The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Saturday called on the government to revive the teaching of Islamic Studies in all secondary schools across the country with a view to inculcating moral values in Nigerian youths.
He made the call yesterday during the inauguration of the new Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, at the Adamasigba Sports Complex, Ibadan.
Speaking through the Secretary-General of Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who represented him at the event, the Sultan lamented the state of moral decadence among youths in the country and reiterated the urgent need to make the teaching of Islamic knowledge, just like Christian religious studies, compulsory in the nation’s educational institutions.
In attendance at the occasion which drew people from all parts of the country were the governors of Oyo and Osun States, Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola respectively; the Minister of Communication, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; Chief Femi Majekodunmi representing former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as other eminent personalities.
The new Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, who succeeds late Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao, pledged to use the office to promote Islam in the South West Nigeria and the entire nation.
He said: “I regard my appointment as Aare Musulumi not only as a call to service, but as a great test on my spiritual life as I must say with sense of modesty that Almighty Allah (SWT) has been so merciful to me and my household. With Allah’s permission, I am prepared to pay back part of what Allah has endowed me with to the Islamic world and to humanity in general.”
The new Aare Musulumi also promised to work in harmony with all Islamic title holders particularly the Spiritual Leader of NSCIA, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, just as he sought the cooperation and support of all Islamic organizations under the umbrella of NSCIA and the Muslim Ummah of South West (MUSWEN).
