By AbdulMujeeb Olalekan Opaleye
Erudite speakers have taken turns to dissect the imbalance in Nigerian system and recommended inclusiveness as the probable way out of the misorder at this year’s annual symposium organised by Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, B-Zone.
Former chairman of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), and former commissioner in Lagos state, Dr Muiz Banire, and Professor Afis Ayinde Oladosu of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan were the guest lecturers at the annual symposium held in Ibadan.
Recommendations on how to make Nigeria a haven for all citizens were made by the duo through their lectures – Ethno-religious agitation and imperative of inclusiveness and, Redefining Nigeria’s destiny through credible polls.
The symposium themed, “The Nation’s Destiny” held on Sunday, 18 September, 2022 at International conference center, University of Ibadan, Oyo State.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Amir and Zonal coordinator of the society, Barrister Qaasim Odedeji, urged all Nigerians, especially the Muslims to partake in the forthcoming elections and vote for people of good character and piety to ensure good governance in the country.
“I call on all the stakeholders especially the politicians and their supporters to play the game of politics in accordance with the rule. Electioneering campaigns should focus more on issues”, he stated.
Meanwhile, Dr Muiz Banire (SAN) who still held Nigeria was in search of nationhood, opined the country needed to get census right in order to ensure equity, illiteracy must be tamed and, fiscal allocation must be addressed to subdue ethno-religious agitation in the country.
However, in his presentation, “Redefinig Nigeria’s Destiny through credible polls ” the former Dean of Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan and former National president of MSSN, Prof Afis Oladosu extensively highlighted the issues of electioneering and proffered solutions to have a credible, trustworthy, conclusive and satisfactory election in Nigeria.
“To achieve credible election, attention should be paid to at least seven systems; regulations (the electoral law and its products (INEC), court processes (the judiciary), security agencies, voters-harlots-ready to be bought, section 121 of the electoral law, media-hate speech, disinformation, civil societies, the clergy-in the underground, in the gobbledygook, wearing cassocks of confusion of animus and, shawls of hatred”.
Eminent personalities at the symposium are Deputy Governor of Oyo State, ably represented by Mr Zakariya Kunle Sanni, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, represented by Barr. Musbau Oyefeso, national Amir of the society, Mallam Sheu Uthman Abubakr, Chief Imaam of Ibadan, Sheikh Abubakr Agbotomokekere (represented), and Former national treasurer of ASUU, Professor Ademola Aremu.
The list included Dr Amoo Alaga, Professor K. K. Oloso, Professor Abass Alade from LAUTECH, Professor Tayo Lamidi from the University of Ibadan, and Professor Zakariya Balogun, former zonal PRO of MSSN, Professor Abideen Olaiya and a host of others.