Righteous leaders will deliver ideal democracy- AbdulLateef

The Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef, has enjoined Muslims and all righteous people in Nigeria to participate actively in the political arena; saying as a people, Lagosians, and indeed Nigerians, would not experience ideal democracy needed to bring the desired socio-economic development, infrastructural growth, prosperity and happiness, if this is not done.

While delivering his keynote address titled, “Morality, The Missing Element in Nigerian Politics”, at a recent Ramadan Lecture organised by the Yaba College of Technology Muslims Alumni Association, AbdulLateef said, “The people who have the fear of Allah, knowledgeable, righteous and have all it takes to govern and put things right, remain apathetic and disinterested, abandoning the political landspace to those who are there for selfish desires and personal gains.

“The vast majority of those who are active in politics today do not fear Allah, as they are there for business, cannot keep promises and would not be able to bring the necessary changes for which the masses clamour. Indeed, they cannot give what they do not have.

“It is for this reason that as blessed and favoured as Nigeria is, with abundant human and mineral resources, including petroleum and gas, clement weather and extremely good arable land, the country has continued to lag behind in virtually everything because most people are unmindful of the bounties of Allah, ungrateful of Allah’s abundance of blessings and made wrong all what Allah has made right for them,” he said.

AbdulLateef said these set of leaders whom had no fear of God, had by their own hands brought untoward circumstances to reign in the land and allowed all manner of vices such as terrorism, kidnapping, unemployment, inflation, fear, disillusionment, apathy and hunger to prevail, unfortunately.

The Commissioner strongly advised that righteous, God-fearing individuals should fully participate in politics, contest for elective positions and support the people with the fear of God through their voices and votes, so that the people would actually experience the favourable consequences of their actions.

While making reference to Quran 16 verse 11, he said, “The Almighty Allah will not change the condition of the people until they themselves see the evil they have brought upon themselves and reverse the trend by being upright.”

He stated that the participation of God-fearing people had become paramount and that if the desired results must be achieved, Muslims must move away from their current state of disinterestedness in politics and take leading roles in this regard; contest, support and elect those who fear Allah and those with the necessary qualifications, attitude, love and care to lead and govern.
He added that the people could not continue to be disenchanted and expect different results.

“Mosques are more than polling centres in Nigeria, and Muslims must use these channels to propagate the required knowledge and importance of political participation, he advised.

He stressed that Muslims must operate from “the Manual”, which would provide the required knowledge before they could be effective leaders at home, work place, the political arena and do the right things. He charged Muslims to demand and support people with the highest levels of qualifications and requirements, and in doing so, give priority to those with the fear of Allah.

He said Ramadan is about Takwa or the fear of Allah, adding that it should not be viewed mainly as abstinence from food and other pleasures but application of all what is pure and just as decreed.

Opportunities, he said, abound in Nigeria and if activated, would usher in a new era of accelerated development and appropriate democratic practice.

“The Nigerian Muslims must therefore think out of the box and give good values, show transparency and honesty to strengthen family, social, religious and political institutions,” he said.