Tackle poverty to tame insecurity, Islamic scholar tells govt

An Islamic scholar, Alhaji Abdul-Rafiu Lagbaji, has called on government at all levels to prioritise the needs of the people as a means of tackling insecurity in the country.

He also stressed the need for government to ensure equity and fairness in allocating positions to promote unity and security.

Lagbaji made the call on Thursday in Akure, at the maiden Ramadan lecture organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council.

He noted that no amount of money spent on security matter would make impact if the poor and the downtrodden were not well catered for.

“Government allocates high budget into security every year, which is good; but no amount of money and number of soldiers will make good progress if poverty continues to ravage the society.

“The downtrodden are left on their own, while many cannot afford to get food to eat; there can never be peace if these people are not considered in the wealth of the nation,” he said.

The Islamic scholar emphasised that fair distribution of political positions was critical and should be objectively and transparently implemented, as stipulated in the constitution and the Federal Character Act.

He urged government to provide economic opportunities for all segments of the society, regardless of religion and ethnicity to reduce conflict and rivalry.

Lagbaji, who said there was need for religious unity, encouraged Nigerians to see each other as one.

He criticised government for lack of efforts in ensuring that commodity prices are at the reach of common men and urged the government to control arbitrary hikes in food prices.

Lagbaji also berated professionals in the country for leaving their work to pursue politics for personal gain, saying it is detrimental to Nigeria’s development.

“Most people abandon their various profession and go into politics not for the interest of the masses, but for their personal gains. This isn’t good and healthy for the development of the Nigeria “ he stated.

Earlier, Chairman, Correspondents’ Chapel, Ondo NUJ, Tosin Ajuwon, said that fostering religious tolerance and promoting peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths were some of the constitutional responsibilities of journalists.

He said that this necessitated putting up the event, noting that, “as we fast and pray, we also need a deep reflection, looking through that Nigeria is passing through a fundamental period at this stage.”

Similarly, Chairman, planning committee and state Vice Chairman of NUJ, Hakeem Gbadamosi, said the essence of the event was to re-awaken Muslims, particularly during the month of Ramadan, to the teachings of Islam.

“As we embark on Ramadan, journalists in the state want to reaffirm our unyielding support for the rights and religious freedoms of all Nigerians.

“However, while we observe this month in peace, we must not forget the millions of people fighting and struggling to survive the economic hardship,” he said.

The theme of the lecture is: “Ramadan: Islam, Leadership and Good Governance, Panacea for Nigeria’s Economic Challenges.”