Nigeria as the Giant of Africa-Prof. Rafiu Ibrahim at Al-Hikmah University Annual Hijrah Lecture

  As a nation, we need to look at our relationship with our Creator 

Prof. Rafiu Ibrahim Adebayo

This was the call by Prof. Rafiu Ibrahim Adebayo, Provost, Federal College of Education, Iwo, Osun State at the Annual Hijrah Lecture 1443AH series at Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin "As a nation, we need to look at our relationship with our Creator – Allah; and desist from injustice. Nothing thrives where injustice is taking place. Injustice breeds hatred and enmity our government needs to listen and understand the fundamental reasons for agitations, create room for open national dialogue. Our leaders must be sensitive to the feeling of the masses and must be carried along in what affect them directly."

It is a blessing of Allah that we belong to a nation of diverse nature. The only challenge we have is how to manage our diversity to create wealth and share wealth. To face the challenge facing us as a nation we need to work in unison to fight our common enemies. Presently, our case is like a horse, a cow and a cat in the palace of a king. When the king’s horse was misbehaving, the cat called the attention of the cow to this and advised that the horse be summoned to call it to order. The cow was not responsive believing that the individual should mind its business. Few days later, the horse bounced on the king’s mother and she died. Few days after the mourning, the funeral ceremony began, and no other animal was slaughtered for the celebration but the cow.

As Muslims, we should be guided with the above Qur’anic verses and should therefore preach against divisiveness, embrace unity and friendliness. We should kick against separation and advocate cooperation. We should also be guided by the saying of the Prophet thus:

‏ "‏ لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى عَصَبِيَّةٍ وَلَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ قَاتَلَ عَلَى عَصَبِيَّةٍ وَلَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَى عَصَبِيَّةٍ ‏"‏ 

     Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Noah Yusuf call for the unit "The above notwithstanding, it is our feeling that most of the agitators are ethnically sensitive in their demands. All the issues raised are not peculiar to a particular ethnic group. They are general problems that require global and collective efforts to address. The level of corruption in the country is alarming that nothing can thrive in its face. Fortunately, each ethnic group is ruled and governed by its people; each of the ethnic group is ably represented at the federal assemblies. The governors of each region are never quarried of what they do with the 13% derivation fund every month. The governors are never quarried of what they do with the allocation to the local governments under them.".

The celebration witness many Islamic scholars