Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Lagos Muslims to float new all-inclusive centre

By Shakirah Adunola
25 January 2019   |   3:42 am
The Chief Imam of Lagos and President Council of Chief Imams and Ulamas, Shaykh Sulaimon Oluwatoyin Abu-Nolla, has unveiled plans by the Ummah to establish a new Islamic centre that would focus on uplifting the cause of Islam by contributing immensely to the education, spiritual, social and economic life of Muslims in Lagos State. Abu-Nolla,…

The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule (left); The Chief Imam of Lagos State, Shaykh Sulaiman Oluwatoyin Abou-Nolla; Senator Musiliu Obanikoro representing Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Baba Adini of Lagos, Sheikh Afeez Abou-Nolla; Imole Adini of Lagos, Otunba Saheed Adeyemi Lawal and the Deputy President of NSCIA, Alhaji Sakariyyah Babalola during a one day workshop organized by council of chief imams and Ulama in Lagos.<br />

The Chief Imam of Lagos and President Council of Chief Imams and Ulamas, Shaykh Sulaimon Oluwatoyin Abu-Nolla, has unveiled plans by the Ummah to establish a new Islamic centre that would focus on uplifting the cause of Islam by contributing immensely to the education, spiritual, social and economic life of Muslims in Lagos State.

Abu-Nolla, said: “The centre will have this facilities such as: Islamic theology school for training of Imams and Ulamas, mini-library, multi-purpose hall, offices, classrooms, conference hall and seminars’ rooms, website for council of Chief Imams, a befitting Muslim cemetery, a multi purpose cooperative and harmonize collection of Zakat and Sadaqah”

The Chief Imam, who spoke at the one-day workshop organized by council of Chief Imams and Ulama, Lagos State to sensitise Islamic scholars on their role towards 2019 general elections, said the seminar is one of the strategic plans to promote unity, love and peace as enshrined in the Qur’an and traditions of prophet Muhammad (SAW).

He urged Muslims to promote unity, peace and tolerance and obey constituted authority, which is the basis of Islam.

“All of us here present, regardless of our diverse background, ethic groups, political affiliations and ideological persuasion are with the heartfelt desires that our society should be filled with love, affection and mutual understanding. It is this positive attitude and virtuous values that the vast majority of us have been praying for long and striving to attain’

He urged Muslims, the good people of Lagos State and the entire Nigeria citizens to sincerely participate in the upcoming election as a civic duty to the nation.

“We should endeavor to obtain our PVC and take time to choose our leaders wisely,” he said.

Religious clerics in Nigeria were urged to sensitise their followers in the coming elections, for Nigeria to continue to enjoy the gain from good governance.

Also speaking at the seminar, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, commended the clerics on sensitizing the masses on the forthcoming election.

She described religious leaders as influencer in the community, adding that their role is to ensure that people troop out on the day of election to cast their vote in a peaceful manner and ensure the election is peaceful.

All Progressive Congress (APC) National Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was represented by Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

He expressed profound gratitude to the organizer of the seminar saying that without peace, growth and development in whatever form will continue to be a mirage.

He charged members of the Council of Imams and Ulama to reckon with the subject of peace in their sermons for this understandable tense season of elections.

“We believe that you owe the rest of us the responsibility of sermonizing on the robust perspective of peace in the society. This is especially with regards to tolerance for alternative views as well as the obvious diversity with its different shades of manifestations across religion, ethic groups, gender as well as sociality. Do well to ensure your sermons enjoying tolerance percolate the grassroots for the benefit of all”.

The Deputy President of the NSCIA and President, Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Alhaji Sakariyyah Babalola, commended the organizers of the initiative saying this is the first time Muslim clerics are actively involved in the political affairs of the country.

He reiterated the need to evolve a Zakat institution which will address the challenge of the Ummah, emphasising that Imams of each division must take collection of Zakat serious.

The Chairman of the occasion, Imole Adini of Lagos, Otunba Saheed Lawal, said the workshop would ensure that the coming election is peaceful by informing people on the danger of vote buying and violence during election.

He urged eligible voters to use their PVC wisely warning against electoral impunity.

“If you allow your vote to be sold you are selling your future, whoever is buying your vote does not mean well. You worth more than the peanut they are giving you. A candidate that mean well for the society will nerve buy peoples vote to win election. If you have a good plan for the citizen I don’t see the reason you buy vote”, he said.

0 Comments