18th
July, 2019
STOP POLITICISING RUGA
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
has cautioned Nigerians to stop politicizing the RUGA affair. The Islamic human
rights organization gave the warning in a press statement circulated by its
Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Thursday, 18th July, 2019.
“Nigerians should stop
listening to rogue politicians. There is nothing like Fulanis planning to install
Emir of Oshogbo, Emir of Enugu or Emir of Asaba. It is all balderdash. These
are false alarms being raised by unscrupulous politicians and expired demagogues.
“For decades in this country, we have always had Seriki Hausawa in almost
all the cities of the South just as we have always had Oba Yoruba and Igwe of
the Igbo in almost all the cities of Northern Nigeria. These were mere symbolic
leaders of those tribal groups residing in states and cities other than their
own. They were there for ease of administration and inter-tribal relations and
they peacefully co-existed with their host communities.
“But suddenly rogue
politicians and merchants of hate speech began inciting Nigerians against
Northerners, particularly Fulanis and herdsmen. All sorts of crimes were
ascribed to them, especially kidnapping and armed robbery. It is as if the
Oyenusis among the Yoruba have suddenly disappeared while the Evans among the
Igbo have melted away like ice cream in the desert sun.
“It amounts to gross
mischief and incalculable disservice to humanity to use this as a reason for
rejecting the RUGA plan. RUGA, which means rural grazing area is being misinterpreted
to gullible Nigerians as an attempt by Northerners to install Emirs in the
South or an attempt by them to invade Southern communities. This is far from
the truth.
“MURIC condemns the politicization of RUGA. We frown at the stereotyping
of any ethnicity or group of persons anywhere in the world, particularly Nigeria.
All tribes have their own share of criminals just as there are decent and
industrious citizens among all ethnicities. We are alarmed at the rate of
deception, outright lies and make-beliefs calculated at inciting Southerners
against Fulanis and Hausas.
“We call on Southerners to
resist political charlatans who are out to spread hate and ignite widespread
hostilities. We call on Southerners to think out of the box as there are many
angles to the concept of RUGA. For instance, we can start looking at the
quantity of cattle sales in a place like Lagos where about 6,000 cows are
slaughtered daily. This is big business for crying out loud.
“Any visionary governor from the South will accept the RUGA policy purely
for economic reasons. We cannot afford to remain naïve and blinded by ethnic
jingoism. 10% commission to the state coffers is not pittance especially as it
runs into billions of naira.
“As we fold our mats, we
charge Southern governors to think more of the economic gains of RUGA and not
the rumoured, unfounded and quixotic installation of emirs in Southern
communities. It is a farce. We should be looking at the message, not the
messenger. We call on Southerners to ignore disgruntled politicians and stop idolizing
demons. Nigeria needs unity now more than ever before and this is why we must move
closer to all non-indigenes residing or doing business in our communities.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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