Wednesday, November 30, 2022

MURIC CONSOLES LEADERSHIP JOURNALIST WAHEED ADEBAYO ON WIFE’S DEATH

 


1st December, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC CONSOLES LEADERSHIP JOURNALIST WAHEED ADEBAYO ON WIFE’S DEATH    

 

A media practitioner, Alhaji Waheed Adebayo, who lost his wife on Friday, 25th November, 2022, has been condoled by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). 

 

 

The group’s message of condolence was issued on Thursday, 1st December, 2022 by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The message reads :

“We received with great shock the sad news of the sudden death of Mrs. Mutiat Oluwafunmilayo Adebayo which occurred on Friday, 25th November, 2022. She was the wife of a media practitioner, Alhaji Adebayo Waheed, the Oyo State correspondent of Leadership newspaper.

 

“Knowing the heavy responsibility which journalists bear coupled with almost insurmountable challenges which confront them in the line of duty, the loss of a journalist’s wife is indeed a great tragedy.

 

“We feel your pains. We share in your agony. You are not alone in this moment of sorrow. We pray that Allah transforms your home to a cushion for the hazards of your profession. It is another test of faith. Be strong and continue to have faith. The tough must get going when the going gets rough.

 

“May Allah forgive Mrs. Mutiat Adebayo and have mercy on her. May He grant her Al-Jannah Firdaus in the Hereafter. May the Almighty also continue to protect and bless all she has left behind.”   

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

OSUN: ADELEKE STILL DECEIVING OSUN PEOPLE – MURIC

 


30th November, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

OSUN: ADELEKE STILL DECEIVING OSUN PEOPLE – MURIC     

 

The newly sworn-in governor of the State of Osun, Ademola Adeleke has been accused of deceiving the electorate. A human rights group which accused the governor demanded to know which scripture the governor used during the swearing-in ceremony.  

 

The group also argued that if Adeleke could deceive people in the state about his faith for so long, the faith of the three Muslims recently appointed by him may also be another smoke screen.  

 

The allegation was made by an Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), in a press statement issued on Wednesday, 30th November, 2022 by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads :

“There is no gainsaying that the newly sworn-in governor of the State of Osun, Ademola Adeleke, has taken people of the state for a ride. There is ambiguity about the scripture used by the governor during his swearing-in ceremony. As an integral part of the electorate who elected him into office, we are interested in the faith of the governor.

 

“We have the right to know the faith of our governor. It is part of transparency and accountability. We are asking Governor Ademola Adeleke to come clean about his creed. We demand to know what scripture was used by him during his swearing-in ceremony. Was it the Qur’an, the Bible, a cutlass, a gun or nothing?

 

“It is important to know as voters and as people who pay tax into the coffers of the State of Osun. It is part of accountability. If he used the Qur’an he is a Muslim. If he used the Bible he is a Christian. If he used a cutlass or a gun he is a traditionalist. We have no quarrel with him if he used any of these three because it means he believes in God whichever way.

 

“But if he swore to the oath without using anything it means he is an atheist and a carefree person. The people of Osun must be wary of a carefree person on the driving seat of governance in the state. He is not likely to be fair to adherents of any faith. Neither will he respect their beliefs, yearnings and aspirations.  

 

“In the same vein, the governor’s appointment of three ‘Muslims’, Rasheed Olawale, Kazeem Akinleye and Teslim Igbalaye as his Chief Press Secretary, Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State Government respectively is more of a smoke screen than anything else.

 

“In the first instance, if Adeleke has been deceiving people in the state regarding his faith, nothing stops him from handpicking rebranded non-Muslims and presenting them to the public with Muslim names. We make this statement without prejudice to the three appointees mentioned above regarding their level of iimaan (faith) but the onus of clarification is on the governor and his handlers.

 

“This is a common phenomenon among rulers in the South West. Muslims who have compromised their faith are often presented as Muslims and made to occupy Muslim slots whereas such appointees work for the interest of non-Muslims in office and keep real Muslims in abeyance.

 

“Secondly, why would a supposedly ‘Muslim’ governor appoint three other Muslims to the three highest posts in the state if, indeed, Adeleke is really a Muslim? This question is quite germane in an environment like the South West where Muslims and Christians have become keen rivals.

 

“It appears Governor Adeleke has shot himself in the foot by these three appointments. Is it right for a Muslim governor in a place like the South West to give the three highest positions in the state to his fellow Muslims?

 

“Adeleke has been too clever by half. He knew he had deceived Muslims in the state by claiming he is a Muslim. Having realised that the game was up and that the Muslims do not believe him, he has decided to pacify them by offering them juicy positions.

 

“But this is going to backfire. It is happening already. In the interest of fairness and equity, Adeleke must replace two of these three appointees with Christians if it is true that he is a Muslim. Therefore, MURIC demands a clear pronouncement from the governor regarding his faith.

 

“Failure to come clean will add to his plethora of ambiguities. If INEC cannot find Adeleke’s certificate, the electorate deserves to know where their governor belongs. It will go a long way in affirming whether or not their governor is trustworthy, transparent and accountable. It goes a long way to prove his integrity or his lack of it.

 

“We, therefore, have some questions for Governor Adeleke. His readiness or his unwillingness to provide answers will show his sincerity or otherwise. Our questions to Adeleke are these: ‘Your Excellency Sir, are you a Muslim, a Christian or a traditionalist? Again, Mr. Governor Sir, what did you use during your swearing-in ceremony? Was it the Qur’an, the Bible, a cutlass, a gun or nothing at all?’”

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Monday, November 28, 2022

MURIC TO NORTHERN GOVERNORS: NO ALTERNATIVE TO TINUBU

 


29th November, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC TO NORTHERN GOVERNORS: NO ALTERNATIVE TO TINUBU    

 

A call has gone to some Northern governors who are allegedly ‘planning’ to work for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to shelve the plan. Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has told the governors that there is no alternative to Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The group maintained that two Muslims are better than one.

 

 

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, 29th November, 2022 by the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The statement reads:

 

“Some Northern governors are allegedly ‘planning’ to work for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. This is according to some newspaper reports (https://www.naijanews.com/2022/11/27/2023-northern-apc-governors-planning-to-work-for-atiku/?utm_source=break.ma&utm_medium=break.ma).

 

“We trust Northern governors. We are of the opinion that somebody is trying to raise a false alarm or ignite the embers of mischief. We find the report lacking in merit. Our position is based on the declaration of the twelve Northern governors who pitched their camp with Bola Ahmed Tinubu by insisting that power must shift to the South just before the presidential primaries.

 

“We recall that MURIC in its press statement of 11th June 2022 under the caption ‘MURIC to Tinubu on VP Post: Consult the Noble Dozen’ hailed the twelve Northern governors for ‘disabusing the minds of Nigerians concerning the myth of Northern hegemony and a nonexistent caliphate oligarchy by insisting that APC’s presidential candidate must come from the South. This was a great sacrifice and a noble idea.’

 

“We have no scintilla of doubt that Northern governors who had earlier pledged to support Tinubu will not toy with the idea of working against him because, as Muslims, they are fully aware that every pledge is being recorded by angels according to Qur’an 82:10 -12 (kiraaman kaatibiin); that it is a great sin for a Muslim to promise what he will not do (Qur’an 61:2 – 3) and that Allah will hold man accountable for his promises (Qur’an 17:34).

 

“We therefore have every reason to believe that the publication is mere speculation, false, baseless and unfounded. It is an attempt to break Muslim ranks. Northern Muslim governors are too well grounded in politics and the ethics of Islam than to allow such speculation. It cannot be true. It had better not be.

 

“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a Muslim and a Northerner. He is therefore one of us. But Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima are two Muslims. Just as two heads are better than one, two Muslims are better than one. Ahmed and Kashim are better than Abubakar and Okonwa. We repeat, two Muslims are better than one.

 

“Besides, Yoruba Muslims of the South West have spoken loud and clear. They have endorsed Tinubu. MURIC in particular demanded for a Yoruba Muslim president as far back as February 2021 (https://saharareporters.com/2021/02/26/yoruba-muslims-wont-support-any-non-muslim-candidate-2023-presidency-%E2%80%94muric) and we have since been consistent.

 

“The Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) which is the only umbrella organisation of all Yoruba Muslims also endorsed Tinubu two weeks ago (https://thenationonlineng.net/muswen-endorses-tinubu-for-presidency/) and MURIC went ahead to endorse Tinubu only yesterday (https://dailypost.ng/2022/11/28/2023-tinubu-only-option-of-south-west-muslims-muric/).

 

“MURIC is therefore sending a very strong signal to the North: Yoruba Muslims are standing solidly like the Rock of Gibralta behind Tinubu. He is our own. We will never desert him. We expect Northern Muslims to be as consistent as the northern star because the Qur’an says Muslims are one brotherhood (Qur’an 49:10). Besides, two Muslims are better than one.”

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

 

Sunday, November 27, 2022

‘JUJU LAWYER’ OMIRHOBO IS A CONFUSIONIST – MURIC

 


27th November, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

‘JUJU LAWYER’ OMIRHOBO IS A CONFUSIONIST – MURIC   

 

Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has described ‘Juju Lawyer’, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo, as a confusionist. MURIC was reacting to the ‘Juju lawyer’s’ allegation that the organisation does not exist in law (https://newsbreak.ng/muric-is-a-nonentity-at-law-juju-lawyer-fires-muslim-grp-over-rccg-row/amp/).

 

MURIC’s reaction came on Sunday, 27th November, 2022 through its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“‘Juju lawyer’, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo yesterday referred to our organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), as ‘nonexistent at law’ and the director of MURIC an ‘illiterate professor’. Omirhobo’s statement is infantile, misleading, laughable and ludicrous. The attention-seeking Omirhobo himself is a confusionist.

 

“We were tempted ab initio not to dignify his verbal halitosis with a response but for the need to put the records straight. Contrary to his claim that our organisation is not registered, we affirm clearly, emphatically and categorically that we are registered. In actual fact we have been registered since February 2011 with registration number IT 43397. This is verifiable.

 

“We put it to Omirhobo that his latest vitriolic vituperations are manifestations of wound-licking, wishful-thinking and day-dreaming. The same ‘Juju lawyer’ who claimed that we were not registered admitted at the end of his diatribe that we are registered. But he added that we are registered as ‘MURICA’ and not MURIC.

 

“If William Shakespeare can ask ‘What’s in a name? We dare ask Omirhobo ‘What’s in an acronym?’ Our learned friend finds it convenient to forget that acronyms are picked and used as convenient by organisations. What is important is that we are registered in our full name, Muslim Rights Concern Association.

 

 

“MURIC affirms that Omirhobo is a mere distraction and he has failed in his bid to throw spanner in the works. His reference to the director of MURIC as an ‘illiterate professor’ is the greatest joke of the century. This lawyer is full of himself, self-righteous and impulsively arrogant.

 

 

“If not for arrogance, how can a lawyer attempt to question the judgement of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land and repository of our font et origo? How can a lawyer denigrate the lawyers’ robe by combining it with a juju priest attire? How can a lawyer disparage the highest court in the land by appearing in its most hallowed chamber in such ridiculous attire? It is a comedy of errors!

 

 

“Indubitably, this is infra dignitatem. The noble judges of the Supreme Court deserve better treatment, particularly from a lawyer who should know better. Law abiding citizens treat judges with respect. In particular, our organization holds lawyers and judges in the highest esteem. Only Barrister Omirhobo behaves as if he practices law on planet Mars. He is in dire need of wise counselling.

 

 

“Omirhobo called the director of MURIC an ‘illiterate professor’. This lawyer is living in self-delusion. How can an ‘illiterate professor’ make a learned lawyer run from pillar to post? Why is Omirhobo having sleepless nights because of MURIC? It will be the worst tragedy to hit the bench if this man ever becomes a judge anywhere in Nigeria.”  

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)