Blasphemy: Kano Islamic Groups Demand Sacking of French Nationals

The Kano State Coalition of Ulama and Non-Governmental Organisations, comprising of Ulama and Muslim academics, have called on Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to disengage all Frenchmen in the services of the state government.

They also called for the immediate replacement of French language with Arabic language in the curriculum of all public schools in the state.

The call was made in a communiqué signed by the coalition’s Organising Secretary, Dr. Saidu Dukawa, issued on Sunday at the end of a public lecture where the coalition expressed its disapproval and condemnation of what it termed French blasphemy sketches.

The communiqué, made available to journalists in Kano yesterday, commended the Kano State Government for its swift action in renaming “France Road” as Madina Road.

The communiqué read, “The cartoons/caricature, which the French history teacher mocked his Muslim students with, are in contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as it affects the right to choice of religion.

“The French President, Emanuel Macron, was not only insensitive to the feelings and sensibilities of the six million Muslims in France, and by extension that of the close to two billion Muslims worldwide, but his action is also acrimonious, hateful, venomous and vile.

“The subsequent crackdown on mosques and Muslim schools in France by Macron is tantamount to matching words with action that Macron and his administration are all out to fight Muslims.

“Consequent upon the foregoing observations, the coalition resolved that Muslims worldwide should consider Macron and his administration as paragons of Islamophobia.

“The coalition supports and affirms its loyalty to all Muslim leaders who expressed condemnation for the actions of Macron and his administration and calls for continuous prayer for them.”

The coalition said Muslims must always be ready to protect the honour and sanctity of Prophet Muhammad “through all peaceful and lawful means, including boycotting French products as well as their economic, financial and political interests until France is pulled down to its knees.”

The communiqué added, “The coalition commends the Kano State Government for its swift action in renaming ‘France Road’ as Madina Road; the coalition calls on the Kano State Government to go a step further and disengage all Frenchmen in the services of the state government, such as in sports and anywhere else.

“It should also replace the teaching of French with that of Arabic language in all public schools.”