The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has risen in strong defence of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, condemning recent allegations against the monarch as baseless and fuelled by religious intolerance.
In a statement yesterday, the group’s founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described as “rebellious” and “malicious” the insinuations that the monarch is associated with marijuana use.
He maintained that the allegations were part of a sustained campaign by “unscrupulous elements, mud-slingers and Muslim-haters” bent on tarnishing the image of the Oluwo, whom he hailed as the most outspoken Muslim traditional ruler in Yorubaland.
“Years after his installation, Oba Rasheed Akanbi (Telu I) has continued to face calculated attempts at character assassination. It is Islamophobia at play. These anti-Islam elements still find it difficult to tolerate his bold and truthful stand on his faith,” MURIC said.
The group, while congratulating the monarch on his recent victory at the Court of Appeal, warned that persistent cyberattacks on the traditional ruler amounted to a violation of his fundamental human rights.
Akintola stressed that such actions fall within the ambit of cyberbullying as captured in Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, and cautioned that those behind the smear campaign could face legal consequences.
“To this effect, the Osun State chapter of MURIC has been directed to work closely with progressive groups in Iwo to monitor provocative utterances on mainstream and social media. Scapegoats will be made of those who persist in such recklessness to instil discipline and respect for the rights of others,” the statement added.
The Islamic rights group insisted that Oba Akanbi had already debunked the rumours, describing them as “false, baseless and unfounded,” and urged his critics to desist from further attacks.
MURIC concluded that societal sanity could only be restored when violators of human rights face the weight of the law.
