Brethren, public sphere, in the last two weeks or thereabouts, has been inundated with reactions to a statement issued by a certain faceless group pseudo named: Oodua-Isedale-Muslim-Christian-Council (OIMCC).
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Perhaps, the statement, reportedly released on August 15, 2023, in Ile-Ife, Osun State, could have been ignored, but for its incitement and threat to the life of the Director, the Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof. Lakin Akintola, it, therefore, caught the attention of Muslim individuals and organizations across the country.

Titled: “Warning to Religious Extremists, Akintola, CAN and his co-bigots in Yorubaland,” the statement portrayed OIMCC as war mongers targeting specifically, MURIC leader, Prof. Akintola. But the anonymity gave the group out as cowards who are bent on stoking fire behind the veil.

In addition to labeling Islam and Christianity as foreign religions, the group went on to insinuate that, “there is a plot, being fanned from abroad by violent extremists and mischievous colonial lords, to sponsor religious violence and polarise Yorubaland along religious lines and push a decent, credible and harmonious homeland to the path of Lebanon.”

The statement went further: “This is why we are sending strong warnings to Christian Association of Nigeria and Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, not to turn Yoruba territory upside down. We also warn the Oluwo of Iwo, that we shall not allow him to implement his foreign sponsored mission of polarising Yorubaland along religious lines. These people are feeding fat on human blood. They want the religious crisis to justify more dollars for themselves. Both Ìsedale, Islam and Christianity are religions of peace. We see no reason why any reasonable and decent individuals should not see beyond their profit- driven interests to realise that fanning religious violence will first consume them and their children.”

With the smokescreen over, OIMCC unmasked its target, thus, “One Ishaq Akintola is notorious for his thirst for blood and his penchant for violence, provocation, filthy and
c posturing. He is sponsored by violent extremists and his desperation to see Yorubaland boil and spill over into blood is well known and consciously pursued by him.”

Muslim organisations all over Nigeria are unanimous painting OIMCC rightly as having declared war against Islam and Muslims in Yoruba land.
In its statement, Muslim Action Against Aggression and Oppression, MUAAO, is alarmed “by horrendous lies, grave allegations and sectarian profiling mischievously hurled against the person of our highly respected voice, Prof. Ishaq Lakin Akintola. The threat against him; his family and group is taken as a threat to all Muslims all over the world. WE ARE NOT TAKING IT LIGHTLY! A THREAT TO ONE, IS A THREAT TO ALL.”
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In the event of any expected violent action against Lakin Akintola or any other Muslim, from this moment on, MUAAO warned that the nation should expect appropriate response from Muslims all over the world. “No one has monopoly of violence. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”, the coalition of Muslim organisations, respected Imams and Alfas declared.

“We, hereby, put the governors of Yoruba states in Nigeria on permanent notice and violence alert of unimaginable proportion as they shall be held responsible for producing these fictitious elements and their sponsors when the need arises and it is going to be soon. We are confident of their competence to do this and stop these elements from making Yoruba states ungovernable by these irresponsible actions. The governors know the source of the pressure for declaring holiday for Isese festival. A word is quite sufficient for the wise!”

Also alerted are the security agencies in Nigeria, especially, the National Security Adviser, the Directorate of Security Services as well as the Inspector General of Police, among others.

Believing that allegations raised by the OIMCC can be discussed through constructive engagements, Chief Imam and Professor of Communication and Language Arts, Department of English, University of Abuja, Toafiq Adesina Azeez, who signed MUAAO’s statement urged “the fictitious OIMUCC to own up, show up in real names and contact address and make themselves available for engagement.

“We urge them to be informed that the activities of Lakin Akintola and MURIC are largely endorsed by the Muslim Ummah as a voice in their specific assignments. This is a tip of the iceberg. We do not dare, but we strongly advise that no one should take the risk of ‘crashing with the ice berg.’

“The proposed engagement becomes imperative to educate OIMCC as the group displayed, through its release, what Prof. Azeez termed, shameful epistemic suicide as reflected in the claim of peaceful co existence of Yorubas before the advent of Islam and Christianity.
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“It is shameful that the ignorant writers committed epistemicide by this claim, by attempting to kill history which is replete with overwhelming internecine wars among the Yorubas that is sustained till date with Ife- Modakeke shameless war of recent time in reference. We are tragically amused by the declaration of war by a faceless group, claiming to represent the Yorubas, against Islam and the Muslims in Yorubaland. We view this as another display of ignorance of history by these miscreants because Muslims have never been defeated by polytheists and it will not happen now.”

Most important, the engagement will create avenue to enlighten the so-called Muslims among the OIMCC as proper understanding of Chapter 109 of the Holy Qur’an quoted above will negate their association with this faceless group.

It should be recalled, as explained in Sayyid Qutb’s In The Shade Of The Qur’an, that when Prophet Muhammad (SAW) declared his religion to be that of Abraham, the polytheists of the time in Makkah argued that there was no reason for them to forsake their beliefs and follow Muhammad’s instead, since they too were of the same religion. In the meantime, the polytheists sought a sort of compromise with him proposing that the Prophet should prostrate himself before their gods in return for their prostration to his God, and that he should cease denouncing their gods and their manner of worship in reciprocation for whatever he demanded of them!

This confusion in their concepts, vividly illustrated by their worship of various gods while acknowledging Allah, was perhaps what led them to believe that the gulf between them and Prophet Muhammad was not unbridgeable. They thought an agreement was somehow possible by allowing the two camps to co-exist in the region and by granting him some personal concessions!

To clear up this muddle, to cut all arguments short and firmly distinguish between one form of worship and the other, between one doctrine and concept and the other, this Chapter 109 was revealed in such a decisive, assertive tone. It was revealed in this manner to demarcate monotheism (tawheed) from polytheism (shirk), and to establish a true criterion, allowing no further wrangling or vain arguments.

Finally, if any religion should claim to be ancestral (Isedale/Isese) in concepts and practice, it should be Islam. Reason: the progenitor of human beings known in history is Adam and his religion as established by the Qur’an is Islam, hence, Muslims are the true followers of the ancestral religion.

“Our Lord, do not make our hearts deviate after having guided us, and bestow on us mercy from Your Presence; You are the Giver.” Aameen! Jumu’at Mubarak.
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