OLOYEDE: CALL FOR RESIGNATION CALLOUS, UNPATRIOTIC – MURIC

 

23^rd May, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

OLOYEDE: CALL FOR RESIGNATION CALLOUS, UNPATRIOTIC – MURIC

An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has described the call made by the South East caucus of the House of Representatives and an academic body in the South East for the resignation of the embattled JAMB registrar as callous, ridiculous and unpatriotic.    

MURIC spoke on Friday, 23^rd May, 2025 via a statement signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The full statement reads:

“The South East caucus of the House of Representatives this week called for the resignation of the embattled registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) over the examination glitches which occurred during the 2025 examinations in some parts of the country (https://www.thisdaylive.com/2025/05/20/alleged-jamb-glitches-house-south-east-caucus-demands-oloyedes-resignation/).

A similar move was made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) branch which also threatened to sue JAMB yesterday (https://leadership.ng/asuu-threatens-to-sue-jamb-over-utme-mass-failure/).

“MURIC finds this calls callous, ridiculous and unpatriotic. It is also parochial, myopic and condescending. It smirks of ethnic buccaneering and suffers from intellectual poverty. The idea is a willing partner in the desertification of analytical, critical and objective thinking. Our lawmakers and academics should rise above articulated tribal jingoism.

“Why does the South East desire to kill the goose that lays the golden egg? It is on record that Nigeria, particularly JAMB, has never had it so good. For whereas JAMB had been a consuming and wasteful institution in the pre-Oloyede days, the incumbent has turned the institution round, refunding billions to the coffers of the Federal Government (FG) on an annual basis since he took over.

“Record shows that JAMB under Professor Ishaq Oloyede has returned more than N50 billion to FG in the past seven years (https://www.thisdaylive.com/2022/12/15/oloyede-jamb-remitted-n50bn-to-fg-in-six-years/).

“Exempli gratia, it remitted N3.51 billion in 2021 (https://www.thetorch.ng/jamb-remits-n3-5bn-to-government/), more than N2 billion in 2023 (https://businessday.ng/news/article/2023-utme-jamb-remits-over-n2bn-to-fg/) and N6 billion to FG in 2024 (https://punchng.com/jamb-remits-over-n6bn-to-fg-in-2024/). Yet in contrast, the cumulative amount refunded by JAMB over forty years before the emergence of Oloyede was a paltry N52 million (https://osundefender.com/jamb-remitted-n52m-federal-government-40-years/).  

“Things got to an astounding climax this year that Oloyede told FG that JAMB under him does not require any allocation as its internally generated revenue (IGR) was enough for its functions (https://www.thecable.ng/jamb-seeks-exclusion-from-budgetary-allocation-wants-registration-fee-increased/).  

“Is this the man the South East caucus of the House of Representatives wants to resign? Is this how we should treat our heroes? How many government agencies have returned money to the government in this manner? Why should our lawmakers seek to destroy a performer primus inter pareil? We contend that this is an attempt to demonise transparency while idolising corruption. They want to sacrifice excellence on the altar of mediocrity. Who did this to Nigeria?

“MURIC charges Professor Oloyede to ignore calls for his resignation coming from least unexpected quarters like the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) of one of the South Eastern universities. The rantings of institutionalized kleptomaniacs, political shenanigans, academic chalartans and ethnic demagogues is not worth being glorified with any attention. The call for Oloyede’s resignation is most unpatriotic.

“Our message to Oloyede is this, ‘Strive on in the glorious path which you have chosen. Ignore detractors, the envious and sworn enemies. Their desire is to rubbish you in order to justify their waywardness. They wish to make you regret your honesty. They are on a campaign for the recruitment of thieves like them from the infinitesimally small group of saints. Continue your good work. Resignation will send the wrong signal to good Nigerians who consider you their model. Aluta continua, Victoria ascerta’”

#JAMBExamGlitches

#NoToResignation

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

 

INVESTIGATE JAMB EXAM GLITCHES IN THE NORTH - MURIC

 

19^th May, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

INVESTIGATE JAMB EXAM GLITCHES IN THE NORTH - MURIC

An Islamic human rights organization has called the attention of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) to reports that the recent technical glitches which necessitated retaking of examinations in Lagos and the South East also affected some parts of the North. 

 

In a statement dated Monday, 19th May, 2025 and signed by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group asked the authorities of JAMB to investigate the report and do the needful if found to be true. According to the statement, this is necessary to ensure fairness, equity and regional balance. 

#JAMBExamGlitches

#InvestigateNorthernGlitches

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

YOUR INTEGRITY IS INTACT: MURIC TELLS JAMB BOSS AS GROUP WITHDRAWS STATEMENT

                                                    

14^th May, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

YOUR INTEGRITY IS INTACT: MURIC TELLS JAMB BOSS AS GROUP WITHDRAWS STATEMENT

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has assured the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) that his integrity is fully intact despite attempts by fifth columnists who sabotaged the last JAMB examination by causing hitches in the exercise.

The group also withdrew the statement it circulated earlier today, Wednesday, 14th May, 2025.

In a statement issued on Wednesday evening by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group sympathized with parents and candidates affected by the glitches.

It will be recalled that MURIC in an earlier statement issued today had doubted the claims made by victims of the mishaps during the JAMB examination. But the JAMB boss, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, later admitted the error and promised that victims would have the opportunity for another examination.

"Despair not," MURIC told the JAMB boss, "you are still numero uno among the few saints in this country. Your white garment remains untainted. The evil doers have failed". The statement concluded. 

#JAMBCandidates

#InconveniencesRegretted

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

 

 

 

 

 

LICK YOUR WOUNDS: DON'T BLAME JAMB FOR YOUR COLLECTIVE FAILURE - MURIC TELLS PARENTS

 

14^th May, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

LICK YOUR WOUNDS: DON'T BLAME JAMB FOR YOUR COLLECTIVE FAILURE - MURIC TELLS PARENTS

As some parents and candidates vow to sue the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) over the mass failure registered in the 2025 JAMB examination, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has advised both the candidates and their parents to lick their wounds and stop blaming JAMB for their failures. 

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday 14^th May, 2025 by Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Executive Director of the human rights organization. 

Clarifying his stand, Akintola said:

"A few parents and candidates who failed the 2025 version of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) have vowed to take the national examination body to court over technical glitches (https://punchng.com/mass-failure-utme-candidates-to-sue-jamb-over-technical-glitches/#google_vignette). 

"This is crying after the head has been cut off. Their results would been different if they had been well prepared. But instead of burning candles and reading far into the night, our young ones have been discothequeing, roaming the streets and loafing around after they have been assured that magic centers are the answer. Alas, JAMB proved to be smarter than them. 

“As for the excuse of technical glitches, the candidates and their parents should know better. Technical hitches at CBT centres cannot be blamed on JAMB whose headquarters is far away. They should blame the CBT centres. The law establishing JAMB may stomach vicarious liability, but the technical nitty gritties will still favour the cat jumping into JAMB’s backyard.

"MURIC advises candidates who failed the examination to lick their wounds, re-examine themselves, throw their hats into the ring once again and stop blaming JAMB. It behoves the parents to stop indulging their children. The future belongs to youths who toil hard and prepare themselves for the challenges of this jet age, not to overpampered ones whose mothers still breastfeed them at 25.

"We charge parents to join hands with JAMB and the Nigerian authorities in cleansing the system already permeated with moral decadence. JAMB is not the enemy of those candidates, the parents who fail to discipline them and the permissive society which idolises indolence and demonises dilligence are their foes. Lick your wounds, leave JAMB alone."

#JAMBCandidates

#NotCourtMatters

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

 

ORILE AGEGE GENERAL HOSPITAL MOSQUE CRISIS NOW RESOLVED - MURIC

 

12^th May, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

ORILE AGEGE GENERAL HOSPITAL MOSQUE CRISIS NOW RESOLVED - MURIC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has announced that the crisis between the Muslim community and the management of Orile Agege General Hospital has been resolved. 

The announcement was made on Monday, 12th May, 2025 by the Executive Director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola. 

He said:

"The crisis between the Muslim community and management of Orile Agege General Hospital has been laid to rest. 

"It will be recalled that there had been tension within the hospital as a result of the hardline position taken by the Medical Director, Dr. Sola Pitan, against Muslims in the hospital. This led to complaints reaching our office and the intervention of MURIC became inevitable (https://independent.ng/muric-raises-alarm-over-threat-by-orile-agege-hospital-md-to-arrest-muslim-staff/)

"As a corollary to this development, the Muslim Community of Orile Agege General Hospital (OAGHMC) and the leadership of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Lagos chapter, met the hospital's MD in an emergency meeting within the hospital premises where the issue was resolved after the MD soft-pedalled.

Dr. Saeed Ahmad, Head of the Department of Surgery at the Lagos Hospital, led the IMAN delegation that attended the meeting which was held on Friday, 9^th May, 2025. He also led the Jumu’ah prayer in the hospital mosque. Henceforth, Muslim worshippers are free to use the mosque for Salat and other Islamic activities. 

"We affirm that MURIC is always open to dialogue. We detest crisis and we hardly complain unless Muslims have been oppressed somewhere. We have a long list of such disputes resolved through dialogue. Only a few resulted in litigation but none has led to violence since our establishment in 1994. We justify our motto, 'Dialogue, No Violence', with every intervention. Violence is not in our DNA.

"That is why those who try to give MURIC and its Executive Director bad names will continue to lose. Their allegations are based on sheer bias, sentiment and an insatiable quest for Islam-bashing.

"We appeal to workers in the health sector to stick to the ethics of their profession in the handling of patients and people who visit hospitals for one thing or the other. Coldness and insolence towards such people are the least expected of them. They are counterproductive.

"There have been reports of Muslims, particularly women in hijab being treated with contempt and disdain within the four walls of government hospitals. This is both despicable and unacceptable."

#LASG

#OrileAgegeGeneralHospital

#DisputeResolved

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

 

CALL ORILE AGEGE GENERAL HOSPITAL MD TO ORDER – MURIC

 

7^th May, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

CALL ORILE AGEGE GENERAL HOSPITAL MD TO ORDER – MURIC

An appeal has gone to the Lagos State Government to call the Medical Director of Orile Agege General Hospital to order. The appeal was made by a faith-based civil society organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). The group alleged that the MD, Dr. Sola Pitan, has made several attempts aimed at stopping Muslim staff from coming into the mosque.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 7^th May, 2025 by the Executive Director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“The headquarters of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has been inundated with complaints against the current Medical Director (MD) of Orile-Agege General Hospital, Dr. Sola Pitan. The crux of the complaints hinges on several attempts made by him towards disrupting daily use of the mosque by Muslim staff of the hospital.

“Reports say Dr. Pitan has been on the neck of the Muslim community since he assumed office as the MD. He deliberately built a gate on a spot that made it difficult for Muslims to enter the mosque. The MD allegedly ignored pleas made by the Muslim staff against erecting the controversial gate. His latest and worse move is to threaten to arrest anyone who enters the mosque to pray.

“MURIC warns that the actions of Dr. Sola Pitan contravene the principles of peaceful coexistence particularly in a cosmopolitan city like Lagos. At the same time, his demeanors constitute a serious threat to peace, not only in Lagos but in the entire state.

“Lagos is a cornucopia of faiths and a confluence of ideas. The city thrives on tolerance and mutual respect. The MD’s actions stand in sharp contradistinction to these lofty ideals. The mosque he is scapegoating is in a public facility where staff, patients, patients' families, etc converge to meet their spiritual needs.

“It is only in this clime that we find civil servants whose salaries are paid from tax payers’ sweat exhibiting excessive power and abusing their offices. MD or no MD, Dr. Pitan should note that he is a civil servant. He should stop abusing his power.

“By stopping Muslims from using the hospital mosque, Dr. Sola Pitan has infringed upon Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslims who use the hospital and who have inalienable rights to observe Salat (prayer). This right is enshrined in Section 38(i)&(ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We therefore appeal to the Lagos State Government (LASG), particularly the Ministry of Health, to call the MD of Orile-Agege General Hospital to order.”

#LASG

#OrileAgegeGeneralHospital

#AbuseOfPower

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

SHARIAH: MURIC SLAMS CRITICS FOR REMAINING SILENT AFTER MAKINDE’S U-TURN

 

2^nd May, 2025

PRESS RELEASE:

SHARIAH: MURIC SLAMS CRITICS FOR REMAINING SILENT AFTER MAKINDE’S U-TURN

A faith-based civil society organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has queried states in the South-West on their silence after Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State eventually accepted Shari’ah despite his initial vehement opposition. The group described the silence as hypocritical and pregnant with meanings.

MURIC raised the question in a statement issued on Friday, 2^nd May, 2025 by the Executive Director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The full statement reads:

“Both mainstream and social media were agog with official statements coming from some state governments in the South-West rejecting Shari’ah arbitration panels earlier this year 2025 (https://punchng.com/makinde-plans-suit-as-oyo-sharia-panel-begins-sitting/; https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2025/01/29/dont-bring-sharia-to-ogun-abiodun-warns/; https://punchng.com/oyebanji-kicks-against-sharia-court-in-ekiti-cautions-opposition/).

“Not only that, hysteric halitosis and clangorous diatribes came from Yoruba groups over the institution of Shari’ah panels. The groups threatened hell and brimstone without disguising their readiness to attack Muslim leaders seen promoting Shari’ah in the region (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/01/yoruba-elders-warn-introduction-of-shariah-court-in-oyoll-bring-chaos-to-yorubaland/; ttps://www.muricnigeria.com/stop-plot-to-unleash-violence-on-south-west-muslims-muric/; https://punchng.com/sharia-lawll-cause-anarchy-in-swest-traditional-leaders-warn/; https://punchng.com/afenifere-can-others-oppose-push-for-sharia-in-swest/)

“Instead of engaging in a shouting match, Muslims in the region resorted to enlightenment and dialogue. This soon paid off as the governor of Oyo State who had been in the forefront of the attacks on Shari’ah eventually admitted that Shari’ah was constitutional afterall. He also promised to allow it in the state (https://punchng.com/sharia-panel-free-to-operate-in-oyo-says-makinde/).

“Governor Makinde uttered his landmark remarks on Wednesday, 26^th March, 2025. That was more than a month ago. We are surprised that up till this moment none of those who heated up the polity over the same Shari’ah matter has exhibited the courage or the courtesy to honestly and sincerely endorse what Makinde said.

“The present silence is not only hypocritical, it is also didactic and pregnant with meanings. The anti-Shari’ah camp in the South-West is made up of people who are unwilling to accept the truth.

“What makes it difficult to see on Olumo Rock the naked truth sighted with solid conviction on Mapo Hill? Why has a conspiracy of silence enveloped Iworoko Mountains? Ekiti is a land of the brave. They have never run away from the truth. Let the Ikogosi Warm Springs melt away this unholy reluctance to own up.”

#Shariah

#BreakTheSilence

#EmbraceTheTruth

 

Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).