The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin (UNIILORIN), Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, has identified religion, politics and economy as three critical areas of challenge which Nigeria must address to extricate itself from problems of under-development.

Speaking at lecture series of the Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS) on Wednesday, the vice chancellor said religion is being exploited to perpetrate evil.

He also lamented that politics was being used and abused to institutionalise corruption, while the economy was being ruined to advance selfish interests.

Professor Ambali, who said for Nigeria to achieve a sustainable developmental, the people must take roots, cultures and languages seriously, added that imitating others would not lead us to the promised land.

According to him, Ilorin has made significant development in both traditional Islamic educational frontiers and the contemporary Western knowledge, added that the "city of scholars" was not losing sight of its roots.

Speaking on the topic: "Religion, politics and economy in 19th century Ilorin: Some reflections," Professor Ambali said relationships among religion, politics and economy was symbiotic.

"If religion, which itself is predicated on sound knowledge and deep scholarship, is practised well, politics would be progressive and people-oriented and where there is progressive politics by people who live according to religious ethics and ethos, the economy would thrive.

"If the 19th century Ilorin was glorious, it was as a result of the harmony of religion, politics and economy. It is my hope that the 21st century Ilorin and Nigeria at large can be more glorious with greater giant leaps in various sectors if we practise our religion sincerely and truly play our politics fairly and grow our economy seriously," he said.