According to the Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC) in a press statement issued on Tuesday, and signed by its Director,
Professor Ishaq Akintola, said, its office has been inundated with complaints
from its members in Osun state who fear a raw deal in the event of Senator
Adeleke emerging winner after the re-run.
“Our members are apprehensive. There
is this information that Senator Adeleke pledged to return mission schools to
their owners if he becomes governor of Osun. We don’t peddle rumour. We are
therefore using this medium to ascertain the veracity of the report. The
distinguished senator has ample time to issue a disclaimer now.
“The question is very simple, did
you promise to return mission schools to their owners? The implications are
very serious when considered against the background of the running battle over
the mission schools between the Christians and Muslims in the state in the past
eight years.
“To assure Nigerians that this is
not just a conjecture of MURIC or our concern alone, the Muslim Community of
Osun State had earlier raised the alarm on this matter. In a widely publicized
press conference of 8th September, 2018, the president, Osun State Muslim
Community, Alhaji Mustapha Olawuyi, said inter alia:
‘One of them has been using ‘return
of schools to missionaries as one of his campaign promises. We are aware that
this is a gimmick to swindle the public. You can’t return the property that
belongs to all of us to a mission just because such schools bear mission names.
We are all aware of massive investments of public fund in these schools after
it had been taken over soon after independence with full compensation. We have
told him to forget it. Even if he has a pact with any group, it won’t fly. Any
politician that tries it will regret it.’
“As far as MURIC is concerned, we
see a big threat to religious freedom for Muslims if a candidate has entered
into a pact with Christians leaders to return schools to the missions. If
Adeleke has a pact with Christian leaders, what agreement does he have with the
Muslims? He may be taking Osun Muslims for a ride. He has to explain.
“He was only known as Senator
Ademola Adeleke prior to his emergence as candidate but suddenly he became
‘Nurudeen’. Our strong suspicion is that this ‘Nurudeen’ converted to
Christianity a long time ago but he now finds it mandatory to portray himself
as a Muslim in order to deceive gullible Muslims. He appeared on Id ground
during Salah. But that should not surprise anyone because even Fayose attended
Salah prayer wearing a turban. But why must politicians deceive Muslims this
way? We charge Senator Adeleke to elucidate on this.
“A second poser to which the
distinguished senator must respond before the re-run on Thursday is the
repression of Muslim students in Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State. MURIC has
petitions from Muslim students in the institution. They complain of religious
discrimination, forceful attendance of church services and refusal to allow
them to worship as Muslims.
“Our question to Senator Adeleke on
this is also very simple. Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria sir, what is your connection with Adeleke University? We are aware that
Dr. Deji Adeleke who happens to be the senator’s brother, is the Pro-Chancellor
of the institution.
“Given the passion with which
members of the Adeleke family have thrown their weight behind the senator’s
political ambition, can the distinguished senator separate his policies on
education as a prospective governor of Osun State from that of the university?
Are Muslims in the state not going to come under the sledge hammer just as
Muslim students are facing persecution in Adeleke University?”
MURIC also raised issues on the
hijab affair. “The road to freedom to use hijab in public schools was rough and
hard. We doubt if Muslims in the state will be ready to tolerate a reverse in
case an anti-Muslim governor emerges winner. The president of Osun State Muslim
Community expatiated on this:
‘Again, this is a back door approach
to banish hijab from public schools. We have seen hate and lack of religious
tolerance displayed in the Adeleke University Ede and the Bowen University in
Iwo. And as the majority group in Osun, we will not fold our hands and allow
that happen in our schools. It will be resisted with full force. We just fought
for hijab for three years, so anyone who intends to mitigate our rights or
oppress us should forget his ambition to become a governor in this state. In
Osun State, we are aware of our rights and we have enlightened populace.’
If it is true that a pledge was made
to return schools to the missionaries, then religion has been introduced into
the politics of Osun state. Therefore, nobody should tell MURIC not to
intervene in the politics of Osun state. This is not about supporting any
political party. Our members are spread across all the political parties but
our interest lies in the protection of the Allah-given fundamental rights of
Muslims.
To round off, we implore the
distinguished senator to expatiate upon the issues raised above and allow the
Osun electorate to decide the rest.
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