Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has said that his administration will not allow agents of religious disharmony to destabilise the state.
The governor, who was speaking at a special Iftar (breaking of fast) programme where he hosted Muslim faithful in the state at the Presidential Lodge of the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, said he will not discriminate among adherents of the different religions in the state.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor as calling on agents of religious disharmony to spare the state of their unpatriotic acts.
The governor said : “We want to thank God for sparing our lives till this very moment. I also want to appreciate God because there is religious harmony in our state, which I believe is the will of God. So, if some people are going to other states to stoke the fires of religious disharmony, the moment they get to Oyo State to cause confusion, please ask them to go elsewhere. The Lord Almighty is making things work for us here.”
He explained that his administration has been fulfilling its promise to be fair and just to all religions in the state.
He added: “Secondly, I want us to go home with something tonight. During the electioneering campaign, there was nowhere or no part of the state that we did not touch. We went to churches, mosques. And there was no local government area(s) in the state that we went to that we did not meet the Christian and Muslim communities.
“We assured the people then that religious discrimination would not be noticed in our government. I also pledged that we would treat everybody equally irrespective of their religious or political inclinations and that is exactly what we have been doing in this government.”
The governor assured the congregation that his administration will continue to host Ramadan Iftar for the Muslims in the state, urging them to pray to God to continue His good deeds to the state.
“For the remaining years in this tenure, I want to assure you that we won’t change the ways we have been doing our things. We still have two Ramadan events to observe together. So, let us continue to pray to God to continue His good deeds in our lives. And my prayer is that we will all gather here to witness the next Ramadan and that of year 2023. But that of 2024 is in the hands of God.
“So, what I want us to take home is, let us leave what we want to become tomorrow in the hands of God,” he stated.
The governor equally admonished all and sundry to demonstrate fear of God in whatever they do and positions they hold in life, adding that “all the legacies we will leave behind will speak for us.”
According to him, “every position we find ourselves, we are holding it in trust for generations coming behind us.
“Those who have gone ahead of us held the position for us. We are the ones there today, holding it for those who will occupy the positions tomorrow. That is just the sequence and lesson, which I want us to take home.”
The Iftar was attended by Islamic leaders, heads of Muslim organisations, political leaders and government functionaries.
Those in attendance include a representative of the former Governor of Oyo State and Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja; Aare Muslim of Yorubaland, Delta and Edo states, Alhaji Daud Makanjuola; representative of the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheik Imam Abdul Ganiy Abubakar Agbotomokekere, Dr. Bari Adetunji as well as other notable Muslim clerics and representatives of different Muslim organisations across the state.
Also in attendance were government functionaries, including the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan; Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun; Chief of Staff to Governor Makinde, Chief Luqman Oyebisi Ilaka; Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Abdul-Mojeed Mogbonjubola and the Head of Service, Mrs. Amidat Ololade Agboola; commissioners; Special Advisers and other functionaries.