In continuation of its official familiarization visit to government officials and first-class traditional rulers in the country, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria led by the Amir (National President), Alhaji (Barr.) Alatoye Folorunso Azeez paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdul Rahman Abdul Razaq at the Presidential Lodge in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The visitation was also part of the preparations towards the coming of the Worldwide Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(May Allah be his Helper) to Nigeria to further promote peaceful coexistence among the people of varied religions, cultural differences, and languages.
In his address Barrister, Alatoye felicitated with Governor Abdur Razaq for eventually emerging as the 20th Governor of the State against all odds, and prayed for the successful regime.
“Even though we have written “Letter of Congratulations” to Your Excellency, let me use this opportunity to physically congratulate you on your well-deserved victory at the governorship polls. By the Grace of God, you are the 20th Governor of Kwara State in 2020. May you succeed as the Governor in all respect,” the Amir prayed.
Barrister Alatoye further stated that the Ahmadiyya Community preaches and practices the true teachings of Islam and shuns all acts of violence globally. Aside from this, he said the Muslim Organization engages in humanitarian services through “Humanity First International” a non-governmental organization that specializes in the provision of food for all, water for all, education for all, skills acquisition, disaster relief program among other humanitarian services.
“The Ahmadiyya Community is a Muslim Organization which upholds and teaches the true tenets of Islam across the globe. In addition, the Community is concerned with the welfare of the people and thus provide humanitarian services for all without any discrimination,” he said.
Reasons for Visitation:
The Amir informed that the Supreme Head has been delivering a message of peace to world leaders in a bid to achieve a peaceful and harmonious co-existence.
He added that His Holiness had the intention of visiting the country for the promotion of his Peace Message to the Government and well-meaning Nigerians, hence the need to prepare the ground by contacting top government officials and peace-loving Nigerians.
He, therefore, solicited the governor’s full support and cooperation towards the visit of His Holiness by using his influence to ensure that the supreme leader addresses the Presidency and National Assembly.
Barrister Alatoye also invited the governor to the forthcoming annual convention of the youth wing of the organization coming up in Offa, Kwara State on April 11, 2020, and also the Annual Conference of the organization at Ilaro in December 2020.
While reiterating the Jama’at’s full support and backing to the state government, the Amir thanked the governor for granting the courtesy call at a short notice, presented him with Jama’at literature and prayed for God’s protection and guidance.
Ahmadiyya Community: A Non-Violent Sect
The Executive Governor while reacting described the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as a non-violent organization with peace-loving membership. He recalled his relationship with the Community at the Ahmadiyya College Agege, Lagos.
He expressed his delight over the visitation which was held on Friday, a day of supplication. He added that the Kwara State government will continue to partner with Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in all sectors and promised to attend the youth convention in Offa.
His words: I welcome you all to Kwara State on a beautiful Friday, a day of supplications. I had known the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for several years because I had a stint at Ahmadiyya College Agege. I had known it to be a violent free Muslim organization. The Kwara State government will continue to associate itself with the Ahmadiyya community. The message of peace and morality which the Jama’at preaches is very important at this crucial period in Nigeria and the world at large. In as much as these are the messages of the organization, I will be attending the programme in Offa. We shall also be giving full support to the coming of the Supreme leader to Nigeria.”
The Journey so far in Kwara State
Governor Abdul Razaq used the occasion to recap the activities of the new government in Kwara State since its inception and submitted that it was a new beginning in Kwara across all sectors, notably education and health units.
On education, he stated that previous administrations did not invest in the sector since 2013 and this has led to the deplorable state of both public and secondary schools. He, however, informed that efforts are on to revive the all-important sector in the State.
“Since 2013 nothing has been done. You need to visit our schools and you will discover that basic things such as water, textbooks, and sanitation are not there. Leaking roofs and the number of students per classroom is ridiculously high.
“For instance, a classroom in a Secondary School in Ilorin West has about 100 students. How do you want them to learn? It is disgraceful. For the schools to keep up, they had to cheat. That is why we had issues with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) which we are trying to put behind.
“We are going to reconstruct no fewer than 100 primary and secondary schools. They need immediate and urgent attention. But as they say, a journey of 1,000 Kilometers begins with a step. So, we are starting with fixing of 31 schools.”
The governor added that the government is also striving to improve the health sector and power generation in Kwara State and that social investment program will commence this month to improve the economic status of Kwarans.
