"It is a hate video. This video has the potential of causing religious crisis of unprecedented dimension. It is an assault on the self-dignity of every Muslim. It is freedom of expression gone haywir," MURIC said.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum within which rapper Folarin Falana, better known by hos stage name 'Falz', must withdraw his music video, titled ‘This is Nigeria’, or face legal action.
Falz recently did a cover of Childish Gambino's ‘This is America’, featuring scenes of girls dressed in hijabs, dancing. The girls depicted the Chiboks girls who are still held captive by Boko Haram.
In another scene, a man dressed like a Fulani could be seen playing a traditional guitar, before all of a sudden dropping his instrument to kill a man.
Although, Falz has come out to explain these scenes, the Muslim group still demands an apology from him because the video “manifests ethic bias” and has a potential of “inducing religious and ethnic crisis”.
“MURIC rejects Falz’ explanation that the girls in hijab in his ‘Shaku Shaku’ dance symbolize the Chibok girls because nothing in the video indicates that the girls represent the Chibok girls,” read a statement issued by Ishaq Akintola, its director.
“At least none of the Chibok girls have been seen dancing like a drunkard. They are always in pensive mood. Do they have any cause to be dancing? Are they happy?
“The video manifests ethnic bias against the Fulani while it ignored the criminal activities of ethnic militia of the Middle Belt who have also massacred Fulani and rustled their cattle in their thousands.
“It is a hate video. This video has the potential of causing religious crisis of unprecedented dimension. It is an assault on the self-dignity of every Muslim. It is freedom of expression gone haywire.
“We therefore demand its withdrawal and an apology to Nigerian Muslims within seven days or the authors and their agents will face legal action if they fail to comply.
“Only the scenes portraying police brutality and the money-swallowing snake in the video are near the truth.”
MURIC implored security agencies and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to clamp down on the video.
“We call the attention of security agencies to this hate action,” the statement continued.
“We remind Nigerians of the outcome of similar provocative actions in the past and their unpalatable outcomes.
“The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), a regulatory agency set up by Act No. 85 of 1993 to regulate films and the video industry has a case to answer. ‘Shaku Shaku’ video was shot and released under its watch.
“Instead of going violent, Nigerian Muslims should take those behind the ‘Shaku Shaku’ video to court in order to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We therefore give notice of impending legal action against the artist behind the ‘Shaku Shaku’ video unless the latter is withdrawn and an apology is widely published within seven days.”