Members Defends MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola After DR. Bolaji Akinyemi’s Indictment

Rejoinder to DR. Bolaji Akinyemi who attacked MURIC and Professor Ishaq Akintola by Prince Jibril Ayu-Akpanim, Chairman Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Akwa Ibom State Chapter reads:

My name is Prince Jibril Ayu-Akpanim, Chairman Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Akwa Ibom State Chapter. It’s absolutely not in my character to respond to issues bordering on RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY as the writing of Dr Bolaji Akinyemi portrays.

However, for the fact that he repeatedly smeared the outstanding image of Prof Ishaq AKINTOLA, the Director of MURIC, referring to his excellent contributions in addressing the plight of maligned Muslims in and outside Nigeria as ‘one man group’, I must eschew silent reservations and call out Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi to immediately tender apology to MURIC as a group and Prof Ishaq AKINTOLA in particular.

Picking paragraphic loopholes in his unnecessary and unwarranted smear attack on our revered MURIC director would amount to …“ADIA MKPO YE IDAT EDI IDAT”.
A word is enough, as they say, for the wise.

Another rejoinder by ESV (Comrade) Ganiyu Maroof, Chairman Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Ondo State Chapter reads:

My name is ESV (Comrade) Ganiyu Maroof, Chairman Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Ondo State Chapter. It is a well known fact that religion is every man’s right and the freedom to express ones opinion is boldly enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. So where and when has it become the duty of one notorious bigot to attack a man who is fighting for his people?

The general belief of everyone is that anyone with PhD title should be intelligent enough and should have the ability to be a critical thinker but the reverse is the case of one unknown Dr Bolaji Akinyemi who believes he can be popular with his baseless opinion by attacking the Director of MURIC, Prof Ishaq Akintola.

Dr Bolaji Akinyemi needs to be informed that if we should talk about religion organisation that has such caustic thought, intolerance with violent expression for years, he should focus on his own side and not MURIC.

Dr Bolaji Akinyemi needs to use the knowledge acquired as a learned personality to do further research to be able to differentiate between matters of human rights and religion or is his doctorate degree a honorary one?

From time immemorial, the acclaimed doctor has been attacking anyone he sees as a Muslim without any basis but his attack on Professor Akintola is the most irrational. How can you say MURIC is a one man show?

Are you cutting us off in Ondo State? I am the chairman of MURIC in this state and I have hundreds of members under me. I am also aware of more than 27 other state chairmen like me from other states.

The advise that Ondo State chapter will give you is to tender unreserved apology to MURIC and Prof Ishaq Akintola for your arrogant and baseless accusation.

However, this rejoinder is just to let Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi know that MURIC is a group of Islamic activists who are committed to fighting injustice in the system. It is definitely not a one man show as he claimed.

Islam remains the Religion of Peace and I Stand With MURIC.

Dispelling The Falsehood of Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi by Alhaji Jimoh Tajudeen Alao Chairman, MURIC Ogun State chapter reads:

We read with utter distaste Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi’s bigotry laden article in which he attacked the personality of Professor Ishaq Akintola and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). The write-up was filled with falsehood, mischief and inaccuracies.

His feeble effort at disinformation only succeeded in exposing his hatred for Islam and the rights of its adherents which MURIC stands for.

Hatred was so vehemently demonstrated in his disgraceful campaign of calumny against the distinguished personality of the National leader of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

To so boldly assert that MURIC is a one man organisation calls to question his claim to intellect as depicted by his doctorate title. We the members of the Ogun State Chapter of MURIC hereby declare Bolaji Akinyemi a profound ignoramus and a harbinger of mischief.

As active members of MURIC in Ogun state, we are glad to inform the general public that the Ogun state chapter of MURIC is fully established with a functional administration and teeming numbers of responsive and responsible members across the state.

Ogun State Chapter of MURIC was established ten years ago (2011). Ten years is no joke. That is why we will not allow a merchant of hate like Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi to mess around with the MURIC project that was started in Lagos by the distinguished professor (Akintola) since 1994 (27 years ago). Where was Bolaji Akinyemi 27 years ago? He should tell the world. Where was he and who was he ten years ago when the first branch of MURIC (Ogun chapter) was opened?

We in MURIC Ogun chapter deem Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi’s odious vituperations as another cheap attempt to silence the unwavering voice of truth and justice which MURIC stands for. His article reeks of the frustration which all trangressors against Nigerian Muslims have been feeling in recent time.

Although he accused Akintola of always causing trouble in Nigeria, he failed to provide a single instance where the Professor or his organization caused any trouble. We challenge him to give us just one instance. Even the motto of MURIC which is ‘Dialogue, No Violence’ is enough to silence liars like him.

To our director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, we hereby pledge our unalloyed support as we continue to pray that Allah guides and guards him in the task of upholding justice for Nigerian Muslims.

Finally, we enjoin the Muslim Ummah across the country to continue to pray for Professor Ishaq Akintola, members of his family and the entire members of MURIC as a whole.

A rejoinder by Surakat Muritado Oluwasegun, Member, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Lagos Headquaters Branch.

I, Surakat Muritadoh Oluwasegun, a student activist and also a member of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Lagos Headquaters Branch. Trust me, I am not a comrade that love to use his golden pen on unwarranted issues.

However, the fact that am not always glad using my prescious pen on issues that dont require discussion, doesn’t mean I will keep mute watching without educating the ignoramoses on what they claim to know in which they lack knowledge of.

At this juncture I believe the world will permit me to Pick and educate paragraphically the loopholes in his unwarranted attack on our great organisation ‘MURIC‘ and it’s director ‘Prof. Ishaq Akintola.

For the sake of clarification I will just pick out three (3) points that I feel need attention out all.

To start with, ‘Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi’ said in his statement thus; ‘To refer to Akintola’s views as representing “An Islamic human rights group”, is to insult Islam being a religion of peace!’ This statement of has rightly clearify to us that he does not even know what human right is all about, because if he knows, he will have recognise that activism/fighting for the right of human beings come in different forms but Prof. Akintola of MURIC has choosen the best way which is dialoging, and this has made him one of the best activist in Nigeria at large and it has also shown that he stands for what Islam preaches which is ‘Peace’.

Further more, the oppressor stated in his statement that; “if the Muslims in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole know what is good for them, then this jihad ideologist should be called to order!’ It is to my surprise that a claim knowledgable man in his bias mind doesn’t know what the word ‘Jihad’ stands for, but has the Supreme Being has fashioned to explain I will start by bringing out the meaning of jihad which means ‘striving’.

Technically it means ‘striving in the cause of God’. The statement of the later asking the muslims to call the jihad ideologist to order is tantamoust to saying that all the Pastors should be called to order in their way of evangelism in their various churchies, let me remind you in case you have forgotten in 2011 when President Goodluck Jonathan emerge as the president of Nigeria and the CAN proclaim that ‘Jesus has take over Nigeria’ nobody ask them to be call to order.

Lastly, the attacker wrote in his statement thus; ‘A Judge As A Personality With Just One Human-Life. Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), is far from being a group representing Islam. MURIC is all about Ishaq Akintola and the views of his paymasters whoever they are in Lagos, Nigeria or other nations who are hell bent on Islamizing Lagos and has strategically positioned him at Lagos State University, (now Lateef Jakande University) using him to de-stabilise the peace of Lagos and Nigeria by extension!’ It is to my suprise that a Ph.D holder who make researches for his thesis is writing and publishing information out of ignorant. He later claim that Prof. Ishaq Akintola is MURIC wish means is the only one, let me quikly inform you ‘Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi’ that as at this moment Muslim Right Concern (MURIC) can boast of thousands of members across all the branchies of MURIC. And for the sake of transparence MIRIC has about twenty four (24) branchies in twenty four (24) states excluding the Headquarters.

Also he later talked about Islamization of Lagos on this I will just advice the Later to use his Ph.D research knowledge to go back to history of Lagos. Let me inform you Islam has been in Lagos 300years (i.e 3century) before christanity came on board. A question for the claimer ‘how will a person call for islamization in a state where Islam had been in the for-front?’ I will also implore Dr. Akinyemi to go back to history of the Lagos State University to know that Prof. Ishaq Akintola had been in the institution since its creation in 1984. Also I want to call the attention of Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi to the offence he had committed because he ignorantly attacked an innocent poor teacher and activist by saying he is being payed by some people in Lagos, Nigeria and Internationally. That is a defamation of character which is a serious offence.
My Advise: I hereby advise Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi to withdraw all his statement and Apologise to the entire MURIC for reducing us to one personality and to Professor Ishaq Lakin Akintola for all the defamation of character.

It Is Akintola Phobia By Hassan Sani Indabawa is the State Chairman, MURIC, Kano State.

“All Democrats are insane, but not one of them knows it; none but the Republicans and Mugwumps know it. All the Republicans are insane, but only the Democrats and Mugwumps can perceive it. The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.” – Mark Twain

The American writer and humorist, Mark Twain, might also have some religious zealots in his mind while making the above quoted remarks. For such characters, they do consider others, especially those who do not share their world view, or challenge the banality of their sobriety, as their mortal enemies. They always perceived those who provide an alternative narrative, as misfits, or even extremists.

That is exactly what a certain Dr Bolaji Akinyemi betrayed in his unmitigated caustic attack on MURIC and its irrepressible director, Professor Ishaq Akintola. In a display of a clearly agitated mind, the man resorted to character assassination by targeting Professor Akintola with intent to insolently malign and denigrate MURIC by claiming that the group is non-existing, “MURIC is Ishaq Akintola, he is all to it and all about it!”, he said.

Well, what he and his fellow mischief makers failed to understand is that, Professor Akintola has through a dint of hard work, cultivated formidable friends, associates and social networks across all the sections of Nigeria. Professor Akintola has successfully become a household name across the country by his consistent and powerful counter narrative to the displeasure of bigots and irredentists exemplified by the likes of Dr Akinyemi. Some divisive elements like Akinyemi find it very difficult to conceal their complex and envy in reacting to superior logic of Akintola.

It is common knowledge that the emergence of MURIC, with Professor Akintola as the group’s founder and leader, has put the brakes to the insane suppression and oppression of Muslims, especially in the South West, where albeit, the Yoruba Muslims formed the majority. The hypocrisy of some groups like CAN and Afenifere is being exposed with the counter narrative provided by MURIC. The consistency and the well-articulated proficiency of MURIC’s series of press releases have evidently irritated the warped minds of the likes of Akinyemi. Instead of them to counter Akintola’s interventions with logic, they rather resorted to insults and name calling.

We all know how uncomfortable many Yoruba Christian elite become with the constant expose by MURIC. When Amotekun, a supposedly Pan-Yoruba security outfit was conceived and formed, Professor Akintola challenged the Yoruba leadership on why Yoruba Muslims were ostracized and not considered to be members of the regional security outfit. He also boldly stated the position of Yoruba Muslims by distancing themselves from the baseless agitation of the so-called Oduduwa Republic. MURIC similarly challenged the Afenifere on why no notable Yoruba Muslim figure was ever considered to be appointed as the group’s leader. Professor Akintola has equally spearheaded an advocacy for the emergence of a Yoruba Muslim as the next president of Nigeria.

These and other timely interventions by MURIC is obviously what made many bigots to become wild in their verbal attacks and smear campaign against the person of Professor Ishaq Akintola.

They failed to recognize the valour and candour of an irrepressible fighter whose third name is ‘fearless’. They cannot fathom the fact that, Professor Akintola is a rare gem endowed with exceptional leadership qualities who cannot be intimidated into silence by their pedestrian engagements. Professor Akintola has succeeded in forging South-North Muslim solidarity; a rare feat achieved by extremely few Yoruba leaders.

With active MURIC presence in 27 states of Nigeria, it is only an ignorant or an insane man who would proclaim the group as a “one man Group.” With quality leadership provided by Professor Akintola, MURIC would continue to expose and challenge the hypocrisy inherent in some public engagements with mischievous groups like CAN and Afenifere. The casual bigotry of the Yoruba Christian establishment against their brothers is going to be dismantled by the constant demand from MURIC and the rest of Nigerian Muslims.

The likes of Dr Bolaji Akinyemi would do good to themselves if they can eschew chauvinism, Islamophobia and hate mongering by learning from Professor Akintola who started as a “One Man Group” but ended up forming unarguably one of the most active and vibrant Muslim organizations with formidable membership in almost all sections of Nigeria. It takes considerable sacrifice, doggedness and above all, sincerity of purpose to attain such an enviable feat without any support, unlike what the MURIC traducers thought that MURIC got its support from some imaginary sources. The group finances its activities through self-contributions by its members. But the haters cannot understand this simple truth. What they perceive is that which their hearts harbour, whether they are this or that; or whether they may even pretend to be playing Mugwumps!

Apostle Bolaji Akinyemi’s Real Grudge Against Prof. Ishaq Akintola by Shefiu Ayorinde,
Chairman, Lagos State Chapter,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

_There is no where in the world where power is given, but always taken. So, by prophetic understanding, I am so happy Lagos is taken, Kaduna and the entire North is here. Middle Belt is here. South-South is taken._

The above were the words of Apostle Bolaji Akinyemi in January 2020, in his capacity as the Convener of the 2020 edition of the Apostolic Round Table Conference, which had some Christian leaders in attendance.

As seen above, Akinyemi boastfully claimed to have subdued Lagos with his Christianisation agenda, and by extension the whole Nigeria. He could not fathom why and how Prof. Akintola, or anyone for that matter, could have the effrontery to challenge his so-called prophetic declaration. In his write-up, he stooped so low to describe our revered Prof. Akintola and the daring MURIC with so many unprintable words.

Why would Akinyemi not feel offended and begrudged? He can clearly see that the days of stomaching all forms of rubbish in the name of what he described as the Yoruba Muslims’ modest version of Islam, are over. To him and his fellow oppressors, it is modest when Muslim girls are disallowed from wearing hijab to school, when some overzealous principals enjoy the freedom of kicking against taking snapshots for external examinations in hijab, and when the local hot-gospellers connive with their foreign counterparts to unleash their evangelisation terror on the unsuspecting, impressionable minds of Muslim children, as being presently perpetrated by the Daniel Kolenda Missionary Group in Oyo State.

Still, in his write-up, he described MURIC, duly registered with the CAC, with branches in not less than twenty-seven states of the federation, as a one-man group, and arrogantly challenged the ‘secret faces’ behind it to come open ‘if indeed there is a group anywhere by that name’.

I, with a membership experience of close to twenty years, am one of your so-called secret faces. The challenge is nothing short of ignorance taken too far. When did having a personality as an arrowhead of an organisation become tantamount to its non-existence?

For instance, how many times has Apostle Akinyemi seen all the names of the members of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which is a human rights group, listed at the end of its press releases? The only name you hear and see is that of Adetokunbo Mumuni. It may interest Akinyemi to know that Femi Falana (SAN) and other notable Nigerians are on SERAP’s Board of Trustees. Do their names need to be listed in press releases for the organisation not to be labelled as being faceless or one-man? Does the fact that you are the only heard voice make your own outfit, the Apostolic Round Table, a one-man group? Apostle Akinyemi, please, grow up at 55!

Furthermore, Akinyemi described Prof. Akintola as a bigot and ‘a paid agent of those who must destabilize the Yoruba nation for their winner-takes-all brand of Islam. Paradoxically, our incorruptible Prof. Akintola derives his strength and respect from his inalienable stance on unholy partisanship. In contrast, the ‘revolutionary’ Apostle qualifies for an unparalleled religious and ethnic chauvinist. How can he, in another write-up, juxtapose his reference to Femi Fani-Kayode as being a Fulani spy for decamping to the All Progressives Congress (APC)? Will it be right and logical to describe all the non-Fulani members of the APC as Fulani spies? This shows the extent to which he has allowed his hatred for Islam to blindfold him. Indeed, Akinyemi needs help!

Akinyemi ended his condemnable piece by calling for a thorough investigation of MURIC by the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government, as should be done to a terror group like the Boko Haram. In its twenty-seven years of existence, MURIC has lived up to its motto (Dialogue, Not Violence), and has been renowned for being a formidable partner-in-progress to governments at all levels. He needs to re-google MURIC’s press releases to see its unequivocal condemnation of all forms of terrorism. How could Akinyemi reason this way in spite of brandishing a doctorate degree? Who did this to Akinyemi?

In conclusion, it is expedient that all well-meaning Christians call Apostle Akinyemi to track. Neither MURIC nor Prof. Akintola should be mistaken for his object of grandstanding.