Story from Ademola ADEBAYO, Abuja
The director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a frontline Islamic human rights body in Nigeria has asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Peace Committee (NPC) to desist from imposing Bishop Mathew Hasan Kukah on Nigerian Muslims.
Professor Ishaq Oloyede in a statement on Tuesday evening also said Muslims in the country have the right to boycott any committee or event in which the bishop is involved.
It would be recalled that Bishop Kukah had in a Christmas day message last December faulted the present administration of President Buhari due to the rising cases of insecurity, dwindling economic statistics as well as impunity on the part of government officials.
Some northern groups had come out to criticize Kukah over the comments saying the Bishop of the Sokoto Archdiocese was fanning the embers of religious crisis.
“Kukah himself added salt to injury by telling us that he did not know how or where he insulted Muslims. It means he is not ready to show remorse. Kukah will not recognise the dignity of his Muslim neighbour. He still believes that Muslims are there for him to push around and lampoon like school children.
“Several Islamic organisations including the Jamaatu Nasr il-Islam (JNI), the Nigerian Islamic Center, Zaria and the Sokoto Muslim Solidarity Forum have demanded Kukah’s resignation from that committee. It must be a huge joke if the Federal Government or the NPC think this matter can be swept under the carpet or that it would soon be overtaken by events,” MURIC said.
MURIC noted that successive governments have created a larger than life image for the Christian leader by giving him lofty positions, particularly in federal commissions and committees without any objection from Muslims.
Akintola accused the cleric of failing to appreciate the grace of Nigerians particularly that of Muslims who have always endorsed such appointments.
He noted that instead of a proper appraisal, the bishop uses every opportunity of his public profile to pour invectives on Muslims.
Akintola said Nigerian Muslims told the NPC that Kukah was no longer acceptable to them as NPC Secretary “but surprisingly there is dead silence on their part”.
MURIC advised the committee to scout for a credible person to replace him.
“In case the NPC fails to act, Nigerian Muslims are hereby reminded that it is their Allah-given fundamental human right to boycott (or stage a walkout from) any event in which Bishop Mathew Hasan Kukah is involved either as the chairman, secretary, member, guest or speaker.”, the statement concluded.
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