NIMEGG Berates Afenifere For Finding Faults With MURIC

-Says MURIC Is Not Alone; Let Yoruba Muslims Breathe

The Southwest Coordinator of the Nigeria Muslims for Equity and Good Governance, Mallam AbdulRasheed Ajao has warned Afenifere, a self-acclaimed pan-Yoruba group to refrain from its fifty years campaign against Islam and its adherents.

It also said that, under no circumstance, will the Muslim Rights Concern be left alone as long as it defends the rights of Islam and Muslims against oppressors; and so long as MURIC remains a torn in the flesh of the Afenifere which members has constituted themselves into enemies of peace, progress, harmonious relationship and religious coexistence in Nigeria.

Afenifere, a self-acclaimed pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and organisation, Afenifere has on Tuesday, through press a statement, asked the police and fire Department of State Security (DSS) to place MURIC Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola under watch “for making comments that can stoke religious conflict in the region.”

The statement signed by its Chairman, Ekiti Chapter, Prince Gabriel Alonge, finds fault with the statement of Akintola who said the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele has declared war on Muslims over mosque demolition in Aramoko Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Afenifere also finds fault with MURIC and the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria for influencing and justifying the establishment of an independent Shariah Arbitration Panel in the South-West for the use and benefits of Muslims social practices.

However, in responding to the outburst of Afenifere, Ajao noted that some anti-Muslims and Islam elements have virtually hijacked Afenifere which should ordinarily represent the interest of all Yorubas. He warned that constituting themselves as enemies of Islam and hiding under Afenifere to fight Islam will do them no good.

In a press statement, NIMEGG asked: Under what offence will Muric be on security watch?

The press statement reads in part:

“End your above fifty years agenda against Islam and Muslims now. The Muslims of this generation will no longer accept the situation where cultists cease or steal our Yoruba identity to perpetuate hatred and divisions among the Yoruba sons and daughters.

“NIMEGG is therefore calling all lovers of peace, unity and love in Yoruba land to call Afenifere to order. Yoruba Muslims will no longer tolerate Afenifere’s anti-Muslim agenda and shenanigans. We have known Afenifere for decades. Its members are largely cultists and traditionalists who have hijacked the supposed Yoruba umbrella body for their narrow and selfish agenda. We (NIMEGG) challenge Afenifere to point out or mention any conscious Muslim or a true, an uncompromised/Born Again Christian in their fold.

“Afenifere has for long pretended and claimed they were serving the interest of the Yoruba and Yorubaland, but the fact remains that the purported members of Afenifere are neither appointed, nominated nor voted for at anytime to represent us. Unlike other social-cultural organisations like Ohaneze Ndigbo and Arewa Consultative Forum, Afenifere is occultic, undemocratic and non-tolerant of other Yorubas who who do not belong to their cult.

“It’s not hidden that one of the major reasons of the existence of Afenifere is to fight Islam and tackle the Muslim. It’s to checkmate the progress of Islam and the advancement of Muslims and their interest.

“Gone are the days when the Afenifere ride rough shod on Yoruba Muslims. Today, Afenifere will have us to contend with. We now have courageous leaders and Scholars like the Executive Director of MURIC and no amount of intimidation can make us sacrifice or compromise our rights in Yoruba land.

“Allah has blessed Islam in Yoruba land with informed and courageous scholars, and all they are saying is: “Give the Muslims their Rights, Let the Muslims Breathe”.

“Is it not shameful for Afenifere to call on the security agencies to put a sound Yoruba son under security watch, for fighting for the rights of the Yorubas who are being oppressed in their land. Or when does been a Muslim derobe one of his Yorubaness?

“Should anything happen to Professor Lakin Akintola, Afenifere will surely be held responsible, and they should be prepared to face the wrath of the Yoruba Muslims. We know your ways, we know your antics.

“Afenifere is only being smart by half. It is simply being hypocritical. We challenge Afenifere to tell the world the crime of Professor Akintola. For sure, their goal is merely to silent the Muslim Ummah in Yorubaland?

“Afenifere should know that Islam is a true religion of Allah, hence their failure to extinguish its light, despite 50 years of consistent attacks and antagonism will surely fail.

“Afenifere is still pained that despite its opposition to hijab and its criminal silence when Yoruba women were being oppressed and were fighting for their right to use hijab in the public, they (Yoruba women) still got justice at the Supreme Court. We watch with keen interest how Afenifere and its members have resisted attempts by Muslims to have their religious customary laws – Shari’ah and how they have never raised a finger during unlawful demolition of mosques in Yoruba states?

“Please let Yoruba Muslims breathe. Don’t force us to come to the streets in all Yoruba land. Enough is enough. No, going back, MURIC is not on his own. We, Muslims in Yorubaland and across the world are all with him”.