Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the Christian Association
of Nigeria (CAN) and leaders including General Overseer of Redeemed
Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Presiding Bishop,
Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, for calling on the Nigerian government to exit all international Islamic organisations it was part of.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC Director, in a statement said the body is not a little amused by CAN’s latest demands.
“CAN is hallucinating. It is laughable, untenable, kindergarten and
quixotic. This is reminiscent of the eponymous hero of Don Quixote de la
mancha. CAN is manifesting symptoms of orubebemantis”, it said.
He said CAN wants Northern states to issue certificates of occupancy
(C of Os) to churches in the North whereas South East and South South
governments demolish mosques in their states, refuse to grant Muslims C
of Os and infringe constantly on Allah-given fundamental human rights of
Muslim minorities in their midst.
‘For instance, a tertiary institution in the South East has
demolished the only mosque on the campus and refused to allow the Muslim
Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) to operate.
‘MURIC warns the National Assembly (NASS) to ignore CAN’s call for
its intervention. An anti-Muslim National Assembly will shoot itself in
the foot sooner than later. Nonetheless, should the NASS show any
interest in CAN’s demand, it should beam its floodlight on all Western
oriented international organizations like the United Nations (UN) as
they have always been used as tools in the hands of Western crusaders
while their religious bias is always hidden.
‘MURIC therefore accepts CAN’s demands with the proviso that: Nigeria
should withdraw from all Western oriented international organizations
like the UN and WHO;
“National Assembly should study Nigerian work-free days with a view
to dropping the religious ones like Sunday and Saturday (Saturday is
also used by the Seventh Day Adventists) and;
“Nigeria should also drop all Christian landmarks like the cross as
sign in hospitals, academic gowns in tertiary institutions, wigs and
gowns used by lawyers and judges, etc.
“The leaders of CAN have consistently displayed lack of readiness to
coexist with Nigerian Muslims. They want the country only for themselves
alone. They have refused to listen to the voice of reason. The Vice
President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, himself a pastor, told CAN that the
allegation of Islamisation is an illusion. CAN refused to listen. Femi
Falana asked CAN to Christianise Nigeria instead of alleging
Islamisation everyday but CAN will not listen.
“Who says Nigeria is not Christianised? What system have we been
forced to use since the advent of the colonial master to date? What is
the religion of our colonial master whose system we have adopted hook,
line and sinker? Why are Muslims being forced to write examinations
during Jumat service on Fridays?
“Why are Muslims at the mercy of their employers every Friday? Is it
not because Friday is not a work-free day like Sunday? Muslims have been
tolerating all these for so long. Let us start working on Sundays and
Fridays for a change and see if CAN will find it funny.
“In conclusion, MURIC calls for a Nigeria that does not lean towards
any religion in any aspect of its life. Enough of this hypocrisy. Those
who Christianised Nigeria are the ones shouting the loudest about
Islamisation. It is time for CAN to have a taste of its own pudding.”