Religious Injusice in RSUST by Obidara Tayyib Olumide

ALL PRAISES AND ADORATONS ARE DUE TO
ALLAH, THE LORD OF THE WORLD, The Muslim
Students of Rivers State University of Sci & Tech,
Port Harcourt are facing lots of challenges in the
school, problems ranging from Demolition of the
only makeshift mosque on campus, threatening
and harassing of
Muslim students by the lecturers, fixing lectures
during Jumaat time, Examination on Eid day
( Muslim festival day).
There is no freedom of worship as a Muslim in
the school, whereas there are more than 28
fellowships on campus with over 4 gargantuan
building for their worship. This is a sideline as
the Muslims constitute all the departments in the
school even in the faculty of law.
The struggles for the acquisition of land for
worship started back in the late 19's and early
20's, since then there have not been favorable
response from the school
management. The chief Imam of the University,
Imam Oloyede Muhyideen & Our Staff Adviser
Engr B.I Bakare have tried their capable best for
us to secure a place of worship but all have
been fruitless.
Different letters were written to state governor,
the NUC (National Universities Commission),
NSCIA (Nigeria supreme council for Islamic
Affairs), but all ended like a blowing wind.
After a period of time, a space (no structure)
was adopted by the Muslim community after
which they erected a canopy, by this medium,
Muslims on campus converge in their large
numbers to observe their prayers, until a day
which cannot be forgotten in the history of the
Muslim students in the school which was the
demolishing of the makeshift mosque on 25th
Jan 2012.
Islamic materials and personal belongings were
rubbished
to the extent that 2 of the Muslim students were
locked up during the scenario by the school
securities. This prompted the Muslim community
to take the matter to the public, press
conference were made and ended up in the
federal high court
in Port Harcourt with a suit no FHC/PHC/
CS150/2012 after which victory was ascertain by
the Muslim.
The court gave its order on Feb 19th, 2013.
Ordering the School to allocate a piece of land
to the Muslims. Despite the court injunction, the
matter still continues as an appeal was sought
by the University management which took us
back to the Federal court of Appeal, Port
Harcourt.
The matter has since then been adjourned and
later now till next year. From May 2014, then to
March, May & to October 2015,and then to March
15, 2016 and from March to Jan 17, 2017. The
Muslim students are very law abiding as we do
not protest or destroy belongings but we have
been discussing with all agents to ensure that
the land is acquired. We are imploring on all
persons who have one way or the other to assist
in the issue to put forward their assistance. We
pray Almighty Allah guide everyone of us and
admit us in AlJanat
Firdaws.( Amen )
Bro Obidara Tayyib Olumide.
08109032141
MSSN RSUST