Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed disapproval against what it called a deliberate and calculated design to shut Muslims out of the political leadership of Ogun State.
Ustadh Tajudeen Jimoh Alao, Chairman of Ogun State chapter of MURIC, said this at a press conference.
According to him, “Ogun State, proudly known as the Gateway State, has ironically continued to shut its gate against its Muslim majority in political leadership. From 1979 to 2025, Ogun State has produced five Executive Governors:
“Four (4) were Christians
“Only one (1) was a Muslim”
He added that “This pattern is neither accidental nor coincidental. It is deliberate, calculated, and consistently maintained.
“As we speak:
The present Governor is a Christian
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) is a Christian
The Head of Service is a Christian
The Chief of Staff is a Christian
The Speaker of the House of Assembly is a Christian
The Chief Judge of Ogun State is a Christian
In the 20 Local Government Areas of Ogun State:
18 Chairmen are Christians
Only 2 are nominal Muslims, often without meaningful influence.”
Ustadh Tajudeen Jimoh Alao rhetorically asked that “If this is not religious bias…
If this is not structural persecution…
If this is not systemic injustice…
Then what is it?”
Read the full presentation below:
*MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC) OGUN STATE CHAPTER*
*SUBMISSION AT THE MURIC WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE VICIOUS AND PERSISTENT RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AGAINST MUSLIMS IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA*
*Thursday, 20th November 2025*
*At MURIC Headquarters, 5 Oba Ayoka Street, Iba Bus Stop, near Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Iba, Lagos State*
*The Founder and Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Lakin Akintola,*
*Gentlemen of the Press, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,*
*Assalāmu ‘Alaikum Warahmatullāhi Wabarakātuh.*
*1. Introduction*
We stand here today not as a people seeking privilege, but as a community demanding fairness; not begging for favour, but insisting on justice — justice long denied, painfully delayed, and dangerously ignored. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Ogun State Chapter, is compelled to raise its voice because silence has become complicity, and our patience is being wrongly interpreted as weakness.
*For decades, Muslims in Ogun State — and across parts of Southwest Nigeria — have endured vicious, persistent, and systemic religious persecution. This persecution is not subtle; it is bold, structured, and brazenly perpetuated by individuals entrusted with leadership.*
*Today, we are here to declare firmly: Enough is Enough.*
*2. Historical Marginalisation in Political Leadership (1979–2025)*
*Ogun State, proudly known as the Gateway State, has ironically continued to shut its gate against its Muslim majority in political leadership. From 1979 to 2025, Ogun State has produced five Executive Governors:*
Four (4) were Christians
Only one (1) was a Muslim
This pattern is neither accidental nor coincidental. It is deliberate, calculated, and consistently maintained.
As we speak:
*The present Governor is a Christian*
*The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) is a Christian*
*The Head of Service is a Christian*
*The Chief of Staff is a Christian*
*The Speaker of the House of Assembly is a Christian*
*The Chief Judge of Ogun State is a Christian*
*In the 20 Local Government Areas of Ogun State:*
*18 Chairmen are Christians*
*Only 2 are nominal Muslims, often without meaningful influence*
If this is not religious bias…
If this is not structural persecution…
If this is not systemic injustice…
Then what is it?
Ogun State Muslims will no longer remain silent while leadership continues to exclude an entire community from representation. Democracy thrives on inclusion, not discrimination.
3. Persecution in Education and the School System
Education — the bedrock of societal progress — has tragically become another arena where anti-Muslim sentiment is openly demonstrated in Ogun State.
a. Hijab Persecution
Our Muslim female students are insulted, harassed, and psychologically intimidated simply because they choose to obey Allah by wearing the hijab.
In many public schools:
Students are compelled to remove their hijab
Teachers openly ridicule the Islamic identity of our daughters
Muslim girls are denied entry into classrooms unless they compromise their modesty
This is not just discrimination — it is spiritual and emotional violence.
b. Suppression of Islamic Education
Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK), Arabic studies, and foundational Islamic education have been deliberately weakened. We have documented cases where:
Qualified Arabic/IRK teachers are reassigned to unrelated subjects
Islamic education is relegated to the background
Muslim students are denied adequate access to Islamic instruction
These actions constitute a deliberate attempt to distort or erase the Islamic identity of the next generation.
Ogun State cannot claim to be a centre of enlightenment while suppressing the religious rights of one of its largest communities.
4. Employment Bias and Opportunity Discrimination
Recruitment processes across state parastatals, ministries, agencies, and sensitive government offices reveal a disturbing pattern:
Muslims are systematically excluded.
Christians dominate recruitment panels, interview boards, and final selection committees — and unsurprisingly, the outcomes overwhelmingly favour their religious constituency.
This is not meritocracy.
This is not fairness.
This is institutionalised religious discrimination.
*5. On the Alleged “Christian Genocide” Comment in Nigeria*
*We must also address the controversial and politically motivated statement made by American President Donald Trump regarding an alleged “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.*
*Let it be stated clearly and unequivocally:*
*Donald Trump’s claims are baseless, misleading, and driven by political motives.*
*Nigeria’s challenges revolve around complex interactions of politics, ethnicity, land disputes, criminality, and weak governance — not a targeted genocide against Christians.*
*If Donald Trump seeks to address genocide, he should direct his attention to:*
The ongoing genocide in Gaza
The mass killings in Palestine
The humanitarian war crimes committed by Israel
Injecting false narratives into Nigeria’s already fragile environment is irresponsible and dangerous.
6. A Call for Justice, Equity, and Peace
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Ogun State Chapter is not seeking dominance.
We are not requesting privileges above others.
What we demand is equity, justice, balanced representation, and respect for constitutional rights.
We call on the Ogun State Government to:
*1. Ensure fair representation of Muslims in political appointments*
*2. End the persecution of hijab-wearing students with immediate effect*
*3. Stop the intimidation and misuse of Arabic and IRK teachers*
*4. Strengthen Islamic education at the primary and secondary levels*
*5. Guarantee equal employment opportunities for qualified Muslims*
*6. Address systemic discrimination within local government leadership structures*
*Let peace reign — but peace cannot and will never exist where injustice thrives.*
*We pray that Almighty Allah strengthens us, guides our speech, purifies our intentions, and makes this struggle a form of worship and a path toward justice for the entire Ummah.*
May Allah accept our efforts as acts of ‘ibādah.
May He protect the Muslims of Ogun State, the Southwest, and Nigeria as a whole.
Āmīn.
*Signed:*
*Ustadh Tajudeen Jimoh Alao (AAN)*
*Chairman, MURIC Ogun State Chapter*