13th March, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
RAMADAN:
SOUTH WEST GOVERNORS' HOSPITALITIES HYPOCRITICAL – MURIC
An Islamic human rights
organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has berated governors of South
West Nigeria for extending brief hospitalities to Muslims during Ramadan and
Salah while denying them basic rights, employment and political inclusion. The
group described the governors' attitude as hypocritical, deceptive and
camelionic.
This was disclosed in a
statement issued on Wednesday, 13th March, 2024 by the Executive Director of
the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
He said:
"As usual, Governors
of the South West recently invited Muslim leaders to Ramadan programmes in
their respective government quarters to mark the commencement of the Muslim
fasting in the sacred month of Ramadan. This is a common practice as some state
governors extend such invitation both at the beginning of Ramadan and at its
end.
"We
of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) resent this hospitality because of the
refusal of the South West governors to respect the wish of Muslims in the
region, to wit, respect for Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslims and
deliberate marginalization of the latter in political appointments. It is on
record that the governors have refused to change despite agitations by Muslim
leaders. It is therefore hypocritical, deceptive and camelionic for the
same governors to invite Muslim leaders for Ramadan or Salah parties. What are
we rejoicing about?
"For instance, it is
on record that all the six Christian governors of the region shortchanged their
Muslim citizens during the formation of their cabinets after the 2023 general
elections. The figures reeled out in the cabinets of all six states in the
region expose the alarming level of lopsided political appointments.
"The
governor of Lagos State appointed 49 Christian commissioners but gave the
Muslims 14 only. Ogun State has 16 Christian commissioners against only 4
Muslims. Oyo has 10 Christian commissioners compared to only 6 Muslims in the
cabinet. In Osun State, 17 Christian commissioners are rubbing shoulders with
just 7 Muslims. It is the same in Ekiti where the ratio is 24:1 and Ondo where
it was 15:2 under the late Governor Akeredolu.
"Even the new governor
of Ondo State, Lucky Ayedatiwa, has shut out Muslims from his administration as
there is no single Muslim among the six commissioners and twelve permanent
secretaries appointed so far. The only Muslim in his administration is a
special adviser.
"Senior Muslim civil
servants who qualify to be permanent secretaries and directors in the
ministries are usually ignored while Christians who are less qualified are
elevated to those positions. Muslim graduates are also denied employment.
"Against this clumsy
backdrop created by the biased governors, Muslim leaders are assembled during
Ramadan and Id al-Kabir to wine and dine with the same governors who robbed
their followers blind.
"They are invited to
come for just one breakfast or dinner consisting of crumbs from the table after
being deliberately impoverished through political and economic marginalisation.
It is our submission that South West Muslims deserve better treatment. They
deserve to be treated like full homo sapiens compos mentis, not like
monkeys with chains around their waists to be teased with bananas.
"We
call on Muslim leaders in the South West to call the bluff of the state
governors. They should boycott all future invitations to government events and
occasions until the governors respect the view of Muslims. These single plates
of food are window-dressings. They constitute a mockery and a monumental
embarrassment to the dignity of the Muslim person.
"This master-slave
relationship must stop. We are not blind. We see the red-carpet reception and
the great reverence, pomp and pageantry in the treatment of bishops and general
overseers of churches when they come to government house. This contrasts
sharply with the beggarly treatment meted out to Muslim leaders when they come
visiting. We affirm clearly, categorically and unequivocally that Muslims are
not second class citizens.
"To the six governors
of the South West we have this to say, 'We will interact with you on the basis
of stakeholders with equal rights or there will be no interaction at all. It is
when you treat us as you treat others and give us equal political and economic
opportunities that we will know you are ready for full integration.
“Therefore,
stop inviting us to government dinners and breakfasts unless it is to discuss
the grievances which we have complained about or it is for the purpose of
getting our share of our collective patrimony. Even then you are not doing us a
favour. It is our right as tax payers and bona fide citizens of the states. It
is enough to give the press your Ramadan and Salah messages. Don't give us
fish. Give us hooks, lines and sinkers and we will definitely catch the
fish. We are not Dundee United.'
"MURIC charges Muslim
leaders in the South West to protect the honour and dignity of Muslims by
boycotting all future dinners and breakfasts organized by the governors of the
South West. They are mocking us. We must boycott their Ramadan and Salah events
to call their attention to our resentment of their attitude towards us.
“A popular axiom says, ‘Fool
me once, shame on you. But fool me twice, shame on me.’ Muslim leaders must
prove that they are prepared to emancipate their followers by rejecting
sycophancy and by displaying high level principled behaviour. We must manifest
responsible leadership.
“Stop selling the future
and rights of Muslim youths for Salah ram and crumbs from governors’ breakfast
tables. Posterity will not be kind to Muslim leaders who sell themselves for a
pot of porridge. It is better to be free and honoured Muslims in our poor mosques
and homes than live like puppets, palace clowns and slaves licking governors’
plates and picking up crumbs from their tables.”
#SouthWestGovernors
#HoldTheCrumbs
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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