PORT HARCOURT - Muslims in Rivers State have resolved to embark on a cause of moral re-awakening among the inhabitant of the Niger Delta region particularly the youths through effective propagation of the Islamic faith.
Consequently, the Rivers Islamic faithful have inaugurated a Council of Imams with the responsibility of championing Islamic evangelism (Dawah) in the Niger Delta and Rivers state in particular.
The decision to deploy Islamic evangelism as a tool for moral re-definition in the oil rich region which has been embroiled in various forms of conflicts and their attendant violence was reached over the weekend during the maiden meeting of the conference of Imams in Rivers state held in Port Harcourt .
The council of Imams is expected to take the Islamic message of hope as contained in the Qur’an to the creeks and hinterlands no matter how remote.
According to the convener of the conference Alhaji Ahmad Okiri who is also the Vice-President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Rivers state chapter, Muslims in the state could not afford to stay aside and watch the psyche of the people daily eroded due to the odious quest for material gains.
Alhaji Okiri regretted that the genuine agitation by the people of the Niger Delta for development had been hijacked by greed and avariciousness, resulting in the current spate of violence in the form of hostage taking for financial ransom.
The meeting which was held at the Rivers state Central Mosque, the Rivers Islamic leader said was convened after due consultation with the Islamic leaders both at the local communities levels and the state.
He said the meeting which would be held on regular basis is expected to provide a forum at the state level to discuss the progress and problems confronting the Muslim Ummah at the various communities with a view to solving them.
High points of the conference that had effective representation from the various Mosques in the state was the constitution of a Zakat Committee with the sole duties of collecting and re-distributing alms amongst the needy in line with Islamic
principles and practices.
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