MURIC slams Cardinal Onaiyekan over 2023 presidential election – Newstrends
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MURIC slams Cardinal Onaiyekan over 2023 presidential election

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Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Lakin Akintola

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) on Thursday criticised the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, for describing the victory of President-Elect in the 2023 election, Bola Tinubu, as ‘discredited’.

MURIC’s reaction was contained in a statement sent to POLITICS NIGERIA by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

Onaiyekan had labelled the outcome of the 2023 election as “tragically questionable results”.

But reacting, MURIC described the Cardinal’s ‘outburst’ as jaundiced and disappointing.

MURIC’s statement reads: “The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese, Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has described the victory of President-Elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, as ‘discredited’. Onaiyekan was quoted as saying, ‘I love peace but will never endorse Tinubu’s discredited victory to pacify Nigerians’

“We are miffed by Cardinal Onaiyekan’s outburst. It is jaundiced and disappointing. It is integrity-bruising. He had hitherto occupied a lofty position of veneration in Muslim circles. He was believed to be the epitome of moderation and the embodiment of tolerance and fairness. His figure towered above gymnastic religiousity. But he has now disappointed his Muslim admirers.

“America, Britain, China, India, African countries and others have congratulated the winner but Onaiyekan still considers the victory ‘discredited’. It is astonishing that a man whom the Muslims used to consider as the only objective Christian leader who is far from the tramadolised crowd has let them down.

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“Onaiyekan should have advised opposition candidates among the winners of Senate and House of Representatives elections who trooped out to collect their return certificates on Tuesday and Wednesday to boycott the event. Or is it Tinubu’s victory alone that was ‘discredited’?

“Leaders must choose their words very carefully. Whoever wants to be judgemental must not be selective. Those who come to equity must come with clean hands. How can the election be ‘discredited’ for Tinubu as a winner but ‘credible’ for winners among members of the opposition?

“Better still, the Cardinal should have told the opposition, particularly his anointed candidate, to boycott the election ab initio. Cardinal Onaiyekan is crying over spilt milk. It is useless locking the gate after the horse has bolted. All the political parties that participated in the election are already involved.

“We do not expect a leader of Onaiyekan’s status to manifest bitterness while licking his wounds. Nigerians understand what happened. Without conducting a census based on creed, the cardinal had shared the delusional belief that Christians outnumber Muslims in Nigeria. Of course he learned the hard way.

“It was on that basis that he encouraged the brazen confrontation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket. There is bound to be shock and aftershock after a political tsunami.

“It is our considered opinion that Cardinal Onaiyekan’s statement is designed to massage the ego of Christian leaders with all their false soothsayers. Instead of dissipating his energy on denying the reality, we actually expected Onaiyekan to identify and assemble those who misled Nigerian Christians with their false predictions and ridiculous prognostications for some home truths.

“Apart from those who foresaw victory for opposition figures, a pastor told Nigerians that there would be no election at all in 2023. He said it was God who told him. We know his name. We have the evidence. We kept quiet at the time because we knew that he was only discrediting himself.

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“It was these false prophesies that filled many Nigerian Christians (not all) with false hope which eventually led to frustration. These are the people Onaiyekan should be tutoring at this stage. He should be speaking against Christian entitlement mentality in Nigeria. He should invite those who gave false predictions for counselling on how not to lie against God.

“Jeremiah 14:14 said, ‘The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.’

“This is from the same Bible to which all Nigerians have access. Why are our prophesy-addicted pastors determined to challenge what God says in the Bible and why have Christian leaders like Cardinal Onaiyekan refused to call them to order? We did not expect the much respected cardinal to tow the path of those suffering from intellectual poverty.

“MURIC appreciates many other Christians who are not swayed by emotions and false predictions. They are pragmatists and they know what actually happened. The Christian candidate was only acceptable in the South East, South South and some parts of North Central.

“Besides, challenging the North over the majority status question was a fatal mistake. Junketing from one church to another while ignoring the mosque was politically naive. But the electoral suicidal statement was asking the church to ‘take back your country’.

“We are surprised that Onaiyekan left pastors who are misleading Nigerians with false predictions and started blaming the Muslim candidate whose Imams never prophesy. Or has Onaiyekan ever seen or heard of an Islamic scholar prophesying? He is idolizing fiction and demonising reality. Who did this to Nigeria?

“Instead of acknowledging Tinubu’s superior political strategy as exhibited in his choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket and instead of putting his house in order and de-escalating tension, Onaiyekan ignored the spiritual decay in Christendom to demarket a well-deserved victory won by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are constrained to ask, et tu Onaiyekan?”

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NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution 

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December 22, 2024

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NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution 

 

The General Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Kayode Agbeyangi, has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of peace, love and compassion as taught through the birth of Jesus Christ.

He stated this in his Christmas and end of the year goodwill message to felicitate members of the union and Nigerians in general.

Agbeyangi urged Nigerians to use the festive season to reflect on the values of love, compassion, and sacrifice that Jesus Christ embodied.

“This period is not for merry making alone; we should also spare time to reflect on the birth and life of Jesus Christ.

“His birth teaches humility, love compassion and sacrifice. As Nigerians, we must show love to our fellow county men. We must love our country. As Nigerians, we must be ready to make sacrifices for the nation.”

The NURTW scribe also used the opportunity to appeal to members of the union and other road users to always exercise caution and adhere to all safety protocols while travelling during the festive season.

“As we celebrate, let us not forget the importance of road safety. The roads can be treacherous, especially during the festive season.

“I urge our members and all road users to drive safely, avoid overspending, overtaking at dangerous bends and overloading, and be courteous to other road users,” he stated.

He also advised drivers that all their vehicle papers should be up to date to avoid embarrassment from law enforcement officers on the highways.

Comrade Agbeyangi prayed for a peaceful and joyous celebration, and wished members of the union and Nigerians, a happy prosperous New Year.

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Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

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December 22, 2024

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Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

 

The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody. The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an…

The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody.

The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an attack on the Christian faith.

 

Addressing his congregation, Jamiu said the banner was displayed to educate Muslims.

 

He said, “When you come to Lekki Central Mosque, at least you should learn something. You pass by the banners outside, you look here and there, you learn something because Islam treasures knowledge.”

The Imam said all the banners displayed outside the mosque contain Quran and Hadith verses.

 

He said after a photo of one of the banners went viral, he “received calls from the government, local government, and area command appealing to us to please remove the banners because of the festive period.”

 

He said the display of the banners was not to provoke anyone, noting that there’s a difference between propagation of Islam and provocation.

 

“It was not placed there just yesterday. It has been there for about two months or thereabout. We are peace loving people, we don’t provoke anyone. We only propagate our name,” he said.

Jamiu further stated that nobody can monopolise Jesus because Muslims also have what they believe about him as backed by the Quran which calls him Isah.

 

“If you don’t believe in Jesus, you are not a Muslim. We are Muslims and anything we believe must be in consonant with the Quran and the Quran says Jesus Christ is not God, he’s a messenger of God. We quoted this verse in the banner. Is there anything wrong if we paste what we believe on our territory to educate our congregation? It’s a verse of the Quran. This is freedom of religion, freedom of speech,” he said.

 

On the removal of the banner, Jamiu said he received multiple calls ascribing the gesture as cowardice.

 

 

“It is not cowardice. We removed it to let peace reign, to obey our government because we are peace-loving people and also because we know it’s a festive period, people may think it was actually calculated to enrage others. We are going to modify it and put it back. We are not cowards,” he said.

 

The banner has since been replaced with another which says “A

llah is the lord of Jesus.”

 

Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

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CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

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December 22, 2024

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CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a N150 million fine on a commercial bank for failing to dispense cash through its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

This action follows an unannounced inspection by the apex bank, which uncovered deliberate cash hoarding and ATM manipulation by the erring bank.

Sources within the CBN revealed that the sanctioned bank was caught disabling its ATMs, thereby denying customers access to their funds while prioritizing cash disbursements to select VIP clients.

A staff member of the CBN stressed that the apex bank would not tolerate such practices.

“The Bank will not spare any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) caught in the act of hoarding cash or found favoring VIP customers over other customers,” the official stated.

To this end, the CBN has intensified spot checks on banks nationwide, exposing various illicit cash-handling practices by some unscrupulous financial institutions.

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For now, the CBN is imposing financial penalties on defaulting banks. However, according to the official, the next phase of enforcement will include publicly naming and shaming offending banks and prosecuting implicated bank officials.

“This fine is just the beginning. The CBN is determined to hold banks accountable for any actions that undermine public trust and the integrity of the banking system,” the official added.

Despite the ongoing challenges, the CBN has reiterated its commitment to promoting cashless banking in the country.

Another senior official disclosed that the apex bank’s management is intensifying efforts to encourage the use of electronic channels for transactions.

“The frustration faced by account holders is undermining our push for a cashless economy. We are doubling down on initiatives to restore public confidence in electronic banking solutions,” the official said.

CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

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