Ex-NACOMYO president gives recipe for Nigeria’s well-being

The immediate past president of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde, has identified religious harmony and peace among the diverse peoples of Nigeria as a catalyst for the well-being, growth and development of the country.

Akintunde, who stated this in an interview with newsmen after he was announced as the Balogun Musulumi of Itesi in the Egba Alake area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, urged Nigerians to take a cue from the response of the people of New Zealand to the recent terror attack in the country.

“Nigerians must work as one. We should spurn this divisive tendency that tends to undermine our progress in this country; that tends to undermine our development. Our country should be given consideration first before talking about other indices like religion, sex and ethnicity. The love of our country should be uppermost and take priority over other considerations.

“There is the need to ensure intra and interreligious harmony in Nigeria. Interreligious harmony, collaboration, networking among the various religious groups and communities must be of utmost concern to us as citizens of this great country,” the former NACOMYO president said.

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Akintunde was announced as the Balogun Muslumi of Itesi at a ceremony held at the Itesi Central mosque, where the Chief Imam, Alhaji AbdulGaniy Salaudeen, described Akintunde as an ambassador of Islam locally and internationally.

Alhaji Salaudeen admonished the new Islamic title holder to continue to use his wealth of experience to benefit Muslims and Islam.

Earlier in a lecture at the ceremony, the Chief Imam of Gbagura, Professor Kamaldeen Balogun, advised Akintunde to use his position to add value to the lives of people of Itesi and beyond.

“If you do not deserve honour in the sight of Almighty Allah, nobody can honour you. But it is important that when you are honoured, you should realise that it takes a lot of effort to maintain your integrity and remain unblemished. To become successful is not as difficult as to maintain that success.

“You are an ambassador of Islam. You should jealously guard that status so that you don’t get it debased. You must remain a role model. With this new responsibility, you have to be careful and cautious,” Professor Balogun said.