From: Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
President Muhammadu Buhari has charged Muslim clerics and Islamic religious leaders in the country to use their positions to advocate and preach against corruption.
The president equally urged them to continue to pray for the survival of the nation, just as they prayed for his recovery when he was sick.
President Buhari, represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Sen. Babafemi Abdul-Ganiyu Ojudu spoke, on Tuesday, at the 55th anniversary and national conference of the League of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, held in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The event was also used to officially turban a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Sarafa Tunji Ishola, as the Baba Adinni of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states.
The president, who lauded the League for holding together 55 years on, told the religious leaders to always impress it on their followers that corrupt persons would not enter Al-Janah.
He also noted that prayers had played a major role in keeping the country together, insisting members of the League must continue to pray for the survival of Nigeria and also denounce corruption at every given opportunity.
“Corruption is one of the major problems facing our country. Always preach against corruption in your mosques. Corruption does not pay, impress it on your congregation that anyone who engages in corruption will not enter Al-Janah.
“You should also continue to pray for the unity and survival of Nigeria. This is because prayer is key, your prayers actually worked for me as I recovered from illness,” President Buhari stated.
The president, therefore, enjoined the League not to shy away from passing suggestions, recommendations and advice capable of helping Nigeria, across to him.
Declaring the conference open, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, asked the religious body to always inculcate Islamic values in their members.
The governor also said that the gathering depicts oneness and unity Islam preaches, as he urged the League to always offer prayers on unity, peace and progress of Nigeria.
In his welcome address, President-General of the League, Sheikh Muhammed Jamiu Bello, disclosed that the conference was first of its kind since the body was founded by late Islamic scholar, Sheikh Adam Abdulahi.
He added the conference would focus on the unity among Muslims in the southwest and Nigeria at large.