12th March, 2019
FAYEMI’S LIST MARGINALISED MUSLIMS
The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr.
Kayode Fayemi, appointed advisers and chairmen of boards yesterday Monday, 11th
March, 2019.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
has however described the list as falling below expectation. The Islamic human
rights organization made its feeling known in a press statement distributed on
Tuesday 12th March, 2019, signed by its Director, Professor Ishaq
Akintola.
“We are disappointed that the
governor still marginalised us this way. It is inexplicable. The list contained
ten names. Two of the names look like Muslim names. Perhaps they think we will
not crosscheck but we did. We always do. We have a branch in Ekiti and our
officials there have their ears to the ground. You could get away with that
kind of thing 15 years ago but not in these days of infotech. The world has
become a tiny village.
“The only Muslim name on
the list of ten is that of Alhaji Afolabi Ogunlayi. A second name which looked
like that of a Muslim is that of Mr. Tajudeen Wale Ajayi but only Alhaji
Ogunlayi is a bona fide Muslim. Tajudeen converted to Christianity a long time
ago. His wife and all his children follow him to church. He has not been using
that Muslim name for years but the state government decided to use it on the
list just to blindfold Muslims in the state.
“Contrary to what the governor will
want Muslims to believe, therefore, only one of the new appointees is a Muslim.
This is grossly inadequate in view of what Muslims in the state went through in
the hands of the former governor, Ayodele Fayose. This is still a raw deal. We
deserve better.
“This is in spite of a forward-looking
press statement issued by MURIC last week dated 5th March 2019 under
the caption ‘Balance Your Cabinet: MURIC Tells Fayemi’. The statement laid
emphasis on the need for the state governor to redress wrongs done to Muslims by
ensuring that they get adequate share of political appointments. This list is definitely
not balanced. If anything, it is crudely lopsided.
“We hope those who rush to blame
Muslims whenever the latter express displeasure are listening. We also hope the
party leaders in the state are paying attention. We remind these leaders that in
politics there is always a pay day in favour of oppressed minorities and marginalized
groups. No wise politician will underestimate any group. Revenge is sweet when
its dish is cold.
“It is not too late though.
Governor Fayemi can still make amends as he is yet to announce his list of
commissioners. But he should remember that he needs to consider making his
cabinet inclusive. Already, the Deputy Governor, Chief of
Staff (CS) and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) are all Christians. An
all-Christian list of commissioners like that of Fayose or one in which only
four out of 14 are Muslims will be deemed unfriendly, outrageous and
provocative.
“We also wish to subtly
remind Dr. Kayode Fayemi that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria Section
14(4) stipulates that “The composition of the Government of the Federation, a
State, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such Government or
council, and the conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such
agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of
the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of
belonging and loyalty among all the people of the Federation”
“We are not unaware that
party loyalists deserve appointments but definitely not at the detriment of
other components of the society. Fayemi must not be governor over APC elements
alone or over Christians in the state only. He must be father of all. Muslims
must be given their due share.
“Perhaps it is pertinent
here to mention the implications of fair sharing of political offices among the
different components of the society. Economically, wealth will be evenly
distributed once appointments are proportionately shared. Socially, no single
group will be kept in the dark as to the activities of government. Politically,
an isolated group is excluded from day to day decisions of government. It is no
longer participatory democracy once a group is excluded from the dividends of
democracy. Any marginalized group is therefore impoverished and kept in the dark.
Muslims of Ekiti State are saying never again.
“As our concluding
remarks, we call upon the Ekiti State governor not to leave the path of justice
and fairness for which he was known during his first tenure as governor.
Muslims deserve adequate attention in the formation of the new executive of
Ekiti State”.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC)
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