Date: 2015-12-19

Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Dr Ali Ahmad has stressed that for Ilorin to maintain its leading role in the learning and teaching of Quran, Arabic and Islamic studies, Ulamahs and other concerned stakeholders must rise up to the occasion.

Ahmad said challenges being faced presently in that regard must be properly checked for the ancient city not to lose its leading position soon which he maintained is widely recognised from time immemorial.

A statement issued by the speaker's Media Aide, Shuaib Abdulkadir said the Speaker made the remarks in his address as the special guest of honour at the 3rd annual public lecture organised by the University of Ilorin Centre for Ilorin Studies on Thursday.

He emphasised that history would forever be kind to late Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory and Sheikh Muhammad Kamaldeen Al-Adaby for their efforts at impacting Quranic, Arabic and Islamic knowledge onto people and improving the religion.

Therefore, the speaker challenged modern Ulamahs in the ancient city to buckle up and face the challenges by design a programme that could aid learning of Quran and Arabic in 3 to 6months as it was the case in the developed countries.

Such programme, according to Ahmad would encourage people to further embrace the learning of Arabic and expose them to the structures of Quran.

In his lecture, the Guest Lecturer, Professor Amidu Sanni called for harmonious relationship between the Ulamahs to enable them sustain the Ilorin culture which is learning of Quran, Arabic and Islamic studies.

Sanni lamented that existing rivalry between the Islamic scholars, particularly within Ilorin is not in the best interest of the the city and the religion.

Earlier, the Director, Centre for Ilorin Studies, Professor Zakariyah Oseni had called for support from every indigenes of the city to enable it conduct more research on the city.