The Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC), has demanded unreserved apology from Afenifere, the Yoruba
socio-cultural group, for comparing Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a Igboho, to Prophet
Muhammad.
Afenifere had compared Igboho’s
current travail in Benin Republic to that of Prophet Muhammad in Madinah.
In a press release issued by the
director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the human rights group said
Afenifere’s statement was not only sacrilegious but outrageous and audacious.
MURIC advised Afenifere to
compare Igboho to any of the Yoruba heroes if they must idolise him.
According to the statement, the
Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has compared Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a.
Igboho, to Prophet Muhammad.
“This is totally unacceptable. It
is not only sacrilegious but outrageous and audacious. Afenifere has manifested
categorical desertification of discernibly coupled with an alarming height of
tramadolised hero-worshipping. It is provocative, preposterous, repugnant and
nauseating.
“The circumstances surrounding
the migration of Prophet Muhammad in 622 C.E. to Madinah differ a lot from
those that sent Igboho to Benin Republic in July 2021. Muhammad was invited to
Madinah by the Madinese whereas Igboho was not invited by the people of
Cotonou. Muhammad was a prophet of God, Igboho is not. Muhammad’s constituency
is the whole world while Igboho’s activities are restricted to South Western
Nigeria.
“It was therefore an exercise in
excessive exaggeration for Afenifere to have compared Igboho to a universal
prophet whose followers in their billions spread across all the continents and
countries of the world. This, to say the least, is an attempt to diminish the
immense popularity of Prophet Muhammad, whittle down the influence of Islam on
the world as a whole and trivialise the essence of the Abrahamic faiths.
“We remind the supporters and
fans of Igboho to be wary of the antics of Afenifere. They should note that a
thick fog of mystery still covers the travails of the great Chief Obafemi
Awolowo and Alhaji Moshood Kashimowo Abiola. We are not sure that the hands of
Afenifere are clean in both matters of these great sons of Oduduwa. They should
not allow the same Afenifere to goad Igboho into oblivion,” the statement said.
MURIC added that Igboho is not to
blame in this blasphemous matter, as he never compared himself to any prophet.
It added: “Therefore, MURIC has
nothing against him. Our problem is Afenifere. People should not give labels
that are above Igboho to him. Afenifere did not stop at comparing Igboho to
Muhammad. It also compared him to Moses (Prophet Musa, peace be upon him).
Moses was a prophet of God for crying out loud. But is Igboho a prophet?
“What does Afenifere want to turn
Igboho to? Another prophet? Afenifere’s goal is to exert influence on Igboho
and to gain total control of him. Afenifere should leave Igboho alone. It
should stop playing politics with the young man’s life.
“If Afenifere is so desperate to
compare Igboho to a great personality, the Yoruba socio-cultural group should
pick any of the heroes of the Yoruba people. Or is Afenifere no longer proud of
Yoruba heroes? We know that the Yoruba people parade a host of great men and
women. Why not compare him to one of them? Why raise this young man to the
clouds without any pillar to support his feet?
“Ogedengbe Agbogungboro of
Ijeshaland, Timi Agbale Olofa Ina of Ede, Bashorun Ogunmola and Ibikunle of
Ibadan, Sango and Gbonka in Oyo are all Yoruba heroes. Why couldn’t Afenifere
pick one of them? None of them were armchair heroes. They were highly mobile,
always on the move. Even the female among them, Moremi Ajasoro of Ile-Ife,
(Olowo Aremo, Abowo gboogbo ti yo omo re lofin). Why did Afenifere look down on
Yoruba heroes and by-passed them to pick a faraway prophet of God from Arabia?
Is it inferiority complex?”
According to MURIC, “this is a
bitter lesson for Yoruba Muslims who have swallowed the Yoruba nation
propaganda hook, line and sinker. We told you before that Afenifere has no
respect for Muslims. You have entered ‘one chance’. They opposed our civil
shariah, stigmatised our hijab and shunned our Islamic banking. Afenifere has
never deemed it fit to intervene in any of the cases of persecution faced by
Yoruba Muslims.
“Just as Yoruba Muslims are not
given any special recognition in Yorubaland, just as their daughters, their
wives and their mothers are treated with contempt and publicly humiliated in
schools, hospitals and public offices, their prophet, the Seal of all prophets,
the greatest man that ever lived, Muhammad the son of Abdullah, is now being
denigrated.
“It is just a taste of the
pudding. This is just a tiny fraction of what awaits Yoruba Muslims in an
Oduduwa republic. MURIC calls on all Yoruba Muslims who are supporting the
Yoruba nation agenda to retrace their steps with immediate effect if indeed
they believe in Allah and in Prophet Muhammad as the last prophet. We will not
follow those who deride our prophet.
“No true Muslim will do that.
They know the eschatological consequences. Any Muslim who fails to withdraw his
support for the Oduduwa Republic campaign after Afenifere insulted Prophet
Muhammad will be held accountable by Allah yaom al-Qiyamah (on the Day of
Judgement). This is not a fatwah. Rather, it is a fundamental teaching of Islam
that Muslims must withdraw their support from those who malign their faith.
“We are aware that Sahara
Reporters, the media house which published Afenifere’s blasphemous statement,
has apologised. We take its apology in good faith. Sahara Reporters has shown
respect for the sensibilities of Nigerian Muslims. It now behoves Afenifere to
follow the footsteps of the media house by tendering its own apology. We will
soon know whether or not Afenifere has any scintilla of respect for Yoruba
Muslims, nay, Nigerian Muslims.”
“In the interest of peaceful
coexistence and mutual cooperation, and on behalf of the teeming population of
Nigerian Muslims, we hereby demand unreserved apology from Afenifere for
denigrating the person of Prophet Muhammad whom Muslims throughout the world
hold in high esteem.”
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