Muslim Group Warns NLC Against Strike on Eve of Salah

 

By Biola Lawal
A Muslim Human Right Group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has warned the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) not to resume strike on the eve of the Muslim festival of Eid -el-Kabir.

It would be recalled that the NLC had  suspended its nationwide strike on Tuesday, vowing to review the situation in a week’s time.

MURIC’s warning was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 5th June, 2024 by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

 Prof. Akintola said:

“The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) suspended its strike yesterday for one week only. The union vowed to review the situation in a week’s time.

“A quick calculation shows that NLC’s one week moratorium falls due on Tuesday, 11th June, 2024. That is approximately on the eve of this year’s Id al-kabiir (Salah).

” It has been widely reported that Arafat day is Saturday, 15th June while Salah per se is 16th. Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th June are likely to be declared holidays by the Federal Government. It will be meaningless to declare holidays during a general strike.

“Of course the final decision concerning the exact date of Salah rests with Nigeria’s umbrella Islamic organization under the able leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).

“Muslims take Salah very serious and by tradition, the whole week before Salah day proper is usually set aside for preparations by Muslim families.

“Kicking off another strike on the eve of Salah will definitely be seen as an act of hostility towards Muslims. It is probably not in the best interest of NLC to incur the wrath of Nigerian Muslims while claiming to embark on industrial action to advance the people’s welfare. 

“Muslims form a clear majority of Nigeria’s estimated 220 million people. Those who doubted and contested this projection have learned the hard way. Therefore, if it is true that NLC will need the goodwill of the people to make its strike succeed, it will be unwise to attack the sensibility of Muslims by embarking on an anti-Muslim strike.

when they should be feasting.

”We are not unaware of NLC’s nocturnal romance with a particular political party whose presidential candidate is now junketing from one mosque to another.

“We will be surprised if this presidential candidate fails to know when to call NLC to order. By the way, the attitude of NLC towards Muslims has already indicated that any government headed by an NLC favourite will be an open enemy of Nigerian Muslims.

“MURIC is not fighting NLC but the labour union should steer clear of Islamic landmarks. We are prepared to work with NLC and other groups in the interest of Nigeria but the red line which should not be crossed is our religion. We will not compromise Islam even for all the gold in the world.

“NLC should therefore note that its one week moratorium is too close for comfort. Two weeks looks more like it. That deadline will likely fall on Tuesday, 11th June. That is when Muslims will be at the peak of preparations for the Salah which, ceteris paribus, will come up on Sunday, 16th June.

“NLC should be inclusive and considerate. They should realise that there are Muslims in this country and those Muslims have the right to celebrate their Salah in peace, not in pieces. Our families should be allowed to come together during Salah. With a strike like this in Salah, NLC will scatter Muslim families like wild oats. We refuse to celebrate Salah like slaves in our land. We refuse to be oppressed. One week deadline? It had better not be.

“Should NLC insist on resuming the strike during Salah, MURIC will mobilise Muslims in all parts of the country against the strike. We will break it. We will break it because we know NLC dare not pursue a strike campaign during Christmas.

“The Muslims whom NLC has elected to ignore and has loved to hate will be its albatross. Julius Caesar was also warned to ‘beware the Ides of March’. But if NLC respects our Salah and does not resume its strike while it lasted, the union will receive our blessing.

“As we draw the curtain, our message to Nigerian Muslims is this, ‘Salah is just a few days away and we know you are already preparing for it. It is your Allah-given fundamental human right to enjoy the Salah days. We call on all Muslims North and South of Nigeria to disobey any instruction from any union that may disrupt his or her Salah. We wish you Barka de Salah in advance’. (Flowerbudnews)

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