Chairman of the Council of Muslim Titled Chiefs in Ogun State, COMTIC, Amb. Sarafa Tunji-Ishola, has harped on unity and synergy as key factors that would ensure development for Muslims in the state.
Amb. Ishola made this known while fielding questions from journalists at the Maiden Edition of the Ogun State Muslims Assembly held recently in Abeokuta. The ex-envoy, who decried the individualistic approach of Islamic societies in the state, urged Muslims to be united in all ways, as doing so would ensure a better society for the people.
"If all the religious societies are in harmony, they will be able to preach peace, practise patience, and have unity among themselves. The more united the people are, the better for society; this is one of the cardinal points of the Ogun Muslim Assembly." The essence of this gathering is to deepen unity among the Muslim Ummah; things are being done individually now – Ansarudeen, Nawaruldeen, and all these other groups – but what we are calling for is synergy."
In similar vein,Ogun State Deputy Governor,Engr. Noimot Salako Oyedele appealed to the Muslim Ummah in Ogun State to remain united and build a formidable synergy to command respect, interest, and achieve developmental outcomes.
She stated, "We need a synergy in the truest sense of the word. We need a League that can speak for the Ummah, not just to the government. A League that boosts Muslim societies, not stays around them.. As someone in public office, I can say it clearly: government listens more to voices that clearly represent people, and not just position. Voices that recognize followership, build consensus, and not isolation."
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, delivering the lecture bemoaned lack of harmony among Imams in Ogun State. He warned that internal divisions are weakening the collective strength and influence of the Muslim Ummah.
The Registrar, who was represented by former Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof. Abdulafeez Oladosu, questioned why religious leaders who share the same faith continue to operate in silos.
“Why are Imams in Ogun State not united?” Oladosu asked rhetorically, also questioning why society increasingly gravitates towards actions forbidden by God.
In his keynote address, the Chief Imam of Gbagura-land and Grand Mufti of Egbaland, Prof. Kamaldeen Balogun, stated that the Muslim Assembly was not merely ceremonial but a historic moment of reflection, self-examination, and strategic repositioning of the Muslim Ummah in Ogun State.
He added that the chosen theme directly addressed the most pressing questions confronting Muslims nowadays, including why they are often strong in number but weak in influence, possess institutions yet struggle with coordination, and why leadership sometimes divides rather than unites.
Prof. Balogun highlighted challenges facing the Muslim Ummah in the state, including education, health, and social welfare, economic empowerment, security, justice, and social trust. He quoted from the Holy Quran, proffering synergy, leadership, and development as pathways to achieve strategic and measurable developmental plans and outcomes for the Muslim Ummah in Ogun State.
"This maiden Muslim Assembly represents a turning point. The challenges confronting Muslims are real but surmountable. When synergy is strengthened, leadership renewed, and development pursued deliberately, the Ummah regains its balance and relevance," he said.
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