THE Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has slammed Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, for comparing Sunday Igboho, with Prophet Muhammad and Moses in the Bible.
Recall that Afenifere had said there is nothing wrong with Igboho fleeing Nigeria because Moses ran away from Pharaoh and Prophet Muhammad fled his hometown to escape persecution.
Igboho is standing trial at the Cour De’appal De Cotonou after his arrest at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport, Cotonou, Benin Republic.
He was declared wanted by the Department of State Services (DSS) after his Ibadan house was raided and he fled the country.
But in a statement issued today, by its director, Ishaq Akintola, MURIC said the circumstances that made Prophet Muhammad migrate are different from the travails of Igboho.
“This is totally unacceptable. It is not only sacrilegious but outrageous and audacious. Afenifere has manifested categorical desertification of discernibility coupled with an alarming height of tramadolised hero-worshipping. It is provocative, preposterous, repugnant and nauseating,” Akintola said.
“The circumstances surrounding the migration of Prophet Muhammad in 622 C.E. to Madinah differ a lot from those that sent Igboho to Benin Republic in July 2021.
“Muhammad was invited to Madinah by the Madinese whereas Igboho was not invited by the people of Cotonou. Muhammad was a prophet of God, Igboho is not. Muhammad’s constituency is the whole world while Igboho’s activities are restricted to south-western Nigeria.
“It was therefore an exercise in excessive exaggeration for Afenifere to have compared Igboho to a universal prophet whose followers in their billions spread across all the continents and countries of the world.
“This, to say the least, is an attempt to diminish the immense popularity of Prophet Muhammad, whittle down the influence of Islam on the world as a whole and trivialise the essence of the Abrahamic faiths.”
The MURIC director said all the Yoruba Muslims who support the clamour for a Yoruba nation should retrace their steps.
“MURIC calls on all Yoruba Muslims who are supporting the Yoruba nation agenda to retrace their steps with immediate effect if indeed they believe in Allah and in Prophet Muhammad as the last prophet. We will not follow those who deride our prophet,” he said.
“No true Muslim will do that. They know the eschatological consequences. Any Muslim who fails to withdraw his support for the Oduduwa Republic campaign after Afenifere insulted Prophet Muhammad will be held accountable by Allah yaom al-Qiyamah (on the Day of Judgement).
“This is not a fatwah. Rather, it is a fundamental teaching of Islam that Muslims must withdraw their support from those who malign their faith.”
