Gbolahan Salman Sokoto
The Sokoto State chapter of Muslim Solidarity Forum has warned Catholic Bishop of Sokoto’ Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah to discontinue further attempts of disparaging their religion, apologize to them or else leave Sokoto State.
The Forum while reacting to Bishop Kukah’s Christmas message added that the respected clergy is taking their kindness for granted.
Reacting to Kukah’s Christmas message, a press statement titled Enough is Enough Kukah, read by Muslim Solidarity Forum, the Ag Chairman, Prof Isa Muhammad Maishanu said Kukah always speaks in parables, hence referring to them as, ‘a people who always have a pool of violence to draw from’.
The statement read in part, “The Muslim Solidarity Forum, Sokoto, as an umbrella body for Islamic organizations, Islamic Centres, Sufi Orders, Imams, Islamic scholars and preachers in the state has noticed with dismay the Christmas message of the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah, when he chose to attack Islam and Muslims, especially those from Northern parts of the country. He specifically claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he qualified, albeit, indirectly as a Muslim and a Northerner, has committed many acts of nepotism that if a fraction of it were to be committed by ‘any non-Northern Muslim President’, there would have been a coup in the country.”
According to Prof Maishanu, “These callous statement are unbecoming of someone who parades himself a secretary to National Peace Committee and a member of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), as such, we call on Kukah to immediately stop his malicious vituperarions against Islam and Muslims and tender unreserved apology to the Muslim Ummah or else quickly and quitely leave the Seat of the Caliphate as he is trying to break the age long peaceful coexistence between the predominantly Muslim population and their Christian guests.”
While insisting that they are not holding brief for President Muhammadu Buhari as he has those paid to so, the forum insisted that their concern is the reputation of Muslims.
“Our concern is the image and reputation of Muslims, which Mr. Kukah finds pleasure in attacking without an iota of caution, and by referring to him as a Muslim, that automatically brings all Muslims in the issue.”
The group further divulged that 90 percent of those being killed in Nigeria are Muslims hence the need to stop labeling it a grand religious design.
They called on him to act as the Bible commands, “Seek ye the truth and it shall set you free” , by embracing the pristine monotheistic teachings of Jesus.