MUSWEN lauds Ooni of Ife

THE Muslim community in the South West under the auspices of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) has commended the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for his efforts at resolving the ethnic clash that broke out in his domain.

The leadership of the Muslim community gave the commendation last week when it paid a visit to the traditional ruler in his place in Ile-Ife.

The President of MUSWEN, who doubles as the Deputy President-General (South) of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Dr Sakariyau Babalola, said Oba Ogunwusi’s efforts at ensuring peace among all peoples of the South West and beyond were commendable and widely acknowledged.

Babalola noted that the prompt intervention of the traditional ruler doused the tension which the clash between natives of the town and the Hausa settlers created and praised the king for speaking against perceived politicisation of the crisis.

He appealed to all Muslims, the people of Ile-Ife and Nigeria in general to shun acts capable of causing violence, saying they should always tread the path of peace in expressing grievances.

“Within the short period of your ascension to the throne, you have earned your place as an ambassador of peace. Against this backdrop, we were greatly concerned upon learning of the recent disturbances in this ancient town that has provided home to indigenes, settlers and foreigners alike. It is to our relief that your words and actions have greatly helped in providing the much-needed balm that doused the tension and prevented the crisis from escalating.

“Your grace in the face of challenges, your call for forgiveness rather than retaliation, your strong caution to those who wanted to give the sad incident unnecessary ethnic and religious colouration have further raised your standing as a model of the well-cherished omoluwabi values,” the MUSWEN president said.

In his remarks, Oba Ogunwusi expressed his appreciation MUSWEN and attributed the successes he had recorded on the throne to God.

“God has been with me on the throne. I am determined to always place God first in whatever I do on this throne,” the traditional ruler said.