Why your Yoruba Muslim friend may not join Oodua Republic rally

True friends understand each other. They know the background and context of each other’s lives and viewpoints.

Let me refer you to the conversation between two great Nigeria leaders , Awolowo and Sardauna, both of blessed memory:

Awolowo: Let us forget our differences,

Sardauna: Let us understand our differences

Lessons in the above.

1. We are decieving ourselves if we say we should forget those differences between us because those differences are present continuous and will continue to haunt us.

2. When we understand the differences, we will know our limits, appreciate and tolerate each other.

For example, when you attend any ceremony in my house, you need to understand that I will not serve alcohol and I will not allow any person to bring and serve it in my house. Once you are in my house, you know it for me.

If I come to your house, I cannot insist that you should not drink or serve others while I’m with you in your house. If you choose not to out of respect for me, it’s a privilege.if you serve and drink while I’m in your house, I have an option to endure temporarily or to leave. If I decide to leave, you must not insist that I should stay.

Having said 👆, I think the most reasonable thing is to find out why a Muslim in the south west will not subscribe to the agitation for Oodua Republic. Doing so is the best way to approach and understand a Muslim.

1. Islamic position is this: *Obey God, obey the Prophet, obey the constituted Authority….

The Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended is against SECESSION. It’s a conspiracy to commit a felony to wit: treason and a treasonable felony. So, it’s a criminal offence. Muslims will not flagrantly violate the law of the land. He sees the violation of the Constitution as a disobedience to his creator and the Prophet he follows.

2. The Federal and state governments are against the call for Oodua Republic. There is no single Yoruba Governor that support the agitation. No Yoruba obas is in support. There was no where we reached a consensus to demand for self determination. There is no single Yoruba professional Association that supports the call for Oodua Republic. A conscious Muslim views acting contrary to Government directives or calling to what governments do not like as an obedience to God except if what government wants is against the law of God or natural law. In that circumstances, one is allowed to go against government directives.

3. Please try and understand the angle from.which a Muslim looks at or understands the call for Oodua Republic. If you took pain to understand, honestly you will excuse a Muslim who refuses to join the rally or subscribes to the whole idea. If you want to win the heart of a Muslim on issue like this, don’t mix ethnicism or tribalism with your agitation. Don’t say you want to flush out a particular tribe. Don’t base your agitation on the call that your tribe is special and others are goats or cows.

Invite Muslims to a round table conference, present cogent and genuine fundamental problems of injustice, oppression and unwarranted killings of people by some people. Present verifiable evidence that Yoruba themselves are not guilty of ritual murder like Ajaa’le, gbomogbomo, community clashes, oppression of one town by one town or city among yoruba themselves, then ask them to proffer solutions to the lingering problems. With that constructive engagements and superior arguments, you will convince an average Yoruba Muslim. Anything short of that, you are on your own.

4. Lastly, let me give you two very important quotations which binds all Muslims, particularly Yoruba Muslims. Any violation of the two puts the life of a Yoruba Muslim at risk. His entire life will be rendered void and useless. If he dares join the Oodua Rally, he has compromised his Islam and risks HELL FIRE.👇👇👇

O Humankind verily We! We have created you Of a male and female, and We have made you nations and tribes that ye might know one another. Verily the noblest of you with Allah is the most God-fearing of you; verily Allah is Knowing, Aware* Quran 49:13

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, *“He is not one of us who calls to tribalism. He is not one of us who fights for the sake of tribalism. He is not one of us who dies following the way of tribalism.”*

Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 5121

CONCLUSION:

Islam is against bigotry, tribalism, ethnicism. Anybody body calling towards it and fighting for it, is not within the fold of Islam and that is why you cannot see any serious Muslim joining you in the call for the brake up of Nigeria on the ground of Hausa Fulani Dominating Yoruba and that Yoruba need to fight them or establish their own country.

Thank you for appreciating why a Yoruba Muslim will not be part of your struggle for Oodua Republic and God bless.

By: Khutbah Academy
khutbahacademy@gmail. com