By Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, has charged members of the institution’s Muslim community and the generality of the Muslim Ummah to make effective use of the Ramadan season to get closer to their Maker, improve the contents of their characters and smoothen their relationships with fellow human beings.
The Vice Chancellor made the appeal in a statement signed on his behalf by the institution’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, to mark the beginning of the year 2021 annual Ramadan fast.
Prof. AbdulKareem,who also congratulated Muslims on the commencement of the sacred month, said that the season is another opportunity for Muslims to renew their faith, broaden their spiritual horizons,expand interfaith understanding and improve general social interactions with a view to ensuring the prevalence of global peace and development.
Prof. Abdulkareem,who is also the Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities(CVCNU),said that fasting is a spiritual engagement which goes beyond keeping away from eating,drinking and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk, saying that it involves total abstinence from every untoward act.
The renowned Professor of Chemical Engineering added that he expected Muslim members of both the internal and external publics of the nation’s most sought after University to commit themselves to act of extensive worship,selfless service and greater probity throughout the month and beyond.
The Vice-Chancellor said that the nation would be more peaceful and prosperous if the essence of the annual fasting is imbibed by Muslims and Christians,urging all to ensure that the envisaged difference is effected this time around.
Prof. AbdulKareem opined that it is only the Almighty Allah that would reward those who fast and therefore urged all to take part in the fasting as enshrined in the Holy Quran and in the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) for enduring reward and divine blessings.
The Vice Chancellor prayed Allah to grant Muslims sound health and other wherewithal to accomplish their desires of partaking in the one month spiritual rejuvenation engagement as he also wished others the very best of the period.
