Minister, Tinubu challenge clerics on unity
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello, has urged Muslim clerics to champion national unity, peace, progress and development.
Bello spoke at the 18th Extraordinary Dawrah (Forum) of imams from Southsouth, Southeast and Southwest, with the theme: Imams Unity for National Development in Abuja.
The forum was organized by Committee of FCT Imams Initiative (CFII), under chairmanship of Sheikh Tajudeen Adigun.
Represented by Malam Muhammad Bashir, Director of Human Resources Management, the minister enjoined imams to pray for peaceful elections.
“The Federal Capital Territory Administration welcome this type of forum as it will assist the administration in driving affairs of the territory and the country’’. he said.
The former governor of Lagos State said Islam had debunked any thought of racial or cultural superiority of one group over another.
Represented by his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, he said the unity of Nigerians was important to development.
According to him, no nation, society or community could develop without unity, and what binds us supersedes what divides us.
“I’m delighted that this forum is being attended by 17 imams from southern part of this country that are here to brainstorm.”
He hailed the CFII for promoting unity among Muslims to enhance national unity and development.
Sheikh Adigun earlier explained that the conference was to remind the imams of Islamic brotherhood and unity.
He said Allah had mentioned imams in the Holy Qur’an, adding that the primary duty of imams was to guide the people through commandments of Allah.
He explained that Imams must maintain the guidance of people as stipulated in the Qur’an and the teachings of prophet Muhammad.
He, therefore, urged Imams to champion the fight against corruption, noting that the best way to fight corruption is to connect man to his creator.
“ If people fear Allah they will not steal. No amount of security votes, EFCC and ICPC can stop insecurity or corruption except the fear of Allah.
“ Imams need to do a lots in fighting corruption but they themselves must be clean from corrupt practices because they cannot fight it if they are involved in it.”
On his part, Dr Haroun Ogbonnia, Vice President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), said the conference would “elevate the status of Imams from the level of beggarliness to self reliance.
“ It is good that they have brought us from the Southern part of the country so that we can discuss our predicament which is more unique”.
