LAGOS, Nigeria – A major Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has raised a strong objection against the Lagos State Government, accusing it of marginalizing Muslims in key educational appointments.
The group is demanding that at least three of the six Tutor-Generals overseeing the state’s educational districts should be Muslims.
This demand comes just days after MURIC clarified that four of the nine newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in the state are practicing Muslims. The group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, stated that while that appointment was balanced, the same cannot be said for the educational sector.
According to Akintola, all six current Tutor-Generals in Lagos are Christians, a situation he describes as a “monopoly” that undermines peaceful coexistence. He argued that a cosmopolitan city like Lagos should reflect its diversity in its appointments, especially since Muslims also voted for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“Only fair sharing can promote peaceful coexistence. There can be no genuine togetherness or sense of belonging where one group is given the licence for monopoly while the other is marginalized,” Professor Akintola said.
MURIC alleges that “procrastination and bureaucratic gimmicks” are used to prevent qualified Muslims from attaining headship positions in the civil service. The group claims that appointments are sometimes delayed until Muslim candidates reach retirement age or are denied promotion to the highest level until they retire.
“We reject monopoly and marginalisation. We have more than enough eminently qualified Muslims for those positions,” Akintola asserted.
The group warned that the state cannot advocate for religious tolerance while its actions create division, using a Yoruba proverb to drive home its point: “Ajoje o dun benikan o ni” (We can only be happy together if we are all comfortable).
As of now, the Lagos State Government has not issued an official response to these allegations. The demand puts a spotlight on the delicate issue of religious balance in political appointments in Nigeria’s most populous city.
