THE Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), the umbrella body for the Muslims in South West, has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the root causes of insecurity in Nigeria.
The president of MUSWEN, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, made the call at the maiden edition of a public health lecture series organised by the body in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The theme of the lecture was ‘National Insecurity and Its Psychological Effects on the Citizens: The Islamic and Health Perspectives’.
”Nigeria today is fraught with challenges where the very fabric of society is tested by numerous threats such as persistent armed conflict, banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, kidnapping, armed robbery among others.
“These have resulted in widespread displacements, food insecurity, violence and has further worsened the economic disparities among the populace,” Oladejo said.
The MUSWEN president said that these threats not only jeopardise the physical safety but also deeply impact the psychological and emotional health, leaving scars that might linger for generations.
“As Muslims, we must come together not only to acknowledge the challenges but also to actively engage in finding solutions that uphold the principles of justice, compassion and equity laid down by Allah,” he said.
The chairman of MUSWEN Health Committee, Dr AbdulGaniy Labinjo, said the committee had carried out several programmes such as career talks for secondary school students in South-West.
Labinjo said the aim was to motivate and challenge the students to aspire to give their best and reach the pinnacle of their careers.
He said the topic was chosen to address the current realities in Nigeria and highlight the impact of insecurity as it relates to Islamic faith and physical, social and psychological well-being.
In his lecture, Dr Jibril AbdulMalik, a consultant psychiatrist with the University College Hospital, Ibadan, said good mental health and juastice were critical to curbing insecurity in Nigeria.
AbdulMalik, who was a guest lecturer at the event, said government and parents must work together to nurture children and discourage them from using hard drugs which, according to him, fuel insecurity.
“Many children have been abandoned to walk about the street without doing any tangible thing and end up becoming drug addicts and contributing to Nigeria’s insecurity, ”he said.
He called on the government to pay attention to the psychological health of Nigeria’s gallant military men who had been to the war front in order to motivate them and curb insecurity.
Another guest lecturer, Professor AbdulRazzaq Alaro, said for Nigeria to witness security, all forms of injustice must be removed and the country must have a broader perspective as regards fighting insecurity.
Alaro, a professor of Law and Shariah consultant, called on Nigerians to trust one another, saying there is trust deficit among Nigerians against the leaders and vice versa.
“We need to trust our leaders and our leaders too must trust us in order to end insecurity and also reduce the number of idle hands that could be easily recruited to perpetrate violence,” Alaro said.
MUSWEN Deputy President ll, Alhaji Wale Sonaike; the Executive Secretary, Professor Muslih Yahya; Professor Kamil Oloso, Professor Fatimo Abdukareem, Professor Muiz Durosinmi, Dr Junaid Ogundiran, Professor Wole Abbas and Professor Ayo Ahmed were among people who attended the lecture.
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