The outgoing National President of Jama-at-tul Islammiya of Nigeria, Arc Taofeeq Agabje, has urged Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Agbaje said the new administration needs time to settle down and come up with its programmes.
He spoke during the 11th Triennial delegates’ conference of the association at Magodo, Lagos.
Agbaje said: “Things can’t turn around overnight. However, it is important that the government also cut down costs so that the citizens will realise that everyone is affected,”
He called on Muslims to unite to confront their challenges.
Chairman on the occasion, Justice Habeebullah Abiru, said: “Muslims should fight for their people and shouldn’t wait until they hold political positions before helping other Muslims. Christians help one another whether or not they hold political positions.
“The political landscape in the last election has shown that we need to stand together and bring about a society that allows Muslims to exercise their rights without any discrimination.”
Abiru said there is a need for Muslims to leverage on the development in the country to protect their rights.
Guest speaker and Chief Imam of Unilag Muslim Community, Prof Ismail Musa emphasized that diversity is not limited to the Muslims but the non-Muslims too.
Prof Musa said: “Our country is pluralistic and in most cases, the Muslims and non-Muslims are always at loggerheads. The problems and conflict in Nigeria is a manifestation of lack of diversity in Islam because we look at diversity in negative ways. The commonalities are much more than the diversities. There are a lot of things we have in common.”
Prof. Musa reiterated that Muslims are not well represented in governance like the Christians.
“The injustice we suffer today is because of our lack of unity. May Allah continue to strengthen and support us,” he said.
Meanwhile, the association on Sunday elected Alhaji Ashim Adebowale Oyekan, an engineer as the new president.
Oyekan will run the affairs for the next three years.
He promised that he and other members of the National Executive Council (NEC) will be forthright in the tasks ahead, consolidating the gains made by the Islamic organisation.
Oyekan was a former Commissioner of Environment and Physical Planning and Agriculture, Co-operative and Rural Development in Lagos State, between 1992-1993.
