The government of Benue State has approved Friday as a workfree day. This is one of the measures aimed at cushioning the effect of COVID-19 in the state. However, the measure is to run for three months only, from 6th November, 2020 to 29th January, 2021. This is to enable civil servants in the state to harvest their farm products during the period (https://www.akelicious.net/benue-state-govt-approves-fridays-as-work-free-day/)

In its reaction to the development, the Nigerian Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which has been in the forefront of the campaign for a workfree Friday, has welcomed the three-month moratorium. MURIC described it as a half measure and a temporary relief for workers in Benue State. In addition, the group called on Northern governors and legislators to leverage on the directive by declaring workfree Friday throughout the year. MURIC’s observation came on Monday, 23rd November, 2020 through its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

According to MURIC, “The hypocrisy of Muslim-haters has been exposed by the action of the Benue State government. Our critics claim that there would be confusion if Friday is declared a workfree day. But a whole state has gone ahead to declare the day free and heaven has not fallen in Makurdi. Though the state government’s intention has nothing to do with allowing Muslims to worship, it has served as a reference point. What it implies is that a workfree Friday is possible if the political will is there.

“The onus is therefore on Northern governors and legislators to set the ball rolling. If the Benue State governor can issue a directive to declare Friday free for three months to promote a bumper harvest, Northern governors and legislators have every reason to leverage on that by introducing workfree Friday bills in their houses of assembly which the governors can pass into law.

[b]“The freedom of Nigerian Muslims is in the hands of their political leaders.[/b]Nobody is going to set them free until they are ready to break the shackles with their own hands. What is good for agricultural bumper harvest is good for robust spiritual fulfilment. It is also a wakeup call for Muslim the youth to go into politics in large number. The destiny of nations is shaped by politicians. Muslims who fail to participate in politics will be ruled by politicians who hate Muslims.

“MURIC calls on Nigerian Muslims to open their eyes very wide. Muslim families are scattered like wild oats every Friday. The father is working in the office while the mother is teaching in a school at a distant location. The children are learning in separate schools. The Muslim family cannot attend the same mosque together on Friday. Meanwhile Christian families go to the same church together and listen to the same sermon on Saturday and Sunday. This situation has far-reaching effects on spiritual development.

“What MURIC is saying in essence is that Nigerian Muslims are seriously shortchanged in the system and there is need for redress. The Northern states where Muslims are in overwhelming majority must wake up to this reality. The Federal Government (FG) is not ready to listen even though we have been on this campaign since 1993 when the director of MURIC published his 135-page book

Entitled ‘The Friday Question’.

“It is also a potential area of interest whenever FG is ready for restructuring. The gross imbalance in the recognition of days of worship for Christians and Muslims must be addressed under restructuring. Those who are clamouring for restructuring should take note because restructuring must not be selective. It is supposed to address lopsidedness in all facets of the Nigerian life.

“A system that gives Christians two days (Saturday for Seventh Day Adventists and Sunday for other Christians) but gives nothing to the Muslims cannot be described as fair or just. It is a contravention of the law of natural justice. Two out of seven days per week for Christians and nothing for Muslims is grossly unfair. Mathematicians should put that together. It means Nigerian Christians are given 104 days out of 365 days of every year to worship their God. That is a whopping 28.57%! But the Muslims are given nothing. Yet our neighbours shout to high heaven that Nigeria is Islamised and the cry of ‘Islamisation’ rents the air.

“Islamisation my foot!”

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

This thick lipped terrorist professor

Na this kind news you go find am. The people drawing this country backwards

This is the kind of news that massage Prof Mumuric's ego.

Ortom has never been a responsible governor right from onset, so not surprised with his no work on Friday in Benue which I am sure it will only be during his last term as a governor

Good one From Muric. Nigeria should retuned to it's original form. The immorality and waywardness is too much.

muric o

What does this muric man smoke

Am so ashamed that this mumuric fellow is s Yoruba man,@ Yebosola,come and carry our bloda oh.

Politicians in Nigeria have often seemed keener to uphold Christo-colonial ideas than to apply laws that give muslims freedom they have been denied of. With this, we believe Muric cause has arouse the passion it previously lacked.

Someday, perhaps, Nigerian muslims will be allowed to have a workfree friday. Suddenly, there is hope.

OfficialMURIC:
Politicians in Nigeria have often seemed keener to uphold Christo-colonial ideas than to apply laws that give muslims freedom they have been denied of. With this, we believe Muric cause has arouse the passion it previously lacked.

Someday, perhaps, Nigerian muslims will be allowed to have a workfree friday. Suddenly, there is hope.

Should Muslims be even working at all most especially the female?

Why not sit at home and be expecting manners from the sky.

The so called Muric organization is a disgrace to Omoluwabi...

Professor of Troublemaking

Yenefer:
Good one From Muric. Nigeria should retuned to it's original form. The immorality and waywardness is too much.

This paid northern bigot that is so obssessed with the south has started again

Please someone tell Muric the declaration has NOTHING to do with religion. The useless governor said that would be in place as long as the CROP HARVEST SEASON lasts.

It is simply meant to avail civil servants in the state, who double as farmers, ample time to tend to their farms, especially in the season of covid19 with the need for social distancing and all that.

Ortom is the most useless human being on the face of the earth

[s]

Yenefer:
Good one From Muric. Nigeria should retuned to it's original form. The immorality and waywardness is too much.

[/s]

OfficialMURIC:
Politicians in Nigeria have often seemed keener to uphold Christo-colonial ideas than to apply laws that give muslims freedom they have been denied of. With this, we believe Muric cause has arouse the passion it previously lacked.

Someday, perhaps, Nigerian muslims will be allowed to have a workfree friday. Suddenly, there is hope.

In Sha Allah. JazzakumAllahu Khairan sir.

I feel sorry for the state, in this time of scarcity you are declaring another work free day making it 3 out of 7... Who do una like this?

helinues:
This is the kind of news that massage Prof Mumuric's ego.

Ortom has never been a responsible governor right from onset, so not surprised with his no work on Friday in Benue which I am sure it will only be during his last term as a governor

myopic comment. Pls read the story behind the 3month workfree day before you called him iresponsible.

kingPhidel:
myopic comment. Pls read the story behind the 3month workfree day before you called him iresponsible.

That they should take Friday off so that they can harvest their farm products..

Are more productive countries in Agriculture doing that nonsense as well?

Nonsense.

...and this is a Professor??!

I don't support this rubbish..
But fairness and balance is very important still

Weekends starts on Fridays and Sunday is the first day of the week.
So why should all government and official activities wait till Monday to resume duties?
If Sunday is so sacred that it should be made a work free day then why not Fridays?
In my own opinion rest days on Sundays should be scrapped.
If I were the president all official activities would resume on SUNDAYS.
Christians can go to church and return back to work just after worship.
Economic activities should not he held standstill because a group of persons decide to worship their god on a particular day.
It is discrimination on the Muslims and traditionalists.
Saturdays should be the only REST days in a week.

NORTHERN states should have the whole week work free.
On a serious note, Nigeria should disintegrate peacefully. I'm tired of this nonsense.