Press Release: MURIC CAUTIONS NEW SULTAN: DEMANDS SEPARATE LEADERSHIP FOR NSCIA 3rd November 2006

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) congratulates the newly appointed Sultan of Sokoto, Col. Muhammad Sa’id Abubakar and prays that he enjoys a peaceful tenure.

MURIC however wishes to call the attention of the new Sultan to the agitation of Nigerian Muslims spanning a long period of more than ten years during which demands were made for the separation of the Sultanate from the headship of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). We note that the late Sultan Maccido promised to look into the matter and a committee was set up in July 1996 to reform the NSCIA. Unfortunately such reform did not see the light of day until the death of Maccido.

The appointment of the new Sultan (Col.) Abubakar and indeed those of his predecessors were done without any consultation with the rest of the Nigerian Ummah (Muslim community). Col. Abubakar’s appointment as Sultan of Sokoto is in order if his designation, role and power are limited to the Sultanate but unacceptable if these are extended to the leadership of the NSCIA.

We remind the new Sultan that first and foremost he is a traditional ruler and by the laws of Northern Nigeria (Section 6 of Cap 26) a traditional ruler can be removed by the state governor (as it happened to former Sultan Dasuki). This places the entire Muslims of Nigeria in a precarious position. MURIC is therefore opposed to the idea of any traditional ruler heading the NSCIA in particular or any Islamic organization in general.

The constitution of the NSCIA, Article 7 (a) tied the hands of the Ummah by stipulating that only the Sultan of Sokoto can be the President-General of the umbrella organization. MURIC rejects this provision. It is archaic, feudalistic and oppressive. More importantly, it contravenes the provisions of the Glorious Qur’an which states that affairs of Muslims must be decided after due consultation (Qur’an 3:159; 42:38).

We affirm that no individual or group of Muslims have the right to set aside this divine provision. The days of passive leadership and sheepish followership are gone. We therefore ask the new Sultan not to allow himself to be deluded into taking steps capable of leading him to a headlong collision with the rest of the Ummah. There is no single credible Islamic organization in the country which accepts the Sultan as the leader of the NSCIA.  

The new Sultan must demonstrate his true adherence to the teachings of Islam by confining his designation and role to the Sultanate. We advise the Sultan to consult the Secretary General of the NSCIA with a view to convening a Conference of All Nigerian Muslims (CANM) for the purpose of selecting a new leader for the NSCIA and reviewing the constitution.

The new Sultan will remain relevant in the scheme of things within the NSCIA as a most highly respected royal father even after a separate, non-traditional leader has been chosen for the NSCIA. Even the reviewed constitution must contain a clause recognizing the Sultan’s revered position (including that of the Shehu of Borno). MURIC is not scheming to humiliate Muslim elders, rather we will continue to hold them in reverence particularly if they do not constitute clogs in the wheel of progress for Islam and if they listen to the cries of the followership. Irrational radicalism is not in consonance with the true teachings of Islam. Neither does our religion condone any form of rascality.

We charge the duo of the new Sultan and the Secretary General to act now in order to save the Ummah from the embarrassment of popular confrontation after which the Sultanate may not be the same again. MURIC will watch the situation for the next thirty days after which it will be constrained to set in motion a chain of legitimate and non-violent actions to emancipate Nigerian Muslims. This is a task that must be done. Nigerian Muslims reject the status quo.

The Ummah is weak. The Muslims are the dregs of society. They are the street beggars. They do the poorest jobs. They are not respected by anyone. Their Allah-given and fundamental human rights are violated with reckless abandon. Yet the Sultanate has never shown any concern for their plights. What justification, therefore, can the Sultanate have to lay claim to a born-to-rule status?

MURIC calls on well-meaning Muslim leaders all over the country to intervene now before the situation degenerates. We advise Muslim youths to remain calm. Islam is a religion of peace. Acts of terrorism, arson and violent protests tarnish the image of Islam. Our religion has in-built mechanism for the resolution of crisis and dialogue is most preferable.

Dr. Is-haq Akintola                                               Abdul Yakeen Williams
DIRECTOR                                                            Public Relations Officer