1st
December, 2022
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC TO ADELEKE: YOU ARE NOT FAIR TO CHRISTIANS
The last has not been heard of the
controversy surrounding the appointment of three Muslims as Chief Press Secretary, Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State
Government by Ademola Adeleke, the new governor of the State of Osun. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has
confirmed all three officials are good Muslims. Nonetheless, the group has
condemned the appointments on the ground that it has marginalised Christians.
This was the contention of MURIC in a
statement issued on Thursday, 1st December, 2022 by its director,
Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The full statement reads:
“As a follow-up to our statement of yesterday
in which we expressed doubts about the faith of the three Muslims appointed as Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Chief of Staff (COS) and Secretary to
the State Government (SSG) by the new governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke,
we hereby attest that our investigations into the matter have confirmed that
all three men are bona fide Muslims.
“The SSG, Rasheed Olawale, is a former chairman
of Osogbo Local Government. He sponsored a popular Islamic radio program
anchored by Dr. Taofeeq Abdul Hameed and Alhaji Musbaudeen Orimadegun in and
out of office for years.
“The COS, Kazeem Akinleye, is also an ex-chairman
of Ede North local Government. Muslims who know him very well have confirmed that
he is an upright Muslim and an Islamic scholar in his own right. The governor’s
spokesperson (CPS), Teslim Igbalaye, is
from Iwo. He is even popularly referred to as ‘Malam’.
“MURIC
will always admit the truth even if it contradicts its former stand (although
we did not say categorically that they were not Muslims). We are not in this
struggle for the purpose of scoring cheap political points. On the contrary, it
is the truth that we seek to establish.
“It is in this spirit that we object to the appointment of
the same three Muslims into the most prestigious offices by Governor Adeleke.
Just as we argued yesterday, those three juicy posts should not have been given
to Muslims since (and if) the governor himself is a Muslim.
“How can the
governor, the SSG, the COS and the CPS be Muslims in a pluralistic setting like
Osun? Something does not add up here. Adeleke has played into the hands of
those who accuse him of being a secret Christian. They alleged that the
nomenclature ‘Nurudeen’ suddenly appeared in the twilight of the 2018 electioneering
campaign to curry Muslim votes. He is now trying to appease them. But things do
not work like that.
“MURIC is
known for criticizing governors who marginalize Muslims in political
appointments. We cannot keep quiet now after seeing the way ‘Nurudeen’ has
marginalized Christians in his first appointments. We cried to high heaven when
Fayose ran an all-Christian government in Ekiti State with the SSG, COS, CPS,
all fourteen commissioners, the chairmen of all eight boards and parastatals
except the Muslim pilgrimage board being Christians.
“We fight oppression. We will not oppress. We will
not support the idea of a Muslim leader oppressing Christians. This ‘Nurudeen’ who
has just occupied the government house in Oshogbo is not being fair to
Christians if all major appointments made so far are in favour of Muslims.
Islam teaches justice, fairness and equity.
“This is what Qur’an 4:135 commands Muslims
to do regarding justice and fairness. It says, ‘Stand firmly for justice and be
witnesses for Allah, even if it is against yourselves or your parents, or your
kin and whether it is against the rich or poor’. In addition, Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) forbids cheating and oppression. He said in an hadith, ‘Do
not oppress and you will not be oppressed’.
“It is in the
light of these Islamic teachings that we disown Adeleke’s first appointments. What
Islam teaches is different from what ‘Nurudeen’ has done. We distance Osun
Muslims from his action. Islam teaches inclusiveness, ‘Nurudeen’ prefers to
exclude Christians in the state. It is not in our character. We believe in
loving and sharing.
“We therefore call on the new governor to review
the appointments with immediate effect. One or two of the appointees can be moved
to the ministries as commissioners. From what we have seen, if we do not act
fast, ‘Nurudeen’ may wake up tomorrow and give all cabinet positions to Muslims
leaving only the Christian Pilgrims Board for a Christian. Although Muslims are
in the majority in Osun, we will not encourage lopsided appointment in a
pluralistic society.
“‘Nurudeen’ is setting an awkward precedent unless the
appointments are reviewed. It can be used against us in future. Somebody may
accuse Muslims of marginalising Christians of the State of Osun. We must also
remember that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is waiting in the
wings.
“That brings another angle to what ‘Nurudeen’ has
done in the state of Osun. A supposedly Muslim governor appointed three Muslims
to the most juicy positions in the state and CAN has not spit fire and
brimstone. It is not in CAN’s character. Something is fishy. This may be a
setup.
“Why is CAN silent? Why are they not
protesting after seeing the way the three biggest slots were given to Muslims just
a la carte. MURIC smells a rat. Governor Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke may be
acting a script written on the altar. A trap is being set for Osun Muslims.
“Notwithstanding the Jekyll and Hyde
scenario, we like to warn the new governor not to cross the red line. Hijab and
public schools are our red lines. Any attempt to change the status quo
will court the fury of Muslims in the State of Osun. A word is enough for the
wise”.
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC)
No comments:
Post a Comment