…Alatoye faults NASS on social media and hate speech bills
Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, Speaker of the House of representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun and his Osun state counterpart, Gboyoga Oyetola Isiaka, to grace 67th Annual Jalsa Salana (Islamic Conference) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria (AMJN).
Other prominent Nigerians expected to grace the largest Islamic gathering in Africa are deputy governors of Ogun and Lagos, Alhaja Naimot Salako and Engr. Femi Hamzat, the Emir of Kano, Etsu of Nupe, the Obong of Calabar, the Olu of Ilaro, Akirun of Ikirun, the Olota of Ota.
According to the Amir Sahib (National President) AMJN, Barrister Abdul Azeez Alatoye, during world press conference, the convention slated for December 20th to 22nd December will focus on the Holy Quran Chapter 16 verse 126 “call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in a way that is best. Surely, thy Lord knows best who has strayed from his way, and He knows those who are rightly guided”.
Highlights of the two day events are: praises of Allah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), message from the Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Community, Goodwill messages from the Nigerian President and states official, religious leaders, lectures, special prayers and academic awards.
“In line with the core values of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community “Love for all Hatred for None”, the 2019 edition of our annual conference slated for 20th December to 22nd December will focus on the Holy Quran Chapter 16 verse 126 “call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in a way that is best. Surely,thy Lord knows best who has strayed from his way,and He knows those who are rightly guided”.
“According to the book ‘Heavenly Decree’ the Jalsa Salana was meant to achieve the following: to listen to spiritual discourses-lectures with a view to increase one’s communion with Allah the Almighty. participate in congregational prayers, meet love ones, new members and strengthening brotherhood among other benefits. Hence it is not just an ordinary gathering, it is a spiritual get together.”
Alatoye explained further that this convention is held in over 195 countries on an international scale, sometime with over 38,000 participants.
Other guests expected at the event are Islamic scholars across Nigeria. From the media Chairman MITV, the Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), General Manager OGTV, Zonal Director Lagos, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, General Manager and Editor in Chief Vanguard Newspapers, Editor The Guardian Newspapers and host of others.
“Interestingly, we are also expecting delegates from the neighboring countries of Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Cote D’ivoire among others. A communique will be issued at the end of Islamic conference to the Nigerian media and the populace at large,” Alatoye noted.
Reacting to proposed social media and hate speech bills presently delebrated on at the National Assembly, “as a lawyer, I belief there are enough extant laws in the Nigerian constitution that adequately takes care of these two bills. At present we have libel law and defamation, cybercrime law and other criminal laws that can effectively accommodate any misdemeanor on the use of social media platforms and extreme comments capable of inflaming passions and causing disunity in the country.”
He expressed that since democracy is about the people, he urged the National Assembly to focus more on bills about developments in all facets of Nigerian life rather than being distracted with the social media and hate speech bills.
Alatoye commended the commitment of the Nigerian government to railway transportation system, “the free railway transportation between Lagos and Abeokuta is laudable. We urged government to exert the same positive attitude to general infrastructural developments across the country.”
