MURIC has slammed Lagos pastor Tunde Bakare for allegedly saying that National Conference Chairman Idris Kutigi should refrain from beginning his speeches with an Arabic phrase seeking Allah's help.

Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC has slammed Lagos pastor
Tunde Bakare for allegedly saying that National Conference
Chairman Idris Kutigi should refrain from beginning his speeches
with an Arabic phrase seeking Allah’s help.
MURIC have also accused President Jonathan
of manipulating the delegates from the South-west
geopolitical zone to be against Muslims from the
area.
Pastor Bakare had allegedly said that he didn’t understand what
Justice Kutigi had said in his short speech.
Bakare had said: “Today again, you said it. I think you should pray
in the way all of us understand because if I stand up and say, ‘Praise
the Lord somebody,’ we will turn this place into a church service.”
MURIC today said in a statement that Bakare’s attack on the
Justice was to show his hatred of Islam and Muslims.
MURIC said: “Tunde Bakare’s attack is rather unfortunate. His
criticism arose from premeditation. It is known all over the world
that individual Muslims start speeches with a short Arabic phrase in
which they seek Allah’s guidance in their utterances and Justice
Kutigi did not do more than that. MURIC affirms clearly,
unequivocally and unambiguously that the revered jurist has every
right to do this.
“Tunde Bakare’s outburst was therefore a manifestation of
pathological hatred for Muslims and their faith. “His behavior
smirked of a gross lack of tolerance for the faith of others and portrays
the pastor as an enforcer.
Attempting to stop the chairman from using his faith to guide him is an
encroachment on the latter’s Allah-given and fundamental human
right.” MURIC however advised Muslim delegates at the conference
not to be provoked by Mr. Bakare’s criticism of Justice Kutigi.
It said, “MURIC appeals to Muslim delegates in the conference not
to pay the pastor back in his own coins “MURIC expects Pastor
Tunde Bakare to understand that a conference of this magnitude
requires, first and foremost, mutual respect, understanding and
tolerance of the highest order; not suspicion, rancour and ill-feeling,”
the group said.
“Delegates need to guard their tongues and watch their language
because a rancorous body language emerging from the national
conference is capable of sending this country up in flames.
“Tunde Bakare has stirred the hornet’s nest by firing the first salvo.
His request that religion should not be brought into the national
conference is unrealistic, deceitful and hypocritical.Nigerians are
religious people and this should reflect in our deliberations unless we
want to deceive ourselves.
“The colonialists themselves bequeathed to us a controversial religious
setting which must be discussed and reviewed at this conference. The
status quo is chaotic. It must change. It must be done today, not
tomorrow. This is the right time to address issues objectively. It is not
the time for sentimentalities.
See their statement below.
PRESS RELEASE: ISLAMOPHOBIA AT
NATIONAL CONFERENCE & MANIPULATION OF
DELEGATES LIST: DANGEROUS SIGNPOSTS
The National Conference kicked off successfully in Abuja on Monday,
17th March, 2014. Unfortunately, it resumed the next day on a
controversial note. Pastor Tunde Bakare, a South-West delegate,
criticized the conference Chairman, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, for
starting his speech with a prayer in Arabic.
Tunde Bakare’s attack is rather unfortunate. His criticism arose
from premeditation. It is known all over the world that individual
Muslims start speeches with a short Arabic phrase in which they seek
Allah’s guidance in their utterances and Justice Kutigi did not do
more than that. MURIC affirms clearly, unequivocally and
unambiguously that the revered jurist has every right to do this.
Tunde Bakare’s outburst was therefore a manifestation of pathological
hatred for Muslims and their faith. His behavior smirked of a gross
lack of tolerance for the faith of others and portrays the pastor as an
enforcer.
Attempting to stop the chairman from using his faith to guide him is an
encroachment on the latter’s Allah-given and fundamental human
right. MURIC expects Pastor Tunde Bakare to understand that a
conference of this magnitude requires, first and foremost, mutual
respect, understanding and tolerance of the highest order; not suspicion,
rancour and ill-feeling.
Delegates need to guard their tongues and watch their language
because a rancorous body language emerging from the national
conference is capable of sending this country up in flames. Tunde
Bakare has stirred the hornet’s nest by firing the first salvo. His
request that religion should not be brought into the national conference
is unrealistic, deceitful and hypocritical.Nigerians are religious people
and this should reflect in our deliberations unless we want to deceive
ourselves.
The colonialists themselves bequeathed to us a controversial religious
setting which must be discussed and reviewed at this conference. The
status quo is chaotic. It must change. It must be done today, not
tomorrow.
This is the right time to address issues objectively. It is not the time
for sentimentalities. However, MURIC appeals to Muslim delegates
in the conference not to pay the pastor back in his own coins. We
reject the list of delegates as it stands and we advise the presidency to
exhibit true patriotism, political maturity and compliance with
democratic norms by reviewing the delegates list which has been
massively tilted to favour Christians in the country.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is not unaware that the list
of South-West delegates was deliberately drawn to marginalize
Muslims who form majority of the zone’s population.
We strongly suspect that such delegates are meant to serve as arrow-
head in a plot to launch attacks on Muslim personalities and frustrate
ideas proposed by Muslims at the conference.
The same trend has been noticed in many parts of the country. We
urge the presidency to attend to the protest letter submitted by the
Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs on this matter in order
to ensure cohesion in the conduct of the ongoing national conference.
We warn that the manipulation of delegates list by the presidency is a
dangerous signpost.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

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