Date: 2021-08-11

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRaman Abdulrazaq has appealed to Nigerians to reject forces of doom and disunity that intend to disintegrate the country.

He added that "it takes hard work, discipline, sacrifice and unity of purpose by everyone to develop our country."

The governor said this in Ilorin, the state capital at this year's hijra celebrations.

He said, "Let us borrow a leaf from what Hijra symbolises to unite our country and reject everything that stalls its growth. Wherever we stand on party politics, let us unite on common issues of national unity, security, peace and development. Let us reject forces of doom.

"The movement of the prophet and his lieutenants from Taif and then to Madinna in trickles and the growth and development of Islam in phases should teach us that no nation attains greatness in a jiffy.

"I commend the organisers of this rally for their hard work in putting this together. I agree that occasions like this have historical significance and should be commemorated. The sentiments around it are of immense values for generations.

"Our government is therefore not unaware of suggestions that a day be set aside to enable our Muslim brethren, especially public servants, to fully take part in the commemoration of new Hijra year like their counterparts in a few other states. We are therefore making consultations on it", he said.

The chairman of National Hijrah Committee, Kwara State's chapter, Professor Badmas Yusuf in his speech during the commemoration of the commencement of the new Islamic calendar ((1443AH) in Ilorin on Monday enjoined religious leaders in the country to refrain from inciting people against another.

They were also asked to refrain from unguarded utterances and undignifying comments against fellow Nigerians.

Instead, Yusuf urged both the Islam and Christianity religions leaders to come together and fashion out workable template from their respective scriptures as guiding codes for the nation's leaders and politicians so that they can pilot the nation's affairs successfully

He called on Kwara State government to ensure full enforcement of the laws prohibiting the sale of human parts and sale and consumption of alcohol in some parts of the state.

"This in our opinion is achievable through the setting up of monitoring and enforcement agency that will see to the implementation of the laws. Furthermore, the state government is enjoined to empower the vigilante groups to enhance the security of the society. In alternative, Hisbah should be set up or something similar to it as available in many northern states of Nigeria", the chairman added.