Governor Makinde slams agents of religious violence

… Holds Iftar Service For Oyo State Muslims

Governor ‘Seyi Makinde has said that his administration will not allow agents of religious disharmony cause any mischief in Oyo State.

The governor shared this while hosting fasting Muslims for a special Iftar programme at Government House, Agodi. He also said religious discrimination will not be tolerated in Oyo State.

A press release signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, further quoted the governor telling any agents of mischief trying to stoke religious violence in Oyo State to cease and desist or face the consequences.

He said : “We want to thank God for sparing our lives till this very moment. I also want to appreciate God because there is religious harmony in our state, which I believe is the will of God. So, if some people are going to other states to stoke the fires of religious disharmony, the moment they get to Oyo State to cause confusion, please ask them to go elsewhere. The Lord Almighty is making things work for us here.”

He also explained that his administration is fulfilling his campaign promise to be fair and just to adherents of all religions in the state.
He added: “Secondly, I want us to go home with something tonight. During the electioneering campaign, there was nowhere or no part of the state that we did not touch. We went to churches, mosques. And there was no local government area(s) in the state that we went to that we did not meet the Christian and Muslim communities.”

“We assured the people then that religious discrimination would not be noticed in our government. I also pledged that we would treat everybody equally irrespective of their religious or political inclinations and that is exactly what we have been doing in this government.”

The governor also promised the gathered congregation that his administration will continue to host Ramadan Iftar for the Muslims in the state. He also urged them to pray to God to bless Oyo state and its inhabitants with his good deeds.

“For the remaining years in this tenure, I want to assure you that we won’t change the ways we have been doing our things. We still have two Ramadan events to observe together. So, let us continue to pray to God to continue His good deeds in our lives. And my prayer is that we will all gather here to witness the next Ramadan and that of year 2023. But that of 2024 is in the hands of God.”

“So, what I want us to take home is, let us leave what we want to become tomorrow in the hands of God,” he said.

The governor also admonished everyone present to put their trust in God and make sure that the fear of God is demonstrated in all their actions, adding that “all the legacies we leave behind will speak for us… every position we find ourselves, we are holding it in trust for generations coming behind us.”
“Those who have gone ahead of us held the position for us. We are the ones there today, holding it for those who will occupy the positions tomorrow. That is just the sequence and lesson, which I want us to take home.”
The Iftar service was attended by Islamic leaders, several prominent Oyo State politicians, heads of Muslim organizations, political leaders and government functionaries.