5th
June, 2024
PRESS
RELEASE:
NLC
STRIKE SUSPENSION: NO TO STRIKE EVE OF SALAH – MURIC
The
Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) suspended its strike yesterday but it vowed to
review the situation in a week's time. This has prompted the Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC) to warn the union not to resume strike on the eve of Salah.
The
warning was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 5th June, 2024 by the
group's Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
He
said:
"The
Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) suspended its strike yesterday for one week
only. The union vowed to review the situation in a week's time.
"A
quick calculation shows that NLC's one week moratorium falls due on Tuesday,
11th June, 2024. That is approximately on the eve of this year's Id
al-kabiir (Salah). It has been widely reported that Arafat day is Saturday,
15th June while Salah per se is 16th. Monday 17th
and Tuesday 18th June are likely to be declared holidays by the
Federal Government. It will be meaningless to declare holidays during a general
strike.
"Of
course the final decision concerning the exact date of Salah rests with
Nigeria's umbrella Islamic organization under the able leadership of the Sultan
of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic
Affairs (NSCIA).
"Muslims
take Salah very serious and by tradition, the whole week before Salah day
proper is usually set aside for preparations by Muslim families.
"Kicking
off another strike on the eve of Salah will definitely be seen as an act of
hostility towards Muslims. It is probably not in the best interest of NLC to
incur the wrath of Nigerian Muslims while claiming to embark on industrial
action to advance the people's welfare.
"Muslims
form a clear majority of Nigeria's estimated 220 million people. Those who
doubted and contested this projection have learned the hard way. Therefore, if
it is true that NLC will need the goodwill of the people to make its strike
succeed, it will be unwise to attack the sensibility of Muslims by embarking on
an anti-Muslim strike.
"We
affirm clearly, categorically and emphatically that another strike on the eve
of Salah will be an anti-Muslim strike. Muslims are duty-bound to break
it.
"Apart
from being treasonable, switching off the national grid is an act of sadism. It
is only those who enjoy inflicting pains on people who do such things. Only
Allah knows how many babies died in their incubators while that wicked act
lasted. The emergency wards in hospitals are still counting their dead. Women
in serious labour could not access their hospitals. Some bled to death. Is NLC
proud?
"To
switch off the national grid again next week will mean condemning the Muslim
festival to a feast without electricity, without water, without charm. We
reject a feast of blackness, tears and deaths.
"We
therefore warn NLC not to embark on a wild goose chase. We advise that any
strike to be declared should be after Salah. NLC should stop pretending that
there are no Muslims in Nigeria. Those who tried it in the past have had
themselves to blame. Nobody will rubbish our faith and get away with it. If you
dare Nigerian Muslims, even your union will disown you at the end of the day
and Nigerians will eventually reject you.
“We
warn NLC that Nigerian Muslims will not forget those who messed up their
festival and brought despair to them when they should be feasting. We are not
unaware of NLC’s nocturnal romance with a particular political party whose
presidential candidate is now junketing from one mosque to another.
“We
will be surprised if this presidential candidate fails to know when to call NLC
to order. By the way, the attitude of NLC towards Muslims has already indicated
that any government headed by an NLC favourite will be an open enemy of
Nigerian Muslims.
"MURIC
is not fighting NLC but the labour union should steer clear of Islamic
landmarks. We are prepared to work with NLC and other groups in the interest of
Nigeria but the red line which should not be crossed is our religion. We will
not compromise Islam even for all the gold in the world.
“NLC
should therefore note that its one week moratorium is too close for comfort.
Two weeks looks more like it. That deadline will likely fall on Tuesday, 11th
June. That is when Muslims will be at the peak of preparations for the Salah
which, ceteris paribus, will come up on Sunday, 16th June.
“NLC
should be inclusive and considerate. They should realise that there are Muslims
in this country and those Muslims have the right to celebrate their Salah in
peace, not in pieces. Our families should be allowed to come together during
Salah. With a strike like this in Salah, NLC will scatter Muslim families like
wild oats. We refuse to celebrate Salah like slaves in our land. We refuse to
be oppressed. One week deadline? It had better not be.
“Should
NLC insist on resuming the strike during Salah, MURIC will mobilise Muslims in
all parts of the country against the strike. We will break it. We will break it
because we know NLC dare not pursue a strike campaign during Christmas.
“The
Muslims whom NLC has elected to ignore and has loved to hate will be its
albatross. Julius Caesar was also warned to ‘beware the Ides of March’. But if NLC
respects our Salah and does not resume its strike while it lasted, the union
will receive our blessing.
"As
we draw the curtain, our message to Nigerian Muslims is this, 'Salah is just a
few days away and we know you are already preparing for it. It is your
Allah-given fundamental human right to enjoy the Salah days. We call on all
Muslims North and South of Nigeria to disobey any instruction from any union
that may disrupt his or her Salah. We wish you Barka de Salah in advance'.
#NlcOneWeekMoratorium
#NlcThreatToHappySalah
Professor
Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive
Director,
Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC).
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