•Tinubu running Christian-Christian govt; he has neglected Muslims in his appointments
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic rights organisation, has accused President Ahmed Bola Tinubu of using and dumping the Muslim community who helped him to win the presidential election last year.
In an interview with Saturday Sun, the Executive Director of the Organization, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, a retired Professor of Islamic Eschatology, expressed the concerns of the Muslim communities, particularly in the South West and accused President Tinubu of deceiving them.
Regarded as outspoken and controversial by many, the Islamic leader also raised concerns about the rising cases of sexual immorality in the society, particularly the silent campaign for acceptance of LGBTQ among the people particularly the Muslim community.
He spoke with FRED EZEH in ABUJA
You participated in the recent conference by the Supreme Council for Shari’a in Nigeria (SCSN). What was it about?
It was a conference for the Ulamas and other Islamic scholars and leaders in Nigeria. It was an opportunity and a platform for Islamic scholars from across the country to exchange ideas, as well as sharpen their knowledge on issues of Islamic religion. The SCSN is one body that has been vocal, and doing a lot for the Muslim community in Nigeria. So, this kind of conference is always an opportunity for cross-fertilization of ideas among ourselves on issues that are current within and outside the country.
Talking about being vocal, what’s your assessment of President Tinubu’s administration so far?
Undoubtedly, President Tinubu’s administration is facing serious challenges, economically, politically and otherwise. For instance, the economy he inherited was bad but he’s working to revive it. But he has not made any headway. Nigerians are facing serious challenges and it’s telling on them. The cost of living has gone beyond the reach of an average Nigerian. The value of the currency is depreciating on a daily basis and it’s biting hard on them.
Was Sharia Council’s position on President Tinubu vis-a-vis Muslim/Muslim ticket correct?
Yes. The council was correct in its position on the outcome of the 2023 presidential election. It was a disappointment for us in the Muslim community. This is because the Muslim/Muslim ticket has not produced the expected outcome for us, particularly as regards the strength of the economy vis-a-vis the cost and standard of living. It seems the President is finding it difficult to do the kind of magic he did in Lagos when he was a two-term governor. The economy is in free fall.
Don’t you think it’s too early to assess the government based on what he met on ground?
You have a point there, but what we have seen doesn’t show positive signs. The President has taken some critical steps, particularly in the economy, but things are continuing to get worse. The man in the street is suffering seriously. And to him, whatever government is doing amounts to nothing if the cost of food items continues to rise. So, six months is enough for Nigerians to start seeing the expected results, vis-a-vis the promises he made to Nigerians during the election. Nigerians are beginning to ask relevant questions, hence the government is gradually coming under pressure to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
You are a loud voice for Islamic rights and Islamic affairs in Nigeria. Are you impressed with the performance of the Muslim/Muslim ticket of APC?
We had an election last year that produced a Muslim President and Vice-President. We in the Muslim community were happy with that development. But unfortunately, we are being disappointed from the way things are going. I could simply describe what we currently have in Nigeria today as Christian/Christian government. We are completely dissatisfied with that and we have made our position known at several fora in the last few months. Christians are benefitting more from the government. It got to a point that CAN openly congratulated the President for appointing its members into several juicy political positions and responsibilities.
What are your areas of disagreement with the President?
We strongly disagree with the President in the area of political appointments. The President is telling us that competence, capacity and experience are considered in appointments. We don’t accept that excuse. Does it mean he couldn’t find those competent hands among the Muslim communities in Nigeria? Someone found Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Prof. Isah Pantami, among others few years ago, and they performed exceptionally well. There are many of such people among us. South West are languishing in neglect. The Muslim community expected more from the President Tinubu but he has disappointed us.
What didn’t he do well as regards selection of people for appointments?
The President didn’t spread his dragnet in search of competent hands, neither did he consult well among the leaders of the Islam in Nigeria for suggestions and advice. From all indications, he sees talented and skilled Christians who he has chosen to work with, hence he turned blind eyes on talented Muslims who are doing very well in different fields of endeavour. That’s a minus for any government not to talk of government of a Muslim President and Vice. It means you have been training and empowering only the Christians. The President is simply not searching enough among the Muslim communities and he needs to act speedily. He can contact the SCSN or Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) for suggestions and recommendation of competent hands. He has been empowering CAN agents at the detriment of the Muslim community that voted for him.
People said that former President Buhari’s failure was because of nepotism, sectionalisation, among others. Don’t you think President Tinubu is avoiding that?
I disagree with such position. Yes, people accused former President Buhari of promoting Islamic and Fulani agenda. That was because people wanted to demonise and hate Buhari. People were profiling his tribe and using it against him. Former President Buhari never enriched himself like several other politicians in Nigeria who used their positions to amass public wealth. So, people are grossly being unfair to the man. The man has achieved a lot in his time in office both as military and civilian President. However, he has served his time and retired home to rest.
Some speakers during the conference complained about the rising number of “fake” Islamic scholars who are misleading the people. Are you concerned?
Well, I can’t comment on the matter because I didn’t participate in a meeting where such was discussed. However, I believe the relevant authorities within the Muslim community are working hard to stop such people, and suggest punishments where and when necessary.
Some others were concerned with rising cases of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) persons…
This is one issue that exposes the evil of the Western world and their evil plans against humanity. The Western World encourages us to marry one woman but some of them go about servicing several concubines. This has resulted in shattered homes, broken marriages, waywardness, among other social ills. Children demonstrate indiscipline of highest order because of broken homes and society. This is not what we want for our society, and we will resist that with all we have. LGBTQ is satanic and the Muslim community in Nigeria is fighting against it. The West is pushing this simply because they want to re-order the world and nature.
Can Nigeria resist or withstand the global pressure to legitimate LGBTQ?
It’s possible. Unfortunately, this is coming with blackmail from the world powers to the developing countries in Africa and other parts of the world. The world powers are insisting that rejection of LGBTQ could result in withdrawal of support, financially and otherwise. But we completely reject LGBTQ and we see those supporting it as agents of Satan. The West has proven to us that they have no moral fibre than the rest of the world. They cannot teach Nigeria about values and norms. They should respect our culture and level of civilization. They should leave our government to take decisions as an independent country.