The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has warned the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, over a query issued to the Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Sheikh Dr. Taliat Yunus Olusina Ayilara.
The query was issued after the Chief Imam embarked on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia without notifying the Soun.
In a statement signed by Professor Ishaq Akintola, Founder and Executive Director of MURIC, the organization described the query as an infringement on the Chief Imam's fundamental human rights and a violation of the constitution which guarantees freedom of worship.
The statement demanded the withdrawal of the query, saying it is discriminatory and could lead to religious crisis in Ogbomoso.
The Islamic rights organization said, "The Soun of Ogbomoso wants the Chief Imam to take permission before going on pilgrimage to Makkah. This is akin to asking the Chief Imam to come to the palace every morning to take permission before going for salat (prayer) because Muslims go to Makkah to worship Allah and they also observe Salat for the same purpose.
"This is a clear infringement on Allah-given fundamental human rights of the Chief Imam and a violation of Section 38(i)&(ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees freedom of worship.
"The most annoying part of the query is where the king commanded the Chief Imam ‘to immediately return to Ogbomoso’ from faraway Saudi Arabia.
"Nobody is saying the Imam should disrespect the king but at the same time it should be reciprocal. The post of Chief Imam is an exalted office and Nigerian Muslims will not take kindly to its desecration.
"Oba Ghandi Olaoye has declared hostilities on the religion of Islam and the Muslims themselves.
"We charge Oba Ghandi, a former pastor of the Redeemed Church, to stop taking Muslims for granted. He has a blurred image of Muslims as a bunch of timid, uneducated and easily intimidated subjects who do not know their fundamental human rights.
"The Muslims of today are enlightened, informed and unputdownable. Only fake Muslims are found among boot-lickers and palace-jesters.
"We can no longer trust the Soun. He is not acting like the king of Muslims, Christians and traditionalists."
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