Arabic schools’ association begins workshop for societal reformation

AS part of its contributions to national development and societal reformation, the Association of Arabic and Islamic Schools in Oyo State has commenced an educational workshop scheduled to hold for one month.

The maiden seminar entitled ‘Islam is Against Terrorism and Crimes’ and projected to be an annual programme, is grouped into four categories beginning with students in basic category between 19 and 20 November, 2022.

The intermediate category (junior secondary school students) will be holding between 26 and 27 November while the category for students in senior secondary school will hold between 3 and 4 December.

The chairman of the association and proprietor of Islamic and Arabic Educational Institute, Eleyele, Ibadan, Sheikh Nasirudeen Kharashi Arikeusola, made this known during a press conference at the Arabic Institute, Elekuro, Ibadan.

Arikeusola explained that the seminar was to redirect students’ psychology against cybercrime, ritual killing and other prevalent criminal activities in line with Quranic injunctions.

According to Sheikh Arikeusola, the association with over 2,000 members has chosen two facilitators from each of the 33 local government areas of the state who will adopt the Qur’an and the prophetic tradition for the workshop.

Giving additional information about the programme, the secretary of the association and proprietor of Ar-ridoh International Islamic Institute, Alarere, Ibadan, Ustadh Muhammad Jamiu Abdulgafar, called on the facilitators to follow the “well-researched” syllabus on topical issues and always give progress report in order to evaluate the seminar for improvement on subsequent programmes.

Ustadh Abdulgafar, while tracing the history of terrorism incursion into Nigeria, affirmed that Islam is antithetical to extremism and criminal acts.

He called on government at all levels and well-meaning Nigerians to support Islamic propagation and other religious activities for societal and spiritual renewal.

He noted that the seminar for Islamic teachers will be held in four zones comprising Ibadan, Oke-Ogun, Oyo-Ogbomoso and Ibarapa, while school proprietors will have an enlarged meeting at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.

Abdulgafar added that the Annual General Meeting of the association will be held at the Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, on Sunday 18 December.

In a remark, the Chief Missioner, Oyo State Muslim Community, Dr Daud Amoo-Alaga, underscored the importance of unity of purpose among Muslims and urged Islamic teachers to incorporate western education and vocational skills into their curriculum.

The event heralding the one-month educational workshop had facilitators from all local government areas and executive members of the association in attendance.