Muslim groups condemn Afenifere for comparing Igboho to Prophet Muhammed

Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC and The Muslim Public Affairs Center (MPAC) Nigeria has condemned the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, for comparing embattled Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho to Prophet Muhammad.

In a statement released this week, Afenifere compared Igboho’s current plight in Benin Republic with Prophet Muhammad’s in Madinah.

‘’We recall that Moses had to be taken away from the prying eyes of Pharaoh and his agents in Egypt. Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W) too had to leave his hometown, Mecca for Medina to escape persecution. Thus, there is nothing wrong in Igboho seeking a respite first to preserve his life and perhaps to re-strategise,” said the group.

Professor Ishaq Akintola, director of MURIC, described Afenifere’s comparison as sacrilegious, outrageous, and audacious. MURIC asked Afenifere to apologise, the group was advised to compare Igboho to any of the Yoruba heroes if they must idolize him.

The statement in part reads: “Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has compared Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a. Igboho, to Prophet Muhammad. This is totally unacceptable. It is not only sacrilegious but outrageous and audacious. Afenifere has manifested categorical desertification of discernibility coupled with an alarming height of hero-worshipping. It is provocative, preposterous, repugnant and nauseating.

“The circumstances surrounding the migration of Prophet Muhammad in 622 C.E. to Madinah differ a lot from those that sent Igboho to Benin Republic in July 2021. Muhammad was invited to Madinah by the Madinese, whereas Igboho was not invited by the people of Cotonou. Muhammad was a prophet of God, Igboho is not. Muhammad’s constituency is the whole world, while Igboho’s activities are restricted to South Western Nigeria.

“It was therefore an exercise in excessive exaggeration for Afenifere to have compared Igboho to a universal prophet whose followers in their billions spread across all the continents and countries of the world.