Kwara Muslims demand work-free day for Hijrah celebration

THE chairman of the Kwara State National Hijrah Celebration, Justice AbdulKadir Orire, has called on the state government to give special attention to Hijrah Day celebration.

Speaking during the celebration of Hijrah 1441 in Ilorin last weekend, Justice Orire said the first day in Muslims’ new calendar year should be declared a work-free day in Kwara, like many other states in the country.

The Muslim leader also called on government at all levels in the country to take proactive measures on critical issues like unemployment and insecurity which, he said were causing anxiety in the land.

“We appeal to our governments to chart ways of creating employment for our increasing numbers of unemployed youths. This will reduce the rate of youth restiveness, crimes and all sorts of insecurity in the country,” he said.

Justice Orire also charged Muslims to invest in Islam, saying that investment in the religion was synonymous with carrying out da’wah.

“We use this avenue to appeal to Muslims, especially philanthropists, industrialists and well-to-do people, to invest in the everlasting industry, which is Islam.

“Muslims should endeavour to create job opportunities to emancipate the poor, ensure regular payment of zakat and sadaqah. More importantly, we call on wealthy Muslims to invest more in the media, both electronics and print, for proper propagation of Islam,” he said.

In his remarks, the state governor, Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Abdur-Razaq, promised to be guided by the lessons of Hijrah in the activities of his government so as to make the state better that he met it.

The governor, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Transport, Dr Yusuf Garba Manjo, said, “Hijrah was a tough time for Prophet Muhammad, his immediate household and the early Muslims, but perseverance, discipline, sacrifice and commitment to the truth helped to establish not just Islamic monotheism but also transform their society positively in accordance with the tenets of Islam like principle of fairness, justice and support for the underprivileged.

“The 2019 elections represented a sort of Hijrah for the people of Kwara State. Together, we changed the course of our political history. But just like the Hijrah presented the early Muslims with opportunity to establish a government based on principle of justice, fairness, I believe our victory in the last poll offered us the opportunity to prove the naysayers that we are different from those people we criticised so much.

“We must prove to everyone that our anger was in the interest of the state not due to lack of opportunity to access public funds. I believe this is the spirit of Hijrah that everyone must imbibe.

“As a governor, I am ready to lead in this regard. I will not abuse my office or mismanage public resources, and all my actions shall be in the best interest of Kwarans,” he said.