI’S PROFESSORIAL CHAIR SAGA : IT IS STIGMATISATION - MURIC

                                   

There has been uproar lately on the appointment of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Ali Isa Ibrahim Pantami, as a Professor of CyberSecurity by the Federal University of Technology (FUTO). However, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the imbroglio as sheer ethnic stigmatisation and religious profiling.

 

 

“MURIC’s contribution came on Monday, 27^th September, 2021 in a press statement issued by its director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

 

MURIC said, “We are perturbed by the recent uproar over the appointment of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Ali Isa Ibrahim Pantami, as a Professor of CyberSecurity by the Federal University of Technology (FUTO). It is much ado about nothing and an exercise in perpetual idleness and irredeemable laziness.

 

 

“Pantami’s detractors are armchair critics and educated illiterates engaging in intellectual escapism. The answers to their quests are right there in their backyards but they did not bother to look. They are merchants of hate peddling misinformation. Pantami has not committed any crime or done any wrong in this matter. Many academics serving in government have had the priviledge of doing exactly what the honourable minister did.

 

 

“Unlike Pantami’s critics who rushed to make unsubstantiated allegations, MURIC took the pain to make enquiries far and wide. We spoke to university lecturers in various campuses and our findings show that academicians are allowed to apply for appointments and promotions while serving in public office so long as they have fresh publications.

 

 

“Professor Ngozi Osarenren of the Department of Educational Foundation, University of Lagos, got her professorial chair while serving as commissioner for education in Edo State. At the Lagos State University (LASU) the late Professor Abdul Rasheed Kunle Lawal became a professor while serving as commissioner in the Lagos State government. Also, Professor Musibau Babatunde of the University of Ibadan became a professor while serving as Special Adviser to the governor of Oyo State.

 

 

“In Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Professors Ibrahim Makari and Musa Usman got their chairs while serving in government. In Usman Dan Fodiye University (UDUS), a lecturer was promoted to the post of associate professor while on leave of absence around 1996. Another lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture also got promoted while serving the Zamfara State government. A staff of the Faculty of Law who is still serving in government was promoted to the post of associate professor three years ago. Dr Abdullahi Balarabe got his doctorate degree while serving as Speaker in the Sokoto State House of Assembly.

 

 

“Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate was a serving Minister of Health in Nigeria when he was appointed Professor of Public Health Leadership at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. That was in 2013. Where were the wailers at that time?

 

 

Was it not in this same Nigeria that Okereke Onyiuke of Stock Exchange was given the same professorial chair by a university from the same South East and nothing was heard in form of a protest? So why the hullabaloo when a Fulani Muslim bags a professorial chair?  

 

 

“We also contacted FUTO. According to Professor Eze, the former Vice Chancellor of that university, FUTO followed due process in the exercise that led to the appointment of Professor Ali Isa Ibrahim Pantami to the post of Professor of Cybersecurity. ‘We advertised. He applied. We followed our rules and regulations. We did a prima facie in March 2021 and his papers were sent out. They came back positive. The Council in another meeting approved his appointment. It is his detractors that are creating this problem.’

 

 

“But the practice differs in the University of Ilorin and the University of Port Harcourt where a staff serving in public office is not eligible for promotion or appointment. We consider this as unfair because these two universities are denying lecturers serving in government the opportunity to use the publications which they laboured to acquire for promotion and appointment. This policy will also discourage lecturers in those two universities from taking up government appointments whenever they are offered. It is therefore counter-productive.

 

 

“It is possible in this kind of situation for their colleagues to leave them behind. Serving in government is tantamount to serving the nation. Those who are offering such services and who still create time to write and publish academic papers in reputable journals both locally and internationally should not be denied the opportunity of getting promoted to the next positions.

 

 

“From the above, it is clear that with the exception of two universities, the common practice is that academicians serving in government often respond to advertisements in their places of primary assignment or in other universities. They may also submit their curriculum vitae for promotion during the annual assessment exercise if they are ripe for promotion. It is the duty of the university to allow them to compete with staff on ground in such exercises.

 

 

“That is why groups like the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) need to steer clear of the Pantami debate. ASUU has no business whatsoever conducting investigations into the matter. Its integrity may get eroded if care is not taken because the debate is looking more of ethnic stigmatisation and religious stereotyping. ASUU may get its fingers burnt in this.

 

 

“Pantami’s critics failed woefully in their attempt to rubbish his great strides. Many of them still find it hard to believe that a Northerner, an Hausa man, a Fulani or a Muslim for that matter, cannot be this brilliant. They are therefore determined to bring him down. It is sheer ethnic stigmatisation and religious profiling.

 

 

“MURIC advises Pantami’s detractors to desist from armchair criticism. They should do proper investigations and inject some modicum of objectivity into their views when criticising. For example, they would have known better if they had contacted university lecturers in one or two Nigerian universities. But they left undone what they should have done. Conducting proper investigations would have empowered them to speak from an uninformed position.

 

 

“We find it hard to see what crime the honourable minister has committed. Pantami’s detractors can have a point if they can provide evidence of his earning double salary. But do they have that? We are waiting for such evidence. Until then, we give Pantami a clean bill of health.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

 

OSUN AT 30 : MURIC HAILS OYETOLA, CONGRATULATES SHAYKH HADIYATULLAHI

 

20^th September, 2021

PRESS RELEASE:

OSUN AT 30 : MURIC HAILS OYETOLA, CONGRATULATES SHAYKH HADIYATULLAHI   

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has commended the governor of the State of Osun, Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola, as twenty eight (28) distinguished citizens receive awards to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the state. MURIC also congratulated the recipients, particularly Shaykh Abdul Rasheed Hadiyatullahi who will receive the Osun Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

 

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday, 20^th September, 2021 by Professor Ishaq Akintola, the director and founder of MURIC.

 

 

The statement reads:

 

“We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) commend the governor of the State of Osun, Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola for deeming it fit to recognise distinguished citizens in commemoration of the 30^th anniversary of the founding of the state. In particular, we are very delighted with the decision to honour Shaykh Abdul Rasheed Hadiyatullahi with the Osun Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

 

“The Osun Lifetime Achievement award falls in the first category of the awards planned for Tuesday, 21^st September, 2021. Other categories include the Osun Legacy Award, Osun Merit Award and Osun Distinguished Citizens Award.  

 

 

“The recognition given to Shaykh Hadiyatullahi is well deserved. As the president of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN), the chairman of the Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars and a bona fide indigene of the State of Osun (from Iwo town), the awadee deserves nothing less.

 

 

“An alumni of the Arabic Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan and the University of Madina in Saudi Arabia, Shaykh Abdul Rasheed Hadiyatullahi is a first class Islamic scholar and a mentee of the highly respected and legendary late Shaykh Murtada Abdul Salaam of Ita Bale, Ibadan. Hadiyatullahi is an international figure and widely travelled. He recently received an award in far away Saudi Arabia.”

 

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director, 

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)