*Fayose: MURIC urges electorates to henceforth demand certificate of psychiatric exam from candidates
Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof. Ishaq Akintola, has raised dust over Friday attendance of Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose at Muslims’ Eid praying ground in turbans only to end up turning what supposed to be period of worship and praying to Allah to giving political speech.
Prof. Akinola, in a statement he signed Monday on behalf of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) copy of which was made available to The DEFENDER, beefed that controversial Governor Fayose could not at this time pretend to be friend of Muslims much so now disecrating their sacred play for his own selfish political goal.
The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, appeared on Eid ground dressed in Islamic regalia including a turban on Friday, 1st September, 2017. Mr. Fayose also delivered a politically motivated speech at the Eid ground.
But MURIC kicked: “The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) strongly condemns Fayose’s action. It is executive hocus pocus, highly sacriledgious and unduely provocative. It is Act I, Scene I in the Theater of the Absurd.
“Governor Fayose cannot pretend to be a friend of Ekiti Muslims. He has delivered several anti-Muslim speeches and uttered several hate pronouncements targeted at Nigerian Muslims. His general attitude and body language to Muslims of Ekiti belie his status as the state governor. He has also demolished mosques out of sheer desire to eliminate all Islamic landmarks from Ekiti. So who is Fayose deceiving?
“The fact that he offered advice concerning who Muslims should vote for in the coming Ekiti 2018 election in his speech at the Id ground reveals Fayose’s real motive. But that is his undoing. Delivering a political speech in a serene atmosphere and on a sacred ground is sacriledgious. Fayose has also politicized religion. Who are Fayose’s advisers for Allah’s sake? Or is it that he does not listen to them? It is most likely that he doesn’t listen to anyone.”
The famous religious rights organisation said, “Like every bully, Fayose acts on instinct. He tries to think later though. Fayose has abused the turban and arrogantly violated Islamic wardrobe etiquette. It is an insult for him to have so boldly dressed himself up like an Imam on Id ground. Only a titled Muslim leader or an Islamic scholar can dress like that. Fayose has failed to respect a major Islamic decorum. Can any political leader put on a pastor’s cassock and clerical collar without causing uproar?”
MURIC is aware that any friend of Muslims could appear in the type of Imam’s regalia but pointed out that person must definitely not be Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose.
It will be recalled that Deji of Akure, a notable friend of Muslims, was at the Oda Road Eid ground in Akure same Friday and had been reported by The DEFENDER to be another Nigerian monarch the same track with Sultan of Sokoto in a bid to ensuring peace, harmony and development in his domain.
But the Ishaq Akuntoka-led rights group said, “Fayose has shown that he has no respect for Muslims or their religion. He derides Ekiti Muslims yet he tries to con them to vote for his party. This attempt to ridicule Islam reminds us of the words of Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) to those who mocked him, “If you mock us now, we will soon ridicule you and very soon you will know on whom shame and punishment will descend” (Qur’an 11: 38-39).
“Traditionally, non-Muslim governors and kings (Obas and Obis) are visited by Muslims on their way from the Id ground. Only those who are Muslims among the governors and kings appear at the Id ground. Fayose’s appearance at the Ekiti Id ground has violated all known norms. He has desecrated our holy grounds.
“On a final and very serious note, we suggest that in view of our experience in the Third Republic, it has become necessary, from now onward, for the electorate to demand certificate of psychiatric examination from candidates seeking political offices.”
