..…As Queen Elizabeth School commissions Central Mosque
By Daud Adebayo
Renown Cleric and Former Chief Imam of University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniy Abdulsalam Oladosu has charged Muslims to allow the act of congregating in Mosques for prayers to strengthen the solidarity and spirit of brotherhood amongst them.
Prof. Oladosu gave the charge recently while delivering the first Juma’at sermon following the official commissioning of the central mosque of Queen Elizabetth Secondary School, Ilorin which was renovated by old Muslimah girls (queens) of the school.
In his sermon titled “The Significance of Mosque in Islam”, the seasoned preacher submitted that the regular convergence of Muslims at the mosques for the five daily prayers and Juma’at prayers is important in strengthening the unity and the spirit of brotherhood among Muslims.
Prof. Oladosu emphasised that the convergence of Muslims at mosques for prayers without solidarity among them is a sign of weak faith.
The retired don admonished the Muslim congregation against unyeilding heart, and eyes in the face of sacred words coveting worldly things, and indulging in acts they know to be sins.
During his address, the Guest-Speaker, Dr. Folorunsho Ahmed Fa’agba noted that the old Muslimah students had demonstrated their good background by giving back from what the society gave to them while charging successful individuals not to forget their respective alma-mater.
He tasked Muslims to follow the teaching of the Qur’an, be good to their parents, be prayerful, and to always repay good in kind.
In his goodwill message as the Chairman of the event, the Director-General, National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Suleiman Olarewaju Abubakar, who noted that Prof. Oladosu has been a mentor to many generations of higher institution students in Ilorin, enjoined Muslims to always prepare good deeds for the future and the hereafters.
Prof. Abubakar, who is also a former Minister for National Economic Planning, charged Muslim students of the school to learn from the old students’ act of giving back, while calling for more donations for the continuous improvement of the school mosque.
Earlier in her address, the Chairperson of the mosque renovation committee, Prof. Nimat Modupe Abdulraheem disclosed that the mosques renovation project was financed with the over N20 million donated by old students of the school.
Prof. Abdulraheem, who is the first female University of Ilorin Professor of Law of Ilorin origin, appreciated the old students and all donors over the years, for their contribution towards the renovation of the mosque, and called for donations towards continuous refurbishment of the mosque.
Dignitaries at the event included the representatives of Emir of Ilorin, the first Makama of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Oniye, and the Ajanasi-Agba of Ilorin, Mallam Yusuf Mujitaba Bature; the representative of Kwara State Governor, Special Assistant on Religion, Alhaji Ibrahim Dan Maigoro; Majority leader, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Olawoyin Magaji; Chairman Kwara State House Assembly Commission, Alhaji Femi Yusuf; Members, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Rasaq Owolabi, and Hon. Ambali Ibrahim; the representative of the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Akano Kamarudeen; the Chairman Teaching Service Commission, Alhaji Dr. Sambaki; the Chairman Kwara State Muslims Pilgrimage Board, Alhaji Abubakar Taoheed; and the immediate past retired senior and junior principals, Queen Elizabetth Secondary School, Ilorin, Hajia Rahmat Abdulrahman, and Hajia Mansurat Ogunwale and former Dean of Law, University of Ilorin, Prof Kayode Adam, among others.
