"A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country,
and in his own house," so say the Scriptures. This was however not the case for
the governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who was recently celebrated
by the Muslim community of the state in grandeur.
The community said it decided to roll out the drums in
honour of the governor in acknowledgment of his penchant for promoting
religious harmony and for delivering good governance.
The Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, venue of the
ceremony, witnessed an unprecedented gathering of Islamic faithful, scholars
and preachers from Oyo State and across the Southwest zone, under the aegis of
Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN).
At the epochal event, the enviable award of “The Most
Equitable Governor in the History of Oyo State” was conferred on Ajimobi for
what the Muslim community called his equitable, fair and just relationship with
Christians, Muslims and traditionalists across the state.
Already, Ajimobi’s closet is replete with diadems from
various groups, associations and educational institutions in recognition of his
selfless toil and sweat that have changed the face of the state in the last six
years. But, the latest award is priceless because never in the history of the
state had any governor been bestowed with such a honour by the Muslim
community.
Among key Muslim leaders that graced the event were the
Secretary of MUSWEN, Prof. Dawud Noibi; Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and
Delta States, Alhaji Dawud Akinola; Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh
Abul-Ganiyy Abubakar; popular Islamic preacher, Sheikh Muideen Bello and Prof.
Kamil Oloso.
The chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo State, Alhaji Kunle
Sanni, told the gathering that the award was not born of “hypocrisy,
politically-motivated praise-singing or sycophantic favour-seeking.” Rather, he
said that it was a meritorious honour that was derived from the Holy Quran,
Chapter 55, verse 60, which reads “with what shall we reward goodness except
goodness. Which of the favours of your Lord will you deny?”
Sanni said: “One day, somebody came to the holy Prophet
Muhammed (SWA). He said I love somebody. The Prophet said: `Have you told him?
He said ‘No.’ The Prophet said: ‘Go and tell him.’ For the goodness that the
governor has done for the sake of religious harmony in Oyo State, we want to
exhibit the Islamic spirit of appreciation by saying Jazakumullahu khairan (May
Allah reward you abundantly).”
For the records, he said that the Muslim community decided
to honour the governor in appreciation of his ‘unprecedented disposition’ to
legitimate demands by Muslims when compared with the lukewarm disposition some
of his predecessors to such demands.
Going down memory lane, he disclosed that Colonel Adetunji
Olurin (who was Military Administrator of the state from September 1985 to July
1988) was the only governor that fostered harmonious relationship with the
Muslim community, since the administration of Chief Bola Ige.
He said the late Cicero of Esa-Oke, who governed the state
between 1979 and 1983, also maintained a balance between Muslims and Christians
and consulted widely among all religious leaders before taking decisions.
“Let me state without any fear of being contradicted that
when Governor Ajimobi first came on board, it was not easy between us. Alhaji
Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao (the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland) used to
settle quarrels between us, because he (Ajimobi) misunderstood our quest for
justice to mean Islamic fanaticism of the highest pedestal.
However, we wrote a stinker to him one day when we felt
short-changed in a board he inaugurated. Instead of getting annoyed, he invited
us to a meeting. He said we should convince him that he had been unjust. To our
surprise, the governor bowed to our superior argument and included more Muslims
in the board.”
Another reason the religious leader adduced for the honour
conferred on the governor was his decision to acquiesce to the Muslim’s demand
for the declaration of a public holiday to mark the first Muharam, the
beginning of the Islamic calendar. Besides, Sanni said the governor wormed his
way into the heart of Muslims through the composition of a balanced executive
council and boards of government parastatals, as well as his decision against
the clamour for the return of mission schools to original owners.
Sanni said: “When we asked that our Muslim girls be allowed
to wear hijab, we did not say Christian girls should be forced to adorn same.
The day we went to the governor on the hijab proposal, he did not think twice
before granting our request.
That was 10 years after two Muslim governors rejected our
appeal. May Allah bless the soul of one of them; the other one is still alive.
Since January 1 is the beginning of the Christian year imposed on us by the
colonialists, the governor has made history by righting the wrongs that had
been done against Muslims for ages.
He has succeeded in maintaining religious peace in Oyo State
where his predecessors have failed. That is why he is being honoured. May Allah
elevate him beyond his imagination and make him worthy of Aljannah in the
hereafter.”
The fiery preacher said, “Lagos is working today because
Governor Akinwumi Ambode started from where former Governor Babatunde Fashola
stopped by ensuring the completion of all the projects he inherited. I want to
beg you not to install anybody who will not sustain your legacy or abandon any
project you may leave behind. You are a listening governor, unlike some of your
predecessors.
Now that they are out of office, they have ruined the
chances of any of their family members to aspire to such position again because
of their maladministration and incompetence.”
The governor also received commendations from other
speakers, including the Chief Imam of Akobo Central Mosque, Sheikh Abibullah
Buhari and the Are Musulumi of Yorubaland, for his efforts at promoting good
governance and peaceful co-existence among religious adherents in the state. In
his acceptance speech, the governor expressed appreciation to the Muslim
community for finding him worthy of the honour, which he described as symbolic.
According to him, Muslims don’t just give such an award to
anybody. Ajimobi said that when he was contesting for governorship, he told God
that if he would not use the position to worship Him and serve humanity, He
(God) should not allow him to win. He added, “I thank God that what we are
doing today is a celebration of answered prayer. I’m what I am today because
God has destined it.’’
He used the occasion to appeal to the people of the state to
always thank God for His good deeds and that they should always forgive any
wrong done to them in order to have their prayers answered.
The latest honour, no doubt, is an addition to the
bejewelled cap of Ajimobi, who has vowed to sustain the development, peace and
harmony he had restored to the pacesetter state.
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