Religious leaders, Ilorin indigenes hold special prayers on insecurity

Religious leaders, sons and daughters of Ilorin emirate in Kwara State have organized a special prayer and symposium over increasing rate of insecurity in the country.

The conference, tagged ‘Rise Against Insecurity in Nigeria’ (RAIN), was also used to ask state governments in Nigeria to adopt strategy used by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State in tackling insecurity in his state, for the country at large.

Dr Mohammed Gambari of the Department of Religious Studies, University of Ilorin, who delivered the keynote address at the event, said the fight against insecurity could not be left in the hands of the state governments or Federal Government alone, noting that everyone must come together to fight and liberate Nigeria from the hands of “aliens who have turned to blood-sucking demons.” 

“Together, we must make Nigeria better for our generations yet unborn to live quality lives,” he stated.

The Ilorin sons and daughters, while commending Governor Bello, said, “In this regard, we, sons and daughters of Ilorin Emirate, want to single out the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for the strategy of involving all indigenes in the fight against insecurity, keeping youths busy with worthy jobs and making the task of securing the state everybody’s business. Other governors, particularly in the North should emulate him.

“We can play politics, but when it comes to the issue of security of lives and property, we must rally round those that are getting it right and also take lessons to make our domains better instead of engaging in acts of sabotage.

“Kogi State was carved out of the old Kwara State and so we can gladly say Bello is one of our beloved sons in whom we are very pleased. The state is bordered by 10 states, yet since the assumption of this young governor, there has been relative peace, calm enough to make it the safest state in the north, if not the safest in Nigeria.”

Guest Speaker, Dr. Hadi Mashood Atanda, Director, Academic Planning, Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, particularly said a leader like Gov. Bello must be given a chance to lead the country come 2023.

He said he had demonstrated the capacity to lead Nigeria effectively in his present position.

He said it was no longer in anyone’s interest to fold arms and watch the daily spilling of blood in the name of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of crime and criminality that had almost become the order of the day in Nigeria.

The religious leaders called on all Ilorin descendants, all Kwarans, and indeed all Nigerians, to Rise Against Insecurity in Nigeria and make life unbearable for criminals. 

“We also call on politicians and governments at all levels to desist from politicising the issue of insecurity in the interest of all Nigerians,” they said.

Ace Nollywood actor and an indigenes of Ilorin, Chief Adebayo Salami, who spoke at the event, also agreed with all that had been said and added the programme was necessary at this point in time because of the rising insecurity. 

He called on everyone to make the fight against insecurity their business.

Prayer for the nation was led by the Imam Gambari of Ilorin, Imam Sulaiman Al-Gambari.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…

Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train

The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…