The Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has confirmed that he could not see any evidence that a building existed on the disputed land in Rainbow Town, Port Harcourt where some persons alleged that the Rivers State Government demolished a mosque.
Speaking with journalists after a joint assessment of the disputed land with Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike at Rainbow Town, yesterday evening, Fayemi described the entire controversy as a storm in a tea cup.
He said: “With what I have seen, I cannot see any evidence of any building that has been demolished here.
“If you are somebody who wants a place of worship, you should find a way to oblige them. I know within your capacity, it will be possible to find a place for them.
“From what I have seen here, I think it is a storm in a tea cup. There is nothing to warrant this kind of media hype that has been given to it”.
The NGF chairman said that his assessment visit was necessitated by a call to Governor Wike after the controversy on the disputed land broke out.
The Ekiti State governor said that when the controversy started, he placed a call to Wike, who pointedly emphasised that no mosque was demolished.
He noted that the Rivers State governor explained the history of the disputed land, explaining that it started during the Chibuike Amaechi administration and that the matter was already in court.
“If they cannot have this place that is contentious, and they have gone to court and you have respected their right to go to court, if they want to come back and seek a request to have another place, I plead that His Excellency should oblige them.
“You cannot allow people to build on a sewer. Even in my state, I will not allow people to build on a sewer. There is no governor that I know that will allow that to happen.
“If they are willing and prepared to have their place of worship elsewhere, that shouldn’t be too much of a request. It is important for us to promote harmony, rather than discord”, Fayemi said.
He said that state governors must continue to interact on sensitive matters before taking a position.
The Ekiti governor said, “All of us should try as much as possible to speak to one another when things like these happen, rather than jump to any conclusion. That’s what brought me here; so that I can see for myself precisely what has transpired, and I want to thank you for granting me the opportunity to visit when I insisted that I want to see the place in contention”, he added.
Responding, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike thanked the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for exhibiting leadership by visiting the state to see things for himself.
Wike, who noted that the Ekiti State governor, has confirmed that there was no mosque as was wrongly reported, wondered why people politicise everything.
“I want to thank the chairman of my forum for, at least, coming to see things for himself. He called me while he was away, and I told him, you know that I can’t do something like that, and he said okay, when he comes back, he was coming to see me and he has fulfilled that promise. That shows leadership, and from what he has seen, there was no mosque.
“There is no way I will see a mosque and order the Ministry of Urban Development to go and demolish a mosque. Assuming that there is even a mosque and that government doesn’t want it at that location, we will invite them and say look, we don’t want a mosque there, can we find you an alternative place, but there was no mosque. I don’t know why people should make politics out of the issue. It’s not important.”
“So, I thank the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Ekiti State governor for taking this bold step to come and see things for himself”, he asserted.
The Rivers State governor assured of the state government’s readiness to give an alternative place to the Muslim community if they desire it.
He urged the people not to create discord among the different religions as they worship the same God.
Similarly, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, yesterday, came down hard on politicians accusing them of fuelling religious unrest across the country.
According to him, the political class are to be blamed “for using their selfish ambition to fuel religious suspicious and create religious unrest in the country”.
He said this at Saint David’s Cathedral in Akure the Ondo state capital during a meeting with religious leaders under Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).
The head of the Muslim sect is in the state on a two-day official visit and being hosted by the Deji of Akure land, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi.
Abubakar, therefore, advised “Nigerians to shun politicians and important personalities who are politicising religions and creating tension across the country.
According to him “the Bible and Quran do not belong to any political party”.
Speaking on the controversy trailing the alleged demolition of a mosque in Port-Harcourt by the Rivers State Government, Abubakar said that the “Nigerian Inter-Religious Council at the national level is already handling the issue for an amicable resolution”.
He noted that, “nobody should claim to love God without loving his or her neighbours who are Muslims and Christians”.
The Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo said that the historic visit by the Sultan was to foster religious harmony in the state.
The meeting was attended by both Christians and Muslims leaders.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was led by their state Chairman, Reverend John Ayo Oladapo while the Muslims were led by the state Chairman, League of Imams and Alfas, Alhaji Ahmed Aladesawe.
Abubakar had earlier inaugurated the newly constructed mosque at the Deji’s Palace.
However, the Sultan will today deliver the Akure, Ondo State’s 2019 yearly Ulefunta Public Lecture.
This year’s lecture, which is the second edition, will hold at the Main Auditorium of the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
According to the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Prince Adebisi Adeniyi, the lecture is entitled “Our diversity a divine gift and blessing untapped: Wrong path trod and way to peace”.
Explaining the Ulefunta Festival, the chairman said, “It is the brainchild of the Akure monarch, the Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, who began a process of bringing Akure’s culture into modern remembrance, one of which is the traditional period of leave of the Akure king called Ulefunta which is now celebrated to impart its lessons on the modern world”.
Adeniyi said, “The Lecture, which will be chaired by the renowned entrepreneur, Chief Michael Ade Ojo, will also have the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, as the Special Guest of Honour, and will be attended by prominent traditional rulers, religious leaders, opinion leaders, community leaders, youths and students”.
It would be recalled that the 2018 edition of the Public Lecture was delivered by the current Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah.
Also, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has appointed Alhaji Abdulrazak Deprieye as the sole administrator of Rivers State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (RSMPWB).
A statement by the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, in Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, indicated that “the appointment takes immediate effect”.
In a related development, the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Susan Aderonke Folarin has commended the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his love for children and investment in youth development initiatives.
While applauding the governor for investing in the development of youths, the envoy also charged the government to ensure that the identified talents were not allowed to waste.
Folarin gave the commendation when she played host to the players of Banham Model School, Port Harcourt, who have been sponsored by the Rivers State Government on a two-week training programme to the prestigious Real Madrid Academy, Spain.
She urged the boys to be good ambassadors of Nigeria wherever the future takes them.
Folarin did not forget to applaud the efforts of their sponsor and Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike for taking unusual interest in youth development and job creation to drive Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
While thanking God for the privileges they have enjoyed, the boys also did not forget to thank the Rivers State Government for investing in them.
With their visit finally over, the boys then headed back to the Real Madrid Academy to continue with their training programme.