COLLAPSED MOSQUE: LASG ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITY – MURIC

 

1^st July, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

COLLAPSED MOSQUE: LASG ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITY – MURIC

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has again accused the Lagos State government (LASG) of abdicating its responsibility in the collapse of the Al-Mutmahinat Mosque at Mushin in May this year. Two people died in the accident while 15 worshippers suffered various degrees of injuries.  

 

The human rights organization claims that LASG is yet to own up whereas it was a government excavator which was working on the road that mistakenly pulled down the mosque's pillar. It insists that LASG must take responsibility for rebuilding the mosque and paying full compensation to the victims. 

 

This was contained in a press statement circulated to the media on Monday, 1^st July, 2024 by the Executive Director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola. 

 

The message reads:

 

"There is every raison d'etre to believe that the Lagos State government (LASG) intends to abdicate its responsibility in the collapse of the Al-Mutmahinat Mosque, located at Yusuf Street, Papa Ajao, Mushin on Sunday, 26th May, 2024. Two people died in the accident, Anifat Yusuf, eleven and Dongo, a mallam. while 15 other worshippers suffered various degrees of injuries.

 

"One of those who suffered serious injuries is Naeemat Lasisi, 13, who had both legs amputated and is still lying in bed at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) five weeks after the accident. 

 

"It will be recalled that MURIC had intervened in the issue of the collapsed mosque from day one. On 27^th May, 2024, which was a day after the sad incident, we came out with a statement captioned 'Collapsed Mosque: MURIC Charges LASG To Take Responsibility'.

 

"We followed it up with another press release 24 hours later under the title 'Collapsed Mosque: MURIC Visits Site, Tenders 5 Demands' and dated 28^th May 2024. We capped our interventions with another statement titled 'MURIC Lampoons Lagos GOVT For Abandoning Collapsed Mosque Victim in Hospital, Legs Amputated'. This was on 31^st May, 2024. 

 

"We are deeply disturbed that despite these outcries LASG is yet to take full responsibility five weeks after the disaster struck. MURIC is being briefed regularly by some of the relations of the injured victims as well as members of the mosque congregation.

 

“We must be fair to LASG by mentioning the visit of the state’s Commissioner for Health to the hospital about three weeks ago. But that visit took place without further assurance from the government regarding the girl’s future.

 

"LASUTH management is taking care of the 13 years old school-girl whose legs have been amputated and although the management assured MURIC about four days ago that LASG will pay for her artificial legs, the parents have expressed worries about the girl's future. This is also one of the five demands made by MURIC but LASG has maintained silence on this issue. It should not be about getting artificial legs for the poor girl alone. What happens to her education and career?

 

"Another major area where the state government has ignored the demands is the mosque building which collapsed. All the eyewitnesses testified that it was the government excavator which knocked down the pillar and this led to the collapse of the mosque. This has not been denied either by the state government or the Mushin Local Government Council whose bulldozer was working on the street  

 

"The mosque committee has informed MURIC that no tangible assurance regarding the rebuilding of the mosque has been offered by any government official. This is most disappointing.

 

"A highly nauseating comedy played out about a week ago when the chairman and other officials of Mushin LG gave peanuts to some of the victims. Five million naira was reportedly given to the mosque committee, one million naira was given to the parents of the girl who lost both girls. Some of those injured received as little as one hundred thousand naira. 

 

"This can only happen in a banana republic. What does the council expect the mosque committee to do with N5 million? Is it to buy groundnuts and pure water for worshippers on Friday or what? Can N5 million bring the new construction to foundation level?

 

"That compensation jamboree organized by the chairman can best be described as mere hocus-pocus. It is an attempt by the Mushin LG to trivialize the sad incident, ridicule the Muslims and eventually get away with the atrocity. 

 

"We therefore reiterate our position that the state government must take responsibility for the collapse of the mosque and give assurance regarding how it intends to rebuild the structure. In our earlier press statements, we had requested a six month period during which the mosque should be completed and made functional. 

 

"We urge LASG and Mushin LG to act like responsible institutions honest enough to accept blame when found wanting and to take responsibility in a honourable manner. A structure pulled down albeit mistakenly by a corporate entity must be rebuilt by that corporate body and no responsible government will run away from such responsibility. 

 

"Neither should LASG or Mushin LG mistake the silence and perceived docility of Muslims in Mushin for any form of stupidity or cowardice. It is wicked and irresponsible to pull down our mosque and remain silent. Not even when lives and limbs were lost in the incident. That signifies tramadolised impunity.

 

"We therefore demand that LASG and Mushin LG must invite the leadership of the mosque for dialogue with immediate effect. Members of the mosque committee are not daft. They are made up of well educated individuals and they know their rights. 

 

"Besides, they are prepared to pursue the actualisation of their Allah-given fundamental human rights on the twin issues of the reconstruction of the mosque and adequate compensation for the victims of the accident. The committee is prepared to use every legitimate means available to ensure justice for Mushin Muslims. 

 

"The time to invite the mosque committee for dialogue is now". 

 

#LASG

#MushinLocalGovernment

#RebuildOurMosque

#AdequateCompensationForVictims

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

QUERY: DON'T SET OGBOMOSO ON FIRE - MURIC WARNS SOUN

 

28^th June, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

QUERY: DON'T SET OGBOMOSO ON FIRE - MURIC WARNS SOUN

 

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has warned the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, not to set Ogbomoso on fire. This was sequel to the query issued by the king to the Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Sheikh Dr. Taliat Yunus Olusina Ayilara, for failing to notify him before embarking on his recent Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

 

The warning from the Islamic human rights organization was contained in a statement issued on Friday, 28^th June, 2024 by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 

The full statement reads:

 

"The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, has issued a query to the Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Sheikh Dr. Taliat Yunus Olusina Ayilara, for failing to notify him before embarking on his recent Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia (https://dailytrust.com/soun-of-ogbomoso-queries-chief-imam-for-embarking-on-hajj-without-his-consent/). 

 

"The concluding paragraph of the query dated 10th June, 2024 and captioned 'Query on Breach of Oath of Office and Undertakings' reads inter alia: 'As the son of Ogbomosoland, I hereby demand that you immediately return to Ogbomoso and rectify these violations and desist from any further actions that violate the undertakings you signed on the approval of your appointment as Chief Imam Agba of Ogbomosoland'. The query was signed by Toyin Ajamu, the Palace Secretary, on behalf of Oba Ghandi Olatoye Orumogege III.

 

"MURIC strongly condemns this query. It is not only in bad taste but also in bad faith. It portrays Oba Ghandi as a human king who wants to be worshipped before we can be allowed to worship the Supreme Creator, Allah.

 

"The Soun of Ogbomoso wants the Chief Imam to take permission before going on pilgrimage to Makkah. This is akin to asking the Chief Imam to come to the palace every morning to take permission before going for salat (prayer) because Muslims go to Makkah to worship Allah and they also observe Salat for the same purpose.

 

"This is a clear infringement on Allah-given fundamental human rights of the Chief Imam and a violation of Section 38(i)&(ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees freedom of worship. It should be noted that Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and it is enshrined in the divine scripture of Islam, the Glorious Qur'an (22:27).

 

"The most annoying part of the query is where the king commanded the Chief Imam 'to immediately return to Ogbomoso' from faraway Saudi Arabia. It is ludicrous, odorous and odoriferous. This implies very clearly that Oba Ghandi, a human being, commanded the Chief Imam to abandon the worship of Allah in order to come and pay homage to him in his palace. It is preposterous, sacrilegious and therefore unacceptable.

 

“It is very strange that the Chief Imam was made to sign an undertaking before his installation. We are deeply disturbed by this because we have no doubt that it came up as a result of lack of mutual understanding. The undertaking was signed as far back as 2021 before Ghandi became king. He is now leveraging on it. MURIC is interested in this particular document.  

 

"Nobody is saying the Imam should disrespect the king but at the same time it should be reciprocal. The post of Chief Imam is an exalted office and Nigerian Muslims will not take kindly to its desecration. By issuing this query to our Chief Imam, the Soun of Ogbomoso has dragged our Chief Imam in the mud and shown complete disregard for his office and faith. Oba Ghandi Olaoye has declared hostilities on the religion of Islam and the Muslims themselves.

 

MURIC objects to the idea of Imams or Chief Imams signing undertakings before any king during oath of office. We reiterate our position on this issue in earlier publications that Obas have no role to play in the appointment of Imams or Chief Imams. We therefore remind Muslims in Yorubaland to stop subjecting themselves and the Imam to the Obas. It is repugnant, despicable and condescending.

 

“In like manner, we warn traditional rulers, particularly those of Yoruba extraction, to leave our Imams alone. Any attempt by the king to pocket or intimidate the Imam will attract the anger of his followers.

 

“Yet that does not mean that we are saying Muslims should disobey their traditional rulers. It only means that there are lines of demarcation here and there. The power and influence of the king is in the secular, the Imam’s power is in the spiritual. Neither should seek to cross the red line. No king should try with the Imam what he dares not attempt with the bishop.

 

“MURIC wishes to seize this opportunity to seek the understanding of traditional rulers throughout the country. The fact that we try to curtail the power and influence of monarchs on our Imams does not mean we hate the kings or that we do not wish them well. The reverse is the case.

 

“We hold the aristocracy in high esteem. They are the symbols of our customs, values, norms and mores. They remind us of our past and that past is important because people who forget their past cannot know how to make progress. The same MURIC that is asking monarchs to leave the Imams alone is the same organization that is canvassing for the independence of kings from deposition by state governors. This is our character. We promote freedom for all. We fight oppression and injustice.

 

"We are compelled to lay emphasis on the fact that Oba Ghandi is provoking Nigerian Muslims. We demand the withdrawal of this serpentine query unless he can show the world letters of permission written by church General Overseers (G.Os), bishops and pastors in Ogbomosoland. He must show the world applications submitted to past Souns by church leaders who wanted to travel to Jerusalem and other countries as well as those submitted to him since ascending the throne.

 

“In the same vein, we assure Ghandi that the document he is brandishing all over the place is mere trash. That undertaking will remain invalid until he can show the world similar undertakings signed for his predecessors on the throne by the bishops and pastors of Ogbomoso.

 

“Apart from that, the undertaking merely stops the Chief Imam from ‘officiating’ outside Ogbomoso and not from ‘going on hajj to worship’. These are two different things. The undertaking did not say the Chief Imam should take permission from the Soun before worshipping Allah or before going for hajj to worship Him.

 

“Ghandi may want his Solicitor General to take a second look at the document. If Ghandi knows how to gag Imams with frivolous undertakings, there are Muslims who know how to decipher the codes.

 

“It is articulated assault on Allah-given fundamental human rights of the Chief Imam to make him sign such a luciferous undertaking while the bishops and pastors of Ogbomoso are exempted. It is discriminatory. It is profiling and stereotyping. Besides, it is highly unfair on Ogbomoso Muslims to keep their Chief Imam and leader in chains while the bishop of Ogbomoso roams freely around the globe like the free wind.

 

"We charge Oba Ghandi, a former pastor of the Redeemed Church, to stop taking Muslims for granted. He has a blurred image of Muslims as a bunch of timid, uneducated and easily intimidated subjects who do not know their fundamental human rights. That is exactly how he sees Muslims. But the tide has changed.

 

“The Muslims of today are enlightened, informed and unputdownable. Only fake Muslims are found among boot-lickers and palace-jesters. Although today's Muslims will still respect the king, they will draw a line between respect for the king and their rights as free-born Muslims.

 

"Inasmuch as Soun will not expect applications to travel out to Jerusalem from bishops and pastors, he should not demand same from our Chief Imam Agba. This query from Soun has caused the Muslim Community throughout Nigeria excruciating pain and created a wider gulf between Muslims and Christians. We can no longer trust the Soun. He is not acting like the king of Muslims, Christians and traditionalists. We now see the Soun in the Redeemed Church cassock and vestment, a ‘fisher of men’!

 

"By the way, which law of Oyo State or of Nigeria as a whole empowers the Soun to give permission to the Chief Imam before he can go on Hajj? Which law makes the Chief Imam submissive to the Soun? Without such laws, Ghandi's query is ultra vires, null, void and of no consequences under the law. 

 

"Soun is behaving as if Ogbomoso Muslims are under the Redeemed Church. As a former pastor of the Redeemed Church, he should know that he is not in the best position to escape suspicion from Muslims. That is why he is expected to be more careful. Again, the Chief Imam is not a traditional title holder at all. Neither is he one of the palace floor sweepers. So where is this query coming from? This query lacks wisdom, tact and caution. Soun should not set Ogbomoso on fire."

 

#Ogbomoso

#ObaGhandi

#LeaveTheImamAlone

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

STOP SOKOTO EMIRATE COUNCIL AMENDMENT BILL – MURIC

 

26^th June, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

STOP SOKOTO EMIRATE COUNCIL AMENDMENT  BILL – MURIC

 

A bill called Sokoto Emirate Council Amendment Bill has passed through the first and second readings. If passed into law, the Sultan of Sokoto will be stripped of certain powers. Meanwhile the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the amendment as an attempt to diminish the influence of the Sultan. The human rights organization argued that it is the section of the chieftaincy law which empowers the governor to remove the Sultan that should be amended.

MURIC’s condemnation of the new bill was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 26^th June, 2024 by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The full statement reads:

“There are reports that the Sokoto State House of Assembly is currently rushing through a bill which it called Emirate Council Amendment Bill. The bill has passed through the first and second readings within a very short period. (https://punchng.com/breaking-sokoto-assembly-passes-emirate-council-amendment bill/?utm_source=telegram&utm_medium=social).

 

“If passed into law, the Sultan of Sokoto will be stripped of certain powers including that of appointing the kingmakers and district heads without government approval.

 

“This bill is outrageous, nauseating and anachronistic. It is a direct attack on the traditional institution of Sokoto State. Instead of entrenching the powers of the Sultan, it is an undisguised attempt at weakening his powers and making him less relevant in the scheme of traditional settings.

“In short the governor is preparing the ground for dismantling the Sultanate Council and setting up his own personal Sultanate Council, a council that will be totally controlled from government house. That is the only logical explanation for his removal of 15 traditional rulers in a single day. Ahmed Aliyu is exhibiting the symptoms of fascism, totalitarianism and prebendalism.

 

“Nigerian Muslims are already asking, ‘Why the rush?’ Why are they rushing the bill if there is no hidden agenda? The whole exercise is suggestive of political motivation. The governor is barely one year in office and he has removed 15 traditional rulers. How many will he remove by the time he spends four years? That is reckless. It is acrobatic administrative reform at breakneck speed. The governor needs to slow down.

 

“Were the offences of those 15 traditional rulers who were removed ever published? Were they given the chance to defend themselves? Were the reports of the investigations made public in order to conform with democratic norms and global best practices?

 

If these were not done, we demand a revisit of the deposition of the 15 traditional rulers, proper investigation by a non-partisan panel and the publication of the panel’s findings. Only then can Governor Ahmed Aliyu be deemed to have satisfied all righteousness in transparency, probity and accountability.

 

“The state government came out yesterday to deny any plan to remove the Sultan but we can all see what it is doing secretly now. What explanation does the governor have for the sudden interest in hijacking the Sultanate Council? This is further evidence that Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State is deceiving Nigerian Muslims. It is a manifestation of a strange crave for absolute power.

“In a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton about how historians should judge the abuse of power by rulers, the 19^th century British historian, Lord Acton (1834–1902) said, ‘Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely’.

“MURIC calls the attention of Sokoto lawmakers to this disturbing development. What the good people of Sokoto State need now is a stable Sultanate Council. That is our pride. An ever-swinging traditional pendulum will cause fluctuation of values and norms. The citizens will experience blurred vision, nightmarish dreams and scattered goals.

“We appeal to lawmakers in the Sokoto State House of Assembly to halt the progress of the current bill. Instead, they should turn to the section of the state’s chieftaincy law which empowers the governor to remove the Sultan with a view to amending it in such a way that will exempt the Sultan from dethronement. This is necessary in the interest of the unity of the Ummah.

“It has become mandatory to exempt the Sultan from the possibility of deposition before a governor who will be more radical than Colonel Muazu and more reckless than Ahmed Aliyu takes the center stage and then all of us will shout in unison, ‘Oh God! What have we done?’”.

#SokotoHouseOfAssembly

#StopEmirateCouncilAmendmentBill

#ExemptSultanFromDeposition

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

DON'T TOUCH THE SULTAN: MURIC TELLS SOKOTO GOVERNOR

 

24^th June, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

DON'T TOUCH THE SULTAN: MURIC TELLS SOKOTO GOVERNOR

 

As the governor of Sokoto deposed 15 traditional rulers, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed concern over the sour relationship between the governor and the Sultan of Sokoto as well as the rumour of impending dethronement of the Sultan. According to the human rights organization, Nigerian Muslims reject any thought of deposition of the Sultan.

 

MURIC's position was articulated in a press statement issued on Monday, 24^th June, 2024 by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola. 

 

He said:

 

"The governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu, deposed 15 traditional rulers on 23^rd April 2024. That was two months ago. (https://www-vanguardngr-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2024/04/sokoto-gov-dethrones-15-traditional-rulers-over-land-racketeering-other-offences/amp/?).

 

"However, feelers in circulation indicate that the governor may descend on the Sultan of Sokoto any moment from now using any of the flimsy excuses used to dethrone the 15 traditional rulers whom he removed earlier (https://l.kphx.net/s?d=2796295985948235390&extra=&g=31b4378cb89737a988dcae98fec47bb5).

 

"MURIC advises the governor to look before he leaps. The Sultan's stool is not only traditional. It is also religious. In the same vein, his jurisdiction goes beyond Sokoto. It covers the whole of Nigeria. He is the spiritual head of all Nigerian Muslims.

 

"Therefore, any governor who tampers with the stool of the Sultan will have Nigerian Muslims to reckon with because the Sultan combines the office of the Sultan of Sokoto and that of the President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). 

 

"Governor Ahmed Aliyu should not force Nigerian Muslims to take a drastically revolutionary measure. Having a traditional ruler as leader has been a condition Nigerian Muslims accepted a long time ago as a necessary weakness in the structure which they have to live with. 

 

"A military governor, Colonel Yakubu Muazu, exposed this soft underbelly when he deposed Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki on 20^th April, 1996. Nigerian Muslims will be forced to make a hard decision if Sokoto governors continue to diminish the authority of the Sultan.

 

"For the avoidance of any doubts, Sultan Muhammad Sa'd Abubakar is not only the Sultan of Sokoto but the Sultan of the Nigerian people. His performance and style of leadership have warmed him into the hearts of Nigerians. 

 

"Nigerian Muslims North and South of the country may be constrained to pick Islamic scholars only as President General of the NSCIA and overall leader of Nigerian Muslims. It will be farewell to the leadership of traditional rulers over the NSCIA and an irreversible departure from Sokoto’s priviledged leadership position. But history will not be kind to Colonel Yakubu Muazu and Ahmed Aliyu for ruining the chances of Sokoto.

 

"That will make it impossible for any governor to harass or intimidate the leader of Nigerian Muslims. The power and influence of governors over traditional rulers have become absolute and totalitarian in recent time. Nigerian Muslims must be given space to breathe some air of freedom like all other associations. 

 

“Once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence, the third time is enemy action. If the deposition of a Sultan and NSCIA leader happens a second time, Nigerian Muslims will not allow the embarrassment to happen a third time.

 

"MURIC reiterates its call on the Sokoto State House of Assembly to either repeal or review the state's chieftaincy laws by adding the phrase 'except the Sultan of Sokoto' to Section 6, Cap 26 of the Laws of Northern Nigeria which empowers the state governor to depose the emirs including the Sultan (https://dailytrust.com/muric-seek-immunity-for-sultan-from-deposition/; https://independent.ng/sultan-of-sokoto-should-be-immune-from-deposition-group/). 

 

“We urge Northern elites and Islamic scholars based in the North to intervene before it is too late. This is the time to lobby the Sokoto State House of Assembly and the governor himself. If the chieftaincy laws of Kano State can be repealed within 24 hours, nothing stops that of Sokoto State from being reviewed in favour of immunity for the office of the Sultan in a single day to save Nigerian Muslims from humongous embarrassment.

 

"It is arbitrary, irrational and condescending for a state governor to possess the power to dethrone the leader of all Muslims in Nigeria when even an ordinary chairman of a local government cannot sack the president of a campus students union. It is unacceptable. Enough is enough.

 

“In the same manner, it is tactless, reckless, myopic and senselessly audacious for any governor of Sokoto State who has the power to remove the Sultan of Sokoto and head of all Nigerian Muslims to actually use that power. Well, once bitten, twice shy. Nigerian Muslims travelled this road once, under military rule. We will not ply the same road again."

 

#SokotoGovernor

#SultanOfNigeria

#NigerianMuslims

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).