The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has denounced a video clip showing Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke praying at the Eid ground.
The group described the clip as laughable, despicable and detestable.
MURIC spoke on Monday, 31st March, 2025 in a statement issued by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
He said: “A video clip showing Governor Ademola Jackson Adeleke of Osun State praying at the Id ground, Oshogbo, yesterday has gone viral. The video clip is laughable, despicable and detestable.
“Those who rob Muslims of economically rewarding jobs, those who give Muslims 7 (seven) commissioner slots but give Christians (seventeen) now pretend to worship with the same Muslims. It is the height of executive pretense. It is certificated deceit. It is not only repugnant, it is also superfluous and Quixotic.
“Somebody should please advise Governor Jackson Adeleke to stop bending over backwards to please the Muslims of Osun State. He is not one of us and we know it. He should also stop listening to con artists, impostors, pretenders, parasites and fabulists. There are too many sycophants around this governor.
“We express high tension shock and unreserved sadness at the possibility of the existence of Muslims milling around the governor and encouraging him to do this. Ceteris paribus, Muslims are known to take their acts of worship seriously, and we mean very seriously, without allowing anyone, no matter how highly placed, to make a mockery of it.
“Governor Adeleke himself should watch that video clip and assess the effect it is likely to generate among members of the public. Is it that of admiration for joining Muslims in prayer or that of hysteric laughter ignited by realization of the embedded mockery? Muslims touch their foreheads on the floor during prayer, not their 7-storey building caps! That video could make Moses Olaiya (a.k.a. Baba Sala, the renowned comedian) turn in his grave.
“The video clip has sparked various reactions from members of the public especially on social media. Somebody said, ‘Wetin be this? Who send am?’ Another said, “No be wahala be this?’ Other comments included, ‘But wetin be the meaning of all ds?’ and ‘Jackson ti ya nkan’, i.e. Jackson has become something’ (https://www.intelregion.com/entertainment/lifestyle/osun-state-governor-ademola-adeleke-praying-inside-mosque-watch/#google_vignette).
“MURIC’s Lagos headquarters has also received calls and comments from far and near on this extremely embarrassing video clip. Nigerian leaders should watch their actions and inactions. The world is now a global village and we live in glass houses. Most of the calls received by MURIC
“Non-Muslim political leaders do not have to join Muslims in salat. It is enough to show solidarity around the mosque premises but don’t join us because you can’t worship Allah in whom you have no faith.
“Governor Adeleke does not have to stress himself to convince Muslims in his state that he is with them. Muslims have not been insisting that Christian governors should attend their prayer ground. What they have been agitating for is fair and equitable representation.
“The governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is a Christian. That of Ogun, Dapo Abiodun, is also a Christian. They do not join Muslims in prayer and the Muslims have never demanded their presence in their mosques. They carry themselves with dignity. They attend Islamic programmes but they do not pretend to join Muslims during worship. Jackson should learn from these gentlemen.
“By the way, is Jackson Adeleke’s salat at the Muslim praying ground motivated by guilty conscience? Is it pay-back for under-appointment and under-employment of Muslims in Osun State? Will the governor’s appearance at the praying ground on Salah day make up for the 17/7 deficit in the number of Muslim commissioners against their Christian counterparts? Who is fooling who?”
