By Babangida Kakaki, Kaduna
It’s a religious duty for all Muslims to shun any difference in understanding the texts, unite and work together for the promotion of Islam as well as establishment of justice, fairness and equity in human society.
The call was made by a lead speaker, Ustaz Abubakar Lamiɗo Gombe at a 2025 Ramadan lecture organised by Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA) at Arewa House auditorium Kaduna, Sunday.
He said the essence of unity and cohesion of Muslim ummah is so significant that, it’s an obligatory in Islam as well as what the Muslim faithfuls lack, hence they are being undermined, in some instances.
Ustadz Lamiɗo said whenever Muslims are united, they shall be able to resurge Islamic culture that could enable them defend the precinct of Islam and remain steadfast and stronger no matter the pressure or circumstances.
In his speech, another scholar from South East, Ustaz Isa Okonkwo urged Muslims to extend their leverage to the South East region – Imo, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi states in order to marry young Muslim Igbo women, whom embrace Islam, and as a result suffer stigmatisation and discrimination from their fellow tribesmen because of their new faiths.
“There are many Igbo Muslim girls in the South East region, whom have reach marriagble ages. So, I am calling on Muslim men to please go to the South East and marry them as a jihad for the sake of Allah, and in order to strengthen the religion,” he said.
Okonkwo said his embrace to Islam has exposed him to various tribulations of stigmatisation from his Igbo ethnic people, emphasising that, their marriages among Muslims from the North and other parts of Nigeria would certainly cement difference and enhance love, unity, between the North and the South.
In the same vein, in an interview, the Kaduna State MICA Secretary Abdulrahman Olalekan said the Ramadan lecture was orgainsed to boost relationship between Muslims as well as foster brotherhood among faithfuls in the country and the world at large.
He said the theme of this year’s lecture is deliberately chosen to foster relationship among all Muslims irrespective of sects, tribe, political or sectional differences.
Ustaz Olalekan said, various scholars are invited to deliver lectures on Muslim Unity as well as discouraging tribal or sectional affiliations that tear them apart.
He said Muslims should desist from seeing themselves as Hausa Muslims, Yoruba Muslims, Igbo Muslims, saying that cognisant must be given to Islam than to the tribes as is the case in South east and other parts of the country if we are to remain one stronger ummah and united.
Highlights of the lecture were five presentations from different resource persons all geared towards Muslim Unity as enjoined by the Holy Prophet Muhd saaw, group photographs and exchanges pleasantries and contacts.
