28th September, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
SHELVE OCTOBER 1 PROTEST, ADOPT
DIALOGUE – MURIC
As some Nigerians prepare for the proposed protest
against economic hardship on 1st October, 2024, a faith-based human rights
organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has appealed for the
cancellation of the protest. The group argued, among other reasons, that it is
sacriledgeous for any group to pick Nigeria's independence day for a protest.
MURIC spoke on Saturday, 28th September, 2024,
through its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
He also gave other reasons:
"We
are surprised that some Nigerians are planning to hold protests on our 64th
independence anniversary. Protest on October 1 of any year in Nigeria amounts
to a desecration of our value for freedom. It is tantamount to an assault on
all the struggles of our founding fathers who fought tooth and nail to drive
away the colonial master and usher in a much desired independence.
"It is not enough to contend that people in
those advanced countries manifest patriotism because their leaders serve them
loyally. Unlike us in Nigeria, their citizens gave everything to their countries.
We must ask ourselves what we as citizens have done for our country. If we
think our leaders are bad, have we looked at the citizens too? Objectivity
demands that if we complain about bad leaders, we must also ponder over the bad
citizens.
"What we need in this country is a sincere
national dialogue between the rulers and the ruled. This culture of
self-righteousness that has permeated the entire citizenry must be critically
and objectively examined. We must not always blame the leaders or the police
alone. We are all corrupt except for an infinitesimal few.
"MURIC
admits that there is severe hunger in the land but Nigeria is not aloof in this
category. We are not an island. Neither did our hunger start yesterday. We are
also angry due to the pangs of hunger and starvation. But the solution to our
problem cannot be found in the expression of our anger.
"Prophet Muhammad (SAW) warned that 'anger at
the beginning is like madness while its end is regret.'
"Going on protest in a state of anger can
lead to unpleasant incidents. We can do better by accepting the dialogue option
which both the government and voluntary groups have offered. Jaw-jaw is always
better than war-war. Even combatants always return to the round table after the
war.
"Another reason for our appeal for calm is
that the scars of the last #EndBadGovernance protest are still evident all around
us. Puffs of smoke from burnt buildings and vehicles still rise in the Nigerian
horizon. It is not so long ago: just a matter of weeks. A developing nation
like ours cannot afford to engage in weekly self-destruction.
"Furthermore, can any of the planners of this
October 1 protest guarantee that rabble-rousing elements will not hijack the
protest? If it happened in the July 2024 protest despite promises to the
contrary, how are we sure it would not happen in the October 1 protest?
"By the way, how are we certain that those
who have tasted the deceitful wine of Leninist communism have not started
sharing out Russian flags among misguided Nigerians just as it happened in the
July protest? What of the luciferous invitation to the army to take over power
during the last protest? Blinded by anger, protesters during the last outing
failed to see the fifth columnists and bad losers egging them onto perfidy.
“Yet we recognize
the right to hold protests. We cannot do otherwise as a human rights group. The
right to protest is sacrosanct and inalienable but that right must not be
abused. The right of a protester stops where that of a non-protester begins.
"For example, people who wish to celebrate
independence on October 1 have the right to go to places to enjoy themselves.
Protesters also have the right protest but they have no right to conduct
themselves in such manners as to make it impossible for those who wish to do
other things to go about their lawful businesses. That is the naked truth.
"MURIC
asserts clearly, categorically and emphatically that the hunger ravaging the
country is real. We therefore advise the Federal Government (FG) to show more
commitment to the amelioration of the ongoing suffering among Nigerians. FG
should also organize sincere national open dialogue and forgiveness sessions
between the rulers and the ruled.
"Government
officials should also avoid flamboyant living. We want to see genuine
commitment to frugality in government's activities. The cost of governance in
Nigeria is too high. It needs to be drastically reduced. Such reduction will
leave more funds to provide for the teeming masses. A government that feels our
pain will not mock us with daily festivities. If we must make sacrifices, we
want to see what our leaders have sacrificed. Citizens cannot be working like
elephants but eating like ants. Leaders must also lead by example.
“Nonetheless, we urge Nigerians to respect their
country and to honour our independence anniversary which is October 1. We have
no other country. We should train our children to respect their country, not to
despise it.
“Americans
are passionate about 4th July as the date in 1776 opened the gates of freedom
unto them. The French hold 14th July most sacred as that was the day they
witnessed the storming of the Bastille which signalled the beginning of the
French revolution of 1789. The British idolise 15th June 1215 for it was on
that date that King John affixed his seal on Magna Carta in a field at
Runnymede. Let us give some respect to our Independence Day.
#NoToOctober1Protest
#RespectIndependenceDay
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
