Barely 12 hours after heat generated by The DEFENDER and Muslim Rights Concerns (MURIC) got to him, former Chairman, Editorial Board of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Isiguzo Ikedi, has handed in his profound apology for the unfortunate, unethical misbehaviour against the leader of Nigeria’s over 100 million Muslims and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.
Ikedi had written in a publication published on a website named, www.news-af.newsfeed.com, on Sunday, deliberately quoting the Sultan out of content and mischievously emphasizing his hammering when he said the Ameerul Mu’mineen of Nigeria said at a Thursday event in Abuja that, “If you fight Boko Haram you fight Allah”.
Although the “supposedly” journalism giant’s quotes from the text delivered on behalf of the Sultan at the event by Emir of Jiwa, Dr. Idris Musa, indicated nothing resembling the postulation generated in his write up, he still went ahead to form his opinion to paint the retired Army General that is also President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in bad light.
In a swift reaction, The DEFENDER on Sunday published a special report written by Kemi Kasumu entitled, “For the Record: Of what use is falsehood against Sultan in Isiguzo Ikedi’s mischievous report?”, in which the submission of the former sports reporter’s allegedly unethical behaviour was described as “the worst lie from the pit of hell to be witnessed in 12 months. There will be no need to join issue with the political undertone and interest the mischievous write up by a supposed journalism giant serves. What is clearly required to be done is tell him that Sultan is not one to be dared with such lakadaisical attitude of a man as failure to realise this can only hand him a lifetime ridicule.”
Early hours of Monday, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), through a statement by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, sent a strongly worded warning to Isiguzo Ikedi, demanding that he apologized under seven days to the Sultan or face arrest and prosecution.
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.
Knowing that the two demands coming in favour and defence of the revered monarch and religious leader of global repute were not empty, Ikedi, through Alhaji Femi Abass, who was also a one time Vice Chairman, Editorial Board of Vanguard Newspapers, handed a clearly written apology to the Sultan in which he said:
“I APOLOGISE to the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III for the embarrassment that my opinion material based on reports of last week’s peace conference in Abuja could have him. I offer him my sincere apologies and hope His Eminence would accept them.
“The material that was posted online on Saturday 22 February 2020 and ran until Sunday 23 February 2020 created wrong impressions about comments that Sultan’s representative made at the event. I again apologise.
“No explanations or reasons would suffice for the publication which has put the Sultan in a different light. It was not my intention. I do not think the explanations are necessary other to tender my unreserved apologies to the Sultan who I hold in high esteem whose stands against insurgency and terrorism are public.
“The publication has been pulled down and it is no longer available to readers. Those who accessed earlier should discountenance it. My apologies also go to readers who the article hurt. Ikeddy ISIGUZO”.
