• Tasks government to prioritise agriculture to tackle poverty, hunger
Towards promoting national development, the founder of Lutful-lahi International, Sheikh Robiu Adebayo Abdul Malik, has advised the government to prioritise farming, noting that agriculture can be used as an effective tool to fight poverty and overcome unemployment.
He identified food insecurity as the major challenge of the country, attributing this to the neglect of agriculture sector.
Speaking during the 2023 Maolud Nabiyy celebration of the group in Lagos tagged ‘Orofun 2023’, Sheikh Malik said the commemoration of the birth of the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW) every year is a way of showing respect and adorning the messenger of Allah.
“It is imperative for Muslims, Jinn and angels to send salutations to the messenger of Allah (SAW). As we all know the name of the one, we love cannot cease from our mouths. Maolud can be celebrated in many ways and forms, it can be done in the form of large gathering as it is being staged here today whereby we pray, send continuous salutations to the Holy Prophet and emphasise its exemplary lifestyle.”
Abdul Malik assured that Nigeria’s economy will be transformed and there will be a boost in growth over time, noting that the scrapped fuel subsidy is laudable.
“No president will ever wish his country failed! I had said earlier Tinubu would emerge as Nigeria’s president and at the beginning, things will be difficult but gradually ease will come. The economic situation cannot change at once, it is a gradual process. The same way we come to the world, we spend some time in the womb before we are born, after which it takes time before we grow to be less dependent.
“Subsidy removal is right, even though it is against some people’s wishes. Those who are against it knew that it was right but their motive and wishes is for the president to stumble,” he said.
He assured that Nigerian’s suffering will be alleviated very soon.
“One way of achieving this is the government making agriculture attractive and ensuring each state of the federation goes into agriculture. Each state must leverage more on crops peculiar to their state to yield more. It is only through agriculture that people’s standard of living can be improved not white-collar jobs.”
“For somebody like me who is known as a cleric, I’m also a farmer, I have palm kernel trees over 10,000; cashew trees, 15,000; date trees, 10000 and others, purposely for the benefit of citizens. I prefer to plant crops that take years before you can reap their fruits because I’m not into it for profit making, I sell lower to market price to consumers as a means to empower people.
He urged the government to prioritise farming and make it attractive to the young generation.
“Government should provide incentives to farmers to encourage more people to go into farming and loans, fertilizers and seedlings should be made available to rural farmers.”
He condemned the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, calling on the United Nations to intervene as peace must be enforced.
Chairman Ibeju-Lekki Local Council, Abdulahi Olowa, commended the founder of Lutful-lahi International, for deeming it fit to organise a special prayer for the president, his local council and the country at large.
“I thank Almighty Allah for allowing me to witness this year’s Maolud Nabiyy and I thank our father, Sheikh Robiu Abdul Malik for the special prayer. I’m equally happy because this is happening in my local council and the focus of the programme is prayer for the country. I pray to Almighty Allah that all the prayers said here today, may Almighty Allah accept them and it will come to fruition,” he prayed.
