The Deputy Governor of Lagos, Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, has said the collapse of the family unit is the major cause of the problems confronting Nigeria.
He stated this at the 8th General Assembly of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) held at the University of Lagos with the theme, “Rebuilding National Unity and Understanding: The Quest for Equity, Justice and Fairness in a Multi-religious Society.”
All the six South-West governors, except Ondo State, were represented at the programme which brought together Muslim Ummah from the South-West as well as Edo and Delta States.
Hamzat said a situation where a man would divorce his wife and leave the children for her is not acceptable, adding that it is against the teachings of the Qur’an and tradition of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
He said Nigeria must institutionalize a system to discourage irresponsible procreation and parenting, saying, “No nation develops when the family unit is broken.”
According to him, all Nigerians irrespective of faith must be guided by the dominant teachings of their religions for the society to grow.
Kadiri further stated that Nigeria must redefine its politics and place emphasis on merit, and competence in place of region and religion.
The Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, called on Muslims to be involved in politics, saying there are not enough Muslims in the political space.
“We have to be where power is served and power is not served ala carte. Participate and support the people in that space. We need unity, we need to work together,” she said.