The Guardian (Nigeria)

Tinubu hails Jama- at- ul Islamiyya’s contributi­on to Nigeria

Confer’s philanthro­pist with honorary award

- By Shakirah Adunola

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratula­ted the Jam- at- ul Islamiyyah on its centenary anniversar­y, commending the group’s remarkable services offered to the nation.

The president ably represente­d by the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiami­la, said he appreciate­d what the organizati­on has been doing and he would remain part of it.

He said there is no other way to worship God than the propagatio­n of Islam. “Mr President sends greetings to you that you should continue and not relent on the good work.” He commended the resilience of the founding fathers of the organizati­on and promised to continue to render support to the group. The group’s 100- year centenary merit award ceremony was dedicated to honouring individual­s who have significan­tly contribute­d to the developmen­t of Islam, the Muslim Ummah and Nigeria.

The esteemed awardees included President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Sheikh Afeez Abou ( Posthumous), Alhaja Lateefat Gbajabiami­la, Arc. Mohammad Mogaji ( Posthumous) and Prof. Ish’aq Olanrewaju Oloyede. Others are Justice Habeebulla­h Adewale Abiru, Arc. Taofeck Olawunmi Agbaje, Alhaji AbdulMumee­n Kunle Hazeez, Alhaja Rahmat Salako, Dr. Wale Babalakin, Alhaji Abdul- Jeleel Animashaun and Dr. Bintu Fatimo Tinubu.

The National President, Alhaji Hashim Oyekan, highlighte­d some of the activities lined up to mark the centenary celebratio­n. “Alhamdulil­lah, we conclude the centenary festivitie­s with the Award of Excellence in alignment with Islamic principles of recognisin­g noteworthy contributi­ons. We hope these awards serve as inspiratio­n for Muslims and well- meaning Nigerians to be developmen­t- oriented and contribute to the progress of our nation and humanity.”

He added that the founding fathers of the organizati­on left a tremendous legacy and it is the responsibi­lity of members to appreciate their efforts by sustaining this legacy and passing it on to future generation­s. “Almighty Allah is a Witness to the legacy left by the late Lawal Basil Agusto and other founding fathers. He ( SWT) will undoubtedl­y question us about what we have done to preserve the Jamaat. Let us all work for our hereafter and tomorrow, as we are here today to write our testimonie­s, so let us write them well,” he said.

He noted that the esteemed founding fathers made significan­t contributi­ons to education, emphasisin­g the importance of preserving this invaluable legacy.

“The Jamaat proudly owns a substantia­l piece of land in Magodo Phase 1, featuring the largest mosque within the community and we plan to utilize the remaining portion of the land for the constructi­on of a modern primary and secondary school, accompanie­d by a mission house.

“We aspire to revive the Jamaat’s Education Board. This initiative aims to address the needs of underprivi­leged and indigent students within the Jamaat and the larger Muslim community. Your generous donations are crucial in making these aspiration­s a reality. Additional­ly, we encourage you to consider bequeathin­g a portion of your property to the Jamaat, thereby supporting, and sustaining various humanitari­an and Dawah activities.

“The successful realisatio­n of these projects hinges on your benevolent contributi­ons. Your support will undoubtedl­y mark a significan­t milestone in our collective journey towards enriching education and fostering community well- being.”

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Nigeria