Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has enjoined parents to guide their children on the right path to foster a deeper understanding of humanity and its values.
The deputy governor made the call on Sunday at the Annual Ramadan Lecture of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Council, themed “Understanding the Inner Dimensions of Islamic Brotherhood,” held at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island.
Hamzat, while making the call, noted that science and technology were advancing rapidly, warning that children might lose the essence of humanity—compassion, love, unity, and peace—if the right values were not instilled in them.
“The challenges in Nigeria include youthful exuberance, money rituals, and other vices. With science and technology, the question is: how do we protect children, particularly as Muslims, from the negative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? It is in our hands as parents to train our children because science and technology may take the essence of humanity away from them,” he said.
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The deputy governor emphasized the vital role parents play in the lives of their children, urging them to be actively involved in nurturing and guiding them, regardless of their busy schedules.
According to him, parental guidance is crucial and essential for children’s development, as it plays a significant role in shaping young minds.
Hamzat, while commending the organization for its existence over the past 100 years, appreciated every member of the association for sustaining the objectives of its founding fathers.
“The people that started this were not necessarily rich, but they wanted education for Muslim children, and it has been sustained. So we must appreciate every member of Ansar-Ud-Deen for sustaining it, and we pray that they continue to do so, as should all religious associations,” he said.
Former Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), in his goodwill message, encouraged Nigerians to remain patient and calm, trusting that the government’s efforts would lead to a brighter future for the nation.
“I believe that our country will be great. If we can be patient and calm, joy will come. Let us be patient. Let us live in harmony, and we will all enjoy the greatness of our country, Nigeria,” he said.
The National Missioner of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria and Overseas, Sheikh Abdur’Rahman Olanrewaju Ahmad, earlier in his lecture titled “Understanding the Inner Dimensions of Islamic Brotherhood,” stressed the importance of brotherhood in Islam.
He noted that Islam teaches Muslims to be compassionate and to demonstrate love, kindness, and mercy toward one another, regardless of their religion or background.
Sheikh Ahmad further noted that Allah teaches Muslims to love and live in peace with one another, emphasizing the need for peaceful coexistence.
He, therefore, charged them to emulate the good deeds of other religious bodies that prioritize the welfare and well-being of their members, stressing that Islam is not the property of any race but a compassionate religion of love.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Council, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Salaudeen, urged Muslim faithful to take advantage of the month of physical and spiritual cleansing by observing all that Allah has enjoined them to do and abstaining from what He has forbidden.
Salaudeen urged them to be their brothers’ keepers in the face of the economic challenges currently pervading the country, encouraging them to extend a hand of succor and assistance to the needy, the poor, and the less privileged around them to ease their affairs.
“Extend a hand of succor and assistance to the needy, the poor, and the less privileged around you to ease their affairs. May Almighty Allah accept all our good deeds as acts of Ibadah,” he prayed.
Alhaji Salaudeen reaffirmed the commitment of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society to making non-Muslims see the beauty of Islam.
He noted that the society had revitalised the high values that Islam teaches and had always embarked on numerous life-changing programs and activities that help both Muslims and non-Muslims recognize Islam as a religion of peace, love, and unity.
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