Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has called on Nigerians to tolerate one another and adhere strictly with the principles of their religions in the interest of peace and stability of the country.

Governor Ahmed made the call in Ilorin at the fund raising for building construction of Markaz Ul-Uluum Wa Da'wah, Oke-foma  Pakata area, Ilorin, as part of the activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the school.

The governor, who spoke through the state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Kayode Abdul Issa, described the holy Qur'an as all encompassing, maintaining that if all and sundry could imbibe its tenets, it would go a long way in ensuring harmonious and peaceful society.

While stressing the need for Muslims to attach great importance to Quranic knowledge, he described the holy book as a complete guide for mankind.

Governor Ahmed, who recited verses of glorious Qur'an to buttress his message, said his administration places high premium on Islamic knowledge, having realized its impact in ensuring good governance.

The Chief Executive of the state implored Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of religious tolerance as the best way to addressing various challenges facing the country.

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, also advocated for love and harmonious co-existence among Nigerians to enhance peace and progress of the country.

The royal father, who was represented by the Magaji Aare of Ilorin, Alhaji Aremu Zubair, described the initiative of the proprietor of the school as progressive step and urged well-meaning individuals in the society to support him to ensure the success of the project.

The chairman of the occasion, Prof. Sheu Ahmed jimoh, who emphasized the need for Muslims to seek for Islamic knowledge, said Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had ordered Muslims to search for knowledge as far as China which he said was too far to where the Prophet spoke then.

He particularly called on parents not to neglect Islamic Studies at the expense of other fields of knowledge while enrolling their children for university education.

Prof. Jimoh equally called on people to donate generously to the success of the school which he described as laudable in developing Islamic education.

The Lagos-based Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Suleiman Faruq Onikijipa (AI-Miskeen Billahi), had earlier in his sermon, called on parents do good at all times so as to impact positively on the lives of their children.

Onikijipa explained that parents' deeds will always be manifested in the life of their children.

He said the proprietor of the school was sharing from the impacts of deeds and exemplary devotion to Allah's course of his parents.

The proprietor of the school, Imam Yusuf Muritala Pakata, said the school was established over 20 years ago as Markaz Murtadoh in order to contribute positively to the development of Islamic knowledge.

He said fund raising for building construction for Markaz Uluum Wa Da'wah was organized to expand the capacity of former school.

While expressing appreciation to people that have in one way or the other contributed to the success of the programme, the proprietor appealed to well-to-do Muslims to assist him both in cash and kind to ensure timely completion of the project.

The programme was well attended by religious and political leaders from within and outside the state.

Culled from The Herald Newspaper