Stakeholders Task Muslims On Voters’ Education

By Shina Abubakar

Stakeholders in the Muslim Community have been tasked to make voters education a point of duty among Muslims, with a view to ensuring their effective participation in politics and governance.

They spoke at a colloquium, organised by a socio-religious group, Muslim Political Awareness Front (MUPAF) with the theme: “Muslim Ummah, Partisan Politics and Voters’ Education” in Osogbo.

The guest lecturer, Professor Abdul-Afeez Oladosu of the Department of Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan said Muslim must not just be followers, but they must be proactive in determining who comes to power in any election.

According to him, the only way this could be achieved is by ensuring that Muslims are well enlightened politically, hence there is the need for political education.

He said Muslims must ensure that they obtain their voters’ card, which is the only power they have to determine who leads them.

The Islamic scholar identified lack of central leadership as the major challenge causing disunity among Muslims all over the world.

In his own, one of the discussants, Professor Muib Opeloye of the Department of Religious Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife said, there are leaders of Muslims, but with not well defined leadership, saying, there is still a long way to go to put things in order.

The Coordinator of MUPAF, Mallam Lukman Obenbe told the gathering that the mission of the group was to create political awareness among Muslims, sensitise them on leadership matters and engage political office holders when necessary.

According to him, the basis for this was to encourage Muslims to go into politics and be active players in determining those to be elected into power, as well as orientating Muslims on how to manage the public resources and property with fear of God.