Date: 2015-10-16

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has assured Muslims in the state of  government’s decision to declare first Muharam as public holiday beginning from next year.

Governor Ahmed made the pledge in an address at this year’s Hijrah celebration held at the Kwara state Stadium, Ilorin, saying that his government was ready to join the four states in the country that had  already declared first Muharam as work-free day for civil servants.

Niger, Osun, Kano and Zamfara States have since declared first Muharam as work-free day for civil servants.

Ahmed who spoke through his Special Adviser on Energy, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi advised Muslims to, in the spirit of Hijrah, work for the moral and material prosperity of the society and co-exist in peace, harmony and unity with one another.

The Governor assured Kwarans that his administration would continue to do its best in ensuring that people’s hopes and aspirations were met.

He implored the people of the state to separate religion from politics, adding that the goal of his administration was to ensure that Kwara state becomes prosperous in line with the Shared Prosperity program of his administration.

In his address, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari advised adherents of Islam and Christianity to live in peace and harmony so as to have a peaceful, united and prosperous nation.

In their separate speeches, the pioneer and current Grand Khadis of the State, Justices Abdulkadir Orire and Soliu Muhammed respectively advised government to attach seriousness to Hijrah celebration,

They prayed for those who lost their lives during the just concluded Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.

In his lecture, a professor of Islamic Studies at the Department of Religion, Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, ProfessorYusuf Lanre Badmus had earlier called on governments at all levels to declare first Muharam every year as public holiday to enable Nigerian Muslims celebrate the joyous occasion.

Badmus who was the Chairman of the occasion, said it would amount to trampling on the Muslim fundamental human rights, should governments at all levels turn deaf ear to their demand.

Badmus who is also the Dean, Postgraduate School, University of Ilorin particularly appealed to the Kwara state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to as a matter of priority declare the day as public holiday just like it was being declared in Niger, Osun, Kano and Zamfara states.

Badmus who represented the Mudeer Markaz, School of Arabic Studies, Agege, Lagos, Ustaz Abeebllahi Adam Al-Ilory also advocated that Islamic Religious Studies be made compulsory in all educational institutions in Nigeria, as doing so would make it possible for the youths to have correct understanding of the religion and avoid all manners of illicit acts which breed insanity.

The Dean of Postgraduate School of the University of Ilorin, who also represented his Vice Chancellor on the occasion, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali appealed to the Federal Government to accord due recognition to Arabic language at all levels, describing it as an indigenous language in Africa and a ready tool and instrument for those serving as foreign affairs officers, immigration officers, custom officers and security operatives.

The don who doubled as the guest speaker, advised Muslims to internalize the lessons of Hijrah which included sacrifice, perseverance, commitment, dedication to the practice of Islam, spirit of brotherhood, and solidarity as demonstrated by the Ansar and the Muhajiruun so as to live spiritually rewarding life.

Also the Khalifa Adabiyy, Sheikh Olayiwola Kamaldeen who was represented by Ustaz Waliyullahi Kamaldeen enjoined the Muslim ummah to borrow a leaf from the life and times of Prophet Muhammed.