Hard times: Shun calls for nation’s destruction, MURIC urges Nigerians

•Frowns at call for coup in some quarters

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

As the nation’s economy continues to nosedive and pressure mounts, a faith-based non-governmental organization (NGO), the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has advised Nigerians to ignore any call capable of destroying their own country over the current bad times.
The advice was contained in a press statement issued at the weekend by the Executive Director of MUSIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The NGO specifically condemned the threat of a military coup allegedly issued by a former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, saying that such is in bad taste and most unfortunate.
The MURIC specifically urged Nigerians to ignore him (Babangida) if indeed the report is true.
The NGO noted that the military’s past incursion into the nation’s politics brought Nigeria to where it is today.
The past military incursions, according to MURIC, were characterized by lack of probity, total absence of accountability, disrespect for the rule of law, dehumanization of the citizenry, tyranny, totalitarian and dictatorship among others.
The NGO therefore declared that
military rule is a hydra-headed monster which Nigerians must avoid at all cost.
According to MURIC, “The threat of a military coup allegedly issued by the former head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida is therefore in bad taste and it is most unfortunate.
“We advise Nigerians to ignore him if indeed the report is true.
“The military’s past incursion into politics brought Nigeria to where it is today, characterized by lack of probity, total absence of accountability, disrespect for the rule of law, dehumanization of the citizenry, tyranny, totalitarian dictatorship, etc.
“Military rule is a hydra-headed monster which Nigerians must avoid at all cost.
“The worst civilian rulers are better than the best military rulers. You can change a civilian president at the polls but you are permanently at the mercy of a military ruler.
“Military rule has no timeline whereas a civilian ruler has just four years to prove his mettle or be changed at the polls.
“We therefore urge Nigerians to shun all undemocratic attempts at changing the system.
“We are aware of incitement to demonstrations and some have actually taken place.
“We admit that demonstrations are our right to express grievances but we must be wary of hijackers whose evil plans are more luciferous than that of the authors of #EndSARS
“Nigerians must not listen to those who incite them to destroy public
Only sadists can look at the hundreds of brand new luxurious buses of the Lagos State Government which were all burnt down and feel a sense of achievement”, it said.
MURIC thus advised Nigerians not to destroy their own country over the current bad times.
The group noted that great democracies like Britain, France, Canada and America are facing worse economic decline.
It therefore advised Nigerians to exercise patience and caution.
Continuing, MURIC said, “”Reports came yesterday that the economy of the United Kingdom has entered recession.
The report was quickly followed by another bad news that the economy of Japan has also slipped into recession.
“Something must be terribly wrong with the world’s economy if great democracies like Britain, France, Canada and America are facing worse economic decline.
Nigerians in diaspora have been complaining of tough times and it all began with the COVID-19 lockdown when the world’s economy was totally shut down. Things have not been the same since then.
“Nigerians have two major lessons to learn from this ugly developments. “Firstly, Nigeria is merely suffering from the bandwagon effect of a distraught global economy. We are not an island. “What is happening to the naira and the skyrocketing prices is not isolated. Neither can we blame our leaders for it. “It is a natural concomitant of events in a global village. We can only blame globalisation for it.
“Secondly, although there are reports of recession in those countries, their citizens have not resorted to violence. “Public properties are not being attacked. Neither are there threats by their military to stage coups because they are sensible enough to know that the military are not trained for politics or management of battered economies”, it said.