Hijrah 1446: Embrace farming to defeat hunger, Aiyedatiwa urges Muslims
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In commemoration of the beginning of a new year in the Islamic calendar, Muslims across Ondo State gathered on Sunday at Akure Sports Complex to mark the first day of Muharram 1446.
Muharram is the first month of the lunar Islamic calendar, consisting of 12 months.
The Annual Hijrah 1446 celebration in the State is organized by the National Council of Muslim Youth Organizations (NACOMYO), Ondo State chapter.
The theme for the Islamic New Year celebration was “Economic and Socio-Political Liberation of Muslims in Ondo State: Role of Muslim Faithful”.
This annual Hijrah celebration brought together Muslim clerics, leaders, scholars, students, associations, and the faithful across the 18 local governments in the state to usher in the new year with prayer and celebration.
The year 1446 indicates the years the Qur’an has been in existence without tampering with its contents.
The Annual Hijrah 1446 celebration was titled “Economic and Socio-Political Liberation of Muslims in Ondo State: Role of Muslim Faithful.”
The elaborate event was attended by the representative of the State Governor and State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Amidu Takuro ; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Rasheed Badmus and Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye.
Others are; Special Adviser on Special Duty and Strategic, AbdGaniyu Muhammed; Chairman League of Imams’ and Alfas, Ondo State, Alhaji Ahmad Aladesawe; Chief Imam of Akure Kingdom, Alhaji AbdulHakeem Yayi-Akorede; and Grand Mufti of Ondo State, Alhaji Sirajudeen Batuta, among others.
Speaking, the State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, congratulated Muslims in the state for witnessing the new year, praying that Hijrah 1446 would usher in success in their lives and the state.
Aiyedatiwa who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro urged Muslims in the State to participate in political activities and governance to ensure they are not excluded from decision-making processes.
He also encouraged them to adopt farming as a solution to combat hunger during the current economic hardships being experienced in the country.
Aiyedatiwa emphasized that it is part of Muslims’ social responsibilities to actively engage in political activities, whether to vote or to be voted for.
“The more Muslims participate in the upcoming election and support the government, the more benefits you will derive,” he said.
He advised those who perceive participation in politics as sinful to consult Islamic scholars on the position of the Holy Qur’an.
“We must participate in politics because if a mad person is allowed to rule us, we will have no choice but to follow him.
“If we refuse to participate in politics and allow non-believers to lead, it means they will design policies that favor themselves alone.
“It is we Muslims who should participate in politics the most if we truly follow what the Qur’an says.”
The governor, therefore, appealed to Muslims to do what is right and support the current government by coming out en masse to participate in the forthcoming election.
While assuring the faithful of his administration’s support for the Muslim community in the state, he highlighted that the ongoing recruitment of teachers into both primary and secondary schools has included a significant number of Muslims who have passed and been enlisted among the applicants.
The government is determined to recruit teachers in rural areas for effective service delivery, ensuring that the interests of Muslims are well protected in the recruitment process.
He pointed out that his government values competence and regards Muslims as important members of society.
Aiyedatiwa also called on the faithful to engage in agriculture, even if it is subsistence farming, to enhance food security.
He urged them to participate in agriculture because the government alone cannot effectively combat the hunger being experienced in the country.
Delivering his lecture, the Guest Lecturer and lecturer at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Olaiya Abideen, attributed the economic downturn in the country to domestic factors and not foreign factors.
He noted that some people inflict pain on others through exploitation, saying that if people follow Islamic tenets, the country will be better for it.
According to him, depressed people would not have been victims of suicide if they had received help from others in society.
The lecturer condemned wealthy people for displaying affluence in the midst of abject poverty, stating that they could use their wealth to help the needy.
“If people change for the better, the economic situation will improve,” he said.
On political stability, the professor emphasized failure and running away from responsibility to establish a government that will be merciful to people.
He urged Muslims to participate actively in politics and stop complaining about the non-performance of politicians but rather contribute their quotas to the development of the country.
Abideen advised Muslims in the state not to see their population as a discouragement but as a factor that can make a positive impact, citing examples of Muslims becoming mayors in some countries due to their performances.
The Chief Imam of Akure Kingdom, Alhaji AbdulHakeem Yayi-Akorede, commended the state governor for his support towards the success of the program.
He appealed to politicians not to make the forthcoming Governorship election a do-or-die affair, urging them to govern people as human beings and not like animals.
Also, the State Coordinator of NACOMYO, Mr. Ogunmola Muhammed, congratulated Muslims in the state on the new year, describing the day as a special day for the faithful globally.
He said, “The Islamic new year starts on the first of every Muharram, which is the first month in the Islamic calendar, marking the moment Prophet Muhammad (SAW) fled from Mecca to Yathrib known as Medina to escape religious persecution. This migration is called Hijrah in Arabic.”
He maintained that the celebration was also to reflect on the new year’s significance and enduring lessons for Muslims’ lives.
The state coordinator added that it was a journey of faith, sacrifice, and resilience that laid the foundation for the establishment of a just and compassionate society based on the principles of Islam.
The event featured a Hijrah parade, special prayers for the nation, State, and Muslims as well as presentation of awards to the best school/organization.
