Cross River Youths Tackle 13 Brigade Imam For Criticizing Calabar Carnival

by crossriverwatch admin

For criticizing the annual Calabar Festival/Carnival, Cross River State Youths under the auspices of the All Cross River Youth Forum, ACRIYOF, have asked the State government to call, Major Ibrahim Shofolahan, the Imam of 13 Brigade Mosque in Calabar to order.

In a statement on Sunday, signed by the groups coordinator and general secretary, Bar. James Ibor and Emmanuel Unah respectively, the group said they find the criticism unbecoming of an army officer and accused the Imam of spreading extremism.

Part of the statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to the on-line publication by INFORMATION NIGERIA of Monday, 13 January 2014 wherein the Imam in-charge of the 13 Brigade Central Mosque, Akim Army Barracks, Calabar, Cross River State, Major Ibrahim Shofolahan was quoted as saying “government had been flirting the state resources in promoting ungodly things……. a situation where people go unclad on the road in the name of carnival is uncalled for.

“We find this not only on becoming of an officer of the Nigerian Army, but a seed of religious extremism and fundamentalism sown in Calabar, in a time the Nigeria State is fighting religious extremism.

“We call on the Nigerian Army to investigate the veracity of the story with the view of delivering Cross River State and Muslims in Cross River State from the poisonous tongue of Major Ibrahim Shofolahan.

“We also call on the Cross River State Government to protect the peace of the state by taming Major Ibrahim and ensuring he is never again given a platform to spread hatred and ignorance.

The group said Cross River State as the number one tourism state in the country derives huge revenue from the annual fiesta and wondered how the street party costumes could be called devilish by the Imam.

“Needless to emphasize that Cross River State is the number one tourist attraction in Nigeria. The Government derives significant revenue from tourism and Carnival. The state serene environment is an attraction to holiday makers. We do not see how artists in their beautiful and colorful costumes will in the backward lenses of Ibrahim be ‘devilish”.