Muslim Rights Concern slams suggestion that Sanusi came to Lagos to establish Fulani emirate

ISLAMIC human rights group Muslim Rights Concern (Muric) has expressed displeasure at the suggestion by Yoruba socio-cultural group Apapo Oodua Koya (Aokoya) that the former emir of Kano Alhaji Lamido Sanusi should leave Lagos and go back to northern Nigeria.

On Monday this week, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, removed the emir from office bringing about an end to the year-long spat between the two men, which began when the monarch appeared to oppose the governor's re-election. Following the swift removal, Alhaji Sanusi was arrested and moved to Nasarawa State and replaced with Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as emir.

However, after winning a legal challenge to his arrest and detention, Alhaji Sanusi was released and flew to Lagos where he is currently residing with his family. Since arriving in Lagos, Alhaji Sanusi has been receiving numerous high profile visitors including the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu and Pastor Tunde Bakare.

Over the weekend, Aokoya expressed its displeasure at the presence of Alhaji Sanusi in Lagos saying that he should return to his native Kano State, claiming he was in Lagos to establish a Fulani emirate. In a swift response, however, Muric described Aokoya's position as mean, callous and inhuman.

Muric director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said: “We are perturbed by the position of Apapo Oodua Koya, who are asking the deposed emir who took refuge in Lagos to go back to the north. It is mean, callous and inhuman and that statement is egregious, detestable and nauseating.

"It smirks of heartlessness, intolerance and gymnastic irredentism. Worse still, it stands in contradistinction to the concept of Omoluabi of which the Yoruba have been well known for ages.

“We remind those behind Aokoya that Yorubas are equally scattered across Nigeria. They should be wary of actions and utterances capable of inciting other tribes against the Yoruba in other places and this is the time for Yoruba leaders to caution extremist groups in their midst.

“Aokoya also claimed that the ex-emir was in Lagos to establish another Fulani Emirate in Yorubaland. Nothing could be more laughable. It is kindergarten, base and pedestrian reasoning.

“We also remind people in the southwest in particular and across Nigeria in general that Section 41 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of movement as well as freedom to reside in any part of the country. We therefore call on the government of Lagos State to provide adequate security and comfort for the former emir just as it has always done for all its citizens.

“We advise the Yoruba group to distance itself from acrobatic xenophobia and to learn the arts of courtesy, civility and kindness. It must add a human face to activism. We have no scintilla of doubt that no true Omoluabi will reject a guest in a period of travail."