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The Kwara State Muslim Stakeholders has condemned criticism of Kwara State government’s declaration of 1st Muharram 1445( Hijrah) as work-free day in the state.
The chairman of the group, Alh Is-haq Abdul-Karim, during a media parley in Ilorin, the state capital declared the criticism from Prof Funmilayo Adesanya – Davies as baseless.
He wondered what concerns Adesanya- Davies about public holiday for Muslims who have endured the imposition of 1st January as a public holiday by the colonial masters in Nigeria for more than 63 years.
Abdul-Karim praised the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for doing what is right at the right time, pointing out that his singular act on that matter elicited alot of commendation for his administration.
He described the comments of Adesanya- Davies on the matter as a sign of religious intolerance.
Abdulkarim said the scholar ought to have commended Governor AbdulRazaq for the declaration and praise Kwara Muslim Community for their patience and endurance for the past 30 years that they have been making the demand for the declaration of 1st Muharram of every year as public holiday.
He reminded the scholar of the fact that Oyo and Ogun States headed by christian Governors had earlier declared 1st Muharram of this year as work-free day in their states.
This is in addition to similar declarations across Nigeria including Osun State,” he added.
On Adesanya-Davies call for return of Kwara Schools to missions, AbdulKarim recalled thatthe matter was taken to court by Kwara CAN since 2013 and they lost at Ilorin High Court by the judgement of 2016 and also lost their Appeal at the Court of Appeal in 2019.
He stated that by the two subsisting court judgements, all Christian and Muslim mission schools both primary and secondary in Kwara State formerly owned by them are public schools since 1976.
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