The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC,
has alleged that Christians in Nigeria enjoy more holidays than Muslims in
Nigeria.
MURIC made this assertion in a
statement released on Friday morning while reacting to claims made by CAN that
Christians are being persecuted in the country. MURIC in its statement said the
number of public holidays including New Year day being enjoyed by Christians is
proof that Christians are more favoured than Muslims.
MURIC's statement signed by its
director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, reads
As Nigerian Christians joined
their counterparts throughout the world to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday,
1st January, 2020, an Islamic human rights organization has alleged
lopsidedness, partiality and persecution of Muslims in the manner the Nigerian
government dishes out its holidays.
Rising from an emergency meeting
where it deliberated on the latest allegation of persecution by the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has insisted
that the last public holiday which was declared by the Federal Government on
1st January, 2020, has exposed CAN as a body which enjoys shedding crocodile
tears. This was contained in a press statement circulated on Friday, 3rd
January, 2020, by the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
MURIC said in the statement, “CAN
claims it is being persecuted but fails to substantiate its allegation in
concrete terms. However, the last holiday of Wednesday, 1st January, 2020 which
is an annual event has exposed CAN. Nigerian Christians enjoy the New Year
holiday on the 1st of January every year even without asking for it because
that was the arrangement made by the British colonial master. But CAN still
claims ‘persecution’ even though it is placed at an advantaged position.
“Nigerian Christians have 1st
January to enjoy their first day of the year. Nobody can deny that this
happened two days ago. But when the Muslims’ first day of the year comes (1st
Muharram), there will be no holiday. When will CAN put itself in the Muslims’
shoes? Or rather when, indeed, will the Nigerian government give the Muslims
what the colonial master denied them but gave the Christians? When will the
Muslims get justice in this country? Here is persecution of Muslims that even
CAN cannot deny. It happened just two days ago and we all saw it? Or is the
granting of holiday for a Christian occasion and the denial of same to Muslims
another form of persecution of CAN?
“Christians have five out of the
eight holidays enjoyed by Nigerians. Muslims have three only. Yet CAN claims
persecution. Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year Day, Easter Monday and Good
Friday are all for Christians. We dare CAN to deny it. Are these not concrete
priviledges enjoyed by Christians? Are the five holidays we mention here mere
fallacies? Muslims only have three, namely, Id al-Kabiir, Id al-Fitr and Maulud
an-Nabiyy. Is there any mathematical inexactitude in our calculation? Should
CAN be complaining at all with this kind of setting?
“We make bold to say that CAN
knows what it is doing. The Christian body knows that it has an edge over the
Muslims as it enjoys everything it needs and even more. CAN knows that it is
the Muslims who are denied certain fundamental human rights but it is
determined to maintain the status quo. The modus operandi adopted by CAN to
ensure that Muslims never get their rights is to perpetually cry out with
claims of persecution and also to oppose every attempt to give Muslims their
rights.
“This game played itself out when
Shariah was introduced in some Northern states from 1979 onwards. They claimed
it was an attempt to Islamise Nigeria. Shariah was introduced and nobody
changed the country’s nomenclature to ‘Islamic Republic of Nigeria’. CAN did
the same thing when Islamic banking was about to be introduced. Cries of
Islamisation rented the air. Islamic banking arrived but we are yet to see how
it has Islamised anyone. This was repeated on the issue of sukuk (Islamic
bonds) and both Christians and Muslims are benefiting from the Islamic sukuk
today.
“MURIC will not be deterred from
pursuing Islamic liberation theology to a logical conclusion in Nigeria. We
assert clearly, categorically and unequivocally that Muslims are in bondage in
this country. Why should one group get all the honey in the land while the
other is ignored? We demand equal rights and justice. We demand parity,
particularly on the issue of holidays. Christian 1st January is just 24 hours
and the Muslim 1st Muharram is no less. Why should the Federal Government
recognize one and deny the other?
“Just two days ago, we joined
other Nigerians in sending goodwill messages to our Christian neighbours.
Governments at federal and state levels felicitated with Nigerians on that
occasion. Parastatals and important dignitaries also congratulated Nigerians.
MURIC also issued a statement greeting Christians in Nigeria. We do this every
year despite the fact that our own 1st Muharram is not recognized. But nobody
will remember Muslims on 1st Muharram. Is this fair?
“‘When beggars die, there are no
comets seen. The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes…’ William
Shakespeare was right when he put those words on the lips of Calpunia, the wife
of Julius Caeser as she begged her husband not to venture out on the ides of
March. Isn’t this very germane to the issue on ground? The drums are rolled out
by government on 1st January. But they are conspiratorially silent on 1st
Muharram. Is this justice? Are we really working for enduring peace in this
country? What have the Muslims done to deserve this treatment?
“It is important to note that
even the three holidays enjoyed by Muslims were reluctantly given after several
years of post-independence. There were no holidays for Islamic festivals in
colonial days. It was that bad.
“To add salt to injury, the
Federal Government has never responded in spite of a deluge of petitions
received from Muslims. MURIC has been demanding 1st Muharram holiday since its
formation in 1994 (26 years). It is highly provocative. It is dereliction of
duty on the part of government. A father who gives preferential treatment to
its children is not uniting the family. Is government waiting until the demand
snowballs into another struggle? MURIC will not partake in that. But what does
it cost government to take a bold stand on this matter? It is not about the
Buhari government per se. Successive administrations have failed to address the
issue.
“Already, some state governments
have recognized 1st Muharram, mostly from the North. Osun under Rauf Aregbesola
(current Minister of Internal Affairs) and Oyo under Isiaka Ajimobi also did
and heaven did not fall. So what stops the Federal Government from taking the
cue? By the way, Muslims in those two states of the South West have written the
names of those two former governors in letters of gold.
“The question now is: how does
President Muhammadu Buhari want to be remembered by Nigerian Muslims? Can the
declaration of 1st Muharram as a public holiday be a drift towards
Islamisation? Predictably, yes, particularly by CAN. But we can take the wind
out of their sail by placing 1st January and 1st Muharram parri passu. The
public no longer takes CAN serious anyway.
“MURIC wishes to put the Federal
Government on notice. The next 1st Muharram will fall on Thursday, 20th August,
2020. The government has a whole eight months to plan and prepare its mind. It
also has an extra three days in the third week in August to declare Thursday a
holiday in recognition of 1st Muharram. To be or not to be? That is the
question. MURIC does not issue ultimatum. Neither is threat in our character.
We are a dialogue-loving body. But the government’s body language will tell
Nigerian Muslims what to do and whoever thinks the Muslims of Nigeria are still
the same as they were five years ago will be making a gross miscalculation.
“As we sign out, we remind the
Federal Government that it is high time it listened to the Muslims’ demand for
the declaration of 1st Muharram as a public holiday in parity with 1st January
public holiday. CAN has no moral right to claim persecution as Nigerian
Christians enjoy five holidays while their Muslim counterparts have three only.
FG should promote unity and patriotism by treating all equally. Neither should
government allow one group to lord it over the other.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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