EYE OF ISLAM
By Saheed Salawu On Oct 1, 2021
IT is regrettable that despite the abundant human and material resources at Nigeria’s disposal, the country is wallowing in abject poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment due to a lack of value system, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria has said.
The Jama’at made the observation through its Amir, Alhaji Azeez Alatoye, in a message to mark the country’s 61st independence anniversary.
However, it called on the government and people of Nigeria not to despair but rededicate themselves to the unity, peace and development of the country.
Alatoye said the organisation noticed the “spirited efforts” of the government to tackle insecurity across the land, saying perpetrators of evil and crimes against humanity must be named, shamed and made to face the wrath of the law.
He also advised President Muhammadu Buhari to cement Nigeria’s unity by fashioning ways of reining in agitations for the country’s breakup.
Alatoye said: “The entire members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria thank Almighty Allah for the survival of Nigeria as a country and its people to date. We rejoice with Nigerians home and abroad on the celebration of the nation’s 61st independence anniversary.
“The Jama’at salutes the fighting spirits of Nigerians in the face of daunting challenges in the socio-economic, political and technological spheres. Let me make it abundantly clear that Islam as a religion has no room for terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, ritual killing of human being, extortion of any kind or any act of wickedness against another fellow human being, especially the aged, women and children.
“It is rather regrettable that despite the abundance human and material resources at our disposal, the country is wallowing in abject poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment due to lack of value system.
Accordingly, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria urges Nigerians and government to renew our faith in the unity of purpose, peaceful coexistence and progress of the country.
“We are calling for political solutions to all agitations from contending groups. We believe that if there is justice devoid of pretence and deceit, we are stronger as a country than smaller units.
“We advise our President, General Muhammadu Buhari, as father of all, to call all leaders of the agitators, opinion leaders and leading traditional rulers to a crucial meeting to fashion the best peaceful and meaningful way forward. This needs to be done as urgently as possible.
The Jama’at is equally worried over political developments in the country towards the buildup to the 2023 general elections. We call on political parties to resolve their differences through internal resolution mechanism. Politics should be taken as service to the people and not as a business of seizing power to make money through do-or-die means.
“Specifically, we advise that the electoral law under review should be looked at from transparent, reliable and beneficial ways. We join the call for the electronic transmission of election results in the interest of fair play and best utilisation of technology.
“The Jama’at noticed the spirited efforts of government to tackle insecurity across the land. We believe the perpetrators of evil and crimes against humanity must be named, shamed and face the wrath of the law.
“We pray fervently for a new order and more prosperous years ahead for Nigeria.”
Categories: Africa, Ahmadis, Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Nigeria, Western Africa