Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has stressed the need for ethno- religious harmony among Nigerians.
The religious leader while inaugurating the Organisation of TadhamunulMuslimeen Mosque, Adogba, Iwo Road, Ibadan, built by the Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, commended the governor for making a commitment to build the mosque and fulfilling it.
He said, “When you see the way this mosque was before and it actually turned out to be this, you cannot but thank Allah for the life of SeyiMakinde for thinking this way and also doing it. A lot of people say something but implementing it is always a problem.”
Governor Makinde had, on October 19, 2019, promised to rebuild the Adogba Central Mosque from his personal resources, following plans to pull down the former structure to allow for the development of the Iwo Road Bus Terminals.
The NSCIA president-general, who conferred his name ‘Sa’ad’ on the Oyo State governor for embarking on building a house for Allah in such a beautiful manner, said the new mosque, which also has an Islamic school, would help people to strive to be more educated for the world and thereafter.
He said: “I am the one called Sa’ad, but today I want to rename you Sa’ad. We thank Allah for bringing us to Ibadan for this very important programme.
“About three years ago when I spoke with the governor on phone, he told me he was building a mosque in a strategic place in Ibadan, and I told him I know where the place is. He told me I would commission the project and I assured that I would fulfill his request.
In his address, Governor Seyi Makinde commended the Muslim Community in Oyo State for its support during the March 18 governorship election, reiterating his promise to run an administration that is fair to all religions in the state.
The governor explained that when he decided to pull down the AdogbaCentral Mosque and a church, which both stood on the spot where the state government was building its mega Bus Terminal, there were insinuations from the Muslim Community that his administration was against them
