8th April, 2023
PRESS
RELEASE:
APOLOGY: MURIC ACCUSES
JAMB OF PAMPERING CHRISTIAN PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES
The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) yesterday apologized
to Muslim candidates who were disallowed from entering Covenant University and
Canaanland JAMB centres to sit for the mock examination which took place on
Thursday 30th March, 2023.
But while accepting JAMB’s apology, an Islamic human rights
organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), accused the examination body
of pampering Christian private universities who witch-hunt Muslims. The group insists
that JAMB should take action on the petitions written against Covenant
University and Canaanland.
This was revealed in the organisation’s reaction circulated to
the media by its
Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Saturday, 8th
April, 2023.
The statement reads :
“The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) yesterday apologized
to Muslim candidates who were disallowed from entering Covenant University and
Canaanland JAMB centres to sit for the mock examination which took place on
Thursday 30th March, 2023 (https://saharareporters.com/2023/04/04/nigerian-agency-jamb-apologises-fix-another-exam-muslim-students-delayed-covenant/).
“We accept JAMB’s apology in good faith and we express
appreciation for rescheduling the examination for those maltreated at the centres.
JAMB is being charitable and humble by tendering apology and we commend the examination
body for doing that.
“Nonetheless, we are constrained to ask what next apart from the
examination rescheduled for the poor, innocent female Muslim candidates who
were persecuted, traumatized and derided yet their only crime was wearing hijab
and being Muslims?
“How will JAMB lift their lowly spirit and remove their excruciating
agony and sorrow? Also, how will JAMB douse tension among millions of Muslims
who have suffered agonising pain on account of the maltreatment of their fellow
Muslims?
“We contend that JAMB is treating the Christian private universities
with kid’s gloves. Rescheduling the examination cannot be the only consequence
for the oppression, dehumanisation, and stigmatization which Covenant University
and Canaanland wilfully and maliciously visited upon our daughters as if the
latter are less homo sapien compos mentis.
“The fact that JAMB alone is the one apologising, perhaps accepting
responsibility for inviting the candidates, while the culprits themselves wear the
toga of recalcitrance, arrogance and lack of remorse, is enough to tell Nigerians
that there have been no consequences and there will never be if care is not
taken.
“The implication of such a situation is that there will be
repetitions time and time again. Hijabophobia will occur again so long as there
is no punitive action for what happened at Covenant University on 30th
March, 2023. Others who have not seen any deterrence will also do it. They will
do it again and again as long as they are treated like sacred cows.
“MURIC demands justice for those poor innocent Muslim girls. We are not convinced by Covenant’s
excuse that it was not aware of what was happening to Muslim candidates at its
gate. We prefer to be human beings dissatisfied than pigs satisfied. We
will rather be free men in our graves than live like puppets and slaves in our
own land.
“We therefore call attention to a petition written by us and addressed
to the JAMB Registrar. The petition which was dated 3rd April 2023,
left Lagos by courier on the same day. We are also aware of another petition on
the same matter written by another Islamic organization.
“In our petition, we demanded that:
1. JAMB should delist Canaanland and
Covenant University as well as all other centres where such ugly incidents
occurred;
2. JAMB should repeatedly issue
instructions to its examination centres with warnings against discrimination
and stigmatization of any religious group and
3. Such warnings should be made available
to the general public.
4. JAMB should make arrangements for
reparations for victims of such persecution in form of a repeat exercise with
full time as allotted to other candidates at any other time convenient for the
examination body.
“It is clear from the relief announced by JAMB that it has only
attended to the last demand, namely, a rescheduled examination with full time. We
reject the plea of ignorance about the ill-treatment of the Muslim candidates coming
from Covenant University and Canaanland. They are both vicariously liable for
actions taken by their staff. It is either vicarious liability or negligence
and ineptitude. They must admit one and accept culpability.
“The only thing that can change our position is a public apology
from both Covenant University and Canaanland. If JAMB can tender public apology
on a matter which it did not order directly, what stops the culprits from doing
the same? A public apology will mean they are likely to desist from a
repetition. Refusal to apologise will mean total and absolute desertification
of any sense of remorse and a flamboyant exhibition of l’etat cest moi
proclivity.
“We remind JAMB that it is responsible for sending candidates to
centres. To that extent, therefore, JAMB is duty bound to protect the
candidates’ interest and welfare, including the dignity of their human persons.
“JAMB has no business sending candidates to centres where they
will be harassed and humiliated or where the examination body cannot guarantee
safe and peaceful conduct as well as respect for human dignity.
“JAMB should not pamper any Christian private university. It
will further expose Muslim candidates to ridicule. JAMB’s apology does not
cover the crimes of Covenant and Canaanland. It cannot extenuate their offence.
Apologising on their behalf is not even enough. Let them apologise by
themselves for failing to respect their fellow human beings. Anyone who dehumanizes
a single Muslim has offended more than two billion Muslims who live on earth
today.
“This is why no single candidate should be posted to Covenant
University and Canaanland for future examinations until they apologise publicly.
Nigerians are waiting.”
#DelistCovenantUniversity #DelistCanaanland #HijabIsDignity
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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