Spread messages on religious tolerance, Osinbajo urge religious leaders

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged religious leaders to continue to spread the message of peace and religious tolerance in Nigeria.

Osinbajo said this in Lagos on Wednesday during the launch of a book titled, ‘Islam in Yorubaland: History, Education and Culture’ coordinated by the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN).

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Represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Vice President said: “This well-researched work of history, no doubt, has benefited from the rich career of the authors whom I was told are affiliated to Yorubaland by birth and to Islam by choice.

“It, therefore, follows that the book before us can be classified as the most authoritative in our recent history as far as the history of Islam in Yorubaland is concerned.

“I congratulate the authors in particular and MUSWEN in general on this knowledge of history of Islam in Nigeria, with particular reference to the South West, a region erroneously believed not to have very significant Muslim population in the country.”

During the book launch, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar, noted that aside from history, religious leaders and scholars across Nigeria must rise up in feeding their followers with truth and the true meaning of faiths they profess.

The book which was presented by former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Jubrila Ayinla was reviewed by the Provost, Federal College of Education Iwo, Prof. Rafiu Adebayo.

According to MUSWEN President-General, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, the book was was a realisation of a dream to set the historical records of Islam in Yorubaland straight.

“What makes the difference in today’s presentation is the calling of the spade by it’s real name… for centuries, Muslims in Nigeria’s Southwest have had to accept their spiritual plight as a fate accompli when the concept and conditions for practising their religion had to be dictated to them by their counterparts in other religion,” he said.

However, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi called for harmonious relationship among all tribes in Nigeria irrespective of their religious background.

Speaking, the Founder of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) as well as Founder and Chairman of the FATE Foundation, Alhaji Tajudeen Fola Adeola, explained that one of the factors of a book was to educate and correct information as well as engage minds.

Alhaji Adeola, who chaired the event, urged Muslims to stop hiding their potentials and push forward everything to show their identity as Muslims.

In attendance at the launch in Radisson blu hotel were the Osun State Governor, Mr Isiaq Gboyega Oyetola; All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele.

Various traditional rulers in the South West including the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi; Oniru of Iruland, Oba Wasiu Gbolahan Lawal were at the occasion.