‘Do Not Let Enemies Divide Us’ — Islamic Cleric Urges Unity At Hon. Yinka Ahmed Aluko’s 5th Annual Ramadan Lecture

Ilorin, Kwara  State — An Islamic cleric, Al-Imaam Abubakar Issa Salaty, popularly known as Authentic, has called on Muslims and members of the community to remain united and embrace peace, warning that disunity often creates opportunities for enemies to cause destruction within society.

Salaty made the call while delivering a lecture at the 5th Annual Ramadan Lecture sponsored by Hon. Yinka Ahmed Aluko, the member representing Ilorin East/Ilorin South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The event, held at the Ikokoro Compound in Ilorin, drew religious scholars, community leaders, and residents from across the constituency who gathered to listen to messages of unity, faith, and peaceful coexistence during the holy month of Ramadan.

In his lecture, the cleric stressed that people must avoid actions capable of creating division among themselves, urging members of the community to always seek peace and reconciliation whenever misunderstandings arise.

“Let us unite and embrace peace. Do not let enemies divide us against each other. When someone offends you, you should question the person who offended you rather than allowing hatred and division to grow among us,” Salaty said.

He cautioned followers and supporters within communities against wishing for the downfall of their leaders, noting that such attitudes could hinder progress and weaken collective development.

“Followers should not try to look for the downfall of their leaders. If we truly want progress in our society, we must come together and unite. We must join hands together to defeat our common enemies,” he added.

The Islamic scholar further warned against allowing individuals or groups to create unnecessary hostility among people, describing such acts as dangerous to the unity and stability of society.

“People should not allow others to create unnecessary enmity among them. Once hatred and division are allowed to grow, it becomes easier for enemies to infiltrate and destroy what the community has built,” he stated.

To illustrate the dangers of disunity, Salaty narrated a story about three sheep and a lion, explaining how their failure to stand together ultimately led to their destruction.

According to him, the lion was able to trick and eat the sheep one after the other because they refused to unite and instead envied one among them whom they considered more attractive.

“There were three sheep, and among them one looked more attractive than the others. Instead of uniting, the other sheep developed jealousy and refused to support one another. The lion exploited their disunity, deceived them, and ate them one after the other,” he explained.

Drawing lessons from the story, the cleric warned that communities that create gaps for enemies through disunity often expose themselves to avoidable crises.

“Those who create a vacuum for enemies will not only give them opportunities for destruction, but they will also bring problems upon themselves,” Salaty said.

The annual Ramadan lecture organized by Hon. Aluko has become a recurring religious and community event aimed at promoting Islamic teachings, unity, and peaceful coexistence among residents of Ilorin East and Ilorin South local government areas.

Residents who attended the gathering described the lecture as timely, especially in a period when communities are urged to strengthen unity and resist forces capable of creating division.

The event ended with prayers for peace, unity, and continued development across Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole.