By Olabisi Kazeem. (Imam Ailaka)
Mallam Yusuff Adepoju, a renowned Islamic preacher, has stressed the need to promote Arabic learning by the academics and Muslims faithful through scholarship, saying that the language is a vital bridge in global knowledge transfer.
Mallam Adepoju, who is the founder of ACADIP gospel worldwide, stated this during the bursary awards presentation to students of all public secondary schools and Arabic/ Islamic institutions across the rural and urban communities in Ede land, Osun State.
(Alh. Ganiyu Idowu Tiamiyu)
According to him, we must sustain the sense and relevance of Arabic learnings. After all, the classic of global science reached the world through Arabic translation. To abandon this heritage is to ignore a pillar of human civilization
The event which was the second phase of this year Bursary and Scholarship Awards ceremony, organized by the Ede Muslim Scholarship Education Foundation (EMSEF), an organ of Ede Muslim Council, held at Oja -Timi Central Mosque.
The renowned Islamic preacher urged Islamic students and “OMO -KEWU” not to allow their religious engagements to affect their academic activities, saying that they should acquire the requisite skills needed in preparation for the labour market and excel in whatever field they found themselves.
Sheikh MOSHOOD Husain Akajewole, the Chief Imam of Edeland, attributed the glory and successes being recorded by the Ede Muslim Council to Almighty ALLAH.
He counselled members of the Council not to relax their efforts , stressing that because ALLAH would not hesitate to reward their good deeds.
Earlier in his speech, the chairman Ede Muslim Community, Sheikh Dr Misbaudeen Idris Sekoni, urged the beneficiaries to embrace the loving hands extended to them by Ede Muslim Scholarship education foundation (EMSEF ) by showing commitment to their academic pursuits in order to attain greater heights.
He said the cash awards presented to the recipients was to encourage and support them in their academic pursuits so as to make quality learnings accessible to all.
Dr Idris further enjoined the parents to always pray for their children and wards and encourage them to be of good behaviour at all times.
He also used the occasion to advise the students to make their parents and Ede community proud by being worthy ambassadors of Islam.
He said: “Be religious because being religious will prevent you from joining bad gangs which is becoming rampant in the society, but don’t allow your religious activities to affect your western academic pursuits”.
” Do not rush out and get a third class, go at your pace and graduate with first class honour or second class upper, you should be a source of inspiration and pride to yourself and your family” he said.
Also speaking, a Commissioner in the Osun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Alhaji Abdul Ganiy Amoo Tiamiyu stressed the need to re-designing way of learning Arabic so as to make our children acquire relevant knowledge that will make them productive and contribute meaningfully to the society.
” As Youths, you need to wake up. Your time should not be wasted on the things that are ephemeral. Let your energy speaks for you. Let’s generate ideas, let us put the ideas in to practice for the betterment and benefit of our Islamic religion” he said.
He commended EMSEF on the initiative and described the tenure of Dr Misbaudeen Idris led Muslim council executive as a period of change, a period of development and a period of giant stride in all ramifications, he added.
Some of the awardees parents, who spoke with flowerburdnews affirmed that the bursary and other education incentives would go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of their children and assist them in their academic pursuits.
According to Mr Dhikrlullai Junaid from Oyada compound : ” We thank Almighty Allah for counting our children among the lucky ones worthy of being selected for the bursary, I say to the Muslim council that “forward ever, backward never.”
On her part , Mrs Fasilat Ayofe of Babasanya compound, whose son attends Ansar Islam, appreciated the Muslim council for putting up this type of programme to encourage and improve the lives of Muslims children in the society.
” By the special grace of Almighty ALLAH, we are going to use the incentive received judiciously to improve our children’s learning and also use the money to pay for the enrollment fees and buy the necessary materials for their courses,” they added.
Also an erudite Islamic scholar, Mallam Isiaq Lawal emphasized on the importance of looking after the children by the parents and guidances, adding that nothing is more important than this parental obligation.
” I want to say that Ede Muslim council under the leadership of Dr Misbaudeen Idris acknowledged that there is ability in disability. They have done this by giving the less privileged individuals a sense of belonging and befitting environment to learn.”
The cash awards were distributed to over 200 government senior secondary schools students across Ede, as intervention to parents and guardian to pay their students’ academic fees for one calendar year.
Also all the public secondary schools in Alajue, Owode -Adejuhan,; Egbeda Loogun ; Sekona: Akoda; and other less city community were not left out of the intervention.
Similarly, the cash incentive in white envelopes were given to the Arabic learners as a way of encouraging them to cater for their institutions fees and other needs.
The institutions like: Al Fareed, Islamic institute, Olagunju Islamic center, Daar Taoheed, Olohunlomerue college, Daarul Hikmot among many others enjoyed from the EMSEF bursary awards bounties.
The ceremony, which was graced by the Islamic leaders and highly notable personalities in the society, was described as successful and unprecedented with EMSEF putting smiles on the faces of both parents and their children.
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