By Bukola Hameed
The Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN) has identified literacy and skill acquisition as veritable instruments in liberating the poor and the less-privileged from poverty urging Muslim organisations to take these as their responsibilities.
This is contained in a communique issued by Executive Secretary, MUSWEN, Professor Muslih Yahya after the organisation’s Extraordinary General Assembly held at the Islamic Centre University of Ibadan Mosque Complex, Ibadan.
The General Assembly which was attended by leaders of various Muslim organisations across the six states in the southwest was chaired by the Chairman Board of Trustees of the Ummah Prince Bola Abdul Jabbar Ajibola and was represented by a member of the board and chairman Oyo State Muslim Community, Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni.
Commenting on the state of polity in Nigeria, MUSWEN contended that despite the activities of some individuals to undermine the unity of the Muslim Ummah in Yorubaland and the nation at large along political, ethnic or any sub-sectional lines, the unity of the Ummah is sacrosanct and not negotiable.
Because of the recent protests in the country which claimed lives and property, the MUSWEN urged all Nigerians to remain peaceful while the Federal Government and other levels of governments address their agitations and demands.
The MUSWEN expressed disappointment over the demolition of a mosque in the Lagos mainland which is under investigation.
The General Assembly also berated the rate of attacks on Muslims and mosques in the South East and South South of the country and called on relevant authorities to arrest injustice being done to the Muslims in those regions.
The General Assembly appreciated all the Muslim leaders and elders for standing by the Ummah despite the leadership vacuum created by the death of former President, Dr Sakariyah Babalola.
At the extraordinary General Assembly, MUSWEN unanimously appointed an Ibadan- born Development Economist and former Head of Research and Information Technology Department at Nigeria Stock Exchange, Alhaji Raski Oladejo as the new President of MUSWEN while a Chartered Accountant, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti was appointed as the Deputy President 1 for the Ummah.
In his acceptance speech, the new president of MUSWEN, Alhaji Rasak Oladejo, who was also ratified as the Deputy President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, sought the cooperation of all stakeholders promising that MUSWEN will look into varieties of programmes that will enhance the development of the ummah in the region while youths and women would be mobilized to participate fully in its activities.
MUSWEN lauded the President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaj Sa’ad Abubakar for his efforts at uniting the Muslims in the country.
The Assembly appreciated the efforts of the former governor of Oyo state, late Senator Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi for his landmark gesture at securing land for the MUSWEN International Resource Centre and prayed to Allah to grant him Jannatul Firdaus.
The Extraordinary General Assembly called on the new leadership of the Ummah to work quickly to unite all stakeholders in the MUSWEN with a view to consolidating the unity and gains of the recent years.