Steve Oni, Ilorin
Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Abubarkar Kawu Baraje, has strongly condemned religious extremism, saying no religion, particularly Islam, approves of killing of other people in the name of religion as being canvassed by some religious extremists and bigots.
Baraje, who is the Proprietor of Baraje Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Ilorin, Kwara state capital, spoke at the weekend on the occasion of the institution’s graduation ceremony.
He said: “It is nauseating and condemnable to see some unscrupulous individuals callously killing their fellow human beings , claiming that they are carrying out jihad. No portion of Islam supports this dastardly act. I want those who are doing that to desist and refrain from such nefarious activities. Islam is a religion of peace and it preaches peaceful coexistence of Muslims with other adherents of other religious beliefs.”
To this end, he admonished parents and guardians to be more alive to their responsibilities of bringing up their children and wards in the way of Allah so that they could give them and the natitschool established by him has got government recognition, with an sssirsnve that in the 2020 inspection by government, whe and rest of mind in future.
Baraje decried the growing insecurity in the country, saying it has gone worse, requiring a holistic approach to stem the tide. As a way out, he suggested massive employment or engagement of the youth as done in Rwanda which, he said, has paid off for that country.
He said: “Our borders are very porous and youths like it happened in Rwanda after their internal war should be massively engaged and trained to man our borders. Education is paramount and our youths should be properly trained in skills acquisition so as to gainfully employ them and keep them from restiveness.”Unemployment is rampant in Nigeria. Government should create programmes through which the youth can be gainfully employed and they will be taken away from the streets.”
On the school established by him, he said government had come yo inspect it with an assurance that in the next inspection by 2020, the institution will be given a degree awarding status.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Management Board of the school, Retired Justice S. O. Muhammed, called on parents and guardians to the PTA of the school, decrying their lack of commitment to the resolutions of the Association. He urged them to brace up and play their roles much more effectively.
31 students graduated from the institution.
End
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