27th October, 2023
PRESS RELEASE:
REPLACE DECEASED MUSLIM PERMANENT SECRETARY WITH A MUSLIM: MURIC TELLS LASG
An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has appealed to the Lagos State Government (LASG) to consider appointing another Muslim as tutor general in place of the Muslim tutor general who died yesterday.
The appeal was made in a statement issued on Friday by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The full statement reads:
“The Lagos State Government (LASG) lost one of its two Muslim tutor generals yesterday. The deceased, Mr. Abdul Fatai Lawal, assumed office as tutor general on 26th July 2023. He died on Thursday 26th October, 2023 after spending exactly three months in office.
“MURIC hereby commiserates with LASG, staff of District 4 as well as the Muslim Teachers Association (MULAN). We pray that Allah forgives the deceased and reposes his soul in aljannah firdaus.
“As LASG prepares to appoint a replacement for late Mr. Abdul Fatai Lawal, it is only natural that we remind government that only a Muslim will serve the intent and purpose of the office.
“It will be recalled that two Muslim tutor generals were appointed this year by the state government to placate Muslims in the state who complained about the glaring imbalance in the number of tutor generals. All the six tutor generals in the state were Christians from the inception of the Sanwo-Olu administration.
“One of the two new Muslim tutor generals, Mr. Mustapha Abayomi Amuni, retired in July 2023 and the deceased was appointed to replace him. Unfortunately, he served in that capacity for three months only before answering the call of Allah.
“We are constrained to make a case for the appointment of another Muslim to take his place. This is only fair in view of the basis for appointing the two Muslim tutor generals ab initio.
“Muslims in the state will be shortchanged if a non-Muslim is appointed to replace the deceased Muslim tutor general because the appointment of two Muslim tutor generals earlier this year was to appease aggrieved Muslims and to bring about a pseudo balance.
“Besides, LASG is not unaware of the abundance of eminently qualified Muslim teachers who will fit into such a post. There are Muslim school principals in the system who have been on level 17 for years.”
#MuslimTutorGeneral
#EnsureBalance
#LASG
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
