The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has asked Nigerians to ignore a warning
made by Enoch Adeboye, general overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of
God (RCCG), calling it a “prophesy of doom”.
Adeboye had last week warned that Nigeria as it is presently constituted
may cease to exist if killings continue. He also added that 2019 elections
may not hold.
In a statement by Ishaq Akintola, director of the group, MURIC described
the statement as a “message of doom”.
He said nations are not run on prophesies and divisive messages but on
industry, love, fortitude, unity, honesty and determination.
“We recall that killings and cattle rustling did not begin yesterday.
These attacks have been there since the early 60s. It was not Nigerians
who were attacking themselves but cattle thieves and criminals from
neighbouring countries like Niger, Chad and Mali,” Akintola said.
“These invasions from other countries have continued till today due to
Nigeria’s porous borders. But Nigerians exploit religious rivalry and
acrobatic religiousity instead of engaging in diligent investigations. We
are blaming ourselves for nothing.
“Still going along the lanes of history, a few years back, Nigerian
Christian leaders initially accused Muslims in the country of sponsoring
Boko Haram to kill Christians. All denials fell on deaf ears. Foul
language was used. Provocative statements were issued. Nigerian Muslim
leaders exhibited patience throughout those terrible days. Today, the
picture has become clearer to the Christian leaders as Boko Haram has
killed more Muslims than Christians (including an Emir) and destroyed more
mosques than churches.
“The truth is that both Christians and Muslims are victims of killings,
though Christians may have the advantage of media support to use killings
on its side as a propaganda tool. The Nigerian media hardly hypes reports
of Muslim deaths, nor do they report them correctly with their religious
affiliation.
“Meanwhile, Muslims do not use their dead victims for propaganda because,
as a rule, Muslims bury their dead speedily whereas Christians delay the
burial of their dead and openly display them. But the fact is that the
monkey is also sweating, but the hair on its skin may not allow people to
see it.”
Ishaq said Nigeria had become a land where Shakespearean lines must be
actualised: “When beggars die, there are no comets seen. The heavens
themselves blow forth the death of princes.”
“Thus when Muslims are killed, the Nigerian media uses captions like “85
killed in Maiduguri Explosion” or “76 Die as Hoodlums Invade Zamfara
Village”. But when Christians are killed, the language and style change.
The caption is “Fulani Herdsmen Murder 22 Christians”,” he said.
“It is for this reason that Pastor Adeboye needs to direct his warnings at
the Nigerian press, not at the government. Government is not escalating
the crisis. Their asymmetrical reportage poses great danger to peaceful
coexistence in a multi-religious Nigeria.
“Pastor Adeboye should also note that things are not usually what they
look like from a distance. Benue militias have been caught disguised as
Fulani herdsmen. None of the hoodlums caught by the military in the
ongoing operation in Benue could speak Fulani language, yet they dressed
like Fulani herdsmen and carried AK47 rifles.
“Fake military camps have also been exposed in the same Middle Belt.
Militiamen arrested have confessed that the Christian state governors are
their sponsors. So, why does Adeboye refuse to acknowledge the killing of
Muslims? Who are the Benue and Taraba militiamen killing?”
He, however, appealed to Adeboye to refrain from making inflammatory
statements and to also persuade his “junior priests to water down their
firebrand ‘proselytisation”.