Fear Allah, keep your promises, don says to politicians

A university lecturer, Professor Rafatu AbdulHamid, has called on those seeking political office in the upcoming general election to fear Allah and keep their promises if they come to power.

Professor AbdulHamid made the call at a forum entitled ‘Using Interfaith Dialogue as a Tool to Promote National Integration’, sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), held at the University of Abuja on Tuesday.

AbdulHamid, a professor of Islamic Studies with a specialization in Islamic Thought and Gender Studies, called on politicians to be peacemakers and understand that only Allah gives power to whom He wills.

The don asked the politicians to rule sincerely and to be guided by their religious doctrines and teachings.

She said the program could not have come at a better time to engage young people, who make up a large percentage of the voting population, and instill in them the culture of peace.

AbdulHamid, who was co-principal investigator of the program, said: “Those who seek people’s mandate are Christians or Muslims. My candid advice to anyone contesting electoral warfare is that Christianity and Islam preach peace. If that’s the case, then every politician should be a peacemaker. Whatever they want to do must be in accordance with their religious doctrines and teachings and once they do this our country will benefit.

“Neither Christianity nor Islam teaches or preaches violence and corruption that have been our curse as a nation. They should rule with fear of Allah and know that it is Allah who gives power to whom He wills.

“This program is a TETfund sponsored scholarship. It is to engage students because we want them to absorb the culture of peace. It is about national integration and letting the students know that they are peace ambassadors wherever they are.

“With this kind of involvement, the students will be familiar with the peace process, because peace is of the utmost importance. We all know that without peace there can never be any kind of development.”

Professor Ibrahim Uthman and Dr. Peter Oke of the University of Ibadan in separate presentations called for tolerance, mutual respect and for Muslims and Christians to absorb the culture of forgiveness to promote national unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.

A highlight of the program was the induction of the students as peace ambassadors for the unity of Nigeria.