Executive Director of the Just Foundation, an NGO of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, Imam Fuad Adeyemi, has called on religious leaders to prioritise teaching thier followers the many disadvantages of condoning corruption in Nigeria.
The Foundation trains religious leaders on the significance of preaching against corruption from thier pulpits in order to Encourage Accountability and Transparency through Faith-Based intervention.
Adeyemi in an interview in Kaduna said, the aim of trainings by his organisation was to educate Islamic scholars on the need to remind people of the effect and dangers of corruption at sermons especially those held on Fridays.
“Muslim clerics have been enrolled and trained into the foundation’s anti corruption project so as to empower, strengthen and expose them based on whom they are, saying, its not like they will be taught something new but we just want to ensure they use their knowledge to achieve the fight in corruption”.
He called on religious leaders to use their God given skills and tools, which are the Quran, hadith and the shari’a to speak authoritatively about corruption by reminding people so that the community will comprehend better the ills of the menace.
Speaking at the event, the Co-Director, Interfaith Mediation Centre of the Muslim-Christian Dialogue in Kaduna, Imam Muhammad Ashafa, said many scholars have a minimum number of followers between a hundred to one thousand, but fail to speak on the dangers of corruption.
“The religious leaders who have large gatherings especially on Fridays need to be reawakened from their silence on issues regarding corruption. They are not involved in the issue mainly because most of them think nothing can be done about the menace”, he opined.
Other participants at the trading
Ashafa stressed that, Nigeria is being destroyed by injustice, adding that, the concept of social justice between the poor and the rich where only the poor are prosecuted for crimes is practised and celebrated.
“Our goal at this training is to encourage the scholars to close the gap of injustice against corruption between the poor and the rich through their sermons. The ordinary man has to understand government’s efforts in the fight against corruption by championing the cause and not supporting the rich corrupt political officers”.
He stated further that, scholars have to swing into action by creating a template meant to add value to lives as well as complement government’s efforts in the fight against corruption.
He also called on them to preach peace to the people especially as elections is drawing closer, ” drums of peace needs to be beaten by shunning those calling for wars and violence “.
The project, EAT Fin which is being funded by grants from MacArthur Foundation, will be conducted across Kogi, Niger, Kebbi, Lagos, Osun, Kaduna States and the FCT.
Participants were drawn from across major Islamic organisations in Kaduna, among which are; Islamic foundation of Nigeria, Fomwan, Muslim Council of Nigeria, Kadpoly Ummah, NDA mosque, NASFAT and Ansarudeen.
Be the first to comment