Indigenous Muslims in Delta kicks over their exclusion from Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board

 By Ovasa Ogaga,

Indigenous Muslims in Delta State has kicked against their exclusion from the reconstituted Delta State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board by the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, rejecting the composition as one-sided and as an attempt to enslave Delta Muslims.

They frown at the total exclusion of Indigenous and Urhobo Muslims from the Delta Central Senatorial district in the 6-man reconstituted board, noting that the board is mainly made up of non-indigenes, from Delta North Senatorial District.

In a press statement signed by Issah Ogagu, on behalf of Muslims of Delta State, they called on Governor Okowa reverse its decision because doing otherwise will amount to the government handing over the state to Fulani herdsmen.

They threatened to make the state ungovernable if the situation is not corrected, noting that they will resist any attempts by the state government to make them second class citizens in their state, stressing that the action of the governor amounts to re-colonization.

They also accused the state governor of appointing a primary school leaver, as the chairman the Board in a state where they have qualified lawyers, engineers and other sound professionals and Islamic scholars, noting that it will breed bad blood amongst Muslims in the state.

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The statement reads in part: “We, Muslims in the state wish to reject the composition of the board as it is one-sided, does not reflect the true character of the state. The Delta Central Senatorial district is deliberately omitted or schemed out. The board is mainly made up of non-indigenes, from Delta North Senatorial District. The composited is as follows:

Alhaji Auwalu Tukur (Arewa) Chairman – Delta North; Dr Ismail Ekudaye (Yoruba) Secretary – Delta North; Dr Afolabi (Yoruba) Member – Delta North; Dr Elunor Mohamed (Anioma) Member – Delta North; Alhaji Jauroh Suleman (Arewa) – Member and Haji Maryam Muhammad – Member – Delta South.

“We wish to categorically reject the composition as it will amount to re-colonization. How can the state government appoint virtually non-indigenes into an affair of the state? The action will breed germs that will germinate crisis in the nearest future as the government is systematically handily Delta State to Fulani herdsmen.

“Apart from the one-sided appointment, a primary school leaver was appointed as the chairman the Boardin a state where we have qualified lawyers, engineers and other sound professionals Islamic scholars.

“We call on the state governor to urgently reverse the composition without further delay. We have no other state than Delta. If the situation is not corrected we will make the state ungovernable. We are already contending the appointment of Sadiq Musa an Edo indigene to represent Delta State in the National Hajj Commission which we are challenging in the Federal High Court, Warri, we have not gotten out of it yet, again the Delta State government has added more fire to the already tensed situation in the state.

“It is enough of the oppression; the state government cannot deny us of our right in our own state,” the statement added.