Oyo State Deputy Governor, Barr. Abdul-Raheem Lawal, has urged Nigerian religious institutions to keep up their vital role in fostering unity.
He added that the unity of the country is sacrosanct and should not be compromised.
The Deputy Governor disclosed this on Sunday during the ninth annual General Assembly of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN).
He noted that Nigeria is not really united with crisis across states in the country, stressing that religious institutions such as MUSWEN have a key role to play in promoting unity.
The Deputy Governor equally stated that poverty is not just Nigeria’s issue but also insecurity, which needs to be addressed for everyone to live in peace.
He urged MUSWEN to step in to help bring the nation together and guide Muslims towards the right direction.
His words: “Poverty and insecurity are the two major problems confronting Nigeria. And the unity of this country is sacrosanct. So, our leaders and religious institutions must continue to play a key role to foster unity.
“Poverty and insecurity must also be confronted in the country for Nigerians to live in peace.
“On behalf of His Excellency, Seyi Makinde, we appreciate MUSWEN for what they have done. We commend them on the scholarship awards just as we have also done in Oyo state for Rabbita.”
In his own brief remarks, the sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad who stated that he had been actively involved with MUSWEN since 2008, however narrated how he sponsored female students to study medicine to propagate Islam.
He commended Muswen for its scholarship award program while also urged Muslim parents to equally encourage their female children to study medicine on order to have many in the ummah.
The Sultan of Sokoto however congratulated the awardees and wished them well in their studies.
The President of MUSWEN, Alhaji Rasak Oladejo, had earlier in his remarks thanked the Chief host, Governor Seyi Makinde, for his moral and financial support to the association towards the convening of the ninth general assembly.
He also thanked the Governor for the extension of distribution of palliatives to the Muslim community in the state.
Oladejo, who spoke about the country’s current situation, commended Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s magnanimous intervention in the case of those described as minors.
He said the minors were arrested and under prosecution over their participation in August’s EndBad Governance protests.
He urged president Tinubu to use the standard and the promptness it was wielded for all issues on which Nigerias are divided.
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He added: “President Tinubu should be decisive in all issues, which can pitch a section of the country against the other.
“On the proposed tax reform bill, I urge president Tinubu to listen to the outcries from various and sections of the country. The current economic situation in the country requires serious caution to handle. The government should show more human feelings and out measures in place to mitigate the general suffering wrought on the citizenry by some of the economic policies.”
However, the president general conveyed his sincere appreciation to the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Bayo Lawal, and a host of other individuals for attending the event.
Highlights of the event were donations, and scholarship awards to outstanding Muslim students across southwest states.
The event was attended by several Islamic clerics and organizations including Alhaji Tunde badmus, and government functionaries across southwest states.
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