By Rasheed Abubakar and AbdulQuadri AbdulMumin
Speakers at the 2022 Annual October Lecture organised by one of Nigeria’s leading Muslim organisations, The Muslim Congress (TMC), have emphasised the urgent need to restore the lost and exiled values that once held us together as a nation.
The lecture with the theme, “Restoring our Pristine National Values”, was held on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at the main auditorium of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos to commemorate Nigeria’s 62nd independence anniversary.
Muslim News gathered that the 15th edition of the lecture – a TMC national programme being hosted by state chapters, kicked off in Lagos and is expected to hold in other States of the Federation, including Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
The Wali (Co-ordinator) in Lagos, Mal. Tajudeen Olusesi led top hierarchy members of TMC from all the 25 local governments and 105 branches in the state and scores of admirers to this year’s annual lecture.
The keynote speaker was SP Raji Muhammad Jamiu, Chief Imam, Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos while the guest speakers in the persons of Prof. Afis Oladosu of the University of Ibadan and Prof. Tajudeen Olalekan Yusuf of the University of Lagos delivered interesting papers on the topics, “Engendering Morality and the Sanctity of life: the Islamic Model” and “Attaining our Dream Nationhood: Nurturing the Youth for Decent Leadership”.
The Amir of the Society, Alhaji AbdulWasi’i Bangbala welcomed invited guests of honour and participants with utmost joy and gratitude to Almighty Allah, saying that the Annual State Lecture has been a platform where The Muslim Congress (TMC) makes pronouncements on the views, ideas and positions that will help move the nation in the right direction.
Alhaji Bangbala said the unrest and disorderliness in the society informed the choice of this year’s theme, adding that there is a great need to restore the lost and exiled value that once held us together as a nation.
He said, “Over the years, we discovered that the values of individuals and the nation at large keeps deteriorating and as Muslims, we have a role to play. It is pertinent that as the best community about Quran 3 verse 110, we bring back and restore the lost values and bring back the glory which Islam has given humanity.
“That is what informed this year’s edition and over the years, we’ve been contributing our quota towards overall societal and national development by setting the pace for Muslims and the populace in entirety.”
Alhaji Bangbala who attended the event with many of the national executive council members lampooned the present situation in the country and how various efforts to fix it have failed woefully.
He said, “Sadly, the trajectory of our national development has been fraught with societal failure and leadership challenges, so much so, that all attempts and interventions aimed at rebuilding the country has seemingly failed.
“There still exist extensive negative attributes holding us down as a nation. With deeper reflection, it becomes even more apparent that the cause of our setback is rarely about good policies but more about our collective attitudinal stance.”
The keynote speaker, SP Raji Muhammad Jamiu, urged Muslims to beware of cases that can jeopardize their spiritual and eternal life.
The police chief Imam Raji disclosed that some officers have resolved to discharge their official duties with all sense of sincerity, ensuring the security of the people and upholding justice.
However, he regretted that the genuine efforts are being frustrated in the law court by lawyers who are bent on defending their clients after being paid, not minding whether they are guilty of the charges pressed against their clients or not.
They do everything possible to influence the judgment, he noted.
“For instance, if a police officer risks his life to arrest a criminal, legal practitioners (Muslim lawyers not exempted) with greased palms will come to the law court to set them free of the charges pressed against them and this frustrates the system of justice in the country.
“Legal practitioners should also carry out their investigation to ensure the prevalence of justice. We call on Muslim legal practitioners today to use their practice to eliminate crimes, rather than being the allies of criminals. Check the cases put before you and entertain only the ones that won’t jeopardize your spiritual and eternal life.”
He added that installing CCTV cameras in nooks and crannies of communities is the only way to resolve the rancour between the Police and lawyers who ask for video evidence in court.
Prof Oladosu, in his lecture, said without values, nations can’t exist, adding, “Nations are like civilizations and civilizations are nothing without values upon which they will be premised.”
He urged Muslims to stand firm with Allah (S.W.T.) because He is the anchor of lives, pin and etch our value reorientation on the traditions of the Prophet and practice the values that we preach.
“We should let them reflect in all aspects of our lives,” he added.
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Abdulkadir Obafemi Hamzat, represented by Alhaji Jebe Abdullah Ahmad, Special Adviser to Lagos State Government on Religion (Islam), stressed the effect of the paradigm shift and loss of values as he emphasised the need to go back to the basics.
According to him, “Parents should go back home and *re-examine* the family structures in place because everyone contributes to the mess. In short, we’ve lost our values and there is a need for us to go into our homes and go back to the basics. That is how can save Nigeria.”
Prof. Yusuf, while speaking, saddled parents and caregivers with the responsibility of upholding great values from home.
He noted that the katzenjammer in society is a reflection of what goes in the respective homes of individuals.
According to him, “we must ensure we uphold those values in our homes and entrench them in our children. Let’s inculcate in them accountability, integrity, and honesty among other value systems that may exhibit the values in the larger society. Society is a reflection of our homes, as such, let’s equip our children and wards with laudable values before stepping into the larger society.”
He urged Muslims to be actively involved in the elections and other emerging activities and entrust their mandate in the hands of a candidate with a good pedigree.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of an award of excellence to two journalists as Muslim media ambassadors, in recognition of their services and contributions to Islam through the lens of the mass media.
The awardees were The Nation‘s Head of Religious beat (Islam)/Head of Motoring Desk, Alhaji Tajudeen Adebanjo; and Alhaji Rasheed Abubakar, Publisher, Muslim News, Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic Newspaper.
Other guests at the event include the Easa of Omu Aran, High Chief AbdulRazaq Oyinloye; Agoro, FCA, Ronadu of Imota, HRM Oba Mudashiru Ajibade Bakare; Chief of Imam of Lagos represented by Sheikh Tijani Gbajabiamila; Immediate past Chairman of HACOPs of TMC Lagos, Engr. Ibrahim Salau; Governorship Candidate of Action Alliance, Hon. Tope AbdurRazaq Balogun; Former Chairman of HACOPs of TMC Lagos, Alhaji AbdulRazaq Afolabi, among others.
After the successful outing in Lagos, the TMC annual lecture continued on Monday, October 3, at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State. Other State chapters are also gearing up to hold spectacular event in the coming weekends.
