CAN eulugises Osun Muslim Community over stand against MURIC
By KEMI KASUMU
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Osun State Chapter, has eulogised the state Muslim Community leadership over its stand against the Professor Ishaq Akintola-led Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)’s controversial statement it said was issued targeting the Christians in the South West state.
CAN, in a statement titled “Our response to MURIC’s fallacious and fabricated statement against us” issued in Osogbo on Wednesday, signed by its State Chairman Rev. John Adeleke but sent to The DEFENDER on Saturday, praised the leadership of the Muslims Community under Alhaji Mustafa Olawuyi for dissociating themselves from MURIC’s “infamous and mischievous declaration”.
MURIC had accused the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke for being an “agent of CAN” and that Christians in the state are being “over-pampered and over-fed” over the choice of his cabinet members which Prof Akintola said they consisted of “7 Muslims and 17 Christians”.
According to the statement, the Osun State CAN said, “We read with utter amazement, a recent statement credited to Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a self-acclaimed body believed to be concerned with the “rights of Muslims”.
“In the statement, MURIC alleged that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Osun State was a party to the recent nomination of commissioners in the state because, according to her there were more Christians than Muslims in the list. The statement concluded that “We condemn this wanton blockage of privileges that should go to Muslims and their diversion to over-pampered and over-fed Christians in Osun State.”
“We see the statement by MURIC as provocative and unwarranted. While we may not concern ourselves with the so-called purported lopsidedness of the list, we believe Osun State Government has given a robust defence of her position on this already, we are however concerned at MURIC’s derogatory conclusion that “Christians are “over pampered and over-fed”.
“One wonders who is really getting big for her breeches here. Is it an organization that insults and abuses others easily and freely or those that seek peace and harmony in our State and community?
“We wish to state unequivocally to all that CAN did not participate or determine the number of Commissioners in Osun State contrary to what MURIC thinks. One may ask MURIC when has it become the business of any right-thinking religious body to arrogate to itself the responsibility of determining the number of commissioners which the government of a state should allot to its members?
“The insinuation that CAN is reportedly acting in concert with the peace-loving Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke is to say the least baseless skullduggery. It is offensive and has no resemblance to the truth in any way. Both the allegations and the tone of presentations are reckless, ridiculous and blasphemous.
“We believe the whole work is targeted at disrupting and discrediting the celebrated peaceful coexistence among different religious groups in Osun State.
“We want to categorically tell the public that CAN’s major objective in issuing this response is to disabuse the minds of well meaning citizens and to assure all that there will be peace in Osun State by the grace of God.
“The religious harmony and promotion of peace and understanding among various peoples and religious practitioners in Osun State and in Nigeria generally shall get better still in Jesus name.
“We also appreciate the credibility and stand of the entire Muslim community in Osun State, who through their Chairman, Alhaji Mustafa Olawuyi, dissociated themselves from MURIC’s infamous and mischievous declaration.
“In conclusion, we assure the Executive Governor, his cabinet, and the entire citizens of Osun State, of our unalloyed support for the promotion of peace and harmony by his administration in the entire state”.
