Ifedayo Adeniyi
The Muslims in Ogun State under the aegis of Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC) felicitate their Christian counterparts in the State and in the country at large as they celebrate Christmas, an important Christian-cultural festival.
The Council, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde, exhorts their faith counterparts to see the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ beyond festival, but a period of reflection on the essence of Christianity and the teachings of Christ.
It therefore charged them to embrace, cultivate and adapt to the Christ-like way of life, depicting affection, good neighbourliness, truthfulness, goodness, kindness, devotion, good conduct and other living virtues that promote peace, progress and good nationhood.
It admonished adherents of both faiths to co-habit by embracing the Biblical exhortation that, "You should be your brother’s keeper", and the Prophetic (Islam) saying that, "You are not yet a Muslim until you wish for others what you wish for yourself".
The Council reminded both the Christians and Muslims in the State as being stakeholders, and that their harmonious relationship will enhance the realization of the "building our future together Agenda" of the Dapo Abiodun administration in Ogun State.
The Council underscored religion as a veritable ingredient for development, just as it charges the adherents of the major faiths in the country to eschew religious rivalry under the pretext of evangelism and propagation.
It enjoins them to sustain their supplications and prayers for the country to overcome its multiple challenges.
Meanwhile, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona-led Ogun State Muslim Council cautions against the ugly trend manifesting in forms of communal clashes, ethnic hostilities and cleansing, resource control and restructuring.
The monarch, who is the apex head of the Ogun State Muslim Council further counselled Nigerians against using the agitations for self-rule and other separatist tendencies as alternative means of livelihoods and development.
The Ogun Muslim Council head noted the infertile developments as constituting a threat to national stability and our corporate existence.
The traditional father charged everyone to embrace the rule of law, emphasizing fairness, justice and equity as virtues for sustainable peace and social economic wellbeing of the citizens.
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