THE President, Nasrul-lahi-l-Fatih Society(NASFAT), Alhaji Kamil Bolarinwa, has called on Muslim leaders and other stakeholders to increase their support for Islamic education in Nigeria.
He made the disclosure on Sunday in Ibadan during a Ramadan lecture/ Iftar organised by Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN at his Ibadan residence.
Bolarinwa is also a former Director-General, Nigeria Broadcasting Commission(NBC) said such would help avoid the calamity of high illiteracy ravaging the North and high rate of employment currently in the Southwest.
The former NBC DG implored Muslims to ensure their children are educated, saying such was a great legacy no one must shy away from.
Bolarinwa said there was currently high concentration of illiteracy among Muslim children in the north, adding such is already rearing its ugly head in the south-west coupled with a high rate of unemployment and could spell doom for the country.
“We need to work to have world-class schools, we need to get our Muslim children back to school. I want to call on all our Muslim dignitaries to increase what you’re doing for Islam.
“Either we like or not, the rate of illiteracy in these parts of the country coupled with the increasing rate of unemployment down the south-west, though we are also having more children out of school, the danger is looming and we must be ready to arrest it.
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“That is why we are calling on all of you to put more effort into what we are doing in Fountain University to practically do something.
He said that the richest among the people was the richest who spend money to get more people educated.
“Don’t look at your pocket, but at what your money will do for you. It will get you more children outside your biological children and earn you more respect,” he said.
Professor Abdul-Hafeez Oladosu from the University of Ibadan, cautioned the people on their aggressive pursuit of wealth, urging them not to sacrifice their hereafter.
“Ramadan is here to strengthen us spiritually. Today, everyone both high and low wants to be billionaires. Before it used to be millionaires and now billionaires.
“As Muslims, the Quran has taught us that the pursuit of this world is okay, but it should not be at the expense of the hereafter,” he said.
Alhaji Moruf Onike, NASFAT Chief Missioner in his sermon, stressed the importance of Salat(Prayer) to the Muslims.
Onike also counselled the people to always ask questions on whatever was not clear to them, saying such was allowed and permitted in Islam.
Fagbemi acknowledged the presence of attendees, saying the essence of the event was to continue to contribute to the development of Islam as a religion.
“The major reason for organising this event is to bring together the house of Islam, help one another and help in the development of Islam as a religion in my own little way.
“I have always loved living within the tenets of the religion,” he said.
The special prayer was held for Fagbemi and it was led by Dr Bashir Olanrewaju, the Chief Missioner, Ansar-ud-deen Society.
Among those in attendance were Alhaji Daud Akinola, Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Prof Hamid Sanni, the Vice-Chancellor, Fountain University, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, Chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo State and hosts of others.
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