For Nigeria to secure an enviable position within the global comity of nations, her citizens must enjoy enduring peace, security and stability within their national borders, and this must in turn bring about developmental dividends that will improve the lives of generations of Nigerians to come, this was the consensus at the University of Ife Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA) 2021 luncheon.
The Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Prof. Abdul-Lateef Oladimeji, who was the guest speaker at the UNIFEMGA 2021 luncheon, said Nigerian leaders should exhibit honesty, transparency and the fear of God in their activities so that Nigeria shall continue to enjoy the spirit of true multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. Oladimeji also stressed the need for policy makers to be sincere, realistic, practical and pragmatic in their approach to policy making. Lamenting that the Nigerian government had continued to battle with all sorts of insecurity for over a decade, he said protection of life and property of citizens should be the greatest priority. “This is because if there is no security, the country would be at a standstill. An atmosphere of peace and tranquility is germane to development, just as it is critical to harmonious living, investment flow and good governance,” he said.
Oladimeji also recommended that government should address poverty alleviation as well as economic empowerment in the country so that idle hands would not be used for creating violence and insecurity in the country.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria should address more sincerely the problems of the Almajiris with the view to properly engaging them in meaningful skills so that mischief makers do not employ the innocent youths for criminal activities.
“Nigeria should be properly overhauled in order to meet the requirements of Nigerians on democratization. The present political office holders create more problems than solutions by their flagrant promotion of corruption at all levels of governance,” he stated.
He, however, urged Muslim elite to form a group such as UNIFEMGA that would work in tandem with the Qur’anic position on being a vanguard for peace, progress and prosperity.
He said: “Islam being a perfect religion has made provision to solving all human problems including leadership and followership. The elites in Nigeria have constituted a strong power block. A quick reminder for us all to reflect on the Islamic solutions. “The cotemporary Nigerian elite should mirror their lives in accordance to how the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his rightly guided caliphs lead their people. They should initiate programmes that would bring about meaningful development in the areas of socioeconomic and politico-educational spheres of Nigeria.
