The President of the Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria (MUSWEN) Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo led a delegation from the organisation on a visit to Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa ahead of its 11th General Assembly scheduled for November 15.
The delegation comprised Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti Deputy President I; Alhaji Wale Sonaike Deputy President II; Prof. Wole Abbas Executive Secretary; Professor Muibi Opeloye Executive Secretary of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC); other senior MUSWEN officials; leaders of the Ondo State Muslim Community; and clerics among others.
During the visit Alhaji Oladejo sought the governor’s support to successfully host the MUSWEN General Assembly at the University of Ibadan Central Mosque Hall.
He also appealed to the state government to support the establishment of a Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) chapter in Ondo State to strengthen interfaith dialogue and promote peaceful coexistence.
Oladejo also the Deputy President-General (South) of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) said the proposed NIREC chapter would give Muslim and Christian leaders a platform to address misunderstandings prevent religious conflicts and promote mutual understanding at the grassroots.
He explained that NIREC comprises 60 members with equal representation from the Muslim and Christian communities and is co-chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto who is President-General of the NSCIA and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
According to him one of the priorities of the council’s newly appointed Executive Secretary Professor Muibi Opeloye is to establish chapters across the states of the federation to strengthen interfaith engagement at the community level.
The proposed Ondo State chapter would comprise 14 members with seven representatives each from the Muslim and Christian communities.
Oladejo appealed to Aiyedatiwa to facilitate the chapter’s establishment through appropriate administrative arrangements and provide an enabling environment for its activities.
He said the initiative would complement existing religious organisations and government institutions by providing a structured platform for dialogue early intervention in potential disputes and conflict prevention.
The MUSWEN president added that establishing the chapter would demonstrate the state government’s commitment to religious freedom inclusion and peaceful coexistence.
At the forthcoming General Assembly Oladejo described the event as a major gathering of Muslim leaders Islamic scholars and community representatives from across the South-West to deliberate on issues affecting Muslims and wider society.
He said the assembly would strengthen unity among Muslims deepen cooperation among constituent organisations and develop practical responses to challenges such as economic hardship insecurity and youth unemployment.
He therefore sought the Ondo State Government’s goodwill and support to successfully host the event while expressing hope that the governor would participate in activities surrounding the assembly as his schedule permitted.
Oladejo also called for sustained collaboration between the state government and the Muslim community in education youth empowerment healthcare poverty reduction and economic inclusion.
He stressed that regular consultations between government officials and Muslim leaders would help address community concerns and enable religious organisations to contribute to public policy and development.
The MUSWEN president said investing in education vocational training and skills acquisition is essential to preparing young people for productive lives while partnerships among government religious organisations and the private sector could expand opportunities for youth.
He added that policies aimed at improving healthcare creating employment and protecting vulnerable citizens would strengthen public confidence and social stability.
Oladejo commended Aiyedatiwa for his administration’s intervention in resolving the crisis that had affected the Ikare-Akoko Muslim community for more than three years and led to the closure of its central mosque.
He said MUSWEN’s Mediation and Reconciliation Committee visited Ikare to mediate the dispute before the state government intervened and ended the crisis.
According to him the Commissioner for Local Government and the Chairman of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board also assisted the committee during its mediation efforts.
He described the dispute’s resolution as evidence of the importance of cooperation between government and religious institutions in addressing communal conflicts.
Oladejo reaffirmed MUSWEN’s readiness to work with the Ondo State Government NIREC the Christian community and other stakeholders to promote religious harmony peace and development.
He expressed hope that the governor would favourably consider the request to establish the NIREC chapter and continue supporting the Muslim community in the state.
Responding Governor Aiyedatiwa thanked MUSWEN for the visit. He promised support for the group’s forthcoming General Assembly and said his administration would favourably consider establishing the state chapter of NIREC as requested.
The governor also used the opportunity to commend the Ondo State Muslim community for their peaceful coexistence with their counterparts of other faiths.