From Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alh Mohammed Saad Abubakar, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, were amongst eminent personalities that gathered in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday to offer special prayer for Nigeria.
The prayer, which was led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Bashir Salihu, formed the major highlight of the 10th Annual Usman Danfodiyo Lecture.
Other eminent personalities that attended the prayer session included the representative of Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Justice AbdulLateef Kamaldeen, who is also the Grand Khadi of the state and Dr Zakir AbdulKarim Naik who delivered the lecture. Naik, a Malaysian national spoke on the topic, “The Concept of God In Major World Religions.
The Secretary General of NSCIA, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, Professors Badamas Yusuf, Abubakar Aliagan, the Mutawali of Ilorin, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq and the Zanna of Ilorin, Engr Yusuf Sagaya, were also in attendance.
The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Bashir Salihu, led others in praying to God to prosper Nigeria and restore peace to the troubled parts of the country.
In his remarks after the prayer session, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh Saad Abubakar asked adherents of the Islamic religion to seek knowledge about people of other faiths in other to promote peaceful co-existence in the country.
He also admonished Muslims to acquire “knowledge about words of God and work with them in other to become better human beings.”
The Sultan said the purpose of the annual Usman Danfodiyo lecture was to encourage Muslims to acquire knowledge and share such to strengthen Islam.
“Sokoto caliphate was founded on knowledge and not on illiteracy hence it is an obligation on all Muslims to seek knowledge, bequeath such to their children and spread the right knowledge about Islam to check the trend of fake news,” he added.
He said the choice of Ilorin for the lecture was done deliberately to demonstrate that Muslims are one big family.