MURIC reacts as traditional worshippers threaten to invade Iwo – Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

MURIC reacts as traditional worshippers threaten to invade Iwo

Published

3 years ago

on

Founder and Director, Islamic human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern, Prof. Ishaq Akintola

Islamic human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern, has reacted to the alleged threat by traditionalists to invade Iwo in Osun State over the alleged disrespect of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi, for traditional religion.

MURIC reacted to the development in the early hours of Monday in a statement by its Founder and Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.

The Traditional Worshippers Association of Osun State had a week ago threatened to march on Iwo town.

They accused Oba Akanbi of gross disrespect for the traditional mode of worship.

But MURIC in the statement by Akintola cautioned the traditionalists against invading Iwo town, saying such will be open confrontation, an invitation to chaos and flagrant disregard for the rule of law.

It said: “The Traditional Worshippers Association of Osun State has threatened to march on Iwo town in Osun State for what they described as the Oluwo’s disrespect for traditional religion. The traditionalists gave a 21-day ultimatum within which the Oluwo must publicly apologise for his unguarded statements against the traditionalists or face the consequences. The group threatened to demand the deposition of the Oluwo unless the king met their demand.

READ ALSO:

“We will like to caution the traditionalists against carrying out their threat because of the implications of invading a whole city at a time when Nigeria is facing dire security challenges. Such invasion will tantamount to open confrontation, an invitation to chaos and disregard for the rule of law.

“In the first place, indigenes of the city are likely to come out in defence of their king. This may result in a bloody clash whose consequences cannot be foreseen at the moment. Secondly, such invasion shows disregard for the rule of law because there is freedom of speech and anyone who finds Oluwo’s declarations distasteful or defamatory should go to court instead of embarking on a show of force.

“Thirdly, invading Iwo town may not go down well with Muslims in Osun State in particular and Yorubaland in general because Iwo is traditionally known as ‘Ilu Alfa’, meaning ‘city of Islamic scholars’. The planned invasion by traditionalists may therefore be seen as an attack on the base of Islam in Yorubaland.

“We note with deep concern that traditionalists in Yorubaland prefer to monopolise Muslim traditional rulers in such a way that the latter pay no attention to Islam and Muslims but concentrate on traditional rites alone.

“However, we note with satisfaction that the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi, stands out among Muslim rulers in Osun State who manifests consciousness of his faith. He has taken giant steps to revive pristine Islam in Iwoland. He has also openly identified with Islam as his religion. We therefore have every reason to believe that this is the real reason for the planned invasion of Iwo town by traditionalists.

“We see no reason why traditionalists should pick offence if the Oluwo identifies himself with Islam because he has not disallowed tradionalists from worshipping their gods. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 38 (i) & (ii) grants every Nigerian citizen the right to worship as well as the right to manifest his religion freely. The Oluwo is also covered by this constitutional provision and he must be allowed to ‘worship’ and ‘manifest’ according to his conscience.

READ ALSO:

“Traditionalists have no right to insist that a king must be a traditional worshipper. The king is the ruler over all subjects in the town and this includes Christians, Muslims and traditionalists. The attempt to restrict the king to traditional worshipping alone and to attack the Oluwo because he is a Muslim is an exhibition of religious intolerance.

“MURIC appeals to the Osun State Police Command to take the threat issued by the traditionalists very seriously. No group, no matter how powerful, has the right to threaten the peace of the land. The police must be proactive in handling this matter so that the diabolical plan of the traditionalists can be nipped in the bud.

“We alert the Government of the State of Osun to the hidden blackmail in the threat to invade Iwo town unless the government calls Oluwo to order. Government must not allow itself to be railroaded into taking any action capable of provoking the teeming majority Muslim population of the state. Outsiders cannot determine what the people of Iwo want.

“The good people of Iwo want Oba Rasheed Akanbi on the throne. Muslims in Yorubaland are pleased with him. Traditionalists have no right to demand his dethronement. It is an exhibition of intolerance on the part of the traditionalists to demand the deposition of an Oba just because he does not dance to their tune. It will be a dangerous precedence if traditionalists are allowed to dictate to government. The Oyetola administration must be firm.

“In addition, Government has a duty to protect the law abiding and hardworking people of Iwo town from the planned invasion of traditionalists. The primary duty of government is to ensure the security of lives and properties. Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constituion (as amended), states inter alia : ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government’ and that presupposes that it is a reference to government at both the federal and state levels.”

The Eagle

Related Topics:
Advertisement

metro

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

Published

8 mins ago

on

November 14, 2024

By

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

READ ALSO:

“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

Continue Reading

metro

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

Published

33 mins ago

on

November 14, 2024

By

Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

READ ALSO:

He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

Continue Reading

metro

We are understaffed, ICPC boss laments

Published

37 mins ago

on

November 14, 2024

By

Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN

We are understaffed, ICPC boss laments

Musa Adamu Aliyu, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has stated that the Commission is understaffed and under-resourced. Aliyu says this is limiting the commission’s efficiency.

According to a statement on the ICPC website published on Wednesday, Aliyu made this known on Monday while presenting the Commission’s performance scorecard to the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes.

“Currently, we have 21 state offices, but they are severely understaffed and under-resourced, which affects our efficiency nationwide,” he said.

Aliyu mentioned that the ICPC suffered from inadequate funding, which hampers the pursuit of investigations, legal proceedings and public education efforts.

Cases involving politicians, where external influences can challenge the impartiality and integrity of investigations, are also some of the challenges bedevilling the ICPC.

READ ALSO:

Aliyu cited slow court processes as one of the factors preventing the swift resolution of corruption cases and undermining public trust in anti-corruption efforts.

“Our work requires diverse expertise, from forensic analysis to psychology, yet rising living costs make it increasingly difficult to maintain high morale among staff. Reviewing salaries and welfare benefits is essential for sustainable productivity,” Aliyu said.

“Additionally, ICPC personnel face security risks, especially during high-stakes investigations, making it critical to provide them with adequate security measures similar to those granted to other agencies.

“We urge you to consider the Commission’s requests for adequate funding to strengthen operational resources. Such support will enable us to pursue a more effective, inclusive, and resilient fight against corruption in Nigeria.”

 

We are understaffed, ICPC boss laments

Continue Reading

Trending