The Oyo State Muslim Community has commended Governor Seyi Makinde for ensuring religious balancing in the appointment of new commissioners into the cabinet.
The Oyo Muslim Community made this disclosure in a Letter of commendation jointly signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni and General Secretary, Alhaji Murisiku Abidemi Siyanbade on Tuesday, September 28.
Alhaji Sanni said the Muslim community had earlier made representations to the Governor regarding the persecution and oppression of Muslims by the Christian Management at TESCOM and by some Principals in government-owned schools.
“We also raised such observations in the appointment of judges and more importantly, lopsidedness in the composition of the cabinet; among other infractions perpetrated against Islam and Muslims.
“We lodged all these complaints, through open letters to the Governor. We will not now merely write privately to applaud His Excellency for the good thing he has done. Hence, we express our commendation publicly through this Press Statement,” he stated.
The Chairman reiterated that the community is not interested in imposing any person on the Governor, adding that, “Rather, all we urge is that, you should look for members of your Political Party who are Muslims and their Islamic virtues would motivate them to call Your Excellency’s attention to any attempt by any over-zealous public official to breach equity.
“We heartily commend Your Excellency. You have done well for beginning to hearken to our requests with this gesture of religious balancing of your cabinet,” he said.
Alhaji Sanni therefore called on the Governor to urgently look into other issues affecting the Muslims in the State, particularly the rumoured plans to return schools to Missions and erstwhile private owners.
According to him, “We would be most obliged, if the other festering issues are quickly addressed, so that we can say it anywhere that we have a listening Governor who, in spite of being a Christian is not Islamophobic.
“Additionally, rumour mill has it that, pressure is being mounted to stampede Your Excellency to return schools to Missions and erstwhile private owners. Please, do not toe this line. It is antithetical to religious peace and good governance. It is a move to take us back to the dark ages of total impunity against Islam.
“It will also further impoverish the down-trodden masses who will be forced to withdraw their children and wards from schools, when the missions and shylock school proprietors take over and start charging prohibitive fees. It will be hell on earth.
“Rather than return schools, we urge that government should improve on infrastructure and quality of education in our schools, he added
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