By Bukola Hameed
Al- Mu’minaat (The Believing Women) Organisation has appealed to the government and critical stakeholders in the country to take urgent measures to stop the rabid resort to bigotry-fuelled hate speeches, extra-judicial killings and the climate of despair hanging over the country.
As a responsible organisation, we would like to appeal to the government, politicians and religious leaders to steer public discourse away from the current path of self-destruction it is surefootedly headed.
Al- Mu’minaat (The Believing Women) Organisation is a non – profit and non – governmental organisation dedicated to creating an enabling environment for Muslim women (professionals and artisans) to build a strong society for sustainable development in all spheres of human endeavours.
We have watched with bated breath the increasing resort to use of hate speech, lack of respect for the sanctity of human life, sub-human and negative characterization of fellow citizens by some narcissistic and misguided individuals. We, however condemn the quick resort to self-help in the dispensation of criminal justice administration.
As mothers, we are troubled by the case of Deborah Samuel of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto state.
We condemn the horrid and barbaric actions of the mob that committed such horrifying and cowardly act. Islam is totally against acts of jungle justice. We also condemn blasphemy in all its forms.
Muslims and non-Muslims alike should regard all religious personalities with reverence as peaceful co- existence cannot be achieved with blasphemy and disregard to prophets of Allah (SWT) including Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Isa (Jesus), may peace and blessings of Allah be on them; and any person of high esteem to any community.
In the same vein, we condemn the incessant killings of Muslim traders in the Southeast. The perpetrators of all these heinous acts should be brought to book in earnest and we urge the Federal Government to beef up the security architecture all over the country.
Whether it is for religion, ethnic or political reasons, we do not support taking the laws into our hands while the government must ensure justice is done in all cases.
Despite our diversities, we once lived in peace. Government must look into the reasons why a society that was once proud of its diversity and unity has now slipped into one with intolerance and open hostility,
Islam respects the sanctity of human life.
We are appalled by a push back to the deployment of fallacious narratives and hasty generalization in blaming all Muslims for the action of any Muslim looking individuals while at the same time being criminally mute when the rights of Muslims are flagrantly abused in the public.
We are equally worried by the increasing misuse of social media in the non-respect of diversity or purpose of group in posts; and in the unconscionable, wrong use of expletives against Muslims, Islam and Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The government should, as a matter of urgency, establish a special court of special consideration, as it was done for political cases to ensure quick dispensation of justice in cases of abuse of rights of Muslims, disrespect to religious symbols and extra judicial resort to self-help to resolve differences.
We are making this appeal because as a gender organisation, we are Mothers of the Nation, therefore, we cannot be apolitical.
Besides, the history of Islam is full of examples of the active roles played by women in the formative stages and eventually in the running of the Islamic state.
These examples include the Queen of Sheba, Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid and Aisha Bint Abu Bakr – both wives of Rasulullah, and Shifa’a Bint Abdullah; they were our precursors and we seek to emulate them. Therefore, we cannot be silent and watch our nation in decline.
In the build up to 2023 general elections, we urge Nigerians to be more tolerant of one another’s diverse opinions and affiliations for a peaceful and successful election. We call on all to practice principle-based politicking while eschewing violence.
Politicians should not use the differences in our creeds and inclinations to heat up the polity.
We also wish to call the attention of the government to the worsening economic situation in the country. As mothers, we are the worst hit by the hyper-inflation in our society. This has led to marital discords and rift between parents and children.
The effect of this has led to societal discontent as we are currently experiencing. We urge the government at the federal, states and local governments to work in tandem to find solutions to tame this monster ravaging the country.
Similarly, we urge the Government and the striking teaching and non-teaching staff in our universities to come to a round table to find a permanent solution to the lingering strike.
Our concern is that if not well handled, the situation could be used by the people with criminal inclination to recruit the students into bad companies. A continuation of the stalemate will only worsen the state of the nation.
We pray Allah assists us to understand, tolerate one another and find solutions to all the challenges facing this nation.
And, as the elections approach, we pray Allah grants this nation good and God-fearing leaders who will see their positions as a call to service and make this nation great again.