OPINION: Should FG Regulate Religious Preaching?

The Izala organised a seminar for its clerics.

A former Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Abdullahi Aminchi, has called for the regulation of religious preaching in the country, to stop the excesses of some clerics who mislead their followers.

Mr. Aminchi made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kaduna on the sideline of a seminar organised for Imams by the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’iqamatis Sunnah, an Islamic sect.

He noted that some clerics take advantage of the weaknesses of their followers, especially the young ones, to mislead them into violence in order to advance their selfish agenda.

The diplomat said religious leaders should be agents of positive change and not promote divisions and schism in the society. He said the mode of preaching always inspire followers, as such the religious leaders must learn to guide the followers to be tolerant, peaceful and responsible at all times.

The former envoy particularly appealed to Muslim clerics to contribute positively to government’s efforts to end the current insurgency in parts of the country. He also urged political leaders to be fair and just to all Nigerians, irrespective of their political, religious and ethnic affiliation, in order to engender patriotism and respect for the rule of law.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Izala sect, Abdullahi Bala-lau, has said that the group had established a foundation to cater for the needy, especially widows and children.

He said that the sect would soon set up another body that would be responsible for taking the Almajiris off the street.

Mr. Bala-lau said the aim was to offer the Almajiris Islamic and western education, as well as moral lessons to make them better citizens.

Source: NAN