28th May 2012 DEMOCRACY DAY MESSAGE: NIGERIA'S DEMOCRACY IS A FRAUD Nigeria will tomorrow 29th May, 2012 mark the thirteenth anniversary of its longest and Third Republic. The First Republic which was incubated in 1960 but which began effectively in 1963 ended disastrously after only three years in the hands of an overzealous, parochial and unprofessional military in 1966. The Second Republic which began in 1979 was terminated by the same gluttonous, impatient, overbearing and tyrannical military in 1983 after just four years of civil rule. In comparison, the Third Republic which entered its thirteenth year on 30th May 2011 has therefore been the longest so far. We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) contend that Nigeria's democracy has always been a fraud and remains, to date, a monumental tool of deception. The first signpost of the insincerity of our democratic institution is the choice of 29th May of every year as the date for celebrating democracy in Nigeria. This date was picked by reactionary elements who were bent on eclipsing the historical landmarks of the June 12 1993 election which remains the fairest, most objective and most peaceful election in Nigeria to date. We affirm the sanctity of June 12 and urge progressives in the country to push for its recognition by the Federal Government. 29th May is a historical fraud concocted by conservative elements. It must be dumped into the dustbin of history. The high level of corruption in our public life and the celebration of mediocrity on the altar of excellence make Nigeria's democracy the biggest fraud anywhere in the world. It is on record that Transparency International named Nigeria the Most Corrupt Country in the world in 2003, Second Most Corrupt Country in 2005 and Third Most Corrupt in 2006. Today corruption has dug in deeper. The Jonathan administration in particular has greatly embellished the sceptre of corruption with its fraudulent oil subsidy imbroglio. The ruling party has institutionalised corruption into a hydra-headed monster with wide-open and mighty jaws swallowing up the social order. If democracy must herald transparency, probity and accountability, Nigeria's democracy is a fake institution. The political landscape is characterized by violence and electoral malpractices due to the fraudulent nature of our democracy. Whereas political scientists agree that in order to guaranty success, progress, peace and security, democracy must be fully participatory, Nigeria's democracy is selective. It ignited militancy in the Niger Delta because it ignored the welfare of the people in the oil-producing region. It elicited Boko Haram in the North due to the subjection of that region to perpetual poverty. Nigeria's minority elites exhibit a West-induced yet strong phobia for involving Islamic landmarks and institutions in our national life pari passu with Christo-Western institutions. The result has been religious friction and threat to peaceful coexistence. To cap it all, an extremely powerful centre breathes down the neck of the federating units, strangulating and impoverishing them in an equally fraudulent 'federal' concoction. MURIC clearly, unequivocally and unflinchingly condemns Nigeria's fraudulent democracy. We warn that enduring peace will continue to elude this country until we make justice the basis of all dealings among ourselves. Justice is the soul of peace. No man born of a woman can deny one and enjoy the other. We call for a Sovereign National Conference to avail all and sundry the opportunity to participate in reforming and reshaping the future of Nigeria on the platform of fairness, equity and justice. Professor Is-haq Akintola, Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 234-818-211-9714 234-803-346-4974 Professor Is-haq Akintola, Lagos State University, P.O. Box 10211, LASU Post Office, HO 102 101, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel. 234-803-346-4974 234-818-211-9714 Website: www.ishaqakintola.com Blog: drishaqakintola.blogspot.com Facebook: facebook.com/ishaqakintola Twitter: ishaqakintola I remain oppressed  untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the sick healed and the homeless sheltered  |
Monday, May 28, 2012
DEMOCRACY DAY MESSAGE
Saturday, May 5, 2012
MURIC WARNS AGAINST RETURN OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
5th April 2012 PRESS RELEASE: ASSASSINATION OF OSHIOMOLE'S AIDE: MURIC WARNS AGAINST RETURN OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE Olaitan Ayorinde, 44, Principal Private Secretary of Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, was assassinated early yesterday. The Edo governor's aide was gunned down by a four-man gang who shot him in the head, stomach and chest in the presence of his wife. Coming so soon after an alleged attempted killing of the governor himself and occurring on the same day that the latter was set to flag off his campaign for re-election for a second term in the coming June gubernatorial election, the murder of Olaitan signals the return of political violence. Equally disturbing is the tension created in the State of Oshun where Senator Omisore allegedly threatened to attack the convoy of governor Rauf Aregbesola. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) roundly condemns the cold-blooded murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, a young, energetic and promising politician. We frown at the level of frustration that might have driven his opponents to draw blood. In the same vein, we denounce Omisore's unguarded and highly provocative outburst. MURIC identifies a link between Omisore's threat to attack Aregbesola's convoy and the real 'attack' on Oshiomole's convoy. Omisore's threat may also have been a coded message to his accomplices and agents in Benin who staged the so-called truck crash into Oshiomole's convoy. The time frame between the threat and the 'crash' are close enough to attract the attention and suspicion of homicide detectives. We charge the police in both Oshun and Edo States to do thorough investigations. In actual fact we expect a non-partisan police and other security agencies to have invited Omisore for questioning on the basis of his threat. How can anyone threaten a sitting governor in that manner and nothing happens? Some politicians have demonstrated that they possess the noun 'murder' and the verb 'to kill'. We warn against the return of political violence. This is an ill wind that blows nobody no good. We urge the ruling party to rein in not only its enfant terrible but also the advocatus diaboli within its rank and file. Heating up the polity at a time when there are serious security challenges is counter-productive. The authors of 'do-or-die' politics are the worst enemies of democracy. Professor Is-haq Akintola, Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 234-818-211-9714 234-803-346-4974 Professor Is-haq Akintola, Lagos State University, P.O. Box 10211, LASU Post Office, HO 102 101, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel. 234-803-346-4974 234-818-211-9714 Website: www.ishaqakintola.com Blog: drishaqakintola.blogspot.com Facebook: facebook.com/ishaqakintola Twitter: ishaqakintola I remain oppressed untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the sick healed and the homeless sheltered |
Sunday, April 29, 2012
BUK KANO ATTACK: HORRENDOUS
30th April 2012
PRESS RELEASE:
BUK ATTACK: HORRENDOUS, UNJUSTIFIABLE
Catholic church worshippers in a lecture hall in Bayero University, Kano (BUK), were attacked by about six gunmen who threw bombs and fired automatic rifles, causing pandemonium. About fifteen people have been reported dead.
Coming on the heels of the bomb attack in Kaduna two days earlier which left about six people dead, the attack inside Bayero University is one too many. Once again, we of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) reiterate our unflinching condemnation of attacks on places of worship and worshippers. Such attacks symbolize total disrespect for the Supreme Creator and signpost an astounding manifestation of ignorance about the ways of God.
MURIC believes that those responsible for this horrendous crime have acted in contradistinction with the tenets of religion. There is therefore an urgent need for Nigerians to review their understanding of religion with a view to placing the latter in its proper perspective. We charge school authorities to place high premium on the study of religion.
The attack at BUK exposes the ineptitude of the Nigerian security apparatus. This attack could have been prevented if those in charge had been visionary and imaginative. We charge the security agencies to be more alive to their responsibilities. Forward-looking protection manouvres coupled with properly coordinated intelligence gathering must be the focus of those in charge of our security. No loopholes must be allowed. In particular, all places used for worshipping by Christians in the North must be given full protection. In the same vein, security agencies must be on guard in places of worship in the South.
We appeal to all stakeholders to exercise restraint. We urge the perpetrators of these attacks to lay down their weapons and embrace dialogue. For procrastinating on proposed talks with this violent group, MURIC holds the Federal Government responsible for this tragedy. Instead of listening to the voice of reason and creating an atmosphere conducive to ceasefire and genuine dialogue, Government has been threatening to eliminate Boko Haram 'before July'. The warning of well-meaning Nigerians that force alone could not guarantee peace in the present ugly situation was ignored. This official lackadaisical attitude is as condemnable as the bombing itself. Why is government wasting the lives of poor and innocent Nigerians?
MURIC charges the Jonathan administration to wake up from its deep slumber before this country goes under. The Nigerian leadership needs to understudy daily doses of dynamism being injected into certain progressive states by the governors. Nigeria seems to have situated in the centre what ought to have domiciled in a remote local government. That is why nothing is working. We jog the conscience of the ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) to show interest in the security of lives of ordinary Nigerians instead of seeking phantom secession in faraway State of Oshun.
Professor Is-haq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
234-818-211-9714
234-803-346-4974
BUK KANO ATTACK: HORRENDOUS
30th April 2012
PRESS RELEASE:
BUK ATTACK: HORRENDOUS, UNJUSTIFIABLE
Catholic church worshippers in a lecture hall in Bayero University,
Kano (BUK), were attacked by about six gunmen who threw bombs and
fired automatic rifles, causing pandemonium. About fifteen people have
been reported dead.
Coming on the heels of the bomb attack in Kaduna two days earlier
which left about six people dead, the attack inside Bayero University
is one too many. Once again, we of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
reiterate our unflinching condemnation of attacks on places of worship
and worshippers. Such attacks symbolize total disrespect for the
Supreme Creator and signpost an astounding manifestation of ignorance
about the ways of God.
MURIC believes that those responsible for this horrendous crime have
acted in contradistinction with the tenets of religion. There is
therefore an urgent need for Nigerians to review their understanding
of religion with a view to placing the latter in its proper
perspective. We charge school authorities to place high premium on the
study of religion.
The attack at BUK exposes the ineptitude of the Nigerian security
apparatus. This attack could have been prevented if those in charge
had been visionary and imaginative. We charge the security agencies to
be more alive to their responsibilities. Forward-looking protection
manouvres coupled with properly coordinated intelligence gathering
must be the focus of those in charge of our security. No loopholes
must be allowed. In particular, all places used for worshipping by
Christians in the North must be given full protection. In the same
vein, security agencies must be on guard in places of worship in the
South.
We appeal to all stakeholders to exercise restraint. We urge the
perpetrators of these attacks to lay down their weapons and embrace
dialogue. For procrastinating on proposed talks with this violent
group, MURIC holds the Federal Government responsible for this
tragedy. Instead of listening to the voice of reason and creating an
atmosphere conducive to ceasefire and genuine dialogue, Government has
been threatening to eliminate Boko Haram 'before July'. The warning of
well-meaning Nigerians that force alone could not guarantee peace in
the present ugly situation was ignored. This official lackadaisical
attitude is as condemnable as the bombing itself. Why is government
wasting the lives of poor and innocent Nigerians?
MURIC charges the Jonathan administration to wake up from its deep
slumber before this country goes under. The Nigerian leadership needs
to understudy daily doses of dynamism being injected into certain
progressive states by the governors. Nigeria seems to have situated in
the centre what ought to have domiciled in a remote local government.
That is why nothing is working. We jog the conscience of the ruling
Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) to show interest in the security of
lives of ordinary Nigerians instead of seeking phantom secession in
faraway State of Oshun.
Professor Is-haq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
234-818-211-9714
234-803-346-4974
--
Professor Is-haq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC),
234-803-346-4974
234-818-211-9714
E-mail: muslimrightsconcern@yahoo.co.uk
muslimrights@gmail.com
Website: www.muric.net
Yahoo Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/muslimrights
Blog: muslimrightsmuric.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/muslimconcern
twitter.com/muslimrights
Be just. Justice is the soul of peace.
No one can deny one and have the other.
Neither can violence or naked force bring lasting peace.
PRESS RELEASE:
BUK ATTACK: HORRENDOUS, UNJUSTIFIABLE
Catholic church worshippers in a lecture hall in Bayero University,
Kano (BUK), were attacked by about six gunmen who threw bombs and
fired automatic rifles, causing pandemonium. About fifteen people have
been reported dead.
Coming on the heels of the bomb attack in Kaduna two days earlier
which left about six people dead, the attack inside Bayero University
is one too many. Once again, we of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
reiterate our unflinching condemnation of attacks on places of worship
and worshippers. Such attacks symbolize total disrespect for the
Supreme Creator and signpost an astounding manifestation of ignorance
about the ways of God.
MURIC believes that those responsible for this horrendous crime have
acted in contradistinction with the tenets of religion. There is
therefore an urgent need for Nigerians to review their understanding
of religion with a view to placing the latter in its proper
perspective. We charge school authorities to place high premium on the
study of religion.
The attack at BUK exposes the ineptitude of the Nigerian security
apparatus. This attack could have been prevented if those in charge
had been visionary and imaginative. We charge the security agencies to
be more alive to their responsibilities. Forward-looking protection
manouvres coupled with properly coordinated intelligence gathering
must be the focus of those in charge of our security. No loopholes
must be allowed. In particular, all places used for worshipping by
Christians in the North must be given full protection. In the same
vein, security agencies must be on guard in places of worship in the
South.
We appeal to all stakeholders to exercise restraint. We urge the
perpetrators of these attacks to lay down their weapons and embrace
dialogue. For procrastinating on proposed talks with this violent
group, MURIC holds the Federal Government responsible for this
tragedy. Instead of listening to the voice of reason and creating an
atmosphere conducive to ceasefire and genuine dialogue, Government has
been threatening to eliminate Boko Haram 'before July'. The warning of
well-meaning Nigerians that force alone could not guarantee peace in
the present ugly situation was ignored. This official lackadaisical
attitude is as condemnable as the bombing itself. Why is government
wasting the lives of poor and innocent Nigerians?
MURIC charges the Jonathan administration to wake up from its deep
slumber before this country goes under. The Nigerian leadership needs
to understudy daily doses of dynamism being injected into certain
progressive states by the governors. Nigeria seems to have situated in
the centre what ought to have domiciled in a remote local government.
That is why nothing is working. We jog the conscience of the ruling
Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) to show interest in the security of
lives of ordinary Nigerians instead of seeking phantom secession in
faraway State of Oshun.
Professor Is-haq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
234-818-211-9714
234-803-346-4974
--
Professor Is-haq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC),
234-803-346-4974
234-818-211-9714
E-mail: muslimrightsconcern@yahoo.co.uk
muslimrights@gmail.com
Website: www.muric.net
Yahoo Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/muslimrights
Blog: muslimrightsmuric.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/muslimconcern
twitter.com/muslimrights
Be just. Justice is the soul of peace.
No one can deny one and have the other.
Neither can violence or naked force bring lasting peace.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
THISDAY OFFICE BOMBING: SACRILEDGIOUS
26th April, 2012
PRESS RELEASE
BOMB EXPLOSIONS AT THIS DAY OFFICES: SACRILEDGIOUS!
Coordinated bomb attacks rocked the Kaduna and Abuja offices of ThisDay newspaper today, Thursday 26th April, 2012. According to online sources, casualty figures reported so far are about forty. But there may be more.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) strongly denounces these attacks. They are not only barbaric and callous but also bestial and coldblooded. Any attack aimed at unarmed civilians must be roundly condemned by all right-thinking men. In particular, any violent attack aimed at the Fourth Estate of the Realm must be seen in its right perspective: a desperate move by frustrated elements to silence the only megaphone of the jamaheer (masses), the voice of the voiceless.
MURIC charges the Nigerian security services to go after the perpetrators of this dastardly act and bring them to book within the shortest possible time. Nigerians cannot continue to live in fear and bondage. We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to put a stop to this senseless carnage by hearkening to the advice of well-meaning Nigerians who have advocated dialogue with all aggrieved parties.
It is painful that so many innocent people have died for no fault of their own. Yet it is the poor and oppressed who are falling victims. We fear that many more may lose their lives or get maimed unless government tackles this matter with seriousness and sincerity. We reject the Federal Governments grandstanding on this issue. Is it because no high-ranking government official has fallen victim of the bombs? Government should come down its high horse and act like a responsible public institution.
MURIC condoles the families of today's bomb blasts and prays that Almighty Allah will grant them the strength to bear their losses. We sympathise with the management and staff of ThisDay newspaper and the Nigerian Union of Journalists.
Professor Is-haq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
08033464974
08182119714
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
LETTER TO YORUBA LAWMAKERS
LETTER TO YORUBA LAWMAKERS
Dear Lawmakers, As-Salaam Alaykum. I addressed a letter to Yoruba governors last week over the issue of hijab for Muslim pupils in public schools. Reactions to the letter coming from the articulate though minority elite who have been wielding conscienceless power over the large majority of Muslims who constitute the powerless conscience block have been shockingly rude, uncivilized and generally carefree.
For daring to make a demand for Muslims in the South-West, I was called unprintable names. Name-calling, however, will not make me lose my temper. I will not call anyone names in retaliation. I will insult nobody. I will maintain a language that is parliamentarian. I wonder though if some 'elites' could go this far with an ordinary class teacher like me, what will they not do when the governors start reacting positively to the issues raised in my letter. Perhaps I should, at this juncture, refer you to my letter to the governors which was published simultaneously in my weekly column in the Nigerian Compass of Friday, 6th May, 2012, page 17 and the National Mirror of the same day, page 30.
This is what informed my decision to write another letter to you as the representatives of the people. You have a crucial role to play in the unfolding scenario and posterity will be there to judge you. Destiny has placed you on a platform imbued with the right mechanism for a microscopic and analytical approach to the question at stake.
As the debate on hijab rages on, our lawmakers can make their presence felt in a positive way by raising this matter in the houses of assembly in Yorubaland. We have a tradition of peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths throughout the region. We are not used to killing, maiming, burning and looting over religious differences. This tradition can further be strengthened with a skillful resolution of the hijab affair on the floors of the state parliaments.
Distinguished parliamentarians, Muslim parents in the region are feeling the heat of religious repression particularly in the public schools. The point of focus is the current school uniform whose design violates all known norms of Islam. They are demanding that the uniforms to be used by Muslim children should respect their faith. This may not necessarily be a coat of many colours or bring sharp contradictions between the present uniform and the design which they are suggesting. The only difference will be the hijab or head cover which Muslim girls will have on top of their present uniform. The colour and stuff of the material used for the uniform will be the same.
Muslim parents believe that all their efforts to inculcate the culture of Islam in their children are being truncated by the public schools who disallow the children from using the hijab. It is tempting to consider this as trivial but it is very fundamental. Anyone with a good understanding of Muslims and the way they hold the Islamic culture will easily see the point I am trying to make.
Discordant tunes are already coming from several parts of the region. Muslim parents have gone out to the streets to demonstrate openly against the current school uniform. We do not want to wait until violent-prone elements and enemies of peace hijack the situation. I am therefore urging members of the houses of assembly in the region to take a dispassionate look at the matter. A bill is all it takes to douse tension in the region.
Teachers who beat up Muslim children for wearing hijab outside the school compound (not within the school premises), to my mind, have acted ultra vires. This action is capable of setting off a crisis of unimaginable proportion, the type we have never seen in Yorubaland. I pray the day never comes. But it may be a disaster waiting to happen. What shall we all say then? Can we say nobody warned us?
This is the purpose of this letter. A stitch in time saves more than nine. Some of us happen to be in a position to feel the pulse of Muslims in general. The best we can do for this country and for the region is to let you know if and when we notice that something is just not right. We do not have to wait until things start happening.
Of course I do not need to point out your responsibilities as lawmakers in a democratic dispensation. Muslims are complaining that the system being run in the land has failed to carry them along. They feel marginalized. I belong to an Islamic school of thought which is allergic to violent agitation. We believe that dialogue can resolve a lot of issues. Lives and properties will be saved. Peace, progress and prosperity will be guaranteed.
I urge you all, honourable lawmakers, to take a very objective stand on this case. If the Muslims are part of this country and this region, the system should embrace them. It must be inclusive, not exclusive. Democracy is all about participation and involvement of all parties. It is high time we started giving the Muslims what we have given their Christian counterparts. Hijab is for the Muslims. Let us give them.
It is didactic to know that Muslim children use the hijab in all private schools established by the Muslims in Yorubaland. Of course government cannot take that from them. But the message here is that it means this is what the Muslims want. It is also disturbing to note that hijab is used in all public schools in the North. Whenever this point is raised, opponents ask the Muslims in Yorubaland to pack their bags and baggages and go to the North. This sends a wrong signal, namely, Muslims are free to enjoy the dividends of democracy in the North but they must be denied in Yorubaland. Does this promote the ideals of peaceful coexistence? We reserve the right to demand that we all sit down to discuss matters which affect us. I sincerely hope that our honourable lawmakers in the hallowed chambers in Yorubaland will allow justice, fairness and equity to prevail.
Allah bless you all as you deliberate. May peace continue to reign in Yorubaland and may Allah bring the state of insecurity in Nigeria to an end.
Professor Is-haq Akintola,
Lagos State University,
P.O. Box 10211,
LASU Post Office,
HO 102 101,
Ojo, Lagos,
Nigeria.
Tel. 234-803-346-4974
234-818-211-9714
Website: www.ishaqakintola.com
Blog: drishaqakintola.blogspot.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ishaqakintola
Twitter: ishaqakintola
I remain oppressed untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed,
the sick healed and the homeless sheltered
LETTER TO YORUBA GOVERNORS
HIJAB: LETTER TO YORUBA GOVERNORS
Your Excellencies, Ogbeni, Omoluabi, As-Salaam Alaykum, may Allah bless you all. May your tenures be peaceful and fruitful. I am writing this letter to you in pursuit of dialogue, an essential ingredient of peaceful coexistence. I am motivated by my passion for peaceful coexistence. I urge the close aides of the governors to bring this message to their notice if they do not read it by themselves. I know that governance is a very difficult task and you work round the clock. You may not notice this article coming from an inconsequential classroom teacher. But I am aware that the crop of governors we now have in this region are God-fearing. What they need is information and sound reasoning from whoever has a case.
I hereby put the case of Muslims of this region before Your Excellencies. Yorubaland has stood out for its 'tolerance' and 'mutual co-existence'. Christians, Muslims and traditionalists live peacefully among themselves. There has never been any serious breach of the peace arising from religious misunderstanding. My prayer is that this situation should subsist. Yet the signals coming from certain recent incidents in the region are symptomatic of the existence of a sword of Damocles hanging over our heads and something needs to be done urgently to arrest the situation before extremists from outside capitalize on it to foment trouble.
I am referring to the ongoing debate on the use of hijab by female Muslim students in public schools. This imbroglio may escalate if not properly handled. Already, Muslims in the region are alleging Islamophobia on the part of school administrators. When leaving home, Muslim parents train their female children to use hijab on top of the school uniform and to remove them only at the school gate. The children are expected to put on their hijab once they are on their way back home.
Unfortunately school administrators appear to have been high-handed in their reactions to the hijab saga. In an obviously overzealous move, the school principals instructed teachers to beat up students who wear the hijab outside the school premises. Anxious to out-Herod Herod, the teachers have been carrying out this Draconian order. The result has been near-catastrophic as clashes have been reported in Surulere, Lagos Island, Agege, and as far away as Iwo in Oshun State. Astounded at the sight of 'strangers' bullying their children on the streets and in public buses, parents have pounced on some of the teachers. I personally intervened to stop a planned demonstration of Muslim parents in Ajangbadi area of Lagos about two months ago. I advised them to write the school authorities instead.
The hijab episode in Iwo snowballed into open demonstration by Muslim parents, school children and many Islamic organizations. It took the skilled diplomacy and personal involvement of the state governor to douse tensions. Yet the last may not have been heard of the Iwo experience. What is interesting here is the insistence of Christian leaders that Muslim children should not be allowed to wear hijab.
Such a development compels an historical analysis. Today was born from the wombs of yesterday. If we do not know where we are going, at least we should know where we came from. Islam arrived in Nigeria in 1085 and had penetrated most parts of Yorubaland by the 17th century, about two hundred years before the advent of British colonialists. Though Muslims in Yorubaland were already accustomed to doing things the Islamic way, the colonialists forcefully reversed this trend.
Your Excellencies, permit me to assert that the school uniform which is in use in public schools in the South-West today is one of the legacies of the British. What the Muslims are saying today is that fifty-two years after independence, they are still being compelled to wear Christian colonialist school uniforms. It is high time we sat down to discuss what type of uniform we want. That is what is done in civilized societies. It is alright if the uniform suits Muslim norms but the reverse is the case. Muslims regard colonialist uniform as an assault on moral decency, particularly on female students. Puritanists in the campaign for decent dressing camp find it contradictory that our society retains a uniform fit only for night clubs while at the same time we claim to be fighting HIV and AIDS, early pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, etc.
Democracy thrives where the method is participatory, not exclusive. The Muslims in the South-West are saying they have never been allowed to make their choice since independence. The present school uniform was designed by the British colonialists. The designers were Christians. They did not consider the values of the Muslims while introducing the design. Now that they have been gone for fifty-two years and the Muslims are asking for a uniform which respects their value system, why don’t we listen to them?
It is natural and quite understandable that Christians in the South-West are comfortable with the uniform designed by the Christian colonialists. But there is a moral question where they pressure government not to accede to the demand of Muslims for a design that suits Islam. Peaceful coexistence flourishes where people live and let live, where people wish for themselves what they wish for others, where no group enslaves the other, where there is mutual respect.
What is in a school uniform? Muslims strongly suspect that a cut-throat game of numbers lies behind the opposition of Christians to Muslim demand for use of hijab in schools. This needs explanation. People know how important it is to 'catch them young'. If children are trained to do something they are likely to stick to it in future. The reverse is the case if they are robbed of the opportunity to do certain things in childhood. They are most likely to drift to other things they are used to. Simply put: if Muslim children are allowed to use hijab they will remain devoted Muslims whereas if they are disallowed they become easy targets for another religion. In essence, Muslim children are being rendered useless for their parents by denying them the use of hijab. Muslim parents cannot convince their children to use hijab after their long stay in school without it. You can only bend a sapling, you cannot bend a tree.
Christian opposition in this regard is therefore a strategy to debilitate Muslim population in the region at the expense of Christianity. But should state governments allow the use of state machinery and funds to promote such a parochial agenda? Can this foster peace?
We want to continue living in peace with our Christian neighbours. We want to do everything in our power to banish religious violence from the region. We want to banish Boko Haram propensities from Yorubaland but we need the political will of Your Excellencies: the will to ensure that the dividends of democracy are extended to Muslims in the region. The right to use hijab with school uniform is part of our dividend of democracy. Section 38 (i) and (ii) of the 1999 constitution guarantees religious freedom, including the 'right to manifest' that freedom. That is why all the court cases involving this hijab palaver have ended in favour of Muslim litigants.
Is it not curious that female Muslim students use hijab in public schools in the North? Is it not the same Nigeria? Why is it that all private schools established by Muslims in the South-West use the hijab? It proves without any iota of doubt that this is what the Muslims want. The Muslims will fully support Christians in their choice of what they want as design of their own uniform. If they are satisfied with the status quo, they should, in the interest of peace, equal right and justice, hold their peace and allow the Muslims to have what they want.
For the avoidance of doubt, the ideal school uniform of a female Muslim student is a three-piece affair: a loose gown reaching below the knees, a trouser underneath that matches the uniform's colour and a hijab on top of the head. This is the type of uniform used in public schools in the North. Nonetheless, this is not a campaign that can be forced down anybody's throat via violent protests or by attacking one another. I therefore urge Muslim parents and the youths to remain calm and law-abiding. Let us wait for our governors. We cannot afford to destroy properties belonging to our relations and neighbours all in the name of religion. That will be a disservice to the cause of Allah.
Finally, I respectfully request that Your Excellencies initiate a dialogue session on this issue before long. This can only be done state by state. The first state to initiate this, to my mind, is the best in good governance. I expect that both Christians and Muslims will be invited. Thank you for listening. Allah bless you all.
Your Excellencies, Ogbeni, Omoluabi, As-Salaam Alaykum, may Allah bless you all. May your tenures be peaceful and fruitful. I am writing this letter to you in pursuit of dialogue, an essential ingredient of peaceful coexistence. I am motivated by my passion for peaceful coexistence. I urge the close aides of the governors to bring this message to their notice if they do not read it by themselves. I know that governance is a very difficult task and you work round the clock. You may not notice this article coming from an inconsequential classroom teacher. But I am aware that the crop of governors we now have in this region are God-fearing. What they need is information and sound reasoning from whoever has a case.
I hereby put the case of Muslims of this region before Your Excellencies. Yorubaland has stood out for its 'tolerance' and 'mutual co-existence'. Christians, Muslims and traditionalists live peacefully among themselves. There has never been any serious breach of the peace arising from religious misunderstanding. My prayer is that this situation should subsist. Yet the signals coming from certain recent incidents in the region are symptomatic of the existence of a sword of Damocles hanging over our heads and something needs to be done urgently to arrest the situation before extremists from outside capitalize on it to foment trouble.
I am referring to the ongoing debate on the use of hijab by female Muslim students in public schools. This imbroglio may escalate if not properly handled. Already, Muslims in the region are alleging Islamophobia on the part of school administrators. When leaving home, Muslim parents train their female children to use hijab on top of the school uniform and to remove them only at the school gate. The children are expected to put on their hijab once they are on their way back home.
Unfortunately school administrators appear to have been high-handed in their reactions to the hijab saga. In an obviously overzealous move, the school principals instructed teachers to beat up students who wear the hijab outside the school premises. Anxious to out-Herod Herod, the teachers have been carrying out this Draconian order. The result has been near-catastrophic as clashes have been reported in Surulere, Lagos Island, Agege, and as far away as Iwo in Oshun State. Astounded at the sight of 'strangers' bullying their children on the streets and in public buses, parents have pounced on some of the teachers. I personally intervened to stop a planned demonstration of Muslim parents in Ajangbadi area of Lagos about two months ago. I advised them to write the school authorities instead.
The hijab episode in Iwo snowballed into open demonstration by Muslim parents, school children and many Islamic organizations. It took the skilled diplomacy and personal involvement of the state governor to douse tensions. Yet the last may not have been heard of the Iwo experience. What is interesting here is the insistence of Christian leaders that Muslim children should not be allowed to wear hijab.
Such a development compels an historical analysis. Today was born from the wombs of yesterday. If we do not know where we are going, at least we should know where we came from. Islam arrived in Nigeria in 1085 and had penetrated most parts of Yorubaland by the 17th century, about two hundred years before the advent of British colonialists. Though Muslims in Yorubaland were already accustomed to doing things the Islamic way, the colonialists forcefully reversed this trend.
Your Excellencies, permit me to assert that the school uniform which is in use in public schools in the South-West today is one of the legacies of the British. What the Muslims are saying today is that fifty-two years after independence, they are still being compelled to wear Christian colonialist school uniforms. It is high time we sat down to discuss what type of uniform we want. That is what is done in civilized societies. It is alright if the uniform suits Muslim norms but the reverse is the case. Muslims regard colonialist uniform as an assault on moral decency, particularly on female students. Puritanists in the campaign for decent dressing camp find it contradictory that our society retains a uniform fit only for night clubs while at the same time we claim to be fighting HIV and AIDS, early pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, etc.
Democracy thrives where the method is participatory, not exclusive. The Muslims in the South-West are saying they have never been allowed to make their choice since independence. The present school uniform was designed by the British colonialists. The designers were Christians. They did not consider the values of the Muslims while introducing the design. Now that they have been gone for fifty-two years and the Muslims are asking for a uniform which respects their value system, why don’t we listen to them?
It is natural and quite understandable that Christians in the South-West are comfortable with the uniform designed by the Christian colonialists. But there is a moral question where they pressure government not to accede to the demand of Muslims for a design that suits Islam. Peaceful coexistence flourishes where people live and let live, where people wish for themselves what they wish for others, where no group enslaves the other, where there is mutual respect.
What is in a school uniform? Muslims strongly suspect that a cut-throat game of numbers lies behind the opposition of Christians to Muslim demand for use of hijab in schools. This needs explanation. People know how important it is to 'catch them young'. If children are trained to do something they are likely to stick to it in future. The reverse is the case if they are robbed of the opportunity to do certain things in childhood. They are most likely to drift to other things they are used to. Simply put: if Muslim children are allowed to use hijab they will remain devoted Muslims whereas if they are disallowed they become easy targets for another religion. In essence, Muslim children are being rendered useless for their parents by denying them the use of hijab. Muslim parents cannot convince their children to use hijab after their long stay in school without it. You can only bend a sapling, you cannot bend a tree.
Christian opposition in this regard is therefore a strategy to debilitate Muslim population in the region at the expense of Christianity. But should state governments allow the use of state machinery and funds to promote such a parochial agenda? Can this foster peace?
We want to continue living in peace with our Christian neighbours. We want to do everything in our power to banish religious violence from the region. We want to banish Boko Haram propensities from Yorubaland but we need the political will of Your Excellencies: the will to ensure that the dividends of democracy are extended to Muslims in the region. The right to use hijab with school uniform is part of our dividend of democracy. Section 38 (i) and (ii) of the 1999 constitution guarantees religious freedom, including the 'right to manifest' that freedom. That is why all the court cases involving this hijab palaver have ended in favour of Muslim litigants.
Is it not curious that female Muslim students use hijab in public schools in the North? Is it not the same Nigeria? Why is it that all private schools established by Muslims in the South-West use the hijab? It proves without any iota of doubt that this is what the Muslims want. The Muslims will fully support Christians in their choice of what they want as design of their own uniform. If they are satisfied with the status quo, they should, in the interest of peace, equal right and justice, hold their peace and allow the Muslims to have what they want.
For the avoidance of doubt, the ideal school uniform of a female Muslim student is a three-piece affair: a loose gown reaching below the knees, a trouser underneath that matches the uniform's colour and a hijab on top of the head. This is the type of uniform used in public schools in the North. Nonetheless, this is not a campaign that can be forced down anybody's throat via violent protests or by attacking one another. I therefore urge Muslim parents and the youths to remain calm and law-abiding. Let us wait for our governors. We cannot afford to destroy properties belonging to our relations and neighbours all in the name of religion. That will be a disservice to the cause of Allah.
Finally, I respectfully request that Your Excellencies initiate a dialogue session on this issue before long. This can only be done state by state. The first state to initiate this, to my mind, is the best in good governance. I expect that both Christians and Muslims will be invited. Thank you for listening. Allah bless you all.
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