Odusile Cautions Religious Leaders Against Destructive Statement

Odusile

ABEOKUTA - Ogun state commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Waheed Odusile has warned religious leaders in Nigeria to refrain from making provoking statements that may truncate the peaceful coexistence of the country.

Odusile gave the charge on Sunday at the annual lecture of The Muslim Congress (TMC), Ogun State chapter.

According to the Commissioner, religious leaders have a responsibility to build the nation and teach adherents the need to be law-abiding.

He said some statements credited to religious leaders may set the country on flame, appealing to them to educate their followers on the true situation of things.

"Government and the people must play their role. Like every other compatriot, we have a responsibility to build our nation to be unified and to respect one another and most importantly we have the fear of God, and religious leaders are particularly enjoined by Allah to be mindful of what they tell their people not to mislead their people. 

"We have a situation where what religious leaders are saying about this country is enough to make people want to weep because you ask yourself, are they talking about this same country, do they have another country, so they should be mindful of what they say, so they don't use their words to tear the country apart?"

Speaking on the rising insecurity in the country, Odusile enjoined Nigerians to rise to the challenge, saying security matter is the collective business of everyone.

"Well, insecurity of whatever name we want to give it, it's a problem that nobody is happy about. Nigerians have been living at peace with each other for a very long time. The challenge we are facing now is security, which is something that would go but we can't just wish it away.

"Everyone must play their role. The security agents are not the spirit, they need the information to act upon,  it we the citizenry don't give them the right and correct information. The security agents are trying their best, and I want to commend them, but all of us must put our resources together to make sure that Nigerians remain united and there is security in the land."