Rap Artiste Falz has reacted to Islamic group, The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)’s lawsuit threat Says its Baseless.

– He says the lawsuit is baseless and uncalled for
– The singer says his father is cool with the song This Is Nigeria

Since rap artiste Folarin Falana aka Falz released the video of his
song, This Is Nigeria, it has been greeted by many criticisms with the
major one from Islamic group, The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) .
The lawyer-turned-singer has reacted to MURIC’s threat of lawsuit. He
also spoke about his father legal luminary Femi Falana’s reaction to
the song.

The Muslim Rights Concern, claims of disrespect to Islam in using girls

in hijab in This Is Nigeria video and reason behind the scene

I think it is very clear what that scene represented in the video. The
message is very clear because the girls there symbolise the constant
issues and troubles that face the innocent girl child in Nigeria,
especially in the northern part of Nigeria. They have been victims of
kidnappings and we have the case of the Chibok girls and recently the
Dapchi girls. Till date, most of the Chibok girls have not been found
while a Dapchi girl is still held captive. That is what those girls
symbolise. I feel everyone got the message and it is absurd that a
group of people like MURIC alleged that it is a hate video. I do not
think that makes sense in any way because in the same video, I spoke
about other issues like insecurity, corruption, and I even talked about
pastors. No Christian has come out to say that it is a hate video; so
what is MURIC talking about? I do not really understand them.

And girls in hijab dancing Shaku Shaku, a secular dance step

If you noticed, I was dancing as well and the dance was symbolic. The
dance was symbolic of entertainment being a distraction from
everything that is happening in our society. Shaku Shaku is the most
popular dance step in Nigeria and it is currently in vogue; it is pretty
clear that with all that is happening, everyone is embedded and carried
away with the dance culture. I was just trying to say that everyone is
too carried away with entertainment that they seem to forget all the
things that are happening right in front of our faces.

Was he expecting the song to generate controversies especially from

Nigerian Muslims?

I expected reactions, conversations, controversies but I did not expect
that anyone would allege that it is a hate video or that the video
would incite violence. There is no way that a video like that would
incite violence.

MURIC and the alleged lawsuit, how true is it?

Yes. I feel it is very funny because there is no cause of action, to be
honest. There is no law that is against young ladies dancing in hijab.
There is absolutely no basis for a legal action, I mean, people dance in
hijabs all the time in movies and parties. In fact, designers have made
sportswears that have hijabs, so why are they not saying that is
disrespect to the religion? I think it is a baseless allegation. I have the
utmost respect for Islam as well as every other religion but what I
think our people need to focus more on is how to get away from being
religious fanatics. It is one of our biggest problems and it was an issue
I addressed in the same song and visual.

On his preparedness to meet MURIC’s lawyers in court. He said:

If there is really going to be a court case, of course, I am prepared but
there is none; there is no case here and I do not think it is anything
that would hold water in any court. If they were to institute
proceedings, I do not think it is something that would see the light of
the day because there is no cause of action.

Will this stop you from being an activist through your music?

I am very prepared and I know that social conscious songs like this do
not come without repercussions and reactions. They do not come
without backlash. It is something I have thought about and it would
definitely come my way but if you are going to speak the truth, then
you have to stand for what is right. This is something I am going to
continue to do and I would always stand for what is right.

What’s your father’s reaction to the video and the controversy it has

generated?

Political commentary and socially conscious music is something my
father has always encouraged me to do; so he was happy when this
came out.